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Detailed Directions
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Detailed Directions
Capture Sample Data for a Document You Install on a Printer
This procedure describes the general steps involved in capturing sample data for a document you intend
to install on a printer. If you are using database emulation, you capture sample input data at the time you
set up the emulation.
An understanding of the general procedure for capturing a reliable sample data file can help you
understand and navigate the platform-specific instructions.
To capture data for a document you install on a printer:
1. Determine the input data you need.
Determine all the variations of input data you need to include in the sample data file, and the query
that retrieves that input data. This is specific to your database and computing environment.
2. Determine the type of connection that exists between the host on which the input data resides and
the printer on which the document will execute.
In general there are three types of connections:
• Direct connection. The printer is either directly connected to the host on which the input data resides,
or the host can directly address it on a network.
• Serial connection. The printer and the host are connected by a serial cable.
• Print server. The printer is connected to a print server. The host sends print jobs to the print server.
3. Capture the representative sample of input data.
In general you set up a process to intercept a print job on its way to the printer. You then send the
representative sample of data to the printer. The process you set up intercepts the job and saves the
spool file as the sample data file. For example, if your host can address the printer directly, you could
use the following method:
• Pause printing on the printer on which you intend to install the document. This tells the printer driver
not to send any files that it finds in the spool folder for this printer, to the printer. If you print to a
printer after you pause it, a spool file appears in that printers spool folder and remains there until you
re-enable printing on that printer.
• Send the representative sample of input data to the printer on which you intend the document to
execute. This creates a spool file.