Specifying media and trays

Using XDC Editor, you can define printer input trays and media types separately, and then map them. This separation allows you to use the media types that are separately defined by designers who laid out forms using Designer. Typically, you define the media types, fonts, sequences, and printer capabilities, and then map the media types to trays. However, because the media types are standardized and usually form authors define the media types that they intend to use with the forms they author, generally, you do not need to add or edit media types. In addition, because the mapping between media types and trays require exact names of media types, it is recommended that you use the media types that the form designer makes available.

You can map media types (paper types) that are available on the printer to input trays that those types are loaded in. You can also specify the output trays that are available on the printer. Here, you can select the tray and media types by the names you assigned in Designer, and then map media types and trays.

Specifying media types

Typically, form authors using Designer specify the media type that each page in the form is printed on, choosing from the media types specified in the Designer XDP file (Designer.xdp). When Output prints the form, it uses the XDC file for the printer to associate the media type for a page with a specific input tray. It also uses the XDC file to determine the printer-specific commands for selecting the input and output trays. Output incorporates these commands into the setup instructions it sends to the printer.

XDC Editor allows you to specify the media types that form authors define for use in their master pages. Within the XDC Editor, you can independently define the media types by adding, removing, or editing media types. Typically, you use the same name as the media type that the form author used, and then define the characteristics of each media type. You can then map the input trays to media types.

The XDC file for the target printer maps media types to input trays. To print a form that uses non-standard media, you may have to modify that printer’s XDC file to specify the input tray that the media is located in. To do this, modify your XDC file or XCI properties so that the printer feeds paper from the correct input tray. In some cases, you may have to modify both the XDC file and the XCI properties.

Follow the scenario below to change the type of paper that is specified in the form or if the form does not have a type of paper specified.

Modifying the XDC file to specify media and tray selection involves the following general tasks:

Determining or specifying the media used by a form

Identifying your printer’s input tray numbers

Media and tray mapping (PCL and PostScript Printers only)

Deploying XDC files

Determining or specifying the media used by a form

You can determine or specify the medium used in a blank form by using Designer.

Determine or specify the medium used in a blank form

  1. Open a form in Designer.

  2. Select Window > Hierarchy to display the Hierarchy palette.

  3. In the Hierarchy palette, select one of the pages subordinate to the Master Pages entry (for example, select form 1 > (Master Pages) > Page 1).

  4. Show the Object palette by selecting Window > Object. The Paper Type list on the Master Page tab displays the currently selected paper type for the blank form. (Paper type and media type are synonyms.)

    Note: A blank form can have multiple master pages, each of which has a different medium selection.

  5. (Optional) In the Paper Type list, select a new media for the master page. The paper types available are derived from the XDC file that is used by Designer. For example, Designer presents a paper type of Letter Head derived from the XDC entry letterHead.

Define media types in XDC Editor

  1. In Workbench, open the XDC file to modify.

  2. On the Mediums tab, click Add.

  3. In the Add New Medium dialog box, do the following:

    • From the Stock pop-up menu, select the media type that the form author may have defined.

    • In the Long Edge field, specify the long-edge dimension of the media, appending the unit of measurement. Units can be expressed with three fractional digits (for example, 432 pt and 44.555 in). Supply this value even if the name of the media type implies its value.

    • In the Short Edge field, specify the short-edge dimension of the media, appending the unit of measurement. Supply this value even if the name of the media type implies its value.

    • (Printers except PostScript printers) In the Imaging Bounding Box field, specify the coordinates that define the printable area of the media. Provide one set of coordinates to define the lower-left points and another set of coordinates to define the upper-right points. Separate the values with commas and provide the unit of measurement with the values. For example, 0pt, 1pt, 288pt, 431pt describes a printing area with a lower-left corner that has the coordinates (0pt, 1pt) and an upper-right corner that has the coordinates (288pt, 431pt). For information about specifying the printable area, see your printer’s manual. (See Finding documentation for your printer.)

Remove a medium

You can remove a medium from the XDC file using XDC Editor. For PCL and PostScript supported printers, removing a medium from the XDC file removes tray-medium mapping that uses the selected medium.

To remove a medium from the XDC file

  1. In Workbench, open the XDC file to modify.

  2. On the Mediums tab, select the medium to remove, and then click Remove.

Modify a medium (PCL and PostScript printers only)

When you modify a medium, Tray-Medium mapping that uses the changed medium is also modified.

  1. In Workbench, open the XDC file to modify.

  2. On the Mediums tab, select the medium to modify, and click Change.

  3. In the Change Medium dialog box, change the relevant parameters, and click OK.

Identifying your printer’s input tray numbers

Now that you know the media types the master pages use in the blank form, identify the tray number that delivers each media type. The tray number may differ from the numbers printed or embossed on the trays themselves. Use these tray numbers when you modify the XDC file. Ideally, you should obtain tray information from the printer’s manual; however, this Help describes other ways to obtain tray information for your printer.

Obtaining information from your printer’s manual

If you have a copy of your printer’s reference manual (Finding documentation for your printer), it should provide a list of possible input tray numbers. For example, the technical reference (not the user reference) for the Lexmark T632 printer shows the tray numbers in the table below, depending on whether PostScript or PCL emulation is selected. (See Specifying printer capabilities). Keep in mind that you can specify the trays only for PCL or PostScript printers.

Note: PostScript language level 2 uses tray names instead of tray numbers. Therefore, use tray names to identify input trays. (See Media and tray mapping (PCL and PostScript Printers only).)

Input tray number using PCL emulation

Input tray number using PostScript emulation (language level 3 only)

Tray description

0

Not specified

Active source or eject page

1

0

Tray 1 (default)

2

3

Manual paper feed

3

4

Manual envelope feed

4

1

Tray 2

5

5

Tray 3

6

Not specified

Optional envelope feeder

7

Not specified

Auto select

8

7

Multipurpose feeder

Not specified

2

Multipurpose feeder or envelope feeder

20

8

Tray 4

21

9

Tray 5

62

Not specified

Optional paper source

Obtaining information from your printer

Many printers provide an interface that lets you obtain information directly from the printer:

Display panel or screen
Displays information about the printer configuration or lets you request the printer to print a configuration page. Information may include tray numbers. In the case of networked printers, the configuration page may include an IP address.

Web interface
Provides a user interface so that you can examine the printer configuration by using your web browser.

Obtaining information from your printer’s PPD file (PostScript printers)

For PostScript printers, if you cannot obtain the printer’s reference manual or information from the printer itself, you can obtain tray information from the printer’s PPD (PostScript printer description) file. This applies only to printers that support the PostScript language. You can download PPDs from the Adobe Printer Drivers site. Alternatively, you can search the Internet for other PPD download websites or go to Common UNIX Printing System (CUPS).

The following lines come from the PPD file for the Ricoh cl 3000 printer:

*InputSlot MultiTray/Bypass Tray: "<</MediaPosition 0>> setpagedevice" 
*InputSlot 1Tray/Tray 1: "<</MediaPosition 1>> setpagedevice" 
*InputSlot 2Tray/Tray 2: "<</MediaPosition 2>> setpagedevice" 
*InputSlot 3Tray/Tray 3: "<</MediaPosition 3>> setpagedevice"

In this case, the text string 2Tray/Tray2 that appears before the colon (":") corresponds to the actual printer tray. <<MediaPosition 2>> is the PostScript command to select that input tray. The input tray number is given as a parameter of MediaPosition; therefore, the input tray number to be used is “2”.

Trays (PCL and PostScript printers only)

The Tray panel in the XDC Editor allows you to manage trays that are available in your printer and then map them to specific media types that are available from the Stock menu.

Add a tray

  1. In the XDC Editor, open the PCL or PostScript XDC file that you want to edit.

  2. In the Tray panel, click Add.

  3. In the Add New Tray dialog box, do the following, and click OK:

    • In the Input Tray Name field, enter a unique, meaningful name for the input tray.

    • (PostScript language level 3 printers) In the Input Tray Number field, specify the tray number that identifies the input tray.

    • In the Tray Type field, specify the PostScript media type that is associated with a particular input tray. Tray Type values are either predefined by the printer’s manufacturer or configured by the system administrators by using the printer’s front panel. Examples of predefined Media Type values are PLAIN, COATED, and GLOSSY.

    • (PostScript language level 2 printers) Omit values from the Tray Number field and specify the input tray type in the Input Tray Type field.

Edit Tray details

When you rename an input tray, for PCL and PostScript printers, Tray-Medium mapping that uses the edited tray is also updated.

  1. In Workbench, open the XDC file that you want to modify.

  2. On the Trays tab, select the tray that you want to edit.

  3. In the Change Input Tray dialog box, edit the parameters and click OK to save them.

Media and tray mapping (PCL and PostScript Printers only)

For printers that support PostScript or PCL languages, you can map the available media types and trays. Keep in mind that you are mapping the media types to Tray Names, not tray numbers. In the Tray panel, you can add, change, or delete input tray characteristics. Before you begin the procedures, ensure that your XDC file is configured for your printer, and identify the input tray numbers and tray names for your printer. (See Specifying printer capabilities and Identifying your printer’s input tray numbers.)

Map a medium to a tray

  1. At the bottom of the XDC Editor panel, click the Trays tab.

  2. Click Add to the right of the Medium To Tray Mappings table.

  3. From the Stock menu, select the media type you are want to map to a tray.

    The media types that are available from the Stock menu reflect the media types that are predefined in Designer. Using Designer, form authors specify the paper types (media types) for the master pages that are used on a form, choosing from a list of the same predefined media types (paper types). (See Determining or specifying the media used by a form.)

    Notice that some of the entries in the Stock column are not preceded by an asterisk. These entries reflect a subset of the media types that are predefined in Designer. Entries in the Stock column that are preceded by an asterisk are defined only in the XDC file being edited.

    If you add a media type that is not already defined in the Designer.xdc file, add the new media type to the copy of the Designer.xdc file that Designer uses and then restart Designer. Thereafter, form authors can select the newly created stock name in the Master Page object property. (See Adding new paper types to the Designer.xdc file.)

  4. In the Input Tray Name field, select media name that you want to map to the tray that you selected already, and click OK.

Delete a media and tray mapping entry

  1. At the bottom of the XDC Editor panel, click the Trays tab.

  2. Select the entry to delete from the mapping table, and click Remove.

Note: If you delete a medium that was used in any of the tray-medium mapping, the mapping is removed when the medium is removed.

(PostScript- and PCL-based XDC files) Adding or changing output trays

In the Output Tray panel, you can add, change, or delete output tray characteristics.

Add an output tray

  1. At the bottom of the XDC Editor panel, click the Medium and Trays tab, and then click Add.

  2. In the Output Tray Name field, specify a name that uniquely identifies the output tray. This name can be referenced by API parameters and by Output parameters.

  3. In the Tray Bin field, specify the output bin number. This value corresponds to the Output Bin entry in the Printed Output Options dialog box of the generated Printed Output service of Output.

  4. In the Tray Number field, specify the tray number. This number can be referenced by API parameters and by Output parameters.

Modify an output tray

  1. At the bottom of the XDC Editor panel, click the Medium and Trays tab.

  2. Select the entry to modify and click Modify, or double-click the entry to modify.

  3. Modify the necessary fields. (See Add an output tray.)

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