Forms Overlay Help Please....

[bgreen]

Hi,

I am trying to create an overlay. I have never done this before so please explain in detail.

I am trying to create this for a cheque printing process. I have a PDF file that has company logo and signitures on it. I need to send this image into the printers memory so it will print on each cheque. (I do believe it would be sent as an overlay file .ovl ??? or .pcl ???). Any help would be appriciated!

 

[jlasman]

This probably isn't going to happen in a couple of easy lessons.

First of all, what OS are you running on. As far as I know, windows printer drivers are not conducive to overlays. Someone correct me if I am wrong on that point.

Is your PDF exactly formatted as the wanted check?

An overlay is a PCL file, more precisely a PCL macro that is enabled as an overlay, so the first item to make is a PCL version of the PDF. Print the PDF to a file through a PCL driver to get the PCL file. Then report back.




Jim Asman
jlasman@telus.net

 

[bgreen]

Ok.

I opened the PDF file and selected the windows PCL driver (HP LaserJet 4200 PCL 5e). Then I printed to file. I saved the file as 'abc.pcl'.

Is this correct? What is the next step?

 

[bgreen]

Sorry I didn't completely answer your question in regards to th PDF file.

This file contains graphics, company logo and signitures , plus some text (DATE, CHEQUE NUMBER, AMOUNT, PAY TO).

As you can tell this is an overlay for a cheque.

 

[jlasman]

What OS will the check printing application be run from?

Will this be a custom application?

Jim Asman
jlasman@telus.net

 

[bgreen]

This will be sent to the printer from AIX. The end user will send the overlay to the printer, then print off the cheques.

 

[jlasman]

OK. Here is how I would approach it.

First, I would dump the PDF and get the original
.BMP's or whatever they were and from them generate discrete macros for the logo and the signature.

Then I would create, perhaps by hand using a text editor, a macro that contains the check form and calls the macros for the logo and signature. That's how I do it here.

Now, do you intend to be starting with absolutely blank check stock and print the MICR account data as well?

If you want, give me a call at (604)584-0977 and we'll see if we can't get you started.

Jim Asman
jlasman@telus.net

 

[bgreen]

I was able to get the MICR coding working. Its just the overlay form. I don't know if the original images are available. Ideally I would like to use thr PDF file. I don't know how well it would fly with our clients to start from scratch.

 

[jlasman]

That's fine.

The reason that I balk at the PDF is that I don't know what type of PCL file it will generate. Print a PDF through several printer drivers, and you may end up with that many DIFFERENT PCL files. If the entire page in rasterized, then you won't be able to reposition any of the component parts. You could edit the PDF I suppose, but I see it as a problematic method of generating a macro overlay.

Be very careful with the MICR code. Because it looks OK doesn't mean the bank's machines will be able to read it.

If you want, email the PCL file to me and I will have a look at it. My guess is that it would take less time to start from scratch that with the PDF. 2-3 hours maybe.

But no rush to judgment. Let's see what the PDF produced.



Jim Asman
jlasman@telus.net

 

[Buff1]

if you can save it to a gif file (or some others but dont remember which for sure), I have a program that will convert it to raster graphics if you select a laser printer.
You may then have to print it to a file, then probably modify the file to take out any EscE at the end (to avoid a form feed). Although that may not be necessary since you are making an overly.

It's a dos program, and takes a little getting use to, but it will print epson EscP or HP PCL raster graphics.

buff_oasys@yahoo.com