AFP & MO:DCA Guides

Short, practical articles on Advanced Function Presentation (AFP) and the MO:DCA data stream — what these files are, how to open them, and what's inside.

• What Is an AFP File? Format, Uses, and How to Open One

  An AFP (.afp) file is an IBM Advanced Function Presentation document used by mainframe and high-volume print systems. Learn what's inside one and how to open it.

• How to Open an AFP File Online (Free, No Install)

  Can't open a .afp file? Here's how to view AFP documents free in your browser — no software to install — plus the other options.

• AFP vs PDF: What's the Difference?

  AFP and PDF are both page formats, but they come from different worlds. Compare AFP (IBM, mainframe print) and PDF (Adobe, universal) and when each is used.

• What Is MO:DCA? (Mixed Object Document Content Architecture)

  MO:DCA is the data-stream architecture behind AFP files. Learn how structured fields, the document hierarchy, and triplets work.

• AFP Object Types Explained: PTOCA, IOCA, BCOCA, GOCA, FOCA

  AFP carries content in object architectures: PTOCA text, IOCA images, BCOCA bar codes, GOCA graphics, and FOCA fonts. Here's what each one does.