Reviewed March 2013

//META, type, param1, param2, ...

META can be used to embed unspecified meta data in the printfile. The META lines will not print or display in APEX, but will remain in the file, possibly of use to archival or other post-printing routines.

The string parameter type specifies the type of operation or meta-data being used. The parameters following type, if any, are determined by the type of meta-data being passed and the parameters that have been defined for that type of data or operation.

Since META was introduced in A-Shell 5.1.1133 of December 2008 and will therefore not be recognized by earlier versions, the syntax //;META,... is also allowed. (//; indicates a comment line normally, so A-Shell will not display the line, but 5.1.1133+ will still recognize it.)

The only META type currently implemented is FTP, for transferring files between host and PC. See the following topic.

Also see the print filter ATPXFR.SBX in SOSLIB:[907,29] for another approach to making sure that auxiliary files related to printing (such as images referenced by an IMAGE directive) are transferred to the remote PC before needed during printing.