Defining a custom step (transform) sequence

A custom step sequence lets you string together a series of transform objects to do a series of tasks. This topic provides an example of a custom step sequence, followed by the specific procedure you can use to create a sequence of transform objects.

You want to define an actual destination that will copy AFP versions of all print jobs sent to it into a directory on your InfoPrint Manager server system. This directory is used as an archive of AFP versions of print jobs that might need to be viewed later.

To accomplish this, use the InfoPrint Manager Web Administration Interface to create these three custom steps (transforms):

  1. transps

    You set the input data format to PostScript, the Transform Options to use ps2afp, and the Output File Format to MODCA-P (Mixed Object Document Content Architecture).

  2. transpcl

    You set the input data format to PCL, the Transform Options to use pcl2afp, and the Output File Format to MODCA-P.

  3. saveafp

    You set the input data format to AFP, the Transform Options to issue a copy command, and the Output File Format to MODCA-P. In addition, you make this a terminating transform by selecting Final Step in the Create New Custom Step (Transform) dialog.

Then, create an actual destination that you want to do the sequence. When you create the printer, select CREATE and EDIT, then click the Configuration tab to define the steps to use as follows:
  1. transps
  2. transpcl
  3. saveafp

Note: If you already have the destination created, open the Properties dialog for that actual destination and click the Configuration tab to define the steps sequence.

When you send a job to this actual destination, this sequence of actions occurs:

  1. transps checks to see if the incoming data is PostScript. If it is PostScript,transps transforms the data into AFP using ps2afp. If it is not PostScript, transps does nothing.
  2. transpcl checks to see if the incoming data is PCL. If it is PCL, transpcl transforms it to AFP using pcl2afp. If it is not PCL, transpcl does nothing.
  3. saveafp copies the AFP file produced by either of the above steps into a specific directory.
  4. Since saveafp is a terminating transform, the job is not printed but is marked complete at this point.

To create a custom step (transform) sequence, use this procedure from the InfoPrint Manager Web Administration Interface:

  1. In the left-hand Objects panel, click the Printers tab and select the printer that you want to send the job to.
  2. Click , the Menu icon, and select the Properties option.
  3. In the Properties for... dialog, click Configuration.
    The data stream transforms that this printer can use are listed in the Steps to Use field.
  4. Select the transforms that you want to use and drag and drop them in the desired order.
    For example, you might want to create the three-step transform sequence that runs the transps , transpcl, and saveafp transforms in sequence as described above.
  5. When you have entered the transforms in the correct sequence, click OK to associate this transform sequence with the selected printer.
Parent topic: Understanding the transform objects and the custom steps (transforms) subsystem