Overlay a Report with a word document. 1

[iSeriesCodePoet]

Does anyone know how to overlay a report with something like a Word document, Quark file, etc.

For example, instead of preprinted forms, print both the form layout and the data, like an invoice, on a laser printer. We are only going to do this on one or two reports, so we don't want to have to purchase a program to do this.

Any thoughts would be helpful! Please let us (Tek-Tips members) know if the solutions I provide are helpful to you. Not only do my posts help you but they may help others.

Mike Wills
IT Corporate Support
RPG Programmer
koldark@koldark.net

 

[iSeriesCodePoet]

Okay, I got the answer to this one from a source within my company. But now I have another question.

How do I work with the overlays? Do I create a report positioning the information where it is supposed to for the overlay to work?
Mike Wills
RPG Programmer

"I am bad at math because God forgot to include math.h into my programming!"

Please let us (Tek-Tips members) know if the solutions I provide are helpful to you. Not only do my posts help you but they may help others.

 

[BobMCT]

Mike;

There are numerous ways and methods to accomplish this and you will have to select which solution fits your overall needs best. I would suggest looking at

http://www.formscape.com

as they have two products... 1) a software solution where the document is digitized and the data stream merged with it prior to sending it to the printer and 2) a hardware solution in the way of a tiny little adapter that you can program and download forms images to so you only send the data streat down to the printer and the device performs the overlays at the printer end.

I guess deciding which method depends on your connection and how many printers you must print to.

 

[pmanuel]

I think that if you check out the following web-site, it will explain how to do your task. I used this technique to generate forms overlay to make the reports look like they were printed on grey-bar.

http://www.printers.ibm.com/R5PSC.NSF/Web/wafpres

Good Luck

 

[vellachi]

how to generate serial numbers in data report.

 

[ronze]

ok, so how does one go about overlaying a report with something like a Word document?

Christina

 

[iSeriesCodePoet]

Search the MINRANGE-L archives of

http://www.midrange.com

for "afp questions". There is a post there from PaulMmn that has your answer, it is quite a long post. Mike Wills
AS400 Programmer

 

[ronze]

great, thanks for the site!

Christina

 

[iSeriesCodePoet]

I have added a FAQ on this: faq317-1503. This has a direct link. Mike Wills
AS400 Programmer