Since Cobwebb Document Management is a native IBM i product the selection and processing of IBM i spooled files could not be easier.

You can either use the Cobwebb Spool File Monitor to automatically select spooled files as they are produced, or you can use the CRTPPD or RUNPPD commands within a CL program.

The Cobwebb Spooled File Monitor and the CRTPPD /RUNPPD IBM i commands use the same principle for selecting spooled files.

Automatic via the Spool File Monitor

The Cobwebb Spooled File Monitor enables any *SCS spooled file to be automatically selected from any output queue and processed by Cobwebb Document Management. This process is activated by a spooled file being 'Released' in an output queue. Cobwebb Document Management detects this and compares the spooled file details with the list in the Cobwebb Spooled File Monitor maintenance. If the spooled file is selected the specified PPD file is used to create the redesigned print, fax or email. (Please refer to the section on “Work with Spool file monitor).

Note : For the Spooled File Monitor process to work, the subsystem CPPD must be running with the Spooled File Monitor program SPLMON 'Active'. The spooled file(s) to be selected must be 'online'. If an output queue is to be monitored which was not already being monitored when the subsystem CPPD was started, stop and start the subsystem CPPD so that the new output queue will be monitored.

There is a separate Spooled file Fax monitor program (SFFMON) which can be used with Cobwebb Fax to send faxes if Cobwebb Document Management is not installed.

Manual via a CL program

The CRTPPD or RUNPPD commands can be included in a CL program or run in a job scheduler. If you have a program which produces a print file, which is to be redesigned, using Cobwebb Document Management the CRTPPD or RUNPPD command is inserted immediately after the print program, to pick up the output and convert it simply by specifying the spooled file name.