Chapter 1. Introduction; About Ipds; Capabilities Of Ipds - IBM 6400 Programmer's Reference Manual

Chapter 1. Introduction

This chapter introduces the Intelligent Printer Data Stream (IPDS) and describes
some of the capabilities of IPDS when used with this printer.

About IPDS

IPDS lets you print pages containing an unlimited mix of different types of data:
high-quality text, images, vector graphics, and bar codes.
You can send IPDS data to printers attached to the IBM Application System/400
(AS/400) intelligent work stations, local area networks, IBM 3270-family
controllers, and spooled systems. In some of these environments, you can
create applications to directly control IPDS printers such as this printer. For
more information about IPDS as a component of printing subsystems, refer to
Intelligent Printer Data Stream Reference, S544-3417.
IBM provides a variety of host software products with components that generate
IPDS commands for this printer or other IPDS printers. These software products
vary in their use of IPDS functions. Contact your IBM representative for
information about software products that support these printers.

Capabilities of IPDS

A printer controlled by IPDS has a number of advantages over conventional
printers. With IPDS you can:
Ó Copyright IBM Corp. 1995
Use the printer's all-points-addressable printing to print text, graphics,
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images, or bar codes at any point on a page.
Print text in a variety of type styles and switch fonts within a printed page.
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Use both images and vector graphics (explained later in this chapter) to print
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line drawings, pie charts, bar charts, graphics, logos, tables, and signatures.
Combine text with images and graphics on the same page (creating what is
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known as a composite document).
Electronically store and later print forms and letterheads that are always
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printed in the same predetermined type style.
Electronically store and later print text where the type style printed is the
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same as that used in the rest of the text.
Print any of 16 different kinds of bar codes in many sizes and with a number
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of variations.
Print either portrait (upright, letter orientation) or landscape (printing "on the
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side," with the page wider than it is tall).
Capabilities of IPDS
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