OKI B4400N User Manual

							B4400/B4600 User’s Guide – Overlays and Macros (Windows only) > 71
OVERLAYS AND MACROS (WINDOWS ONLY)
WHAT ARE OVERLAYS AND MACROS?
If you would like to print on special stationery, such as forms and 
letterhead, but do not want to use pre-printed stationery, you 
can create your own using these advanced features.
You can use PostScript overlays to generate all your special 
stationery and store it in the printer for use whenever you need 
it. If you have chosen to install the PCL driver, macros perform a 
similar function.
You can create several overlays or macros, and combine them in 
any way you like to produce a variety of forms and other special 
stationery. Each image can be printed on just the first page of a 
document, on all pages, on alternate pages, or just the pages 
that you specify.
CREATING POSTSCRIPT OVERLAYS
Three steps are required to create an overlay:
1.Create the form data using your own application software 
and print it to a printer (.PRN) file.
2.Use the Storage Device Manager utility software supplied 
on CD with your printer to create a “project file,” import 
the.PRN file(s), and download the generated filter (.HST) 
file to the printer. The project file will contain one or more 
overlay images which are functionally related, such as the 
cover page and the continuation page images for business 
letters.
3.Use downloaded files to define your overlays ready for use 
when printing your documents.
When printing overlay files to disk, do not select any special 
features, such as two-sided printing or multiple copies. These are 
not appropriate to overlays, they apply only to your final 
documents.
NOTE:
PostScript overlays are not available for Windows 95/98/Me.
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							B4400/B4600 User’s Guide – Overlays and Macros (Windows only) > 72
CREATING THE OVERLAY IMAGE
1.Use your preferred application, perhaps a graphics 
program, to create the required overlay image and save 
it.
2.Open your 
application’s Print… 
dialogue.
3.Make sure that the 
selected printer 
name (1) is that of 
your PostScript 
printer driver.
4.Select the Print To 
File(2) option.
5.Click the Properties button (3) to open the Document 
Properties window.
6.On the Overlay tab, 
choose Create Form 
from the drop-down 
list (4).
7.Click OK to close the 
Document Properties 
window.
8.Click OK again to close 
the Print dialogue.
9.When prompted for a 
print file name, enter a meaningful name with the 
extension.PRN.
10.Close your application.
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							B4400/B4600 User’s Guide – Overlays and Macros (Windows only) > 73
CREATE AND DOWNLOAD THE PROJECT
1.From the Windows Start menu, start Storage Device 
Manager (SDM) and allow SDM to discover the printer.
2.Choose Printers→New Project.
3.Choose Printers→Add File to Project.
4.Set the Files of Type drop-down list to PRN 
Files(*.prn).
5.Navigate to the folder where the.PRN files are stored and 
select one or more of these to include in your overlay set.
You can have more than one printer (.PRN) file in a project. 
For example, one for top pages and another for 
continuation pages. Use standard Windows techniques 
(Shift or Ctrl keys) to select multiple files simultaneously if 
you need to.
6.Click Open to add these files to the current project.
7.When a message box appears confirming that a filter file 
has been created, click OK to clear the message.
8.The project window will display one.HST file for each 
printer file added. Make a careful note of each of these 
names. Ensure that you note them exactly as they appear, 
they are case sensitive, and you will need them later.
9.Choose Projects→Save Project and enter a meaningful 
name (e.g. “Letter Stationery”) so that you can recognise 
it later if you want to modify it.
10.Choose Projects→Send Project Files to Printer to 
download the project to the printer.
If you have a hard disk in the printer, SDM will 
automatically download files to it. If not, SDM will 
download files to flash memory. If you have a hard disk but 
still prefer to download to flash memory, double-click the 
file name in the Project window and under Volume, type 
in %Flash0% and then click OK.
11.When the message “Command Issued” appears 
confirming that the download is complete, click OK to 
clear the message.
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							B4400/B4600 User’s Guide – Overlays and Macros (Windows only) > 74
TEST PRINTING THE OVERLAY
1.Click on the printer icon for the relevant printer and 
choose Printers→Test Form.
2.In the Test PostScript Form window, to test each overlay 
select it and click OK. There will be a short pause while 
the printer processes the form, and then it will print.
3.When each overlay has been tested, click Exit.
4.Click the standard Windows Close (X) button, or choose 
Projects→Exit to close Storage Device Manager.
DEFINING OVERLAYS
This is the final step before the new overlays are ready for use.
1.Open the Printers (called “Printers and Faxes” in 
Windows XP) window via the Start menu or the Windows 
Control Panel.
2.Right-click on the Relevant PostScript printer icon and 
choose Printing Preferences from the pop-up menu.
3.On the Overlay tab, click the New button.
4.In the Define Overlays 
window, enter a suitable 
name (2) for this overlay and 
choose which page(s) (3) of 
your documents will use this 
overlay.
5.Enter the name of the overlay 
file (4) exactly as it appeared 
in the Storage Device Manager 
project window. Remember 
that this name is case 
sensitive.
If you forgot to note the overlay names when you created 
them, you can find them using Storage Device Manager to 
view the project file, or the printer’s Information Menu to 
print a file list and identify them from there.
6.Click Add(5) to add this overlay into the defined overlays 
list.
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							B4400/B4600 User’s Guide – Overlays and Macros (Windows only) > 75
7.Click OK to close the Define Overlay window.
The new overlay now appears in the Defined Overlays list 
in the printer properties window.
8.Repeat the above procedure if you wish to define more 
overlays.
9.When done, click OK to close the printer properties 
window.
Your new overlays are now ready and available to be used for any 
future documents you wish.
PRINTING WITH POSTSCRIPT OVERLAYS
Once you have defined your overlays you are ready to use them 
for any documents you wish. The example illustrated here uses 
two overlays for business letters. The first prints on just the top 
page, and the second prints on any or all subsequent pages.
1.Prepare your document in the normal way using your own 
application software. Remember, if necessary, to format 
the document so that it will fit within the appropriate 
space.
2.Open your application’s Print… dialogue and choose any 
options you will require, ensuring that the target printer is 
your PostScript printer driver in which the overlays have 
been defined.
3.Click the Properties button to open the Printing 
Preferences window.
4.On the Overlays tab, 
choose Use Overlay from 
the drop-down list (1).
5.Click on the first 
overlay (2) you wish to 
use. In this example it is 
the Cover Page overlay. 
Then click the Add 
button (3).
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							B4400/B4600 User’s Guide – Overlays and Macros (Windows only) > 76
6.If you want to use another overlay, in this case it is the 
Continuation page, click the second overlay (4) and then 
click the Add button (3) again.
7.When you have selected all the overlays you want to use 
for this document, click OK.
8.Finally, in your application’s print dialogue, click OK to 
begin printing.
CREATING PCL OVERLAYS
Three steps are required to create an overlay:
1.Create the form data using your own application software 
and print it to a printer (.PRN) file.
2.Use the Storage Device Manager utility software supplied 
on CD with your printer to create a “project file,” import 
the .PRN file, and download the generated filter (.BIN) 
files to the printer.
3.Use downloaded files to define your overlay ready for use 
with any future document.
When printing files to disk, do not select any special 
features, such as two-sided printing or multiple copies. 
These are not appropriate to macros, they apply only to 
your final documents.
CREATING THE OVERLAY IMAGE
1.Use your preferred application, perhaps a graphics 
program, to create the required image and save it.
2.Open your application’s 
Print… dialogue.
3.Make sure that the 
selected printer 
name (1) is that of your 
PCL printer driver.
4.Select the Print To 
File(2) option.
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							B4400/B4600 User’s Guide – Overlays and Macros (Windows only) > 77
5.When prompted for a print file name, enter a meaningful 
name with the extension .PRN .
6.Close your application.
CREATE AND DOWNLOAD MACROS
1.From the Windows Start menu, start Storage Device 
Manager (SDM) and allow SDM to discover the printer.
2.Choose Printers→New Project to start a new project.
3.Choose Printers→Filter Macro File. The Filter Printer 
Patterns dialogue box appears. Make any adjustments in 
the settings that you need and then click OK.
Example: If you create a black oval in MS Paint and leave 
all the colour command filters checked, the black oval will 
print as a black rectangle when the overlay is used. To 
maintain the oval shape, turn off (deselect) the “Configure 
Image Data,” “Palette ID” and “Palette Control” filters.
4.Set the Files of Type drop-down list to PRN 
Files(*.prn).
5.Navigate to the folder where the overlay .PRN files are 
stored and select one or more of these to include in your 
overlay set.
You can have more than one macro file in a project. For 
example, one for top pages and another for continuation 
pages. Use standard Windows techniques (Shift or Ctrl 
keys) to select multiple files simultaneously if you need to.
6.Click Open to add these files to the current project. (You 
can also drag and drop files from Windows Explorer 
directly into the project window if you prefer.) When a 
message box appears confirming that a filter file has been 
created, click OK to clear the message.
7.The project window will display one .BIN file for each 
printer file added. Make a careful note of the name and ID 
number for each of the files. You will need them later.
If you wish to edit the names or ID numbers, double-click 
the file entry and edit the details. 
Note that the names are case sensitive. 
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							B4400/B4600 User’s Guide – Overlays and Macros (Windows only) > 78
8.Choose Projects→Save Project and enter a meaningful 
name (e.g. “Letter Stationery”) so that you can recognise 
it.
9.Choose Projects→Send Project Files to Printer to 
download the project to the printer.
10.When the message “Command Issued” appears 
confirming that the download is complete, click OK to 
clear the message.
TEST PRINTING THE MACRO
1.Choose Printers→Test Macro.
2.In the Test Macro window, enter its ID number and click 
OK. After a short pause the printer will print the macro.
3.When each macro has been tested, click Exit.
4.Click the standard Windows Close (X) button, or choose 
Projects→Exit to close Storage Device Manager.
DEFINING OVERLAYS
This is the final step before the new overlays are ready for use.
1.Open the Printers (called “Printers and Faxes” in 
Windows XP) window via the Start menu or the Windows 
Control Panel.
2.Right-click on the Relevant PostScript printer icon and 
choose Printing Preferences from the pop-up menu.
3.On the Job Options tab, click the Overlay button.
4.In the Overlay window, Click 
the Define Overlays 
button(1).
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							B4400/B4600 User’s Guide – Overlays and Macros (Windows only) > 79
5.In the Define Overlays window, 
enter the name(a) and ID(b) 
of the required overlay, and 
define which page(s)(c) of 
your documents will use this 
overlay. Then click the Add 
button(3) to add this overlay 
to the list of defined overlays. 
Repeat for any other related 
overlays. When done, click the 
Close button(4) to close the 
window.
The example illustrated shows two overlays defined, one 
for a cover page and one for continuation pages.
Remember that names and IDs of overlay files must be 
entered exactly as they appeared in the Storage Device 
Manager project window. Remember also that names are 
case sensitive.
If you forgot to note the overlay name or ID when you 
created them, you can find them using Storage Device 
Manager to view the project file, or the printer’s 
Information Menu to print a file list and identify them from 
there.
The new overlays will now appear in the Defined Overlays 
list in the printer properties window.
6.When done, click OK to close the printing preferences 
window.
Your new overlays are now ready and available to be used for any 
future documents you wish.
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							B4400/B4600 User’s Guide – Overlays and Macros (Windows only) > 80
PRINTING WITH PCL OVERLAYS
Once you have defined your overlays you are ready to use them 
for any documents you wish. The example illustrated here uses 
two overlays for business letters. The first prints on just the top 
page, and the second prints on any or all subsequent pages.
1.Prepare your document in the normal way using your own 
application software. Remember, if necessary, to format 
the document so that it will fit nicely within the plain areas 
on your letterhead overlay.
2.Open your application’s Print… dialogue and choose any 
options you will require, ensuring that the target printer is 
your PCL printer driver in which the overlays have been 
defined.
3.Click the Properties button to open the Printing 
Preferences window.
4.On the Overlay tab, check 
the Use active overlays 
checkbox (1).
5.In the Defined Overlays list, 
click on the first overlay (2) 
you wish to use, and click 
the Add button (3) to add it 
to the Active Overlays list. 
(If you want a reminder of 
how this overlay looks, click 
the Test Print button.)
6.If you want to use another overlay with this document, in 
this example it is the “Continuation Page” overlay, click 
this overlay (4) in the list of defined overlays, and then 
click the Add button (3) again to add the second overlay 
to the list of active overlays.
7.When the list of active overlays contains all the items you 
want to use, click OK.
8.Finally, click the Print button in your application’s Print 
dialogue to begin printing your document.
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