Category: SPOOL FILE TO PDF

Simplest, Quickest, Easiest Way to Convert Spool Files to iSeries XML

Posted on March 05, 2014at 12:13 pm

XML is undoubtedly one of the most flexible ways of storing data, allowing it to be used and accessed by a wide variety of programs. And now there’s an easier way to produce XML if you work in an IBM iSeries, AS/400 or System i environment…

So, what’s this easy way to produce XML?

CoolSpools spool file converter and CoolSpools Database.

Why should I trust CoolSpools software to create XML on my iSeries?
CoolSpools was developed by Ariadne Software, IBM experts with years of experience of producing high-quality solutions for iSeries, AS/400 and System i. What they don’t know about these platforms isn’t worth knowing – and they’ve used this expertise to produce a powerful spool file and database converter.

So what, exactly, does the CoolSpools do?

Briefly: it takes data from your iSeries spool files & DB2 Database and converts it to XML, Excel and several other useful file formats. It can even convert spool to PDF.

What are the advantages of using CoolSpools to create XML?

There are so many! First of all, you know the data in your iSeries will be accurate, as it’s coming direct from your spool files and database, without any human interference. What’s more, it’s so quick – you’ll have usable XML files in no time, ready to supply your websites and applications with accurate data. And CoolSpools is so easy to learn to use – you’ll soon wonder how you managed without it!

Does CoolSpools only convert basic iSeries spool files?

Not at all. Of course, CoolSpools works well with basic *SCS files. But it can also convert *SCS, *AFPDS, *IPDS, *LINE, *AFPDSLINE and *USERASCII spool files.

Do I need any extra hardware to run CoolSpools software?

Not at all. You don’t need a separate PC to run CoolSpools software – it runs directly on your iSeries, System i or AS/400 server.

How do I find out more about CoolSpools software?

Head to http://www.coolspools.com/. You’ll find full details on the whole CoolSpools range of software, including CoolSpools Spool Converter, Database, Email and Spool Admin. Used together, the CoolSpools range is the complete information management system for iSeries, AS/400 and System i.

So stop wasting time, and start taking control of your data with CoolSpools. Learn more about the simplest, quickest, easiest way to convert spool or database data to XML at http://www.coolspools.com/.

Posted on January 27, 2014at 10:31 am

System i File Conversion: Making it Easy With CoolSpools Software

IBM’s System i, AS/400 and iSeries servers are powerful, flexible and reliable. This you already know. But did you know you can make your System i environment work even harder for you? This can be done with the help of System i file conversion.

System i experts Ariadne Software have developed the CoolSpools range of products, designed to make it easier, quicker and more convenient to manage, access, convert and distribute information using System i. In addition to their spool file management and email applications, CoolSpools also offers two comprehensive System i file conversion packages: CoolSpools Spool File Converter and CoolSpools Database.

So what’s CoolSpools Spool File Converter?

The clue’s in the name! In a nutshell, CoolSpools Spool File Converter makes System i PDF file conversion so much faster. It takes your System i spool files and converts them to a wide range of useful file formats.

You could convert spool to PDF. Convert spool to Excel. Convert spool to XML. Text files, CSV, RTF, TIFF… a whole host of popular file formats can be converted.

But CoolSpools Spool File Converter does so much more than mere System i file conversion.

You can also split files. Merge files. Format files. Insert images into your PDFs. Even email the converted files to multiple recipients. And CoolSpools software makes it all so easy to do!

What about CoolSpools Database?

CoolSpools Database performs a different type of System i file conversion. Instead of converting your spool files, CoolSpools database converts System i database files to a variety of file formats, such as Excel, XML and plain text.

Why should I want to carry out System i file conversion?

Lots of reasons and lots of savings!

Taking data from your System i spool files or database files guarantees its accuracy and integrity.
It allows you to output System i files in a format that suits you, whether it’s PDFs for business reports, Excel to communicate sales figures, or XML to program System i applications.

This saves a huge amount of time and all of the printing & postage costs. Typically customers can save between £25,000 and £40,000 per year!

CoolSpools software is all about taking control of your System i data and presenting it how you need it, when you need it – all with minimal fuss.

Where can I find more about CoolSpools software and System i file conversion?

Easy! To learn more about CoolSpools’ powerful System i file conversion capabilities, plus their full suite of easy-to-use software for IBM AS/400, iSeries and System i, visit http://www.coolspools.com/spool-converter/.

Take Control of AS/400 XML: CoolSpools Spool File Converter & Database

Posted on January 27, 2014at 10:22 am

Do you work with XML in an AS/400, iSeries or System i environment? If so, wouldn’t you like a better, easier, simpler way of creating XML? If so, you’ll love CoolSpools software.

Created by AS/400 experts Ariadne Software, CoolSpools products are designed to make AS/400 data distribution a smoother and more efficient experience. Two CoolSpools products have been designed to make creating XML easy: CoolSpools File Converter and CoolSpools Database. Here’s how they could help you…

What does CoolSpools Converter do?

It takes your AS/400 spool files and converts them to a wide range of file formats – including XML.

What is CoolSpools Database ?

CoolSpools Database is a powerful database management system, rather than taking data from your AS/400 spool files, the data is taken from your database files.

What file formats be converted to XML?

CoolSpools can convert all database file types the following AS/400 spool file formats: *SCS, *AFPDS, *IPDS, *LINE, *AFPDSLINE and *USERASCII. Many similar products can only handle simple *SCS spool files as they lack the power and flexibility of CoolSpools.

Other than XML, what other file formats can CoolSpools convert to?

CoolSpools can convert database and spool files to PDF, Excel, CSV, plain text, HTML, RTF and TIFF. It can also output as compressed spool files or create a new spool file by duplicating, splitting or creating a subset.

Does CoolSpools offer any other AS/400 applications?

Yes! CoolSpools Admin makes it easy to manage your AS/400 spool files, while CoolSpools Email makes it easy to email direct from your AS/400, System i or iSeries environment. When combined, all four packages in the CoolSpools software suite make a truly unbeatable AS/400 document and data management system.

Take the pain out of producing XML – convert your spool files and database files using the power of CoolSpools software. To find out more, and to order CoolSpools software, visit http://www.coolspools.com/spool-converter/.

The Many Benefits of PDFs (And The Easy Way To Create Them)

Posted on December 20, 2013at 3:29 pm

Whatever line of business you work in, you’ll probably deal with PDF files on a regular basis. It’s a flexible document format used for a wide range of purposes. And if you work in an IBM iSeries, System i or AS/400 environment, now there’s an easy way to create them…

Enter CoolSpools software. Developed by iSeries experts Ariadne Software, CoolSpools is a powerful, fully-featured spool file converter, offering an easy, customizable way to convert spool to PDF and a whole host of other useful file formats.

Back up a minute. What’s a PDF?

I’m sure you already know the answer to this one! Portable Document Format (PDF) is a file format developed by Adobe. It was created over 20 years ago, and is one of the most commonly-used file formats today. Think of PDFs as the middle ground between an image file and a word-processed document. They can be read on screen, printed, or used by printers to produce publications.

How can CoolSpools help me create PDFs on my iSeries?

As a spool file converter, CoolSpools takes data from your iSeries spool files and converts it into the PDF format, making it readable by any operating system. This negates the need to enter the data manually – it’s all converted for you.

What if I need images in my PDF? Can CoolSpools handle that?

Absolutely. CoolSpools can insert JPEGs or GIFs into your iSeries PDFs, whether they’re company logos, watermarks, photographs or illustrations. Whatever images you need in your iSeries PDFs, CoolSpools can make it happen.

But I don’t just want a dump of my spool files in my PDFs! How do I control what goes in?

CoolSpools makes this easy, too. You can split your converted spool file into multiple PDF documents. Just tell CoolSpools the criteria of where you want to split (such as customer name or number, for example), and it’ll do it for you.

What if I want to add new pages to an existing PDF?

CoolSpools has it covered – even if the original PDF was not created using CoolSpools software.

The PDFs I produce contain sensitive information. Can CoolSpools handle this?

Of course. CoolSpools can password-protect and encrypt your PDF. You can restrict how your PDF is edited to ensure it’s not tampered with. And you can add a digital signature to prove that your PDF has not been amended since you created it.

Is creating PDFs all CoolSpools software does?

Not at all. CoolSpools also converts spools to XML, Excel, CSV, HTML, TIFF and RTF. It can also help manage emailing your files to multiple recipients.

Where can I learn more about creating iSeries PDFs with CoolSpools software?
Simple – head over to http://www.coolspools.com/ right away!

Create iSeries XML the Easy Way with CoolSpools

Posted on December 20, 2013at 3:27 pm

Work in an IBM AS/400, System i or iSeries environment? Need to create XML files to import into web applications? Forget entering all the data manually – now it’s easier than ever…

IBM iSeries experts Ariadne Software have developed CoolSpools, a powerful, flexible spool file converter. Anyone running an iSeries is sure to find CoolSpools software incredibly useful – especially if you require XML files.

You see, CoolSpools can generate a wide range of file formats by converting your iSeries spool files. You can convert spool to PDF, Excel and – crucially – XML.

Here are just five reasons to consider using CoolSpools to produce XML from your iSeries…

Less risk of human error

Using CoolSpools to create XML minimises the risk of data being entered incorrectly. The data is taken directly from your spool files, which CoolSpools converts and outputs as XML. There’s no chance of human error – it’s all done for you using CoolSpools software.

Save time programming applications

As well as ensuring the integrity of your data, importing data using XML generated using CoolSpools software saves time. Why have interface files or new applications, when you can export from your spool files using XML and import the data into your applications?

CoolSpools software is easy to use

CoolSpools is so easy to use, you’ll soon become a master of converting spool files to XML, Excel, PDF and a whole host of other useful file formats.

CoolSpools software is flexible

It may be easy to learn, but CoolSpools is not just a mere simple spool file converter. You have control over what data you convert into XML from your spool files, ensuring you get all the data you need.

Ariadne Software offers comprehensive support for CoolSpools

Need help, assistance or updates for your CoolSpools software? Ariadne Software’s support page is always available at http://www.coolspools.com/Support.htm, with more in-depth tech support just an email or phone call away.

So why not start creating XML the simple, accurate and fast way using the CoolSpools spool file converter?

And remember, CoolSpools does so much more than convert spool to XML. You can also create iSeries PDFs, Excel, TIFFs, text files, HTML and other file formats. CoolSpools gives you total control over what you include, what you leave out, and to whom you email your converted iSeries documents.

Find out more about CoolSpools software – including their spool file converter, email management, database software and administration solutions – at http://www.coolspools.com/.

Beginner’s Guide to AS/400 XML & How CoolSpools Can Convert it For You

Posted on December 10, 2013at 11:20 am

If you work in an IBM AS/400, System i or iSeries environment, did you know it’s possible to convert data from your spool files into a variety of file formats? The easy way to do this is by using a spool file converter, such as CoolSpools (http://www.coolspools.com/). This clever piece of software takes data direct from your System i spool files and converts into to file formats such as XML.

But why would you want to produce XML? The experts behind CoolSpools, Ariadne Software, explain:

First up – what is XML?

An abbreviation of “Extensible Markup Language”, XML is a format that presents information in a way that can be understood both by human readers and by machines.

What can I use XML for?

There are many uses for XML documents. They can be used to exchange data over the internet, to populate content management systems, for web development, database development… the uses are almost endless.

How do I produce XML documents?

If you’re running an IBM AS/400 server, the easiest way to populate XML documents with the data you need is by using a spool file converter and database tool such as CoolSpools software.

Sounds difficult!

Not with CoolSpools software. It’s designed to do all the hard work – the data extraction, the spool file conversion, the formatting… what you’ll get is AS/400 data that is ready to be imported into your CMS, web application or whatever else you need.

Why is using CoolSpools spool file converter better than manually creating interface files?

Many reasons! The data is coming direct and automatically from your AS/400 – so there’s no need to worry about human error leading to incorrect data. And converting AS/400 data automatically to XML is much, much faster than manually processing it, so you’ll save time too.

So what else can CoolSpools software do?

Too many things to mention here! As well as converting AS/400 data to XML, you can also convert spool files to PDF (and even insert images), convert spool files to Excel (and apply conditional formatting), convert spool files to HTML (ideal for web developers) plus a whole host of other popular file formats. CoolSpools can even email your outputted files to the recipients you specify – everything’s taken care of for you.

Find out more about how CoolSpools software can help you produce accurate, fast XML at http://www.coolspools.com/.

System i File Conversion Simplified With CoolSpools Software

Posted on November 25, 2013at 11:20 am

There are many great reasons to use file conversion software in order to make your working life easier, and to make mundane tasks take much less time. If you work with an IBM System i, AS/400 or iSeries server, there are several System i file conversion solutions to choose from – but perhaps the most impressive and fully-featured is CoolSpools (http://www.coolspools.com/).

Developed by a team of IBM AS/400 experts at Ariadne Software, CoolSpools is the ideal solution when it comes to System i file conversion.

CoolSpools is a powerful spool file converter

CoolSpools software is, at its heart, a System i spool file converter. CoolSpools offers you an easy, hassle-free way of converting and presenting the data in your spool files in a format that can be easily distributed and understood.

CoolSpools coverts to a wide range of file formats

No matter what format you need to present your information in, CoolSpools can handle it. From AS/400 Excel files for financial reports to XML to populate your website, from PDF documents to HTML, CoolSpools is sure to have a file format to suit your System i file conversion needs.

Formatting however you need it with CoolSpools

CoolSpools is no mere spool file converter! As well as performing System i file conversion on your spool files, it can also format the output in a variety of ways. Splitting, merging, formatting, inserting images, conditional formatting in Excel… all can be handled by CoolSpools software, saving time and effort on your part.

Keep confidential data away from prying eyes

If security is an issue, there’s no need to worry with CoolSpools. After converting spool to PDF, CoolSpools software can even password protect the finished document. It can also add digital signatures to your document, so you and anyone else receiving the document will be able to tell if it’s been tampered with.

Distribution for your converted System i files

If you need to email different parts of your converted PDF or Excel file to multiple recipients, CoolSpools makes this easy. There are several methods available to you, depending on who you want your converted file to go to, and where your email addresses are stored.

No doubt about it. If you work in an IBM System i, AS/400 or iSeries environment, a spool file converter will make producing and editing documents so much easier. Using System i file conversion software such as CoolSpools ensures your data is accurate, well-presented and seen by all the right people.

Find out more about CoolSpools’ unparalleled System i file conversion functions, and how they can save you time and money, at http://www.coolspools.com/.

A Smarter Way To Create PDFs In An AS400 Environment

Posted on November 01, 2013at 11:58 am

Creating PDFs in IBM AS400 doesn’t need to be a pain – not with a spool file converter.

CoolSpools (http://www.coolspools.com/) is perhaps the most powerful on the market – here’s how it can speed up your AS400 PDF creation… 

With CoolSpools software… you can automatically convert your spool file to PDF, or multiple PDF’s, saving time and ensuring accuracy.

Without a spool file converter… splitting Spool files to create separate PDF’s can be frustrating. You have to find the right place to split the document and save out each split PDF individually. Zzzzzzz.

With CoolSpools software… if you specify where each PDF should be split (such as a change in invoice number or client name) then CoolSpools will automatically split your spool file and convert it into separate PDFs for you. Easy.

Without a spool file converter… inserting images into report layouts is another time-consuming task, and these days you need company logos, images and photographs in your reports, it’s something you simply must do. Unless…

With CoolSpools software… save your images as JPEGs or GIFs, and tell CoolSpools where they need to go, and the software will insert the image for you. That’s a lot less fuss to make your AS400 reports look as great as they read.

Without a spool file converter… merging PDFs is yet another boring manual task (are you getting the idea?)

With CoolSpools software… when converting spool to PDF you can also merge the new AS400 PDF with an existing PDF document – even if it wasn’t created using CoolSpools.

Without a spool file converter… removing unwanted pages is a hassle. Find the page, delete the page, find the page, delete the page, find the page (repeat ad nauseum).

With CoolSpools software… removing unwanted pages is a cinch! Tell CoolSpools which pages to remove, whether by page number or by looking for a particular word or phrase, and BAM! They’re gone.

Without a spool file converter… you have to email each client their PDF individually if you want them to receive different information.

With CoolSpools software… you can email different converted spool files or parts of spool files to different recipients. Your clients, manager or whomever you’re producing documents for will receive PDFs with all of the info they need – and none of the info they don’t.

This is just the tip of the iceberg. Not only does CoolSpools offer unparalleled power and flexibility when converting spool to PDF, it can also convert spool to Excel, XML and several other popular file formats. Learn more now at http://www.coolspools.com/ and start creating as400 PDFs the smarter way.

Take the Pain Out Of System i Spool to Excel File Creation

Posted on October 20, 2013at 11:49 am

Don’t you wish someone would invent an easier way to automatically convert System i spool & database files into Excel documents, with the cells already formatted correctly, with the data appended to last month’s data and with the reports automatically emailed to your management team? Then here’s some great news – if you work in a System i environment, someone already has…

CoolSpools (http://www.coolspools.com/) software has been developed by experts in all things System i. One of its many useful features is System i to Excel file conversion. Here’s how it can help you…

What do you mean by “System i to Excel file conversion”?

Put simply: CoolSpools is a conversion tool that takes the data from your spool and database files and converts it into a variety of file formats. One of the functions CoolSpools can perform is System i Spool file to Excel conversion – taking the data from your spool files and converting spool to Excel.

But I’ll still have to spend hours formatting my data to make it readable.

Not at all. CoolSpools doesn’t just convert spool files and database files to Excel – it can also format the outputted Excel documents too. Colors, fonts, borders – you name it, CoolSpools software does it. It can even carry out conditional formatting.

That’s great. But I need to split out my master spool file into multiple different documents – and email them to multiple recipients. That’s such a chore.

Indeed it is. But not with CoolSpools. Tell CoolSpools where to split the document (perhaps at invoice number or customer name) and it’ll do it for you. No need to manually manipulate your Excel documents at all! It can even manage emailing your Excel documents to several recipients. Everyone gets everything they need – and nothing they don’t.

Amazing. But sometimes I have the opposite issue – I need to append new data to existing spreadsheets as new worksheets.

No problem – CoolSpools has this covered too.

Even with Excel documents that weren’t created using CoolSpools software?

Yes. And as far as we’re aware, no other System i spool file converter offers this incredibly useful functionality.

Sounds great… but is there anything else CoolSpools does other than carry out System i files to Excel conversion?

Indeed. CoolSpools can also convert spool files to PDF, XML and a whole host of other file formats. However you need to present your data, and whatever format you need, CoolSpools is sure to have a solution for you.

I’m sold! So, how do I order CoolSpools software?

Easy. Head to http://www.coolspools.com/ now to find out more about its System i Spool and Database file conversion and its many other flexible capabilities.

Convert spool file to PDF

Posted on October 15, 2013at 12:32 pm

Selecting the best tool.

Spool File to PDF

Adobe’s PDF is now the de facto standard for exchanging documents electronically. The advantage of PDF is that it is a universal file format that can preserve fonts, formatting, colors and graphics. Adobe PDF files are compact and can be shared, viewed, navigated, and printed. Start your journey here to learn how to convert a spool file to pdf.

System i businesses looking to make the leap to paperless trading are faced with quite a number of products that are capable of taking a System i spool file and converting it to PDF format. However, not all of these products offer the same range of features. When selecting a tool of this kind, it is important to ask the following questions:

What kinds of spooled files can be handled?

Some tools can only handle simple *SCS spooled files. If you use more complex spooled files, make sure the tool you choose can process:

• AFP (Advanced Function Printing)
• IPDS (Intelligent Printer Data Stream)
• Line data

What spooled file content can be processed?

Some tools can only process the textual content of your spooled fie. If you want the PDF file to reproduce the appearance of your spooled file accurately, make sure the tool you select can handle:

• Multiple, mixed fonts
• Images and graphics
• Overlays and page segments
• Barcodes

What added value can the tool provide?

While converting your spooled file, some tools allow you to add value to your reports by allowing you to add such things as:

• Data compression
• Indexes and bookmarks
• Color
• Titles and control information
• Logos, watermarks, and pre-printed forms

How easy is it to integrate with my existing systems?

Think about how you will implement the tool within your current environment. Will you need to re-code your applications or change your reports to achieve what you require? Look for features such as:

• A command line interface
• The ability to split reports so that, for example, a single billing spooled file can be divided automatically into separate invoice files for different customers
• Exit program points to allow you to perform special processing on the files as they are created, e.g. pass them to an e-mail application

Please visit our website at www.CoolSpools.com to download a 30-day free trial of our tools for converting System i spool files to Adobe PDF, RTF, Excel, CSV, TIFF, HTML and other PC file formats. Start spool file to pdf conversions now!