Is Archive the correct term?

[AllenFlynn]

Our onDemand system places an AFPDS report (Order Invoice) into an OnDemand folder where people may retrieve, view, etc, etc...

My question is when a given AFPDS report (Order Invoice) is first processed, placed into that OnDemand folder, can OnDemand archive that document as a Acrobat pdf file within a iSeries IFS folder.

[Justin Derrick]

Hi Allen.

You'll likely want to store (aka 'archive') the file as AFPDS on the server, then convert it to PDF at the time it's retrieved by the user.  This is supported by 'transform' tools like IBM's APF2PDF.  I haven't checked with the latest versions of CMOD (which can split PDFs into resources and data, the same way CMOD does with AFP), but I still believe AFP is stored more efficiently (ie, it uses less space).

-JD.

[Alessandro Perucchi]

Hello,

I'm just adding some info about what Justin said concerning the PDF.

So yes, you have the possibility to convert on the fly AFP into PDF with the AFP2WEB component (which contains lots of converter including AFP2PDF).

Then I've some experience with the PDF Indexer, and you need to know that you PDF will be cut in small pieces, and if some pieces are not strict Version PDF 1.3 or 1.4, then it will be discarded.
Meaning that if you have some PDF/A with certificates, some fields where you might have some custom indexes, or anything that makes use of some enhanced capability of PDF, then it will be removed.

The advantage of that, is that the PDF blocks that are stored in a way, that CMOD to display the document will automatically generated a PDF to the actual version. (meaning PDF 1.7 or 1.8, and maybe in 10 years as PDF 4.5)

The disadvantage is that you lose the integrity of your PDF, they won't be 1:1 archived. They will 100% the same displayed and printed, but all internal metadata that a PDF can have will be removed.
So if you want a 100% integrity, you must NOT use the PDF Indexer.

From a disk space perspective, I have done no testing between AFP and PDF, because I had no such material.
What I can say, is with the test files we had we have gain something like 70-80% of disk spaces.

Sincerely yours,
Alessandro

[Carol Allen]

Hi,  Just realized I haven't logged on to ODUG in a long time, so I might as well add something!

Another thing to consider.....You could also take the AFPDS spool files and convert them to PDF files BEFORE archiving them into OnDemand.  If you're at V6R1, this capability of converting SCS or AFPDS to PDF is free with the operating system.  The PDF files are placed in an IFS directory, which you could monitor like you would an outq (with the STRMONOND command).  You would need the PDF Indexer feature of OnDemand to index the PDF files.  Let me know if you want more info about this process.

[AllenFlynn]

[...]
If you're at V6R1, this capability of converting SCS or AFPDS to PDF is free with the operating system.
[...]

Exactly! In a nutshell:

1) Retrieve a document to my dedicated outq with the qShell execution the ARSDOC PRINT.
2) CPYSPLF that AFPDS spooled file with an overlay into the IFS.
3) Email that puppy to an authorized email address.

Thank you all for all your help.