Preparing files for printing

Using ACIF to prepare files for distributed printing shows the steps that you can take to prepare your files for printing:

  1. Run ACIF (1), specifying that it create the AFP document file (1a) and the resource file (1b).

    If your resources are on another operating system, you can use the Network File System (NFS) to mount them to the AIX, Linux, or Windows system where you are running ACIF.

  2. If InfoPrint Manager or RICOH ProcessDirector runs on a different operating system than the one on which you run ACIF, transfer the files in binary format (2) to the system where InfoPrint Manager or RICOH ProcessDirector runs.

    If your resources are not present on the remote InfoPrint Manager or RICOH ProcessDirector system, concatenate the AFP document file to the end of the resource file before you submit the file to InfoPrint Manager or RICOH ProcessDirector. If your resources are already present on the remote InfoPrint Manager or RICOH ProcessDirector system, you do not have to concatenate or transmit them.

  3. Submit (3) your MO:DCA-P print job to InfoPrint Manager or RICOH ProcessDirector.

Using ACIF to prepare files for distributed printing

This figure shows an overview of the movement of files from various storage places to and then to the printer and illustrates the scenario that is described in the text. The flow starts at a box that is labeled Your Application with arrows going to containers for your print data, ACIF processing parameters, and resource libraries. Arrows from those containers then go to the ACIF box (1). From ACIF, arrows go to AFP document (1a) and resource file (1b) containers. From those containers, arrows go to an optional concatenation of files box so you can concatenate the resource file to the AFP document file. An arrow then goes to a box to transfer distributed printing files in binary format (2) so they can be printed.

Parent topic: Scenarios for processing ACIF files