> Robert Graham wrote:
>
> Does anyone know of a forms generation package for the HP3K EXCEPT
> Fantasia?

#include <std/disclaimers.h>

Formation, from Unison.  The current version has a Windows-based forms
design package that is excellent for doing "overlay" type forms where
you are primarily replacing a pre-printed form.  Works great with
LaserJets.  On the downside, if you want to use lots of data fonts on
the same form, or other things like the old 2680 PSP/AGL graphics
intrinsics, they have replacement intrinsics for these, but they're
a bear to use.  Otherwise, just tell it the paper size, how many lines
and columns, and up pops a grid.  You can do basic graphics (lines,
boxes, shading), add text (somewhat limited in fonts), or paste up
TIFF graphics.  Download the result to the 3000, feed it to a compiler,
and you get an environment file output.  Run a program to activate their
AIF to capture file opens, :file out;dev=myljet;env=newenv, and you're
off.

On the downside, it's a bit pricey, especially if you get the 2680
option (though possibly a defunct option now that 2680s are out of HP
support now).  The original would generate cross-platform environment
files (2680 and LaserJet).  And some features require you go run the
results through their formatter (printing 2-up or 4-up reduction print)
although simple overlay forms go direct to the spooler.  If I were a
new customer, I'd like to see a "Formation Light" that removed most of
the clunky 2680 things and generated a network spooler type setup file,
at least as an option.  There are some minor issues between serial and
network printers when using the current environment files.

Then there is also Fantasia which we evaluated quite a long time ago.
Fantasia is like the old TDP formatter on steroids, you embed formatting
commands (plain text) into an output file and run the results through
their formatter.  If you're developing applications, or have access to
source code of what you're using, you can probably adapt it.  It offers
trememdous flexibility if you're willing to design your programs for it
(I would like it to generating HTML instead of a printed report, and
printing the resulting formatted HTML).  If you're trying to draw a form
"around" existing executables reports, it's difficult at best.

Wirt will probably mention QueryCalc's postscript abilities :-)
And I've probably missed another vendor or two, no offense.

Our decision was largely made on the basis of most of our pre-printed
forms being used to print output from the main campus IBM mainframe,
which comes to us via SNA/NRJE as raw printer output, and they would
laugh uncontrollably if we asked them to modify source code or JCL to
accomodate our needs :-(  Formation was ideally suited for this
application.

Jeff Kell <[log in to unmask]>