FORMSALIGN

Configures one spooled printer or a group of spooled printers related by device class, to conditionally enter into a forms message dialog with its operator (s) when the current spoolfile includes a forms message.

Syntax

FORMSALIGN[DEV=]{ldev | devclass | devname }

[;[DIALOG=]{{EACHCHANGE | EACHFILE | EACHCOPY }[,{FORMIDOVERRIDE | NOFORMIDOVERRIDE}]}]

[ ;SHOW]

Parameters

ldev

The logical device number of a printer. The printer must be configured as an MPE Type 32 device.

devclass

The device class name of a class of printers. Each printer in the class must be configured as an MPE Type 32 device. The device class must begin with a letter and consist of eight or fewer alphanumeric characters.

devname

The device name of a printer. The device name must begin with a letter and consist of eight or fewer alphanumeric characters. Users should note that it is not possible to have a device class name and a device name (which are the same). If you enter an alphanumeric character string, the command will search the device class list first, and then the device name list.

EACHCHANGE

The spooler process conducts the forms message dialog only when the (case-insensitive) forms message of the current spoolfile differs from that of the previous spoolfile printed by that process when an overriding formid specification is not in effect. Two different spoolfiles with the same forms message will print without the forms message dialog if they are printed consecutively.

EACHFILE

The spooler process conducts the forms message dialog whenever the spoolid of the current spoolfile differs from that of the previous spoolfile printed by that process, the current spoolfile contains a forms message and an overriding formid specification is not in effect. Two copies of the same spoolfile will print without the forms message dialog if they are printed consecutively.

EACHCOPY

The spooler process conducts the forms message dialog for every copy of every spoolfile which contains a forms message if an overriding formid specification is not in effect.

FORMIDOVERRIDE

This is a sub-parameter of the chosen EACHxxx keyvalue. With this feature selected, the Native Mode Spooler first checks its current and previous spoolfiles for the same non-blank, case-insensitive formid. If the formids match, both the DIALOG option for the spooler process and any forms message in the current spoolfile are ignored, and the forms message dialog is not activated. Identical formids override all other considerations.

Note that the DIALOG option is not changed. It is ignored as long as the two formids match.

If the two formids do not match, and the formid of the current spoolfile is not empty, then the spooler conducts the forms message dialog using the forms message of the current spoolfile.

If the current spoolfile has no forms message (even though it has a forms identification), the spooler:

Conducts no dialog if standard forms are already mounted.
Displays the STANDARD FORMS message if special forms are mounted.

If the two formids do not match because the current spoolfile has no formid and the previous spoolfile did, the spooler will always conduct a forms message dialog, again ignoring any setting of DIALOG. If the current spoolfile has a non-empty forms message, the spooler conducts a normal forms message dialog with the device operator. If the forms message is empty, and the device has special forms mounted, the spooler prompts the device operator to mount standard forms.

Once both the previous spoolfile and the current spoolfile have no formids, the spooler operates in accordance with the selected DIALOG option once more.

NOFORMIDOVERRIDE

This is a sub-parameter of the chosen EACHxxx keyvalue. With this feature selected, the Native Mode Spooler ignores any and all formids associated with the current spoolfile or the previous spoolfile. The setting of the DIALOG option always determines the conditions under which the spooler process conducts the forms message dialog. The formid is then useful only as an item in a selection equation.




	NOTE: The setting of `(NO)FORMIDOVERRIDE` only affects the spooler's function during the forms message dialog. It has no effect on the use of the `FORMID` keyword in a selection equation of either the `SPOOLF` or `LISTSPF` command. It is still possible to select a subset of all spoolfiles to alter, delete, or display on `FORMID=`, regardless of the setting `(NO)FORMIDOVERRIDE` for a given device. They are totally independent of each other. If the current spoolfile has no forms message but special forms are mounted on the device, the spooler always conducts the `STANDARD FORMS` dialog.

SHOW

Specifying this option causes the configuration for the specified devices to be displayed. If no other parameters are used, the current configuration is displayed. If other parameters are used, the configuration is first updated and then displayed. If a device class is specified, the configuration for each device in the class is displayed.

If this option is omitted, there is no display.

Operation Notes

The FORMSALIGN command can be used on a spooled or an unspooled printer, or on a device class containing any mixture of spooled and unspooled printers. When used on a spooled printer, the specified options become effective on the next copy selected for printing on that device. The choices are retained until changed by another FORMSALIGN command, even if the printer should become unspooled and a new spooler process started for it.

When used on an unspooled printer, it presently has no effect but will be retained (unless changed by another FORMSALIGN command) and will become effective immediately upon spooling the printer. Files which include a forms message, and which are directed to an unspooled printer, always trigger a forms message dialog with the printer's operator. Any formid accompanying the file is irrelevant when the file is directed to an unspooled printer.




	NOTE: This command effects more than one device (if applied to all devices in a class). You may get warning messages for some devices and not others. A warning message on one or more devices affects only that device. The command will continue to execute until all selected devices have been configured or shown, or an error is detected. An error terminates the command.

The options specified in the FORMSALIGN command are stored in the appropriate device files. For example, options for LDEV 6 are stored in file 00000006.DEVICES.3000devs. This is why the options are retained even when no spooler process exists for LDEV 6.

However, these device files are reconstructed at each system startup. The FORMSALIGN options set at that time are EACHCHANGE, FORMIDOVERRIDE. Your SYSSTART file should include one FORMSALIGN command per device or class for which you want to set options other than the default.

Use

This command may be issued from a session, job, program, or in BREAK. Any user may execute this command with only the ;SHOW option to display current configuration. When changing configuration, this command may be executed only from the console or by any user who has been allowed the FORMSALIGN command with the ALLOW command. You can also execute this command by assigning a user the ASSOCIATE command and specifying the device.

Examples

To display the current configuration, enter:

FORMSALIGN LP;SHOW

A sample of the output might look like the following:

                   FORMID         
 LDEV   DEVNAME   DIALOG    OVERRIDE
 
  6    LDEV6    EACHCHANGE    YES
 14    LDEV14   EACHCOPY       NO
 15    LDEV15   EACHFILE      YES
 19    LDEV19   EACHCHANGE     NO

To conduct a forms message dialog for each copy of each file printed, enter:

FORMSALIGN 6;DIALOG=EACHCOPY,NOFORMIDOVERRIDE

You may also specify the system startup options, for example:

FORMSALIGN 6;DIALOG=EACHCHANGE,FORMIDOVERRIDE

Related Information

Commands: SPOOLER, ALLOW, ASSOCIATE
Manuals: Performing System Operation Tasks (32650-90137)

FORMSALIGN

Technical documentation

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Syntax

Parameters

Operation Notes

Use

Examples

Related Information