The Printing Process

1. RPM receives print data from any host system sent via the LPR/LPD or Telnet printing protocols.

2. RPM processes the print data according to options configured in the queue. These options identify how the print data is converted, modified, formatted, or named. Print data can also be sent completely untouched, making RPM a central pass-through for print jobs.

3. RPM passes the print job to the Windows Print Manager or saves the file to disk. When using a text queue, RPM uses the print driver to format the data with text options such as fonts, margins, lines per inch, etc.

Features that set RPM apart from competitors

• Easy configuration for fitting text output to any size paper. Support all fonts the printer can use. A variety of host data formats enable end-users to print without host system modifications.
• Supports three queue types: text, raw, and filter. Unlimited print queue definitions accommodate routine and special printing needs. Customize data before printing. Transmit raw or pre-formatted files to any Windows printer.
• Users can easily select appropriate code page to use when printing. RPM can use any code page currently installed on the PC.
• Automatically create a print queue when a job is received, reducing network administration time by eliminating the need to search for misnamed queues.
• Extensive logging in RPM provides each message in an easy to read format. Each log message shows a unique RPM event number, the time, the source of the message, the application that generated the message, and the message text. RPM can be configured to log only a minimal amount of messages or high detail messages.
• Easily translate and convert text from different formats. Translate EBCDIC data, ASA carriage control codes, or convert SCS to ASCII for all queue types. In text mode, SCS formatting is preserved, including font changes and character positioning.
• The system administrator can completely hide RPM from the user minimizing user interaction and errors. The administrator can easily unhide RPM to do any configuration or maintenance as needed.
• When saving files to disk, RPM includes duplicate filename handling, filenames using job data such as date and time, user, job title, etc., plus options identified by key third-party integrators.
• Provides Multiple-Byte Character Sets (MBCS) for use in international languages such as Japanese, Korean, and Chinese.
• RPM follows the established UNIX model of using named queues to represent distinct processing requirements. Each queue created in RPM is fully configurable, and independent from every other queue. This means that a queue specifies actual processing, as well as the name of a printer or port.