Printing to Disk

If the user are using a PDT, the user can save a host print-job or the contents of the session window (Print Screen) to a workstation file instead of printing it.

Three types of Print-to-Disk function are provided by Personal Communications:
Print-to-Disk Append

Append option is to append the collected print job data into existing file.If the user has configured an existing file, subsequent print jobs data is appended to the original file. This functionality has an advantage of having the existing printed job data in the file and not be overwritten.

Print-to-Disk Make a New Copy

Make a New Copy option will create a new file while performing “Print Screen” operation every time.

Also, in “Print-to-Disk” window, User can type the file name in the text box with or without file extension. If filename is typed without file extension, typed filename will be save with .txt format in the default directory (%AppData%\Roaming\IBM\Personal Communications).

If user did not provide any file name via browse option, print job data will be saved in the default directory (%AppData%\Roaming\IBM\Personal Communications) with default filename (PRTDSK) and file format will be .txt.

When user perform “Print Screen” operation for the first time, new file will be created under the selected path and subsequent file will be generated with incremented numbers (***) in the suffix of its filename.
Refer the following example.
Example 1:
Users provide File extension with the default file name: 
“PRTDSK.txt” or “PRTDSK.doc”   

Generated File format: 

“PRTDSK001.txt” or “PRTDSK001.doc” to “PRTDSK***.txt” or “PRTDSK***.doc”
Example 2:

Users provide the default file name without extension: “PRTDSK”. Generated File format: “PRTDSK001.txt”to “PRTDSK***.txt”.

This functionality has an advantage of having printed job data in the new file for each "Print Screen" job request.

Print-to-Disk Overwrite

Overwrite option will Overwrite the collected print job data into the existing file. If the user provides an existing file, the subsequent print jobs will be overwritten to the configured file. This functionality enables to clear the print file between printing the print collection.

Note:
  1. Print-to-Disk is not available for the Print-Graphics function.
  2. Print-to-Disk can be used only when you use a printer definition table (PDT) file.
To set up Print-to-Disk:
  1. Click File → Printer Setup from the menu bar in the session window.

    The Printer Setup window lists the supported printers.

  2. Select Print to Disk from the list box.
  3. Click Select PDT. The Select PDT file window opens.
  4. Select a PDT file from the list; then click OK. The Printer Setup window reopens.
  5. Click Setup. The Select Print-to-Disk File window opens.
  6. Choose Append / Make a new copy / Overwrite radio option from the “Print to Disk” window. The Print-to-Disk function support the .txt and .doc file formats.
  7. Browse the directory from the system directory/ Network directory to configure the printer setup.

    • For “Append” and “Overwrite” options, select the existing file to configure the "Print to Disk" setup.

    • For “Make a new copy” option, file name and directory configuration can be done by below listed ways.

      • Click the browse button, select the directory, and type the new file name to save and configure the "Print to Disk" setup.

      • If user did not provide the file name using Browse option, default file name (PRTDSK) will be saved with the .txt file format in the default directory, PCOMM appdata location (Example: %AppData%\Roaming\IBM\Personal Communications).

      • On “Print to Disk” window, type the filename in the text box. This creates the file in the default directory, PCOMM appdata location (Example: %AppData%\Roaming\IBM\Personal Communications).

Note:
  1. If the user specify the name of an existing file, subsequent print jobs are appended to the data in the original file in the case of Print to Disk Append.
  2. If you specify the name of an existing file, the subsequent print jobs are overwritten to the data in the configured file in the case of Print to Disk Overwrite.