 - Advanced Function Printing (AFP) is an IBM architecture and family of associated printer software and hardware that provides document and information presentation control independent of specific applications and devices. Using AFP, users can control formatting, the form of paper output, whether a document is to be printed or viewed online, and manage document storage and access in a distributed network across multiple operating system platforms. AFP is primarily used in large enterprises with printer rooms and expensive high-speed printers. AFP applications allow users or print room operators to distributed print jobs among a group of printers and to designate backup printers when one fails. IBM considers AFP to be a "cornerstone" of EDM applications such as print-and-view, archive and retrieval, and Computer Output to Laser Disk (COLD).
AFP printer and software support is provided in all of IBM's major operating systems: OS/390, virtual machine, VSE, OS/400, AIX, and OS/2, as well as in DOS and Windows.
The AFP architecture is primarily designed to work with the Intelligent Printer Datastream (IPDS), but also can print using Hewlett-Packard's Printer Control Language (PCL) and the Page Printer Datastream(PPDS). Other supported data streams include ASCII, Metafiles, Postscript, TeX, and Ditroff.
An application program interface (API) is provided so that COBOL application programmers can use AFP functions without having to specify them using AFP syntax or semantics.
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Learn more about Printing/Imaging Tools |
| Word Search: iSeries printing: Does your printing project leave you feeling like you have a major brain jam? Take a break with the Search400.com Word Search: iSeries printing. |
| Learning Guide: Printing from the iSeries: We've gathered some of the top expert advice, tips and articles to help you print and distribute your data and reports to your users. |
| Fast guide to Redbooks and guides on printing/output: Sometimes you just have to go to the source when you're having a problem. To help you out, we've gathered these Redbooks and guides on printing and e-output. |
| 20 printing tips in 20 minutes: Is your printer getting hung up? Does it sound like it's choking? Take the pain out of printing with these 20 tips and keep your output flowing. |
| Printing tips and tricks: Printing reports and outputting data from the iSeries shouldn't be a hassle, but often problems creep in. Follow these tips and tricks to eliminate printing headaches. |
| LAST UPDATED: |
04 Aug 2006
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