Printer file parameter considerations
These printer file parameters are discussed in more detail to help you better understand how to use them.
- Align (ALIGN) parameter
The align parameter on the Start Printer Writer (STRPRTWTR) and Create Printer File (CRTPRTF) commands influences how the IBM® i operating system issues messages to check forms alignment in printers before they start to print. - Coded font (CDEFNT) parameter
This parameter is specified only for printer files with DEVTYPE (*AFPDS) when printing on IPDS-capable printers configured with AFP(*YES). - Corner staple (CORNERSTPL) parameter
This parameter specifies the corner of the media to be used for stapling. - DBCS coded font (IGCCDEFNT) parameter
The DBCS coded font is the font that the system uses for DBCS printing on IPDS printers. This parameter is specified only for printer files with DEVTYPE (*SCS) or (*AFPDS) when printing on IPDS-capable printers configured with AFP(*YES). A point size can be specified for outline fonts. It will be ignored for raster fonts. - Device type (DEVTYPE) parameter
The device type (DEVTYPE) parameter specifies the type of data stream created for a printer file. This parameter indicates whether the resulting data stream should be an Intelligent Printer Data Stream (*IPDS), an SNA character stream (*SCS), an ASCII data stream (*USERASCII), an Advanced Function Presentation Data Stream (*AFPDS), line data (*LINE), or mixed data (*AFPDSLINE). - Edge stitch (EDGESTITCH) parameter
This parameter specifies where staples are to be placed along the finishing margin of the media. You need to check your printer documentation to determine which elements, and values of elements, are supported. Where your printer does not support any of the values for a specific element, specify a value of *DEVD for the element. - Fidelity (FIDELITY) parameter
For AFP functions that are not supported, the FIDELITY parameter allows the user to determine if a spooled file with advanced printing functions should continue to print on an IPDS printer configured AFP(*YES) or stop printing when an advanced printing function is encountered that is not supported. - Font character set (FNTCHRSET) parameter
This parameter is specified only for printer files with DEVTYPE (*AFPDS) when printing on IPDS-capable printers configured with AFP(*YES). - Margin (FRONTMGN and BACKMGN) parameters
To use the margin parameters, the device type (DEVTYPE) parameter on the printer file must be *AFPDS. For device types other than *AFPDS, the system calculates the margins. - MULTIUP(1, 2, 3, or 4) and REDUCE(*NONE) parameters
To use hardware MULTIUP you can select any MULTIUP value (1 through 4), and you must specify *NONE as the value on the REDUCE parameter of the printer file. It is then up to the application to ensure the output fits in the partition (portion) of the page. - MULTIUP(1, 2, 3, or 4) and REDUCE(*TEXT) parameters
The MULTIUP parameter allows you to print more than one logical page of data on a piece of paper. Depending on the printer that you are using, you can print from one to eight logically formatted pages on one physical piece of paper. - Output priority (OUTPTY) parameter
Once a spooled file is available to a writer, the OUTPTY parameter determines the order in which the files are produced. - Overlay (FRONTOVL and BACKOVL) parameters
When an overlay is specified in a printer file, you can merge data from a spooled file onto the same piece of paper that the overlay is printed on. The FRONTOVL parameter specifies the overlay to be printed on the front side of the paper; the BACKOVL parameter specifies the overlay for the back side of the paper. - Page rotation (PAGRTT) parameter
The PAGRTT parameter controls the rotation of text on the page. When *AUTO or *DEVD is specified for the PAGRTT parameter, the system determines the orientation of the printed page. For example, if the output is too wide, the page is rotated 90 degrees. - Saddle stitch (SADLSTITCH) parameter
This parameter specifies where to place the staples along the finishing margin of the media. In saddle stitching, the finishing margin is at the center of the media, and parallel to the reference edge. Page rotation does not affect the placement of a saddle stitch. - Spooled output schedule (SCHEDULE) parameter
The SCHEDULE parameter can be specified with one of three values to control when the spooled file is available for a writer to produce the file. - To stream file (TOSTMF) parameter
You can use the TOSTMF parameter to cause the output data to be written to a stream file in the integrated file system. When the TOSTMF parameter is used with the Workstation Customization object (WSCST) parameter, the output data is transformed to another output data format before being written to the stream file. - Workstation customizing object (WSCST) parameter
You can use the WSCST parameter to transform the printer file output to final form before writing it to a stream file. This parameter is only valid when the to stream file (TOSTMF) parameter is not set to *NONE and the device type (DEVTYPE) parameter is set to *AFPDS.
Parent topic: Reference information