Summary of the content on the page No. 1
XEROX
Host Forms Description Language 3.2
for IBM MVS
Creating Forms
HFDL 3.2
August 1995
720P30610
Summary of the content on the page No. 2
Xerox Corporation 701 South Aviation Boulevard El Segundo, California 90245 ©1995 by Xerox Corporation. All rights reserved. Copyright protection claimed includes all forms and matters of copyrightable material and information now allowed by statutory or judicial law or hereinafter granted, including without limitation, material generated from the software programs which are displayed on the screen such as icons, screen displays, looks, etc. Printed in the United States of America. Xerox® and a
Summary of the content on the page No. 3
Table of contents Introduction vii About this manual vii Contents vii Conventions viii Related publications viii Xerox publications viii IBM publications ix 1. Overview 1–1 HFDL features 1–1 Prerequisites 1–2 Operating environment 1–2 Hardware requirements 1–2 Software requirements 1–2 Xerox laser printer support 1–2 Centralized printers 1–2 Decentralized printers 1–3 Contrasting HFDL with a typical forms application 1–3 Forms you can create with HFDL 1–4 2. Planning your forms 2–1 Determining f
Summary of the content on the page No. 4
HOST FORMS DESCRIPTION LANGUAGE Variable data 2–6 Fonts 2–7 Fixed and proportionally spaced fonts 2–7 Font orientation 2–7 Font orientation when using short–edge paper feed 2–8 Virtual keyboard and font character maps 2–9 Virtual keyboard character maps 2–10 Font character maps 2–11 Adding color to forms 2–11 Ink color availability and control 2–11 Choosing paper size 2–12 Forms design ruler 2–12 Ruler scales 2–12 Suggested uses 2–13 3. Using HFDL commands 3–1 Creating forms with HFDL commands 3
Summary of the content on the page No. 5
TABLE OF CONTENTS DO SECTION command 3–28 COLUMN command 3–30 INTERWORD command 3–30 The interword gap formula 3–30 Specifying the base gap 3–31 Specifying the interword multiplier 3–31 Using SPACING and INTERWORD together 3–31 DOT LEADER command 3–32 LET command 3–33 Relative coordinate 3–33 COMMENT command 3–34 END command 3–35 4. Creating a sample form 4–1 Setting up the form 4–2 Using the sample description command 4–3 5. Managing and printing sample forms 5–1 JCL requirements 5–1 Using the
Summary of the content on the page No. 6
HOST FORMS DESCRIPTION LANGUAGE E. Supported paper sizes E–1 Glossary GLOSSARY–1 Index INDEX–1 vi HOST FORMS DESCRIPTION LANGUAGE 3.2 FOR IBM MVS CREATING FORMS
Summary of the content on the page No. 7
Introduction This manual describes the Host Forms Description Language (HFDL) and how you use it to create an electronic version of your form. The HFDL commands and statements you use comprise the Forms Source Language (FSL). The host computer compiles the FSL and stores it in the database. Using the resources management utilities, you can access and print your forms on Xerox laser printing systems (LPS) connected to your host computer. About this manual This manual is designed for users who
Summary of the content on the page No. 8
HOST FORMS DESCRIPTION LANGUAGE Appendix C “Approved abbreviations for reserved words” lists the abbreviations you can use for reserved words. Appendix D “Comparison of HFDL and FDL” compares the commands available for FDL, HFDL 2.1D, HFDL 3.1, and HFDL 3.2. Appendix E “Supported paper sizes” lists the paper sizes that HFDL supports. For detailed lists of virtual keyboard maps and font character maps used with HFDL, see the “Virtual keyboard and font character maps” appendix in the Xerox Print
Summary of the content on the page No. 9
INTRODUCTION Publication Number Xerox 4235 Laser Printing System Xerox Distributed Print Mode XES Printer Command Reference 720P82520 Xerox 9790/8790 Laser Printing Systems Reference Manual 720P90000 Xerox Host Forms Description Language 3.2 for IBM MVS Installation Guide 720P30600 Xerox LPS Forms Creation Guide 720P90081 Xerox LPS Operations Reference 720P90041 Xerox LPS PDL/DJDE Reference 720P90051 Xerox LPS Print Description Language Quick Reference Card 720P60681 Xerox LPS Standard Font Li
Summary of the content on the page No. 10
HOST FORMS DESCRIPTION LANGUAGE x HOST FORMS DESCRIPTION LANGUAGE 3.2 FOR IBM MVS CREATING FORMS
Summary of the content on the page No. 11
1. Overview The Host Forms Description Language (HFDL) operates in a standard IBM/MVS environment that includes Xerox high–speed, high–volume centralized printers. You use Xerox Print Resources Manager (XPRM) to store form files and resources in the XPRM database. This chapter describes the HFDL features, prerequisites, operating environment, and the supported printers. Refer to the Xerox Print Resources Manager/Host Forms Description Language 3.2 for IBM for MVS Managing Resources manual fo
Summary of the content on the page No. 12
HOST FORMS DESCRIPTION LANGUAGE • Conversion from .FRM to metacode. This feature is implemented as a stand-alone utility program. For details see Appendix D. HFDL also allows you to take advantage of the added features of the Xerox 4650 Printer (600 dpi forms). Prerequisites You should have a working knowledge of your Multiple Virtual Storage (MVS) operating system, and be able to perform the following procedures: • Create and edit a text file on your system. • Use JCL to compile a job on your
Summary of the content on the page No. 13
OVERVIEW Table 1–1. Supported centralized printers Centralized printers OSS version 4050 V2.1, V3.5, or V3.8 4090 V2.1, V3.5, or V3.8 4135 V3.6 4650 V3.5 or V3.8 4850 V3.7, V3.8, or V5.0 4890 V4.0 or V5.0 8790 V2.1 or V3.9 9790 V2.1 or V3.9 Decentralized printers HFDL also supports some Xerox decentralized printers. These printers are generally in remote locations away from the mainframe. An SNA/RJE communications link or a BSC/RJE communications link connects them to the host. Also, the Xero
Summary of the content on the page No. 14
HOST FORMS DESCRIPTION LANGUAGE only one set of forms at a time, and must remove and replace any forms currently loaded with the preprinted forms you want. The typical forms application usually requires a stock of preprinted forms. If there are different forms, storage costs can be high. If you have to modify preprinted forms, you usually must discard old versions, making your costs even higher. Forms you can create with HFDL The following list provides examples of general business forms yo
Summary of the content on the page No. 15
2. Planning your forms This chapter describes the parameters you must determine and specify when designing your form. Careful planning and design are critical to creating electronic versions of your forms. Form planning and design specify such things as page size, orientation, layout, fonts, inks, and highlight colors. For additional information about designing complex forms and Xerox laser printer capabilities, refer to the “System considerations” appendix. Determining format Before you creat
Summary of the content on the page No. 16
HOST FORMS DESCRIPTION LANGUAGE Landscape format is ideal for forms, spreadsheets, and reports that require columns across the page. For example, the landscape orientation is appropriate for a Gantt chart that lists six or twelve months horizontally, and lists the tasks vertically. Large paper size forms in short edge feed (SEF) made for the Xerox 4135 printer require you to specify the FONTS command in the opposite orientation. For example, for a portrait orientation, use landscape fonts, and
Summary of the content on the page No. 17
PLANNING YOUR FORMS If you decide to place marks along the edge of the physical page (edge–marking) in your form, be familiar with the edge–marking limitations. To accommodate edge–marking, the system page must be larger than the physical page. Since the system page boundaries correspond to at least two edges of the physical page boundaries for all paper sizes, you can only use edge–marking on the two edges of the physical page that do not correspond to the system page. The product guide for
Summary of the content on the page No. 18
HOST FORMS DESCRIPTION LANGUAGE Figure 2–3 shows the location of the form origin of the virtual page in relation to the actual page size. Figure 2–3. Form origin location LANDSCAPE FORM ORIGIN FORM ORIGIN OFFSET FROM VIRTUAL PAGE LANDSCAPE PAGE PORTRAIT FORM ORIGIN FORM ORIGIN OFFSET FROM VIRTUAL PAGE VIRTUAL PAGE (USER DEFINED) PORTRAIT PAGE DEFAULT SIZE= ACTUAL PAPER SIZE (PHYSICAL PAGE) Positioning form elements You can place the following elements on a form with HFDL: • Boxes • Fixed tex
Summary of the content on the page No. 19
PLANNING YOUR FORMS Form element Element origin Fixed text (single line) Upper–left corner of the first character cell when the line appears upright. Fixed text Upper edge of the topmost character (multiple lines) cell and the leftmost edge of the leftmost character cell when viewed in an upright position. Graphics Upper–left corner of the image. Logos and signatures Upper–left corner of the first character cell. Sections (of a form) Upper–left corner of the section. Grids You specify the locati
Summary of the content on the page No. 20
HOST FORMS DESCRIPTION LANGUAGE If you draw additional lines horizontally and vertically away from the form origin so that each additional line is one unit of measure apart, you create a grid. You can now position form elements by specifying a grid position. Negative coordinates You can use negative x and y values to place the form elements above and to the left of the form origin. You can only specify negative values within the system page boundaries. Unit value You can specify the unit of me
