Resolving The Problem

Document Overview

Note: This document used to be titled "Printing 132-Character SPLFs at 13.3 CPI and 198 Character SPLFs at 20 CPI Using Host Print Transform (HPT)".

This document provides instructions for printing 132-character spooled files at 13.3 and 198 character spooled files at 20 CPI on rotated 8.5 x 11.0 inch paper by changing how Host Print Transform (HPT) does its font selection whenever it uses the Computer Output Reduction (COR) function. This will cause 10 CPI/132 character spooled files to print in a larger font (so there will be far less wasted space) and will cause 15 CPI/198 character spooled files to print in a smaller font (so characters will not be truncated on the right).

This is done by retrieving and modifying a Workstation Customization Table (WSCST) and changing the CPI in COR Mode (CPICOR) tags to specify different values for the ASCII font (ASCIIFNT) and font width (FNTWTH). This document also discusses modifying the Raster Mode (RASTERMODE) tag for printers that do not support scalable fonts.

This document was last updated on 2 December 2013.

History and Explanation of Computer Output Reduction (COR)

The Computer Output Reduction (COR) function was built into the hardware on the original twinax-attached IBM 3812 SCS printer. It was designed to take spooled files generated for a system printer and reformat them to print on a laser printer by printing in landscape and compressing the font and line spacing to fit on Letter sized (8.5 x 11 inch) paper without truncation.

Host Print Transform (HPT) added this same functionality for printing to ASCII laser printers. However, the laser printers available at that time, such as the HP LaserJet II, supported only a limited number of fonts and Characters per Inch (CPI) settings. Therefore the system-supplied MFRTYPMDL settings (such as *HPII and *HPIII) were set up so spooled files that were generated to print 132 columns at 10 Characters per Inch (CPI) on 13.2 inch wide "green bar" paper would be printed in landscape at 17.1 CPI on Letter sized paper leaving more than 2.0 inches of white space on the right side. Spooled files that were generated to print 158 columns at 12 CPI on 13.2 inch wide paper would be printed in landscape at 17.1 CPI on Letter sized paper leaving less than an inch of white space on the right side. Spooled files that were generated to print 198 columns at 15 CPI on 13.2 inch wide paper would be printed in landscape at 17.1 CPI on Letter sized paper, truncating the text at 172 columns.

Newer system-supplied MFRTYPMDL settings (such as *HP4, *HP5, *HP5SI, *HP4000, and so on) changed to print 15 CPI spooled files at 20 CPI when performing Computer Output Reduction (COR) processing. Therefore, 198 column spooled files would no longer be truncated at column 172; however, those would still print 10 CPI spooled files at 17.1 CPI when performing COR processing leaving a lot of white space on the right side.

Even more recent system-supplied MFRTYPMDL settings (such as *INFOPRINT1140 and *LEXOPTRAT) changed to remove all CPICOR tags and let HPT perform a best fit which causes 10 CPI spooled files to print at 13.3 CPI leaving less than half an inch of white space on the right side. 15 CPI spooled files are still printed at 17.1 CPI because that leaves less than an inch of white space on the right side.


Basic Steps for Creating and Using a Workstation Customization Object

The following are the basic steps for creating and using a Workstation Customization Object (WSCST). Regardless of the particular issue(s) you are attempting to resolve, these steps must always be taken. This information is intended to provide a 'quick start' to creating a WSCST object for users who have at least some familiarity with creating them and with configuring printers.

Note: Additional, in-depth details for creating a WSCST object can be found in the following document:

N1010140: Instructions for Modifying a Workstation Customizing Object (WSCST)

The following are the basic 'quick start' steps.

Step 1: Retrieve the WSCST source code. Type the following command on the operating system command line:


RTVWSCST DEVTYPE(*TRANSFORM) MFRTYPMDL(*HP4) SRCMBR(HP4)
         SRCFILE(QGPL/QTXTSRC)

Press the Enter key.

Step 2: Edit the source code by using PDM or SEU: Make any changes necessary to the WSCST object source code. Refer to one of the following sections New Method -- Removing the CPICOR Tags, Old Method -- Modifying the CPICOR Tags, or Raster Mode Method -- for Printers That Do Not Use Scalable Fonts to make your changes, then save and exit. Continue with Step 3.

Step 3: Create the WSCST object using the CRTWSCST command. On the operating system command line, type the following:


CRTWSCST WSCST(QGPL/HP4) SRCFILE(QGPL/QTXTSRC)

Press the Enter key.

Step 4: Add the WSCST to the printer configuration by using the Change Device Print command (CHGDEVPRT), the Change Output Queue command (CHGOUTQ), or by changing the PC5250 printer emulation session configuration.
Note: If any changes are made to the WSCST object source code after the CRTWSCST command has been issued, it is necessary to issue the CRTWSCST command again. The printer writer must be ended and restarted for the changes to take effect.

When you are editing the WSCST source code using either PDM or SEU, follow the instructions in one or more of the following sections:

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