If you want to downsize your expensive IPDS printer, but make NO Host changes, then Barr IPDS Converter is the perfect solution. Turn off your IPDS printer, replace it with Barr IPDS Converter and produce industry standard PDF output files.
Barr Systems’ Barr IPDS Converter enables any printer to print IPDS from AFP enabled Host systems such as mainframes (zSeries), AS400s (iSeries) and more. It is software which can be installed in a matter of minutes on a Microsoft Windows PC, where it runs as a Windows Service. Like hardware solutions such as embedded cards and conversion boxes, this product leverages your investment in IBM’s AFP/IPDS application technology by offering a much wider range of printing choices.
There are two varieties of Barr IPDS Converter: Basic and Advanced. Cost is based on the speed of the output required, whether the output will contain Black & White only or Colour and whether it’s the Basic of Advanced version. To the PSF or InfoPrint Manager system, Barr IPDS Converter looks like either an IBM IPDS Cut Sheet printer (4317, 4322, Infoprint 1000, 3812/16, 4028 or 2770) or an IBM Continuous Forms printer (3827, 3835, 3900, 4000, 4370 or Nipson 7000).
The Basic Barr IPDS Converter converts IPDS using native Windows print drivers. This version takes full advantage of the printer driver through the GDI (Graphical Device Interface). Within minutes, you can begin to print IPDS on any laser, inkjet or thermo-transfer printer with a Windows Print Driver. The Basic version outputs print data as full page images, perfect for printing (but unsuitable for post-processing with any other tool).
The Advanced Barr IPDS Converter converts IPDS into highly optimized PostScript or PCL5e with full support for advanced paper handling options such as multiple input and output bins, stapling, hole punching, stacking, envelope feeders, accurate exception handling and page/job completion reporting. It includes a comprehensive driver template collection for leading printer manufacturers such as Xerox, Lexmark, Ricoh, Sharp, Canon, HP and Konica Minolta.
The Advanced Barr IPDS Converter can also output PDF as disk files, either in any of the supported IPDS resolutions (240, 300, 480 & 600 dpi) or at fixed, independent x & y resolutions. You can add password security to the PDF files for certain PDF operations (Print, Copy, Edit, Comment) as well as control the output location, filename and maximum pages per PDF (splitting into multiple PDF files).
Further options allow the creation of PDF in Binary mode (smallest possible size) and determine whether IPDS overlays are to be embedded as XObjects within the PDF. XObjects are placed at the start of the PDF file once, and then may be called from multiple locations in the file (every page perhaps, to put a static “watermark” type of image on every page). This also has the effect of greatly reducing the output filesize (as opposed to reproducing the image on every page, possibly thousands of times…).
Finally, an XML info file can be produced for each PDF file output. The XML file includes the IPDS spool file attributes received with the data which was converted to PDF. These include JobName, JobClass, JobId, JobForm, JobNumber, FileName, FileNumber, ClassName, LibName, FormName, UserName, UserId, QueueName and SpoolId.
