Creating Custom Banners for Use with NDPS

(Last modified: 16Aug2002)

This document (10022342) is provided subject to the disclaimer at the end of this document.

goal

fact

Novell NetWare 5.0

Novell NetWare 4.11

Novell NetWare 4.2

Novell NDPS

Formerly TID 2929347

fix

Banner pages are pages that are printed at the beginning of a print job. Administrators with knowledge of printer job languages can create custom banners for use with NDPS. NDPS currently supports three types of custom banners:

   PCL banner (.PCL extension)
   PostScript banner (.PS extension)
   Generic Text banner (.TXT extension)

All custom banners that are created should have one of these extensions. When creating custom banners, keep in mind that complex banners will increase the print time for jobs. Here are some tips for creating an efficient banner:

   * Use internal/resident printer fonts instead of rasterized system fonts.
   * When using graphics, use vector graphics when possible. Bitmaps take up a lot more space.
   * Avoid half-toned images.

CREATING A PCL BANNER

A working knowledge of the Hewlett Packard (HP) PCL printer language is needed in order to create a custom PCL banner. The easiest way to create a PCL banner is to create the banner using an application like WordPerfect or MS Write. Be sure to leave the lower third of the custom banner page blank because NDPS will overlay the following information in a .PCL banner page:

   Job Name
   Job Owner
   Time Printed
   Date Printed

After formatting the banner page, print the banner document to a file using the appropriate PCL printer definition. The driver properties will have to be changed from printing to a port or network to printing to a file on disk. All PCL banners must have the .PCL extension.

The next step is to remove the form feed and reset commands in the file that was printed to disk. You will need a binary editor to remove the form feed and any reset commands from the file. The form feed and reset commands will be in the overlay that NDPS provides. A form feed in PCL is a decimal 12 (0CHex). There are several possible reset commands that need to be removed. Decimal 27, 69 (1B,45Hex), is the printer reset in PCL. The following Universal Exit Command(UEL)also needs to be removed:
Decimal 27,37,45,49,50,51,52,53,88
(1B,25,2D,31,32,33,34,35,58Hex).

For more information on PCL, refer to the Printer Language Technical reference manual available from Hewlett-Packard.

Once the form feed and reset are removed, you have a banner file that can be used with NDPS. The next step is to add the banner to the Resource Management Service. Refer to Chapter 8 in the NDPS online documentation for information on adding banners to the Resource Management Service.

CREATING A POSTSCRIPT BANNER

A working knowledge of Adobe's PostScript printer definition language is needed in order to create a custom PostScript banner. The easiest way to create a PostScript banner is to create the banner using an application like WordPerfect or MS Write. Be sure to leave the lower third of the custom banner page blank because NDPS will overlay the following information in a .PS banner page:

   Job Name
   Job Owner
   Time Printed
   Date Printed

After formatting the banner page, print the banner document to a file using the appropriate PostScript printer definition. The driver properties will have to be changed from printing to a port/network to printing to a file on disk. All PostScript banners must have the .PS extension.

The driver will probably have a procedure that includes the "showpage" command. Using a text editor, remove the PostScript operator called "showpage" from the file that was printed to disk. (The showpage command will be in the overlay that NDPS provides.) Sometimes, "showpage" is embedded in another function within the driver and you will have to use care in removing it. For more information on PostScript, refer to the PostScript Language Reference Manual available from Adobe Systems.

Once the "showpage" is removed, you have a banner file that can be used with NDPS. The next step is to add the banner to the Resource Management Service. Refer to Chapter 8 in the NDPS online documentation on adding banners to Resource Management Service.

CREATING A GENERIC TEXT BANNER

A generic text banner must have a .TXT extension. The banner can be formatted in any printer language. NDPS will not overlay any additional information on this banner page.

ADDING BANNERS TO THE RESOURCE MANAGEMENT SERVICE

Banners are added to the resource database through the Broker's Resource Management Service.

To add the banners, do the following:

1. Open the Broker object's main window in NetWare Administrator.
2. Select the Resource Service view.
3. Click the Resources button.
4. Select the icon for the type of resource you want to add.
5. Click the Add button.
6. Provide the required information and follow the prompts.
Refer to online help for detailed information.

WHAT PRINTER TYPES SUPPORT WHAT KIND OF BANNER

A list of supported banners is supplied by both the Novell Printer Gateway (through the PDS) and third-party gateways. The gateway first determines which file extension (.PCL, .PS, or .TXT) is appropriate for the way the Printer object (or Printer Agent) was configured during creation. It then queries the associated Broker for a list of banner page files with that extension. For a list of formats supported by a specific NDPS printer, go to the main Printer Details page and click the Features button. .

document

Document Title:	Creating Custom Banners for Use with NDPS
Document ID:	10022342
Solution ID:	1.0.40954311.2425745
Creation Date:	26Nov1999
Modified Date:	16Aug2002
Novell Product Class:	NetWare

disclaimer

The Origin of this information may be internal or external to Novell. Novell makes all reasonable efforts to verify this information. However, the information provided in this document is for your information only. Novell makes no explicit or implied claims to the validity of this information.
Any trademarks referenced in this document are the property of their respective owners. Consult your product manuals for complete trademark information.