Convert PostScript data streams with image print transform

Converting PostScript data streams is performed differently from converting image data streams. PostScript conversion might require font files in order to rasterize the data.

PostScript data streams are converted by using a separate job named QIMGSERV. The QIMGSERV job runs in the QSYSWRK subsystem, and uses the QIMGJOBD job description with a priority of 5. The QIMGSERV job is started by either the writer job or the job that calls the Convert Image API. The QIMGSERV job and the job that starts the QIMGSERV job communicate with each other so that control is automatic.

Fonts

In order to convert PostScript files effectively, PostScript fonts are required to convert text and symbols into bit-mapped images. Below are lists of fonts supplied by IBM® for use with the image print transform function. Each set of fonts is located in the integrated file system in the specified directory. For each font name, there is a corresponding font file containing rasterization information. This mapping information is stored in the psfonts.map file.

Note:
Do not alter the IBM-supplied font files or the psfonts.map file included in i5/OS®. Changing a font file or font mapping can cause unpredictable results.

The following table shows the Latin Fonts that are stored in the /QIBM/ProdData/OS400/Fonts/PSFonts/Latin directory.

Font Associated file
TimesNewRoman TNR.PFB
TimesNewRoman-Bold TNRB.PFB
TimesNewRoman-BoldItalic TNRBI.PFB
TimesNewRoman-Italic TNRI.PFB
Helvetica HEL.PFB
Helvetica-Bold HELB.PFB
Helvetica-BoldItalic HELBI.PFB
Helvetica-Italic HELI.PFB
Courier COU.PFB
Courier-Bold COUB.PFB
Courier-BoldItalic COUBI.PFB
Courier-Italic COUI.PFB

The following table shows the symbol fonts that are stored in the /QIBM/ProdData/OS400/Fonts/PSFonts/Symbols directory.

Font Associated file
CourierSymbols COU_S.PFB
CourierSymbols-Bold COU_SB.PFB
HelveticaSymbols HEL_S.PFB
HelveticaSymbols-Bold HEL_SB.PFB
TimesNewRomanSymbols TNR_S.PFB
TimesNewRomanSymbols-Bold TNR_SB.PFB

User-supplied fonts

To enhance the capabilities of the image print transform function when converting PostScript data streams, you can add your own font files to be used in conjunction with the IBM-supplied fonts included in i5/OS. These fonts are called user supplied fonts. The user supplied font mapping file, psfonts.map, is stored in the directory as /QIBM/UserData/OS400/Fonts.

It behaves the same way as the psfonts.map file that is included in i5/OS. An important difference is that the image print transform function will search for fonts by looking first at the user supplied font mapping file, and then at the i5/OS font mapping file.

To add a user supplied font, do the following:

  1. Use an ASCII text editor to open the psfonts.map file located in /QIBM/UserData/OS400/Fonts. If this file does not exist, you need to create it.
  2. Add a new line to the file to include the new font name and associated path and file name. For example: 
    font MyNewFont    /QIBM/UserData/OS400/Fonts/PSFonts/MNF.PFB
    where MyNewFont is the name of the font, and MNF.PFB is the associated font file.
  3. Save the new psfonts.map file.
  4. Copy the font file into the directory specified in the line added to the psfonts.map file.

To delete a user supplied font, simply remove the line mapping the font name to its associated file in the psfonts.map file, and remove the font file from i5/OS.

Font substitutions

When a font requested within a PostScript data stream is not available on i5/OS, a font substitution can be defined if there is a similar font available. A font substitution is the mapping of a font name to a font that is available and very similar (in terms of its rasterization properties) to the font file being replaced. You can also specify a font substitution if an existing font mapping is producing undesirable output.

The following table shows the font substitution mappings that are defined for Latin Fonts.

Font Associated file
Courier-BoldOblique COUBI.PFB
Courier-Oblique COUI.PFB
Helvetica-BoldOblique HELBI.PFB
Helvetica-Oblique HELI.PFB
Times-Bold TNRB.PFB
Times-BoldItalic TNRBI.PFB
Times-Italic TNRI.PFB
Times-Roman TNR.PFB

The following font symbol substitution is also defined.

Font Associated file
Symbol TNR_S.PFB

To define a font substitution, do the following:

  1. Use an ASCII text editor to open the psfonts.map file that is located in 
    QIBM/UserData/OS400/Fonts
    If this file does not exist, you need to create it.
  2. Add a new line to the file to include the font name and the path and file name of the font file you want to use as a substitute. For example: 
    font Courier    /QIBM/UserData/OS400/Fonts/PSFonts/HEL.PFB
  3. Save the new psfonts.map file.