iDocs has various methods to automatically print forms that are deposited in output queues. There are two different types of form overlay engines which are the processors that automatically search defined output queues for spooled files to merge with form applications or form sets. iDocs also provides api's that can be embedded into a job stream that executes the merge for defined print jobs. The simplest is TFPRT which is intended to be embedded in the job stream following the program that produced the spool file to be processed. With the more complex TRPRTAPI api, you can provide the necessary parameters to process any spool file on the system.

An iDocs merge can be invoked from the command line or from another program using either of two commands:

TFPRTAPI

or

TFPRT

This is the main programming interface to an iDocs merge.

Prerequisites: iDocs library in the library list.

Printer File . . . . . . . . . .                 ( *SCS spool file to merge )
Job Name . . . . . . . . . . . .                 ( spool file job name )
User ID  . . . . . . . . . . . .                 ( spool file user name )
Job Number . . . . . . . . . . .                 ( spool file job number )
Spooled file number  . . . . . .                 ( spool file number )
Form Name  . . . . . . . . . . .                 ( iDocs form definition with which to do the iDocs merge )
Engine Name  . . . . . . . . . .   *FIRST        ( engine name to reference; *FIRST generally works )
Perform Archive/Delete? (Y/N)  .   Y             ( perform archive/delete of original splf )
Portrait? (Y/N)  . . . . . . . .   Y             ( is the output portrait or landscape yes / no )           
Font Sequence# . . . . . . . . .   011           ( generally leave this as is )
Destination Output queue . . . .                 ( output outqueue for merged spool file )
  Library  . . . . . . . . . . .     *LIBL       ( library containing destination outqueue )
Archive Output queue . . . . . .                 ( name of archive outqueue ( override engine specification ) if archiving )
  Library  . . . . . . . . . . .     *LIBL       ( library containing archive outqueue )
Number of copies . . . . . . . .   1             ( number of copies; overrides form )
Output Spooled File Name . . . .   *FILE         ( output spool file name )

This is a simpler version of TFPRTAPI that works on the last spool file created in the current job.

Printer File . . . . . . . . . .                 ( *SCS spool file to merge )
Form Name  . . . . . . . . . . .                 ( iDocs form definition with which to do the iDocs merge )
Engine Name  . . . . . . . . . .   *FIRST        ( engine name to reference; *FIRST generally works )
Perform Archive/Delete? (Y/N)  .   Y             ( perform archive/delete of original splf )
Portrait? (Y/N)  . . . . . . . .   Y             ( is the output portrait or landscape yes / no )           
Font Sequence# . . . . . . . . .   011           ( generally leave this as is )
Destination Output queue . . . .                 ( output outqueue for merged spool file )
  Library  . . . . . . . . . . .     *LIBL       ( library containing destination outqueue )
Archive Output queue . . . . . .                 ( name of archive outqueue ( override engine specification ) if archiving )
  Library  . . . . . . . . . . .     *LIBL       ( library containing archive outqueue )
Number of copies . . . . . . . .   1             ( number of copies; overrides form )
Output Spooled File Name . . . .   *FILE         ( output spool file name )

Following is an example of implementing the TFPRT command. It uses all eight parameters of the command: Printer File, Form name, Engine name, Perform archive delete, Page orientation, Font Sequence, Destination output queue, and Archive output queue. The parameter value for printer file, QSYSPRT contains the file name. Form name contains the defined form application APCHK. The engine parameter contains a value of *NONE since no engine will be use to determine the processing. Instead the processing of the spool file is all defined within the print immediate command itself.

TFPRT FILE(QSYSPRT) FORM(APCHK) ENGINE(*NONE) PERFORM(Y) PORT(Y) FONTSEQ(11) DESTOUTQ(PRT01) ARCHOUTQ(FMG/ARCHIVE)

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