PRO Meta to PDF
Overview
Features & Benefits
Product Specifications
System Requirements
Overview
PRO Meta to PDF provides a smooth migration path for Xerox printer customers who want to move their applications to the Internet or to archival/retrieval environments without making costly application changes.
PRO Meta to PDF dynamically converts Xerox LCDS and Metacode documents into standard PDF files for use with browsers such as Adobe's Acrobat® Reader. PDF documents can also be sent to a file for database storage or archival. This allows organizations to combine their applications designed for high volume laser printers with the advantages of the Internet.
PRO Meta to PDF runs on a multitude of platforms including MVS, Unix, Linux, AIX and Windows.
Easy Navigation Using Bookmarks
With PRO Meta to PDF, any data in the print file can be used as Bookmarks and automatically organized into multiple levels, for easy navigation.
Index rules can be set up, allowing indexing on multiple criteria.
Multiple Uses
PRO Meta to PDF can be used for applications such as:
Viewing documents for E-statements applications in EBPP systems and bill presentment systems.
Distributing document electronically.
Customer service applications.
Electronic bill presentment payment.
Selective reprinting.
Archival/Retrieval.
The Best Approach
PRO Meta to PDF is the best approach because it provides the following:
- Outstanding performance combined with exceptional quality.
- A feature-rich product with extensible capabilities.
- High-quality web-ready PDF files.
- Searching capability in PDF files.
- Automatic Bookmark creation.
- Highlight color support is included.
- High quality full color overlays merged into PDF files during the transform process.
- Quick transform speeds allowing web server-based on-demand transformation, thereby reducing storage costs.
- PDF files optimized for viewing and desktop printing.
- Acrobat security options can be used.
- A choice of platforms that includes Windows Unix, AIX or z/OS.
- An open product that can be utilized in any output management strategy.
- The least cost combined with the best architecture.
With the PRO Splitter option, a large LCDS or metacode file can be split into many output files based on a variety of criteria, providing excellent performance, great flexibility and a lot of power for the user.
With the PRO Indexer option, index files or database commands can be created while the conversion is being done.
With the PRO Document Enhancer option, documents can be modified to meet changing needs while they are being converted to PDF.
Pages, text fields, form fields, hyperlinks, bar codes and OMR marks can be added, modified and suppressed, saving costly application program changes.
Flexible Resource Management
The key to the power and flexibility of PRO Meta to PDF is the way it manages print resources. PRO Meta to PDF automatically converts Xerox resources into PDF resources, thus optimizing and simplifying the implementation process.
All PDF resources are compressed to keep file size small for quick downloads. Legacy fonts can be easily mapped to standard PDF fonts. PRO Meta to PDF has the flexibility to map fonts to either standard PostScript/PDF fonts or embed Type 1 fonts for a clean look. For mapped fonts, each character can be mapped to a selected font, thus providing the utmost flexibility and quality.
Xerox forms are automatically converted to overlays and IMG images are automatically converted to PDF compressed images and embedded in the output PDF file.
Multiple Platforms
PRO Meta to PDF runs on the following platforms:
Windows XP, NT, ME, 2000, 2003 Server, Vista
AIX
Solaris
Linux
HP-UX
OS/390, z/OS
Superlative Support
Crawford Technologies believes in providing superlative support for all our products.
We offer telephone hotline support for problem reporting and product inquiries as well as FAX and e-mail support.
Our online Knowledgebase provides access to our incident reports and change logs 24 by 7.
Our extensive front line experience and in-depth product knowledge allow us to respond quickly with solutions.
For organizations who need support around the clock, our Premium Support Plan provides full 24 X 7 support.
Options Provide Excellent Value
The following options can be used with PRO Meta to PDF.
PRO Indexer
PRO Splitter
PRO Document Enhancer
WorkFLow JES Spool Extraction Facility
PRO WorkFlow Server
WorkFlow JES to FTP
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Superior Image Fidelity
PRO Meta to PDF has the flexibility to map fonts to either standard PostScript/PDF fonts or embed Type 1 fonts for superior image fidelity.
No Need for Costly Application Changes
PRO Meta to PDF provides a smooth migration path for Xerox printer customers who want to move their applications to the Internet or to archival/retrieval without making costly application changes. This can save you significant time and resources.
Simplified Implementation Process
The key to the power and flexibility of PRO Meta to PDF is the way it manages print resources. PRO Meta to PDF automatically converts Xerox resources into PDF resources. This simplifies the implementation process.
Flexible Resource Management
With PRO Meta to PDF, legacy fonts can be easily mapped to standard PDF fonts.
Each character is mapped to a selected font and character, providing the utmost flexibility and quality.
Searching Capability
PRO Meta to PDF allows users to easily perform searches of text in PDF documents because it uses object-to-object transforms rather than object-to-bitmap transforms.
Bookmark Capability
PRO Meta to PDF provides the users with easy navigation by automatically inserting Bookmarks into PDF files when they are created.
Bookmark information can be automatically extracted from within the metacode file.
Bookmarks on Multiple Criteria
With PRO Meta to PDF, multiple index rules can be set up, allowing Bookmarks to be created based on multiple criteria, such as Customer Name and Account Number.
Forms Capability
With PRO Meta to PDF, PDF forms can be used to emulate pre-printed form stock or to enhance the document with color, hyperlinks marketing information, watermarks or other content.
These overlays can include boilerplate text, graphics, hyperlinks and other objects.
Platform Independence
PRO Meta to PDF runs on a multitude of platforms including OS/390, z/OS, Unix, AIX and Windows.
This ensures that you can convert Xerox LCDS and metacode files on the most convenient and streamlined systems.
This allows you to streamline the process and reduce the potential for errors.
Highlight Color Support
PRO Meta to PDF supports Xerox highlight color capabilities.
Xerox colors can be easily mapped to any RGB colors, thus allowing you to get an exact match for your desired color, whatever it may be.
Security
With the PRO Meta to PDF security support, users can create encrypted PDF files using standard PDF security options.
This can protect the PDF file from modification, print, copy and paste and even viewing.
High Performance
PRO Meta to PDF is the fastest transform available in the market. This means that you can streamline your conversion
and reduce the processing window significantly.
Splitting
With the optional PRO Splitter plug-in, large LCDS metacode files can be split into multiple PDF files during the conversion.
This allows individual customer, broker, branch or region reports to be created.
This eliminates the need to modify the application that creates the print file and simplifies file management.
Indexing
With the optional PRO Indexer plug-in, external index files can be created simultaneously with the PDF creation.
These index files can be in any format, contain any information and can greatly simplify the process of managing the PDF files.
Enhancement
With the optional PRO Document Enhancer plug-in, documents can be modified to meet changing needs while they are being converted to PDF.
Pages, text fields, form fields, hyperlinks, bar codes and OMR marks, can be added, modified and suppressed, saving costly application program changes.
Automation
With PRO WorkFlow Server or PRO JES Transform Manager, the process of selecting files for conversion and the management of the process and handling of the output files can be fully automated.
This can speed the process of getting PDF files to the users nad reduce the potential for errors.
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Print Stream Support
PRO Meta to PDF is based on the PRO Meta interpreter that supports all of the Xerox centralized printer capabilities including:
- Xerox metabole output from applications such as DocuMerge, Compuset, CSF and XICS
- LCDS print streams
- Dynamic Job Descriptor Entries (DJDE)
- Job Source Language (JSL)
- Highlight Color applications
Resource Support
PRO Meta to PDF contains support for an extensive array of Xerox print resources including:
Xerox fonts (FNT)
Xerox logos (LGO)
Images (IMG)
Forms (FRM)
Job Source Language (JSL)
Page Descriptor Entries (PDE)
Copy Modification Entries (CME)
Job Descriptor Entries (JDE)
Highlight Color resources
Font Handling
Superior font management is the key to providing a successful print transform program and PRO Meta to PDF provides the utmost flexibility for font utilization.
PRO Meta to PDF provides several methods for handling fonts, which can be mixed and matched as appropriate. The user can:
- Automatically convert Xerox fonts into PDF fonts and embedded them in the PDF file.
The PRO Meta to PDF font conversion utility supports the conversion of fonts from the Xerox centralized print format into standard PDF Type 3 bitmap fonts. When they are needed, the fonts are converted and embedded them in the PDF file.
- Provide a table to map between Xerox fonts and PDF fonts
PRO Meta to PDF offers an option of mapping Xerox fonts to PostScript fonts. This eliminates the need for downloading the soft fonts in the document when they are needed. This option can be used for Xerox fonts which have equivalents in PDF fonts.
Logo Handling
As with fonts, PRO Meta to PDF provides the utmost flexibility for logo (Xerox .LGO resources) utilization. PRO Meta to PDF provides the same methods of handling logos as it does for fonts. These methods can be mixed and matched as appropriate for different logos and applications. The user can:
- Automatically convert Xerox logos into PDF fonts and download them to the printer with each job
- Provide a table to map between Xerox logos and PDF fonts
Image Handling
PRO Meta to PDF automatically converts Xerox images and .IMG files into PDF compressed images and embeds the images in the output PDF file.
Form Management
PRO Meta to PDF provides a very efficient and simple method of managing Xerox forms (.FRM). Xerox forms are stored in a library on the host. During the transform process, these forms are loaded, as they are needed. PRO Meta to PDF then accesses any resources that are needed for these forms and processes them automatically. Finally, the text on each form is put into a PDF resource object, which is stored in the PDF file and accessed when it is needed in the document.
Output Format
PRO Meta to PDF contains a device driver that creates Adobe PDF output files.
These files can be viewed in any browser that can support PDF Version 1.2 including Adobe Acrobat® 3.x, 4.x, 5.x. and 6.x.
A large LCDS metacode can be split into multiple PDF files based on variety data content during the conversion when the PRO Splitter option is active.
The output PDF can be optimized through a number of run-time options which control the way that fonts are managed and the way that the PDF is constructed. For example, shading patterns can be made darker or lighter as needed.
The output PDF supports standard PDF document security, and all of its options. PDFs can be encrypted so that use of the PDF can be controlled.
The default viewing orientation can be static or dynamic, when documents contain a mix of portrait and landscape pages, dynamic orientation will allow you to ensure that users always see their documents in the correct orientation.
Bookmarks
Any data in the print file can be used to create bookmarks.
Multiple Bookmarks can be created in a report, allowing access to the report via multiple paths.
Bookmarks can be arranged in a Parent/Child fashion to allow grouping of subordinate bookmarks under a Parent bookmark.
An example might be a report displaying information by corporation, division and department, where the bookmarks of department information
would be grouped under the bookmarks of the appropiate division and the division bookmarks would be grouped under the appropiate corporation.
Transform Control Options
PRO Meta to PDF was designed to be a powerful tool. It has an extensive set of control options, which can be used to adapt PRO Meta to PDF to many different environments and uses.
Many options allow control over every facet of the transform process, making PRO Meta to PDF a fit for many different environments.
Page Selection
The conversion process can select any range of pages from the LCDS metacode file to convert.
This can be used to split a large file into smaller segments. It can also be used for reprint purposes.
PRO Indexer option
The PRO Indexer option allows users to select and extract pertinent data from within the print-stream while a document is being processed.
The generated Index files can be in a variety of formats including Comma Separated Variables (CSV), Fixed Length Records and a User Defined File Format.
Any number of index keys can be extracted. After selection, fields can be manipulated as required before being written to the index file.
The PRO Indexer can also be used to "scrape" all or selected fields of text and place it an index file or text file.
PRO Document Enhancer option
The PRO Document Enhancer option allows the manipulation of fields to easily create modified, customized and enhanced documents without having to consume IT resources to make complex programming changes to business applications.
Modifications that can be made to print applications include:
- Adding fields to pages including OMR marks with integrity counts, barcodes, and control numbers.
- Adding slip-sheets between documents for easy statement separation.
- Suppressing OMR marks, barcodes and text fields.
- Suppressing images.
PRO Text option
The PRO Text option allows users to create text files from LCDS metacode files, which contain all of the text from the original input file.
In addition, this output file can identify the actual fonts used for each field.
This text file can be used for display on 3270 screens without graphics capability.
These files can also be used with software that cannot handle LCDS metacode formatted data.
Audit Log
The Audit Log option allows users to log the details of the file conversion process.
This can be used as a record of the contents of the LCDS metacode file.
The use controls the contents of this log, which can contain fields from the print data, such as account numbers, policy numbers, invoice numbers, customer names and other usefull tracking information.
Statistics Log
The Statistic Log option allows users to log statistical information on the file conversion process.
This includes a log of the parameters used, resources used, number of records processed, conversion time, and a wealth of other information.
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PRO Meta to PDF can be installed and configured by Crawford Technologies professional services consultants. For more information, contact us. System requirements are as follows:
Software Prerequisites
PRO Meta to PDF runs on the following operating systems:
Windows
Windows XP, NT, ME, 2000, 2003, Vista
AIX
AIX, version 4.2, 4.3 and 5.x
Unix
Solaris, version 2.6, and up
HP-UX, version 10i and 11i
Red Hat Linux
SUSE Linux
MVS
OS/390, z/OS
MVS Run Time
PRO Meta to PDF for
MVS has been developed using the IBM C/C++ compiler. For C
run-time library support, one of the following is required on OS
390 and MVS.
Language Environment for MVS & VM Version 1.4 or higher
MVS C/C++ Language Support Feature of MVS/ESA Version 5.2
Language Environment element of OS/390
Hardware Prerequisites
Computer
PRO Meta to PDF requires a computer capable of running the software described above.
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