IBM Intelligent Printer Data Stream
Intelligent Printer Data Stream (IPDS) is Info Print Solution Company's Systems Application Architecture host-to-printer data stream for Advanced Function Presentation subsystems. It provides an attachment-independent interface for controlling and managing all point addressable (APA) printers that allow the presentation of pages containing an architecturally unlimited mixture of different data types, including text, image, graphics, bar code, and object container. It is used by a variety of Info Print and OEM print servers that drive all points addressable (APA) page printers. Generally, these printers are at the medium to the high end of the print speed and volume spectrum. "One of the strengths of IPDS is that independent applications can create source data for each data block. The output of these independent applications is merged at the printer to create an integrated mixed data page." The IPDS architecture allows for both spooled data and print job management to flow bidirectionally between the print server (or print driver) and the Printer Controller. Examples of print job management controls are: Printer resolution Media jam Pre- or post-processor exceptions Storage usage Paper tray capabilities Duplexing capabilities Examples of spooled data can be: Positioning Information for locating objects within the page Fonts Text Images Bar