CHARS

Specifies the file name of from one to four coded fonts that you want ACIF to use to process a file. A coded font specifies a character set and code page pair.

CHARS=fontname1[,fontname2][,fontname3][,fontname4]

The value is:

fontname

The name of the coded font. The name is limited to four characters, consisting of any combination of alphanumeric characters (a-z, A-Z, 0–9) and special characters (# $ @). It does not include the 2-character prefix of the coded-font name (X0 through XG). The font name is case-sensitive.If you use the ASCII fonts that are supplied with InfoPrint Manager or RICOH ProcessDirector, use the 4-character short names (see Font short names to use with CHARS parameter for examples). In AIX, if you use your own coded font that has a file name with more than six characters (including the Xn prefix), then do one of these tasks:

• Rename the font file to a shorter name. For example:

  mv X0423002 X04202

• Copy the font file to a file that has a shorter name. For example:

  cp X0423002 X04202

• Link the original font file to a shorter name. For example:

  ln -s X0423002 X04202

If the input file is unformatted ASCII, you can do one of these tasks:

• Specify a font that has the appropriate ASCII code points. To specify a font search path, either use the FONTLIB parameter to specify it explicitly or set the PSFPATH environment variable to search the appropriate directories.
• Use the apka2e or asciinpe input record exit programs to convert the ASCII code points in the input file into EBCDIC, and use EBCDIC fonts. To use an input record program, specify the INPEXIT parameter.

  In AIX , use one of these examples:

  • inpexit=/usr/lpp/psf/bin/apka2e
  • inpexit=/usr/lpp/psf/bin/asciinpe

  In Windows, use one of these examples:

  • inpexit=\install_directory\exits\acif\apka2e.dll
  • inpexit=\install_directory\exits\acif\asciinpe.dll

  See INPEXIT for a description of apka2e and asciinpe functions.

  You can also convert encoded data to another coded character set identifier (CCSID). See INPCCSID and OUTCCSID.

Use CHARS to specify coded fonts in a font library that has names of six or fewer characters (including the prefix). You can rename any fonts that have more than six characters or use a text editor to create new coded fonts for use with the CHARS parameter.

When ACIF is used to convert traditional line data, mixed-mode data, or unformatted ASCII data, you must specify a page definition with the PAGEDEF parameter. You can then specify the fonts either in the page definition or with the CHARS parameter, but not both. You cannot mix fonts that are specified in a page definition with fonts specified with CHARS for a single file. If you use CHARS to specify fonts, but you also use the PAGEDEF parameter to specify a page definition that names fonts, the CHARS parameter is ignored. Therefore, if your page definition names fonts, you should not use the CHARS parameter.

Select fonts with table-reference characters (TRCs), with AFP structured fields, or in a page definition. If the page definition does not name any fonts, and you want to specify more than one font with the CHARS parameter, you must specify table reference characters (TRCs) in the input file to select the fonts. For example, if you want the file to print with these two fonts, X0GT10 (Gothic 10 pitch) and X0GT12 (Gothic 12 pitch), do these tasks:

1. Specify TRC=YES.
2. Use CHARS to associate the fonts with each TRC:

      CHARS=GT10,GT12

   where, GT10 is associated with TRC 0 and GT12 is associated with TRC 1.

If the page definition does not name any fonts, and you want the whole file to print with only one font, you must do these tasks:

1. Specify TRC=NO.
2. Use CHARS to indicate the single font in which the file must be printed. For example:

      CHARS=GT10

You can specify fonts in the CHARS parameter only if you want the entire file printed in a single printing direction. ACIF uses the fonts that have 0° character rotation for the specified direction. When a file requires fonts with more than one printing direction or character rotation, you must specify the fonts in the page definition.

If you do not specify a CHARS parameter, and if no fonts are contained in the page definition you specified, ACIF uses the printer default font.