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.

Paper Saving Roll Call - Q3 2011

As we are finishing off a great third quarter 2011 here at LBM Systems, I wanted to highlight a few fiscally responsible and environmentally accountable customers who are saving money and reducing resource waste with our software. We call it our "Paper Saving Roll Call":

- State of Kentucky
- State of Maryland
- Royal Bank of Canada
- Warburg Pincus
- Nationwide Insurance
- Wells Fargo

Please feel free to contact me any time for detailed paper saving references. The question to you is: why isn't your company or government saving money and reducing resource use with AXIAR Green, Paper Saving Software?

The Government Paperwork Landscape

Situation:
1. Governments are looking for ideas to save money.
2. Government must maintain adequate services to fulfill their duties while cutting costs.
3. Governments currently require a lot of paper to function: it costs money to print, distribute and store paper. It costs more money to buy or lease printers/copiers that are often underutilized.

Solution:
1. AXIAR Green, Paper Saving Software, reduces the cost of paper-based processes without drastically changing how processes function.
2. AXIAR can be installed for free and paid for by the savings it creates.
3. AXIAR is in use at the US Social Security Administration, the US Marine Corps, New York and Texas state government offices, California’s Orange County Department of Education, the City of Juneau and many more Federal, state and local governments.
4. All you need to do is send your government representatives to www.PaperSavingSoftware.com or ask them to call 203.966.0661 to learen more. Now is a good time.
5. You need to ask your government: why aren’t you saving money with AXIAR Green, Paper Saving Software?

Printer Sprawl

Printer sprawl happens when printers are acquired and installed piecemeal based on a current/tactical printing need. After a few years of printer sprawl, many different devices are on a network, each with their own drivers and unique consumables.

Some IT groups play printer whack-a-mole (unplugging devices as they pop-up), some simply make users happy by supporting the new devices and some IT groups are using (or are considering) Managed Print Services to help reduce printer sprawl.

But tackling the hardware is only part of the process - you need software as well to manage printing processes and improve document-based information delivery processes.

That's where AXIAR Green, Paper Saving Software, plays a vital role: giving IT personnel both metrics-collection tools as well as print management tools to reduce print resource use, justify printer allocation and reduce IT help desk calls.

If you are currently considering Managed Print Services, we encourage you to contact us as print environment Consultants. We will help you identify ways to right-size your printer fleet while improving your printing processes. Since we do not sell printers or copiers, we are focused on identifying wasteful printing processes and employing our paper saving software to reduce waste.

Good Governments Save Paper

We expect our government to provide services and support to our communities for the lowest reasonable cost. Although there doesn’t seem to be a lot of positive news about government efficiency, I’ve got a something to note: many of our government customers are saving taxpayers lots of money with LBM’s Paper Saving Software.

At one department alone, our Paper Saving Software is saving the taxpayers of Ohio over $40k per year by automatically creating and distributing online batch reports that were previously printed. We’re saving Federal taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars per year at our dozens of Social Security Administration sites using our software to intelligently route and track print output to eliminate reprints and ensure print delivery, which eliminates lost print jobs.

We’ve got a lot of really smart and really conscientious government workers and managers using our Paper Saving Software to cut costs while maintaining services.

But I will admit I still think our government can do better: NOT ENOUGH of our government networks are using Paper Saving Software to save taxpayers lots of money. So the next time you see a government representative asking you, the taxpayers, for ideas on how to reduce costs, tell them to look at www.PaperSavingSoftware.com and join their colleagues in saving money without sacrificing services.

Eating our own dog food: 87% savings with paper saving software

Here's one reason why we are celebrating a great year at LBM Systems: we reduced our postage costs 87% by using paper saving software to digitally send invoices, statements and similar business critical documents. We've implemented green/sustainable initiatives at our office that resulted in better efficiencies, lower costs and a reduction of our impact on resource consumption.

Another reason: great customers like John Deere, Wesco, The United States Social Security Administration, Pfizer, Bank of America and thousands of large and small organizations using our software to reduce the amount of paper they use and save money with AXIAR's paper saving capabilities.

Going green with paper saving software is easier than you think - and it can save you lots of money. All you need to do is give us a call (800) 898-6434 or visit www.PaperSavingSoftware.com to learn how we can help you. We'll give you paper saving ideas, help your office go green, share customer success stories and give you references.

Reducing office waste

I have a responsibility to my company to reduce any expenses that are wasteful. I have a responsibility to my community - and my kids - to reduce the waste I create with my everyday purchases. Neither responsiblity presumes that consuming goods is wrong - but wasteful consumption is worth addressing.

We address a chronic area of waste in business and government environments: office printing and copying. We don't believe "paperless" is the right term (since we're not anti-printing); we believe "paper saving" is a better description.

We have a simple premise: we develop software that automatically reduces the amount of paper your organization uses by applying customizable rules to print jobs. Our software is already used at thousands of customer sites worldwide, saving millions and millions of pieces of paper every year. By saving paper and toner, our software pays for itself. And you get the dollar savings and resource savings every time you use it.

I know since you made it this far you don't like waste, so I hope you'll agree that I didn't waste the most precious resource of all: your time. Thank you for checking us out, I would love to hear from you through this blog or give me a call - and visit www.PaperSavingSoftware.com to learn more about what we do.