CombineAFPWithForm

The step adds PDF pages as medium overlays to medium maps that specify a RICOH ProcessDirector media name. If the medium map specifies tray numbers, the step uses the file set in the Tray mapping file property to replace tray numbers with media names.

If the medium map for a job specifies media, the step ignores any values set for the Media and PLE Media job properties.

If the medium map for a job does not specify media, the step uses the value set for the Media property. If you set the property to the name of a RICOH ProcessDirector media object that includes electronic forms, the step combines the electronic forms with the job data. The step does not use any values set for the PLE Media property.

To define electronic forms for a media object, you use the properties on the Electronic Form section of the media object:

• Front of form and Back of form

  These properties specify the electronic PDF forms to use for the front and back sides of the media. When the step processes jobs that request media with values for these properties, the step combines the forms with the data for the appropriate pages.

• Media name for printing

  Because electronic forms replace media with preprinted forms, this property tells the step how to remove or change the names of media with electronic forms:

  • If the property is set to None, the step removes the current tray number or media name from the medium map.
  • If the property is set to Selected, the step replaces the current tray number or media name in the medium map with the selected media name.
  • If the property is set to Current name, the step does not change the current tray number or media name in the medium map.

Job property defaults

• Combined AFP file: ${getFileName(print,afp,write)}

• Tray mapping file:

Usage notes

• This step template is available when the Preprinted Forms Replacement and AFP Support features are installed.
• You can only print the output of this step to AFP printers that support PDF object containers in AFP data.
• Matching on media names is case-sensitive. If the medium map specifies a media name in all uppercase letters (such as LETTER BLUE), RICOH ProcessDirector must have media named LETTER BLUE. Letter Blue does not match.
• The CombineAFPWithForm step can process AFP jobs that use an inline form definition or an external form definition. The step creates a combined AFP file that uses an inline form definition. If the AFP job uses an external form definition, the step embeds the changed form definition with new medium maps inline in the combined AFP file.
• More processing is required when a media object includes an electronic form for the back side and the medium map specifies simplex printing. The step modifies the existing medium map:
  • It converts simplex to duplex.
  • It turns on the Constant Back flag.
  • It wraps the PDF file for the requested electronic form in an overlay and assigns the overlay to the back of the media.

  The step keeps the same name for the medium map. Any existing Invoke Medium Map (IMM) structured fields now point to the new duplex medium map.

• If the medium map for a job does not specify media, you can set the media on the PrintJobs step or with an AssignJobValues step. Place the AssignJobValues step before the CombineAFPWithForm step in the workflow.
• If your workflow has an afpnorm command in a step based on the RunExternalProgram step template, put the CombineAFPWithForm step after the RunExternalProgram step.

  You can use the afpnorm command to insert IMM structured fields before the first page of every document in an AFP file.

• You cannot add an electronic form to a side of a sheet when the side already has eight medium overlays.
• If you add an electronic form to a job with one or more opaque overlays, the opaque overlays can hide the overlay for the electronic form. To avoid this problem, make all existing overlays that overlap electronic form overlays transparent.