Introduction

This guide helps you to efficiently implement the Control-D built-in AFP support in an AFP environment. The combination of AFP built-in support and Control-D allows you to achieve many AFP advanced functions without modifying application programs. Also, many other Control-D options improve Output Management functions in an AFP environment.

It is assumed that you are familiar with Control-D and Advanced Function Printing (AFP). This guide contains both basic and advanced information, making this document a useful guide for both beginners and advanced AFP users.

Basic Control-D and AFP terms are explained in this guide. Any terms that are not covered in this guide can be referenced in the relevant AFP, Control-D, and IBM publications.

The terminology used in this guide is that of INCONTROL for z/OS version 6.2.xx (which includes Control-D version 6.2.xx). However, this guide is also applicable to all prior versions of Control-D.

Management Overview

This guide is intended to help Control-D users efficiently implement Control-D in an AFP environment by taking advantage of Control-D’s AFP built-in support. The combination of AFP built-in support and Control-D allows you to achieve many AFP advanced functions without modifying application programs. Also, many other Control-D options improve Output Management functions in an AFP environment.

Data centers that use AFP realize the benefits that can be achieved with AFP. Data centers that use Control-D realize the benefits that can be achieved with Control-D. Data centers that use AFP together with Control-D can achieve far more benefits than using each one individually.

Major benefits that can be achieved using Control-D in an AFP environment are:

  • Reduced paper costs.

  • Reduced mainframe printing workload.

  • Fast AFP implementation and more.

Control-D’s built-in AFP support includes features such as:

  • Full support of AFPDS page mode output (Category 5 output) - for example, DCF documents, GDDM graphics.

  • Full support for all AFP printers and software.

  • Support of user-defined overlays for online viewing.

  • WYSIWYG online viewing of AFPDS page mode reports in the PC environment.

  • Support of all AFP printing characteristics:

    • Online display and update, even after the production of the report.

    • Capability of bundling all reports for a recipient into one bundle for printing, regardless of different AFP printing characteristics.

  • Enforced standards in printing characteristics.

  • Advanced banner page marking.

  • Bar codes in banners.

  • Automated distributed printing.

  • Strong disaster recovery support and more.

All of the above features, and more, are described in this guide.

Shortly after implementing Control-D in an AFP environment, the significant benefits become evident. Efficient automated output management and major cost savings with minimum effort are guaranteed.