CHRSIZ (Character Size) keyword in printer files

You use this record-level or field-level keyword to expand the width and height of a record or field. The CHRSIZ keyword is valid only for Intelligent Printer Data Stream (IPDS) printers and only for printer files with device type *IPDS or *AFPDS specified.

The format of the keyword is:

CHRSIZ(width height)

The valid values for the width and height parameters are 1.0 through 20.0.

Any formatting you choose, such as using a specific font or editing through the EDTCDE and EDTWRD keywords, is done before the expansion.

If you specify CHRSIZ on a record, it applies to all fields in that record for which you do not specify CHRSIZ at the field level. When you specify a numeric font (for example: 011–Courier 10 pitch) with CHRSIZ, the printer scales the hardware fonts (scaling with integer values only).

Graphics fonts can also be specified with CHRSIZ. When you specify a GDDM graphic font (for example: ADMMVSS) with CHRSIZ, the system scales the graphic font. You can use decimal values to scale graphic fonts.

It is recommended that you do not use FONT (*DEVD) (on the CRTPRTF, CHGPRTF, or OVRPRTF command) when using CHRSIZ. If you do use FONT (*DEVD), then fields specified with CHRSIZ are positioned on the page assuming that the font in the device description is a 10-pitch font.

In expanding a field, CHRSIZ uses the current font and lines-per-inch value. For example, if you specify FONT(011), a 10-pitch font, and lpi(6) for the printer file, specifying CHRSIZ (3 3) for a 10-character field expands the field to 3 inches wide (30 characters/10 characters per inch) and 1/2 inch high (3 lines/6 lines per inch).

Note: If the current font is a coded font or font character set/code page, 10-pitch is assumed when positioning the field.

If, however, you specified FONT(222), a 15-pitch font, and lpi(4) on a record format, the 10-character field mentioned previously expands to 2 inches wide (30 characters/15 characters per inch) and 3/4 inch high (3 lines/4 lines per inch).

You cannot specify a hardware font on the FONT keyword when a decimal value is specified on the CHRSIZ keyword. If both of these keywords apply to the same field (specified either at the record or field level), the file is not created.

Note: When you specify FONT(*VECTOR) with the CHRSIZ keyword, the 4234 printer uses a default code page.

The CHRSIZ keyword does not work if the specified font is a typographic font and the printer is either a 3812 or 3816 printer. Typographic fonts are not scalable on these printers. This is a limitation of the printer. The typographic fonts are as follows:

751
1051
1053
1056

1351
1653
2103

Note: CHRSIZ is not supported on some printers due to printer limitations. For example, 3825, 3827, and 3900 only support downloaded fonts.

When you create a file, exceeding or overlapping the page length is not diagnosed for expanded height. It is diagnosed, however, for expanded width. The field length used is the DDS field length multiplied by the expansion width that you specify on CHRSIZ and rounded up to the integer value.

Valid data types for this keyword are A, F, and S.

Option indicators are not valid for this keyword.

Example

The following example shows how to specify the CHRSIZ keyword.

|...+....1....+....2....+....3....+....4....+....5....+....6....+....7....+....8
     A          R RECORD1                   CHRSIZ(3  3)
     A  02 03                               FONT(222)
     A            FIELD1         3A     6 01
     A            FIELD2         6A    16 01CHRSIZ(2.5 2)
     A                                      FONT(ADMMVSS)
     A            FIELD3         6S 0  20 01CHRISIZ(1 1)
     A

In the example, FIELD1 is printed using CHRSIZ(3 3). FIELD2 is printed using CHRSIZ(2.5 2). Note that the decimal CHRSIZ is valid because the FONT specified for the field is not numeric. FIELD3 prints using CHRSIZ(1 1).