Converting Unisys Print Backup Files to Text

Unisys mainframe applications often use a file format commonly known as print backup file. A normal MOVEit Automation task can download and move these files, frequently via non-secure FTP (binary transfer mode) or a mapped drive. However, MOVEit Transfer is also asked to "crack" or "convert" these files from their native print backup file format into an ASCII text format that many non-Unisys mainframe applications can use.

To convert Unisys mainframe print backup files to ASCII using MOVEit Transfer:

1. Sign on to the MOVEit support site and download ConvertPBA.exe from the Distribution / MOVEit / Central / Extras folder into your C:\Program Files\MOVEit folder (or other appropriate local folder).
2. Set up a file transfer task (one source and one destination) to download and save the Unisys print backup file without converting it. If your source is an FTP source, you must specify BINARY mode and you might also need to specify additional QUOTE commands to complete the transfer.
3. After you have the basic file transfer task working, add a Command Line App built-in process.
4. Configure "Command Line App" with the following parameters:
   • CommandLineApp_AppPath = C:\Program Files\MOVEit\ConvertPBA.exe (or the actual location of this file)
   • CommandLineApp_AppParms = [InputFile] [OutputFile]
   • CommandLineApp_OutputFile = Yes
5. Save these parameters and test. When checked, the file at the destination is readable using any ASCII text reader (such as notepad.exe).

Note: NULL characters encountered by this utility are converted to spaces.