afpSOFT's PPFA Compiler is a program to create or modify PPFA source texts in a convenient way to generate formdefs and pagedefs needed in AFP printing to format raw print data. You can work on multiple texts simulteanously, navigate in large files very comfortably or use print data samples to aid in determining field attributes, repeat factors etc.

The visual appearance of the text can be controlled by selecting amongst fonts, smart indentation or use of syntax highlighting. Several tools help you to select media names, form identifiers or fonts. You may also add or edit user media names. The directories where to store binary resources may be specified in the options along with file extensions you want to use in your environment.

afpSOFT PPFA Compiler checks the syntax of source texts, provides exact error messages and warnings and eventually generates binary formdefs and/or pagedefs if no errors occured. The generated resources are listed in a dialog which lets you analyze the binaries if afpSOFT FormDef and PageDef Explorer are installed. You may also check whether all resources (fonts, overlays, segments) the print job (i.e., a pair of formdef and pagedef) needs are available in the current printer environment if afpSOFT Resource Dispatcher is installed.

Syntax check and resource generation may also be performed in batch mode to ease the processing of large volumes of files.

The current compiler version implements PPFA as described in the document IBM Page Printer Formatting Aid: User's Guide, S544-5284-03.