MegaForm Server® User’s...

MegaForm Server®

User’s Manual

Version 6.2

March 2007

Copyright 2007 Bluemega Technology −2−

1 TABLE OF CONTENTS

1 Table of Contents ...................................................................................2

2 PREFACE.................................................................................................5

3 MEGAFORM SERVER: OVERVIEW .......................................................6 3.1 How MF Server Works.......................................................................7 3.2 Understanding the MF Server GUI ....................................................9

3.2.1 MF Server GUI and Desktop ......................................................9 3.2.1.1 Menu Bar ...............................................................................................10 3.2.1.2 MF Server Pull-Down Menus.................................................................10 3.2.1.3 Printer Load Graphic..............................................................................12 3.2.1.4 Status Bar—Managing Warnings And Errors ........................................12 3.2.1.5 Printers List ............................................................................................12 3.2.1.6 MF Server GUI: Logical Printer—Lightning Bolt/Yellow Flash ..............13 3.2.1.7 Printer Window & Pull-Down Menus......................................................13

4 MEGAFORM SERVER (MF SERVER): GETTING STARTED...............16 4.1 Installing/Uninstalling MF Server .....................................................16

4.1.1 Required Hardware and Software Configuration ......................16

4.1.2 MegaForm Server Software Installation ...................................16

4.1.3 Uninstalling...............................................................................18 4.2 Configuring MF Server.....................................................................19

4.2.1 Configuration Setup..................................................................19

4.2.2 Setting Up a MegaForm Logical Printer....................................19

4.2.3 Configuring the MegaForm Logical Printer ...............................20

4.2.4 Adapting a printer to MF Server................................................20

4.2.5 Configuring a New Printing Process Profile..............................20

4.2.6 Configuring a New Printing Process Agent...............................22

4.2.7 Printing a Sample File ..............................................................23 4.2.7.1 Printing from MegaForm ........................................................................23 4.2.7.2 Printing from MF Direct Print .................................................................23

5 SETUP—SETTING UP MF SERVER OPERATIONS ............................25 5.1 Printer ..............................................................................................25 5.2 Settings............................................................................................26

6 MANAGE—PRINT JOBS, PRINT PROCESSES, PROFILES & AGENTS 28

6.1 Printing Process ..............................................................................28

6.1.1 Print Job ...................................................................................28

6.1.2 Profile .......................................................................................28

6.1.3 Agent ........................................................................................28

6.1.4 Defining a Print Process ...........................................................29


6.1.5 Configuring a Print Process......................................................29

6.1.6 Profiles .....................................................................................29 6.1.6.1 Folder Profile..........................................................................................30 6.1.6.2 Generic title Profile.................................................................................31 6.1.6.3 Group Profile..........................................................................................33 6.1.6.4 Printer Profile .........................................................................................33 6.1.6.5 Time Profile............................................................................................34 6.1.6.6 Title Profile .............................................................................................35 6.1.6.7 User Profile ............................................................................................36 6.1.6.8 Profile combination ................................................................................37

6.1.7 Agents ......................................................................................37 6.1.7.1 Backup agent .........................................................................................37 6.1.7.2 Email agent ............................................................................................39 6.1.7.3 Encryption Agent (SecureDIMM II) ........................................................40 6.1.7.4 Execute agent ........................................................................................41 6.1.7.5 FAX agent ..............................................................................................42 6.1.7.6 File Split agent .......................................................................................42 6.1.7.7 Forms Management Agent ....................................................................44 6.1.7.8 FTP agent ..............................................................................................45 6.1.7.9 MegaForm 5 agent.................................................................................47 6.1.7.10 MegaForm 6 agent.................................................................................49 6.1.7.11 Pause agent...........................................................................................52 6.1.7.12 PDF agent ..............................................................................................52 6.1.7.13 PDF Print Agent .....................................................................................53 6.1.7.14 PDF to Text agent..................................................................................53 6.1.7.15 PostScript to Text agent.........................................................................54 6.1.7.16 Print agent..............................................................................................54 6.1.7.17 Record Preprocessor Agent ..................................................................55

6.1.8 Changing a Print Process.........................................................56 6.2 File Printing......................................................................................57

7 REVIEW—MANAGING DOCUMENT OUTPUT.....................................59 7.1 Backup—Viewing backed up files....................................................59

7.1.1 The title column ........................................................................59

7.1.2 Filter (Select records) ...............................................................60

7.1.3 Refresh.....................................................................................61

7.1.4 Delete (Delete Selected Archives)............................................61

7.1.5 Print (Resume process)............................................................61

7.1.6 MegaForm 5 (Resume archives by MegaForm) .......................62

7.1.7 MegaForm 6 (Resume archives by MegaForm) .......................62

7.1.8 Email (Send archives by email) ................................................62

7.1.9 Save (Save archives) ...............................................................62

7.1.10 View (View an archive) .............................................................62 7.2 Event Viewer ...................................................................................63 7.3 Alarm—Managing Warnings And Errors..........................................63

8 PRINTERS (PRINTER LIST)..................................................................64

9 HELP—ONLINE INSTRUCTION REGARDING USE OF MF SERVER.65


9.1 Users Manual ..................................................................................65 9.2 Registration .....................................................................................65 9.3 About MegaForm Server .................................................................66 9.4 Technical Support............................................................................66

10 MF SERVER: FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ)..................67

11 MEGAFORM SERVER: TROUBLESHOOTING ....................................69

12 INSIDE MEGAFORM SERVER..............................................................70 12.1 MegaForm Print Engine...................................................................70 12.2 MegaForm Logical Printers..............................................................70 12.3 MF Server Print Manager Adds Functionality to Windows NT Print Manager .....................................................................................................71

12.3.1 Logical Printer and Print Queue Strategy .................................72 12.3.1.1 MF Server Logical Print Queue .............................................................72 12.3.1.2 Single Print Queue.................................................................................72 12.3.1.3 Multiple Print Queues.............................................................................73

12.4 Print processors and Data Types ....................................................73

13 GLOSSARY............................................................................................75


2 PREFACE

The MegaForm Server Users Manual contains detailed information about Bluemega Technology’s MegaForm Server Business Document Output and Management Solution and the MegaForm tools and commands.

This guide is written to enable network administrators using popular database management systems (e.g., Oracle), as well as applications residing on older, “legacy” generation hardware and software systems to attractively, cost-effectively and securely format and output data in the form of finished, professional documents.

The MegaForm Server Users Manual covers the basic MegaForm Server operation and should provide enough information to learn and to use the program.

(NOTE: The MF Server application is a “seamless” or “transparent” document output utility program that runs as a service: after installation, it works smoothly with other existing programs and is used with no noticeable change in standard computer operations. Only the network administrator needs to access the program.)


3 MEGAFORM SERVER: OVERVIEW

Bluemega Technology’s MegaForm Server software is a complete Business Document Output and Management Solution. Typical business documents include:

• Financial Documents (MICR, Secure Output, Remote Printing) • HR Documents (Payroll, W2s, 1099s, etc.) • AR Documents (Invoices, Statements, POs, etc.) • Academic Documents (class schedules and rosters, grade report

mailers and transcripts, campus news, registration forms and statements, enrollment forms, degree audit evaluations, “mark sense” test forms, etc.)

Bluemega Technology’s MegaForm Server software provides: • Transaction printing for document generation from Enterprise Resource

Planning (ERP), Sales Force Automation (SFA) and Customer Relationship Management (CRM) applications.

• A quick, programming-free method of replacing impact printers and pre-printed forms with fast, high-quality laser-printed forms.

Producing checks, invoices and similar documents with legacy systems requires using costly pre-printed forms and old-fashioned slow impact line printers. Printing these documents to more efficient newer-model laser printers would require costly changes to legacy applications.

MegaForm Server allows for seamless migration from pre-printed and/or line printer output to quality laser output, all without requiring changes to current applications. A flexible data stream re-mapping facility negates the need to reprogram original applications.


3.1 How MF Server Works

Figure 3-1: How MF Server Works

1. Host (AS/400, mainframe, Windows or DOS) directs application output to the Shared Logical Printer or Shared Folder. (NOTE: Print Service for Unix is required for Host-based [non-Windows-based] application).

2. Profile selection determines conditions in which a print process is carried out (For more information, please refer to the Section 6 of this manual).

• Folder profile • Generic title profile • Group profile • Printer profile • Time profile • Title profile • User profile • Pop3 profile


3. Data from the Shared Logical Printer launches MegaForm Server Agents (For more information, please refer to the Section 6 of this manual):

• Backup • Email • Encryption (SecureDIMM) • Execute • FAX • File Split • Forms Management • FTP • MegaForm 5 • MegaForm 6 • Pause • PDF (archive, conversion) • PDF Print • PDF to Text • PostScript to Text • Print • Record Preprocessor • File validation • Copy • Substitute

4. Output file generated and directed to the desired device.

The MegaForm Server solution is a comprehensive tool for intelligently merging raw legacy data into customizable forms, templates and layouts to create proprietary professional documents that are ready for immediate distribution and/or archiving.

MegaForm Server enables users of popular ERP software applications—e.g., SAP, PeopleSoft, Oracle, J.D. Edwards and many others—to attractively, cost-effectively and securely format and output data in the form of finished, professional documents.

MegaForm Server document creation and distribution options include: • Direct output to any PCL-compatible printer. Customized, graphical

business documents can be created on blank laser paper instead of using costly pre-printed forms.

• Fax: Format and fax documents using Windows NT fax service. • Email: Email documents as Adobe Acrobat PDF files or PCL/TIFF files.


• Archive documents: Convert documents from PCL into Adobe PDF format.

• Schedule Print Jobs for maximum convenience and security. • Encrypt Print Jobs for network printing and for secure remote printing

to customers or vendors. • Upload documents to customer or vendor FTP sites in PDF or PCL

formats. • Restrict output of sensitive documents to standard working hours.

3.2 Understanding the MF Server GUI

This chapter briefly describes the MF Server Graphical User Interface (GUI) used to view print jobs and to configure the various operations to be performed on print jobs, i.e., to configure the various print processes.

MF Server Graphical User Interface

NOTE: The MegaForm Server GUI is a configuration utility and doesn’t need to be accessed during the printing operation.

3.2.1 MF Server GUI and Desktop

MF Server users access and interact with the application through a graphics-based user interface. When a GUI is used to access applications such as with the Windows interface, the on-screen background is said to be the “desktop”. The MF Server GUI consists of these key elements:


• Menu Bar with Pull-down Menus (File, Review, Manage, Setup, Help), Windows and Dialog boxes.

• Printer Load Graphic (Printing-load-per-printer representation) • Status Bar • Printers List. Lightning Bolt/Yellow Flash indicates logical printer vs.

physical printer.

3.2.1.1 Menu Bar

Menu Bar

The File menu is the first menu title on the MF Server menu bar, followed by Review, Manage, Setup and Help. Each option in the menu bar is associated with a pull-down menu.

3.2.1.2 MF Server Pull-Down Menus

Selecting a menu title by clicking it causes the menu to drop down from that position for display. Items are selected by highlighting the line in the menu and clicking on it. MF Server menu titles and pull-down menu items include:

• File

File Pull-Down Menu

o Exit: Quitting the program. • Review

Review Pull-Down Menu

o Backup: Storing print jobs temporarily for reprinting purposes. o Event Viewer: Monitoring routine and non-routine print job

actions to help determine usage patterns. o Alarm: Reviewing the last errors or warnings.

• Manage


Manage Pull-Down Menu

o Printing process: Determining the conditions and defining the operations to be carried out on a print job.

o File printing: Sending a file to a printer and testing the print process.

• Setup

Setup Pull-Down Menu

o Printer: Testing a printer before printing to see if the printer is active.

o User: Listing individuals who interact with the MF Server application.

o Settings: Governing how MF Server software handles certain tasks related to archiving and database management.

• Help

Help Pull-Down Menu

o Registration: Registering this product with the manufacturer is a prerequisite to receiving customer support.

o Manual: This manual in PDF format. o Technical support: Generates reports which allow Bluemega’s

technical support to troubleshoot the eventual problems you may encounter during the use of MF Server.

o About MegaForm Server: This dialog box indicates the version of MegaForm Server in use, and provides contact information.


3.2.1.3 Printer Load Graphic

On the right-hand side of the MegaForm Server desktop, the GUI presents a “printing-load-per-printer” graphic.

Printer Load Graphic

The MF Server Printer Load matrix is a two-dimensional reference framework for representing the printers load. The X-axis indicates time (The intervals may be configured through the MF Server > Setup > Settings > Interface dialog box), and the Y-axis indicates print-job size in increments. Color bands (One band for each printer actually in use) map the progress of print tasks from initiation to completion.

3.2.1.4 Status Bar—Managing Warnings And Errors

During the printing process, an alarm is generated for each print job warning or error. The status bar at the top of the MF Server interface is normally green (OK). When an error occurs, the color of the bar changes to red. In the case of a warning, the bar becomes orange.

Status Bar - Green OK

Status Bar - Red Error

3.2.1.5 Printers List

On the left-hand side of the desktop, the MegaForm Server GUI lists all the printers installed on the computer.


Printers List

3.2.1.6 MF Server GUI: Logical Printer—Lightning Bolt/Yellow Flash

A lightning bolt/yellow flash that partially covers a printer icon means it is a MF Server Logical Printer. Those printers are the hooks from which MegaForm Server captures print spools.

Logical Printer - Lightning Bolt/Yellow Flash

3.2.1.7 Printer Window & Pull-Down Menus

To look at print job activity on a specific printer, the user double-clicks on the printer’s icon in the Printers List. A “Job View” window appears. All the queued jobs for this printer are displayed in the list; they disappear as soon as they are processed.


Printer Window

Menu titles and pull-down menu items include:

Printer Window - Printer Pull-Down Menu

• “Pause Printing” will let you stop the printings for some time. When the option is activated, a small check mark appears at the left of the line

• “Clear all print jobs” will empty the printer’s queue. • “MegaForm Server Management” let you defines this printer as a ‘hook’

for MegaForm. Every spool which will be sent to this printer will be intercepted by MegaForm.

Printer Window - Document Pull-Down Menu


Printer Window - View Pull-Down Menu

This drop-down menu allows you to sort the printings and to change their display.


4 MEGAFORM SERVER (MF SERVER): GETTING STARTED

4.1 Installing/Uninstalling MF Server

This chapter briefly describes how users prepare and install the MF Server application software package to run on a corporate computer network.

System administrators generally perform installation of MF Server software. Operation and configuration does not normally require additional training.

4.1.1 Required Hardware and Software Configuration • Operating systems

o Windows 2000 Professional o Windows 2000 Server Family o Windows XP Professional o Windows Server 2003

• Minimal Hardware requirements: A local disk drive having at least 100 MB available, a 500 MHz Pentium CPU and 256MB of RAM.

• Recommended configuration: 2 GHz CPU with 512 MB of RAM and 1 GB of HD.

The installation must be performed under an account whose owner has maximum rights to create printers, to create and to modify directories and files, to create input in the registry base, to launch and to stop Windows services, and to share resources.

4.1.2 MegaForm Server Software Installation

Choose Start > My Computer > CD-ROM Drive > MegaForm Server

1. Insert the MegaForm Server installation CD-ROM. 2. A window will pop up. 3. Click on “Setup”, then “Start installing MegaForm Server Application”.

If the window doesn’t pop up, please follow these steps: • Launch Windows Explorer. • Select “My Computer” link. • Click on CD-ROM Drive icon. • Run “setup.exe” by clicking on the “Setup.exe” Application icon

(InstallShield Setup Launcher).


4. The installation wizard will appear.

5. Click “Yes” to agree to the terms and conditions stated in the MegaForm Server License Agreement.

6. Click “Next” to install the software into its default installation directory.

7. Select the “MegaForm Server – Server” type of installation and click “Next”.

8. Click “Next” on the Program Folders default settings. 9. Click “Next” after viewing the system information to start the installation

procedure.


10. Click “Finish” to end the installation.

Note: Upon installation the software is active for two weeks. Please email the identification key to [email protected] for permanent activation of the software and its various components. The available agents are dependent on the activation key provided.

The temporary license allows 5 printers and an immediate print processing.

4.1.3 Uninstalling

1. Insert the MegaForm Server installation CD-ROM. 2. A window will pop up. 3. Click on “Setup”, then “Start installing MegaForm Server Application”.

Or, if the window doesn’t pop up:

1. Click on “Start > Settings > Control Panel”. 2. Double click on “Add or Remove Programs” option icon. 3. Click on the “MegaForm Server” icon.

To change this program or remove it from your computer, click “Change/Remove”.

In “Confirm Uninstall” window, click OK.


4.2 Configuring MF Server

MF Server has to be configured to meet individual corporate specifications. This chapter explains how to create a custom MF Server document management and output solution.

4.2.1 Configuration Setup

MF Server can be fully configured (customized) to meet a company’s specific printing needs. To configure the various operations to be performed on print jobs, i.e., to configure various print processes, follow these steps:

1. Go to desktop, click on “Start” (Windows Explorer). 2. Select the “Programs” link. 3. Select the “MegaForm” link. 4. Select the “MegaForm Server” link.

4.2.2 Setting Up a MegaForm Logical Printer

1. Click on “Start > Settings > Printers”. 2. In the Printers window, select the “Add a printer” task option to activate

Add Printer Wizard. 3. The wizard needs to know what type of printer to set up. Select “Local

Printer” (Make sure you uncheck the option for automatically detect and install my Plug and Play printer). Click on the “Next” button.

4. Use “LPT1” as your printer port. Click on the “Next” button. 5. Under Manufacturer, Click “Generic”. Under “Printers”, Click

“Generic/Text Only”. Click on the “Next” button. 6. Use existing driver. A driver is already installed for this printer. You can

use or replace the existing driver. “Generic/Text Only”. Click on the “Select” Button: Keep existing driver (recommended). Click “Next” button.

7. Name your printer. Type a name for this printer in the space allocated. Input in “MegaForm” as the printer name. Select “no” when asked “do you want to use this as the default printer?” Click on the “Next” button.

8. Printer sharing. You have to share this printer with other network users. Select the “share name” button and type the name “MegaForm” for this printer in the space allocated. Click on the “Next” button.

9. Location and Comment: You may supply a location and description for this printer. It’s not mandatory for MegaForm. Click on the “Next” button.

10. Print test page. Select “no”, and then click on the “Next” button. 11. Completing the Add Printer Wizard. Confirm that you specified the

printer settings listed in this window, and then click “Back” to make corrections or “Finish” to close the wizard.

After successfully adding the “MegaForm” printer, you should be able to see the new “MegaForm” printer in your printer folder.


4.2.3 Configuring the MegaForm Logical Printer

The MF Server interface allows users to view print jobs and to configure the print processes, i.e., to configure the various operations to be performed on print jobs.

Creating a MegaForm Logical Printer

1. Go to desktop, click “Start” (Windows Explorer) and select “All Programs”.

2. Select “MegaForm” and click on MegaForm Server icon to open the application.

3. Go to the Printers List window containing the printer icons and locate the “MegaForm” printer that you have created. Highlight this printer, right-click and select “open”.

4. The MegaForm printer “jobs/process” list window appears. This window lists all print jobs on the MegaForm printer. At this time, this window should be empty.

5. Click the Printer menu and select “MegaForm Server management”. Click the Printer menu again. A “check mark” is now showed next to the phrase “MegaForm Server management”.

6. Close the printer jobs list window.

4.2.4 Adapting a printer to MF Server

A local printer can be integrated in MegaForm Server so that all print jobs sent to this printer are analyzed and handled by MF Server. The MF Server interface allows you to automatically configure a printer’s properties to make the printer a MegaForm Server logical printer. Follow the same instructions detailed directly above in “4.2.3 Configuring the MegaForm Logical Printer”.

4.2.5 Configuring a New Printing Process Profile

1. In MF Server, click on “Manage > Printing process”. A new window will appear.

2. Right-click on the “Default” process in the upper left corner and select “New”.

3. This will create a new process named “NoName(1)”. Right-click on this process and select “Modify the name.”

4. Type in “check” as the name of the process and Click Enter.


5. Right-click on Profile and select “Add a profile”. Up pops the “Select a profile” dialog box containing:

• Folder profile • Generic title profile • Group profile • Printer profile • Time profile • Title profile • User profile • Folder profile • Pop3 profile

(For more information about profiles, please refer to the section 6.1.6 of this manual)

Adding a Profile

6. Right-click on the Printer Profile icon. Task choices include: “Add a profile”, “Delete this Profile”, and “Add a printer”. Select “Add a printer”.

7. Up pops the “Select a printer” dialog box containing printer icons. Double-click on the “MegaForm” printer icon.

8. A new Printer profile appears on the Printing process page, under the Printer profile icon under PROFILES.


4.2.6 Configuring a New Printing Process Agent

Adding an Agent

1. Right-click on Agents and select “Add an agent”. Up pops the “Select an agent” dialog box. In the box a number of agent icons appear. For two weeks after registration, the initial installation allows the display of all MF Server agents. Subsequently, only licensed agents will appear. The complete family of MF Server agents includes (please refer to the section 6.1.7 of this manual for more information about the agents): “Pause”, “Backup”, “Print”, “File Split”, “Execute”, “MegaForm 5”, “FTP”, “Email”, “Encryption”, “PDF”, “Record Preprocessor”, “PDF to Text”, “Postscript to Text”, “Forms Management”, “MegaForm 6”, “PDF Print” and “FAX”. Double-click on the “MegaForm 6 Agent” to select it. It now appears indented under the AGENTS icon on the “Printing process” window.

2. Under AGENTS, three icons appear: Printers (List of output printers), First available printer (Strategy to select output printer), and <Select…> (Form to use).

3. Right-click on “Printers” and select “Add a Printer”. Up pops the “Select a printer” dialog box. Locate a physical printer that you want to print your applications to, and Double-click on it to select it. It appears indented beneath the Printers icon.

4. Under AGENTS, Right-click on the Form “<Select…>” icon and select “select a form”. Up pops an “Open” dialog box that gives you access to files on your home computer’s hard drive.

5. Click the arrow in the “Look in:” menu title. The pull down menu allows you to select a file from any folder on your computer’s hard drive.

6. Locate for the “.mff” file you want to use, and then double-click on it. Its name will appear indented beneath the Form “<Select…>” icon.


7. Click the “close” button to close the Printing Process Window.

4.2.7 Printing a Sample File

4.2.7.1 Printing from MegaForm

Launch MegaForm Server.

Select “Manage > File Printing” into the menu.

A window “MegaForm Server – File Printing” appears.

You have to select the file to be printed, and the printer.

Optionally, you may give a title to the job, precise the type of data and the number of time it will be sent to the printer.

The “File Printing” window

4.2.7.2 Printing from MF Direct Print

On the MegaForm Server installation CD-ROM you may find the installer for “MF Direct Print”, which is a tool you could use on any Windows computer. It allows you to easily send spools even if MegaForm Server is not installed on that computer.


The MF Direct Print interface

1. Launch MF Direct Print. 2. In the left part of the window, select the directory where the spool is

located. 3. On the right part of the window, select the file itself. 4. Select the destination printer in the drop-down list. 5. You could also give a title to the print job, or choose to delete the spool

after it has been sent to the printer.


5 SETUP—SETTING UP MF SERVER OPERATIONS

The MF Server menu bar located at the top of the MF Server application's window on screen displays the menu title Setup, which specifies the proper preparation and arrangement of the tools and procedures required for the performance of MF Server operations and tasks.

Setup Pull-Down Menu

5.1 Printer

This function enables administrators to test a printer before printing to see if the printer is active by “pinging”. When using the TCP/IP protocol, MF Server allows the user to perform a “ping” response test on a printer to determine the state of the printer. A ping checks for the presence of a particular printer, verifies that the printer's IP address exists, and assures that is actually operating and that it can accept print request.

Setup - Printer Dialog Box

1. On the Setup menu, click Printer. 2. Define the printer by documenting the fields “Printer” and “TCP/IP

address”. 3. In the Printer window, click the “New” button to create a new printer

TCP/IP address, or in the Printer field, fill in the name of a printer, or click the printer icon and select a printer from the list of printers attached to the TCP/IP network.

4. In the “TCP/IP address” field, fill in the address of a printer attached to the TCP/IP network.

5. To determine if a printer is available or not, check the “TCP/IP activity test” option box.


Waiting time is five (5) seconds by default. The printer is regarded as non-available if the waiting time test is negative, i.e., if the time has expired and the MF Server did not get any answer from the printer.

The user can also test their application and the MF Server process via the File printing function in the Manage menu.

5.2 Settings

MF Server software Settings govern how the program handles certain tasks related to archiving and database management. Using the Settings dialog box, the network administrator can change various settings to suit preferred activity intervals.

Figure 5-1: Setup - Settings Dialog Box

1. Click on Setup Menu and select Settings. A popup dialog box appears. 2. Backup Tab: This tab allows you to provide the MF Server with

information on the various directories used. The “Default backup directory” is the directory in which MF Server records archives if the output directory of a “Backup” agent is undefined or incorrect. Click on the folder icon to locate the folder on the hard drive. Putting a check mark in the small box next to the phrase “Title job archiving with a short title” tells MF Server to record the initial title rather than the title modified by MF Server in the archives list.

3. Service Tab: With this tab you can define the schedule by which MF Server removes archives, events and obsolete alarms. It also defines the time during which print events and alarms are saved.

4. Interface Tab: This tab allows you to define the time at which the information related to printers as well as MF Server alarms are


refreshed. When the time to execute processes has expired and the task has still not been carried out, MF Server considers the task as “without answer.” Currently in English and Portuguese. Spanish is being added.

5. Tools Tab: The MF Server database can be manually compacted via the corresponding Launch database compression button. MF Server uses the planning facility of the server so as to carry out this task outside printing hours.

6. Update Tab: With this tab you can update MF Server by recovering the old version of the database if this one is already saved. Click on the Launch database recovery button.


6 MANAGE—PRINT JOBS, PRINT PROCESSES, PROFILES & AGENTS

Manage Pull-Down Menu

This chapter explains how to exercise supervisory direction and control functional operation of MF Server printing processes.

6.1 Printing Process

The MF Server “Printing process” window allows the user to configure the print processes and to set up a relationship between processes by defining the profiles and the agents for each process.

6.1.1 Print Job

It’s the source code that contains both the data to be printed and the commands for print. Print jobs are classified into data types based on what modifications, if any, the spooler must make to the job for it to print correctly. In MF Server, a job is a set of information transmitted to the print server so as to produce a printed document. This information consists of:

• A data file (.spl file under Windows NT): It’s the description of the transmitted data, including its title, the data type, etc., (.shd file under Windows NT). The client application (with the graphic engine and the printer driver) creates printing, i.e., Microsoft Word combines objects of data such as text, fonts and graphs with information on the printer driver to create the source code of a document. In MF Server, a job becomes a “document” and the “processing characteristics” related to this document.

• A Print process: A print process is any required processing on a print job, determined according to the job characteristics (e.g., target printer, page set-up parameters, etc.). A print process contains the profiles and agents that determine the processing to be applied to the print job. Each print process is identified by a unique name.

6.1.2 Profile

A profile is a set of characteristics (title, printer, user, generic title, group, time, folder) that distinguish one print job from another.

6.1.3 Agent

An agent is a software element or routine that waits in the background and performs an information-gathering action or processing task when a specified event occurs. MF Server agents drive print job processes.


6.1.4 Defining a Print Process

A print process consists of two ordered lists: • “Profiles” list determines the conditions in which this process is

carried out. • “Agents” list defines the operations to be performed on the print job.

Window—Printing Process

Each process is defined by a name and a location. A “DEFAULT” process is used if no other process is eligible.

6.1.5 Configuring a Print Process

To configure a print process, the MF Server user must: • Define the Profiles for which a process is performed, and • Define the Agents that handle the print job.

Choice of agent depends on the profile, which depends on the print processes required for the print job. The most commonly used profiles used are Printer,User and Time. For example, if the print job were payroll checks, the most common profiles used would be Printer (must have MICR capability), User (who is authorized to handle these secure documents) and Time (date and time to restrict output to working hours). The Print Agent is the default agent to control the operations performed on the check run.

6.1.6 Profiles

An MF Server profile is a set of characteristics (title, printer, user, generic title, group, time, folder) that distinguish one print job from another. MF Server analyzes the characteristics of each print job in order to determine which print process to apply.


MF Server Profiles

There are two ways to process the input file from the host application: The Printer Profile and Folder Profile. These profiles, of which only one at a time can be used, tell the print process which will be the source for the input file. The User and Group profiles are security profiles. The Title profiles are for error checking. The Time profile controls the time for output.

6.1.6.1 Folder Profile

For customers who may not have the ability to output to a network printer (e.g., they’re not in a Windows environment), the Folder profile establishes the process for transferring files to a folder (vs. printing to a logical print queue). File transfer can include FTP or file copies to the folder.

To add a folder profile, please follow these steps:

1. Right-click on the “Folder profile” icon, then select the “Add a folder” option.

2. A new line “<Select…>” appears under the Folder profile icon. Right-click on it to select the folder.


3. The name of the selected folder will appear under

6.1.6.2 Generic title Profile

Filters spools following the name of the job.

The profile is TRUE if the document title corresponds to one of the expressions defined in this profile list. These expressions include generic characters. The table below presents these characters as well as possible associations.


Character Description

^ Beginning of the string. The expression "^A" matches an ‘A’ only at the beginning of the string.

[^ The caret (^) immediately following the left-bracket ([) has a different meaning. It is used to exclude the characters within brackets from matching the target string. The expression "[^0-9]" indicates that the target character should not be a digit.

$ The dollar sign ($) matches the end of the string. The expression "abc$" matches the sub-string "abc" only if it is at the end of the string.

| The alternation character (|) allows the expression on either of its sides to match the target string. The expression "a|b" matches ‘a’ as well as ‘b’.

. The dot (.) matches any character.

* The asterisk (*) indicates that the character to the left of the asterisk in the expression should match 0 or more times.

+ The plus (+) is similar to the asterisk but at least one character to the left of the + in the expression should match.

() The parenthesis affects the order of pattern evaluation and also serves as a tagged expression that can be used when replacing the matched sub-string with another expression.

[] Brackets ([and]) enclosing a set of characters indicate that any of the enclosed characters may match the target character.

To add a new Generic Title profile, please follow these steps:

1. Right-click on the “Generic title profile” icon, then select “Add a title”.

2. A new line appears under the “Generic title profile” icon. Right-click on it, then select “Change the Title”.


3. The line is now editable; you may type a pattern which matches

6.1.6.3 Group Profile

Only the users of a given group are able to use the process.

Note: Under Windows NT, a local group can include a global group, which can contain users of other groups.

To add a group, please follow these steps: 4. Right-click on the “Group profile” icon.

5. Select the group you wish to add from the window which appears.

6. The name of the group is now displayed under the “Group Profile” icon.

6.1.6.4 Printer Profile

The Printer profile supports the logical printer, telling the print process that the logical printer (and not the folder) will be the source for the input file.


Printer Profile Icon

The printers selected in the Printer profile must be running via the MegaForm print processor. Otherwise, MF Server cannot analyze the document characteristics and thus determine the printer to which to send the document.

To add a printer to the profile, please follow these steps:

1. Right-click on the “Printer Profile” icon, then select the “add a printer” function.

2. Select a printer in the window. Note: Only the MegaForm printers are displayed. These are the only printers from which MegaForm is able to intercept the spools.

3. The selected printer is then showed in the profile.

6.1.6.5 Time Profile

This profile gives to the network supervisors the ability to restrict output of sensitive documents to standard working hours.

Time Profile Icon

To add a new time period, please follow these steps:

1. Right-click on the “Time Profile” icon, then select the “Add a period” option.


2. Define the period of time when the users are allowed to use the process

3. The period is now shown under the Time profile.

6.1.6.6 Title Profile

This profile is into MegaForm Server 6 for compatibility purposes. Please use the Generic Title profile instead.

To add a new Title profile, please follow these steps:

1. Right-click on the “Title Profile” icon, then select the “Add a title” option.

2. A new line appears under the “Title profile” icon.

3. Right-click on the line, then select “Change the title”.


4. The line is now editable; you may type the title of the document.

6.1.6.7 User Profile

The User profile is a conditional profile that is used for security purposes, authorizing individuals who interact with the system at the application level.

User Profile Icon

Example: This profile is TRUE if the user (or owner of the document) who initiated the print job corresponds to one of the users specified in this profile list, if the user (or owner of the document) is, e.g., “David” or “Al.”

To add a user, please follow these steps:

1. Right-click on the “User profile” icon, then select the “Add a User” function.

2. Select the user you want to add in the list which just appeared.

3. The selected user is shown into the user profile.


6.1.6.8 Profile combination

The profiles can be combined like logical expressions bound by a logical operator “AND.” All the elements within one profile are bound by a logical operator “OR.”

Example: The process corresponding to this profile combination is eligible if the following conditions on the document characteristics are true, i.e. if the document is sent either on the printer « Megaform » OR « Megaform2 », AND the document owner is « Administrateur ».

The limits of these combinations are the exclusive entirety of these profiles. Assume a process has a “Group” and a “User” profile. If the user of the process does not belong to the group, the process will never be eligible. A process without a defined profile is always elected when evaluated.

6.1.7 Agents

MF Server agents are process elements that handle print jobs. For each process (any required processing on a print job), an ordered list of agents is defined and corresponds to all processing performed on the print job.

MF Server agents drive print job processes such as setting document formatting characteristics or sending print jobs to a local printer.

6.1.7.1 Backup agent

The Backup agent gives users the ability to backup both input and output within a process for review purposes. If the Backup agent is executed before MegaForm is called, MF Server archives the print job as an MFA file. If it is executed after calling MegaForm, the print job is archived as two files: A .PCL file for reprints, and a PDF file for viewing purposes. The Backup agent enables the user to save print jobs for a given daily duration. MF Server automatically removes the files whose backup time has expired. The Backup agent enables the user to set the number of archiving days, starting from the date on which it is backed up.


Backup agent

Change Backup Time

The Backup agent enables the user to set other relevant parameters, including:

• The Backup directory, if it is different from the default directory (optional parameter).

• Backup method, which allows users to record backups with a single file name compared to the backups existing in the directory, or with a file name equivalent to the document title.

Changing Backup agent

Select a Backup Directory

Window—Select a Backup Directory

Backup Method to Save Archive File

Note: If the defined directory for one agent is not valid, the default directory defined in “Setup\Settings\Default” Backup directory is used. If this directory is not valid, then the MF Server directory “\Public\Archives” is used. Because MF


Server is active even if the network is not active, archiving is only possible on local drives.

6.1.7.2 Email agent

The Email agent is able to email documents as Adobe Acrobat PDF files, PCL data, TIFF or MFA (TXT) files. This agent enables MegaForm Server to function as a messaging and collaboration client that helps users organize and share print files and communicate with other people. Basic parameters include: Changing host name and selecting a file format for attachments, changing address of sender, modifying list of recipients and changing message subject and content require a default value.

MF Server Email agent also provides additional parameters:

Additional email parameters

List of copy recipients

List of masked copy recipients

Port number of server (SMTP)


You may define yourself the file name of the attachment file (but not its extension). Thanks to some reserved keywords you will be able to give a different name for each file which will be sent by email :

• *JOBNAME* : Insert the title of the document. If the spool was sent to MegaForm using a Directory Profile, the *JOBMANE* is empty.

• *USERNAME* : Insert the name of the user who sent the spool. If it was sent to MegaForm using a Directory Profile, the *USERAME* is empty.

• *DATE format* : Insert the date of the day. If you don’t give any format, the date will be given the format YYYYMMJJ. Otherwise you could define the format yourself : “YY” Year on two digits. “YYYY” Year on 4 digits. “MM” Month, “DD” Date. For example, “*DATE YYYY-MM-DD*” will return “2004-02-03”.

• *TIME format* : If no format is given, the keyword will return the time following the format “HHMMSS”. Otherwise you could use “HH” Hours, “MM”, minutes, “SS” seconds, “AM” gives AM or PM. For example, “*TIMEHH-MM-SS*” will return “16-15-23”, “*TIME HH MM SS AM*” will return “04 15 23 PM”.

• *GUID* : Insert a 6 digits GUID. • *INFOSPL* : Inserts the content of a field from the form. Into MF

Design you have to create a field whose name is “INFOSPL” if you want to use this feature.

Modifying the account and the password authenticates individual users on the SMTP server.

Name of account to logon

Password of account defined

6.1.7.3 Encryption Agent (SecureDIMM II)

The Encryption agent provides secure remote printing to customers or vendors via SD Express, a document delivery solution used with HP LaserJet printers to provide secure remote document printing over the public Internet. This is the highest form of security available.

Encryption Agent

Encryption key


Also, the SecureDIMM II makes it possible to protect sensitive print job data by encrypting it and thus making it indecipherable and printable only by specific printers. The SecureDIMM II is installed directly into one of the memory expansion sockets of most DIMM-based HP LaserJet printers. The DIMM contains firmware that is executed by the microprocessor in the LaserJet printer. This firmware extends the printer with sophisticated data decryption capabilities. Encrypted data is decrypted at its final destination printer. Parameter:

• Change encryption key: Once a file is encrypted (its data translated into a secret code or cipher text), reading it requires access to a secret key.

6.1.7.4 Execute agent

The Execute agent allows users to call a processing executable (a ready-to-run program file) on a print job, i.e., launch an external executable program via this agent. It complements other agents for data processing. Batch files as well as script files can be run.

Execute Agent

Command line

Window—Select the command

Note: This agent works via MF Server, so users can process print jobs without having to create a specific agent. The parameter for this agent is as follows:

The complete path and the executable parameters, including at least the two MF Server macros of—

• data input «_INPUT_SPOOL_FILE_NAME_» and of • data output «_OUTPUT_SPOOL_FILE_NAME_».

Example:


C:\apps\filter.exe _INPUT_SPOOL_FILE_NAME_ _OUTPUT_SPOOL_FILE_NAME_

(See glossary for MegaForm Server routines).

6.1.7.5 FAX agent

The FAX agent allows the user to send a print job over the telephone system to a receiving fax machine.

The only parameter you need is the phone number of the FAX to which the document must be transmitted. If the phone number is defined into the form (See the MegaForm Design Manual for more information), you still have to define a default phone number.

Fax Agent

Recipient fax number

6.1.7.6 File Split agent

The MF Server File Split agent allows the user to divide a print job into several parts in order to produce smaller print jobs. This agent only supports ASCII text files.

File Split Agent

Pages break mode


Cut sequence

List of Output Printers

Strategy to send spool

ASCII (American Standard Code for Information Interchange) is the most common format for text files in computers and on the Internet. ASCII text files become a common denominator between applications that do not import each other's formats.

Dividing a print job into several parts in order to produce ASCII files requires parameterizing (establishing values for) the cutting mode. The Cutting Mode parameters are as follows:

• Line cutting: The File Split agent divides the print job by n number of lines specified in the cutter parameter. Thus a new page is created every n line(s).

• Sequence cutting: The File Split agent divides the printing flow when it reaches a sequence specified in the cutter parameter. This sequence can include the carriage return via the sequence “\r\n” (Unix commands for carriage return and line feed).

• Form feed cutting: The File Split agent formats the print job so as to make it ready for printing.

The Cutting Mode parameter represents the number of lines or the sequence according to what is specified in the cutting mode (parameter used only for the first two cutting modes).


6.1.7.7 Forms Management Agent

The Forms Management agent is ideal for handling many different forms (Works only with Megaform v6 forms) through one print queue. This agent takes a data file and conditionally matches it with the appropriate job type and print queue.

Forms Management Agent

List of output printers

Strategy to select an output printer

Change configuration

Since many different forms are going through one print queue, the change configuration parameter allows the user to distinguish and select forms (e.g., checks, invoices) through the use of unique combinations of characters. Different forms can be triggered by the same characters occupying different positions (line or column) in the spool file.

Dialog box—Change configuration

Forms Management pre-processing parameters include:


Changing Forms Management Agent

• AS/400 process (Preprocessing): this parameter allows the user to perform a particular processing task if the data comes from an AS/400 system.

• Data character set: allows the user to indicate the table of characters in which the data are defined: Windows ANSI, PC850 or Roman 8.

Data Character Set

• Additional parameters (complementary options): allows the user to add to the Forms Management command parameters, which are defined in the options of the MegaForm agent.

• Encryption key (alphanumeric code): This feature is part of the solution with an encryption DIMM (memory card) installed in the printer.

• MegaForm Web Archives: This software is used to archive print jobs sent through a print spooler using indexes. Then users are able to review and reprint actual prints jobs from a website.

• Autostore: Allows the archiving of the printings into Autostore. You may choose between PCL or PDF file-format, and the directory where the files will be saved to.

6.1.7.8 FTP agent

FTP (File Transfer Protocol) is the protocol used on the Internet for sending files. The MF Server FTP Agent enables the user to send a print job spool or a message file to an FTP server via FTP commands. Users can automatically upload documents to customer or vendor FTP sites in PDF, PCL, MFA (TXT) or TIFF format.


FTP Agent

The basic FTP Agent parameters are as follows: • The name AND PATH of the host ftp server.• The User account giving access to the ftp server. • The user Password validating the user account. • The Executing time or latest deadline, at which the ftp command file is

executed.

Modify FTP Server name

Name of account to logon

Password of account defined

Time out in seconds to execute FTP commands

Additional parameters are as follows: • Send the spool—this parameter allows the user to send the print job as

a file to the ftp server. The name of the generated file is “SPLxxxxx.SPL,” where xxxxx represents the job number.

• Message—this parameter corresponds to the name and path of the “message file” to address to the ftp server. This file can contain the macros used by MF Server.

• Binary Mode—digital transmission. • Text Mode—content transmitted in "character mode," using only text.


Additional FTP Agent parameters

Message to send to FTP server

Method to send file—Binary or Text modes

• File Name—this parameter allows the user to give a name (not the extension) to the file. Please see the description of the Email Agent to see which parameters are accepted.

For sending files, the binary mode is the default mode. PCL files are transmitted in binary (digital) form. All-text files can be sent in both binary and text mode, but binary files sent using the text mode will not be complete.

6.1.7.9 MegaForm 5 agent

The MegaForm agent enables users to use a form created using the MegaForm Design 5. This agent has been included into MegaForm Server 6 for compatibility purposes.

This agent merges the data and sends it to the printer. The parameters are specific to the MegaForm service (refer to the MegaForm documentation) and are identical to those of the MegaForm agent. Parameters:

• The list of output printers.

• The strategy to choose printers.

• The form name to be used, i.e., the name and complete path of the form compiled under MegaForm to be applied to the data to be merged.

MegaForm Agent



Strategy to select output printer

Form to use

Form selection window

Selecting a form will call up the window containing form files in the Setup Folder of the Program Files folder on the hard drive. The filename extension “.mff” indicates that it is a MegaForm form.

Additional parameters are specific to the MegaForm service (refer to the MegaForm documentation).

MegaForm pre-processing parameters include:


Changing MegaForm Agent

• AS/400 process (Preprocessing): This parameter allows the user to perform a particular processing task if the data comes from an AS/400 system. This processing interprets AS/400 print control commands and reformats the data with more consistency.


• Additional parameters (complementary options): allows the user to add to the MegaForm command parameters, which are defined in the options of the MegaForm agent.

• Encryption key (alphanumeric code): Encryption is the reversible transformation of data from the original (plaintext) format to a difficult-to-interpret format (ciphertext) as a mechanism for protecting its confidentiality and integrity. This feature is part of the solution with an encryption DIMM (memory card) installed in the printer.


6.1.7.10 MegaForm 6 agent

The MegaForm agent enables users to use a form created using the MegaForm Design 6. The parameters are specific to the MegaForm service (refer to the MegaForm documentation). Parameters:

• The list of output printers.

• The strategy to choose printers.


• The form name to be used, i.e., the name and complete path of the form compiled under MegaForm to be applied to the data to be merged.


Strategy to select output printers

Form to use


MegaForm pre-processing parameters include:

Changing MegaForm Agent

• AS/400 process (Preprocessing): this parameter allows the user to perform a particular processing task if the data comes from an AS/400 system. This processing interprets AS/400 print control commands and reformats data with more consistency.


Data Character Set

• Additional parameters: allows the user to add to the MegaForm command parameters, which are defined in the options of the MegaForm agent.

• Encryption key (alphanumeric code): The encryption key feature, which functions as soon as MF Server merges data and the form, requires an encryption DIMM card to be installed in the printer. To be read, an encrypted file must be decrypted using the secret encryption key.


• Private job print code: If the printer is an MFP one and has a hard disk, you could protect your documents by setting a pin code. This way the job won’t be printed until you enter the pin code on the printer’s panel.

• Printer name mask: Guesses from the job name the name of the printer to print on. Example: If the printer name lies between two characters #, the sequence to be introduced is « .*#(.*)#.* ». The « (. *) » sequence defines the output printer.

• MegaForm Web Archives is a plugin to MegaForm which lets the user archive all his printings into a database, which may be searched/consulted through a website.


• Autostore: Allows the archiving of the printings into Autostore. You may choose between PCL or PDF file-format, and the directory where the files will be saved to.

6.1.7.11 Pause agent

The Pause agent enables the user to suspend the course of a document process. The user may resume the process by selecting the document on the printer and by selecting the Resume command in the menu. Unless the pause agent is used, a job gets printed immediately. The Windows print spooler can be paused as well by using the printer’s properties. This agent may only be used with the MegaForm and MegaForm agents.

Pause Agent

Changing Pause Agent (right click)

Resume time

Dialog Box—Define a Resume Time

Note: To resume a process via MF Server, the printer must be known as an MF Server printer, i.e. this printer must run on the MegaForm print processor.A lightning bolt/yellow flash on a printer indicates that this printer runs on MF Server.

6.1.7.12 PDF agent

The PDF agent converts documents from PCL format into Adobe Acrobat PDF format for transmission or archiving purposes.


PDF Agent

PDF directory

Window—PDF directory folder

6.1.7.13 PDF Print Agent

Allows the direct print of a PDF file through MegaForm.

6.1.7.14 PDF to Text agent

Since MegaForm Server cannot use PDF files, the MegaForm PDF to Text agent converts documents from PDF format into ASCII text format for use as an input file.

PDF to Text Agent

Changing PDF to Text Agent


Character width, height and lines per page

6.1.7.15 PostScript to Text agent

PostScript is a page description language from Adobe that is used extensively on all computer platforms. Since MegaForm Server cannot use PostScript files, the MegaForm PDF to Text agent converts documents from PS format into ASCII text format for use as an input file.

PostScript to Text Agent

6.1.7.16 Print agent

The Print agent gives users the ability to direct any file to a virtual or physical printer. With it you can create duplicates of original forms and reroute documents.

Print Agent

Add a Printer

Strategy to Select Output Printer

Changing Print Agent


Change number of copies

Insert a banner

The Print agent parameters are: • The ordered list of output printers managed locally by the print server. • The chosen printer strategy, corresponding to the method used to

choose the output printer within the ordered list. o First printer available: MF Server chooses the first available

printer (unsuspended on the print server) in the list. o Printer with minimal load: MF Server chooses the printer from

the list of printers having the minimal workload. o First defined printer: MF Server chooses the first printer defined

in the list. o Parallel printing: MF Server directs the print job to all printers

which are not suspended on the server and which are defined in the ordered list.

• The number of copies of the job to be transmitted. • The banner (see glossary) management allowing the user to

automatically insert a banner before any printing. This page could contain:

o The name of the user having initiated the job. o The document name, etc.

6.1.7.17 Record Preprocessor Agent

For a more useable format, the Record Preprocessor agent enables users to reformat text files for processing by the Forms agent.

Record Preprocessor Agent


Script to use

Window—Script file folder

6.1.8 Changing a Print Process

Choose Manage > Printing process

The “Printing process” window displays a “DEFAULT” process icon in the upper left part of the window, a “Profiles” icon in the upper right part of the window, and an “Agents” icon in the lower right. These features allow users to configure new print processes—any required processing on print jobs, determined according to defined job characteristics.

A process consists of two ordered lists combining Profiles and Agents. The Profiles list determines the prerequisites (e.g., printer, user, time) for carrying out a print job process. The “Agents” list defines the operations (e.g., form, email, encryption) that are to be performed on the print job.

Only Agents (and not Profiles) can be added to the DEFAULT process. New print processes are created by right-clicking on the DEFAULT process to show a background menu. This menu gives the user a choice of duplicating the DEFAULT process (to which Profiles can be added) or creating a new process.

Right-clicking a new process brings up a contextual menu that allows the user to name the process, duplicate or delete it, as well as create a new process. Each new process can be named or left with a NoName(#) designation. A process is defined by its name and its location above the DEFAULT process, listed according to the order in which it was created.

NOTE: MF Server performs print processes in the order in which they are displayed in the upper left part of the “printing process” window.

You can modify a process location by a “drag and drop” move that will change a process’s place in the line above the DEFAULT process, but remember that the order is important in determining which print process MF Server will use on a print job. The Print Profile requires the processes to be displayed in the proper sequence.


A MF Server Print Process can be deleted, duplicated, renamed and/or secured.

1. From the MF Server interface: Click on the “Manage” menu title displayed in the menu bar.

2. Select “Printing process.” 3. In the “Printing process” window, right-click on the process in the upper

left corner that you wish to change.

Changing a Print Process

4. Select “New,” “Delete,” “Duplicate,” “Modify the name” or “Secure”. 5. If a Print Process is duplicated, it must appear in numerical order to

produce proper output.

Print Process

6. Selecting “Secure this process” will produce a dialog box that requests a user password validating the user account.

Secure Process Dialog Box

6.2 File Printing

When printing a file using MF Server, users do not print from the application. This window is used to test a print process.

Manage Menu—File Printing


File Printing Dialog Box

Via the File printing window, MF Server allows users to send a file to a printer by defining the title of the document, the type of data and the number of copies.

1. Go into the Manage menu and select “File printing”. The “MegaForm Server File printing” dialog box appears. Send a file to a printer by defining the title of the document, the type of data and the number of copies.

2. In the “File” section of the “MegaForm Server - File printing” window, click on the “Folders” icon to select the file from the hard drive. The “Select a file” window appears.

3. Click the arrow in the “Look in:” menu title. The pull down menu allows you to select a file from any folder on your computer’s hard drive.

4. Click on the selected file or select the file and click “Open”. Its name will appear in the spacebar next to the folder icons in the “File” section of the “MegaForm Server - File printing” dialog box.

5. In the “Printer” section of the “MegaForm Server - File printing” window, click on the printer icon. Up pops the “Select a printer” dialog box.

6. The MegaForm Server Software lists all local network printers installed on the user’s Workstation/Server PC. In the Printers List, printers are indicated by a small picture (icon) of a printer followed by its name. Find the printer named “MegaForm”, then click it. Its name will appear in the spacebar next to the printer icon, in the “Printer” section of the “MegaForm Server - File printing” dialog box.

7. In the “Document” section of the “MegaForm Server - File printing” dialog box, type in the title name (optional).

8. Type in the number of copies in the spacebar indicated (Optional). 9. Click “Send” to send file to printer. 10. A MegaForm Server dialog box will pop with the message: “File has

been sent”. Click “OK.” 11. Click “Close” to cancel the file printing or to close the printing operation

once the printing task is complete.


7 REVIEW—MANAGING DOCUMENT OUTPUT

All the reviewing functionalities of MegaForm could be reached by clicking on the “Review” menu.

Figure 7-1: Review Pull-Down Menu

7.1 Backup—Viewing backed up files

When clicking on “Review > Backup”, you may manage all the backups which are kept by MegaForm: Display them, delete, reprint, etc.

The backups list provides various types of archive information, i.e., the characteristics of the printed document as well as the archiving duration, the location of each archive and the type of data. Backed up files can be saved or reprinted to any printer.

Review - Backup Window

7.1.1 The title column

This column might be very useful for debugging your processes: The title contains the name “MEGA”, the name of the process involved, and the list of all the agents used in this profile.

For example, a job title might contain the following text:

MEGA %Process : My Test Process% %Backup(0)% %Form6(0)% %Backup(0)% %Execute(_)% %Backup(_)%

This means the name of the process is “My Test Process”, it’s composed of the following agents: Backup, MegaForm 6, Backup, Execute Agent, and Backup.

The zeroes between the parenthesis means the agents have been successfully executed. The Underscores means the agents have not been executed on the process. One could also fin a “X”, which means the agent returned an error.


From the job title, we see the archive has been produced by the second Backup agent (the last one with a “(0)”).

7.1.2 Filter (Select records)

This option lets you filter the list of the backup. You may filter your backups following several keys:

• According to a date frame: Click on the checkbox, then select the start date and the end date of the timeframe.

• According to an hour frame: Click on the checkbox, then select the start time and the end time of the timeframe.

• According to a user: Click on the checkbox, then type the name of the user.


• According to a backup age: Your could get the list of the backup older or younger than an amount of days.

7.1.3 Refresh

The Backups list is loaded when the windows starts. If a file is backuped after the window is showed, it won’t be seen in the list. “The Refresh” Button allows you to rescan the backups list.

7.1.4 Delete (Delete Selected Archives)

When clicking on that button, you delete all the selected backups.

7.1.5 Print (Resume process)

If your printing failed, you may restart it from MegaForm Server if you have backuped it. If your saved the original spool you could send it to it’s initial print process. If you archived the PCL file, you could send it directly to the printer without using the process.


7.1.6 MegaForm 5 (Resume archives by MegaForm)

This button allows you to directly send a spoolfile to the MegaForm 5 Agent, without using the entire process.

7.1.7 MegaForm 6 (Resume archives by MegaForm)

This functions works in the same way than the “MegaForm 5” button.

7.1.8 Email (Send archives by email)

An email will be sent, containing the archive as an attachment.

7.1.9 Save (Save archives)

By clicking on this button, you may save the archive in an other directory.

7.1.10 View (View an archive)

Thanks to that button, you may read the archived file.

Note: For MFA files, MegaForm Launches the Notepad. For PCL files, MegaForm will display a PDF conversion of the file, it will therefore be displayed into Acrobat Reader.


7.2 Event Viewer

The Event viewer window displays all print events audited by Windows NT in order to monitor routine and non-routine print job actions to help determine usage patterns. With this type of information, statistics such as the number of pages printed by a user can be provided on various printing jobs. This information must be audited by the customer’s system in order to be available (see your Windows administrator).

Review - Event Viewer Window

7.3 Alarm—Managing Warnings And Errors

Choose Review > Alarm

The Alarm window presents each alarm generated by MF Server. During the printing process, an alarm is generated for each print job warning or error. The status bar at the top of the MF Server interface (which indicates the current or last-known status or condition of a print job process) is normally green (OK). When an error occurs, the color changes to red. The status bar becomes orange in the case of a warning.

1. Go into the Review menu and select “Alarm.

or

1. Click on the status bar at the top of the MF Server interface. 2. The “Alarm” window appears, showing a table of print jobs. 3. In the case of an Error, the system has encountered a major difficulty

requiring the user to cancel the process or to close the interface.

Review - Alarm Window


8 PRINTERS (PRINTER LIST)

On the left-hand side of the desktop, the MegaForm Server GUI lists all installed printers in a network to which a computer is connected. In the Printers List, printers are indicated by a small picture (icon) of a printer followed by its name.

A lightning bolt/yellow flash that partially covers a printer icon means that this printer runs on MF Server and that the LPD (Line Printer Daemon) printer protocol agent is running so that this printer can accept jobs from clients in its access list.

To look at print job activity on a specific printer, the user double-clicks on the printer’s icon in the Printers List. A Job View window appears (the printer’s name appears in the title of the window).

Printer List - Printer Window

You may display the usual information about the printer jobs, delete, pause them, etc.


9 HELP—ONLINE INSTRUCTION REGARDING USE OF MF SERVER

9.1 Users Manual

To access the Users Manual, click on “Help > Manual”.

MF Server provides online Help via the MF Server Users Manual, a PDF file that users can access via the Help menu. If you encounter a problem or forget a command while running the MF Server program, you can summon the documentation by clicking on the Help Menu, then the “Manual” option. You can install Acrobat Reader to consult this file via the MF Server installation CD.

9.2 Registration

To register your version of MegaForm Server, please click on “Help > Registration”.

Help - Registration Dialog Box

MF Server Users are required to notify the manufacturer (Bluemega Technologies) that you have purchased its product. Registering this product is a prerequisite to receiving customer support, and it is one of the ways that Bluemega controls software piracy.

When you install the program for the first time on your server, you will automatically be granted to a full license for 15 days. We strongly advise you to start the process of registering your product as soon as the software is installed: When the 15 days evaluation limit is reached, you won’t be able to use MegaForm Server until your real validation key is inserted into the software.

To register your product, please send an email to [email protected],containing your name, the name of the company you’re working for, and the Registration Key (which is unique for every computer).


We will send you back the validation key as soon as we have validated internally your configuration.

9.3 About MegaForm Server

To get the exact version of MegaForm Server you’re using, please click on “Help > About MegaForm Server”.

.Help - About MegaForm Server Dialog Box

This dialog box indicates the version of MegaForm Server in use, and provides contact information.

9.4 Technical Support

This window will be a great help for you if you encounter any problem with MegaForm: This tool gathers information on your MegaForm configuration and environment, and generate a file you’ll have to send to the support team [email protected]. Don’t forget to describe the problem as much as you can.


10 MF SERVER: FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ)

As a user, how do I initiate a MF Server print job?

MF Server is a Service; therefore no additional user interaction is required. MF Server is intended to be a seamless printing process.

How do I print many different types of documents, e.g., invoices, packing slips, from the same data?

The Title Profile utilizes a portion or all of data in the file name to call the appropriate MF Server Print Process. The Forms Management Agent looks for a specific trigger in a specified row and column of the data to call the appropriate forms.

How do I select a physical printer based on printer data?

Specific fields in the data stream can trigger the appropriate form in which the targeted physical printer is specified by the agent (MegaForm 5 or MegaForm 6).

How do I output the same document simultaneously to multiple physical printers?

You would define the physical printers within the MF Server printing process.

How do I distribute documents simultaneously to multiple locations?

First you would need to determine if this is static information, email or fax. If the information is static, that information would be defined in the MF Server Print Process. If the data is dynamic, you would have to include the information in the data file. The print logic would send out the files to the specific destination.

How do I print/output to multiple document formats using the same printer data?

See answer to Question 2.

How do I control document output?

The User Profile can define which users can initiate a print job.

How do I restrict access to sensitive areas like accounts payable check processes, payroll printers, etc.?

Security is built into the Windows operating system and MF Server. The administrator sets printers and user security rights. MF Server Print Process can be password protected so that the printing process cannot be altered.

How do I manage and archive document output?


The Backup Agent is set up as part of the MF Server Print Process. This is intended as a short-term solution for reprinting/reviewing specific items or complete jobs. The MegaForm Web archive option is intended as long-term storage of jobs using the Web browser as the interface for reviewing and reprinting. The files are indexed to facilitate the search process.

How do I schedule important print jobs for maximum convenience and security?

The Time/Schedule Profile enables the user to schedule what day or days and the time period a job can be printed.

How do I restrict output of sensitive and other important documents to standard working hours?

Use Time/Schedule Profile.

How do I carry out secure, remote printing to key customers or vendors?

Define a physical SD Express printer in the MF Server Print Process. When defining the printer you can set the encryption key specific to the desired output printer.

How do I use an FTP or file transfer instead of a logical printer?

In the Print Profile, you would specify a folder instead of a logical printer.


11 MEGAFORM SERVER: TROUBLESHOOTING

Consult the MF Server Alarms window to correct any anomalies. If an anomaly recurs, call Bluemega support: at 33 (0)892 68 1830 Code 2630#, or email [email protected].


12 INSIDE MEGAFORM SERVER

12.1 MegaForm Print Engine

The MegaForm Print Engine is the part of the application program that performs required data processing tasks, manipulating and reformatting text output into a format that is both more functional and more aesthetically pleasing.

MegaForm Server integrates MegaForm Print Engine into MS Windows servers environment to add significant functionality to the server operating system’s standard spooler software.

MegaForm Print Logic: • Resides on a host server of workstation computer that is connected to

either a single printer or networked to a number of print queues. • Accepts data and combines it with forms designed with MegaForm

Designer to produce intelligent, automated printing. • Generates new forms and delivers them to wherever they are required. • Through intelligent data manipulation, creates Data-driven

Documents—files that can be directly formatted and require a minimum of intervention to produce professionally formatted output.

• Features the ability to re-direct to any valid print queue or folder. • Features extensive automated MICR and Bar Code capabilities. • Works with most PC and Unix operating systems. • Supports data output from AS/400 and mainframe systems via a

TCP/IP link to a Unix PC host. • Versions available for the following platforms: Windows 2000/XP/2003,

HP-UX, HP 9000, SCO Unix, Linux, AIX, Sun Solaris.

When the host application outputs a data file, MegaForm Print Engine: • Converts the data into fully formatted professional documents. • Sends the formatted data to a printer. • If printing, sends the formatted data to the appropriate print queues as

standard PCL output, which can then be printed on a variety of laser printers.

Because MegaForm Print Engine has been optimized for maximum throughput, it is ideal for production printing.

12.2 MegaForm Logical Printers

A “logical printer” is a software interface that resides on the print server between the operating system and network printers and allows one physical printer to be used as numerous “virtual” (simulated) printers, each with customized features.


MegaForm gives network administrators the ability to install MegaForm-enabled printers on a server as logical printers rather than as physical printers. For example, when printing invoices, one would select the “invoice” logical printer, and MegaForm Server will customize the document accordingly.

MegaForm Server monitors the logical printer to determine how a print job is processed and how it is routed to its destination (to a local or network port, to a file, or to a remote print share). A logical printer controls only one process. A profile can launch another process.

Network users requiring the formatting capabilities provided by MegaForm Server simply print to the MegaForm logical printer. MegaForm Server automatically formats the data, and then outputs it on the appropriate physical printer.

12.3 MF Server Print Manager Adds Functionality to Windows NT Print Manager

In addition to allowing users to process print jobs, MegaForm Server adds functionality to the Windows NT Print Manager to deal with its limitations.

Print Manager is the Windows print spooler, which accepts the incoming print jobs, stores them and prints them in the background. The Windows Print Manager spools all printing that separates one print job from another. All print requests are placed in a print queue and printed out in the order in which they where placed in the queue. Print Manager lets users view print jobs submitted from Windows applications.

Windows Print Manager has its limitations: • Documents designed for older printers can cause newer printers to

print at slower speeds. • Documents using MICR lines, barcodes and other machine-oriented

markings that were developed for use with printers with lower resolutions can cause production problems in today’s higher-resolution printing environments.

MF Server is based on a print processor called “MegaForm”. Print Processor is a program that understands the format of a document's image file and how to print the file to a specific printer or class of printers.

In general, a print processor is the component that, working in conjunction with the printer driver, receives and alters print jobs, as necessary.

Print processors are user-mode DLLs (Dynamic Link Libraries) responsible for converting a print job's spooled data into a format that can be sent to a print monitor—software that monitors the progress of printing activities within a system. The Windows NT spooler does not send data directly to output devices; it uses print monitors that are DLLs loaded by the spooler. By using


different print monitors, the same spooler can communicate with different kinds of devices.

Print processors are responsible for handling application requests to pause, resume and cancel print jobs. The print job's spooled data is contained in a spool file. The print processor reads the file, performs conversion operations on the data stream, and writes the converted data to the spooler. The spooler then sends the data stream to the appropriate print monitor.

MF Server automatically takes into account each print job directed to a printer using the MegaForm print processor, i.e., without any external interference. The MF Server interface allows users to view print jobs and to configure the various operations to be performed on print jobs, i.e., to configure the various print processes.

After having taken into account the print job, MF Server analyzes its characteristics in order to determine which print process to apply. The title of the document reflects the course of the task (MF Server uses a document title to display and store the processing in progress on the document).

12.3.1 Logical Printer and Print Queue Strategy

A logical printer is the software interface between the operating system and the physical printer in Windows. While a printer is the device that does the actual printing, a logical printer is its software interface on the print server. Under MF Server, a document is sent to the logical printer, and then MF Server processes the data before it is sent to the printer itself. When installing MegaForm Server, set up an MF Server logical printer in order to implement two types of print queue strategies.

A print queue is a list of files that have been sent to a particular printer. The list includes the file currently printing and those waiting to be printed. A print queue on a computer holds print jobs that are waiting to be sent to the print processor. The print processor then formats a print job and sends it to the physical printer for printing.

12.3.1.1 MF Server Logical Print Queue

The MF Server Logical Print Queue is a portal or gateway point at which application data in the form of ASCII text enters the server. After the data is captured and re-formatted, it is moved to the server and on to the physical print queue.

12.3.1.2 Single Print Queue

Manage various documents and various types of documents by concentrating every call (communication) to MF Server on only one logical printer in order to make totally transparent the operations performed and the applications used. To set up this strategy, users must configure an MF Server logical printer and share it on the print server (a computer dedicated to managing the printers on a network).


12.3.1.3 Multiple Print Queues

The administrator uses the MF Server logical printer as a model to define other logical printers, thus simplifying the MF Server configuration in order to handle “parallel” or simultaneous print jobs. This strategy allows users to dedicate a logical printer to one or more processes in the print job.

12.4 Print processors and Data Types

The print processor tells the spooler to alter a job according to the document data type. It works in conjunction with the printer driver to send the spooled print jobs from the hard drive to the printer.

The Windows printing process normally supports five data types. The two most commonly used data types, enhanced metafile (EMF) and ready to print (RAW), affect performance in different ways on both the client computer and the print server computer.

• EMF (enhanced metafile)—the default datatype with most Windows 2000-based programs. With EMF, the printed document is altered into a metafile format that is more portable than RAW files and usually can be printed on any printer. EMF files tend to be smaller than RAW files that contain the same print job. Regarding performance, only the first portion of a print job is altered, or rendered on the client computer, but most of the impact is on the print server computer, which also helps the application on the client computer to return control to the user faster.

• RAW (ready to print)—the default data type for clients other than Windows 2000-based programs. The RAW data type tells the spooler not to alter the print job at all prior to printing. With this data type, the entire process of preparing the print job is done on the client computer.


The following table shows the five different data types supported by the default Windows print processor.

Data type Directions to spooler

Use

RAW Print the document with no changes. This is the data type for all clients not based on Windows 2000.

RAW [FF appended]

Append a form-feed character (0x0C), but make no other changes. (A PCL printer omits the document's last page if there is no trailing form-feed.)

Required for some applications. Windows 2000 does not assign it, but it can be set as the default in the Print Processor dialog box.

RAW [FF auto]

Check for a trailing form-feed and add one if it is not already there, but make no other changes.

Required for some applications. Windows 2000 does not assign it, but it can be set as the default in the Print Processor dialog box.

NT EMF 1.00x

Treat the document as an enhanced metafile (EMF) rather than the RAW data that the printer driver puts out.

EMF documents are created by Windows 2000.

TEXT Treat the entire job as ANSI text and add print specifications using the print device's factory defaults.

This is useful when the print job is simple text and the target print device cannot interpret simple text.


13 GLOSSARY

-a-

agent: An agent is a software element that drives a process on the print job, or a software routine that waits in the background and performs an action when a specified event occurs. MF Server agents are process elements that handle print jobs. For each process (any required processing on a print job), an ordered list of agents is defined and corresponds to all processing performed on the print job. MF Server agents drive print job processes such as record preprocessing and backup.

Annotation: A word, note, mark or highlighting added to an item.

ANSI: An acronym for: American National Standards Organization.

application program: General term for software that performs specific tasks such as accounting or word processing.

Archive: To file or collect records or documents in or as if in an archive— disk space on which documents are preserved.

archiving feature: Copies all print jobs to a holding queue.

archiving (active): The process of removing a precise set of infrequently used reference data from an overloaded relational database and keeping it active in an archive where it can be easily and quickly retrieved when needed. For example, a credit card company acquires large amounts of mission-critical data on its customers - names, addresses, balances, account numbers, interest rates. This information is critical to the company's daily operation. When a monthly bill is issued, that data can be put into an active because the company does not need that information unless there are questions about the bill. So the data is taken out of the relational database where it would slow the system down but left available so that it can be quickly accessed when needed.

ASCII: Acronym for: American standard code for information interchange. An 8-bit code that uses seven-bits to represent character information such as letters, punctuation, symbols, and control characters. The eighth bit can be used for parity. Allows computers to exchange data and information.

asynchronous printing: Asynchronous operation means that a process operates independently of other processes. Most communications between computers and printers are asynchronous.

-b-


banner/separator pages: A separator or banner page typically states who sent the document to the printer and gives the date and time of printing.

batch printing: A batch is a program that is assigned to the computer to run without further user interaction. A printing request is an example of a batch job in a PC. In some computer systems, batch jobs are said to run in the background and interactive programs run in the foreground. In general, interactive programs are given priority over batch programs, which run during the time intervals when the interactive programs are waiting for user requests.

batch processing: Automatic commands extensions for all batch files must be typed: >bat. Otherwise, DOS cannot find them.

Bitmap: A representation of a character or a graphic image in which each printed dot is stored as a digital bit.

Buffer: A storage area for temporarily holding data.

-c-

conditional image processing: When MF Server migrates legacy data to convert it into complete electronic forms, the program performs “conditional image processing” operations on the original data in order to create Forms, Logos and Signatures. Manipulation and output depends on the print job.

Configuration: To “configure” is to choose options in order to create a custom system.

-d-

data flow: In computers, the path of data from source document to data entry to processing to final reports. Data changes format and sequence (within a file) as it moves from program to program.

Desktop: In HP LaserJet document desktop software, documents appear on the computer “desktop” in one of three possible views: list view, thumbnail view, or page view. From the desktop, rename documents, move documents from one folder to another, or send documents using applications. Many desktop tasks can be performed by selecting a document and choosing a command or by dragging and dropping the document image onto an icon.


DIMM: Dual inline memory module. These modules are the current technology used when upgrading memory and are typically chips that easily install into the printer circuit board.

Document: From the computer perspective, the term initially only referred to a word processing file. Since the advent of the Macintosh, Apple has called virtually any file created on the computer a document, and this usage has migrated to the Windows environment. In the PC world, a document is a file created with a word processor. In addition to text, documents can contain graphics, charts, and other objects. In general, a document is a record or the capturing of some event or thing so that the information will not be lost. Usually, a document is written, but a document can also be made with pictures and sound. A document usually adheres to some convention based on similar or previous documents or specified requirements. Examples of documents are sales invoices, wills and deeds, newspapers, individual newspaper stories, oral history recordings, executive orders, and product specifications. A document is a form of information. A document can be put into an electronic form and stored in a computer as one or more files. Often a single document becomes a single file. An entire document or individual parts may be treated as individual data items. As files or data, a document may be part of a database. Electronic Document Management (EDM) deals with the management of electronically-stored documents. When using certain computer application programs such as a word processor, a document is the unit of saved work. Each document is saved as a uniquely named file.

Document management: The capture and management of documents within an organization. The term used to imply the management of documents after they were scanned into the computer. Today, the term has become an umbrella under which document imaging, workflow, text retrieval and multimedia fall. The trend toward designing information systems as “document centric,” where the document becomes the focus, not the application that created it, is expected to bring document management to the forefront of computing.

Document management system: Software that manages documents for electronic publishing. It generally supports a large variety of document formats and provides extensive access control and searching capabilities across LANs and WANs. A document management system may support multiple versions of a document. It may also be able to combine text fragments written by different authors. It often includes a workflow component that routes documents to the appropriate users.

Document processing: Processing text documents, which includes indexing methods for text retrieval based on content.

Dots per inch (dpi): A measure of the resolution of a printed or scanned image. Generally, more dots per inch mean a higher resolution, a greater amount of visible detail in the image, and a larger file size.


Drivers: Files used by some software applications to read and write peripheral device characteristics. Printer drivers convert software commands into printer language.

-e-

Escape character: PCL software commands sent to the printer. The printer distinguishes these commands from regular text by the presence of an escape sequence (ec), a special control code.

-f-

Form: A formatted document containing blank fields that users can fill in with data. With paper forms, it is usually necessary for someone to transfer the data from the paper to a computer database, where the results can then be statistically analyzed. Some OCR systems can do this automatically, but they're generally limited to forms containing just check boxes. They can't handle handwritten text. Electronic forms solve this problem by entirely skipping the paper stage. Instead, the form appears on the user's display screen and the user fills it in by selecting options with a pointing device or typing in text from the computer keyboard. The data is then sent directly to a forms processing application, which enters the information into a database. Electronic forms are especially common on the World Wide Web because the HTML language has built-in codes for displaying form elements such as text fields and check boxes. Typically, the data entered into a Web-based form is processed by a CGI program.

Forms software: A type of program that enables you to design and fill in forms on a computer. Most forms packages contain a number of sample forms that users can modify for their own purposes, including publishing a form on the Internet so that anyone with Internet access can fill it out. The software can be:

(1) Workflow software used to create on-screen data entry forms and provide e-mail routing and tracking of the resulting electronic documents.

(2) Program development tools that build applications by designing the on-screen forms for data entry, update and so on. The forms are generally designed with visual programming tools that allow fields, buttons and logos to be drawn directly on screen. The business logic is either selected via menus and/or written in behind each field or button with lines of 4GL or 3GL programming code


Front office application: Front office application software faces the customer directly. It provides the functionality and data necessary to take orders, configure complex products and provide effective service and support to customers. It includes customer relationship management (CRM), sales force automation, customer support and field service (see back office application).

-h-

Handshaking: A method of communication between a computer and printer. A handshake ensures correct and complete data transfer.

-i-

Input/output (I/O): The input/output medium (device or channel) through which the computer sends and receives information to and from peripherals (for example, disk drives, keyboard, or display unit).

Internal fonts: The fonts resident in the printer memory when shipped from the factory.

ISO: International Standards Organization.

-j-

Job: A specific piece of work to be batch-processed by the computer or a peripheral device, such as a printer.

Job size: The printer formats data into an image before physically picking up a sheet of paper. The image size is determined by the job size setting. The software application usually sends a command telling the printer what size image to use for text. If no command is sent, the printer defaults to the image size specified by the control panel job size setting. Job size allows selection of one of four image sizes to fit four paper sizes.

JPEG: Joint Photographic Experts Group, an international standard for compressing digital photographic images. See bmp.

-l-


Landscape orientation: Printing across the length of the page (as opposed to portrait orientation printing across the width of the page).

Language switching: Resetting the printer firmware in order to change the language the printer is able to interpret when processing data. An example is printers that autoswitch between pcl 5 language and postscript language.

Laser: A device that produces a narrow, intense beam of coherent, single-wavelength light. waves.

Laser printer: A non-impact high-resolution printer that uses a rotating disk to reflect laser beams onto the paper. When the beam touches the paper, it forms an electrostatic image area which attracts electrically-charged toner (magnetized dry ink powder). The toner is then fixed (heated) onto the paper, forming an image (text or graphics).

LaserJet (HP): A family of laser printers from HP. Introduced in 1984 at a price of $3,495, the first LaserJet revolutionized the desktop laser printer market. LaserJets print from 600 to 1200 dpi, and PCL is HP's native printer command language. LaserJets have built-in scalable fonts and also accept bitmapped fonts from the computer (soft fonts). They also come with PostScript emulation. Earlier models used plug-in cartridges, and PostScript was an option until native models were introduced in 1992 (LaserJet 4). In 1994, HP launched its first color LaserJet, using an enhanced PCL 5 language. At $7,295, it printed 2 ppm in color and 10 ppm in black and white. Subsequent models are higher speed and lower priced as color lasers have begun to make a presence.

Legacy application: A software application that has been in existence for some time. It often refers to mainframe and ERP applications; however, as users abandoned DOS and Windows 3.1 for Windows 95/98 and NT, they too are called legacy applications. In today's world of the Internet, virtually anything not Web related is often thought of as a legacy app.

Legal: Paper sized 8.5-x-14 inches. Primarily used in the United States and Canada for printing legal documents.

Letter: Paper sized 8.5-x-11 inches. Primarily used in the United States and Canada.

Line spacing: The number of text lines that are printed per vertical inch of a page. HP LaserJet printers default to six lines per inch.

Linked program: A program installed on the computer that can be used with the HP LaserJet document desktop. For example, use OCR software to translate a scanned item into text.

Lines per inch (lpi): Describes the number of lines that will print within one vertical inch. Most printing is done in 6 or 8 lpi.


Logical printer: The software interface between the operating system and the printer in Windows 2000. While a printer is the device that does the actual printing, a logical printer is its software interface on the print server. This software interface determines how a print job is processed and how it is routed to its destination (to a local or network port, to a file, or to a remote print share). When a document is printed, it is spooled (or stored) on the logical printer before it is sent to the printer itself. A logical printer enables the system administrator to configure the print server to handle and act upon the print data in several ways. A logical printer object is the user's view of a printer and provides defaults for jobs printed through it. Logical printer objects reside in a spooler. A logical printer allows one physical printer to be used as numerous “virtual printers,” each with customized features, such as: auto ASCII to PostScript conversion, multiple bin selection, customized strings before and after jobs, and more.

Lower cassette: Optional paper cassette attached to printer. The cassette comes either in various paper sizes or is adjustable for various size papers. Additional envelope trays are available also.

LPD: (Line Printer Daemon) A TCP/IP printer protocol that provides print spooling and network printing. Originally developed for Berkeley UNIX (BSD UNIX), LPD has become the de facto cross-platform printing protocol. LPD and its LPR (Line Printer Remote) client counterpart are often referred to as the LPR/LPD protocol. The LPD software can reside in a computer that serves as the print server or within the printer itself, and most network printers have built-in LPD support. The LPR software must be installed in the client machine, and the LPR client sends its printer output to the IP address of the LPD printer (LPD server), which queues the files and prints them when the printer becomes available. LPD servers can support multiple printers, in which case, the LPR client identifies the intended printer by its queue name. If the operating system does not support LPR/LPD, it must be installed from a third party. For example, Windows NT, 2000 and XP include LPR support, but Windows 95/98 do not.

-m-

Mainframe: A larger centralized computer system, which is the central source to access memory and programs from individual attached terminals. Attached terminals do not have independent memory programs. All systems, memory and programs are accessed through the mainframe.

Media: Any material to be printed, including envelopes, labels, transparencies, and all types of paper. Paper types include letterhead, pre-punched, recycled, bond, color stock, card stock and pre-printed. Refer to the HP LaserJet printer family print media guide for more information.


MF Server Routines: MF Server can automatically substitute character strings to their value at execution time.

MF Server routine name Substitute chain

_INPUT_SPOOL_FILE_NAME_ Spool file name before an agent processing

_OUTPUT_SPOOL_FILE_NAME_ Spool file name after an agent processing

_USER_NAME_ Name of the job user

_JOB_NAME_ Job title

_COMPUTER_NAME Name of the machine which emitted the job

_INPUT_PRINTER_NAME_ Name of the printer where the job is defined

MICR: (Magnetic Ink Character Recognition) The machine recognition of numeric data printed with magnetically charged ink. It is used on bank checks and deposit slips. MICR readers detect the characters and convert them into digital data. Although optical methods (OCR) became as sophisticated as the early MICR technology, magnetic ink is still used. It serves as a deterrent to fraud, because a photocopied check will not be printed with magnetic ink.

-o-

Offline/online: Offline is the condition when the printer does not accept information from the host computer. When a printer is online, it accepts information from the host. When the printer is online, the online lamp is lit.

Operating system: A software program in the computer that controls the execution of other programs. The program handles i/o control, data management, and resource allocation.

Orientation: The direction of the characters on the page. If the print is across the width of the page, it is portrait-oriented. If the print is across the length of the page, it is landscape-oriented.

Output: Any computer-generated information displayed on screen, printed on paper or in machine readable form, such as disk and tape

-p-


Page formatting: The arrangement of information on a page. Page formatting involves setting margins, line spacing, and text length.

Page printers: Page printers, such as laser printers, print an entire page at once. Character printers, which generally cannot print graphics, print one complete character at a time. Line printers are high-speed print devices that print one line of type at a time. Page printers require more memory than character or line printers because they store each page in memory before printing it.

PC faxing: Faxing electronic documents from and receiving incoming faxes to the computer. The computer must have a pc fax program installed to use pc faxing.

PCL (printer control language): The printer language that drives HP DeskJet, HP LaserJet and other Hewlett-Packard printers. PCL defines a standard set of commands enabling programs to communicate with HP or HP-compatible printers.

PCL 5e or PCL 6: Different versions of HP's printer control language.

PCL commands: HP proprietary language that provides access to printer features. Once a PCL command sets a parameter, it remains set until the same PCL command is repeated with a new value. A reset (e) can change it. There are three parts of PCL commands: control codes, two-character escape sequences, and parameterized escape sequences.

Ping (Packet INternet Groper): An Internet utility used to determine whether a particular IP address is online. It is used to test and debug a network by sending out a packet (a block of data used for transmission) and waiting for a response. Ping also functions like a domain name (DNS) server, because “pinging” a domain name will return its IP address.

Portrait: Select to print a page or envelope that is taller than it is wide when viewing the text right side up. Feed the paper as usual; the image will rotate on the page if necessary.

Postscript language: A page description language created by Adobe systems, inc., specifically for describing the appearance of text and graphics on a page.

Print job: The source code that contains both the data to be printed and the commands for print. Print jobs are classified into data types based on what modifications, if any, the spooler must make to the job for it to print correctly.

Print monitor: Software that monitors the progress of printing activities within a system. The Windows NT spooler does not send data directly to output devices, it uses print monitors that are DLLs (Dynamic Link Libraries) loaded by the spooler. By using different print monitors the same spooler can communicate with different kinds of devices.


Print processor: The component that, working in conjunction with the printer driver, receives and alters print jobs, as necessary, according to their data type to ensure that the jobs print correctly.

Print queue: A print queue is a list of documents waiting to be printed on the printer. In the print queue, you can see information such as the size of the document, who sent the document, and status information for printing.

Print server: Part of the network operating system (or an add-on utility) that stores the print-image output from users' machines and feeds it to the printer one job at a time. A networked computer that controls one or more printers is known, with the printers, as a “print server,” or a file server with “print services.”

Print spooler: Software that accepts a document sent to a printer and then stores it on disk or in memory until the printer is ready for it. This collection of dynamic-link libraries (DLLs) receives, processes, schedules, and distributes documents for printing. The term spooler is an acronym created from Simultaneous Print Operations On Line.

Printer driver: Program files that allow a software application to communicate with the printer and use its features.

Printer job language (PJL): The printer command language developed by Hewlett Packard that provides printer control at the print-job level. Using PJL commands, default printer settings such as the number of copies to print can be changed. PJL commands also permit switching printer languages between print jobs without action by the user. If bi-directional communication is supported, a PJL-compatible printer can send information such as printer model and job status to the print server.

Printer protocol: The commands and functions used to print a job on a network printer. It manages the submission of print jobs by maintaining queues and controlling the transfer of their contents to the printer. It also enables the user to determine the capabilities of the printer and the status of the job and be able to cancel it. It may provide flow control if the underlying transport protocol does not (UDP, IPX, etc.). A unidirectional protocol such as LPR/LPD is mainly responsible for job submission. However, full-featured, bi-directional protocols such as PAP and NDPS include sophisticated printer management, responding to messages and alerts from the printer. The primary printing protocols are the LPR/LPD UNIX standard, Apple's PAP, Novell's QMS and NDPS, HP's JetDirect and the Internet's IPP.

Printer window: Also called the “queue view,” the Printer window shows information about any pending print jobs for the printer. For each printer you have installed or to which you are connected, you can see such information as how many documents are waiting to be printed, who owns them, and how large they are.

Printer server: A computer completely dedicated to supporting a network printer. The server's system RAM and hard drive are used to store print jobs


in the queue, and print jobs can be reordered, paused, or deleted from the server's keyboard.

Printer software: Any or all of the software shipped with the printer. The printer is packaged with a compact disk containing the software required to access all of the printer's features. If the printer has been correctly set up, the appropriate software is already installed.

Private job: Allows specifying that a job be not printed until released by using a 4-digit personal identification number (pin) through the printer's control panel.

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Queue: A print queue is a list of documents waiting to be printed on the printer. In the print queue, you can see information such as the size of the document, who sent the document, and status information for printing.

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Raster graphics: Images composed of groups of dots are raster images. Pictures in newspapers or on televisions are examples of raster images. PCL includes commands for printing raster images.

Rasterizer: A software routine that converts outline fonts or vector data into rows of dots for use by a computer device requiring dots. For example, printers and video screens do not use lines; they print dots that take the form of lines.

Report: A printed or microfilmed collection of facts and figures with page numbers and page headings. A formatted and organized presentation of data. Formatting text involves specifying the font, alignment, margins, and other properties.

Resolution: A measurement of print in dots-per-inch (dpi) in output material. HP LaserJet printers have a maximum of either 300 or 600 dpi resolution. The higher the dpi value, the greater the resolution.

Ret: Resolution enhancement technology is an HP technology that improves the print quality standard (but doesn't change the dpi). This technology is used in the HP LaserJet III printer and later printers.


Reroute: To divert or redirect data to another destination. All output to the printer is automatically rerouted to a working printer in the event of a printer error.

Route: To send by a selected route.

Routing: Forwarding data to its destination.

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Set-up strings: PCL printer commands usually entered in a designated field of a software program. Set-up strings are sent to the printer prior to printable data.

SIMM: Single in-line memory module. The type of expansion memory used with the HP LaserJet IISI and later printers.

Simplex: Single-sided. Printing on one side of a sheet of paper.

Software application: Any word processing, programming or special application package that can be installed on a computer system. Microsoft word and lotus 123 are examples of software packages.

Source: The paper tray where paper or other print media is loaded for use in the printer.

Stored job: Download a print job to the printer's hard disk without printing it, and then print the job at any time through the printer's control panel.

-t-

TCP/IP: TCP (Transmission Control Protocol)/IP (Internet Protocol). A communications protocol developed under contract from the U.S. Department of Defense to internetwork dissimilar systems. TCP provides transport functions, which ensures that the total amount of bytes sent is received correctly at the other end. IP is the network layer protocol in the TCP/IP communications protocol suite.

Toner: A powdered ink composed of plastic, carbon black, and iron oxide. The materials in toner are mixed, resolidified, and ground into an extremely fine powder.


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Unix: A multi-tasking, multi-user operating system for minicomputers, mainframes and networked workstations that was developed by AT&T and is popular among engineering and technical professionals.

User default: The printer's default environment selected through the control panel with the remainder of the environment features set to the factory default values.

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Watermark: A feature in the printer driver that allows for text to print in the background of a page.

Workflow: The automatic routing of documents to the users responsible for working on them.

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