Spool to PDF

Written by Ken Kramer. Posted in iSeries and AS400, Terminology

System i and Power Systems NATIVE PCL to PDF converter for Spool Files. iPDF converts standard iSeries Spool files into the popular Adobe PDF (Portable Document Format).

Portable Document Format (PDF) is a file format used to present and exchange documents reliably, independent of software, hardware, or operating system. Invented by Adobe, PDF is now an open standard maintained by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). PDFs can contain links and buttons, form fields, audio, video, and business logic. They can also be signed electronically and are easily viewed using free Acrobat Reader DC software.

iPDF is a “print to digital” solution that takes standard HP LaserJet PCL print streams and allows users to convert AS400 spool files to a PDF file. iPDF is a Native conversion that leverages the power of your iSeries investment and eliminates need to download to a PC or secondary server – delivering more security and faster processing of documents and reports.  Using this convert to spool to PDF utility, organizations can create standardized files for distribution.

 

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Spool to Excel

Written by Ken Kramer. Posted in iSeries and AS400, Terminology

Our iMail product takes iSeries/AS400 ASCII Spool files and converts the data to Excel (XLS) and other formats.

Excel is a spreadsheet developed by Microsoft for Windows, Mac OS X, Android and iOS. It features calculation, graphing tools, pivot tables, and a macro programming language called Visual Basic for Applications. It has been a very widely applied spreadsheet for these platforms, especially since version 5 in 1993, and it has replaced Lotus 1-2-3 as the industry standard for spreadsheets.
Microsoft Excel has the basic features of all spreadsheets,[4] using a grid of cells arranged in numbered rows and letter-named columns to organize data manipulations like arithmetic operations. It has a battery of supplied functions to answer statistical, engineering and financial needs. In addition, it can display data as line graphs, histograms and charts.

Microsoft Excel up until 2007 version used a proprietary binary file format called Excel Binary File Format (.XLS) as its primary format.[23] Excel 2007 uses Office Open XML as its primary file format, an XML-based format that followed after a previous XML-based format called “XML Spreadsheet” (“XMLSS”), first introduced in Excel 2002. Excel remains backwards-compatible with the traditional, binary formats. In addition, most versions of Microsoft Excel can read CSV, DBF, SYLK, DIF, and other legacy formats.

inFORM Decisions iMail native email module snaps on to our iDocs Administrator or works standalone to provide seamless and automated distribution of reports, forms and databases. Users attach and distribute forms, reports and database files in popular formats including Adobe PDF, TEXT, EXCEL, HTML, RTF, ZIP, TXT and PCL.

 

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AS400 to Excel

Written by Ken Kramer. Posted in iSeries and AS400, Terminology

Excel is a spreadsheet developed by Microsoft for Windows, Mac OS X, Android and iOS. It features calculation, graphing tools, pivot tables, and a macro programming language called Visual Basic for Applications. It has been a very widely applied spreadsheet for these platforms, especially since version 5 in 1993, and it has replaced Lotus 1-2-3 as the industry standard for spreadsheets.
Microsoft Excel has the basic features of all spreadsheets,[4] using a grid of cells arranged in numbered rows and letter-named columns to organize data manipulations like arithmetic operations. It has a battery of supplied functions to answer statistical, engineering and financial needs. In addition, it can display data as line graphs, histograms and charts.

Microsoft Excel up until 2007 version used a proprietary binary file format called Excel Binary File Format (.XLS) as its primary format.[23] Excel 2007 uses Office Open XML as its primary file format, an XML-based format that followed after a previous XML-based format called “XML Spreadsheet” (“XMLSS”), first introduced in Excel 2002. Excel remaines backwards-compatible with the traditional, binary formats. In addition, most versions of Microsoft Excel can read CSV, DBF, SYLK, DIF, and other legacy formats.

inFORM Decisions iMail native email module snaps on to our iDocs Administrator or works standalone to provide seamless and automated distribution of AS400 reports, AS400 forms and databases- essentially an AS400 to Excel utility. Users attach and distribute forms, reports and database files in popular formats including Adobe PDF, TEXT, EXCEL, HTML, RTF, ZIP, TXT and PCL.

 

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AS400/iSeries PDF

Written by Ken Kramer. Posted in iSeries and AS400, Terminology

Portable Document Format (PDF) is a file format used to present and exchange documents reliably, independent of software, hardware, or operating system. Invented by Adobe, PDF is now an open standard maintained by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). PDFs can contain links and buttons, form fields, audio, video, and business logic. They can also be signed electronically and are easily viewed using free Acrobat Reader DC software.

iPDF is a “print to digital” solution that takes standard HP LaserJet PCL print streams and allows conversion to a digital PDF file. iPDF is a Native conversion that leverages the power of your iSeries investment and eliminates need to download to a PC or secondary server – delivering more security and faster processing of documents and reports.  This utility provides critical AS400/iSeries PDF solutions for business.

 

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AS400 Barcode

Written by Ken Kramer. Posted in iSeries and AS400, Terminology

A barcode is an optical, machine-readable, representation of data; the data usually describes something about the object that carries the barcode. Originally barcodes systematically represented data by varying the widths and spacings of parallel lines, and may be referred to as linear or one-dimensional (1D). Later two-dimensional (2D) codes were developed, using rectangles, dots, hexagons and other geometric patterns in two dimensions, usually called barcodes although they do not use bars as such. Barcodes originally were scanned by special optical scanners called barcode readers. Later applications software became available for devices that could read images, such as smartphones with cameras.

Barcodes such as the UPC have become a ubiquitous element of modern civilization, as evidenced by their enthusiastic adoption by stores around the world; most items other than fresh produce from a grocery store now have UPC barcodes. They can also be used to keep track of objects and people; they are used to keep track of rental cars, airline luggage, nuclear waste, registered mail, express mail and parcels. Barcoded tickets allow the holder to enter sports arenas, cinemas, theatres, fairgrounds, and transportation, and are used to record the arrival and departure of vehicles from rental facilities etc. This can allow proprietors to identify duplicate or fraudulent tickets more easily. Barcodes are widely used in shop floor control applications software where employees can scan work orders and track the time spent on a job.

inFORMS Decisions iBAR is an IBM i Scale-able Barcode Generation tool for the AS400/iseries. IBM i native users now have the ability to scale barcodes and spool barcode enabled documents, and to output to industry standard HP PCL cut sheet and continuous form label printers iBar is now capable of producing industries’ most popular bar code symboligies, including QR, 3of9, EAN, Datamatrix and more.

 

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AS400 Fax

Written by Ken Kramer. Posted in iSeries and AS400, Terminology

Fax (short for facsimile), sometimes called telecopying or telefax (the latter short for telefacsimile), is the telephonic transmission of scanned printed material (both text and images), normally to a telephone number connected to a printer or other output device. The original document is scanned with a fax machine (or a telecopier), which processes the contents (text or images) as a single fixed graphic image, converting it into a bitmap, and then transmitting it through the telephone system in the form of audio-frequency tones. The receiving fax machine interprets the tones and reconstructs the image, printing a paper copy. Early systems used direct conversions of image darkness to audio tone in a continuous or analog manner.

In many corporate environments, freestanding fax machines have been replaced by fax servers and other computerized systems capable of receiving and storing incoming faxes electronically, and then routing them to users on paper or via an email (which may be secured). Such systems have the advantage of reducing costs by eliminating unnecessary printouts and reducing the number of inbound analog phone lines needed by an office.

iFax is a Power Systems, iSeries/AS400, System i native fax solution that works standalone or integrates with inFORM’s iDocs or other third party document solutions to provide seamless facsimile capability direct from a user’s desktop.

 

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e-Commerce

Written by Ken Kramer. Posted in iSeries and AS400, Terminology

e-Commerce (electronic commerce or EC) is the buying and selling of goods and services on the Internet, especially the World Wide Web. Equipped with a Web server and applications designed to support e-commerce (taking orders, tracking orders, providing services to customers, working with partners and suppliers) the iSeries/AS400 can handle Internet servings.

iShop is a professional services project area, dedicated to web enabled commerce from the IBM i platform.

 

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DB2 Database

Written by Ken Kramer. Posted in iSeries and AS400, Terminology

The iSeries/AS400 contains a relational database called DB2.

DB2 is integrated into the iSeries/AS400 partly above the Machine Interface (MI) and partly in the Licensed Internal Code (LIC). Conventional databases are separate software components that reside on top of the operating system. Since DB2 is integrated throughout the entire system it can achieve a higher level of efficiency because it is tightly integrated with the components with which it communicates. The database management system (DBMS) is a framework for storing and retrieving data. A DBMS must have an interface so users can access and manipulate the data. There are two interfaces to the iSeries/AS400: The Data Description Specifications (DDS) and Structured Query Language (SQL). The DDS, or the native interface, was carried over from the IBM System/38. It has a look and feel similar to IBM’s Information Management System (IMS). The second interface is SQL. This is the industry standard for relational databases.

The inFORM Decisions iDocs product interfaces with the DB2 database and can create custom AS400 reports and produce AS400 spread sheets from this stored data.

 

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Integrated File System (IFS)

Written by Ken Kramer. Posted in iSeries and AS400, Terminology

The iSeries/AS400 contains an integrated file system (IFS). This means applications written on other file systems, PC, Unix, etc., can access data stored on the AS/400. The IFS integrates all file systems on the AS/400 with one interface and one set of rules. How the AS/400 developers accomplished this was to use a single root, like a PC file system, and put all other file systems under it. From a Windows client the AS/400 would appear as a network drive. Under that drive you would have PC-like subdirectories for all the file systems the AS/400 supports. Currently there is support for PC file systems, Unix file systems, OS/400 libraries, and others. The IFS provides access to the data. The data must be in compatible format for the requesting application. The IFS includes Spool files.

The inFORM Decisions iDocs product interfaces with both the Spool Files and the DB2 database and can create custom reports and spread sheets from this stored data.

 

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QPJOBLOG

Written by Ken Kramer. Posted in iSeries and AS400, Terminology

QPJOBLOG in AS400/iSeries speak is a spooled file created by a job containing the job log of the job when it completes.

The QPJOBLOG will normally contain information gathered during the processing of a job. Depending on the logging level set, you may or may not see all the commands and programs used by the job, various error messages and informational messages.

Joblogs for different jobs can be very different in their nature, dependent on what each specific job does.  Joblog management can be a key focus in an AS400/iSeries environment.

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