BatmanNate
Lifer
First a little bit of background. At work, we run Xerox LPS 4635 high volume laser printers for a variety of repeat business runs for Credit Union clients. (For example, statements, CC's, NSF's, past due notices, billing notices, taxes, etc) These applications merge client data (which I process into databases that are then processed into a print stream) containing the variable data with static forms that reside on the print controller. There are several ways of designing these forms. Normally, we use a program called Solimar X Image, which works through you designing the form in Word, and printing to the solimar driver which then converts whatever you designed in word to a full page image, and creates a simple form calling the full page image. This is easy and effective, however the problem comes when the forms become intricate and large and the images take longer to rip on the printer. This will slow down the printer, thus reducing throughput. The second way to go about designing forms is in Xerox FDL (form development language) where you actually code them in a coordinate oriented manner and compile them on the print controller. This language has the capability to call fonts, images, do text, do shading, boxes, lines, etc. and takes much less space to do it; however it is tedious and requires an enormous amount of intricate measuring, coding, and recoding to develop a single form.
My idea is as follows: To create a simple program with a simple gui that would allow you to design the form on a grid (almost like in word) and then have the program translate it into the coordinants and write it to a text file in FDL. I do not know what language would be best to attempt something like this in. I am confident in FDL and could take care of that end easily enough, but I am wondering what would be ideal to start learning that would do close to what I'm looking for. Any help or advice would be appreciated, thanks!
My idea is as follows: To create a simple program with a simple gui that would allow you to design the form on a grid (almost like in word) and then have the program translate it into the coordinants and write it to a text file in FDL. I do not know what language would be best to attempt something like this in. I am confident in FDL and could take care of that end easily enough, but I am wondering what would be ideal to start learning that would do close to what I'm looking for. Any help or advice would be appreciated, thanks!
