I am looking for input on form design software for the AS/400. We are planning <BR>
to purchase several Xerox printers that will connect to our network and also be <BR>
used by the 400. I have obtained information from several vendors but am <BR>
&nbsp;interested in what to look for, ease of use etc. <p>Pat Luedke

Considerations: <BR>
IPDS printing versus PCL/Postcript print <BR>
AS/400 solution versus NT <BR>
100% software solutions versus software working with memory cards on each <BR>
printer. <BR>
------- <BR>
You should consider wheter you want to keep the printing process on the 400 <BR>
or involving a NT server and thereby transferring the 400 print to a NT-server. <BR>
The later is usually heavy on the network and the stability of NT-servers <BR>
&nbsp;can be argued. Also NT forms solutions has the habit of sending the form info. <BR>
with each <BR>
spool page, rather than just sending a macro to the printer and then process <BR>
the variable <BR>
data afterwards. Considerable printing performance is achieved with the later <BR>
printing <BR>
principle. By transferring print to a NT server you will also lose the control <BR>
of the print. <BR>
--- <BR>
How easy is the design process and the manipulation of the spool data? <BR>
--- <BR>
Consider how flexible the "trigger" options are, meaning how you can define <BR>
which spool files are to be merged/processed by which overlays. <BR>
The more "trigger" options you have the more advanced document handling you can <BR>
&nbsp;implement. <BR>
--- <BR>
Is it possible to define multiple print locations of the same spool file, with <BR>
different overlay? <BR>
--- <BR>
Further considerations. Do you need. <BR>
- Copy management <BR>
- Sorting functions <BR>
- Splitting of spool pages <BR>
- Duplex support <BR>
- Colour support <BR>
- Output bin support. <BR>
- Barcode support <BR>
etc. <p>Please note that I am working for a company that is a IBM printer connectivity <BR>
vendor and that we are also provide AS/400 forms software. <BR>
Anyhow the above is my most objective input to you. <p>You can find info. about our forms solution ArtForm400 at: <BR>
<a href="http://www.intermate.com/imaus/webima.nsf">http://www.intermate.com/imaus/webima.nsf</a> <BR>
---Press the "Art of Forms" button---

We use ezprint/400 by Acom solutions, formally know as Formula One. Very good <BR>
and easy to use. Please feel free to contact me if you need any other <BR>
&nbsp;information. " This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it ". You can also contact Dan Long who I worked <BR>
with for more informatin. " This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it "