Going Paperless?

All,
We are in the process of making paperless decisions. One of the main
items will be the ability to have all our Clip4Win (clip5.3b
w/blinker) applications submit forms and letters directly to the
paperless application and its folder system. The output of all these
apps is PCL.
I have found PCL Viewers that do a pretty good job, including
incorporating the logos and signature macros I send to these forms and
letters. They are read-only and actually can be text-searched. The
other good news is each PCL page is around 8K average in size,
comparing to 8-12 times that of other formats.
So far in our search for a good paperless app, we like Cabinet NG and
ScanFile. Both have indicated if I deposit my PCL output in a holding
directory, with a specified file naming convention, they would have no
problem scheduling a routine to pick them up and store them to the
correct folders.
So far, so good. Anyone been down this road?  Any words of wisdom?
TIA,
BradZ

On 6 Aug 2004 10:41:29 -0700, brad@liability.com (BradZ) wrote:

>All,
>We are in the process of making paperless decisions. One of the main
>items will be the ability to have all our Clip4Win (clip5.3b
>w/blinker) applications submit forms and letters directly to the
>paperless application and its folder system. The output of all these
>apps is PCL.
>I have found PCL Viewers that do a pretty good job, including
>incorporating the logos and signature macros I send to these forms and
>letters. They are read-only and actually can be text-searched. The
>other good news is each PCL page is around 8K average in size,
>comparing to 8-12 times that of other formats.
>So far in our search for a good paperless app, we like Cabinet NG and
>ScanFile. Both have indicated if I deposit my PCL output in a holding
>directory, with a specified file naming convention, they would have no
>problem scheduling a routine to pick them up and store them to the
>correct folders.
>So far, so good. Anyone been down this road?  Any words of wisdom?
>TIA,
>BradZ

Hi Brad,

"...making paperless decisions..." is not quite how I would have
described it, but I guess your meaning is there. Interesting topic
which I have been thinking about also.

Does your workplace situation face the need to scan and store incoming
paper documents? Did you consider the PDF option? I would be
interested in hearing the pros and cons of this alternative from your
perspective.

Regards,

Ross McKenzie
ValuSoft
Melbourne Australia

valusoft AT optushome DOT com DOT au

NoJunk_valusoft@optushome.com.au (Ross McKenzie) wrote in message news:<41142b3c.3511500@ne
ws>...
> On 6 Aug 2004 10:41:29 -0700, brad@liability.com (BradZ) wrote:
> 
>
> Hi Brad,
>
> "...making paperless decisions..." is not quite how I would have
> described it, but I guess your meaning is there. Interesting topic
> which I have been thinking about also.
>
> Does your workplace situation face the need to scan and store incoming
> paper documents? Did you consider the PDF option? I would be
> interested in hearing the pros and cons of this alternative from your
> perspective.
>
> Regards,
>
> Ross McKenzie
> ValuSoft
> Melbourne Australia
>
> valusoft AT optushome DOT com DOT au

Ross:
Yes we will scan everything coming in by mail. Our planned workflow
has this being done first, and we don't expect it to slow us down too
much. We have talked to many other IT Managers who warned us to keep
paper out of the hands of staff to make this thing work :-))
I looked at PDF. Not a real fan: Adobe is slow, difficult and each
page would take up 12 times more space on the avg. AT first, it seemed
our dependance on PCL was going to be a hindrance, but finding some
very good viewers made it possible to keep our sizes down and speed
up.
BradZ

Hi there,

interesting. In some of our laboratory apps we have to store the printed rep
orts for quality management and to send it out by mail/fax to customers.
Sometimes photos from a photodatabase stored as "preprinted".PDF files must 
be added.

We print the reports in clipper into a .PCL file (HP-printercodes) including
 logos and so on.
Then we use pcl2pdf.exe to convert it to pdf.
If photos are needed we merge the photo.pdf together with the (converted) re
port.pdf using pdfmerge.exe.
So we can send out/store report and optionally a photo addendum in one pdf f
ile.
We prefer PDF because we can forbid changes and anyone (customers) can read 
it.

Greetings
tom


-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Going Paperless? (06-Aug-2004 19:41)
From:    brad@liability.com (BradZ)
To:      comp.lang.clipper

> All,
> We are in the process of making paperless decisions. One of the main
> items will be the ability to have all our Clip4Win (clip5.3b
> w/blinker) applications submit forms and letters directly to the
> paperless application and its folder system. The output of all these
> apps is PCL.
> I have found PCL Viewers that do a pretty good job, including
> incorporating the logos and signature macros I send to these forms and
> letters. They are read-only and actually can be text-searched. The
> other good news is each PCL page is around 8K average in size,
> comparing to 8-12 times that of other formats.
> So far in our search for a good paperless app, we like Cabinet NG and
> ScanFile. Both have indicated if I deposit my PCL output in a holding
> directory, with a specified file naming convention, they would have no
> problem scheduling a routine to pick them up and store them to the
> correct folders.
> So far, so good. Anyone been down this road?  Any words of wisdom?
> TIA,
> BradZ

TomK:
Yes, I too still like using the PCL output in my clipper apps. But you
don't need to convert to PDF to protect them from what I have been
able to find out. Look at just using a "viewer" like SwiftView or
Lincoln's. Here's a couple of URL's:
http://www.lincolnco.com/index.htm
http://www.swiftview.com/pclcorner/pclvspdf.htm
As far as I can tell, they only allow you to view or print the page.
Now, the macros all have to be available to each user so they can be
called by their respective viewer client.
Look at the size difference between PCL and PDF files, too!
My approach to all this is not to homogenize the format of everything
in the paperless folders, but to allow the use of differing formats.
Some files open with a PCL Viewer, some with Word, WordPerfect, Excel,
you name it - even Adobe on occasion if a client sends as an
attachment.

Like you, we also use a lot of macros. The logos printed on
non-letterhead stock, and for electronic signatures on correspondence
to clients. We have our client-base divided by the first letter of
their name, so my app knows which signature to call.

Now with all that being said, I have to admit, we don't plan to store
pictures unless they are already a part of what is sent us, and we
aren't planning on our clients having access to the paperless folders.
It sounds like you do, in which case it could get messy if someone
outside your walls has to purchase pcl viewer licenses. Also, there is
this other problem of the macros being available...

I guess each approach depends a lot on the kinds of issues. Thanks for
sharing your experiences - hope others out there have experiences to
share.

BradZ

Tomk<tom.knauf@itds.de> wrote in message news:<1000C000411890C300007599@news.t-online.de>..
.
> Hi there,
>
> interesting. In some of our laboratory apps we have to store the printed r
eports for quality management and to send it out by mail/fax to customers.
> Sometimes photos from a photodatabase stored as "preprinted".PDF files mus
t be added.
>
> We print the reports in clipper into a .PCL file (HP-printercodes) includi
ng logos and so on.
> Then we use pcl2pdf.exe to convert it to pdf.
> If photos are needed we merge the photo.pdf together with the (converted) 
report.pdf using pdfmerge.exe.
> So we can send out/store report and optionally a photo addendum in one pdf
 file.
> We prefer PDF because we can forbid changes and anyone (customers) can rea
d it.
>
> Greetings
> tom
>
>
> -------- Original Message --------
> Subject: Going Paperless? (06-Aug-2004 19:41)
> From:    brad@liability.com (BradZ)
> To:      comp.lang.clipper
> 

TomK:
Yes, I too still like using the PCL output in my clipper apps. But you
don't need to convert to PDF to protect them from what I have been
able to find out. Look at just using a "viewer" like SwiftView or
Lincoln's. Here's a couple of URL's:
http://www.lincolnco.com/index.htm
http://www.swiftview.com/pclcorner/pclvspdf.htm
As far as I can tell, they only allow you to view or print the page.
Now, the macros all have to be available to each user so they can be
called by their respective viewer client.
Look at the size difference between PCL and PDF files, too!
My approach to all this is not to homogenize the format of everything
in the paperless folders, but to allow the use of differing formats.
Some files open with a PCL Viewer, some with Word, WordPerfect, Excel,
you name it - even Adobe on occasion if a client sends as an
attachment.

Like you, we also use a lot of macros. The logos printed on
non-letterhead stock, and for electronic signatures on correspondence
to clients. We have our client-base divided by the first letter of
their name, so my app knows which signature to call.

Now with all that being said, I have to admit, we don't plan to store
pictures unless they are already a part of what is sent us, and we
aren't planning on our clients having access to the paperless folders.
It sounds like you do, in which case it could get messy if someone
outside your walls has to purchase pcl viewer licenses. Also, there is
this other problem of the macros being available...

I guess each approach depends a lot on the kinds of issues. Thanks for
sharing your experiences - hope others out there have experiences to
share.

BradZ

Tomk<tom.knauf@itds.de> wrote in message news:<1000C000411890C300007599@news.t-online.de>..
.
> Hi there,
>
> interesting. In some of our laboratory apps we have to store the printed r
eports for quality management and to send it out by mail/fax to customers.
> Sometimes photos from a photodatabase stored as "preprinted".PDF files mus
t be added.
>
> We print the reports in clipper into a .PCL file (HP-printercodes) includi
ng logos and so on.
> Then we use pcl2pdf.exe to convert it to pdf.
> If photos are needed we merge the photo.pdf together with the (converted) 
report.pdf using pdfmerge.exe.
> So we can send out/store report and optionally a photo addendum in one pdf
 file.
> We prefer PDF because we can forbid changes and anyone (customers) can rea
d it.
>
> Greetings
> tom
>
>
> -------- Original Message --------
> Subject: Going Paperless? (06-Aug-2004 19:41)
> From:    brad@liability.com (BradZ)
> To:      comp.lang.clipper
> 

TomK:
Yes, I too still like using the PCL output in my clipper apps. But you
don't need to convert to PDF to protect them from what I have been
able to find out. Look at just using a "viewer" like SwiftView or
Lincoln's. Here's a couple of URL's:
http://www.lincolnco.com/index.htm
http://www.swiftview.com/pclcorner/pclvspdf.htm
As far as I can tell, they only allow you to view or print the page.
Now, the macros all have to be available to each user so they can be
called by their respective viewer client.
Look at the size difference between PCL and PDF files, too!
My approach to all this is not to homogenize the format of everything
in the paperless folders, but to allow the use of differing formats.
Some files open with a PCL Viewer, some with Word, WordPerfect, Excel,
you name it - even Adobe on occasion if a client sends as an
attachment.

Like you, we also use a lot of macros. The logos printed on
non-letterhead stock, and for electronic signatures on correspondence
to clients. We have our client-base divided by the first letter of
their name, so my app knows which signature to call.

Now with all that being said, I have to admit, we don't plan to store
pictures unless they are already a part of what is sent us, and we
aren't planning on our clients having access to the paperless folders.
It sounds like you do, in which case it could get messy if someone
outside your walls has to purchase pcl viewer licenses. Also, there is
this other problem of the macros being available...

I guess each approach depends a lot on the kinds of issues. Thanks for
sharing your experiences - hope others out there have experiences to
share.

BradZ

Tomk<tom.knauf@itds.de> wrote in message news:<1000C000411890C300007599@news.t-online.de>..
.
> Hi there,
>
> interesting. In some of our laboratory apps we have to store the printed r
eports for quality management and to send it out by mail/fax to customers.
> Sometimes photos from a photodatabase stored as "preprinted".PDF files mus
t be added.
>
> We print the reports in clipper into a .PCL file (HP-printercodes) includi
ng logos and so on.
> Then we use pcl2pdf.exe to convert it to pdf.
> If photos are needed we merge the photo.pdf together with the (converted) 
report.pdf using pdfmerge.exe.
> So we can send out/store report and optionally a photo addendum in one pdf
 file.
> We prefer PDF because we can forbid changes and anyone (customers) can rea
d it.
>
> Greetings
> tom
>
>
> -------- Original Message --------
> Subject: Going Paperless? (06-Aug-2004 19:41)
> From:    brad@liability.com (BradZ)
> To:      comp.lang.clipper
> 

TomK:
Yes, I too still like using the PCL output in my clipper apps. But you
don't need to convert to PDF to protect them from what I have been
able to find out. Look at just using a "viewer" like SwiftView or
Lincoln's. Here's a couple of URL's:
http://www.lincolnco.com/index.htm
http://www.swiftview.com/pclcorner/pclvspdf.htm
As far as I can tell, they only allow you to view or print the page.
Now, the macros all have to be available to each user so they can be
called by their respective viewer client.
Look at the size difference between PCL and PDF files, too!
My approach to all this is not to homogenize the format of everything
in the paperless folders, but to allow the use of differing formats.
Some files open with a PCL Viewer, some with Word, WordPerfect, Excel,
you name it - even Adobe on occasion if a client sends as an
attachment.

Like you, we also use a lot of macros. The logos printed on
non-letterhead stock, and for electronic signatures on correspondence
to clients. We have our client-base divided by the first letter of
their name, so my app knows which signature to call.

Now with all that being said, I have to admit, we don't plan to store
pictures unless they are already a part of what is sent us, and we
aren't planning on our clients having access to the paperless folders.
It sounds like you do, in which case it could get messy if someone
outside your walls has to purchase pcl viewer licenses. Also, there is
this other problem of the macros being available...

I guess each approach depends a lot on the kinds of issues. Thanks for
sharing your experiences - hope others out there have experiences to
share.

BradZ

Tomk<tom.knauf@itds.de> wrote in message news:<1000C000411890C300007599@news.t-online.de>..
.
> Hi there,
>
> interesting. In some of our laboratory apps we have to store the printed r
eports for quality management and to send it out by mail/fax to customers.
> Sometimes photos from a photodatabase stored as "preprinted".PDF files mus
t be added.
>
> We print the reports in clipper into a .PCL file (HP-printercodes) includi
ng logos and so on.
> Then we use pcl2pdf.exe to convert it to pdf.
> If photos are needed we merge the photo.pdf together with the (converted) 
report.pdf using pdfmerge.exe.
> So we can send out/store report and optionally a photo addendum in one pdf
 file.
> We prefer PDF because we can forbid changes and anyone (customers) can rea
d it.
>
> Greetings
> tom
>
>
> -------- Original Message --------
> Subject: Going Paperless? (06-Aug-2004 19:41)
> From:    brad@liability.com (BradZ)
> To:      comp.lang.clipper
> 

TomK:
Yes, I too still like using the PCL output in my clipper apps. But you
don't need to convert to PDF to protect them from what I have been
able to find out. Look at just using a "viewer" like SwiftView or
Lincoln's. Here's a couple of URL's:
http://www.lincolnco.com/index.htm
http://www.swiftview.com/pclcorner/pclvspdf.htm
As far as I can tell, they only allow you to view or print the page.
Now, the macros all have to be available to each user so they can be
called by their respective viewer client.
Look at the size difference between PCL and PDF files, too!
My approach to all this is not to homogenize the format of everything
in the paperless folders, but to allow the use of differing formats.
Some files open with a PCL Viewer, some with Word, WordPerfect, Excel,
you name it - even Adobe on occasion if a client sends as an
attachment.

Like you, we also use a lot of macros. The logos printed on
non-letterhead stock, and for electronic signatures on correspondence
to clients. We have our client-base divided by the first letter of
their name, so my app knows which signature to call.

Now with all that being said, I have to admit, we don't plan to store
pictures unless they are already a part of what is sent us, and we
aren't planning on our clients having access to the paperless folders.
It sounds like you do, in which case it could get messy if someone
outside your walls has to purchase pcl viewer licenses. Also, there is
this other problem of the macros being available...

I guess each approach depends a lot on the kinds of issues. Thanks for
sharing your experiences - hope others out there have experiences to
share.

BradZ


Tomk<tom.knauf@itds.de> wrote in message news:<1000C000411890C300007599@news.t-online.de>..
.
> Hi there,
>
> interesting. In some of our laboratory apps we have to store the printed r
eports for quality management and to send it out by mail/fax to customers.
> Sometimes photos from a photodatabase stored as "preprinted".PDF files mus
t be added.
>
> We print the reports in clipper into a .PCL file (HP-printercodes) includi
ng logos and so on.
> Then we use pcl2pdf.exe to convert it to pdf.
> If photos are needed we merge the photo.pdf together with the (converted) 
report.pdf using pdfmerge.exe.
> So we can send out/store report and optionally a photo addendum in one pdf
 file.
> We prefer PDF because we can forbid changes and anyone (customers) can rea
d it.
>
> Greetings
> tom
>
>
> -------- Original Message --------
> Subject: Going Paperless? (06-Aug-2004 19:41)
> From:    brad@liability.com (BradZ)
> To:      comp.lang.clipper
> 

NoJunk_valusoft@optushome.com.au (Ross McKenzie) wrote in message news:<41142b3c.3511500@ne
ws>...
> On 6 Aug 2004 10:41:29 -0700, brad@liability.com (BradZ) wrote:
> 
>
> Hi Brad,
>
> "...making paperless decisions..." is not quite how I would have
> described it, but I guess your meaning is there. Interesting topic
> which I have been thinking about also.
>
> Does your workplace situation face the need to scan and store incoming
> paper documents? Did you consider the PDF option? I would be
> interested in hearing the pros and cons of this alternative from your
> perspective.
>
> Regards,
>
> Ross McKenzie
> ValuSoft
> Melbourne Australia
>
> valusoft AT optushome DOT com DOT au

Ross:
Yes we will scan everything coming in by mail. Our planned workflow
has this being done first, and we don't expect it to slow us down too
much. We have talked to many other IT Managers who warned us to keep
paper out of the hands of staff to make this thing work :-))
I looked at PDF. Not a real fan: Adobe is slow, difficult and each
page would take up 12 times more space on the avg. AT first, it seemed
our dependance on PCL was going to be a hindrance, but finding some
very good viewers made it possible to keep our sizes down and speed
up.
BradZ