It's my understanding of environment files that to be truly useful, they need to be formatted and accepted by the laser as a set of rules stored as a macro (or a number of macros), and flashed as a form mask by subsequent escape sequences within the print file. We use <plug> Formation </plug> to design and maintain a complete set of forms for a medical insurance company, and this has resulted in the number of preprinted forms they require being reduced to two - membership cards and cheques (since these need magnetic ink and security printing features). All other forms start off as blank paper - sometimes plain white, and sometimes coloured. I have often tried to do what is suggested below, with some success, but hardly any of the functionality required to achieve true multi part dynamic forms handling. Regards Neil Harvey > -----Original Message----- > From: Ted Ashton [SMTP:[log in to unmask]] > Sent: Thursday, June 26, 1997 2:44 PM > To: [log in to unmask] > Subject: Re: Byte Stream Environment Files > > Thus it was written in the epistle of [log in to unmask], > > Has anyone run across a tool that allows the design of forms or page > > attributes on a PC, and then converts the form into PCL5 code, > stored in > > a byte stream file? The byte stream file could then be loaded onto > the > > HP3000. With the ability to use byte stream files as enviornment > files > > as of MPE\ix 5.5, this would be a very useful tool. It would sure > be > > easier than writing the PCL code in an editor, as the enviornment > files > > seem to not allow any documentation of what you are doing. > > > > Around here we just use a word processor to design the form and then > print to a > file the code for whatever printer we want. Unfortuantely, a word > processor > will add extra code in which we don't want--form feeds, for instance. > So I > wrote a couple of quick perl scripts which translate control codes to > something > printable and back. I translate the files, read through them, taking > out stuff > I don't want in there and then translate them back. It's actually a > fairly > decent process. It's been a while since I needed to do that, but I'd > be glad > to look up the scripts and give you a copy if you wish. > > Ted > -- > Ted Ashton ([log in to unmask]), Info Serv, Southern Adventist > University > ========================================================== > Science without religion is lame; religion without science is blind. > -- Einstein, Albert > (1879-1955)