PCL macro to merge overlay

[ywater]

I am sending mainframe data (CICS generated) through coax to an I-O print Box CxP plus device which is connected to the Lexmark T640 with a parallel cable.
I have an overlay stored in flash memory and I want to merge this overlay with the data I am sending (print the overlay with the data on top). I can send the data successfully and I can print the overlay from a PC successfully, but not simultaneously. Is there a command I can imbed in my print string to print the overlay?

 

[jlasman]

Certainly.

Somewhere on the data page send...

<esc>&f###y4X

where ### is the ID number of the macro.

The overlay will appear on every page until the printer receives a reset command, the overlay is disabled with the command <esc>&f5X, or the printer is powered off.


Jim Asman

http://www.spectracolorservices.com

 

[ywater]

Thanks for your prompt reply.
I probably should have phrased my question differently and should not have used the word 'macro' in the title. I know I may need a macro in flash memory to accomplish this task (merging the overlay with the CICS print data).
The overlay is stored in flash as a .prn file, not as a macro. I can't figure out how to write a macro to the flash memory or how to write a macro outside the flash then store it in flash. I can communicate with the printer with Markvision Professional but can't seem to find any information there. Can you give me any guidance with any of that?

 

[jlasman]

If the .prn file is simply the output from some windows application, then it is unlikely that it would ever be useful directly to merge with data. Presumably the .prn ends with a printer reset, so there is no latency in the printer to put to further use.

You need to have a macro. Typically, to convert your .prn to a macro you need to wrap the file with begin and end macro PCL commands, AND then selectively remove code from the file that is not permitted in a macro. That would include all PJL commands, printer resets, page size, formfeeds, paper source commands, and a few others I'm sure.

There may be some software around that can do the job for you. There was a pckage called "Forms Electric" from Visual Software in England, that you might look into. I am not familiar with Markvision at all.

Depending on the complexity of the overlay form, it may be as easy to just write the macro from scratch in PCL. If you are sure to only use the printer's builtin fonts, then your macro file will be considerably smaller than the .prn file, probably on the order of 90% smaller. I've seen a 1 meg .prn rewritten directly to a file less than 8K!





Jim Asman

http://www.spectracolorservices.com