In message <[log in to unmask]>, Greg Chaplin
<[log in to unmask]> writes
>> Hello,
>>
>> I am looking for software that will allow printing a form (logo, bold
>> heading,etc.) with data on LaserJet IIISi and 4Si.  I have looked at packages
>> that create the form on a PC then upload to the 3K and create an
>> "environment" file that merges with the data at print time.  These are
>> overkill for what we want to do and the cost is prohibitive.  Our budget is
>> $3k-$5k.  Any suggestions would be appreciated.
>>
>> TIA
>> Pat Nash
>> [log in to unmask]
>>
>
>Pat,
>
>A cheap, but not necessarily simple, way would be to use a mail-merge
>process with a PC word processor.  You would create the "form" in the
>word-processor, with all your fill-in fields to be populated with
>data from the data-file from the HP - refer to the documentation for
>the word-processor package for mail-merges.  Next, create the
>datafile on the HP, transfer it to your PC and run the word-processor
>mail-merge process.
>
>The file-transfer & mail-merge processes could be done manually or
>possibly automatically - if you have Reflection for Windows or
>similar, you could set it up to transfer the file and then use DDE to
>run the word-processor's mail-merge.  I haven't tried it, and it
>could be tricky, but it would be fairly cheap.  The main caveat is
>that it would only be suitable for small volumes.
>
>Good luck.
>
>Greg Chaplin
>UniSuper
>Level 28, 367 Collins St,      Email: [log in to unmask]
>Melbourne 3000,                Phone: +61 3 9648 4145
>Australia.                     Fax:   +61 3 9648 4141
>(Any opinions expressed here are not necessarily my employer's)

<plug>
If you want to design letters/forms etc in Word for Windows or any other
PC package and then merge the data together on the HP3000 for large
volume printing. SPINNER is a product that will do this.

The Scottish Legal Aid board has over 400 letters and forms designed on
the PC and are merged with output from Powerhouse by SPINNER.

One off letters generated from PCs are trapped and indexed on the
HP3000. The letter can then be viewed ( no graphics of course ) and read
on a standard terminal.

We also supply a very visual product called IPS which will deliver
spoofiles to jetdirect cards with full page control and electronic form
tracking.

You can also fax the output, store the form and data for long term
archiving with a product called Electrofiche which runs on PCs.

So from one vendor you can get a resonably priced, data efficient, total
solution.
<end plug>

Kirk Whelan,                               Tel:01784-436234
Technical Director,                        Fax:01784-433315
SMM Software Ltd,
42a High Street, Egham, Surrey, TW20 9DP.