I/NET Net Print/400 - Overview

What It Does

When used with Webulator/400, Net Print/400 provides a series of easy to use commands to identify, transform, and transmit the AS/400 print stream to the requester's browser. With the aid of the plug-in, the user can select the printer, and the number of copies to print. After the report is printed, the user can continue with their Webulator/400 session. The user can also pass through to a separate AS/400 and print reports from there provided the pass through system has Net Print/400 installed.

Net Print/400 also ships with a series of sample Net.Data macros and AS/400 programs that allow you to fully customize the interface for selecting the AS/400 reports for Internet printing. For example, using the scripting interface, you can easily identify a single output queue whose reports, would be available to Internet users. Because it is written in a Net.Data macro, you have full control over the look and feel of the script's output so that you can add such features as standard mastheads and navigation to the output of the script. Net Print/400 can also utilize the SSL functionality of the server to send reports securely.

How It Works

Flow of a Net Print/400 Session

A - Webulator/400 Environment

A-1. The user displays a list of the spooled files using the Work With Spooled Files using Net Print/400 (WRKSPLFNP) command and selects spooled file(s) they wish to print or display.
A-2. The user written application executes the Send Spooled File using Net Print/400 (SNDSPLFNP) command directly to identify the individual report to be printed.
A-3. The Send Spooled File With Net Print/400 (SNDSPLFNP) command calls the Net Print/400 program NETPRTIB.

B - CGI Environment

B-1. The sample Net.Data macro calls the Net Print/400 NETPRTSP program to retrieve a list of spooled files for selection by the user, this selection is a link that calls the NETPRTIB program directly.
B-2. User accesses a static URL that identifies an existing AS/400 spooled file.

1. The Net Print/400 NETPRTIB program converts the specified spooled file to a data stream compatible with the chosen printer, or HTML when displaying.

2. The Net Print/400 program NETPRTIB sends the spooled file to the browser.

Display:

The spooled file which has been converted to HTML is displayed at the browser as simple HTML. No special browser tools are needed for this display.

Print:

The Browser recognizes the print data stream and executes the plug-in, or helper application.

3a. The user clicks the appropriate settings to print the spooled file.
3b. The user clicks the appropriate settings to save the spooled file to disk.

Customizing Net Print/400

Webulator/400
The WRKSPLFNP command can be bypassed in favor of calling the SNDSPLFNP command directly allowing you to set the selection interface yourself. The SNDSPLFNP command can also be called from other AS/400 applications, just like any other AS/400 command.

CGI
The supplied CGI interface uses a Net.Data macro. The customer can modify the macro, or write their own CGI using any other supported CGI language. The important issue is that the correct parameters get passed to the program NETPRTIB. (See Chapter 5, "Creating a URL to print a spooled file").

More detail and examples on both of these methods are given in Chapter 4, "Configuration of CGI Environments" and chapter 5.

Hardware and Software Requirements

• Any AS/400 with OS/400 V3R2, V3R7 and later.

• If using Webulator/400 version 2.0, you must have software PTF's WBL200017, and WBL200018 for Webulator/400 to be able to transmit a spooled file to the browser. For instructions on downloading and installing PTF's, visit the I/NET website at:

http://www.inetmi.com/iseries/support

Supported Servers:

• Netscape Enterprise Server for the IBM AS/400

• Web Server/400 (You will need the WWW130021 PTF.)

• Commerce Server/400 (You will need the WWW130021 PTF.)

• IBM's HTTP Server (V4R3 or later)

• IBM's ICSS Server (V4R1 (with PTFs) or V4R2)

You must have the Net Print/400 plugin and Netprint Viewer.exe installed on your PC in the location required by the browser you are using in order to print spooled files. (Refer to Chapter 6, "The Net Print/400 Browser configuration," for more information)

Authorities

Spooled file Authorities
A spooled file is a special type of object on the system. You cannot directly grant and revoke authority to view and manipulate a spooled file. The authority to a spooled file is controlled by several parameters on the output queue that holds the spooled file.

When you create a spooled file, you are the owner of that file. You can always view and manipulate any spooled files you own, regardless of how the authority for the output queue is defined. You must have *READ authority to add new entries to an output queue. If your authority to an output queue is removed, you can still access any entries you own on that queue using the Work with Spooled Files using Net Print/400 (WRKSPLFNP) command. The security parameters for an output queue are specified using the Create Output Queue (CRTOUTQ) command or the Change Output Queue (CHGOUTQ) command. You can display the security parameters for an output queue using the Work with Output Queue Description (WRKOUTQD) command.

Note: A user with *SPLCTL special authority can perform all functions on all entries, regardless of how the output queue is defined. Some parameters on the output queue allow a user with *JOBCTL special authority to view the contents of entries on the output queue.

For CGI and Net.Data sessions
The user profile executing the CGI programs and macros must have spooled file authorities.

For interactive Webulator/400 sessions

The user profile used to sign onto the Webulator/400 session must have spooled file authorities.

Other Authority Considerations

Certain options include the use of an AS/400 device description, or Workstation Customizing Object (WSCST). If it is desired to excercise these options, you must have authority to use their associated objects as well.

For more information about authorities, please refer to: AS/400e Series Security - Reference Version 4 (Document Number SC41-5302).

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