Using DESTTYP(*OS400) on an IBM i remote output queue with RPM

Q: Can I point a remote output queue with destination type *OS400 at RPM?

A: Yes, starting with RPM 7.0.0.637. Earlier versions printed these spooled files as garbage, because they didn’t recognize the extra information IBM i sends with them.

Our standard setup uses destination type *OTHER, which still works and is still what we recommend for most sites. Choose *OS400 when you want what it adds:

The spooled file’s attributes. With *OS400, IBM i sends each spooled file with its attributes, such as its page length and width. RPM’s SCS to text markup transform takes the forms size from them.
User data (USRDTA). RPM keeps the spooled file’s user data with the job. Use it as User data in file names and other templates (<ud>), as %d in program arguments, and as %user-data% in banner text.
Spooled files that aren’t SCS, such as *AFPDS or *USERASCII. The new IBM i Spooled File transform removes the attributes and passes the print data through unchanged, so you can save or forward it as the system created it.

Setting up the output queue

Create or change the remote output queue as on our setup page, with these two settings:

Destination type  . . . . . . . . . . . : *OS400
Host print transform  . . . . . . . . . : *NO

For example, to change an existing output queue:

CHGOUTQ OUTQ(QUSRSYS/[OBJECT_NAME]) DESTTYP(*OS400) TRANSFORM(*NO)

Host print transform must be *NO, so that the system sends SCS rather than converting it for a printer.

Setting up the RPM queue

SCS spooled files: use the SCS to text markup transform, as with *OTHER, then the transforms and actions you would normally use. It removes the attributes before converting the SCS.
Other spooled files, such as *AFPDS: use the IBM i Spooled File transform in place of SCS to text markup. A spooled file that isn’t SCS puts the job in error in SCS to text markup.

The IBM i Spooled File transform also passes data without the attributes through unchanged, so a queue that uses it can receive from both *OTHER and *OS400 output queues.

Note: RPM doesn’t print or convert AFP (*AFPDS) data. AFP spooled files refer to overlays, page segments and fonts by name; those resources stay on the IBM i and aren’t sent with the spooled file.