AFP-to-ASCII transform function

The AFP-to-ASCII transform function supports AFP™ font, text, bar code commands, as well as double-byte code pages and fonts. The function works well with the following types of printers:

• IBM® Network printers and IBM Infoprint® printers
• HP laser and ink jet printers
• IBM pages printers

On other printers, images or bar code might not be supported by the AFP-to-ASCII transform function, and the text might not be positioned correctly.

Bar codes

A bar code is a predetermined pattern of bars and spaces that represent numeric or alphanumeric information in a machine readable form. Bar codes are commonly used in many applications including, item tracking, inventory control, point of sale operations, patient care, and so on.

IBM's Advanced Function Presentation (AFP) data stream defines an architecture for presenting bar codes. Bar codes can be printed by using printer files and the BARCODE DDS keyword. They can also be printed by using the Advanced Function Presentation™ utilities. Bar code support works best on laser printers. Dot matrix printers and some ink jet printers do not support bar codes.

The AFP-to-ASCII transform supports the following industry standard bar code types:

• Code 39, AIM USS-39
• MSI
• UPC/CGPC Version A
• UPC/CGPC Version E
• UPC Two-digit Supplemental
• UPC Five-digit Supplemental
• EAN-8
• EAN-13
• Industrial 2-of-5
• Matrix 2-of-5
• Interleaved 2-of-5
• Interleaved 2-of-5, AIM USS-1 2/5
• Codabar 2-of-7, AIM USS-Codabar
• Code 128, AIM USS-128, UCC/EAN 128
• EAN Two-digit Supplemental
• EAN Five-digit Supplemental
• POSTNET
• PLANET
• Japan Postal
• Royal Mail
• Australian Postal 4-state
• Dutch Postal (KIX)
• Data Matrix
• MaxiCode
• PDF417
• QR Code

Limitations of AFP-to-ASCII transform function

Currently, the AFP to ASCII transform has the following limitations:

• It does not support graphics (GOCA) commands.
• It does not support multi-up printing.
• It does not provide support for computer output reduction (COR) printing.
• It ignores the fidelity attribute of the spooled file and always performs content printing.
• It can only produce 240 dpi images and 300 dpi images.
• It does not produce color bar codes or images (IM or IOCA).