Installing the FDMERGE multi-threaded form merge command
From Support
Contents |
What is the FDMERGE Command?
The FDMERGE command is a multi-threaded command in the WINSPOOL library that is designed to merge a text based (SCS) spool file natively on the iSeries with a form overlay and either capture or print the results via one of the following options: 1.) Doc can be captured and merged to the IFS as a PDF or PCL file. 2.) Doc can be captured and merged into an output queue on the iSeries as a PDF or PCL file. 3.) Doc can be captured and merged and printed directly on any PC or network printer connected to the PC print server.
The FDMERGE command can be called interactively or can be embedded into a CL or RPG program to merge form documents as the text spool files are generated on the AS/400 or iSeries system.
NOTE: The FDMERGE command is located within the WINSPOOL library and replaces the FDMRGSPLF command in functionality. FDMRGSPLF suffered from the inability to be multi-threaded. FDMERGE talks to an ASP.Net web application so several iSeries jobs can be merging documents at the same time. However we recommend around 4-8 threads maximum per print server PC. Number of threads can be controlled from the iSeries by creating a job queue where FDMERGE commands are submitted to with a maximum number of active jobs.
Software Requirements
iSeries Requirements
- WINSPOOL library V3.64 or above.
- OS/400 V5R1 and above.
PC Requirements
- IIS - Internet Information Systems
- .Net Framework Version 1.1
- .Net Framework Version 2.0
- VB5 Runtime Files
- WinSpool/400 Report Download
- WinSpool/400 Electronic Forms
- RJS Forms Merge Engine (Should already get installed with WinSpool Electronic Forms.)
- FormDocs software.
- RJSFormServer ASP.Net Application installed in C:\INETPUP\wwwroot\RJSFormServer
Initial PC Server Setup
Install and license WinSpool Electronic Forms Print Server on PC
WinSpool/400_Electronic_Forms_Print_Server_Install
Install Microsoft IIS Web Server on Windows XP or Windows 2003 PC.
Use your Windows CD to install this component.
NOTE: IIS needs to needs to be installed before .NET Framework 2.0. If you accidentally install the products out of order, or have already installed .NET Framework 2.0, please refer to the RJS Support article on Repairing ASP.NET.
NOTE: this process has not been tested with Windows Vista
Install .Net Runtime 1.1 and 2.0 if not already installed.
Use Windows Updates to install these components.
NOTE: These components are not High Priority so they must be selected from the "Software, Optional" category, or looked up individually at the Microsoft website.
NOTE: If you install these components, you MUST run Windows Updates again to get the security patches for these components.
Download and install the RJS Forms Server ASP.Net Web Application
http://downloads.rjssoftware.com/files/ws_eforms/rjsformserver/rjsformserver.exe
Extract the files to c:\inetpub\wwwroot\RJSFormServer
Configuring the WebServer in Windows 2000 or Windows XP
IIS Manager Setup
1.) Go to Start > Settings > Control Panel > Administrative Tools > Internet Information Services to open the IIS Manager Program.
2.) Expand the default web site, then right-click the RJSFormServer directory and select Properties to show info for the RJSFormServer web application directory.
3.) On the Virtual Directory or Directory tab under Application Settings, click the Create button.
4.) Under Application Protection, select: Low (IIS Process). Then click Apply.
5.) Click the Directory Security tab. Under Anonymous access and authentication control, click Edit.
6.) Type in a Windows Local Administrator level or Power User user ID and password. Uncheck Allow IIS to control password. Click OK.
Note: For Windows 2000, You MUST use the <Domain>\Administrator account. If you are not on a domain, ONLY the <Local>\Administrator user can be entered here. All other users will cause errors when accessing the printers.
7.) Click the ASP.NET tab. Verify that the ASP.NET Version field has a value that it is set to the highest available version.
8.) On the same tab, click the "Edit Configuration" button. When the Configuration screen appears, remain on the "General" tab and verify that the following entries point to locations that exist on your PC.
Default Values
- TempDirectory - C:\RJSTEMP (May need to manually create.)
- FormDocsDirectory - C:\Program Files\FormDocs
- FormDocsTemplateDirectory - C:\Program Files\FormDocs\Templates
NOTE: it is recommended that you leave the temporary directory at C:\RJSTEMP
NOTE: If you installed FormDocs to a different location or if you are storing your templates in a different location, please change these fields
9.) Go to the "Application" tab in the ASP.NET Configuration Settings and locate the Identity settings box at the bottom of that tab. Check the box and enter a valid Windows User/Password into the fields. This will allow our ASP.NET application to access the RJSFormMerge ActiveX object.
Note: Use the same userid and password we used to set up Anonymous access and authentication control above.
Note: For Windows 2000, You MUST use the <Domain>\Administrator account. If you are not on a domain, ONLY the <Local>\Administrator user can be entered here. All other users will cause errors when accessing the printers.
Permissions Setup
In order to be able to use the Forms Merge Engine ActiveX, you must configure local permissions to allow the user specified for Anonymous access in IIS to access ActiveX and other operating system programs as needed
Launch the policy editor via: Start/Settings/Control Panel/Administrative Tools/Local Security Policy.
Under Local Policies/User Rights Assignment, double-click on Act as part of the operating system.
Add the same user that was specified under Anonymous access and authentication control in IIS Manager.
Note: Use the same userid and password we used to set up Anonymous access and authentication control above.
Note: For Windows 2000, You MUST use the <Domain>\Administrator account. If you are not on a domain, ONLY the <Local>\Administrator user can be entered here. All other users will cause errors when accessing the printers.
Finalize Setup
1.) Restart IIS Web Server processes.
Note: This is a required step or you may get ActiveX errors when trying to run a forms merge.
Select Start/Run and type COMMAND. Click OK to open the DOS window.
Run each of the following DOS commands:
net stop w3svc
net stop iisadmin
net start iisadmin
net start w3svc
2.) Make sure that the default Windows printer points to an actual printer or you may see FDD.EXE log up in the Windows task list.
You can get to the printer list via Start/Settings/Printers and Faxes. Then right-click on the printer you want to be the default printer and select "Set as Default Printer."
Note: Do NOT ignore this step.
Testing
Open Internet Exporer and run the following URL from the forms server PC
http://localhost/RJSFormServer/mergeForm.aspx
If you see: "ERROR: FormDocsTemplate parameter is required", then all is good.
Troubleshooting
If you see any errors stating that the object does not have authority to a specific directory, locate that directory and grant full authority to the Windows User/Password that you used back in steps 6, 9, and 10.
If you see an Unable to create activeX error after running FDMERGE command, make sure to completely restart IIS service from IIS Manager again.
This completes the initial PC server setup for Windows 2000 and Windows XP.
Configuring the WebServer in Windows 2003 Server
IIS Manager Setup
Specific steps are to come... Use the Windows XP steps for now...
iSeries Setup
1.) Install updated WINSPOOL library V3.64 and above and make sure that the FDMERGE command exists in the library. Upgrading the Winspool/400 Library
2.) Determine the IP address where the RJSFormServer ASP.Net program is loaded, by going to the PC and typing IPCONFIG <enter> from the DOS command line.
3.) Set the data are which points to the print server where IIS is loaded based on the determined PC IP address.
Example using port 80:
CHGDTAARA DTAARA(WINSPOOL/FDMRGHOST) VALUE('http://1.1.1.1')
Example using port 1080:
CHGDTAARA DTAARA(WINSPOOL/FDMRGHOST) VALUE('http://1.1.1.1:1080')
4.) Set the HTTP timeout data area
Example set to 60 seconds:
CHGDTAARA DTAARA(WINSPOOL/FDTIMEOUT) VALUE(60)
5.) Create sample INVOICE report on the iSeries for testing
ADDLIBLE WINSPOOL
WSPTEST1 OUTQ(WSPEFORM) OUTQLIB(QGPL)
6.) Run a merge on the sample report.
FDMERGE FILE(INVOICE) JOB(*) SPLNBR(*LAST) MRGOVERLAY(*SPOOL) MRGOPTION(*IFSFILE) MRGDTAFMT(PDF) MRGPRTDRV(*NONE) MRGIFSFILE('/TEST.PDF') REPLACE(*YES) DSPLOG(*YES)
You will get a CPF9898 if errors occur. Otherwise the PDF should exist after command completion.
Note: For testing we enabled on the DSPLOG parameter
Note: The benchmark with a Pentium 3.0ghz PC yielded a merge of our sample invoice between 3-5 seconds.
Using FDMERGE
For help with using the FDMERGE command, please reference the "Using FDMERGE multi-threaded forms merge commands" support article.
