Supported Data Streams

WARNING: Unexpected results may occur if printing a pass-through document through XPAF to a non-Xerox printer, or if a pass-through data stream contains commands that are not supported by the target printer.

1 = Requires conversion.
2 = Requires a VIPP-enabled printer.
3 = Pass-through data streams are not converted or conditioned.

NOTE: The look of the data stream can be enhanced by using XPAF extended JCL to add print formatting commands and selecting XPAF options at the time of print job execution. XPAF provides extended JCL keywords for use with most of the supported data streams.

Line-mode data streams: Line-mode (3211) data streams only consist of carriage control commands and data. Line-mode data streams can be sent through XPAF to any supported centralized, decentralized, or PCL-capable printer.

If your line-mode data stream is enhanced by using extended JCL keywords, XPAF will no longer consider the data stream as a line-mode data stream. XPAF will process it as the relevant data stream type.

DJDE data streams: DJDE's are control statements that specify how a document should be printed on a centralized printer. DJDE processing enables certain printer parameters to be changed from one job, page, or record boundary to the next. For example, the COPIES DJDE can be used to specify the number of copies of a report to be printed.

DJDE data streams can be generated in one of following two ways:

• Format a line-mode data stream using standard IBM and XPAF extended JCL.

• Code DJDE's directly in a data stream or use an application to produce a data stream containing DJDE's. In addition, the initial DJDE packet can be modified using standard IBM and XPAF extended JCL.

DJDE documents can be printed on centralized, decentralized, or PCL-capable printers. During document processing, XPAF uses extended JCL keywords to insert DJDE's. The document is then conditioned and processed as follows:

• If the document is sent to a centralized printer, no further processing is required.

• If the document is sent to a decentralized printer, XPAF converts the DJDE commands to XES commands.

• If the document is sent to a PCL-capable printer, XPAF converts the DJDE commands to XES commands, and then converts the XES commands to PCL commands.

XES data streams: XES data streams contain printer commands prefixed with user-defined keys that dynamically change parameters for decentralized printers. XES documents can be printed on decentralized and PCL-capable printers.

• If the document is sent to a decentralized printer, XPAF accepts the escape sequences and sends them to the printer without conversion.

• If the document is sent to a PCL-capable printer, XPAF converts the XES commands to PCL commands before sending the document to the printer.

Page-formatted data streams: Page-formatted data streams are line-mode data streams that have been formatted using a Xerox page format. Page-formatted documents can be printed on centralized, decentralized, or PCL-capable printers.

• If the document is sent to a centralized printer, XPAF converts the page format settings to Metacode commands.

• If the document is sent to a decentralized printer, XPAF converts the page format settings to XES commands.

• If the document is sent to a PCL-capable printer, XPAF converts the page format settings to XES commands, and then converts the XES commands to PCL commands.

AFP data streams: AFP data streams can consist of sequences of variable-length records called structured fields, fixed or variable-length records that contain both line-mode data and structured fields, or line-mode data formatted using AFP JCL keywords. AFP documents can be printed on centralized, decentralized, or PCL-capable printers.

• If the document is sent to a centralized printer, XPAF converts the AFP commands to Metacode commands.

• If the document is sent to a decentralized printer, XPAF converts the AFP commands to XES commands.

• If the document is sent to a PCL-capable printer, XPAF converts the AFP commands to XES commands, and then converts the XES commands to PCL commands.

VIPP data streams: Variable Intelligent PostScript Printware (VIPP) data streams are line-mode data streams that have VIPP commands inserted at the beginning of the application. VIPP applications are sent to a VIPP-enabled printer for processing.

Data streams in pass-through mode: A data stream specifying pass-through mode can be sent to any XPAF-supported decentralized, or PCL-capable printer if the printer supports the printer command language of the data stream. For example, the data stream for a PCL document does not require a print command conversion by XPAF before being sent to a PCL-capable printer.

XPAF does not perform any conversion, conditioning, or validation on resources included in a pass-through document. All of the information required to print the document must be contained within the data stream because the data stream is sent directly to the printer without being altered.