QRs

AXIAR enables the ability to integrate data-driven QR codes into any document processed with our data conversion and print management software. For example, you can link payment processing on invoices or digital coupons on statements to reduce paper-intensive processes while improving business processes.

HP recently suggested some QR ideas here - what QRs would help your business thrive?

Andy Wellman

Barcodes and Other Specialized Fonts

Documents or labels that are printed on specialized barcode printers create an extra burden on IT staff and incur a separate service cost for specialized printers.

Using any PCL laser printer, AXIAR can easily add virtually any barcode or font (such as UPC, Codabar, PostNet, MICR, etc.) to any document based on data-driven variables. This approach reduces the amount of printers/devices on your network, which decreases the amount of power/energy consumed as well as the amount of consumables required for barcode processes.

Without AXIAR, barcode printing is often a complicated and fragmented routine: each business unit that needs barcodes must purchase and implement a solution unique to its needs; this often requires extra steps to merge printed documents with barcodes which can lead to errors and costly reprints.

Some of the business processes that use barcodes and routinely require dedicated, isolated and costly print environments include:

·         Pick tickets and shipping documents (UPC, Code 39, Code 128, Codabar, etc.)

·         Bin tags and shelf labels (UPC, EAN, MSI/Plessey)

·         Accounts payable for checks (MICR - requires MICR toner)

·         Payroll for checks (MICR - requires MICR toner)

·         Mail rooms for bulk mailings (PostNet)

·         Inter-office document tracking (Code 39, Code 128, Codabar, etc.)

·         Event registration/scanning (PDF417/2-Dimensional)

·         Product labeling (UPC, EAN)

Now consider that all of the above processes can be addressed using AXIAR. IT staff can centrally manage barcode and font standards and ensure that the amount of hardware devices they are required to support are kept to a manageable minimum.

In addition, since AXIAR does not require cumbersome DIMMs or other hardware-resident components, documents that require barcodes can be sent to any network PCL printer. No more lost print jobs or delays waiting for dedicated printers to be fixed.

Contact us to learn more about how using AXIAR to create barcodes can accelerate your business-critical document processes and reduce IT help-desk calls.

  

Andy Wellman

COO, LBM Systems

Office 203.966.0661 x12 

www.PaperSavingSoftware.com  |  www.LBMsys.com

A Costly Nuisance, A Simple Solution

Recently I read about a virus that causes unwanted prints (http://www.redorbit.com/news/technology/1112644037/office-printers-succumb-to-virus/). Although I think we should focus on Dwight Schrute from “The Office” as the source of the virus (he’s a paper salesman if you’re not a fan of the show), now that the virus has infected machines it got me thinking about how AXIAR can help:

-        AXIAR prevents unwanted prints by holding jobs;

-        Thresholds can be set up to enable prints for (say) jobs of less than 20 pages automatically but hold jobs with 20 or more pages;

-        An email alert can be sent to the job originator as well as a System Administrator who has access to the jobs on hold;

-        AXIAR collects metrics about user print requests and volumes, easily allowing you to identify who is sending the offending print jobs.

If you have not done so already, this situation could be a good time to assess user print volumes. The data from this assessment can tell you the best way to use your print resources and the optimal way to configure AXIAR to manage print streams. We would be happy to assist you with any assessment or implementation considerations – simply contact us to discuss your requirements. At a minimum, using AXIAR can help reduce wasted prints and identify if someone has a virus that is forcing prints.

The Company We Keep

Reading your online bank statement...reviewing insurance quotes...buying Build-A-Bear products for your kids...buying a tractor for your yard...renting furniture for college...these are just a few document processes AXIAR benefits by managing print streams and converting data at thousands of customer sites throughout the world. In fact, there's a good chance you have received or accessed an AXIAR-processed document in your personal life and not even known it.

This link (http://www.LBMsys.com/pages/SuccessStories.html) highlights some of our successes. We want to add your story, please contact us if you are interested in sharing how our software improves your business.

When you read the Success Stories, you may notice that we recently rebuilt our website to better communicate both our technical and business information to you - please take a minute to search or navigate the site and tell us what we can do to improve it to benefit you.

As always, if there is anything we can do to improve your experience with our products and services, please contact me any time.

Andy Wellman

Office 203.966.0661 x12
www.PaperSavingSoftware.com  |  www.LBMsys.com

A Customer's Words

A new customer of ours recently took the time to communicate his experience with LBM Systems - we appreciate his choice to tell us about his experience with us.

I'd love to add volumes to support his words, but one thing I've learned is that if a customer can communicate better than you, it's best to let them do so:

"It has been a great experience working with all the different staff you have at LBM Systems, they have all been very supportive and super fast to respond to our needs, it has been very refreshing…can you tell I don’t get this kind of support very often…it’s a shame but so many times we really don’t get the support we want or need…not so with LBM Systems you are all great!"

Matthew M. Grant
Network Manager
Division of Employee Services and Support - DESS-DES

Thanks to Matthew for communicating with us. Please feel free to contact us any time with any comments - critical or complimentary, the best way for us to serve you better is to understand how you view us.

Best regards,

Andy Wellman
COO, LBM Systems
Phone 203.966.0661 x12
Email awellman@LBMsys.com

AXIAR 7.0 Release Notes

Bethel, Connecticut - LBM Systems announces a new release of their AXIAR output management and paper saving software that reduces costs and accelerates document-based information delivery. Finance, purchasing and IT departments all benefit from employing AXIAR's output management and paper saving features to lower printing costs, reduce waste and streamline document-based information delivery.

AXIAR 7.0 runs on Windows 7, Windows 2008, 32-bit and 64-bit Windows, UNIX and Linux processors as well as iSeries servers. Customers have the option to employ best-of-breed server and operating system technology secure in the knowledge that LBM's software runs natively in their infrastructure. Highlights include:

• PCL Text Extraction (including TrueType fonts): text extraction from PCL print data, including text printed with TrueType fonts. This powerful software can be used to extract text from PCL print jobs for indexing, reformatting, and archiving. IT personnel can use this software to extractand 'feed' data to document management, metrics and audit/compliance applications to ensure printed output is properly accounted for without requiring changes to the applications creating the PCL.       
• Document Presentation Enhancements: Automatically convert data to 2-D barcodes (QR Code and PDF-417) to track documents and automatically provide marketing hooks to every document.
• Mail Room Integration: AXIAR now supports Pitney-Bowes, Neopost and Plockmatic automated mailing systems. Configurable OMR/barcode options for insertions, envelope paths, automatic job diversion and more based on the content of the document data.
• RDP Printer Access: AXIAR Deliver support for client connected printers in RDP sessions, enabling printers and print jobs to be automatically configured and registered.
• Client-Connected Printer Support: Support for client-connected printers through AXIAR manager. Printers are automatically registered; print jobs are queued for delivery until client machine connects.
• OCR Recognition: AXIAR Retrieve now has the ability to process batch documents using automated Optical Character Recognition technology.
• Form Design Improvements: Wrapped data in variable fields (lines of data wrap to fit allotted space); moveable boxes and rules, so that form can 'expand' to fit the data; support for edge-to-edge printing.
• Print Job Tracking Improvements: Improved messaging and error status reporting using email or Windows messages to report printer front panel status messages; built-in support for page counting and splitting directly printing PDF files; new algorithms and expanded support for text conversion in PCL with TrueType fonts.

Contact us any time to discuss Upgrade plans or to request additional features/functions that will help you improve your document printing and output management processes. 

LBM Systems - Technical Notes

We are close to releasing an upgrade to our output management software, but while reviewing our current software I had a chance to re-read a number of the Technical Notes we have produced. Although we are covering a lot of ground in the following content, perhaps you will see a phrase or function that addresses a current need – just contact us to further discuss or read about the technical details behind any of the topics covered. And if an output management or data conversion topic of interest to you is not covered, contact us and we may have some experience to share.

Partial list of LBM Systems Technical Notes:

1. AS400 Installation: This document describes the process for connecting printing functions on the IBM AS400 to the AXIAR print queue.

2. Backup and Recovery: This document describes several strategies for configuring multiple AXIAR servers to provide backup, “hot swap,” and recovery capabilities.

3. db2ff: This document describes the db2ff filter and its capabilities for printing data extracted from a data base.

4. Logging Options: This document describes the options for keeping logs of print requests.

5. Backup Client Configuration: This document describes the configuration of a client desktop whose printing is to be directed to an AXIAR print server equipped with LBM’s Hot-Swap backup option.

6. Listen Service: This document describes an auxiliary service that allows AXIAR to receive print requests from hosts that can send data to a socket (port) in raw mode and provides a method for Unix machines running AXIAR to send Windows messages to Windows client machines.

7. Java Applet Configuration: This document describes how to configure the AXIAR Java Applet for single-server or multi-server environments.

8. Backup Printer Notes: This document describes the process for configuring backup printers in AXIAR and ClusterQue.

9. Load Balancing: This document describes how to achieve load-balancing for AXIAR printers.

10. Spooling Directory Service: This document describes an auxiliary service that can be configured to automatically print and monitor all the files in a list of directories without user intervention.

11. ClusterQue for Unix: This document describes how to configure the load-balancing features of ClusterQue on Unix hosts.

12. Using 'fixtitle': This document describes how to modify the titles assigned to print jobs received from Windows desktop application.

13. Customizing the Banner Page: This document describes how to customize the banner page to change the default banner page used by all jobs so that its appearance matches that requested by the user; or create customized banner pages for each form that reflect the characteristics of jobs using that form; or design more advanced banner pages that use data from outside the print spooler to label print jobs with additional information.

14. Java Applet Configuration Program: This document describes the process for customizing the Java Manager Program using the Java Applet Configuration program.

15. Windows Client Connection: This document describes the process for connecting printing functions on Windows clients to the AXIAR print server, including setting up an AXIAR destination as a Windows shared printer and setting up an LPR on a windows client machine so that it sends print request to a AXIAR printer.

16. Add an AXIAR Printer Connected to a PC: This document describes the process for installing a remote printer connected to a Windows workstation on AXIAR.

17. AXIAR Job Ticket Remote Printing: This document describes how to configure and customize a job ticket interface for AXIAR print requests.

18. Printing to AXIAR from DOS: This document describes the process for sending a print request from a DOS command prompt to an AXIAR printer.

19. About AXIAR/jUniQue File Viewers: This document describes the process for setting up different types of file viewers, including postscript, text, PCL, PDF and PCL to PDF viewers.

20. Keyboard Mapping: This document describes how to customize keyboard commands.

21. Dynamic Duplex, Tray, Output Bin Option: This document describes the process for setting AXIAR Format duplex, paper tray and output bin options at run time – overriding the default settings in a given form file.

22. AXIAR MonitorEvents: This document describes the process for enabling the AXIAR print monitor’s debug mode.

23. IIS Configuration: This document describes the steps needed to setup a virtual directory on an IIS web server so that remote clients can access the AXIAR Deliver Manager program.

24. Using AXIAR Deliver to Monitor the LetterPrint Process: This document describes the APIs used to connect AXIAR to the LetterPrint process.

25. The ‘paginate’ Filter: This document describes a generalized filter for paginating text files.

26. Expanded ulpd Protocol: This document describes the protocol used to communicate with the ‘ulpd’ daemon; the protocol is an expansion of the standard LPR/LPD protocol.

27. Job Tracking: AXIAR is supplied with a sample ‘chkend’ program which creates a fixed-format log file consisting of eleven job attributes (user ID, printer name, path of the file printed, name of local system (the print server), time and date the print request was made, time and date the print request finished, job title, copies, pages, form used, options requested) that is user-configurable and easy to use with a data base.

28. The Format .NET Wrapper: This document describes the AXIAR Format .NET Wrapper methods and properties used to invoke the AXIAR Formatting engine, ‘formfont’.

29. LBM Append and Convert PCL TO PDF: This document describes the use of the ‘LBMPCL2PDF.dll’ ActiveX dll. Using the techniques in this Technical Note, you will be able to convert a number of supplied PCL files into a single PDF file.

30. UlpdSocket .NET Component: This document describes the properties and methods used by the UlpdSocket .NET component to communicate with the ‘ulpd’ daemon.

31. Installing AXIAR on iSeries (AS400): This document describes the steps required to install AXIAR on an iSeries machine running OS/400 V5R2 or higher.

32. Configuring AXIAR printers on iSeries (AS400): This document describes the process for connecting printing functions on the IBM AS400 to the AXIAR print queue

33. AXIAR Notification Options: This document describes the print completion, device status and error notification options for user/operator notification (Windows messaging, email) using the AXIAR print queue.

34. AXIAR Auditing Features: This document describes the options for auditing and accounting in the AXIAR print queue for chargeback and expense tracking/reporting purposes.

35. AXIAR Deliver Email Output Object: The AXIAR Deliver Email Output Object (EOO) provides a mechanism to send emails automatically via the print queue. The EOO is a virtual printer that runs a program that builds an email message using information extracted from tags in the data stream.

36. Microsoft Clustering: This document describes the way AXIAR/ClusterQue works in a Microsoft Clustering environment, as well as configuration needed at the OS administration level.

37. External Log Files in AXIAR Format: This document describes the options for creating external log files in AXIAR Format. This capability is specifically designed for supporting Positive Pay and ACH (automated clearing house) specifications in the production of checks.

38. AXIAR Deliver FAX Output Object: The AXIAR Deliver Fax Output Object (Fax OO) provides a mechanism to send faxes automatically via the print queue. The Fax OO is a virtual printer that runs a program that builds and sends a fax message using information extracted from tags in the data stream.

39. The ‘findpage’ Filter: This document describes a generalized filter for manipulating PCL files that enables: selection of a range of pages from a PCL file, adding of page numbers to a PCL file, extraction of text from PCL data, counting of the number of pages in a PCL file, stripping of the PJL commands from a PCL file.

40. Label Printing: This document describes the AXIAR support for label printing, including techniques to: design label templates with variable data, generate data files that can be used to ‘fill-in’ the labels for printing, using the AXIAR Windows label test program to generate labels in the design environment before installation on the server and configuring AXIAR printers so that label printing jobs will be managed in AXIAR Deliver.

41. The ‘formfont’ Filter: This document describes how to use the formatting ‘engine’ used in AXIAR Format, including how to: write scripts using the command line arguments for ‘formfont’, how to add ‘formfont’ commands to the forms in AXIAR Deliver and how to take advantage of advanced features of AXIAR Format.

42. Add and AXIAR printer to Solaris: This document describes how to configure printers in Solaris UNIX evironments.

43. Scheduling Options: This document describes how to configure AXIAR to print (or hold jobs) based on a schedule, including option for configuring based on: range of time, specific days and/or Holidays

44. Print Mode Options: This document describes the new job disposition logic for AXIAR Deliver that allows authorized users to configure: what to do with the Job when it gets to the queue (hold or spool), what to do with the job when it its printed (Requeue, leave, or remove from queue) and what to do with the print file when it is printed (save or delete).

45. Deploy AXIAR Print Server in Active Directory environment: This document describes how to configure AXIAR printers from a Print Server using an Active Directory Environment.

46. Working with Images in AXIAR Format: This document describes AXIAR support for images in an AXIAR form, describing how to: add an image to an AXIAR Form, change the color scheme of a form and maintain a form that contains images.

47. POSIX Subsystem Permissions: This document describes how to configure POSIX Subsystem permissions set inside the Korn shell.

48. AXIAR Deliver Interactive Job Ticket: This document describes the Interactive PDF Job Ticket application, which provides a customizable interactive PDF print request and disposition form that a user fills in.

49. Executing AXIAR Retrieve Viewer via HTTP: This document describes the options for executing the AXIAR Retrieve Image viewer program via web browser.

50. Printing from Lawson: This document describes a solution presented by LBM Systems for Lawson users implementing printing to an AXIAR Output Object.

51. Generic Text Printer Driver Settings: This document describes how to setup a Windows printer on AXIAR using the Generic Text driver and obtain: spool files with long data lines (over 80 characters per line), spool files that contain form feeds, paginated spool files without page breaks (fixed number of lines per page) and a spool file exactly as it was sent from the application (Pass through printing), techniques that are commonly used to receive print requests from UNIX/Linux/Mainframe environments sent via LPR.

52. Error Handling for AXIAR Deliver Program Type Output Objects: This document describes error handling in Korn shell scripts executed by an AXIAR Deliver program type output object.

53. Windows Drivers for Shared Printers: This document describes how to install Windows drivers for shared printers installed on an AXIAR Deliver Printer Port and describes how to: install drivers for the different platforms that clients connecting to the shared printer will be running and ensure that the proper color printing is enabled for clients connecting to the shared printer.

54. Two-Dimensional Barcodes in AXIAR Format: This document describes how to add two-dimensional (QR, PDF 417, other) barcodes to the output produced by AXIAR Format.

55. AXIAR Deliver/ClusterQue Active Directory Security: This document describes the use of AXIAR Deliver/ClusterQue Deliver security integrated with Active Directory and describes how to allow users that belong to an Active Directory group to connect as AXIAR Operators and allow users that belong to an Active Directory to print to an AXIAR Deliver/CQ Output Object.

56. AXIAR Remote Desktop Printing Service: This document describes the method for using AXIAR Deliver to print jobs from the AXIAR server on a workstation Windows printer for users connecting to a Terminal Server via Remote Desktop, users connecting via VPN and Remote Desktop connection, or users connecting to Virtual Workstations using Remote Desktop connection. Using the techniques in the document, you will be able to: print your server-side jobs to a printer connected to your local workstation, automatically add your locally connected printers to the list of printers available from the AXIAR server-side and allow other users on the server to send print jobs to your local printers.

57. PCL2PDF Bookmarking: This document describes a method to use Enhanced Pcl2pdf to create PDF documents that contain a bookmark section that will appear in the navigation pane on the Adobe Acrobat Reader™ interface.

58. AXIAR Deliver TIFF Output Object: The AXIAR Deliver TIFF Output Object (TIFF OO) provides a mechanism to create TIFF image files via the print queue.

59. AXIAR Format – Generating Text Output: Using the information in this Technical Note, you will be able to design an AXIAR Format form used to generate text output.

60. AXIAR Deliver: Sending Windows Pop-Up Message Notifications: This document describes the technique used to send windows messages to AXIAR Deliver Windows clients on a Windows Domain environment.