Transforms
Each print job coming into RPM is placed in a queue. RPM executes the print job according to the transforms and actions you have configured in that queue.
When RPM processes jobs in a print queue, it first goes through the list of transforms. We describe how this works on the RPM Transforms Portal.
Once RPM has processed your print data through all the transforms, it hands the result off to each action. This is a bit of an oversimplification since RPM uses the job scheduler to launch the actions according to the scheduling policy set for this instance of RPM. Regardless, the transforms get the job first, then the actions.
Of course, if your queue has no transforms, then this step is skipped, and the action or actions process the raw print job.
Please note that there is no default transform. RPM does nothing to your print job data unless you configure it to do so using these transforms.
Translations
PCL to PDF
Description: Converts PCL 5 and PCL XL to PDF
Also set passwords, permissions, etc.
RPM Elite only
PCL Resource Mapping
Description: changes the input tray, output bin, and/or # of copies in PCL 5 and PCL XL
This transform is key to using multiple color stock and has many other applications
RPM Elite only
PCL to image format
Description: Converts PCL files to image formats
Outputs include PostScript, JPEG, and TIFF
RPM Elite only
String translate
Description: changes character strings or binary byte sequences
This works on plain text, binary files such as PCL, and supports UTF-8 strings
Code page conversion
Description: translates input data using a code page
RPM comes with a selection of built-in Unicode code pages. This transform also supports your installed Windows code pages.
Data privacy filter
Description: reads plain text or PCL 5, outputs the same formatting with the plain text data obscured
The purpose of this transform is for us to support you using a file with the formatting preserved but the data replaced
Unix to DOS
Description: converts plain text with line feed terminators to use carriage-return / line-feed
This avoids the stair-step printed output effect
First Character Forms Control (FCFC)
Description: converts FCFC into plain text by expanding lines as indicated
You could feed the output from this transform into Text to Text Markup or do what seems best
Outputting Text Markup
Text to Text markup
Description: Convert plain text, with a number of highlighting styles, into RPM's text markup
With text markup, you can create PDF or PCL files or use RPM's text print action
SCS
Description: Read and utilize SCS format from your IBM host system
The SCS transform produces RPM's text markup, so you can print on a Windows printer or create PDFs
ASA
Description: converts ASA input to RPM's text markup format
With this transform, you can produce text print or PDF in just a few steps
Computer output reduction (COR)
Description: COR is familiar to System i (AS/400) users as it works beautifully to "normalize" printed output
COR works with RPM's text markup format as input and output, so improve your printed data and PDF at the same time
Convert Text Markup to other formats
HTML
Description: This transform converts RPM's text markup to HTML
This may be useful if you post your printed output to a web server
PCL
Description: This transform converts RPM's text markup to PCL 5
You could print directly to a PCL printer by combining this with RPM's raw print action
Removing and eliminating ranges of data
Limit bytes
Description: This transform limits the total output to a specific number of byte, no matter what format
The rest of the input is ignored
Limit lines
Description: This transform limits the total output to the given number of lines
The rest of the input is ignored
Remove Bytes
Description: Removes a given number of bytes from the start of the input
All remaining bytes are passed along
Note: this was used in the beginning to eliminate printer reset bytes from a text print job
Remove lines
Description: Removes lines from the start of the input
All remaining lines were passed along
Can easily be used to remove a header page from a job
Remove After
Description: As soon as a given pattern is seen, we remove the remaining lines from the job
The line containing the pattern is included in the output
Remove Until
Description: Removes input until a certain string appears
This can be used to remove beginning pages if the page endings are predictable
Remove Nulls
Description: Remove zero bytes from the input
Note that most transforms do this on their own
Remove PCL
Description: Removes PCL commands from the input, leaves plain text with some semblance of formatting
This works with PCL 5 but not PCL XL or data using glyphs rather than the actual text
Remove Text Markup
Description: Removes the text markup certain RPM transforms create, leaving plain text with lines intact
Text markup is produced by "text to text markup", SCS, ASA, and FCFC
Trim lines
Description: Remove a given number of lines from the end of plain text output input
Depending on how long your file is, you can end up with zero-length output
Insert & Append
Append bytes
Description: Append a string or byte sequence to the end of the output
This can be anything from a reset code to an additional paragraph
Append file
Description: Appends the contents of a file to your input
This file can contain anything from a reset code for your printer to additional pages
Break lines
Description: If your text input does not have line breaks, you should use this transform
This transform inserts carriage-return / line-feed at the interval you select
Break pages
Description: If your line-oriented text does not have page breaks and you want to control page length, use this transform
The default page length RPM uses is 60 lines
Insert bytes
Description: This transform inserts a byte sequence or a string ahead of the input
This is often used to change printer settings for the upcoming job
Insert file
Description: This transform inserts the contents of a disk file ahead of your job input
This file can contain anything from job reset or print properties to additional pages
PCL banner
Description: This job inserts some PCL banner data head of your PCL print job
This produces a simple banner with additional properties you can select, for instance, to pull a cover sheet from a different colored sock
PCL separator
Description: This transform produces a simple PCL 5 job separator page
The job separator includes the input tray, output bin, and of course, the implied "next sheet of paper"
Text banner
Description: This transform adds text markup to your print job to create a banner page for print jobs or PDF
The banner page includes job metadata such as name and time received
Specialized transforms
Data Extraction
Description: This transform doesn't change your data, it extracts data from the print job according to your own rules
Data extraction can be used to affect job processing and redirect jobs to other queues
RPM Elite only
Filter
Description: run a program of your own selection on the print job data, while you are processing
The Filter transform can use standard input and output, and command-line arguments
RPM Elite only
Watermark PDF
Description: Add a watermark to a PDF file
RPM has an overlay manager that tracks images on disk and where they are to be placed
RPM Elite only