PSF/AIX as MPI Server replacement (AFP to PCL, multiple bins)

ITEM: RTA000154101



Q:                                                                              
Topic thread:                                                                   
Printer Systems (PRINT - NA/ATS)                                                
 PSF/AIX                                                                        
                                                                                
Customer is using PSF/MVS to distribute an AFP document to 4317                 
IPDS printers TCP/IP attached.                                                  
                                                                                
They have 100 more sites which dial in thru Windows/95  PCs which will          
have Parallel attached PCL 4312s, which also need to print this same            
job. (Hopefully it this is a solution...)                                       
                                                                                
The current remote implementation uses MPI Tech's "Blue Server" which           
converts 80K AFP job to 950K  PCL bit imaged graphics.  This takes an           
eternity to download over a dial in connection....OK 10 minutes, but           
some places print 60 of these jobs at a time....  The "Blue Server" acts        
as a SNA printer to PSF/MVS, converts the job to PCL then Sends it to           
the workstation via TCP/IP, where it's dumped into a Windows Print Q.           
                                                                                
We initially looked at putting the Workbench Viewer on the PC to do             
the PCL conversion locally...we only need to move 80K MODCA over the            
dial in line.  However, the Workbench PCL conversion does not allow us          
to accommodate the 2 input bins required in the job.                            
                                                                                
Customer does have a RS/6000 with PSF/AIX...so I'm interested in                
determining if we can replace the Blue Server function and                      
get and relief from the large bit image graphic problem.                        
Will the AFP to PCL conversion capability of PSF/AIX accommodate                
the following?                                                                  
                                                                               
  1.  Does it convert to bit imaged graphics (like PCL2AFP) or does             
      it use text/font commands....ie will it be more efficient to              
      transmit over a dial in connection.                                       
  2.  Job is composed of FORMDEF, with one Overlay on pages 1 thru 4.           
      Pulls pages 1 thru 4 from 500 sheet bin, remainder from 250               
      sheet bin.  (Simplex job)                                                 
  3.  The Pagedef generates one BCOCA 3 of 9 barcode on the 4317...             
      this appears to be handled by the transform (item RTA000096136).          
                                                                                
Part II:                                                                        
Since the Viewer required MODCA as an input data stream, we were                
going to use IP PrintWay/Netspool/ACIF to repackage the print file.             
However, with PSF/AIX I would not need to do this, correct?..                   
Would we recommend SNA Direct...or use IP PrintWay to move the line             
data to PSF/AIX then do the AFP processing and conversion to                   
PCL at that point....??                                                         
                                                                                
Know this is a bit much over ViewBlue so please call to arrange                 
a conference call.                                                              
Thanks.                                                                         
                                                                                
A:                                                                              
Discussed possibilities via phone.  Next step is to test with their             
data and resources to see the actual size.                                      
                                                                                
Q:                                                                              
I've sent in the AFP resources and an ASCII data file over Lotus Notes.         
The PSF ascii to AFP to PCL conversion size is much more efficient than         
the MPI Tech solution (95K vs 850K).                                            
                                                                               
However, I'm not getting two input drawers selected.                            
                                                                                
See my e-mail for files and descriptions of how we generated the                
PCL...                                                                          
Thanks again...                                                                 
                                                                                
A:                                                                              
I should have asked one obvious question.  Have you configured the              
bin mapping for each PCL 4312?                                                  
                                                                                
smitty psf_main                                                                 
  Administer PSF for AIX                                                        
    Manage a PSF for AIX printer                                                
      Show / Change Characteristics                                             
        Bin Mapping Options                                                    
                                                                                
By default, only the Upper bin is activated.  To activate other bins,           
you will need to change each bin for each printer so that the value             
for "Is the bin mapping available?" is "YES". With lots of printers             
and bins, they can be time consuming.  I can give you information on            
a command line to change this, so you could create a custom script to           
do this more quickly.                                                           
                                                                                
If you *have* enabled the other bins and it is still not working,               
then we'll have to check the values for the bin mapping and the values          
in the formdef.                                                                 
                                                                                
Check that and let me know what happens.  Thanks for using ViewBlue.            
                                                                                
S e a r c h - k e y w o r d s:                                                 
psf/6000 psf/aix psf aix pcl bin mapping duplex afp input bins                  
infoprint ppds                                                                  
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                               


WWQA: ITEM: RTA000154101 ITEM: RTA000154101
Dated: 01/1999 Category: XPSF6000
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