128 barcode with (IPM) PSF/AIX PPFA Keyword

ITEM: RTA000154503



Q:                                                                              
Topic thread:                                                                   
Printer Systems (PRINT - NA/ATS)                                                
 PSF/AIX                                                                        
                                                                                
PSC Rep is preparing a bid for a solution comprising InfoPrint                  
Manager running on 4161-2 to connect either 4000-ID1/ID2 or IR1/IR2.            
One of the requirements is to print 128 barcode.                                
                                                                                
I know that the new PPFA Keywords were transported to PSF/AIX w/ PPFA.          
I know that the  AFCCU will build the barcode.  I also know that                
we used to do 128 with the 5688-021 product on the host, and that               
128 is a bar code that needed to use a subroutine.  I found an ASKQ             
with a similar problem and they were pointed to someone that                    
planned to port a subroutine to the AIX platform.                              
                                                                                
In short, I assume the determining factor as to whether or not I need a         
subroutine probably depends on how the variable data for the barcode            
is presented by the program.  My hope is that I am fine by just using           
PPFA and letting the AFCCU build the bar code.                                  
                                                                                
Am I correct or have I missed some logic somewhere?                             
Thanks.                                                                         
                                                                                
A:                                                                              
Barcode BCOCA support is included in PSF/AIX; you will need PTFs on             
psf.base, psf.ppfa, and psf.acif (which is used to format the data              
with the pagedef).  (See RTA000098116.)                                         
                                                                                
When PSF/6000 first came out, it did not support BCOCA in the pagedef,         
and customers migrating from MVS systems were struggling with how to            
migrate from the host barcode subroutine.  Thus the original old ASKQ           
you saw.  The host barcode subroutine (5688-021) does actually do               
additional work for some barcodes in calculating check digits that the          
PPFA/ACIF BCOCA support does not, so you're correct in that the                 
presentation of the data to PSF/AIX or InfoPrint Manager would be the           
determining factor of which approach to take.                                   
                                                                                
I'm away from my office today without access to my barcode books, so if         
I've missed something or if you need additional information, please             
don't hesitate to reopen the item.                                              
                                                                                
S e a r c h - k e y w o r d s:                                                  
psf/6000 psf/aix infoprint manager ipmgr ppfa acif bcoca barcode code           
128 afccu                                                                      


WWQA: ITEM: RTA000154503 ITEM: RTA000154503
Dated: 01/1999 Category: XPSF6000
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