Configuring Form Types and Paper Types

Understanding Form Types

A form type in Xi-Text represents the complete specification of what medium is loaded in a printer and how to format output for it. Form types enable users to submit jobs without knowing which physical printer will be used.

Form Type Structure

Every form type consists of two parts:

Paper Type : Everything up to the first . or - character : Represents the physical medium loaded in the printer : Requires printer to be stopped and restarted to change

Suffix (optional) : Everything after the first . or - character : Represents formatting variations or output processing : Can change automatically between jobs without printer intervention

Examples

a4.ps
├── Paper type: a4
└── Suffix: ps

letterhead.p12
├── Paper type: letterhead
└── Suffix: p12

labels
└── Paper type: labels (no suffix)

How Paper Types Work

The paper type determines which physical medium is loaded:

• Standard sizes: a4, letter, legal, a3
• Special media: labels, envelopes, letterhead
• Custom forms: invoices, cheques, payslips

Important: When a printer's paper type changes, the operator must:

1. Halt the printer
2. Physically change the paper
3. Update the form type in Xi-Text
4. Restart the printer

Xi-Text will only send jobs to a printer when the job's paper type matches the printer's loaded paper type.

How Suffixes Work

Suffixes specify formatting variations that don't require paper changes:

Common suffix conventions:

• .ps - PostScript output
• .pcl - PCL (HP Printer Command Language)
• .p10 - 10 characters per inch
• .p12 - 12 characters per inch
• .landscape - Landscape orientation
• .duplex - Double-sided printing

Suffixes enable:

• Automatic format conversion (PostScript to PCL)
• Font selection
• Pitch/orientation changes
• Filter selection
• Special processing

Suffix Switching

When consecutive jobs have different suffixes:

1. Current job completes
2. Xi-Text reads suffix-specific settings from setup file
3. Sends sufstart string to printer
4. Next job begins immediately

No printer restart required - this happens automatically.

Form Type Naming Conventions

While you can name form types anything you want, following conventions helps:

Paper Type Naming

• Use descriptive names: a4, letter, not type1, type2
• Lowercase is conventional: letterhead not LetterHead
• No spaces: use hyphens or underscores if needed
• Avoid . and - in paper type names (reserved for suffix separation)

Suffix Naming

• Short and meaningful: .ps not .postscript
• Consistent across printers: .ps should mean PostScript everywhere
• Lowercase conventional
• Multiple suffixes possible: a4.ps.duplex (paper type a4, suffix ps.duplex)

Setting Up Form Types

Creating Paper Type Support

For each printer, create a setup file matching the paper type name:

bash

cd /usr/spool/progs/printers/ptr1

# Create setup file for a4 paper
cat > a4 << 'EOF'
ptr_type=ps
setup=\033&l26A    # A4 size code
EOF

# Create setup file for letter paper
cat > letter << 'EOF'
ptr_type=ps
setup=\033&l2A     # Letter size code
EOF

Handling Suffixes in Setup Files

Within a setup file, use conditional statements for suffix-specific handling:

ptr_type=ps

# Base setup for all suffixes
setup=\033E\033&l26A

# Suffix-specific handling
suffix ps
    # PostScript jobs - no conversion needed
endsuffix

suffix pcl
    # Convert PostScript to PCL
    filter=/usr/spool/progs/ps2pcl
endsuffix

suffix landscape
    # Rotate output
    setup=\033&l1O\033&l26A
endsuffix

The default Setup File

If Xi-Text cannot find a setup file matching the paper type, it uses the file named default:

bash

/usr/spool/progs/printers/ptr1/default

This enables:

• Catch-all for uncommon paper types
• Simplified configuration (single setup file handles all paper types)
• Graceful degradation

Note: Most installations only need a default file. The printer installation script (PTRINSTALL) creates only this file.

Changing the Default File Name

⚠️ Advanced - Not Recommended

You can change what file Xi-Text looks for when paper type doesn't match:

bash

# In /usr/spool/progs/Xitext-config
DEFAULT_FORM=fallback

Now Xi-Text looks for fallback instead of default.

To disable fallback entirely (require exact paper type match):

bash

DEFAULT_FORM=

Warning: This breaks normal operation. Only use if you understand the implications.

User Default Form Types

Each user has a default form type used when submitting jobs without specifying -f:

View Current Default

bash

spq
# Press 'u' to view user section
# Shows default form type for current user

System-Wide Default

The system default for new users is set during installation. To change it:

bash

# Using spuser command
spuser
# Select default modes
# Update default form type

Or in configuration file:

bash

# In appropriate configuration file
SPFORM=a4

Per-User Default

Individual users can override:

bash

# Set personal default
spr -f letter -=   # Save current options as default

Form Type Compatibility Across Printers

Best practice: Make the same form type work consistently across all printers.

If a user submits a4.ps:

• On PostScript printer: send directly
• On PCL printer: convert PostScript to PCL
• On text-only printer: error or convert to text

This consistency lets users worry about output format, not which printer receives the job.

Example: Multi-Printer Consistency

Printer 1 (PostScript):
    a4.ps → native PostScript handling

Printer 2 (PCL):
    a4.ps → filter=/usr/spool/progs/ps2pcl

Printer 3 (Text):
    a4.ps → filter=/usr/spool/progs/ps2text

Same form type, different handling, consistent user experience.

Special Form Type: "standard"

The default installation uses standard as the initial default form type. This is just a placeholder name with no special meaning.

Recommendation: During installation or after, change standard to a meaningful name like a4 or letter for your site's actual standard paper.

The printer installation script will prompt to update this if it sees standard as the default.

Form Type Online Help

Users can see available form types for a printer by creating a help file:

bash

# Create help file for printer ptr1
cat > /usr/spool/progs/printers/ptr1/-Help << 'EOF'
Available paper types:
  a4         - A4 paper (210x297mm)
  letter     - US Letter (8.5x11")
  letterhead - Company letterhead

Available suffixes:
  .ps        - PostScript output
  .pcl       - PCL output
  .p10       - 10 characters per inch
  .landscape - Landscape orientation
EOF

Users see this when pressing ? during form type selection in spq.

Checking Form Type Usage

View Jobs by Form Type

bash

# List all jobs showing form types
spq

# Filter jobs by form type
spq -f a4.ps

View Printer Form Types

bash

# Show what form type each printer has loaded
spq -P

Available Form Types

bash

# List setup files (available paper types) for printer
ls /usr/spool/progs/printers/ptr1/

# Exclude hidden files (those starting with . or -)
ls /usr/spool/progs/printers/ptr1/ | grep -v '^[.-]'

Common Configuration Patterns

Minimal Configuration

Single default file handles everything:
/usr/spool/progs/printers/ptr1/default

Paper-Specific Configuration

Separate setup file per paper type:
/usr/spool/progs/printers/ptr1/a4
/usr/spool/progs/printers/ptr1/letter
/usr/spool/progs/printers/ptr1/legal

Hardware + Paper Configuration

Common hardware settings, paper-specific setup:
/usr/spool/progs/printers/ptr1/.device       (hardware)
/usr/spool/progs/printers/ptr1/default       (paper handling)

Testing Form Type Configuration

After configuring form types:

1. Submit test job:

bash

   echo "Test" | spr -f a4.ps -P ptr1

1. Check printer accepts form type:

bash

   spq -P
   # Verify printer shows correct form type

1. Test suffix switching:

bash

   echo "Test 1" | spr -f a4.ps -P ptr1
   echo "Test 2" | spr -f a4.pcl -P ptr1
   # Should switch automatically

1. Verify setup file selection: Check system log for which files were read:

bash

   tail -20 /usr/spool/spd/spshed_reps

Troubleshooting Form Type Issues

Job Not Selected by Printer

Symptom: Job stays in queue, printer shows idle

Check:

1. Does job form type match printer form type?

bash

   spq        # Check job form type
   spq -P     # Check printer form type

1. Does setup file exist?

bash

   ls /usr/spool/progs/printers/[printer]/[paper-type]

Printer Shows Error on Startup

Symptom: Printer enters Error state after changing form type

Check:

1. Setup file exists for new form type
2. Setup file has correct syntax
3. System log shows specific error:

bash

   tail -20 /usr/spool/spd/spshed_reps

Related Articles

• Understanding Xi-Text Printer Setup Files - Detailed setup file syntax
• Managing Printer States and Operations - Changing printer form types
• Jobs Not Printing or Stuck in Queue - Troubleshooting form type mismatches

Documentation Reference

For complete form type handling and setup file syntax, see:

• Xi-Text System Reference Manual, Chapter: Printer Definitions
• Xi-Text Administration Guide, Chapter: Print Jobs and Form Types