Technical Memo: Optimizing Electronic Forms for use with ScriptServer Printing Systems





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OPTIMIZING ELECTRONIC FORMS FOR USE WITH SCRIPTSERVER PRINTING SYSTEMS

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Abstract

Electronic forms (such as invoices, statements, and bills of lading) created using Adobe Illustrator for use with the ScriptServer® Printing Systems (both PAN and for OpenVMS) can be optimized for improved performance and reliability for downloading. This technical memo describes how to edit these Illustrator EPS files.

Note: Files edited in this manner will lose some information used by Adobe Illustrator to save the current state of the editing environment when the document is read back in. It is recommended that you save your document in native Illustrator format (.ai file) for future modifications, and use the Save As command to create the EPS file that will be used as the electronic form.

Creating the EPS File

When saving the document in Adobe Illustrator (with the Save As command), it is recommended that you save it in Version 5.0/5.5 format to create the most compact file. If the document contains bitmapped graphics or gradient files, save it in Version 6.0 format. Make sure that the Preview format menu is set to None, and that the Include Document Thumbnails option is deselected.

Editing the EPS File

Open the file in your preferred text editor for your operating system (such as Notepad for Windows, EVE for OpenVMS, or vi, pico, or emacs for a Unix-compatible system.) Locate and remove the sections of the PostScript language code that are bracketed with NonPrinting comments, e.g.:

%AI5_Begin_NonPrinting . . . %AI5_End_NonPrinting

(The comments themselves may also be removed.) There are generally two sections of code that are bracketed by these comments. Also locate and remove the sections of PostScript language code that are bracketed with Palette comments, e.g.:

%AI5_BeginPalette . . . %AI5_BeginPalette

The file can now be saved and used as an electronic form image with either of the ScriptServer Printing Systems. If using ScriptServer for OpenVMS, it is ready for preprocessing using the SSV$EPS2FORM utility. If using ScriptServer PAN, the file can now be uploaded using the Upload Form Image screen in the browser interface.