Filter
Top Products
Printing with Print Format Utility
The Print Format Utility allows you to save the PFD definition as an AS/400 file
member so that the same definition can be used the next time you print a database
file member. Once you save a PFD definition, you can make a new PFD definition
based on the PFD definition by changing it from the display.
You can print various kinds of printout from one database file member by preparing
various PFD definitions. For example, you can create a list of products, product
descriptions, and delivery labels as shown below from one database file member
by using different printout format definitions.
┌───────────────┐
││
│ Database File │
││
└───────┬───────┘
│
┌──────────────────────┼─────────────────────────┐
│ │ │
┌───────────┐ ┌───────────┐ ┌───────────┐
│ Print │ │ Print │ │ Print │
│ Operation │ │ Operation │ │ Operation │
└─────┬─────┘ └─────┬─────┘ └─────┬─────┘
│ │ │
│──PFD definition 1 │──PFD definition 2 │──PFD definition 3
│ │ │
Output 1 │ Output 2 │ Output 3 │
┌─────────────────────┐ ┌────────────────────┐ ┌───────────────────────────┐
│ List of products ││Product descriptions││ Delivery labels │
│┌────────────┬─────┐ │ │ │ │ ┌──────────┐ ┌──────────┐ │
││Product Name│Price│ │ │ Product name: │ │ │ Color TV │ │ AM Radio │ │
│├────────────┼─────┤ │ │ ──────────────── │ │ │ 3 │ │ 2 │ │
││ Color TV │ 3│ │ │ Color TV │ │ │ ││ │││ │ │ │││ ││ │ │
││ AM Radio │ 2│ │ │ ──────────────── │ │ │ ││ │││ │ │ │││ ││ │ │
││ Video │ 5│ │ │ Price : $3. │ │ └──────────┘ └──────────┘ │
││ : │ : │ │ │ Country : U.S.A. │ │ ┌──────────┐ ┌──────────┐ │
││ │ │ │ │ Stock : xxxxx │ │ │ Video │ │CD Player │ │
││ │ │ │ │ : : │ │ │ 5 │ │ 1 │ │
││ │ │││ : : ││: :: :│
││ │ │ │ │ │ │ └──────────┘ └──────────┘ │
│└────────────┴─────┘ │ │ │ │ │
└─────────────────────┘ └────────────────────┘ └───────────────────────────┘
Chapter 7. Introduction to Print Format Utility 99