PlanetPress Workflow User Guide Planet Press 8.8 Ug

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User Guide
Version:8.8
User Guide
Version 8.8
Last Revision:4/9/2018
Objectif Lune, Inc.
2030 Pie-IX, Suite 500
Montréal, QC, Canada, H1V 2C8
+1 (514) 875-5863
www.objectiflune.com
All trademarks displayed are the property of their respective owners.
© Objectif Lune, Inc. 1994-2018. All rights reserved. No part of this documentation may be
reproduced, transmitted or distributed outside of Objectif Lune Inc. by any means whatsoever
without the express written permission of Objectif Lune Inc. Inc. Objectif Lune Inc. Inc. disclaims
responsibility for any errors and omissions in this documentation and accepts no responsibility
for damages arising from such inconsistencies or their further consequences of any kind.
Objectif Lune Inc. Inc reserves the right to alter the information contained in this documentation
without notice.
Table of Contents
Table of Contents 4
Welcome to PlanetPress Workflow 8.8 10
Icons used in this guide 10
System Requirements 12
Operating System (64-bit only) 12
Minimum Hardware Requirements 12
Known Issues 12
Basics 16
Setting Up the Working Environment 16
Setting Up Preferences 16
Create a New Process 16
Considerations 17
Send your Configuration 17
Features 20
The Nature of PlanetPress Workflow 20
About Branches and Conditions 20
Branches 21
Conditions 21
Configuration Components 21
Connect Resources 21
Available Resources 22
Resource Save Location 22
Resource Archives 23
About Data 23
Data File and Job File 24
Job File Names and Output File Names 25
Data selections 26
AboutData Emulation 35
Using the File Viewer 36
Sample Data 36
Metadata 38
Data Repository 51
Structure 52
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Accessing the Data Repository 53
Where to find the Data Repository 54
About Documents 54
Import Documents 54
Import PrintShop Mail Documents 55
Debugging and Error Handling 55
About Error Handling 55
Using the On Error tab 56
Creating and Using Error Processes 57
Accessing the Logs 58
Resubmit Backed Up Input Files to a Process 60
Knowing What to Resubmit 62
Debugging your PlanetPress Workflow Process 63
The Plug-in Bar 66
Categories 66
Settings & Customization 67
About Printing 68
PlanetPress Workflow Printer Queues 69
Shared Printer Queue Properties 70
Windows Output Printer Queue 72
LPR Output Printer Queue 73
FTP Output Printer Queue 74
Send to Folder Printer Queue 76
Triggers 77
Load Balancing 77
Objectif Lune Printer Driver (PS) 78
About Processes and Subprocesses 81
Processes 81
Subprocesses 81
Process Properties 82
Activate or Deactivate a Process 87
Convert a Branch to a Subprocess 87
Import Processes from Another Configuration File 88
Toggle the Run on Desktop Property 89
Using Scripts 91
The Script Editor and XSLT Editor 92
SOAP Server API Reference 98
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The Watch Object 105
Data Repository API 121
Stopping Execution 141
Special Workflow Types 142
Special Workflows 142
PlanetPress Capture Workflow 143
Database Considerations (ODBC) 150
HTTP Server Workflow 179
PDF Workflow 186
Workflow processes in a Connect Send solution 189
The basic processes involved in the Capture OnTheGo Workflow 191
About Tasks 196
Task Properties 197
Variable Properties 197
Input Tasks 203
Action Tasks 268
Data Splitters 368
Process Logic Tasks 396
Connector Tasks 426
PlanetPress Capture 475
Metadata Tasks 509
OL Connect Send 538
OL Connect tasks 555
Output Tasks 619
Working With Variables 644
Types of Variables 644
Job Info Variables 645
Standard Variables 646
Manipulate Local Variables 650
Manipulate Global Variables 652
About Configurations 654
Create a New Configuration 654
Open a PlanetPress Workflow Configuration File 655
Saving and Sending 656
Exit PlanetPress Workflow Configuration Program 658
About related programs and services 658
Available Input services 659
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Available Output services 660
Start and Stop PlanetPress Workflow Service 660
The Interface 663
Customizing the Workspace 664
Dock and Undock Areas of the Program Window 664
Show or Hide Areas of the Program Window 666
Combine and Attach Areas 666
Resize the Program Window Areas 671
Change the Interface Language 671
PlanetPress Workflow Button 672
Options 672
The Configuration Components Pane 674
Components Area Sections 674
Processes and Subprocesses 677
Manipulate Global Variables 685
Connect Resources 687
PPS/PSM Documents 689
Associate Documents and PlanetPress Printer Queues 694
Using the Clipboard and Drag & Drop 695
Rename Objects in the Configuration Components Pane 698
Reorder Objects in the Configuration Components Pane 698
Grouping Configuration Components 699
Expand and Collapse Categories and Groups in the Configuration Components Pane 700
Delete Objects and Groups from the Configuration Components Pane 701
Other Dialogs 701
Activate Your Printers 701
Workflow Services 702
Process Properties 704
Advanced SQL Statement Dialog 709
Access Manager 709
PDF Viewer 717
The PlanetPress Workflow Service Console 719
Update document 721
Data Repository Manager 721
Virtual Drive Manager 724
The Debug Information Pane 725
The Message Area Pane 726
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The Object Inspector Pane 727
The Plug-in Bar 728
Categories 729
Settings & Customization 729
Preferences 730
Other Preferences and Settings 732
General appearance preferences 732
Object Inspector appearance preferences 733
Configuration Components Pane appearance preferences 733
Default Configuration behavior preferences 734
Notification Messages behavior preferences 735
Sample Data behavior preferences 737
Network behavior preferences 738
PlanetPress Capture preferences 739
OL Connect preferences 748
PDF Text Extraction Tolerance Factors 749
General and logging preferences 751
Messenger plugin preferences 752
HTTP Server Input 1 plugin preferences 753
HTTPServer Input 2 plugin preferences 756
LPD Input plugin preferences 757
Serial Input plugin preferences 758
Telnet Input plugin preferences 759
PlanetPress Fax plugin preferences 759
FTP Output Service preferences 763
PlanetPress Image preferences 764
LPR Output preferences 767
PrintShop Web Connect Service preferences 768
Editor Options 769
The Process Area 773
Zoom In or Out within Process Area 774
Adding Tasks 774
Adding Branches 775
Edit a Task 775
Replacing Tasks, Conditions or Branches 776
Remove Tasks or Branches 776
Task Properties Dialog 777
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Cutting, Copying and Pasting Tasks and Branches 778
Moving a Task or Branch Using Drag-and-Drop 781
Ignoring Tasks and Branches 782
Resize Rows and Columns of the Process Area 782
Selecting Documents in Tasks Links 783
Highlight a Task or Branch 784
Undo a Command 784
Redo a Command 784
The Quick Access Toolbar 785
The PlanetPress Workflow Ribbon 786
The Task Comments Pane 788
Additional Information 789
Copyright Information 790
Legal Notices and Acknowledgements 791
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Welcome to PlanetPress Workflow
8.8
This PDF documentation covers version 8.8. To view the documentation of previous versions
please refer to the PDF files available in the Downloads section of our website:
http://www.objectiflune.com/OL/Download/DownloadCenter.
Workflow is the heart of all of our solutions. Working in conjunction with PlanetPress Connect,
PlanetPress Capture, CaptureOnTheGO, PlanetPress Imaging, PlanetPress Fax, and a variety
of plugins, it helps improve your communications processes. Processes such as
communication creation, interaction, distribution and even maintenance.
Workflow is the "super dispatcher". It caters for inputs from a huge variety of sources, such as
email, web pages, databases, individual files (PDF, csv, XML, etc), print streams, FTP, Telnet
and even ERP systems! This data can then be analysed, modified, stored, verified, routed and
used as triggers for other processes from entirely within Workflow. Finally it is passed to one of
our other products (or not) to be outputted in multiple ways (printed, emailed, posted, archived,
sent to third party solutions, etc..).
Consider Workflow as a set of buildings blocks that enable you to build your own customised
automated processes which will fit your environment and not the other way around. Create
processes that will save you time and money!
Icons used in this guide
Icons are used throughout this guide to point your attention to certain information.
Note
Complementary information that is not critical, but may help you better use PlanetPress Workflow.
Tip
Information that is useful or suggests an easier method.
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Technical
Information that may require specific knowledge to understand.
Warning
Information that is potentially critical to using PlanetPress Workflow. Pay close attention.
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System Requirements
These are the system requirements for PlanetPress Workflow 8.8.
Operating System (64-bit only)
lMicrosoft Windows 2008/2008 R2 Server
lMicrosoft Windows 2012/2012 R2 Server
lMicrosoft Windows Vista
lMicrosoft Windows 7
lMicrosoft Windows 8.1
lMicrosoft Windows 10 (Pro and Enterprise versions only)
Note
Windows XP, Windows 2003 and older versions of Windows are not supported by PlanetPress
Workflow.
Minimum Hardware Requirements
lNTFS Filesystem (FAT32 is not supported)
lCPU Intel Core i7-4770 Haswell (4 Core)
l8GB RAM (16GB Recommended)
lDisk Space: At least 10GB (20GB recommended)
Known Issues
lAnoto Pen Director 2.8 is not supported on Windows Server 2012 and Windows 10.
l22356: Using the PT-PT setting to perform ICR on AlphaNumeric fields may not work
properly. If you encounter the issue, use the PT-BR setting instead, or use another
PlanetPess Field in your document design.
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l21962: Barcode scanner task may have issues reading 2-D barcodes printed/scanned
with low resolution. Make sure the scans and the original printed output are at least
300DPI (600 or better recommended)
l21405: When printing through a Windows printer driver on Windows Server 2008 or
Windows Server 2008 R2, the Job Owner setting is ignored. This is caused by a
documented issue in those two Operating Systems. Microsoft has provided no reason nor
workaround for the problem, therefore PlanetPress Workflow cannot circumvent the issue.
lUnder Windows 2000, the SharePoint output task does not work with SharePoint 2010.
Under the same OS, the PlanetPress Capture ICR does not work due to the .NET 3.5
requirement.
l21465: The SharePoint Output task does not validate the field contents. That's
Sharepoint's responsibility.
l20143: The Metadata to PDI task encodes the XML using the default system encoding,
not the document's. In addition, it does not discriminate between index names written in
different cases (e.g. Name vs. name).
lPrinting PDF files in passthrough mode using a Windows Printer Driver task causes jobs
to be processed sequentially rather than in parallel. This is caused by a 3rd party library
used in the printing process. Possible workarounds are to use a PlanetPress document to
call the PDF files as dynamic images, or to use the PDF file as the Data File for a
PlanetPress Document
lJobInfo #4 in the Windows Input Queue task (the original document name set by the
printing application) replaces any non-alphanumeric character with underscores in order
to filter out any invalid characters. Consequently, if the path contains slashes or colons,
those will be replaced with underscores.
lWhen the PlanetPress Capture database is set to MS Access, it is considered good
practice to have a single process generate Patterns for documents because the Access
engine may lock the other process out of the database as the first process updates it.
lAfter the initial installation, the PlanetPress Workflow Configuration tool may display an
error message the first time you launch it if you had already sent a PlanetPress Workflow
Document to it. You can safely ignore this message, you will simply have to manually
start the PlanetPress Messenger service from the Workflow console for this one time only.
To avoid getting the error altogether, make sure you launch the PlanetPress Workflow
tool once before sending any document to it.
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l13554: In the LaserFiche connector, when selecting a different template after filling up the
fields and then going back to the first template, the values entered in the fields are lost.
They have to be entered again.
lWhen loading a workflow configuration that includes references to Windows printers, the
output task may fail to recognize the printer if the printer driver has changed between the
moment the config was set up and the moment it was loaded. This is unlikely to occur, but
it could, for instance, happen when importing a Version 7 configuration file into Version 8.
To circumvent the issue, open the output task's properties, make sure you reselect the
proper printer, close the task and send the configuration again.
lThe HTTP/SOAP service may fail when both it and the Workflow service are logged on
using 2 non-local users or 2 local users with different privileges. To resolve the issue,
make sure both services use the same logon credentials.
l13559: The WordToPDF task, when run under the LocalSystem account, may seem to
hang if the installation of MS-Word wasn't properly completed for the LocalSystem
account. If the task seems to take longer than it does when run in Debug mode, this may
be the case. You can confirm this behavior by opening up the Windows Task Manager
and checking whether the MSIExec application is running. In order to complete the
installation of MS-Word for the LocalSystem account, follow these steps:
1. Open a command-line window (CMD.exe)
2. Type "AT 10:56 /INTERACTIVE CMD.EXE" (replace 10:56 with the next upcoming
minute on your system)
3. At the specified time, a new command-line window opens. In it, navigate to Word
Installation folder, then type Winword Follow the instructions to complete the
installation
4. Re-start PlanetPress Workflow and test your process.
lThe WordToPDF task relies on MS-Word to perform its functions. However, MS-Word
sometimes displays confirmation dialogs when it encounters a situation requiring user
input. Such dialog windows cannot be displayed when PlanetPress Workflow runs as a
service. As a result, the process may seem to hang because it is awaiting user input on a
window that isn't displayed. The only way to resolve this situation is to kill the
PlanetPress Workflow service. To avoid these types of issues from occurring, it is
imperative that the configuration for the WordToPDF task be tested thoroughly in Debug
mode prior to sending it into production. In particular, the connection to the database must
be validated.
lThe WordToPDF task requires the default system printer to be set to a queue that uses
the PlanetPress printer driver. If you change the default system printer or if you import a
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PlanetPress Workflow configuration file from another PC that includes an instance of the
WordToPDF task, you must review the properties of each instance of the task and click
OK to validate its contents. A new printer queue will be created if required and the default
printer will be reset properly. If you do not perform these steps, running the configuration
will result in several error messages being logged and the task failing.
lThe preferences for the PrintShop Mail Web connector may not be saved properly if you
set them and close the PlanetPress Workflow Configuration tool without first sending the
configuration to the service. Make sure you send the configuration before exiting from the
Configuration tool.
l13009: With Outlook 2010, the Send Email functionality requires that the service be run
with administrative credentials in the domain. In addition, both Outlook and the
PlanetPress Workflow Configuration tool must *not* be running while the service is.
lThe Microsoft Office 2010/2013/2016 and 365 line of products has not been certified for
use with PlanetPress Workflow. Some of its products may not be compatible with the
connectors included.
lBarcodes produced in printer-centric mode may have a slightly different aspect from those
produced in Optimized PostScript mode. This is due to the different types of 3rd party
libraries being used to generate the barcodes. However, all barcodes scan correctly.
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Basics
PlanetPress Workflow is a tool for the automation of the processing, the distribution and the
printing of your business documents. Once installed on the server, it can be set up to automate
all tasks related to document processing.
Setting Up the Working Environment
Setting up the working environment has to be done the first time you start PlanetPress
Workflow.
1. Defining the printer (see Activate Your Printers).
2. Configure PlanetPress Workflow Services (see Workflow Services).
Setting Up Preferences
PlanetPress Workflow Configuration program lets you configure a variety of options, from how
the application itself looks or behaves, to plugin specific options. For more information about
preferences accessible through the Preferences button in the PlanetPress Workflow Button,
please refer to Preferences.
Create a New Process
You can create a new process in a two different ways:
lIn the Ribbon, go to the Home tab and click the Process button in the Processes group.
lIn the Configuration Components pane, right-click on any process or the Processes
folder and select Insert Process.
Regardless of the method, a new process is created with a default name (Process1, Process2,
etc), Input Task and Output Task. The defaults are configurable in the "Default Configuration
behavior preferences" on page734 screen. The same methods can be used to create a new
Startup process.
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To add a PlanetPress Workflow startup process:
lIn the Ribbon, go to the Home tab and click the Startup Process button in the
Processes group.
lIn the Configuration Components pane, right-click on any process or the Processes
folder and select Insert Startup Process.
Note
You can only have one Startup Process in any given configuration and cannot add more.
Considerations
lWhile your configuration is limited to a maximum of 512 processes, any given process
can have as many tasks as necessary.
lA given process may include output tasks that generate files used by input tasks from
other processes.
lWhen you send a configuration to your PlanetPress Workflow service, all its active
processes are applied.
lEach process’ schedule determines when its initial input task can be performed.
lOther tasks included in the process are performed regardless of schedule, granted that
the previous task was performed.
Send your Configuration
PlanetPress Workflow Configuration saves entire configurations in the form of a single file. Like
any other file, configuration files may be saved and reopened, as well as rename as desired.
Simply saving a configuration has no effect on the configuration actually used by the
PlanetPress Workflow when it is started. To change any currently active configuration, you
must use the Send Configuration command.
When you use the Send command, the PlanetPress Workflow Configuration program uses the
currently opened configuration (Any_name.OL-workflow) to overwrite PlanetPress Workflow
service's current configuration (ppwatch.cfg).
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Note
OL-workflow files are equivalent to .pp7 files made with older versions of PlanetPress Workflow.
They contain the processes and such used by Workflow.
If PlanetPress Workflow service is running when you send a new configuration, it stops and
restarts automatically with the new configuration. If the service is stopped, it will not start
automatically.
To send a Configuration to the local server:
1. Open the configuration you want to use as a new configuration.
2. Edit the configuration, if required.
3. When the configuration is ready to be used, from the PlanetPress Workflow button,
choose Send Configuration, then Send Local.
To send a Configuration to a remote server:
1. Open the configuration you want to use as a new configuration.
2. Edit the configuration, if required.
3. When the configuration is ready to be used, from the PlanetPress Workflow button,
choose Send Configuration, then Send Remote.
Alist of available servers on the local network appears.
4. Put a checkmark next to each server where the configuration should be sent.
5. Click OK.
If a server is grayed out, this may mean you do not have access to send a configuration
remotely to it. For more information, please see "Access Manager" on page709.
Note
If PlanetPress Workflow service is paused when you send a new configuration, it will not
stop and restart. Since PlanetPress Workflow service reads its configuration file when it
starts up, when you resume processing, PlanetPress Workflow service will continue
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using the old configuration.
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Features
PlanetPress Workflow are input driven applications designed to output data in a variety of ways
through diverse means to various applications and devices. PlanetPress Workflowcan be used
as simple go between, passing along input data to output devices, but it can also perform
various types of data processing. You can combine the various PlanetPress Workflow services
to set up versatile automated processes to print jobs as well as generate other types of output.
The Nature of PlanetPress Workflow
PlanetPress Workflow act as sorts of dispatchers. On the one hand, they retrieves data and
controls plugins that retrieve data from watched locations, and on the other hand they send data
and controls plugins that send data to various devices, for printing or to generate documents
that can then be emailed or faxed. PlanetPress Workflow can also perform a variety of
operations on the data using its action plugins.
In fact, the PlanetPress Workflow plugin based architecture enables almost limitless
customization. You can create or purchase compatible plugins, drop them in any of
PlanetPress Workflow plugin folder and use them to perform other operations. You can even
find free unsupported plugins on the Objectif Lune Web site.
PlanetPress Workflow are service applications, or if you will, applications that continuously run
on a given computer and that perform actions automatically. Those actions are defined in a
PlanetPress Workflow configuration. A given computer can only run one PlanetPress Workflow
configuration at a time. The PlanetPress Workflow Service Console may be used to monitor the
services running on a given computer.
About Branches and Conditions
While some processes can simply start with an input task, manipulate the data with a few action
tasks and finish with an output task, in some cases you may want to have more control over the
flow of your process. For example, you may want multiple outputs, such as printing to multiple
printers as well as generating a PDFand emailing it. To do this, you will need branches. You
may also want to detect certain criteria in your data and act differently depending on that data,
such as sending a fax only when a fax number is found, or printing to a different printer
depending on who send you a print job. To do this, conditions are used.
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Branches
A branch is effectively a doubling of your job file. As your job file goes down the process, when
it encounters a branch it will go in that branch, process all tasks up to the output, and return to
the main trunk to continue processes. You can have branches within branches, and all
branches must have an output. For more information on branches, see Branch.
A branch is represented as a crossing .
Conditions
Acondition will either execute the branch it creates or the main trunk, but never both. As your
job file goes down the process, when it encounters a condition it will verify whether that
condition results in a "true"or "false"value. If the result is true, it goes in the branch, processes
all tasks up to the output, and the process finishes. If the result is false, it goes down the main
trunk and continues processing until the process finishes.
A conditional branch (or condition) is shown as a crossing with a red diamond over it .
For the list of operations you can perform on Branches and Conditions, please refer to The
Process Area.
Configuration Components
The Configuration Components items displayed in the pane are processes, subprocesses,
variables, documents and printer queues. For more information on operations that you can
perform on each component, please refer to The Configuration Components pane.
Connect Resources
Connect resources are visible in The Configuration Components pane and are added by
using the Send to Workflow option from the PlanetPress 's File menu.
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Available Resources
lData Mapping Configurations:Displays a list of data mapping configurations used with
the Execute Data Mapping task. Each of the templates have been sent from PlanetPress
Connect using the Send to Workflow tool. For each template in the list, the following two
items appear within them:
lData Model:Displays the data model used in the data mapping configuration.
Double-click on the data model to view it in your default XMLviewer (generally,
Internet Explorer).
lSample Data File(s):Displays a list of sample files that are included in the data
mapping configuration. Double-click on a file to use it as a sample data file for the
active process.
lDocument Templates:Displays a list of templates that can be used in content creation
tasks:"Create Email Content" on page562, "Create Web Content" on page587 and
"Create Print Content" on page582.
lJob Presets:Displays a list of Job Presets that can be used in the "Create Job" on
page567 task.
lOutput Presets:Displays a list of Output Presets that can be used in the "Create Output"
on page570 task.
Resource Save Location
Any resource sent to PlanetPress Workflow from PlanetPress Connect is saved locally at the
following location: %PROGRAMDATA%\Objectif Lune\PlanetPress Workflow 8\PlanetPress
Watch\OLConnect
Resources are saved in their appropriate folder:
lDataMapper contains the data mapping configurations (.OL-datamapper)
lJobCreation contains the Job Presets(.OL-jobpreset)
lOutputCreation contains the Output Presets (.OL-outputpreset)
lTemplate contains the templates (.OL-template)
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Note
Package Files are not saved anywhere. The individual resources contained within the
package are extracted and placed in the folders noted above.
Resource Archives
From version 8.2, PlanetPress Workflow maintains an archive of previous versions of
resources, in the following location:%PROGRAMDATA%\Objectif Lune\PlanetPress Workflow
8\PlanetPress Watch\OLConnect\Archive , each in their own folder:
ldatamapper contains archives of the data mapping configurations (.OL-datamapper)
ljobcreation contains archives of the Job Presets(.OL-jobpreset)
loutputcreation contains archives of the Output Presets (.OL-outputpreset)
ltemplate contains archives of the templates (.OL-template)
lworkflow contains archives of Workflow configurations received by the server.
The archives are saved using the template named followed by a timestamp. A maximum of 30
of each instance of a resource is kept (meaning if you have 10 different templates, a maximum
of 300 files will be present in the archive\template folder). Older archives are deleted
automatically as new archives are created.
About Data
Data is what drives your business, and our software. We define data as anything that is
obtained through an Input Task and used within the process itself. Once the data is obtained, it
becomes the job file that is passed from one task to another and generally used to generate
output.
Data can be manipulated using the tasks in the process, used as comparison for conditions and
loops, complemented with data from other sources, and used to generate your output. It
originates from many different sources (as many as the input tasks support), parts of it can be
stored in variables, and is always accessible by the task that currently handles it.
Data is referred to using Data Selections either from PlanetPress Workflow or a PlanetPress
Design Document that is being merged with the data (for example in a printed output).
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For more information about Data, please refer to "Sample Data" on page36.
Note
Null characters present in the data may not be displayed properly when using
PlanetPress Workflow Configuration program, and that they may also be printed
differently by different printers. To ensure consistency, you should consider filtering out
such characters.
Data File and Job File
Whichever source it may come from, a serial port, an e-mail message, or an LPR request, for
instance, and whatever its format, data entering a PlanetPress Workflow process via an input
task is always referred to as a data file. Job file is a more general term, that can refer to data
files as well as other types of files traveling through a process. Image files, for example, can be
passed from task to task in order to be downloaded to a printer. So files traveling within a
process are mostly referred to as job files.
By default, job file names are generated using the %f variable. You may change the
wayPlanetPress Workflow names job files by using any combination of static characters,
variables and Job info variables. You could for instance enter Process_%w_Job_%f in the
File name box to add the process name in the name generated by the PlanetPress Workflow
Tools.
A single job file can be the source of multiple job files. This is the case, for example, when a
process includes multiple branches, as each branch is given a duplicate copy of the job file.
This is also the case when a job file is split into multiple smaller files by a Splitter action task,
for instance (See "Data Splitters" on page368).
It is important to note that job files may be used as a helpful debugging resource (See
"Debugging and Error Handling" on page55).
Actual Data and Sample Data
The actual data is the dynamic data captured by PlanetPress Workflow at run-time. The sample
data file is a static sampling of the run-time data.
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In the PlanetPress Workflow Configuration program, you use sample data files to create and
edit PlanetPress Workflow configurations.
Job File Names and Output File Names
When an input task sends a new data file down a process, it gives it an internal file name
referred to as the job file name (associated with the %f variable). The new job file typically
keeps the same name until the end of the process.
lIf the job file comes to a branch in the process, PlanetPress Workflow makes a copy of the
job file and give the new file a new job file name.
lIf the job file is processed by a splitter action task, the task typically creates a number of
new files which are all given new job file names.
Since these files are generated and managed by PlanetPress Workflow, you should not
actually pay too much attention to their names.
Many output tasks, on the other hand, let you determine exactly how you want the files they
generate to be named. In the case of Send to Folder output tasks, for example, output files are
saved under their job file names by default (using the variable %f), but you may use a static
(MyOutput.txt, for example) or variable name (%O_Invoices, for instance) of your choosing.
Variables such as %o (original file name) bring up the issue of file overwriting. If the process
receives two source files with the same name, the second output file may overwrite the first one.
This may be what you want, but otherwise you may consider using another variable, such as in
%u (unique 13-character string).
When choosing naming schemes for output files, consider the following:
lFor the benefit of users who must identify files, be it in a folder or on a printer queue,
consider using names that are as meaningful and precise as possible.
lSome devices or applications may use file name extensions to know what to do with
incoming files.
Since variable properties can be entered in the boxes where you specify the folder and file
names, you can use variables, data selections and static text. You could, for example, use the
following: ClientID_@(1,1,1,1,14,KeepCase,Trim)_StatMonth_%m.
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One last consideration regarding output file names has to do with standard JPEG and TIFF files
generated by PlanetPress Image. When an output job contains multiple pages, multiple JPEG
or TIFF files are generated (one image per file), each one identified by a sequence number
appended to its name (this is managed by your PlanetPress Workflow). A three page job to be
called Invoice, for example, will generate three JPEGs or TIFFs called Invoice0, Invoice1 and
Invoice2. Note that this does not apply to multiple TIFFs, which can include multiple images in
a single file.
Note
You can change the name of a previously named file using a Rename action task (see "Rename"
on page334).
Data selections
A data selection could be compared to an address. It indicates a location within a data file or
database (the job file, metadata file, or Data Repository).
Data selections are always evaluated at run-time so they are always dynamic and depend on
the job file that is currently being processed.
There are several types of data selections you can use, depending on which emulation you are
using, whether or not Metadata have been created by a previous task in the process, and
whether or not data have been entered in the Data Repository.
Adding a data selection
A data selection can be used in any task property that may contain a variable. These properties
are recognizable by their colored field label (maroon, by default). Right-click the property field
and choose Get Data Location or Get Metadata Location to open the Data Selector (see "The
Data Selector" on page31) or Get Repository Location to open the Data Repository Manager
(see "Data Repository Manager" on page721).
Note
The Get (...) Value options will also open the Data Selector or the Data Repository Manager, but
once selected, the value becomes static and does not change between each datapage and job file.
Page 26
After opening a sample of the data and/or metadata, you can easily make a selection.
It is also possible to manually enter a data selection, or to change it after making a selection
with the mouse pointer.
Wild card parameter "?"
Data/metadata selection functions accept a wildcard parameter "?", indicating the function
operates on allnodes (not just one) of a given level.
Examples
lIn a PDF emulation, the format of a selected region could be:
region(?,0.59375,2.21875,1.85416,2.51041,KeepCase,NoTrim)
In this case “?” represents the current physical data page processed by the task.
lIn the following rule, the Metadata selection function loops through all datapages in a job,
comparing their index in the document to a value:
(GetMeta(SelectedIndexInDocument[0], 11, Job.Group[?].Document
[?].Datapage[?]) Equal 0
lIn the following rule, the question mark in the text-based data selection represents the
current page number:
(@(?,1,1,1,9,KeepCase,NoTrim) IS EQUAL TO Page 1 of)
Text-based data selections
Text-based selections are used for text data files such as Line Printer, ASCIIand Channel Skip
emulations. The selection refers to a rectangular selection that may contain multiple lines, rows,
columns on a given page.
Syntax
@(page number, from line, to line, from column, to column, case option, trim
option)
Here is a breakdown of the syntax (all options are mandatory):
l@():Always surrounds a data selection.
lPage Number:The data page number from which you want the data selection to grab the
data. If you want to get data from each page individually, this has to be done after a
splitter.
Page 27
lFrom Line:The starting line of the data selection.
lTo Line:the last line of the data selection.
lFrom Column:the leftmost character position of the data selection.
lTo Column:the rightmost character position of the data selection.
lCase Options:This can be one of three options:
lKeepCase:Keeps the current uppercase and lowercase letters as they are.
lUpperCase:Converts all letters to their uppercase equivalent.
lLowerCase:Converts all letters to their lowercase equivalent.
lTrim Option:Can either be "Trim"if you want to trim empty spaces before and after the
data selection or "NoTrim"if you want to retain the extra spaces.
Database data selections
These selections are used for database-driven data files such as Database and
CSVemulations. The selection refers to a specific field on any given data page.
Syntax
field(record set number, child number, field name, treatment of character case,
treatment of empty trailing cells)
Here is a breakdown of the syntax (all options are mandatory):
lfield():Always surrounds database field selections.
lRecord Set Number: The data page (or "record") of the data selection.
lChild Number:Line Number in the record (if there are multiple lines returned for one
single record).
lField Name: The name of the field you want to retrieve.
lCase Option: This can be one of three options:
lKeepCase:Keeps the current uppercase and lowercase letters as they are.
lUpperCase:Converts all letters to their uppercase equivalent.
lLowerCase:Converts all letters to their lowercase equivalent.
lTrim Option:Can either be "Trim"if you want to trim empty spaces before and after the
data selection or "NoTrim"if you want to retain the extra spaces.
Page 28
Data Repository lookups
The Data Repository selections are made through the lookup function. Selections are done
from the data located in the "Data Repository Manager" on page721. The lookup function
returns the value of a single key, which is always a string.
Syntax
lookup(group, return key, lookup key, lookup value)
Here is a breakdown of the syntax (all arguments are mandatory):
lgroup:The name of the group in which to retrieve the value. Does not need to be
surrounded by quotes.
lreturn key:The name of the key where the information you want to retrieve is located.
Does not need to be surrounded by quotes.
llookup key:The name of the key in the group with which to look up the value. The return
key of the KeySet in which the lookup key's value matches the lookup value will be
returned.
llookup value: A string surrounded by quotes which will be used in the lookup.
PDF data selections
These selections are used for PDF data files. The selection refers to a specific area of any
given page of the PDF by using precise region coordinates (in inches).
Note that when adding a metadata field, if you perform a multi-line data selection on a PDF
region, only the first line of that region will be set to the metadata field.
Syntax
region(page, left, top, right, bottom, case option, trim option)
Here is a breakdown of the syntax (all options are mandatory):
lregion():Always surrounds PDFdata selections.
lPage:The page of the PDFfrom which to retrieve the data.
lLeft:Exact horizontal position (in inches)that defines the left of the selection region.
lTop:Exact vertical position (in inches)that defines the top of the selection region.
Page 29
lRight:Exact horizontal position (in inches)that defines the right of the selection region.
lBottom:Exact vertical position (in inches)that defines the bottom of the selection region.
lCase Option: This can be one of three options:
lKeepCase:Keeps the current uppercase and lowercase letters as they are.
lUpperCase:Converts all letters to their uppercase equivalent.
lLowerCase:Converts all letters to their lowercase equivalent.
lTrim Option:Can either be "Trim"if you want to trim empty spaces before and after the
data selection or "NoTrim"if you want to retain the extra spaces.
Metadata selections
Metadata selections are used with any type of emulation, as long as a metadata file was
created by a previous task in the process.
Tip
To get a sample of the metadata file, debug your process and step through it until the option View
Metadata gets enabled. This happens when metadata have been created by a task in the process.
Open the metadata viewer and save the metadata file to use it as a metadata sample file in the Data
Selector.
Syntax
GetMeta(Field Name [, Option Flags, Metadata Path])
Here is a breakdown of the syntax:
lGetMeta():Always surrounds metadata selections.
lField/Attribute Name:specifies the name of the field (or attribute, if the GetAttribute
option flag is set) to retrieve (see "Metadata" on page38).
lOption Flag (optional):Sets the options for the selection (see table below).
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lMetadata Path (optional):Defines the precise path where the Metadata Field is located.
Note
Metadata Index/Count values are zero-based: the first element in any collection
has an index of 0 and the last element's index corresponds to the collection's length
minus 1.
Option flags
The flag value to enter should be the sum of all desired flags. So, a value of 11, which is 8+2+1,
means that behavior 8, 2 and 1 are applied.
A value of 0 means 'no flag'.
Name Value Behavior
GetAttribute 1 Search for the name argument in the attribute collection
instead of the default field collection. See: "Metadata" on
page38.
NoCascade 2 Search only the level specified by the path argument
(defaults to Page level when path argument is empty),
instead of default behavior, going from the Page level to
the Job level.
FailIfNotFound 4 Raise an error and crash the job is the specified name is
not found instead of returning an empty string.
SelectedNodesOnly 8 Returns values from the selected nodes only.
The Data Selector
The Data Selector is the tool you use to choose your sample data and metadata files, to select
the appropriate emulation, to make data selections, and to stabilize your data.
To open it:
Page 31
lChoose Debug > Select, on the menu.
lRight-click a task property that may contain variables (recognizable by the color of its field
label, which is maroon by default)and choose one of the Get Data ... or Get Metadata ...
options.
lDebug your configuration and step through it until the option Debug > View Metadata
gets enabled. This happens when the metadata file has been created by a task in the
process.
The Data Selector is divided in two tabs:Data and Metadata.
Data tab
The Data tab contains the Data Options, which let you select your emulation, and the Selector
Options, which let you personalize the data selector's display options (see Data Selector
Page 32
Display Preferences).
The Data Selector uses the emulation (either the emulation chosen when the sample data file
was selected, or the one chosen in the last Change Emulation action task appearing above
the current task) to format the data. It displays the formatted data to let you make selections
easily using the mouse pointer.
Depending on the chosen emulation and data file, the options in the Data Selector, the Sample
data file section and the Data pane itself may change to accommodate your choice. The Line
Printer, Ascii, Channel Skip and User-Defined emulations will display the default options (see
the Emulation section)and a grid-like display of each character on each line. The following
emulations however, will be slightly different.
Database Emulation
lThe Database emulation changes the Browse button( ) for the Database Emulation
Configuration button ( ), which displays the Database Emulation Configuration (see
Database Emulation).
lOnce a database has been opened and query entered, the Data pane displays the results
of the SQLQuery in a grid format, which each line representing a single returned row from
the database. Each column represents a field returned by the query, with its field name as
a row header.
XMLEmulation
lXMLdata is represented in a tree structure which corresponds to the data in the XMLfile.
Each node of the XMLcan be expanded to see the nodes under it. See XML Data
Emulations.
PDF Emulation
lIf you use a PDF emulation, the Data pane displays the data as you would see it in any
PDFreader.
lA new zoom drop-down list is displayed to let you set the zoom in percentage or fit the
PDFto the window or the width of the window.
lA new status bar, displaying the (Left, Top) and (Right, Bottom) coordinate pairs, is shown
under the Data pane.
Page 33
Metadata tab
The Metadata tab allows to load a metadata file and make a selection from it.
The Sample metadata filename is the path to the metadata file describing the current sample
data file. Buttons on the rightcan be usedto load metadata from a file or to save the current
metadata to a file.
Tip
To get a sample of the metadata file, debug your process and step through it until the option Debug
> View Metadata gets enabled. This happens when metadata have been created by a task in the
process. Open the metadata viewer and save the metadata file to use it as a sample file. Click the
Open a meta data file button to open the sample in the metadata selector.
PlanetPress Design documents (unlike Connect Designer templates) are built to contain
metadata. PlanetPress Design users may therefore generate a metadata file for their active
sample data file, using a PlanetPress Design document:click the Create meta data file button.
The Generated PressTalk Expression shows the expression to retrieve the currently selected
attribute or field. Metadata are retrieved with the GetMeta() function (see "Metadata selections"
on page30). This expression is editable, which allows you to customize the string returned by
the metadata selector.
Tip
The wildcard parameter '?' indicates that the function operates on allnodes (not just one) of a given
level; see "Wild card parameter "?" " on page27.
The Enable search on multiple levels option is available when a metadata is selected under
Production information or User defined information. If it is not selected, the option flag includes
NoCascade (+2). For an explanation of option flags in the GetMeta() function, see "Option
flags" on page31.
Metadata level is a tree view allowing users to select the metadata level from which to display
or select metadata elements.
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The Production information list displays all metadata fields describing the current
metadatalevel,as selected in the Metadata Level tree view, for the current data page, as
selected in theData page box.
The User defined information lists all metadata fields defined by the user on the current
metadata level.
Note
A number of the options in the Metadata Selector in PlanetPress Design 7 are no longer available in
the user interface of PlanetPress Workflow . However, when these settings are made in PlanetPress
Design 7, they will function as expected in PlanetPress Workflow 8.8.
AboutData Emulation
Emulations are like filters that can be used to read the data. When you create a document in
PlanetPress Design, you choose a sample data file and specify the emulation to use for the
chosen data. The emulation setting you choose will typically always be associated with that
document. If you choose a CSV (comma separated values) file and specify the corresponding
emulation, for instance, commas encountered in the data will typically be considered as value
separators.
Within PlanetPress Workflow, the same emulation tools as PlanetPress Design are available
throughout your process, using the Data Selector. One notable exception however is that User-
Defined Emulation is not available because it uses PlanetPress Talk code, which is not
available within PlanetPress Workflow Configuration Program.
The emulation that is used in your process can change during the process, and can be different
than the one used in any PlanetPress Design document used in your process. PlanetPress
Design documents use their own emulations, as defined in the document itself from
PlanetPress Design.
Emulations in PlanetPress Workflow:
lLine Printer
lASCII
lCSV
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lChannel Skip
lDatabase
lXML
lPDF
Warning
PDFEmulation, also called Document Input, is only available in PlanetPress Workflow.
For more information about each emulation and how to use them, please refer to PlanetPress
Design User Guide.
Using the File Viewer
The File Viewer is like a Data Selector without any data related options, such as emulation
settings. It is displayed when doing a data selection from the Generic Splitter task (see
"Generic Splitter" on page377) with the Use Emulation option unchecked. The only data
formatting codes to which the File Viewer responds are line breaks.
For more information on the selecting data, see "The Data Selector" on page31.
Sample Data
PlanetPress Workflow is a versatile tool that can capture various types of data files and
dispatch this data to various PlanetPress Design documents. To fully understand PlanetPress
Workflow and how it treats data, you must understand how it is integrated into PlanetPress
Design.
This section covers issues relating to the sample data used to create your PlanetPress
Workflow configuration and to the actual data that PlanetPress Workflow will send to
PlanetPress Design documents. It is an important section which you should fully understand
before you start creating your configuration. Also included in this section are procedures that let
you make data selections as well as get data from the sample data file.
Since many of the concepts and explanations included in this chapter are closely related to
concepts and explanations found in the PlanetPress Design User Guide, we suggest that you
review this document, especially the Selecting an Emulation section.
Page 36
Choosing a Database Type Sample Data File
The procedure for selecting a sample data file that is in fact a database is the same as doing so
in PlanetPress Design. For more information, please see the relevant page in the PlanetPress
Design User Guide.
Note
You can also use the PlanetPress Workflow Database action task to get data form a
database, and output in multiple different formats such as CSV. See "Database Query"
on page299.
Choosing a Sample Data File
In order to create your PlanetPress Workflow Process, the sample data you are going to use
has to correspond precisely to the job files that will be treated by that process, at least in terms
of structure.
The sample data file should have a relatively small number of pages (generally less than a
hundred)in order to be processed quickly, while your actual data may be much larger and take
more time to process. The sample data file should also contain at least one of every exception
you may want to detect, or data used for a specific condition. For example if you wanted to filter
out any data for clients in Canada, you would want to use a data file that has at least one user
from Canada, to test whether your condition removes it.
To choose a sample data file:
1. Click the Debug tab in the PlanetPress Workflow Ribbon.
2. Click on Select in the Data group.
3. Use the Data Selector to choose your sample data file and emulation options.
4. Click OK on the Data Selector.
PlanetPress Workflow also keeps the last 9 used data files in memory, which you can reopen to
use in the same process, or a different one.
Page 37
To reopen a sample data file used previously:
1. Click the Debug tab in the PlanetPress Workflow Ribbon.
2. Click on Reopen Data File in the Data group.
3. Click on one of the data files in the list.
4. Use the Data Selector to change the emulation options if necessary.
5. Click OK on the Data Selector.
Metadata
Metadata is a hierarchical structure describing a job. Simply put, metadata is data about data
or, in other words, information tagged to data. Metadata includes information about the data file
itself, the document, custom user fields and in some cases page properties and page counts.
PlanetPress Workflow provides a whole series of plugins to create and edit Metadata within
processes (see "Metadata Tasks" on page509).
Note
Applications or plugins created in PlanetPress Suite 6 and using metadata will need to
be updated for use in version 8.8. No backward compatibility mode is available.
Warning
When a user-defined emulation is used with metadata, results and behavior are unknown
and unsupported. For instance, refreshing the metadata file may cause the document to
crash and/or corrupt. For this reason, it is strongly advised to create backup copies of
your documents beforehand.
Metadata structure
The hierarchical structure of the metadata is composed of a number of basic levels for adding
information to the job. These levels are, from top to bottom:
Page 38
lJob: a file that contains 1 or more groups.
lGroup: a logical and ordered group of documents (ex: all invoices for a specific customer
number; all documents going to the same address, etc.).
lDocument: group of 1 or more ordered datapages intended to the same recipient from the
same source (ex: invoice).
lDatapage: 1 atomic unit of content that produces zero, one or more pages.
lPage: 1 side of a physical paper sheet.
When metadata is produced for a given job, a hierarchical (i.e. tree-like) structure is created,
composed of the above elements in the following order: Job > Group(s) > Document(s) >
Datapage(s) > Page(s). Any operation that modifies the data with regards to the structure (ex:
remove pages, alter the data, etc.) makes the metadata obsolete and so it must be recreated or
refreshed.
Metadata in OL Connect tasks
Although the metadata file created and maintained by OL Connect tasks looks the same as the
metadata file produced by other tasks, it is in fact different: it contains less information. Only the
first three levels in the metadata hold information about the job: Job,Group and Document. A
Group has information about a record set and a Document about one record. Datapage and
Page nodes are visible in the Metadata file, but in this case they don't contain any actual job
related information.
Taking this limitation into account, the Metadata related plugins (see "Metadata Tasks" on
page509) can be used in conjunction with OL Connect tasks nonetheless.
PlanetPress Design example
As an example, consider the typical case of a PlanetPress Design document which uses a Line
Printer data file of transactional data in order to generate PDF invoices for a series of clients. By
using the Metadata tools available in PlanetPress Workflow, the following information can be
added to the data file:
lThe job contains only invoices for clients located in Montreal.
lSince more than one invoice can go to the same recipient, invoices are grouped by
customer.
lEach invoice is a document resulting from the execution of a PlanetPress Design
document over one or more datapages, which results in zero or more physical pages
being output.
Page 39
A single JOB can be composed of GROUPS of DOCUMENTS, which themselves are
composed of physical PAGES produced by executing a PlanetPress Design document on one
or more DATAPAGES.
Metadata elements
Each metadata node (i.e. Job, Group, Document, etc.) is described with a series of elements,
that is, system-defined attributes or user-defined fields holding static or dynamic information
about the node they are attached to. Each element has a name and a value. More specifically,
here is a definition of these 2 types of elements:
lAttribute: A read-only, system-defined element which holds a certain information about a
certain node in the Metadata structure. This information can be static (e.g. the size of a
physical page) or evaluated on-the-fly (e.g. the number of documents in a group).
Attributes are non-repetitive (i.e. name is unique) and do not persist through metadata
recreation.
lField: A read-write, user-defined element which holds custom information about a certain
node in the metadata structure. Fields are repetitive (i.e. the same field may appear
multiple times) and persist through metadata recreation.
Page 40
In addition to attributes and fields, each node of type group, document or datapage has a
Boolean property called 'selected' that indicates whether or not to produce the pages under that
node. By default, this property is set to true for all nodes.
Metadata attributes reference
The Metadata attributes are categorized as either Production, Finishing or Index/Count.
Production attributes describe the production of the job and/or metadata (e.g. path and name
of the datafile, date at which metadata was created, etc.)
Finishing attributes describe the finishing intent (e.g. page dimensions, page orientation,
duplex mode, etc.).
Note
The presence of some finishing attributes depends on the PlanetPress Design document and target
device used when producing the job.
Index/Count attributes are not part of the original metadata file. They are evaluated live based
on the content of the metadata.
Note
Metadata Index/Count values are one-based when viewed in the user interface: the first element in
any collection has an index of 1 and the last element's index corresponds to the collection's length.
However, in the API and in metadata selections, they are zero-based: the first element in any
collection has an index of 0 and the last element's index corresponds to the collection's length minus
1. This means the zero-based value has to be used when retrieving metadata (see also: "Metadata
selections" on page30 and Rule Interface).
In the following table, the last 5 columns indicate at which level the corresponding attribute is
available. This also depends on the type of job, however. In the metadata file created for an OL
Connect job, only three levels are filled with actual data about the job: Job, Group and
Document.
Page 41
Attribute Description Categor
y
J
o
b
Gro
up
Docum
ent
Datap
age
Pa
ge
DataEncoding (optional)
Name of the
character
encoding.
Producti
on
X X X
DataFile (optional) Path
and name of
the data file
used by the
PlanetPress
Design
Document.
Producti
on
X X X
Date Date the
metadata was
created in ISO
format.
Producti
on
X X X
Time Time the
metadata was
created in ISO
format.
Producti
on
X X X
Title Title of the
source
document.
Producti
on
X X X
Producer Name of the
software that
created the
metadata.
Producti
on
X X X
Page 42
Attribute Description Categor
y
J
o
b
Gro
up
Docum
ent
Datap
age
Pa
ge
Creator Name of the
software that
created the
source of the
metadata.
Producti
on
X X X
TargetDevice Name of the
device for
which the
metadata and
associated
data is
intended.
Producti
on
X X X
Dimension Two floats
separated by a
colon
indicating the
media size in
typographical
points (ex:
612:792).
Finishin
g
X X X X X
Orientation "Rotate0",
"Rotate90",
"Rotate180" or
"Rotate270",
indicating
respectively
portrait,
landscape,
rotated portrait
Finishin
g
X X X X X
Page 43
Attribute Description Categor
y
J
o
b
Gro
up
Docum
ent
Datap
age
Pa
ge
and rotated
landscape.
Side "Front" or
"Back";
indicates
whether the
page is on the
front or the
back of the
paper sheet.
This attribute
is a "best
effort" and is
device-
dependent.
Finishin
g
X
Duplex "None",
"DuplexTumbl
e" or
"DuplexNoTu
mble";
indicates a
change of the
duplex status.
Finishin
g
X X X X X
InputSlot Device-
dependent
identifier of the
media source.
Finishin
g
X X X X X
OutputBin Device- Finishin X X X X X
Page 44
Attribute Description Categor
y
J
o
b
Gro
up
Docum
ent
Datap
age
Pa
ge
dependent
identifier of the
media
destination.
g
Weight Device-
dependent
weight of the
media.
Finishin
g
X X X X X
MediaColor Device-
depedent
color of the
media.
Finishin
g
X X X X X
MediaType Device-
dependent
type of the
media.
Finishin
g
X X X X X
Index Index/C
ount
X X X X
IndexInDocument Returns the
Absolute
index of the
node within all
the nodes
under the
parent
Document.
Index/C
ount
X X
Page 45
Attribute Description Categor
y
J
o
b
Gro
up
Docum
ent
Datap
age
Pa
ge
IndexInGroup Returns the
Absolute
index of the
node within all
the nodes
under the
parent Group.
Index/C
ount
X X X
IndexInJob Returns the
Absolute
index of the
node within all
the nodes
under the
parent Job.
Index/C
ount
X X X X
Count Index/C
ount
X X X X
DocumentCount Index/C
ount
X
DatapageCount Index/C
ount
X X
PageCount Index/C
ount
X X X
SelectedCount Index/C
ount
X X X X
SelectedDocument Index/C X
Page 46
Attribute Description Categor
y
J
o
b
Gro
up
Docum
ent
Datap
age
Pa
ge
Count ount
SelectedDatapage
Count
Index/C
ount
X X
SelectedPageCoun
t
Index/C
ount
X X X
SelectedIndexInDo
cument
Returns the
Absolute
index of the
node within all
the selected
nodes under
the parent
Document.
Index/C
ount
X X
SelectedIndexInGr
oup
Returns the
Absolute
index of the
node within all
the selected
nodes under
the parent
Group.
Index/C
ount
X X X
SelectedIndexInJo
b
Returns the
Absolute
index of the
node within all
the selected
nodes under
Index/C
ount
X X X X
Page 47
Attribute Description Categor
y
J
o
b
Gro
up
Docum
ent
Datap
age
Pa
ge
the parent Job.
NumCopies Indicates how
many times
the job is set
to execute, as
set when
printing using
a Windows
driver.
Index/C
ount
X
Author Name of the
user who
printed the job
initially, as
available in
the spool file,
and as the first
job info of the
Windows
capture input.
Producti
on
X
Metadata tasks
A set of special Workflow plugins allows to edit the metadata during a Workflow process. See
"Metadata Tasks" on page509.
Metadata Tools in PlanetPress Design
PlanetPress Design includes a complete set of metadata-related functionality, which can be
referred to as Metadata Tools. These tools can be used to generate metadata, retrieve or define
metadata elements, and build the metadata structure.
Using PlanetPress Design, one can:
Page 48
lGenerate metadata for any given sample datafile.
lGraphically retrieve the value of a metadata attribute or field for use in any design object.
lDefine documents and groups using any condition.
lDefine custom metadata fields.
lManipulate Metadata with PlanetPress Talk commands.
Following is a description of the Metadata tools which allow to perform the above tasks:
Metadata Generation using Data Capture with PlanetPress Printer
The Objectif Lune Printer Driver (PS) allows end-users to print directly to PlanetPress Design
from any Windows application, by using the familiar File|Print option. At the other end,
PlanetPress Design can capture the incoming stream and convert it internally into a PDF file
along with its metadata. By default, capturing a document input using a PlanetPress Printer will
generate a PDF along with its metadata.
Metadata Generation and Refresh without using PlanetPressPrinter
It is possible to generate or refresh metadata for any given sample datafile by using the Refresh
Metadata option available when right-clicking on the Metadata Fields folder found in the
Document Structure Window. For example, metadata can be generated this way for a Line
Printer sample datafile captured using an LPD Queue Input.
Metadata Selector
PlanetPress Design's Data Selector window allows to view and select metadata elements. It is
accessible by double clicking inside the Sample Data window or by clicking on the Open
Active Data button available in the ribbon. The Data Selector is equipped with a new tab
labeled Metadata.
Firstly, two buttons at the top right corner of this tab allows to load or save a metadata file
generated for the current sample datafile.
Secondly, the metadata tab graphically displays all elements (i.e. attributes and fields)
available at the current level (i.e. Page, Datapage, Document, etc.). More importantly, these
elements are graphically selectable, like any other part of the sample datafile when using the
'Select Data' option inside a Text object, for example.
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Metadata in document properties
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The Metadata tab in the properties of a PlanetPress Design document allows to easily define
documents or groups.
Metadata fields
The Metadata Fields in the structure of a PlanetPress Design document allow to easily define
documents or groups, by dragging and dropping data from the Sample Data directly onto the
document's Metadata Fields.
Data Repository
The Data Repository is a permanent structure to store data that can then be reused, modified or
augmented at a later time, by different processes.
This feature was introduced in version 8.5.
The Data Repository is especially useful in situations where data needs to be kept in between
processes. A few examples:
lAn HTTP-based authentication process, once it has validated user credentials, could
store session information (unique ID, user name, session starting time) into the repository.
All other related processes could then look into the repository to determine if a new
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request is received from an already authenticated user, if the session has expired, what
the user name is, etc.
lData comes in and is merged into a Capture OnTheGo template and stored in the Data
Repository. The end-user augments the data (using the COTG as a data-entry system).
The process that receives the augmented data could look into the Data Repository to
retrieve the original data (or the ID of the original data records) in order to augment,
modify or delete it.
Structure
As can be seen in the "Data Repository Manager" on page721, the Data Repository consists of
Groups, Keys and KeySets.
Feature Name Description Equivalent Database Terminology
Group A Group is defined by its Keys
(columns), and may contain 0 or
more KeySets (rows)within it.
Table
Key A Key is defined only by its name.
The Data Repository only supports
STRING values and any data
inserted into it is converted to
string automatically. The maximum
size of a single key is 1 billion
bytes.
Column/Field
KeySet Agroup may contain as many
KeySets (rows), which contain
variable data, as necessary. A
KeySet is inserted using the "Push
to Repository" on page331 task.
Row/Record
Lookup A method of retrieving one or more
KeySets from a group in the data
repository.
Query
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Accessing the Data Repository
Via plugins
Storing data in the Data Repository
Data can be stored in the Data Repository using the Push to Repository task (see "Push to
Repository" on page331).
Retrieving data from the Data Repository
In any Workflow task where variable data is allowed (recognisable by the maroon field labels),
information can be retrieved from the Data Repository using a Lookup function. Right-click a
field with a maroon label and select Get Repository Location. This will bring up the "Data
Repository Manager" on page721. Select a Group, Key and KeySet entry to determine which
value or values should be retrieved at runtime; then click OK. The Lookup Function Syntax,
displayed at the bottom left of the Data Repository Manager, will be copied into the field.
The syntax is of the Lookup function is:
Lookup(Group_Name, Key_To_Retrieve, Key_To_Match, Value_To_Match)
This function may also be used anywhere else where the contextual menu gives access to it.
You could, for example, use it on the General tab of the Create File task, to fill in the value of a
key/value pair in a JSON string.
Tip
The Data Repository Manager displays, at the bottom left, the syntax used for accessing a specific
value.
Scripts
In a script you can access the Data Repository using the "Data Repository API" on page121.
For a quick start, turn to this How-to: Interacting with the Data Repository API.
Data Repository Manager
At design-time, the Data Repository Manager may be used to insert or remove Groups, Keys
and KeySets; see "Data Repository Manager" on page721.
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Where to find the Data Repository
In case the Repository contains valuable information that must not be lost in case of a hardware
failure, create a backup of the repository.
The Data Repository is located in the following folder:
%ProgramData%\Objectif Lune\PlanetPress Workflow 8\PlanetPress Watch\Repository.
About Documents
A Document is a file sent to PlanetPress Workflow by PlanetPress Design and is used to
produce an output when merged with data. ADocument can be an invoice, a report, a receipt or
anything else, but by itself it is empty and without any variable data.
Document are typically selected in Output Tasks, but can also appear in other tasks that
produce formatted data such as the Digital Action task and the Add Document task.
Documents contain static data such as logos, addresses and graphic formatting, as well as
placeholders for data. Documents can also contain conditions and programming logic. For
more information about PlanetPress Design documents, please see the PlanetPress Design
User Guide.
Import Documents
This procedure describes how to import variable content documents created in PlanetPress
Design. Importing documents can be useful when transferring configurations between
PlanetPress Workflow installations.
To import documents into PlanetPress Workflow:
1. Choose File | Import Documents. The Import PlanetPress Design Document dialog
box appears.
2. In the File type box, select the desired file type.
3. Navigate to the document you want to import, select it and click Open.
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The document is imported and displayed in the Configuration Components pane. This
physically installs the documents to the Documents folder relative to the install folder of
PlanetPress Workflow.
Import PrintShop Mail Documents
This procedure describes how to import variable content documents created in PrintShop Mail.
Importing documents can be useful when transferring configurations between PlanetPress
Workflow installations.
To import documents into PlanetPress Workflow:
1. Click the PlanetPress Workflow button. The Import PrintShop Mail Document dialog
box appears.
2. Choose Import, then PrintShop Mail Documents.
3. Navigate to the document you want to import, select it and click Open. The document is
imported and displayed in the Configuration Components pane. This physically installs
the documents to the Documents folder relative to the install folder of PlanetPress
Workflow.
Debugging and Error Handling
This chapter touches on two subjects that are intrinsically linked, though their use is different.
Debugging is the act of running through your process, either step by step or as a whole, directly
from the PlanetPress Workflow Configuration Tool, in order to detect and resolve issues with
your process.
Error Handling, on the other hand, occurs when your configuration has been sent to
PlanetPress Workflow services, and are running in "production"mode. On one hand the
manual task is critical when creating a process, on the other the automated handling of errors
within your processes will have a large impact on recovering from errors as they happen during
production.
About Error Handling
When your process is running, or during debugging, it may happen that the task that is currently
running causes an error, and the task fails. For example, when trying to save to a folder that
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does not exist, or printing to a printer that cannot be found.
When such an error occurs, in most cases you would want to be aware of it and to take certain
actions in order to correct or report the error. This is where our error handling features come in
handy.
Most of the tasks, branches and conditions included in your process can have their own error
handling behavior, with the exception of Comments, the Input Error bin task, and older legacy
tasks from previous versions of PlanetPress Workflow that did not have error handling.
By default, when an error occurs, the task is skipped and the unmodified job file is passed on to
the next task. You can overwrite this behavior by changing the options of the On Error tab of
the task.
Using the On Error tab
Whenever an error is triggered either during debugging or when a process runs in production,
the settings specified in the On Error tab of the task that generated the error will be used to
determine a course of action.
On Error Tab
The On Error tab is common to all tasks. Details can be found in the" Task Properties Dialog"
on page777.
By default, any action task, branch, splitter or condition that generates an error will simply be
ignored, and the task just under it (not within a branch)will be given control of the job file
without any modification. Any initial input task that generates an error will stop the process from
running as a whole, and output tasks will not generate output. The On Error tab can be used to
overwrite the default behaviors.
lSend to Process: Check this option to send the job file to an error management process.
lError Process drop-down:Enabled only when the Send to Process option is checked.
Lists any process of which the initial input task is the Input Error Bin task.
lAction:In the initial input tasks, this group is disabled and defaults to Stop Process. In
all other tasks where the On Error tab is present, the following options are available:
lDefault:By default, the task is ignored as if it did not exist and the error is logged
before continuing the branch or process; the job file is passed on to the next task in
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the process. When an error occurs in a loop (or in a plugin that acts like a loop), the
loop may log the error, terminate the current iteration and proceed with the next
iteration.
lStop Branch:If the task is in a branch of the process, the branch is stopped and the
job file is returned to the process after the branch. The branch will not produce any
output. If the task is not on a branch, the entire process will be stopped.
lStop Process:The process is stopped and no more processing is done. No further
output is produced.
lLog Message:Check this option to enable logging a custom error message in the
PlanetPress Workflow log file and in the Windows Application Events.
lMessage:Enabled only when the Log Message option is checked. Enter a message that
will be logged in the PlanetPress Workflow log file. You can use any variables available
in PlanetPress Workflow to customize the message.
lStore the message in variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you
want to store the message content.
lID:Enter an error ID. This IDwill be visible in the Windows Event Viewer. However, the
IDis not visible in the PlanetPress Workflow log file.
lStore the IDin variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you want to
store the error ID.
lReset to defaults:Resets all options in this tab to their default values.
When storing the message or ID, if they are stored in a jobinfo they will be available in any
error handling process where errors are being forwarded. If your process continues after the
error, the contents of the variables selected in this window will be available to the rest of your
process, or as long as they are not overwritten.
Common Errors
Though some error messages are specific to a task in particular, others may apply to any and
all tasks because they are related more to the system than to PlanetPress itself. Some
examples would be W3813,W3830,W3991,W4005. These correspond to issues such as not
having any space to write files, permission errors on folders or files, etc.
Creating and Using Error Processes
An Error Process is a special type of process that never runs on its own, and cannot be called
using the GoSub or Send to Process tasks. It can only be used in the On Error tab of a task in
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your process, and will be triggered if the Send to Process option is checked in that tab and an
error process is selected in the drop-down list.
To create an error process, simply replace the initial input task by the InputErrorBin input task,
and that process automatically becomes able to handle error jobs sent to it. It is up to you,
however, to decide how that error job will be handled.
For example, you could place the job file in a specific folder, then send an email to a supervisor
indicating that a job has failed. Or you could update a database with an error status so that it
appears on a customer's online order. You could also zip the order up and send it to an
administrator, while simultaneously advising the person that sent the job that it failed.
You can have as many error processes as you can normal processes - that is, you are limited to
512 processes, subprocesses, startup processes and error processes combined.
The following information is available from within your information process when it is
triggered:
lJob Information variables (%1 to %9)
lThe data file as it was before starting the task
lGlobal variables (which are, of course, available anywhere)
lAseries of variables containing information about the error, the task that triggered it and
the process that contained it. See "Standard Variables" on page646
Note
Local variables in the process are not sent to error processes, even if the error process has a variable
of the same name.
Accessing the Logs
If your process is running live in PlanetPress Workflow service, you have two ways of seeing
what is happening, now or in the past.
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To view what processes are running and processing data as it happens:
1. In the PlanetPress Workflow Ribbon, click on the Tools tab, then select Service Console
in the Services group. The PlanetPress Workflow Service Console opens.
2. Click on the service you want to check, including:
lPlanetPress Workflow
lLPDServer
lTelnet Capture
lSerial Capture
lHTTP/SOAP Server
lLPRClient
lFTPClient
lPlanetPress Image
lPlanetPress Fax
lPlanetPress Messenger
3. When any job or file is processed by the selected service, the processing logs will be
displayed in the window on the right.
Note
The information that is displayed here is the same as in PlanetPress Workflow logs and
depends on the logging level that you set in the "General and logging preferences" on
page751.
To view logs for jobs that have already processed
By default, the logs are available in the following folder:
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Objectif Lune\PlanetPress
7\PlanetPress Watch\Log
You can access this folder more quickly by using this procedure:
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1. From PlanetPress Workflow Configuration software, press CTRL+SHIFT+ALT+F4
simultaneously. The PlanetPress Workflow working folders are opened.
2. Double-click on the folder called Log.
3. There are multiple logs displayed here, including:
lppwYYYYMMDD.log - PlanetPress Workflow logs, including the year, month and
day of the log (from midnight to midnight).
lFTP, LPD, LPR, ??? (to be verified)
Note
The PlanetPress Image and PlanetPress Fax logs are available in different folders. From
the Watch folder, go up one level then go in either folders, under which you will find the
Log folder for that specific software within the suite.
Resubmit Backed Up Input Files to a Process
Each input task includes an option that lets you back up input files. This options is not selected
by default, since it has the potential to generate a very large number of back up files. To turn on
the backup option of an input task, simply open its properties, go to the Other tab and check the
Backup input files option, then type in a unique file name for the backup file (this should be
variable).
But if, for a given input task, you did select this option and something goes wrong and an
original input file is lost or corrupted, you will have the option to use the Resubmit Job
command to pull the backed up input file into the process.
Granted that you have back up copies of the files polled by an input task, you may resubmit
them as required. The PlanetPress Workflow Configuration gives you the option to resubmit
them as they were submitted originally (polled by the initial input task) or to submit them to
those tasks located on the index you select.
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The numbers on the left indicate the task index, the folder capture being level 1 and the Text
condition being on level 4.
To resubmit backed up input data files:
1. In the PlanetPress Workflow Ribbon, go to the Tools tab then click Resubmit Job in the
Services group. The File Resubmission dialog box is displayed.
2. From the Process box, select the process for which you want to resubmit the backed up
input files.
3. From the Task index box, select the index level to which you want the data to be sent.
The index is the position in the process where you want to submit the job file.
4. In the list of backed up input files, select the file you want to resubmit.
5. Using the From page and To page boxes, select the data pages that you want to
resubmit. If you want to resubmit all the data pages from the selected input file, enter 0 in
both boxes.
6. Click Send to resubmit the data.
7. To resubmit backed up input files for the same process or for a different one, repeat step 2
to step 6.
8. To close the File Resubmission dialog box, click Close.
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Warning
The From page and To page boxes are only useful for printer queue (or printer
capture)inputs. They will not function for other types of inputs. In these cases, the
complete backup job is submitted.
Knowing What to Resubmit
When something goes wrong with an output job, a print job for instance, and printouts are lost,
you usually need to know the following information in order to resubmit the input:
lThe name of the job. This refers to the name used internally by PlanetPress Workflow.
This name is generated by the input task using parameters defined within the task. To
simplify file identification, you should consider using names that include both the name of
the original input file (if any) plus some details such as the current date and time.
lThe number of each failed page. If a job contains 1000 pages and if pages 1 to 950 were
printed correctly, you need not resubmit the entire job, but only the 50 last pages.
But finding this information often poses a problem. A good way to find this information easily is
to print it using small characters at the bottom of every page. To do this, you have to do the
following.
In PlanetPress Design:
1. Use a Set Job Info action task and associate a variable with the job’s name.
2. In the output task, make sure to select the option that adds the job information to the
document.
In PlanetPress Connect:
lSomewhere at the bottom of each document page, add a Data Selection object defined
as a custom data selection that contains a reference to the job info variable sent from
PlanetPress Workflow and a current page marker.
You can use, for example, =&watch.jobinfos[6]+'-'+intostr(&current.datapage)'
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Debugging your PlanetPress Workflow Process
Debugging a process is separated in two parts. The first part is designing the process, which is
to add the different tasks, branches and conditions to the process and configuring them. The
second step is testing whether or not the process and configuration actually work.
Before debugging begins, the following prerequisites must be completed:
lThere must not be any Unknown Tasks in the process.
lAsample data file must be selected.
To choose a sample data file, click the Select button in the PlanetPress Workflow
Ribbon's Debug tab and browse to a valid sample data file.
Alternatively, if a document present in the configuration contains the necessary data file, it
can be attached to the process easily. For example to use a sample data file included in a
Connect data mapper configuration: select Connect Resources > Data Mapping
Configurations > [your data mapping configuration], right-click a data file and choose
Set as sample data file.
How to do this with Planet Press Suite Design Documents is explained here: Use Data
and Metadata Files Attached to Documents.
When debugging your process, it is important to keep in mind that:
lThe Initial Input task is never executed. The sample data file is used instead of the initial
run. This is to prevent "live"data from being retrieved by the initial input task while
debugging is being done. If, however, the initial task is critical to the process, it can be
executed by copying the initial input task and pasting it as a secondary input task (the first
action task to actually run in the process). Do not forget, however, to remove this duplicate
task before saving the configuration!
lSince the initial input task is not performed, there is no actual job information to be added
at the beginning of a data file. Note that you can use the Object Inspector on your
process to enter sample job information as required.
lIf any task makes an operation on the system (for example, capturing files, sending data,
printing, etc), it is actually executed, not simulated.
lAny task is executed with the permissions of the user that is currently running the
PlanetPress Workflow Configuration Tool. When running in service mode, the user
configured in the Configure Services dialog is used instead and this may lead to
unexpected behaviors. Please See "Workflow Services" on page702 for more details.
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Note
The sample job file should generally be the exact same format as the data that you will
receive when PlanetPress Workflow is processing the job at run-time. For more
information on how to capture your sample data file properly, please refer to the
PlanetPress Trigger and Data Capture Guide.
Debugging can be run in different ways:
lFrom the Debug tab, click on Step. This executes only the first task in the process and
waits for further action.
lFrom the Debug tab, click on Run. This executes the complete process, step by step,
until it is completed.
lRight-click on any task in the process and click Run from Here or Step from Here.
These actions are the same as using the debug Step and Run buttons, but will execute
the process only starting from that task forward.
While stepping through a process (using Step, not Run):
lDouble-click on any task to change its properties. If you change the properties of a task
before you step through it, those new properties will be used when the task is executed.
Note that you cannot modify the process itself while in debug mode (you cannot add,
delete or move tasks, change branches and conditions, etc).
lClick on Skip to ignore the next task or branch and go to the next one. The job file is not
modified in any way.
lClick on View as Text in the Data group of the Debug tab to view the current job file
using a text editor (Notepad by default).
lClick on View as PDFto view the current job file in Adobe Acrobat if it is present (this will
work only for PDFjob files).
lClick on View Metadata to open the data selector and see the current state of the
process' Metadata.
lClick on View as Hex to view the current job file in the internal Hex editor.
lClick on the Stop button to stop the debugging process. If you use Run,Step or Skip
after stopping the process, debugging starts over from the top.
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lUse the Set Breakpoint button to tag the currently selected task, branch or condition as a
breakpoint. When you click Run in your process, the process will execute every task until
it reaches a breakpoint and will stop just before the task that is set as a breakpoint.
lUse the Ignore button to disable the task, branch or condition that is currently selected. If
you disable a branch or condition, all tasks inside that branch or condition are ignored
including the output. Note that if you set a task, branch or condition to be ignored, it will
also be ignored at run-time, providing you sent the configuration to the service.
lLook at the Messages Area pane to see any message generated by the tasks that run
(See " The Message Area Pane" on page726).
lUse the Debug Information pane to see the current value of any variable in your process
or globally, or to evaluate custom expression. See "The Debug Information Pane" on
page725.
Debugging and Emulation changes
One of the most useful case where debugging is crucial is whenever the job file is converted to
another type of emulation, or if a new data file of a different emulation is used within the
process. For example, if a process starts with a Line Printer data file and the converts it into a
PDF, it is not possible to do any data selection on the PDFbecause the Line Printer emulation
is active by default. The debugging features can easily resolve this limitation.
The first method is used if your process has all the required tasks, but data selections after an
emulation change are necessary.
lStep through the process until you have reached the point after the emulation or data
change.
lAny data selection used in task properties after this point will use the new emulation.
lContinue stepping through each task until the end of the process to debug it.
This method does not allow you to add, remove or move tasks, however. The second method
can be used when that is required.
lStep through the process in debug mode until you reach the emulation or data change.
lClick on View as Text (or View as PDFif your data is PDF at this point) in the Data group
of the Debug tab.
lIn the viewer that appears, save the file to a location on your hard drive.
lStop the process, and select the file you saved as your process' data file.
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lIf you need to continue debugging your process after the emulation change, you can still
do it by using Skip on all the tasks until the emulation change, inclusively. Then use Step
or Run to continue debugging.
Lastly, PlanetPress Workflow 7.4 and higher also has an option that can be used in conjunction
with the previous to avoid skipping through large processes:
lStep through the process until the emulation or data change, as in the first method.
lSave the data file locally and then select it as your sample data file, as with the second
method.
lInstead of skipping through each task, use the Run from here or Step from here options,
either from the Debug tab or by right-clicking on the task where you want to start the
process.
Once you have created and fully debugged all your processes, you will be ready to send it to
PlanetPress Workflow service. See "Saving and Sending" on page656.
The Plug-in Bar
PlanetPress Workflow offers a constantly increasing number of plugins, while always allowing
third party plugins to be installed and set up to be used by PlanetPress Workflow. The
PlanetPress Workflow Plug-in Bar lists all plugins available in PlanetPress Workflow, and is
divided into categories, which users can customize at will.
Most of the PlanetPress plugins are installed by default, but other plugins may be added.
Because the plugins are always expected to execute some sort of task, they are always
referred to, in this documentation, as tasks, except in the specific case of importing a new
plugin or customizing the Plug-in Bar.
Categories
The default categories list plugins according to what type of task they achieve. When first
starting your PlanetPress Workflow program, the following categories are used:
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lInputs
lActions
lData splitters
lProcess logic
lConnectors
lPlanetPress Capture
lMetadata Related
lOL Connect Send
lOL Connect
lOutputs
Note
An Uncategorized category is dynamically created if your PlanetPress Workflow finds any plugin
that would not be part of the existing Plug-in Bar. User-defined plugins and third party application
plugins falls into such a category.
Settings & Customization
The Plug-in Bar can be customized according to your needs and the plugins you most
frequently used.
You can use the horizontal dark blue bar separating the plugin area and the list of categories to
change how many plugin categories are displayed as the full-width bar with the title, and how
much are displayed as icon only. Move the bar up to display more full-width categories, or
down to display them more as icons.
Furthermore, the Plug-in Bar can be customized using the popup indicator control ( ).
Customizing the Plug-in Bar is mostly used for third party or legacy plugins.
Using the contextual menu displayed by the popup indicator, you can:
lInsert, delete and rename custom categories.
lMove categories up or down.
lImport third party or legacy plugins.
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lMove plugins from one custom category to another (that you cannot move default plugins
from the default categories, you can only copy them)
lCopy plugins from one custom category to another by holding the CTRL key.
lDelete plugins from any custom category by using the Delete key.
lRevert to the default Plug-in Bar by selecting Reset to default.
To import a plugin:
1. Click on the popup control ( ).
2. Click on Import Plugin.
3. Browse to the location of the plugin DLLfile.
4. Click on Open.
5. New plugins appear in the Uncategorized category.
About Printing
To print a document using PlanetPress Workflow, you can either use the Print using a Windows
Driver output task, or use a combination of a printer queue and a Printer Queue output task.
These tasks are created and defined using PlanetPress Workflow Configuration program.
The following types of printer outputs are available in PlanetPress Workflow Configuration
program:
lLocal printing:
lWindows output queues let you send jobs to a local printer. See "Windows Output
Printer Queue" on page72.
lSend to Folder output queues let you save jobs to a local or network folder from
which they can be picked up and printed. See "Send to Folder Printer Queue" on
page76.
lRemote printing:
lFTP output queues let you upload jobs to an FTP site from which they can be
picked up and printed. See "FTP Output Printer Queue" on page74.
lLPR output queues let you send print jobs to remote printers via TCP/IP using the
LPR/LPD protocol. See "LPR Output Printer Queue" on page73.
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lWindows Driver Printing:
lThe Print using a Windows Driver output task lets you send a job to any printer
installed on the computer, using its own drivers. In this particular case, the printer
does not need to be a PostScript printer. See "Print Using a Windows Driver" on
page629.
PlanetPress Workflow provides you with three main printing scenarios:
lSend output data to be printed as is: PlanetPress Workflow sends a file containing only
the data to the selected queue.
lSend output data to be merged with a document on the printer: PlanetPress
Workflow sends one of two things:
lA file that contains only the data to the selected printer queue. The document with
which the data must be merged must be present on the printer’s hard disk,
otherwise printing will fail.
lA file that contains the data and the document to the selected printer queue. Since
the data and the document with which it must be merged are both sent to the printer,
printing should never fail.
lIn both cases, the document+data merging process takes place inside the printer.
lSend output data already merged with a document:PlanetPress Workflow sends a file
that contains the document already merged with the data to the selected printer queue.
The document+data merging process therefore never takes place inside the printer.
Technical
In PlanetPress Workflow Configuration, you may associate a single Printer Queue
output task with multiple Printer Queues. If you do so, you have the option of using load
balancing or not (See "Load Balancing" on page77).
PlanetPress Workflow Printer Queues
The printer queues displayed in the Configuration Components pane of the PlanetPress
Workflow Configuration program are not to be confused with Windows printer queues. When
you start building a PlanetPress Workflow configuration it contains no printer queues so you
have to create queues and set each one’s properties.
The PlanetPress Workflow Configuration program lets you create four types of printer queues:
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lWindows Output printer queues are used to send print jobs to local or network printers.
See "Windows Output Printer Queue" on page72.
lLPR Output printer queues are used to send print jobs to printers via the LPR/LPD
protocol. See "LPR Output Printer Queue" on page73.
lFTP Output printer queues are typically used to send print jobs to FTP sites. See "FTP
Output Printer Queue" on page74.
lSend to Folder printer queues are typically used to send print jobs to local or network
folders. See "Send to Folder Printer Queue" on page76.
The properties associated with each queue will differ depending on the queue type. In the case
of an FTP Output printer queue, for example, the properties include the IP address of the FTP
server. In the case of a Windows Output printer queue, on the other hand, you will find the name
of a local or shared Windows printer queue.
To send print jobs to any of those PlanetPress Workflow printer queues, you must use a Printer
Queue output task. Note that with a single task, you can send print jobs to multiple printer
queues, regardless queue types.
Shared Printer Queue Properties
A printer queue’s advanced properties includes the printer’s speed and any special pre- or
post-job commands required for printer specific reasons. Pre-job commands are added right
before the data in the data file, while post-job commands are placed at the end of the data file.
Properties
Advanced tab
lPrint speed: Enter the speed, in pages per minute (PPM), of the printer associated with
the printer queue. This value is used to determine how to divide jobs when you use the
Queue Balancing option for load balancing.
lCommands: The list of available commands appears in this box. Select either Pre-job
commands or Post-job commands in the Selected box, and double-click a command
from this list to add it to the appropriate list.
lSelected: Select either Pre-job commands or Post-job commands to add new
commands to the appropriate list and to see those commands that have already selected.
Double-click a command to remove it from the selected list.
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lAdd: Click to add a new command to the list displayed in the Commands box. You must
then edit the new command’s description and value. Note that new commands are shared
by all printer queues.
lDelete: Click to remove a command from the Commands box.
lCommand description: Use this box to edit the description of the command currently
selected in the Commands box.
lCommand value: Use this box to edit the code of the command currently selected in the
Commands box. Use the right-click menu for a list of standard printer control characters.
Frequently Used Printer Control Characters
Character name: Character
code:
Typical use in printing context:
End-Of-Job \004 Indicates the end of a print job
Backspace \b Moves a character space backwards
Horizontal Tab \t Adds a horizontal tab
Line Feed \012 Moves to the next line
Form Feed \f Moves to the next page
Carriage Return \r Moves to the beginning of the current line
DOS End-Of-File \032 Indicates the end of a print job in a DOS
environment
Escape \033 Adds an escape character
New Line
(CRLF)
\n Goes to a new line
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Windows Output Printer Queue
Windows output printer queues send print jobs to local or network printer queues set up in the
Windows session in which PlanetPress Workflow is running. The corresponding Windows
printer driver is used in the printing process.
This type of printer queue does not support the transparency and duo-tone features, so you
should not use it with PlanetPress Design documents that use those features.
Properties
General tab
lPrinter queue: Select the Windows printer queue to which you want to send print jobs.
lJob name: Enter the job’s file name. By default, the variable %f (Job File Name) is used.
You may use a different variable, but you may not use a data selection. This information
may be used for the printer’s banner page.
lJob owner name: Enter the job owner name. You may use a PlanetPress Workflow
variable.The field is empty by default, which is equivalent to use the default print job
owner name, i.e. the current logged in user name.
Advanced tab
lPrint speed: Enter the speed, in pages per minute (PPM), of the printer associated with
the printer queue. This value is used to determine how to divide jobs when you use the
Queue Balancing option for load balancing.
lCommands: The list of available commands appears in this box. Select either Pre-job
commands or Post-job commands in the Selected box, and double-click a command
from this list to add it to the appropriate list.
lSelected: Select either Pre-job commands or Post-job commands to add new
commands to the appropriate list and to see those commands that have already selected.
Double-click a command to remove it from the selected list.
lAdd: Click to add a new command to the list displayed in the Commands box. You must
then edit the new command’s description and value. Note that new commands are shared
by all printer queues.
lDelete: Click to remove a command from the Commands box.
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lCommand description: Use this box to edit the description of the command currently
selected in the Commands box.
lCommand value: Use this box to edit the code of the command currently selected in the
Commands box. Use the right-click menu for a list of standard printer control characters.
LPR Output Printer Queue
LPR output printer queues send print jobs to LPD-compatible printers using the LPD/LPR
protocol. Note that most of the settings associated with LPR output are configured via the
PlanetPress Workflow user options (See "LPR Output preferences" on page767).
Properties
General tab
lPrinter address: Enter the IP address or host name of the printer receiving LPR jobs.
lQueue name: Enter the printer queue name. Based on printer and network requirements,
this property may not be required.
lData type: Select the proper data type. Select (l) Binary data if the job file is a standard
binary file. Select (f) Formatted text to interpret the first character of each line of text as a
standard FORTRAN carriage control character. Select (d) DVI file if the job file contains
data in the TeX DVI format. Select (o) PostScript file if the job file is a PostScript file.
Select (n) Ditroff format if the job file contains data in device independent troff. Select (t)
Troff format if the job file contains data in troff. Select (v) Sun raster file if the job file
contains raster images. This ensures that the printer uses the correct filter to interpret the
data.
lJob name: Enter the job’s file name. By default, the variable %f (Job File Name) is used.
You may use a different variable, but you may not use a data selection. This information
may be used for the printer’s banner page.
lJob owner name: Enter the job owner name. You may use a PlanetPress Workflow
variable.
Advanced tab
lPrint speed: Enter the speed, in pages per minute (PPM), of the printer associated with
the printer queue. This value is used to determine how to divide jobs when you use the
Queue Balancing option for load balancing.
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lCommands: The list of available commands appears in this box. Select either Pre-job
commands or Post-job commands in the Selected box, and double-click a command
from this list to add it to the appropriate list.
lSelected: Select either Pre-job commands or Post-job commands to add new
commands to the appropriate list and to see those commands that have already selected.
Double-click a command to remove it from the selected list.
lAdd: Click to add a new command to the list displayed in the Commands box. You must
then edit the new command’s description and value. Note that new commands are shared
by all printer queues.
lDelete: Click to remove a command from the Commands box.
lCommand description: Use this box to edit the description of the command currently
selected in the Commands box.
lCommand value: Use this box to edit the code of the command currently selected in the
Commands box. Use the right-click menu for a list of standard printer control characters.
Note
If you plan to use an LPR output printer queue to send PlanetPress Design documents generated
using the Optimized PostScript Stream option, you should not enter data selections in the Printer
address and Queue name variable property boxes. If you do need to use information stored in the
data to configure the LPR output printer queue, you should first use Job info variables to store the
information, and then use these variables in the Printer address and Queue name variable property
boxes.
FTP Output Printer Queue
Unlike FTP output tasks, which are typically used to send data files to FTP sites, FTP output
printer queues are mostly used to send print jobs to FTP sites.
FTP output printer queue properties are as follows:
General tab
lFTP Server: Enter the IP address or host name of the FTP server.
lUser name: Enter an FTP server user name.
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lPassword: Enter a password associated with the FTP server user name entered above.
lUse FTPClient default port number:Forces the FTPconnection on port 21, the default
FTPport.
lFTP Port:Enter the FTPport to use. This option is disabled if Use FTPClient default port
number is checked. The port should always correspond with the server's port number.
lDirectory: Enter the directory to which the print jobs are to be uploaded. If you leave this
box empty, the job files are sent to the root directory of the FTP server.
lFile name: Enter the name under which the print jobs will be saved. Consider using a
dynamic name, since if you use a static name every new file will overwrite the previous
one.
lConnection mode group
lActive: Select to prompt the ftp client to use the active mode when sending files to
the FTP server.
lPassive: Select to prompt the ftp client to use the passive mode when sending files
to the FTP server.
Advanced tab
lPrint speed: Enter the speed, in pages per minute (PPM), of the printer associated with
the printer queue. This value is used to determine how to divide jobs when you use the
Queue Balancing option for load balancing.
lCommands: The list of available commands appears in this box. Select either Pre-job
commands or Post-job commands in the Selected box, and double-click a command
from this list to add it to the appropriate list.
lSelected: Select either Pre-job commands or Post-job commands to add new
commands to the appropriate list and to see those commands that have already selected.
Double-click a command to remove it from the selected list.
lAdd: Click to add a new command to the list displayed in the Commands box. You must
then edit the new command’s description and value. Note that new commands are shared
by all printer queues.
lDelete: Click to remove a command from the Commands box.
lCommand description: Use this box to edit the description of the command currently
selected in the Commands box.
lCommand value: Use this box to edit the code of the command currently selected in the
Commands box. Use the right-click menu for a list of standard printer control characters.
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Send to Folder Printer Queue
Unlike Send to Folder output tasks, which are typically used to send data files to local or
network folders, Send to Folder output printer queues are mostly used to send print jobs. The
files generated will always be PostScript files.
Properties
General tab
lFolder: Enter the path of the folder to which the print jobs are to be saved.
lFile name: Enter the name of the print jobs sent to this queue. To prevent each new file
from overwriting the previous one, you should use variable names. This variable property
box lets you use a combination of text, variables and data selections.
lConcatenate files: If this option is selected, when PlanetPress Workflow tries to save the
print job under an existing name, it appends the content of the new print job file to that of
the existing file, instead of overwriting it.
lSeparator string: This option is used to add a separator string between the content of
each file when the Concatenate files option is selected.
Advanced tab
lPrint speed: Enter the speed, in pages per minute (PPM), of the printer associated with
the printer queue. This value is used to determine how to divide jobs when you use the
Queue Balancing option for load balancing.
lCommands: The list of available commands appears in this box. Select either Pre-job
commands or Post-job commands in the Selected box, and double-click a command
from this list to add it to the appropriate list.
lSelected: Select either Pre-job commands or Post-job commands to add new
commands to the appropriate list and to see those commands that have already selected.
Double-click a command to remove it from the selected list.
lAdd: Click to add a new command to the list displayed in the Commands box. You must
then edit the new command’s description and value. Note that new commands are shared
by all printer queues.
lDelete: Click to remove a command from the Commands box.
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lCommand description: Use this box to edit the description of the command currently
selected in the Commands box.
lCommand value: Use this box to edit the code of the command currently selected in the
Commands box. Use the right-click menu for a list of standard printer control characters.
Triggers
In PlanetPress Workflow, a trigger is typically a two line piece of PostScript code placed just
before the data. Triggers tell the printer to turn on PostScript mode and specify which document
should be used in the merging process (PlanetPress Design document+data).
Triggers are used in two situations:
lWhen the server running PlanetPress Workflow sends a PlanetPress Design document
along with the data to the printer, it adds a trigger before the document
(trigger+document+data).
lWhen the server running PlanetPress Workflow only sends the data to the printer,
because the document is already present on the printer, it adds a trigger before the data
(trigger+data).
PlanetPress Workflow adds the trigger code automatically, but you may want to use custom
triggers. You would do this, for example, to use special printer functions. For more on custom
triggers, see the Data Capture and Trigger Implementation Guide as well as the PlanetPress
Design User Guide.
Load Balancing
PlanetPress Workflow offers various load balancing options to distribute the printing load and
to make the process faster and more efficient. Print jobs may, for example, be split equally
among several printers, or they may be split according to each printer’s capacity and speed.
Load balancing can only be used for jobs sent to Printer Queue output tasks and it only
applies when multiple queues are selected.
In the General tab of the Printer Queue Output Properties dialog box, you may select multiple
printers, and in the Advanced tab, you can set the load balancing options for the selected
printers.
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Objectif Lune Printer Driver (PS)
Introduction
The Objectif Lune Printer Driver (PS) allows end-users to print directly to PlanetPress Workflow
from any Windows application, by using the familiar File|Print option. At the other end,
PlanetPress Workflow specifically can capture the incoming stream and convert it internally into
a PDF file along with its metadata.
Although it is available with every PlanetPress Workflow, this feature becomes even more
useful in environments where the Document Input emulation is available (with PlanetPress
Workflow).
Install a Objectif Lune Printer Driver (PS)
The Objectif Lune Printer Driver (PS) is automatically installed during the PlanetPress
Workflow setup, along with a default Windows Printer Queue called PlanetPress Printer.
Install a Windows Printer Queue using the Objectif Lune Printer Driver (PS)
A Windows Printer Queue using the Objectif Lune Printer Driver (PS) can be installed from
PlanetPress Workflow WinQueue Input plugin properties.
Creating a new Windows printer queue from any PlanetPress Workflow:
1. Start your PlanetPress Workflow Configuration program.
2. Insert a WinQueue Input plugin.
3. In the WinQueue Input plugin properties, click New.
4. Enter a Name for the printer queue.
5. Click OK.
Every new Windows printer queue using the Objectif Lune Printer Driver (PS) is shared by
default. Once such a shared queue is created, end-users can install it on their own computer by
going through the same steps they would when installing a new remote printer in their
Operating System. By default, connecting to a shared printer will automatically result in the
Objectif Lune Printer Driver being downloaded to the connecting host.
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Printer Properties setup
PlanetPress Workflow WinQueue Input task can be configured to set a Windows printer queue
using Objectif Lune Printer Driver (PS) to produce one of 3 different types of data files: EMF,
PostScript, or PDF. Note that PlanetPress Workflow can only produce EMF or PostScript files.
Possible printer properties settings, along with the data file type it will produce:
Spool Print Jobs in EMF Format:
lThis will create an EMF data file.
lThis format is usually reserved for use with the Windows Print Converter action plugin.
lThis format can be obtained using PlanetPress Workflow.
Spool Print Jobs in RAW Format:
lThis will create a PostScript data file when the option Create Composed Document
Stream (with Medatada) is unchecked.
lThis format can be obtained using PlanetPress Workflow.
lThis will create a PDF data file when the option Create Composed Document Stream
(with Medatada) is checked.
lThis format can be obtained using PlanetPress Workflow.
By default, the Create Composed Document Stream option is:
lChecked if the incoming stream has been produced with the Objectif Lune Printer Driver.
lUnchecked if the incoming stream comes from some other PostScript Driver.
lGrayed out and unchecked if the incoming stream is not PostScript.
Data Capture from PlanetPress Workflow
Once a shared Windows printer queue using Objectif Lune Printer Driver (PS) is installed on
both the server and the client sides, data capture can be achieved the same way as with any
other Windows printer queues.
1. Open your PlanetPress Workflow Configuration program.
2. Insert a new process.
3. Select WinQueue Input from the Plugin Bar and insert it in the new process.
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4. In the WinQueue Input properties, select a Windows print queue using the Objectif Lune
Printer Driver (PS) from the drop-down list.
5. Click OK.
6. Send the configuration and start your PlanetPress Workflow service.
7. Start the windows application from which you want to capture data.
8. Open your selected document.
9. Click File | Print.
10. Choose the same Windows print queue as in step 4.
Note
Steps 6-8 can be performed at any time, even if PlanetPress Workflow is not yet started. This is
because every Windows printer queue using Objectif Lune Printer Driver (PS) is paused by default.
Once the service has started, it captures every queued job.
PDF Creation Parameters
PDF files retrieved from a Windows print queue using Objectif Lune Printer Driver (PS)
have the following properties:
lPDF 1.4
lOptimized PDF (subject to change)
lNo down-sampling of images
These settings are pre-configured and cannot be changed by the user.
About Metadata
Metadata files are files containing information on the job itself rather than containing the job per
se. A job sent to the Objectif Lune Printer Driver (PS) creates its own metadata, allowing users
to retrieve relevant information, such as, for instance, the time and date the print request was
sent. For more on this, see the Metadata documentation pages.
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About Processes and Subprocesses
Processes
Aprocess is a single workflow within the configuration. Aprocess begins with a single input
task, contains one or more tasks and/or branches, and terminates with one or more output
tasks. In its simplest form, a process can simply retrieve data from a given folder and save it in a
different folder. In most cases, though, processes are more elaborate and configurations, which
may include many processes, can be extremely complex.
The available processes in your PlanetPress Workflow Configuration are listed in the "The
Configuration Components Pane" on page674. Processes in a configuration will always run
concurrently. You can schedule processes to run only at certain times or intervals (see "
Process Properties" on page704).
There are three types of processes available to you:
lANormal process will run as soon as an input file is available through its input task or, if
it is scheduled not to run at that time, will start processing as soon as the schedule
permits it.
lStartup processes are processes that run only once before every other process in a
given configuration. They can be used to perform operations that need to be completed
once before the configuration can actually be run, such as to map network drives. You
may only have one single startup process in your configuration.
lSubprocesses are processes which can be called by any other process from any action
task. They can be used to perform and reuse redundant operations that may need to be
executed numerous times.
Regular and startup processes can be set to be Active (process runs normally)or Inactive
(process will not run at all). An inactive process will display in the Configuration components as
red and strike-through. Inactive processes can be useful for designing new processes in a live
configuration, since the process does not execute there is no danger is submitting it to a
PlanetPress Workflow Service.
Subprocesses
Subprocesses are special processes that can be called by any other process. These act
exactly as subroutines in programming languages, allowing users to reuse existing processes
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by sharing them to the whole configuration file. They can thus be used to perform redundant
operations that may need to be executed numerous times; for instance, archiving a copy of a
zipped file received as the input job file, then decompressing it before sending the unzipped
version of it back to the calling process .
Whenever a process calls a subprocess, the main process (the caller) will wait for the called
subprocess to finish its execution before carrying on with its own. This means the subprocess
feature is synchronous with the main process. This also means the calling process actually
appends the subprocess to its own workflow.
Process Properties
To have access to the properties of a process or subprocess:
lRight-Click on the Process in the Configuration Components Area.
lSelect Properties.
You can also double-click on the process to show its options.
Note
Subprocesses do not have the "General Tab" which is only used for scheduling, but they
do have the Information Tab.
Options
General tab
lActive: Select to make the process active. Clear to prevent this process from running
when you send the configuration to PlanetPress Workflow.
lStartup process: Select to make this process a startup process.
lSelf-Replicating Process:Check this if you want the process to replicate itself in the
background when multiple input files are received simultaneously. When this is checked,
the input task polls its source once, determines the number of files to process, then
replicates itself up to the maximum allowed and treats the files simultaneously. The initial
process runs again once it has completed itself and replicates again as necessary, until
all files have been processed.
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lMax percentage of threading (%):Determines how many processes you may have
running at the same time. This is a percentage of the maximum number of threads
specified in the "Messenger plugin preferences" on page752. For example if the
maximum number of thread is 10 and you specify 50%here, a maximum of 5 replications
will occur (the original process +4 copies).
lAs soon as possible: Select to have the process run continuously. Clear to enable the
Time Grid to fine-tune the schedule of the process.
lDay(s) to keep backup: Indicate the number of days to keep backups of jobs processed
by input tasks. Note that backups will only be kept for those input tasks that have the
Keep backup file option selected and that they are required to resubmit input files.
lPolling interval: Enter the frequency (in seconds)at which the process should verify if
there are new jobs to process. The polling interval also applies to scheduled tasks that
only run on certain times. For example, if your process polls every 30 seconds on a task
that's only scheduled to run one hour per week, it will capture the input 120 times during
that period. Note that the polling interval is ignored when multiple files are present in the
input and will be used only when there are no longer any files to process.
lMonth: Select the month of the year when the process should be run or select All months
to have the process run all year long. This option is disabled when "As soon as
possible"is checked.
lWeek of month / by date: Select the desired option for the time grid. Note that any
selection you make in this box will be interpreted based on the selection made in the
Month box. If you chose All months in the Month box and Last in the Week of month / by
date box, then the process will run on the last week of every month. If you chose January
in the Month box and First in the Week of month / by date box, then the process will run
only on the first week of January.
lSelect Date to display dates on the grid’s top ruler.
lSelect any of the other options to display days on the top ruler.
lSelect All weeks to have the process run every week.
lSelect First, Second, Third or Fourth to have the process run on the first, second,
third or fourth week.
lSelect Last to have the process run only on the last week.
lTime division: Select the duration of each daily segment in the time grid. If you select
00:15, each segment will represent only 15 minutes and each day will be made up of 96
blocks (4 blocks per hour times 24 hours). If you select 24:00, each segment will
represent an entire day.
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lPoll once per activity period: Select to perform this process’ initial input task no more
than once for each set of contiguous blocks (blocks that are on the top of one another).
Choosing this option overrides the polling interval option. By default since the Time Grid
blocks are divided by hours, this option will make your polling happen once every hour.
The Time Grid
The PlanetPress Workflow Process Options dialog box includes a time grid that lets you set
exactly when you want a process to run. The grid is composed of blocks that represent time
periods on a given day. To activate the Time Grid, the "As soon as possible"option must be
unchecked.
In the Time Grid, a blue block will indicate that the process is active within that time block.
While blocks mean the process will not be active.
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lClick on any block to select / deselect it.
lClick and drag from one block to another to toggle all blocks between the two.
lShift-click on any block to toggle all blocks from the top-left corner of the grid to the block
you click.
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lTo select all of the time segments for a given day or date, click the day or date on the top
grid ruler. To deselect all of the time segments for a given day or date, CTRL+click the
day or date on the top grid ruler.
lTo select all the days or dates for a given time segment, click the time segment on the left
grid ruler. To deselect all the days or dates for a given time segment, CTRL+click the time
segment on the left grid ruler.
lTo select the entire grid, use the Select All button located below the grid. To deselect the
entire grid, use the Clear All button located below the grid.
Note
"Toggle" means turn on when it's off and vice-versa, when selecting multiple blocks in
one command. This means if you select a certain number of blocks in the Time Grid and
then use the shift+click or drag method, blocks that are on will turn off.
Technical
Changes made to the system time can have adverse effects on the processes managed
by PlanetPress Workflow. When changing from daylight saving time to standard time, for
example, if PlanetPress Workflow starts a given process at 2:00 AM, and if the system
time is then taken back to 1:00AM, the application will start a new instance of the same
process when the system time reaches 2:00 AM for a second time. So, when you
manually change the system time, be aware that it may have an effect on PlanetPress
Workflow and its processes. And for those cases when you know the system time will
change automatically, you may consider creating special schedules.
Information Tab
The Information tab lets you enter information that is not critical to your process but may help
others (or yourself in the future)to understand what the process does. It offers two boxes:
lDescription: Aone-line box to give a title or short description to your process.
lComments:A multi-line box to give more detailed information, for example the file format
expected, explanation of the system in general.
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Activate or Deactivate a Process
All processes are Active by default, but you may make any PlanetPress Workflow process
Inactive as required. Because making a process active or inactive is a change in the
configuration, to make the change effective you will have to send the edited configuration to
your PlanetPress Workflow service (See "Send your Configuration" on page17).
To activate or deactivate a process:
1. Right-click the process in question in the Configuration Components pane
2. Click Active to disable or enable the process.
3. Send your configuration.
Note
If you try to send a configuration that contains only inactive processes, the PlanetPress
Workflow Configuration program will ask you to confirm the operation (this can be
changed in the Notification User Options).
Convert a Branch to a Subprocess
To allow for maximum flexibility and backward compatibility with the subprocess feature, the
Convert to subprocess option lets users transform existing processes easily. This option is
available whenever a Branch task is selected; right-clicking on it will display the contextual
menu, which holds the Convert to subprocess option.
Selecting this option automatically creates a new subprocess, takes the branch and all of its
children tasks and inserts it in the new subprocess, including the branch task itself. In the main
process, the branch is removed and replaced with a GoSub action task referring to the newly
created subprocess.
Note
The Branch tasks options Backup job file, Backup job information and Backup emulation, are
also automatically passed to the subprocess, which means that, if the subprocess needs to use a
different emulation than the calling process, a Change Emulation task is required.
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If any task converted into a subprocess was previously using local variables, these variables
must be removed or transferred to global variables or job information to be usable in the newly
created subprocess.
Import Processes from Another Configuration File
You can import individual processes or groups of processes from a PlanetPress Workflow
configuration file without having to import the contents of the entire configuration file.
PlanetPress Workflow Configuration imports everything necessary to run the processes,
including configured tasks and configuration components.
To import components from another configuration file:
1. From the PlanetPress Workflow Button, choose Import | Configuration Components.
The Import dialog appears.
2. Navigate to the PlanetPress Workflow configuration file containing the processes or
groups of processes you want to import.
3. Select the file, then click Open. The Import Configuration dialog appears displaying all
the processes and/or process groups, as well as the Subprocesses, Global Variables,
PlanetPress Design documents and Printer Queues in the selected configuration file.
4. In the list, select the components you want to import. The PlanetPress Workflow
Configuration program lets you open and import any of the following:
lComplete PlanetPress Watch 4 to 6 configurations, as well as PlanetPress
Workflow 7 configurations.
lSpecific processes from Version 6 and 7 configurations, including their local
variables.
lSpecific subprocesses from any PlanetPress Workflow 7 Tools configurations.
lSpecific global variables from PlanetPress Workflow 7 Tools configurations.
lSpecific PlanetPress or PrintShop Mail documents.
lSpecific Printer Queues.
5. Check "Overwrite existing components with same name" if you want processes with
existing names to be overwritten by those in the imported configuration, or uncheck it to
duplicate those processes under a new dynamic name.
6. Click OK to start the import.
PlanetPress Workflow Configuration imports the selected objects and automatically
renames duplicate items in the imported configuration. If the current and imported
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configurations both include a startup process, the one in the imported configuration will
become a standard process.
Important considerations
lWhen importing a PlanetPress Workflow configuration file, your PlanetPress Design and
PrintShop Mail document are not physically imported as they are not part of the
configuration file itself. In order for the documents to be available, you will need to send
each document from PlanetPress Design and PrintShop Mail (see their respective
documentation for details).
lIf you import a PlanetPress Workflow configuration that contains a PlanetPress Fax
output task, you must update the task’s properties and refresh the host name. Otherwise,
when PlanetPress Workflow will attempt to output the file, an error will be generated.
Toggle the Run on Desktop Property
Since PlanetPress Workflow configurations are typically meant to run without user interaction,
all of their processes are set to run in the background by default. In some cases, such as when
a dialog box must appear or user input is required, you may make any process run on your
desktop instead of as a service.
Generally this will happen only when calling a third-party software using the Run External
Program plugin, but is also valid if using a Script that generates a dialog that someone must
click or interact with.
Note
The term "Desktop"is defined as the desktop of the user logged on to the computer
where PlanetPress Workflow is installed. These dialogs cannot be displayed on any
other computer.
To toggle a process’ Run on Desktop property:
1. Select an active process in the Configuration Components pane.
2. In the Object Inspector Pane, change the Run on desktop property from False to True,
or vice versa.
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Using Scripts
Scripts can be used to perform various operations, such as to manipulate data, for example.
PlanetPress Workflow can perform scripts written in four different scripting languages and also
provides an interface for editing scripts.
Warning
While this chapter provides some very useful and detailed information about scripting
within PlanetPress Workflow, its focus is to inform you about the features, variables and
functions unique to this environment. This chapter assumes that you have a working
knowledge of the scripting language you wish to use and does not purport to teaching
you anything about this language that you don't already know. Learning any of these
language is beyond the scope of this documentation.
Languages
There are four scripting languages available through the Run Script task: JavaScript, VBScript,
Python and Perl. Each language has its own strengths and weaknesses which we will not
cover in this documentation. While VBScript is the most used language at the moment, the
examples provided in this chapter are presented in all supported languages.
By default, the Run Script task expects VBScript. You can select another language via the
Language menu in the Script Editor that opens when you add the Run Script task to a process.
You can also set another language as the default for the Run Script task, in the Workflow
preferences (go to Behavior > Default Configuration).
Note
While JavaScript and VBScript are natively available on Windows operating systems.
Python and Perl require third-party tools to be functional. For Perl, ActivePerl can be
installed. For Python ActivePython (version 2.7.13 ) can be installed.
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Condition or Action
When using the Run Script as a condition, you need a way to tell your process whether the
result is true or false. The condition result is returned by the "Script.ReturnValue" on page119
variable. If the return value is zero (the default), the condition is false. Otherwise, it is true.
When using the Run Script as an action task, the job file going out of the Run Script action
task will be the same as the one coming in, unless you have specifically changed it within your
script by writing to the file that is the target of the "Watch.GetJobFileName" on page110
function. The same goes for any job info, local or global variables, unless you use the
"Watch.SetJobInfo" on page114 or "Watch.SetVariable" on page116 functions to modify them.
APIs
Multiple APIs (methods of communicating with PlanetPress Workflow scripting tools) are
available through the scripting engine, in all languages.
lThe Watch object is used to communicate with your current process and configuration.
See "The Watch Object" on page105.
lThe PlanetPress Connect REST API consists of many services that expose access to a
number of areas including Workflow, data entity management and file store operations.
See PlanetPress Connect REST API Cookbook.
lYou can manipulate PDFfiles using the PlanetPress Alambic API. See AlambicEdit
Library Reference. Note that the PlanetPress Alambic API is part of the PDFTools.
lYou can manipulate the metadata in your process using the Metadata API. See Metadata
API Reference.
lYou can communicate with a SOAPserver using the SOAPAPI. See "SOAP Server API
Reference" on page98.
lYou can communicate with the PlanetPress Capture Database using the Capture API.
See Capture API Reference.
lYou can communicate the with the Data Repository using the Data Repository API. See:
"Data Repository API" on page121.
The Script Editor and XSLT Editor
How can I edit scripts and XSLT code?
Scripts can be edited in the Script Editor and the XSLT Editor. Both editors are visually
identical and share almost exactly the same commands. They let you import and export scripts,
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perform common editing function, such as search and replace, and feature syntax highlighting
and formatting.
You can use the Script Editor to edit scripts written in VBScript, JavaScript, Perl and Python
(note that the corresponding interpreter must be locally available). You can use the XSLT Editor
to edit scripts written in XSLT 1.0 and 2.0.
For information on how to use both editors, or for a complete description of the Script or XSLT
Editor user options, refer to the Reference Help (English only).
Use the Editor
The Script Editor and XSLT Editor share most of the same commands and functions. You can
open the Script Editor using the Open Editor button both from the Run Script Properties
dialog box and from the Open XSLT Properties dialog box. When you do so, the script
currently displayed in the dialog box is pasted to the editor’s scripting box.
For information on the available editor options, refer to "Editor Options" on page769.
Import and Export Scripts
Both the Script Editor and XSLT Editor let you import and export scripts.
Note
When you import a script, it replaces any script currently displayed in the editor.
To import a script:
1. In the editor, choose File | Import. The Open dialog box appears.
2. To import a script that uses a different scripting language or that was saved under a
different file format, make a selection in the Files of type drop-down list.
3. Navigate to the script you want to import and select it.
4. Click OK. The script is imported, displayed and formatted according to the syntax of the
language selected in the editor. If the imported file had the extension of a recognized
scripting language (.vbs or .js, for example), the editor language is automatically changed.
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To export a script:
1. In the editor, choose File | Export. The Save As dialog box appears.
2. To save the script using a different scripting language or under a different file format,
make a selection in the Save as type drop-down list.
3. Navigate to the location where you want to save the exported script.
4. Enter the name of the script in the File name box.
5. To save the script using a different scripting language or under a different file format,
make a selection in the Save as type drop-down list.
6. Click OK.
Find Strings in a Script
The Find Text dialog box allows you to search for text strings in the editor. The available
options help you limit the search, making searches quicker and easier.
To find strings in a script:
Note
If you only want to search a particular section of the script, you should select it before performing
the following procedure.
1. Choose Search | Find, or press CTRL+F. The Find Text dialog box appears. The last
used string is displayed in the Text to find drop-down list box.
2. Set the search settings and options.
lText to find: Enter a new search string or select a previous search from the drop-
down list.
lCase sensitive: Select to limit the search to instances of text with the same case as
the text in the Text to find box.
lWhole words only: Select to limit the search to complete words matching the text in
the Text to find box. Whole words are defined as strings that have a space or
punctuation before and after the word.
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lRegular expressions: Select to treat the regular expressions of the scripting
language as text to search. If you clear this option, the regular expressions of the
language are not included in the search.
lGlobal: Select to search the entire content of the script.
lSelected text: Select to find matching text within the text block you select. A portion
of text must be selected before you run the search.
lForward: Select to search the script forward, from the location of the cursor or from
the beginning of the script, depending on what you choose as the origin (From
cursor begins where the cursor is currently located in the script, Entire scope begins
from the beginning of the script or beginning of script selection). If you limit the
scope to selected text, you move forward only within the selection. When the search
reaches the end of the script or script selection, the search finishes. It does not loop
back to the beginning.
lBackward: Select to search the script backward, from the location of the cursor or
from the end of the script, depending on what you choose for the origin (From cursor
begins where the cursor is currently located in the script, Entire scope begins from
the beginning of the script or beginning of script selection). If you limit the scope to
selected text, you move backward only within the script selection. When the search
reaches the beginning of the script or script selection, the search finishes. It does
not loop back to the beginning.
lFrom cursor: Select to start the search from the position of the cursor.
lEntire scope: Select to search the entire script or a script selection. The scope
croplands to a script selection if you make a selection before executing the Find.
3. Click OK. The first matching string is highlighted in the script.
4. To find the next matching string, choose Search | Find Again or press F3.
Find and Replace Strings in a Script
The Replace With dialog box lets you search for and replace text strings in the editor. The
available options help you limit the search, making replacements quicker and easier.
To find and replace strings in a script:
1. Choose Search | Replace, or press CTRL+R. The Replace With dialog box appears.
The last used strings are displayed in the Text to find and Replace with boxes.
2. Set the replacement settings and options.
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lText to find: Enter a new search string or select a previous search from the drop-
down list.
lReplace with: Enter the string that will replace the string displayed in the Text to
find box.
lCase sensitive: Select to limit the search to instances of text with the same case as
the text in the Text to find box.
lWhole words only: Select to limit the search to complete words that match the text
in the Text to find box. Whole words are defined as strings that have a space or
punctuation before and after the word.
lRegular expressions: Select to treat the regular expressions of the scripting
language as text. If you clear this option, the regular expressions of the language
are blocked from the search.
lPrompt on replace: Select to have PlanetPress Workflow display a prompt before it
replaces text. When you use the Replace All function, you are prompted each time
matching text is found. The prompt includes an All button for replacing all matching
text. This suppresses any further prompting.
lGlobal: Select to search the entire content of the script.
lSelected text: Select to find matching text only within a text block you select. The
text must be selected before you run the search.
lForward: Select to search the script forward, from the location of the cursor or from
the beginning of the script, depending on what you choose as the origin (From
cursor begins where the cursor is currently located in the script, Entire scope begins
from the beginning of the script or beginning of script selection). If you limit the
scope to selected text, you move forward only within the selection. When the search
reaches the end of the script or script selection, the search finishes. It does not loop
back to the beginning.
lBackward: Select to search the script backward, from the location of the cursor or
from the end of the script, depending on what you choose for the origin (From cursor
begins where the cursor is currently located in the script, Entire scope begins from
the beginning of the script or beginning of script selection). If you limit the scope to
selected text, you move backward only within the script selection. When the search
reaches the beginning of the script or script selection, the search finishes. It does
not loop back to the beginning.
lFrom cursor: Select to start the search from the position of the cursor.
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lEntire scope: Select to search either the entire script, or a script selection. The
scope corresponds to a script selection if you make a selection before executing the
Find.
3. Do one of the following:
lClick OK to replace the first string encountered. If you selected Prompt on replace,
a dialog box opens to ask you whether to proceed with the replacement. You can
OK to replace the first string only, or you can click All to replace that string as well
as every other string that matches the replacement settings.
lClick Replace All to replace all the strings that match the replacement settings.
4. To find and replace the next matching string, choose Search | Find Again or press F3.
Once again, if you selected Prompt on replace, a dialog box opens to ask you whether
to proceed with the replacement. You can OK to replace that string only, or you can click
All to replace that string as well as every other string that matches the replacement
settings.
Go to a Line in a Script
The Go To Line dialog box lets you jump to a specific line within your script. It works whether
or not the line number are displayed on the left side of the editor window (to know how to toggle
the line number display settings, See "Editor Options" on page769).
To go to a line in a script:
1. Click anywhere in the Script Editor, then choose Search | Go To Line, or press Alt+G.
The Go To Line dialog box appears. The last used line numbers are displayed in the
Enter new line number drop-down list box.
2. Enter a new line number in the Enter new line number box or select one from drop-down
list.
3. Click OK.
Toggle Bookmarks
Bookmarks help you identify and jump to specific places within your script (see "Jump to
Bookmarks" on the next page).
Bookmarks are displayed in the editor’s gutter, so you will not be able to see them unless the
gutter is both visible and sufficiently wide. If line numbers are also displayed in the gutter,
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bookmarks may be harder to see. To control line number and gutter display, see "Editor
Options" on page769.
Note
Bookmarks are not preserved when you close the editor.
To toggle bookmarks:
lPlace the cursor on a line in your script and, from the editor’s pop-up menu, choose
Toggle Bookmark and a given bookmark number.
If the bookmark you selected was not displayed on any line, it is added to the line where you
placed the cursor. If the bookmark you selected was displayed on the line where you placed the
cursor, it is removed. If the bookmark you selected was displayed on a different line, it is moved
to the line where you placed the cursor.
Jump to Bookmarks
Before you can jump to bookmarks, you must add bookmarks to specific lines in your script
(See "Toggle Bookmarks" on the previous page).
To jump to a bookmark:
lFrom the editor’s pop-up menu, choose Go To Bookmark and a given bookmark
number.
If the bookmark you selected was displayed on a line, the cursor jumps to that line.
SOAP Server API Reference
PlanetPress Workflow offers a SOAP server API Reference allowing jobs to be submitted from
third party application using the SOAP protocol. Remember that SOAP stands for Simple
Object Access Protocol.
While there are multiple possibilities for solutions using a SOAP server implementation, the
SOAP Server API Reference is specifically for submitting jobs from a SOAP client. It
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implements five methods that will allow SOAP clients to submit jobs and get information from
PlanetPress Workflow executing them.
Note
PlanetPress Workflow already come with a SOAP Client plugin, which can be used as an input,
action or output; this task was renamed Legacy SOAP Client.
Since the SOAP Server API Reference is primarily targeted at programmers or systems
engineers, it is rather technical.
SOAP API - SubmitJob
Syntax
SubmitJob (File, SubmitJobInfStruc , ReturnJobFile, user name,
Password) : SubmitJobResult
Description
The SubmitJob method allows users to remotely submit files to their PlanetPress Workflow from
a SOAP client. The SOAP client has the option to wait for a response file from PlanetPress
Workflow SOAP server.
Arguments
lFile – base64Binary. This is an array of byte base64 encoded (see
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Base64).
lSubmitJobInfStruc – Structure containing any required information to prepare the file for
a valid insertion into a PlanetPress Workflow process.
lReturnJobFile – Boolean value. When true, PlanetPress Workflow SOAP server returns
the job file. When false, there no file is returned to the SOAP client. (For example: when
submitting a job for print, there is no need to return a file)
luser name – String containing the user name.
lPassword – String containing the password. This value is case sensitive.
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Return Value
lSubmitJobResult - Structure containing the following information:
lSuccess – Integer indicating the Success/Error level of the operation. A result of 0 means
the operation was successful.
lMessage – String containing text information about the Success/Failure status.
lSubmitJobInfStruc – See point SubmitJobInfStruc for details.
lResultFile – base64Binary. If Success is different than 0 or the ReturnJobFile was set to
False in the initial call, no file is returned. Otherwise, ResultFile contains the job file, as it
existed at the completion of the PlanetPress Workflow process (for instance, if the
process creates a PDF and sets it as the current job file, the PDF is the file that gets
returned to the calling SOAP client).
Note
The SubmitJob method only returns a file if the PlanetPress Workflow process contains a SOAP
Input task.
Note
If ReturnJobFile is set to true, the schedule options of the process should be set to a pooling lower
than four seconds, so the client application gets a timely response.
Note
To return the file, the process must be completed before the timeout of the server occurs. The
Timeout option can be set in your PlanetPress Workflow preferences.
SOAP API - PostJob
Syntax
PostJob (File, PostJobInfStruc , user name, Password) :
PostJobResult
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Description
The PostJob method allows users to remotely submit files to PlanetPress Workflow by using
the Resubmit from here feature. The main advantage of this feature is that it allows a user to
specify a starting task index from which the File is to be processed.
Parameters
lFile – base64Binary. This is an array of byte base64 encoded (see
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Base64).
lPostJobInfStruc – Structure containing any required information to prepare the file for
resubmission into a PlanetPress Workflow process.
luser name – String containing the user name.
lPassword – String containing the password. This value is case sensitive.
Return Value
lPostjobResult - Structure containing the following information:
lSuccess – Integer indicating the Success/Error level of the operation. A result of 0 means
that the operation was successful.
lMessage – String containing text information about the Success status.
lPostjobInfStruc – See point PostJobInfoStruct for details.
Note
The task index can be retrieved by using the GetProcessTaskList method. See point
GetProcessTaskList for details.
Note
The PostJob method can never return a file to the calling application.
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SOAP API - GetProcessList
Syntax
GetProcessList (user name, Password) : GetProcessListResult
Description
The GetProcessList function allows SOAP clients to request the list of available PlanetPress
Workflow processes, based on their authentication credentials.
Parameters
luser name – String containing the user name.
lPassword – String containing the password. This value is case sensitive.
Return Value
lGetProcessListResult - Structure containing the following information:
lSuccess – Integer indicating the system-defined Success/Error level of the operation. A
result of 0 means that the operation was successful.
lMessage – String containing text information about the Success status.
lProcessList – Structure containing the following information details.
lProcessName – String containing the process name
lActive – Boolean value specifying whether the process is currently active.
Note
To obtain access to the complete list of processes for all users, the end-user must have administrator
privileges.
SOAP API - GetProcessTaskList
Syntax
GetProcessTaskList (ProcessName, user name, Password) :
GetProcessTaskListResult
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Description
The GetProcessTaskList function will allow a user to remotely request the tasks list of a
process. This will be useful with the PostJob API since it needs a TaskIndex.
Parameters
lProcessName – The Name of the PlanetPress Workflow process.
luser name – String containing the user name.
lPassword – String containing the password. This is case sensitive.
Return Value
lGetProcessTaskListResult – Structure containing the following information:
lSuccess – Integer indicating the system-defined Success/Error level of the operation. A
result of 0 means that the operation was successful.
lMessage – String containing text information about the Success status.
lTaskNames – Structure containing the following information details.
lTaskName – String containing the name of the task
lTaskIndex – Integer : 1 based index of the task.
lTaskDepth – Integer : 1 based depth of the task.
Note
The TaskNames array will be sorted by the execution order of the process with the primary input of
the process having an index of 1.
SOAP API - GetSOAPProcessList
Syntax
GetSOAPProcessList (user name, Password) : GetSOAPProcessListResult
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Description
The GetSOAPProcessList function will allow users to request the list of PlanetPress Workflow
processes that contain a SOAP Input plugin with the SOAP action name. This is useful when
working with the SubmitJob API since it requires a SOAPActionName.
Parameters
luser name – String containing the user name.
lPassword – String containing the password. This is case sensitive.
Return Value
lGetSOAPProcessListResult – Structure containing the following information:
lSuccess – Integer indicating the system-defined Success/Error level of the operation. A
result of 0 means that the operation was successful.
lMessage – String containing text information about the Success status.
lProcessList – Structure containing the following information details.
lSOAPActionName – String containing the name of the process as seen in your
PlanetPress Workflow.
lActive – Boolean value indicating if the process is active in your PlanetPress Workflow.
Note
If a user has administrator privilege, he will have access to all processes and therefore he will see all
the processes.
SOAP API - PostJobInfoStruc
PostJobInfStruc
Structure containing any required information to prepare the file for resubmission into a
PlanetPress Workflow process.
lVariableList – Array of complex type, containing pairs of variable names and variables
value. The list also contains the JobInfo variables.
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lVariableName – String
lVariableValue – String
lProcessName – String - Name of the PlanetPress Workflow process.
lTaskIndex – Integer - 1 based index of the task where the resubmission should start.
lFirstPage – Integer - First page of data to process.
lLastPage – Integer - Last page of data to process.
Note
If both FirstPage and LastPage are set to 0, the entire data file is used.
SOAP API - SubmitJobInfStruc
SubmitJobInfStruc
Structure containing any required information to prepare the file for a valid insertion into a
PlanetPress Workflow process.
lVariableList – Array of complex type, containing pairs of variable name and variable
value. The list also contains the JobInfo variables
lVariableName – String
lVariableValue – String
lOAPActionName – String containing the name of the Input SOAP task’s action name.
The Watch Object
PlanetPress Workflow scripting offers a number of methods of communicating with your
process by means of PlanetPress Workflow automation object's methods and functions. The
automation object is available in all 4 languages through their own syntax - the examples
provided here are for VBScript.
Note
While the functions here are in mixed case to simplify reading, it's important to note that
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some languages (especially JavaScript)are case-sensitive and will require the proper
case. Examples in this chapter will always use the proper case when relevant.
Here is a list of the methods and functions that are available to you through the automation
object (or "Watch" object). While these examples are all in VBScript, you can click on any
variable name to open a page to see examples for each supported language.
Variable Name Description
Example Usage (VBScript)
"Watch.GetJobFileName" on
page110
Retrieves a string containing the job path and file
name located in the job spool folder.
Example Usage: str = Watch.getjobfilename
"Watch.GetOriginalFileName" on
page111
Retrieves a string containing the job's original path
and filename. Note: this filename is generally no
longer available if it has been captured by Watch.
Example Usage: str = Watch.getoriginalfilename
"Watch.GetMetadataFilename"
on page112
Retrieves a string containing the job's metadata path
and filename. This is useful when using the Metadata
API in your script.
Example Usage: str = Watch.getmetadatafilename
"Watch.GetJobInfo" on page113 Retrieves the content of a numbered job info (%1 to
%9).
Example Usage: str = Watch.getjobinfo(9)
"Watch.GetVariable" on page115 Retrieves the content of a local or global variable by
name.
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Variable Name Description
Example Usage (VBScript)
Example Usage: str = Watch.getvariable("Varname")
"Watch.ExpandString" on
page116
Retrieves the content of any Workflow string,
containing any variable available to Watch, including
data selections.
Example Usage: watchDate = Watch.expandstring("%y-%m-%d")
"Watch.Log" on page117 Writes to the Workflow log file, or the message window
when in debug - can accept multiple log levels from 1
(red) to 4 (gray).
Example Usage: Watch.log "Hello, World!",1
"Watch.ShowMessage" on the
next page
Displays a popup dialog box to the user (user has to
be logged on).
Example Usage: Watch.showmessage("Hello, World!")
"Watch.InputBox" on page112 Prompts the user for a string and returns the value(will
not work when running as a service)
Example Usage: str = Watch.inputbox
("Caption","Message","default")
"Watch.SetJobInfo" on page114 Writes the value of a string to a numbered job info.
Example Usage: Watch.setjobinfo 9, "String"
"Watch.SetVariable" on page116 Writes the value of a string to a local or global variable
by name.
Example Usage: Watch.setvariable "global.GlobalVar", "Hello
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Variable Name Description
Example Usage (VBScript)
World!"
"Watch.Sleep" on page119 Pauses all processing for X milliseconds.
Example Usage: Watch.sleep(1000)
"Watch.ExecuteExternalProgram"
on the facing page
Calls and executes an external program in the
command line.
Example Usage: Watch.executeexternalprogram "del *.ps" "c:\" 0
true
"Script.ReturnValue" on
page119
Returns a boolean True or False value to a Workflow
scripted condition
Example Usage: Script.returnvalue = 1
Watch.GetPDFEditObject Is used to manipulate PDF files using the AlambicEdit
API.
See the AlambicEdit API for more information.
Watch.ShowMessage
Displays a message to the user. This method is the same as PW_ShowMessage. Use this
method to show the current message displayed whether or not a user is logged in. Note that for
this method to work, the "Run on Desktop"option must be enabled and you must be logged on
as the same user as the PlanetPress Watch Service.
Examples
In the following example, showmessage() displays a dialog box saying “test message”.
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VBScript
Watch.ShowMessage("test message")
JavaScript
Watch.ShowMessage("test message");
Python
Watch.ShowMessage("test message")
Perl
$Watch->ShowMessage("test message");
Watch.ExecuteExternalProgram
Calls and executes an external program through a specified command line. The program's
execution will be directed by the appropriate flags specified as this method's parameters.
Syntax
Watch.ExecuteExternalProgram const CommandLine: WideString; const WorkingDir:
WideString; ShowFlags: Integer;
WaitForTerminate: WordBool: integer;
const CommandLine: The command line to execute as a widestring.
const WorkingDir: The working directory for the execution of the command line as a
widestring.
ShowFlags: Integer value representing the flag to use during the execution of the command
line. These flags have an effect on the execution window opened by the
ExecuteExternalProgram procedure.
Flag Effect
0 Hide the execution window.
1 Display the window normally.
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Flag Effect
2 Display the window minimized.
3 Display the window maximized.
4 Makes the window visible and brings it to the top, but does not make it the active
window.
WaitForTerminate : A Boolean value that, if true, pauses the script until the command line has
been fully executed.
Examples
VBScript
Watch.ExecuteExternalProgram "lpr -S 192.168.100.001 -P auto
c:\myfile.ps", "c:\", 0, true
JavaScript
Watch.ExecuteExternalProgram("lpr -S 192.168.100.001 -P auto
c:\\myfile.ps", "c:\\", 0, true);
Python
Watch.ExecuteExternalProgram("lpr -S 192.168.100.001 -P auto
c:\\myfile.ps", "c:\\", 0, True)
Perl
$Watch->ExecuteExternalProgram("lpr -S 192.168.100.001 -P auto
c:\myfile.ps", "c:\", 0, true);
Watch.GetJobFileName
Returns the complete path and file name of the job. This method is the same as PW_
GetJobFileName. getjobfilename() obtains the file name of a PlanetPress Workflow process.
This is useful for manipulating the job file, for example to replace data within it. If your script
writes to this file, the modified contents will be used by the next plugin in your process.
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Example
In the following example, GetJobFileName() retrieves the name of the job file, which is then
logged using "Watch.Log" on page117.
VBScript
Dim s
s = Watch.GetJobFileName
Watch.Log "The job filename is: " + s, 3
JavaScript
var s;
s = Watch.GetJobFilename();
Watch.Log("The job filename is: " + s, 3);
Python
s = Watch.GetJobFileName()
Watch.Log("The job filename is: " + s, 3)
Perl
$s = $Watch->GetJobFileName;
$Watch->Log("The job filename is: " + $s, 3);
Watch.GetOriginalFileName
Returns the original name of the file, when it was captured. This method is the same as PW_
GetOriginalFileName.
Example
VBScript
Watch.GetOriginalFileName
JavaScript
Watch.GetOriginalFileName();
Python
Watch.GetOriginalFileName()
Page 111
Perl
$Watch->GetOriginalFileName();
Watch.GetMetadataFilename
Returns the complete path and file name of the metadata file associated with the current job file.
Example
VBScript
Watch.GetMetadataFileName
JavaScript
Watch.GetMetadataFileName();
Python
Watch.GetMetadataFileName()
Perl
$Watch->GetMetadataFileName();
Watch.InputBox
Warning
Starting version 7.0, the Watch.InputBox function is deprecated and may no longer work
due to changes in the way in which the Watch Service functions. This function is
completely disabled in PlanetPress Workflow 7.3 and higher.
Prompts the user to enter a string. The string is displayed as the window caption. You can
specify a message that is displayed above the text box. This method is the same as PW_
InputBox.
Clicking OK returns the value entered by the user. If no value was entered the default value is
returned. Clicking Cancel returns the default value.
Page 112
You must enable the “Run on desktop” option for the PlanetPress Workflow process whose
script calls Watch.InputBox. Otherwise PlanetPress Workflow application may stop working
and require a reboot.
Example
s = watch.inputbox("caption", "message", "default")
watch.showmessage(s)
Examples
In the following example,Watch.InputBoxrequires the user to enter a line of text. The script the
displays a pop-up of the message contents using "Watch.ShowMessage" on page108.
VBScript
s = Watch.InputBox("Your Name", "Please enter your name", "John
Doe")
Watch.ShowMessage("Will the real " + s + " please stand up?")
JavaScript
s = Watch.InputBox("Your Name", "Please enter your name", "John
Doe");
Watch.ShowMessage("Will the real " + s + " please stand up?");
Python
s = Watch.InputBox("Your Name", "Please enter your name", "John
Doe")
Watch.ShowMessage("Will the real " + s + " please stand up?")
Perl
s = Watch->InputBox("Your Name", "Please enter your name", "John
Doe");
Watch->ShowMessage("Will the real " + $s + " please stand up?");
Watch.GetJobInfo
Returns job information corresponding to the specified index. Index is an integer from 1 to 9.
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Syntax
Watch.GetJobInfo(Index: integer): string
Example
VBScript
Dim s
s = Watch.GetJobInfo(3)
Watch.Log "Jobinfo 3's value is: " + s, 2
JavaScript
var s;
s = Watch.GetJobInfo(3);
Watch.Log("Jobinfo 3's value is: " + s, 2);
Python
s = Watch.GetJobInfo(3)
Watch.Log("Jobinfo 3's value is: " + s, 2)
Perl
$s = $Watch->GetJobInfo(3);
$Watch->ShowMessage("Jobinfo 3's value is: " . $s, 2);
Watch.SetJobInfo
Sets the job information index to a specified string value.
Syntax
Watch.SetJobInfo(Index: Integer; Value: String)
Example
VBScript
Watch.SetJobInfo 3, "Job info 3 Value"
JavaScript
Watch.SetJobInfo(3, "Job info 3 Value");
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Python
Watch.SetJobInfo(3, "Job info 3 Value")
Perl
$Watch->SetJobInfo(3, "Job info 3 Value");
Watch.GetVariable
Returns the string value of the corresponding variable name. Note that if an undeclared
variable is called using this method, an error will be generated.
Syntax
Watch.GetVariable(Name: String): String
Example
VBScript
Dim s
s = Watch.GetVariable("MyVariable")
Watch.Log "MyVariable's value is: " + s, 2
s = Watch.GetVariable("global.MyVariable")
Watch.Log "global.MyVariable's value is: " + s, 2
JavaScript
var s;
s = Watch.GetVariable("MyVariable");
Watch.Log("MyVariable's value is: " + s, 2);
s = Watch.GetVariable("global.MyVariable");
Watch.Log("Jobinfo 3's value is: " + s, 2);
Python
s = Watch.GetVariable("MyVariable")
Watch.Log("global.MyVariable's value is: " + s, 2)
Perl
$s = $Watch->GetJobInfo(3);
$Watch->ShowMessage("global.MyVariable's value is: " . $s, 2);
Page 115
Watch.SetVariable
Sets the variable to a specified string value. Note that if an undeclared variable is called using
this method, an error will be generated.
Syntax
Watch.SetVariable Name: String; Value: String
Example
VBScript
Watch.SetVariable "MyVariable", "Desired value"
Watch.SetVariable "global.MyVariable", "Desired value"/
JavaScript
Watch.SetVariable("MyVariable", "Desired value");
Watch.SetVariable("global.MyVariable", "Desired value");
Python
Watch.SetVariable("MyVariable", "Desired value")
Watch.SetVariable("global.MyVariable", "Desired value")
Perl
$Watch->SetVariable("MyVariable", "Desired value");
$Watch->SetVariable("global.MyVariable", "Desired value");
Watch.ExpandString
Provides access to the emulated job file and to all variables. This function returns a string that
is the expanded version of the input string.
Syntax
Watch.ExpandString(StringToExpand) -> string
Arguments
StringToExpand —A regular parseable string that may contain system variables (%u, %f), user
variables (%1 to %9), octal codes, and data selections.
Page 116
Example
This example results in expanding the string of the variables to the date value in the following
format: “YYYY-MM-DD”.
VBScript
Dim s
s= Watch.ExpandString("%y-%m-%d")
Watch.Log "Current Date is: " + s, 2
JavaScript
var s;
s= Watch.ExpandString("%y-%m-%d");
Watch.Log("Current Date is: " + s, 2);
Python
s= Watch.ExpandString("%y-%m-%d")
Watch.Log("Current Date is: " + s, 2)
Perl
$s = $Watch->ExpandString("%y-%m-%d");
$Watch->Log("Current Date is: " . $s,2);
Watch.Log
Creates messages that are added to PlanetPress Workflowwatch.log file. PlanetPress
Workflow watch.log file is located in ...\Program Files\PlanetPress Workflow 7\PlanetPress
Watch\Log\ppw[log date].log.
View error messages in the Services Console while PlanetPress Workflow is in Run mode by
choosing Tools | Services | Service Console. In the Service Console, error messages appear
with colors that correspond to the message level.
Level Type Text Color in Service Console
1 Error Red
2 Warning Orange
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Level Type Text Color in Service Console
3 Information Black
4 Debug Grey
Arguments
Message—A string representing the message that is logged in the log file. Note that the text of
the message must use the locale encoding of the system where the PlanetPress Workflow
software will be running, otherwise it will be unreadable.
Level—An integer between 1 and 4, specifying the severity level of the error message. Set
message levels as follows:
Level Description
1 The message is logged as an Error in the log file.
2 The message is logged as a Warning in the log file.
3 The message is logged as Information in the log file.
4 The message only appears when the application runs in Debug mode.
Examples
In the following example, log() will write an information entry in the watch log that says "this is a
log"
VBScript
Watch.Log "this is a log", 3
JavaScript
Watch.Log("this is a log", 3);
Page 118
Python
Watch.Log("this is a log",3)
Perl
$Watch->Log("this is a log",3);
Watch.Sleep
Pauses the process for the specified number of milliseconds. This can be used while waiting
for something else to happen when the delay is known.
Syntax
Watch.Sleep Milliseconds: integer
Example
In the following example, sleep()pauses the process for 1 second (1000 milliseconds)
VBScript
Watch.Sleep 1000
JavaScript
Watch.Sleep(1000);
Python
Watch.Sleep(1000)
Perl
$Watch->Sleep(1000);
Script.ReturnValue
Set this variable to 1 (true) or 0 (false) in order to return a true or false status to PlanetPress
Workflow, when using your script as a conditional branch. This variable will have no effect if the
script is run as an action.
Page 119
Example
This example will always return true, as the condition is static. It is, after all, simply an example.
You get the idea.
VBScript
Dim everythingOK
everythingOK = true
if (everythingOK = true) then
Script.ReturnValue = 1
else
Script.ReturnValue = 0
end if
JavaScript
var everythingOK;
everythingOK = true;
if(everythingOK = true){
Script.ReturnValue = 1;
} else {
Script.ReturnValue = 0
}
Python
everythingOK = True
if everythingOK == True:
Script.ReturnValue = 1
else:
Script.ReturnValue = 0
Perl
$everythingOK = true;
if (everythingOK = true) {
$Script->{ReturnValue} = 1;
} else {
$Script->{ReturnValue} = 0;
}
Page 120
Data Repository API
The Data Repository is a permanent structure to store data that can then be reused, modified or
augmented at a later time, by different processes.
The Data Repository can be accessed at runtime by the Push To Repository plugin and other
tasks (see "Data Repository" on page51) and at design time via the "Data Repository
Manager" on page721.
This topic explains how to access the Data Repository in script.
For a quick start, turn to this How-to: Interacting with the Data Repository API.
Warning
All operations on the Repository must be performed through this API - rather than directly
accessing the physical file - since the Repository's underlying file structure may change over time.
This API is guaranteed to remain compatible with future versions of the Data Repository. It is used
by all Workflow tasks dealing with the Repository.
Data repository structure
The table below lists the different levels in the repository and what their names corresponds to:
The term ... ... is the same as an Excel ... ... is the same as a Database ...
Group Sheet Table
Key Column Field
KeySet Row Record
Note
Group and key names are case-insensitive.
Page 121
API Reference
Obtaining an instance of the Repository Object
The Data Repository is accessed via a COM object that exposes methods to store and retrieve
data within the Repository.
JavaScript
var repoObject = new ActiveXObject
("RepositoryLib.WorkflowRepository");
VB Script
set repoObject = CreateObject("RepositoryLib.WorkflowRepository")
In each example in this documentation, the object repoObject is deemed having been obtained
through the above call to the COM object.
Using a JSON parameter or return value
Whenever a parameter or return value is defined as a JSONStringArray type, that JSON array
is itself a string. Since a JSON array internally defines double quotes as the delimiter for each
element, you must enclose the entire string in single quotes. Alternatively, you can escape the
double quotes inside the JSON Array.
For instance, the following calls to AddGroup() are correct:
RepoObject.AddGroup("MyGroup",'["FirstKey", "SecondKey"]');
RepoObject.AddGroup("MyGroup","[\"FirstKey\", \"SecondKey\"]");
But the following is incorrect:
RepoObject.AddGroup("MyGroup","['FirstKey', 'SecondKey']");
Many methods require using the JSONStringArray type but JSON is not natively supported in
VB Script. Therefore, for those methods, only JavaScript sample code is provided. There are
many resources on the Web that propose ways of implementing JSON parsing in VB Script so
you can implement whichever you see fit. However, using JavaScript is highly recommended.
Page 122
Group methods
Name Description
AddGroup Creates a group named GroupName and optionally creates
keys listed in keyNames. The keyNames parameter may be
empty.
RemoveGroup Deletes the group named GroupName, along with all its
keysets and keys.
ListGroups Retrieves the list of all group names in the Repository,
stored in a JSONStringArray..
RenameGroup Renames group oldName to newName. While this
operation has no impact on the data stored in the specified
group, it does require any plugin and/or script that uses
oldName to be modified to refer to newName.
Key Methods
Name Description
AddKey Adds key KeyName to group GroupName.KeyName must
not already exist in the specified group. Note that this method
only adds a key name to the group, not a key value. See
AddValue() for information on how to set a value for a key.
RemoveKey Removes existing key KeyName from group GroupName.
The key to remove must exist in the group, otherwise an error
is raised. All values for the key, in all keysets for the group,
are removed. Note that when the Group contains a large
number of KeySets, this operation may take a while.
ListKeys Retrieves the list of all Key names and data types in Group
GroupName, stored in a JSONStringObject. You should use
Page 123
Name Description
JSON.Parse() to convert the string into an actual JavaScript
object. You can then use the for…in construct to list the
different properties for that object (i.e. the keys in the group).
RenameKey Renames key oldName to newName in group GroupName.
While this operation has no impact on the data stored in that
Group, it does require any plugin and/or script that uses
oldName to be modified to refer to newName.
Value Methods
Name Description
GetValue Performs a lookup in group GroupName and retrieves the
first value for key KeyName that matches Condition. The
condition is specified using basic SQL WHERE syntax. The
Condition may be left empty in which case the very first
value found for the specified KeyName is returned.
AddValue Creates a new KeySet by assigning Value to the key
KeyName in Group GroupName. Note that KeyName must
exist in GroupName, otherwise an error is raised. See
AddKey() for information on adding a key to a group. Upon
successful completion, the method returns the ID of the
newly created KeySet.
SetValue Updates multiple keysets in group GroupName by setting
the key KeyName to Value for all keysets that match
Condition. The condition is specified using basic SQL
WHERE syntax. The Condition may be left empty in which
case all keysets in GroupName are updated. Note that
KeyName must exist in GroupName, otherwise an error is
raised. The method returns an array of the keyset ID's that
were updated ([1,2] ), or an empty array ([] ) if no keysets
Page 124
Name Description
were updated.
SetValueByID Updates KeyName with Value in group GroupName, where
the keyset's ID matches the ID parameter. KeyName must
exist in GroupName, otherwise an error is raised. The
method returns the ID of the keyset that was updated or -1 if
the keyset was not updated.
Note that this method is functionally equivalent to using
SetValue() with its Condition parameter set to "ID=ID".
KeySet methods
Name Description
GetKeySets Retrieves Keys values in GroupName for keysets that
match Condition. When Keys is left empty, all keys are
retrieved. When Condition is left empty, all keysets are
retrieved.
AddKeySets Inserts a new keyset inside GroupName and assigns
values to keys as specified in KeyValues. Every key
specified in KeyValues must exist otherwise an error is
raised. However, it is not required to specify all
available keys in KeyValues. Only the keys specified
are updated in GroupName while unspecified keys are
set to an empty string.
RemoveKeySets Deletes all keysets in GroupName that match
Condition. The condition is specified using basic SQL
WHERE syntax. Condition may be left empty, in which
case all keysets in GroupName are deleted. The
method returns the number of keysets that were deleted.
Page 125
Name Description
RemoveKeySetByID Deletes the keyset whose ID equals ID from
GroupName. Returns 1 if successful, 0 otherwise.
Note that this method is functionally equivalent to using
RemoveKeySets() with its Condition parameter set to
"ID=ID".
Repository management methods
Name Description
ClearRepository Deletes all groups, keys and keysets from the repository,
returning it to a blank state. Use with caution!
ClearGroupData Deletes all keysets inside GroupName while retaining the
existing key structure.
ClearAllData Delete all keysets in all groups, while retaining the
existing key structure.
CheckRepository Verifies the integrity of the repository and recovers unused
space left by deleted keysets. Similar to packing a
database, the operation is non-destructive but it does
require exclusive access to the Repository. You should
therefore only perform this operation when you know for
sure no other process is accessing the Data Repository.
Version Returns the version of the DLL library used by the
Repository.
AddGroup
Creates a group named GroupName and optionally creates keys listed in keyNames. The
keyNames parameter may be empty.
Page 126
Syntax
AddGroup(GroupName: string, keyNames: JSONStringArray)
Examples
In each of these examples, the object repoObject is deemed having been obtained through a
call to the COM object "RepositoryLib.WorkflowRepository" (see "Obtaining an instance of the
Repository Object" on page122).
JavaScript
repoObject.AddGroup("Users", '["FirstName", "LastName"]');
repoObject.AddGroup("Users", '');
VB Script
repoObject.AddGroup "Users", "[""FirstName"", ""LastName""]"
repoObject.AddGroup "Users", ""
AddKey
Adds key KeyName to group GroupName.KeyName must not already exist in the specified
group. Note that this method only adds a key name to the group, not a key value. See
AddValue() for information on how to set a value for a key.
Syntax
AddKey(GroupName: string, KeyName: string)
Examples
In each of these examples, the object repoObject is deemed having been obtained through a
call to the COM object "RepositoryLib.WorkflowRepository" (see "Obtaining an instance of the
Repository Object" on page122).
JavaScript
repoObject.AddKey("Users", "email");
VB Script
repoObject.AddKey "Users", "email"
Page 127
AddKeySets
Inserts a new keyset inside GroupName and assigns values to keys as specified in
KeyValues. Every key specified in KeyValues must exist otherwise an error is raised.
However, it is not required to specify all available keys in KeyValues. Only the keys specified
are updated in GroupName while unspecified keys are set to an empty string.
Syntax
AddKeySets(GroupName: string, KeyValues: JSONObjectArray):
JSONIntegerArray
Examples
Basic examples
In each of these examples, the object repoObject is deemed having been obtained through a
call to the COM object "RepositoryLib.WorkflowRepository" (see "Obtaining an instance of the
Repository Object" on page122).
JavaScript
repoObject.AddKeySets("Users", '[{"FirstName": "John","LastName":
"Smith"},{"FirstName": "Richard", "LastName": "Doe"}]');
VB Script
repoObject.AddKeySets "Users","
[{""FirstName"":""John"",""LastName"":""Smith""},
{""FirstName"":""Richard"",""LastName"": ""Doe""}]"
Inserting a row
In most cases, you won't need to insert or update a row in a script, as this can be easily done
through the the Push to Repository action task. However, in some cases you might want to
script it for simplicity's sake.
This JavaScript example inserts 2 different rows into the Users group.
var Repo = new ActiveXObject("RepositoryLib.WorkflowRepository");
Repo.AddKeySets("customers", '[{"CustomerID": "CUJS123456",
"FirstName": "John","LastName": "Smith"},
{"CustomerID": "CURD654321", "FirstName": "Richard", "LastName":
"Doe"}]');
Page 128
Tip: to update a row instead of adding it, use the GetValue() function to get the KeySet ID; then
update each individual value using SetValueByID() (see "GetValue" on page132 and
"SetValueByID" on page139).
Sample return value
The method returns a JSONIntegerArray containing the ID's of all keysets inserted into
GroupName:
'[131,132]'
AddValue
Creates a new KeySet by assigning Value to the key KeyName in Group GroupName. Note
that KeyName must exist in GroupName, otherwise an error is raised. See AddKey() for
information on adding a key to a group. Upon successful completion, the method returns the ID
of the newly created KeySet.
Syntax
AddValue(GroupName: string, KeyName: string, Value: string):
integer64
Examples
In each of these examples, the object repoObject is deemed having been obtained through a
call to the COM object "RepositoryLib.WorkflowRepository" (see "Obtaining an instance of the
Repository Object" on page122).
JavaScript
repoObject.AddValue("Users", "LastName", "Smith");
VB Script
repoObject.AddValue "Users", "LastName", "Smith"
CheckRepository
Verifies the integrity of the repository and recovers unused space left by deleted keysets.
Similar to packing a database, the operation is non-destructive but it does require exclusive
Page 129
access to the Repository. You should therefore only perform this operation when you know for
sure no other process is accessing the Data Repository.
Syntax
CheckRepository()
ClearAllData
Delete all keysets in all groups, while retaining the existing key structure.
Syntax
ClearAllData()
ClearGroupData
Deletes all keysets inside GroupName while retaining the existing key structure.
Syntax
ClearGroupData(GroupName: string)
ClearRepository
Deletes all groups, keys and keysets from the repository, returning it to a blank state. Use with
caution!
Syntax
ClearRepository()
GetKeySets
Retrieves Keys values in GroupName for keysets that match Condition. When Keys is left
empty, all keys are retrieved. When Condition is left empty, all keysets are retrieved, which is
useful for reports, cleanup, or custom filters based on more complex conditions.
Syntax
GetKeySets(GroupName: string, Keys: JSONStringArray, Condition:
string): JSONStringArray
Page 130
Examples
Basic examples
In each of these examples, the object repoObject is deemed having been obtained through a
call to the COM object "RepositoryLib.WorkflowRepository" (see "Obtaining an instance of the
Repository Object" on page122).
JavaScript
repoObject.GetKeySets("Users", '["FirstName","LastName"]',
"Gender='M'");
VB Script
myKeySet = repoObject.GetKeySets("Users", "
[""FirstName"",""LastName""]", "Gender='M'")
Querying a single row
This JavaScript example shows how to get one or more rows from the repository and use them
in the process. The script gets 3 fields ("firstname", "lastname" and "email") from the
CustomerID field. It assumes there's a local variable called %{CustomerID} set in the workflow
process.
var CustomerID = Watch.GetVariable("CustomerID");
var Repo = new ActiveXObject("RepositoryLib.WorkflowRepository");
var customer = Repo.GetKeySets("customers",'
["firstname","lastname", "customerID"]',"customerID = '" +
CustomerID + "'");
Watch.SetJobInfo(9,customer);
By omitting the last option from GetKeySets (the filter on CustomerID) you can get all the rows
from the data repository.
Return value: JSONStringArray
The method returns a JSONStringArray of key-value pairs, for example:
'[{"FirstName": "John","LastName": "Smith"},{"FirstName":
"Richard", "LastName": "Doe"}]'
Page 131
The return value (saved for example in the %9 JobInfo variable, as the above example does)
can be used in a number of ways:
lIt can be returned to a web page that's making an HTTP request to Workflow. JSON is the
simplest way to transfer information between any system that supports JavaScript.
lIt can be passed to Designer and loaded up directly as an object in a script there.
lThe JSON can be converted to XML, which makes it useable in the DataMapper module.
This can be easily done in a preprocessor script in the DataMapper (see DataMapper
online help).
GetValue
Performs a lookup in group GroupName and retrieves the first value for key KeyName that
matches Condition. The condition is specified using basic SQL WHERE syntax. The
Condition may be left empty in which case the very first value found for the specified
KeyName is returned.
Syntax
GetValue(GroupName: string, KeyName: string, Condition: string)
Examples
In each of these examples, the object repoObject is deemed having been obtained through a
call to the COM object "RepositoryLib.WorkflowRepository" (see "Obtaining an instance of the
Repository Object" on page122).
JavaScript
var myValue = repoObject.GetValue("Users", "email", "
LastName='Smith' AND FirstName='John' ");/* retrieves email for
John Smith */
var myValue = repoObject.GetValue("Users", "email", "
LastName='Smith' "); /* retrieves email for first user named Smith
*/
var myValue = repoObject.GetValue("Users", "email", ""); /*
retrieves email for first user */
VB Script
myValue = repoObject.GetValue("Users", "email", "
LastName=""Smith"" AND FirstName=""John"" ") /* retrieves email for
Page 132
John Smith */
myValue = repoObject.GetValue("Users", "email", "
LastName=""Smith"" ") /* retrieves email for first user named Smith
*/
myValue = repoObject.GetValue("Users", "email", "") /* retrieves
email for first user */
Retrieving a KeySet ID
This JavaScript example retrieves the KeySet ID, which is then used to update values in the
row.
/* Get KeySet ID */
var Repo = new ActiveXObject("RepositoryLib.WorkflowRepository");
var keySetID = Repo.GetValue("customers", "ID",
"CustomerID='CURD654321'");
/* Update Values */
Repo.SetValueByID("customers", "FormOfAddress", "Mr.", keySetID);
Repo.SetValueByID("customers", "Country", "US", keySetID);
Repo.SetValueByID("customers", "Language", "EN", keySetID);
ListGroups
Retrieves the list of all group names in the Repository, stored in a JSONStringArray.
Syntax
ListGroups(): JSONStringArray
Example
In each of these examples, the object repoObject is deemed having been obtained through a
call to the COM object "RepositoryLib.WorkflowRepository" (see "Obtaining an instance of the
Repository Object" on page122).
JavaScript
var repoObject = new ActiveXObject
("RepositoryLib.WorkflowRepository");
var myList = JSON.parse(repoObject.ListGroups());
for (var i=0; i<myList.length; i++) {
/* Log all group names to the console */
Watch.Log(myList[i],2);
}
Page 133
Sample return value
'["Users","Cart","Orders"]'
ListKeys
Retrieves the list of all Key names and data types in Group GroupName, stored in a
JSONStringObject. You should use JSON.Parse() to convert the string into an actual
JavaScript object. You can then use the for…in construct to list the different properties for that
object (i.e. the keys in the group).
Syntax
ListKeys(GroupName: string):JSONStringArray
Examples
In each of these examples, the object repoObject is deemed having been obtained through a
call to the COM object "RepositoryLib.WorkflowRepository" (see "Obtaining an instance of the
Repository Object" on page122).
JavaScript
var repoObject = new ActiveXObject
("RepositoryLib.WorkflowRepository");
var myList = JSON.parse(repoObject.ListKeys("Internal"));
for (var Property in myList) {
/* Log all key names for group Users to the console */
Watch.Log(Property,2);
}
Sample return value
'{"ID": "meta", "FirstName": "string", "LastName": "string", "email": "string", "DateC": "meta",
"DateM": "meta"}'
As shown in the sample, the value associated with each key name is actually the data type for
that key. Only two values are currently possible: string and meta, where meta denotes an
internally generated key.
RemoveGroup
Deletes the group named GroupName, along with all its keysets and keys.
Page 134
Syntax
RemoveGroup(GroupName: string)
Examples
In each of these examples, the object repoObject is deemed having been obtained through a
call to the COM object "RepositoryLib.WorkflowRepository" (see "Obtaining an instance of the
Repository Object" on page122).
JavaScript
repoObject.RemoveGroup("Users");
VB Script
repoObject.RemoveGroup "Users"
RemoveKey
Removes existing key KeyName from group GroupName. The key to remove must exist in the
group, otherwise an error is raised. All values for the key, in all keysets for the group, are
removed. Note that when the Group contains a large number of KeySets, this operation may
take a while.
Syntax
RemoveKey(GroupName: string, KeyName: string)
Examples
In each of these examples, the object repoObject is deemed having been obtained through a
call to the COM object "RepositoryLib.WorkflowRepository" (see "Obtaining an instance of the
Repository Object" on page122).
JavaScript
repoObject.RemoveKey("Users", "email");
VB Script
repoObject.RemoveKey "Users", "email"
Page 135
RemoveKeySetByID
Deletes the keyset whose ID equals ID from GroupName. Returns 1 if successful, 0 otherwise.
Note
This method is functionally equivalent to using "RemoveKeySets" below with its Condition
parameter set to "ID=ID".
Syntax
RemoveKeySetByID(GroupName: string, ID: integer): integer
Examples
In each of these examples, the object repoObject is deemed having been obtained through a
call to the COM object "RepositoryLib.WorkflowRepository" (see "Obtaining an instance of the
Repository Object" on page122).
JavaScript
/* both methods perform the same task */
repoObject.RemoveKeySetByID("Users", 10);
repoObject.RemoveKeySets("Users", "ID=10");
VB Script
/* both methods perform the same task */
repoObject.RemoveKeySetByID "Users", 10
repoObject.RemoveKeySets "Users", "ID=10"
RemoveKeySets
Deletes all keysets in GroupName that match Condition. The condition is specified using
basic SQL WHERE syntax. The method returns the number of keysets that were deleted.
When passing 'ID' as the Condition, all keysets in GroupName will be deleted.
Syntax
RemoveKeySets(GroupName: string, Condition: string): integer
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Examples
Basic examples
In each of these examples, the object repoObject is deemed having been obtained through a
call to the COM object "RepositoryLib.WorkflowRepository" (see "Obtaining an instance of the
Repository Object" on page122).
JavaScript
repoObject.RemoveKeySets("Users", 'Gender="M"');
VB Script
repoObject.RemoveKeySets "Users", "Gender='M'"
Deleting a row
This script attempts to delete a client from the rows, then returns "true" or "false" in JobInfo
variable %9 as a response.
var CustomerID = Watch.GetVariable("CustomerID");
var Repo = new ActiveXObject("RepositoryLib.WorkflowRepository");
var deletedCount = JSON.parse(Repo.RemoveKeySets
("customers","customerID = '" + CustomerID + "'"));
var answer = (deletedCount > 0) ? "true" : "false";
Watch.SetJobInfo(9, answer);
RenameGroup
Renames group oldName to newName. While this operation has no impact on the data stored
in the specified group, it does require any plugin and/or script that uses oldName to be
modified to refer to newName.
Syntax
RenameGroup(oldName, newName: string)
Examples
In each of these examples, the object repoObject is deemed having been obtained through a
call to the COM object "RepositoryLib.WorkflowRepository" (see "Obtaining an instance of the
Repository Object" on page122).
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JavaScript
repoObject.RenameGroup("Users", "Customers");
VB Script
repoObject.RenameGroup "Users", "Customers"
RenameKey
Renames key oldName to newName in group GroupName. While this operation has no
impact on the data stored in that Group, it does require any plugin and/or script that uses
oldName to be modified to refer to newName.
Syntax
RenameKey(GroupName: string, oldName: string, newName: string)
Examples
In each of these examples, the object repoObject is deemed having been obtained through a
call to the COM object "RepositoryLib.WorkflowRepository" (see "Obtaining an instance of the
Repository Object" on page122).
JavaScript
repoObject.RenameKey("Users", "LastName", "SurName");
VB Script
repoObject.RenameGroup "Users", "LastName", "SurName"
SetValue
Updates multiple keysets in group GroupName by setting the key KeyName to Value for all
keysets that match Condition. The condition is specified using basic SQL WHERE syntax. The
Condition may be left empty in which case all keysets in GroupName are updated. Note that
KeyName must exist in GroupName, otherwise an error is raised. The method returns an array
of the keyset ID's that were updated ([1,2] ), or an empty array ([] ) if no keysets were updated.
Syntax
SetValue(GroupName: string, KeyName: string, Value: string,
Condition: string): string
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Examples
In each of these examples, the object repoObject is deemed having been obtained through a
call to the COM object "RepositoryLib.WorkflowRepository" (see "Obtaining an instance of the
Repository Object" on page122).
JavaScript
repoObject.SetValue("Users", "FormOfAddress", "Mr.", "Gender='M'"
);
repoObject.SetValue("Users", "FormOfAddress", "Ms.", "Gender='F'
AND MaritalStatus='Married'" );
repoObject.SetValue("Users", "FormOfAddress", "Miss", "Gender='F'
AND MaritalStatus=''" );
VB Script
repoObject.SetValue "Users", "FormOfAddress", "Mr.", "
Gender=""M"" "
repoObject.SetValue "Users", "FormOfAddress", "Ms.", "
Gender=""F"" AND MaritalStatus=""Married"" "
repoObject.SetValue "Users", "FormOfAddress", "Miss", "
Gender=""F"" AND MaritalStatus="""" "
SetValueByID
Updates KeyName with Value in group GroupName, where the KeySet's ID matches the ID
parameter. KeyName must exist in GroupName, otherwise an error is raised. The method
returns the ID of the keyset that was updated or -1 if the keyset was not updated.
The KeySet ID can be retrieved with GetValue() ("GetValue" on page132).
Syntax
SetValueByID(GroupName: string, KeyName: string, Value: string, ID:
integer): integer64
Note
This method is functionally equivalent to using "SetValue" on the previous page with its Condition
parameter set to "ID=ID".
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Examples
In each of these examples, the object repoObject is deemed having been obtained through a
call to the COM object "RepositoryLib.WorkflowRepository" (see "Obtaining an instance of the
Repository Object" on page122).
JavaScript
/* both methods perform the same task */
repoObject.SetValueByID("Users", "FormOfAddress", "Mr.", 10);
repoObject.SetValue("Users", "FormOfAddress", "Mr.", "ID=10" );
VB Script
/* both methods perform the same task */
repoObject.SetValueByID "Users", "FormOfAddress", "Mr.", 10
repoObject.SetValue "Users", "FormOfAddress", "Mr.", "ID=10"
Updating a row
There is currently no 'update' feature in the API for a whole KeySet. This JavaScript example
retrieves the KeySet ID, which is then used to update values in the row.
/* Get KeySet ID */
var Repo = new ActiveXObject("RepositoryLib.WorkflowRepository");
var keySetID = Repo.GetValue("customers", "ID",
"CustomerID='CURD654321'");
/* Update Values */
Repo.SetValueByID("customers", "FormOfAddress", "Mr.", keySetID);
Repo.SetValueByID("customers", "Country", "US", keySetID);
Repo.SetValueByID("customers", "Language", "EN", keySetID);
Version
Returns the version of the DLL library used by the Repository.
Syntax
Version(): string
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Stopping Execution
When using a script, you may come to a point where you'd like the task to fail (raise an
error)and trigger your On Error tab under certain conditions. This can be done by using the
scripting language's built-in error features, described here.
Note that the value or description of the error will not be available to your error process if one is
used. However, when available, a description of the error message will be logged in the Watch
log.
VBScript
In VBSCript, the Err.Raise method will halt the execution of the script and trigger the On Error
tab. When using On Error Resume Next, raising an error will not stop execution. See MSDN for
the Raise method properties and this page for a list of available errors to raise. In the case of
VBScript, the error number used will determine the message shown in the log.
Dim s
s = Watch.GetJobInfo(9)
If (s = "") Then
Err.Raise 449 ' Raises Error #449: "Argument is not optional"
Else
' Do somethign with Job Info 9!
Watch.Log "Job Info 9's value is: " + s, 4
End If
JavaScript
JavaScript uses the throw statement within try to create an exception which, if not caught
using catch() , will cause the script execution to stop and the On Error tab to be triggered. See
this page on W3Schools.
var s;
s = Watch.GetJobInfo(9);
if (s == "") {
throw "Value Cannot be empty";
} else {
// Do something with Job Info 9!
Watch.Log("Job Info 9's value is: " + s,4);
}
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Python
In Python, the raise statement is similar to JavaScript and will stop processing unless an
except statement is used. See the python documentation.
s = Watch.GetJobInfo(9)
if not s:
raise NameError('Value cannot be empty')
else:
# Do something with Job Info 9!
Watch.Log("Job Info 9's value is: " + s,5)
Perl
In PERL, die() raises an exception and triggers the On Error tab, unless the unless command
is used. See the perl documentation.
$s = $Watch->GetJobInfo(9);
if (s = "") {
die "Value cannot be empty";
} else {
# Do something with Job Info 9!
$Watch->Log("Job Info 9's value is: " . $s,4);
}
Special Workflow Types
PlanetPress Workflow supports multiple input and output types, in so many different
combinations that it would be hard to give example processes for each possibility. However,
some types of processes like PDF, HTTPand SOAP are important enough to pay some
attention to them.
This chapter will describe each of these special workflow types and give at least one example
of an implementation that uses them.
Special Workflows
PDFWorkflow
APDFworkflow uses a PDFas it's job file and manipulations are generally made in the
Metadata instead of the PDFitself, since PDFfiles are much larger than most other data files
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compatible with PlanetPress Suite. The Metadata Tools are extensively used in the example
presented, which is a weekly sales report sent to all the sales associates of a particular
company branch. See the "PDF Workflow" on page186 for more details.
PlanetPress Capture Workflow
A Capture workflow is divided in two steps:Creating an output of documents containing the
PlanetPress Capture Fields, and retrieving the information from the Anoto Digital Pen to merge
it with the original documents. See "PlanetPress Capture Workflow" below for more details.
HTTPServer workflow
An HTTPworkflow receives requests from a client via a GETor POSTrequest, sometimes only
with information, sometimes with attached files. An HTTPworkflow is basically an
XMLworkflow since that is the type of file created by the HTTPServer Input action task. See
the "HTTP Server Workflow" on page179 page for more details.
SOAPWorkflow
As SOAPcan be either a client or a server, two workflows will be presented. The SOAPClient
workflow presents PlanetPress Workflow as the client and will explore how to retrieve
WSDLinformation and how to make a SOAPrequest as a client. The SOAPServer workflow
will show how to create a process that responds to SOAPrequests, and where our own
WSDLis located.
PlanetPress Capture Workflow
PlanetPress Capture, introduced in PlanetPress 7.2 and enhanced ever since, is a set of tools
that is used to simplify digital archiving processes by capturing information from a special pen
which records everything it writes on paper, as long as this paper contains special Anoto
Patterns.
Warning
There are important considerations to keep in mind when dealing with PlanetPress
Capture. Please review them in "PlanetPress Capture Implementation Restrictions" on
page161.
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In order to properly build a PlanetPress Capture workflow, it is very important to understand the
terminology, implications and limitations of the technology. This is the first part of this section:
l"Capture Information" on page146
l"Database Considerations (ODBC)" on page150
l"Security Considerations" on page152
l"20,000 Patterns" on page153
l"PlanetPress Capture Implementation Restrictions" on page161
There are also 2 external tools that are used to communicate the pen's data to PlanetPress
Workflow:
l"Anoto penDirector" on page159
l"PlanetPress Mobile Application" on page160
Creating a Capture-Ready document
This is done when creating your PlanetPress Design document. Adding one or more
PlanetPress Capture fields to a PlanetPress Design document creates a capture-ready
document, which can be used in the workflow. For more information, see the PlanetPress
Design User Guide.
Generating the Capture Patterns
Once your document is created, the Capture Fields Generator action task is used to apply the
capture patterns to each of your documents and send them to the printer. This printing process
will consist of:
lRetrieving your data file.
lCreating metadata (See "Create Metadata" on page509).
lSeparating each individual document in the metadata (this can be done in your Design
document or through the "Metadata Level Creation" on page524 action task).
lUsing the "Capture Fields Generator" on page482 action task to generate the capture
patterns
lPrinting your documents.
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Capturing and Archiving
After the printed documents have been inked with the Anoto Digital Pen, the PGCfiles from the
pen must be processed and merged with the appropriate documents in the PlanetPress
Capture Database. Aworkflow process that receives PGCfiles and reads them in turn consists
of the following actions:
lAn "HTTP Server Input" on page228 task or "Folder Capture" on page213 task that
receives the PGC.
lThe "Capture Fields Processor" on page486, which converts each PGCin an EPSlayer,
adds this layer to the PDFin the database, releases patterns and closes documents.
lOptionally, a "Capture Condition" on page476 task to do post-processing using the
Capture Fields data.
lA"Get Capture Document" on page502 action task to retrieve each document in the
database and output a PDFfile
lAny existing output such as Output to Folder, email, ftp, etc.
Technical
Because of timeout limitations, it is generally a good idea to use the Send immediate
response to clientoption of the HTTPServer Input task, especially when processing a
large amount of documents from the pen. Additionally, HTTPServer Processes should
always be self-replicating and have a short polling interval set in their properties.
Managing and Post-Processing
There are a couple of things that can be done even after documents have been inked. As long
as a document remains open, it is still present in the Capture database and be used in a
process:
lThe "Find Capture Documents" on page497 input task is used to retrieve a list of
documents under specific criteria.
lThe Capture Condition and Get Capture Document tasks are used to effect post-
processing and retrieve document from the Capture database.
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Error Handling
Whenever an error occurs during the Capture Field Processor phase, it is of course important to
be able to handles these errors. For this purpose, the "PGC to PDF Converter" on page506
task was added with PlanetPress 7.4, adding the ability to quickly and directly convert a
PGCfile to a blank PDFfile containing the ink data as an EPSlayer. This is useful when, for
example, data is received for a document that's already been closed.
lThe "Input Error Bin" on page233 input task is triggered when the process sends data to
the error process.
lA"PGC to PDF Converter" on page506 task converts the PGCto a PDF
lAny existing output is used here, for example an email notification.
The Examples
l"Basic Functional Capture Workflow" on page173
l"Capture Post Processing Workflow" on page174
l"Capture Web Manager Workflow" on page178
Capture Information
PlanetPress Capture Glossary
This topic describes the specific terms used in the PlanetPress Capture set of tools within
PlanetPress Workflow.
Anoto Digital Pen
A digital pen compatible with the Anoto system. These pens contain a camera, processor and
memory chip which record each stroke of the pen on a printed Anoto Pattern, and are able to
send this information back to PlanetPress Workflow. This document specifically refers to the
Anoto DP-201 Digital Pen, not other equipment has been tested.
Anoto Functionality Statement
Statement ('Paper featuring Anoto functionnality') that is automatically placed on the page when
a PlanetPress Capture field is present. The statement can also include the Trace Code
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Anoto Pattern
A series of dots placed in a pattern that is unique to each page where the pattern is printed. The
Anoto Digital Pen identifies this pattern and its location on the page. PlanetPress Capture
contains 20,000 patterns (8 in demo mode, See "PlanetPress Capture License Management"
on page747)which can be used to generate documents.
Capture Condition
PlanetPress Workflow task that is used for post-processing of documents after they have been
processed by the Capture Fields Processor. Conditions can be made on the document status
or the presence (or absence) of ink on any of the Capture Fields on the document.
Capture-Ready Document
A PlanetPress Connect document (*.pp7) that contains at least one Capture Field on at least
one page.
Capture Document Manager
A tool that lets a user search through the available documents in the Capture Database. The
documents can be search through a few different criteria and can be displayed as PDF files,
individually or as a group. Documents can also be closed or deleted from this interface.
Capture Field
The PlanetPress Connect object that acts as a placeholder for the Anoto Pattern. The pattern is
only applied when using the Capture Field Generator in Workflow.
Client/Server Architecture
A multi-server setup where more then one PlanetPress Workflow server are connected as
clients to a single PlanetPress Workflow server which has a Capture Database. In this
architecture, the Server contains the licenses for the pens, however the Client contains the
database of documents and patterns. The Clients communicate with the server to authenticate
pens. This architecture is only provided to simplify pen licensing for users with a large number
of pens.
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Closed Document
A document still within the PlanetPress Capture Database of which all the required fields have
been filled by the Capture Field Processor from a PGC. A closed document will only remain in
the database until it is retrieved with the Get Capture Document task, after which it is deleted.
Contamination
The act of writing on a "wrong" document, aka one that has a Pattern Sequence different that
the one for which it was produced.. This can happen in architectures with more than one
sequence being used such as when a pen is docked in the wrong location or if two pens are
swapped.
ICR(Intelligent Character Recognition)
Recognizing text that has been hand-written with the Anoto Digital Pen. This feature is currently
not implemented in PlanetPress Capture, but will be in the (near) future.
Ink Data
The pen stroke information contained within the PGC file. This is the actual data applied to the
document (lines, signatures, text, etc).
Open Document
A document in the Capture Database that does not yet have any ink data on it, or of which not
all mandatory fields (or final field) have ink present on them. Such a document is waiting for a
new PGC file to complete it so it can be closed.
Pattern ID
The IDof the Anoto pattern. Represents the pattern on the page. Can be used to retrace the
document to which the pattern belong.
Pattern Sequence
Pattern Sequences enable the multiplication of the number of available pattern by adding an
extra identification to the document. A Pattern Sequence is also attributed to each Anoto Digital
Pen, such as an incoming PGC file will contain the Pattern, on which the Pattern Sequence is
added from the pen database. The pattern and pattern sequence refer to a specific document in
the database. Signing a document with a pen of which the Pattern Sequence does not match
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that of the document causes Contamination, which can cause errors or ink to be placed on the
wrong document.
Pen ID
The serial number of the Anoto Digital Pen. It is registered in the PlanetPress Capture
database and is present in each PGC file.
PGCFile
Pen Generated Coordinates; PGC File containing all ink processed while the pen was
undocked along with the Pen ID. It is possible that a single document requires multiple PGC,
just as it is possible that a single PGC have multiple documents.
Pidget
Type of PlanetPress Capture object. Page element used to give instructions to the Anoto pen,
as opposed to recording ink.
PlanetPress Capture Database
A database containing the list of patterns, sequences, registered pens and documents. The
Capture Database can be used by a single server, or by multiple servers in a Client/Server
architecture.
Session
The time spent by the pen between events that trigger a new session. Generally a session
refers to any ink in a single page containing a Capture Pattern. Asession can contain ink from
multiple fields in any order. A new session starts whenever a PGCis sent for processing (which
erases the data from the pen).
General Considerations
Here are some general considerations in regards to PlanetPress Capture, its environment, the
hardware and the software that interacts with it. Please review these considerations carefully as
they may impact PlanetPress Capture and its functionality.
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Warning
PlanetPress Capture Fields cannot simply be inserted into an existing document as-is
and expected to work properly, efficiently or consistently. In order to design a document
with Capture Fields, you must review and understand the Critical PlanetPress Capture
Implementation Restrictions.
Database Considerations (ODBC)
Technical
On 64-bit operating systems, the ODBCData Sources created by the Data Source
(ODBC)icon in the Administrative Tools will not appear here, as PlanetPress Suite is 32-
bit and cannot access the 64-bit data sources. In order to create an ODBCconnection
visible by PlanetPress, you will need to access the 32-bit version of the ODBCmanager,
available in C:\Windows\SysWOW64\odbcad32.exe .
The following considerations should be kept in mind while working with ODBCDatabases in
PlanetPress Suite.
lAll databases
lUser Rights:During normal operation, Read/Write to tables should be sufficient.
However, during the initial setup, the Create/Drop tables rights is necessary.
lMinimum 100MBof database size is required as a minimum, but the space
requirement depends on the implementation. The more active documents in the
database, the more space is used - note that this progression is rather linear.
lRegular database maintenance is required, such as database compacting, is
required by a system administrator.
lIt is recommended to create an ITprocess that backs up the database regularly.
lThe recommended ideal setup is a dedicated SQLServer PC, accessed by
PlanetPress Workflow through an ODBCconnection on the local network.
lMicrosoft Access
lDatabase file (mdb)must be local to the PlanetPress Workflow computer. It cannot
be located on a network drive or another server.
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lTotal database size is limited to 4GBof data.
lTotal size of a single table is 2GB.
lMay be unstable in large implementations.
lMySQL
lDatabase can be in any location, but performance will depend on the speed of the
connection between PlanetPress and the MySQLserver.
lMySQL's performance has been slower than SQLServer and SQLServer Express
during our tests.
lBy default, MySQLis configured not to allow any SQLrequest larger than 16 megs.
lIn the event where 2 requests are made simultaneously on the same record,
MySQLwill queue one of the requests and execute it once the first one is done. In
extremely rare cases this may cause a timeout on very large requests.
lMSSQL(Microsoft SQLServer)
lAll versions of the SQLServer are supported, including all Express versions.
lDatabase can be in any location, but performance will depend on the speed of the
connection between PlanetPress Production and the SQLserver.
lIn the event where 2 requests are made simultaneously on the same record,
SQLServer will drop the most complex request. Resubmitting the PGCfor
processing should resolve this issue. This, however, should happen only rarely.
lWhen configuring the ODBCconnection, your must use the Microsoft version of the
driver, and not the Native SQLversion of the driver. This is due to a technical
limitation of the native driver that interferes with the PlanetPress Suite database
requests.
Specifically for PlanetPress Capture, these considerations mean the following:
lIn Microsoft Access, the total size of stored document cannot be larger than 2GB and
this database will be very unstable in implementation with more than a few thousand
pattern sequences being used simultaneously. It is only suggested for small
implementation with less than 10 pens, or for demos.
lIn MySQL, the 16 megs packet size limit can be an issue if the PDFs created by Capture
are larger than this size; An error saying "MySQLServer has gone away" would appear in
this case. This can be fixed by configuring the max_allowed_packet setting in the
MySQLConfiguration(Reference).
lAlso in MySQL, if a timeout occurs on simultaneous record access, resubmitting the
PGCfor processing should resolve the issue.
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lIn SQLServer, if one of your requests is dropped because of simultaneous accesses,
resubmitting the PGCshould resolve the issue.
Security Considerations
PlanetPress Capture introduces new and efficient methods for digitally capturing the contents
of ink laded out on physical paper. However, because of its nature, some end users may voice
concerns about security and privacy. Are signatures secure? Could their transmission be
intercepted? How can the contents of the Anoto digital pen be protected from malicious users?
Before addressing these concerns, it must be pointed out that these security issues are not
introduced by this new technology. In fact, they are essentially the same concerns that arise
with plain pen and paper: if the signed document can be scanned, then any markings on the
page can be extracted and reused by anyone with even limited technical skills. In addition, the
signed document has, by definition, a longer life span than the temporary storage location of the
digital pen. Consequently, it is still the most vulnerable piece of the workflow and as such, it
should be the first objective of any security effort.
In other words, as long as the physical piece of paper bearing markings is accessible to
malicious users, no amount of security protocols can protect the signed contents. It is only after
the paper trail has been secured that the security and privacy issues specific to PlanetPress
Capture should be addressed.
Because PlanetPress Capture relies on external data and communication and because it may
be used to process sensitive and legal information, it is important to understand the security
implications of any PlanetPress Capture implementation. Most of the security concerns
regarding Capture are external to it. This means the security that is implemented both on your
network and physical premises are critical to the security of your PlanetPress Workflow
implementation.
Here are a few notable points with the security of PlanetPress Capture on a network:
lPGC Files, while not written in plain text, are not encrypted and are readable through
either PlanetPress Workflow (even a server that did not generate the document
associated with it), or through third-party applications using the Anoto SDK. This means if
someone gains access to your PGC storage folder, they may be able to read the
signatures, checkmarks and other information contained in it and reproduce them on a
document of their choice. It is always better to secure this folder properly. You could also
use third-party encryption software to secure the files, and decrypt them as necessary for
reprocessing.
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lThe transfer between the Anoto penDirector and PlanetPress Workflow is not encrypted
due to a limitation of penDirector which does not support SSL connections. This means
someone located anywhere between penDirector and PlanetPress Workflow could use
software such as a packet sniffer to retrieve its parts and recreate the PGC files. This may
be resolvable by create a secure VPN tunnel for each location where penDirector is
installed instead of going through regular remote HTTP server.
lThe PlanetPress Capture database, since it can be external to PlanetPress Workflow
such as on a MySQL server, will be dependent on your own database security.
lThe Anoto Digital Pens, since they may contain critical information, are just like physical
sheets of signed paper and must be kept secured. This is best done through training
employees handling the pens to be aware of its value and contents and act accordingly.
This means that the security of the pen is just as important as the security of any existing
physical documents you may handle at the moment.
lThe same rules apply to PDF files as with PGC files, especially when they contain a
signature from the pen. If you are already securing digital scanned copies of signed
documents, the PDFs should be secured in similar ways.
However, remember that as with most security concerns, in order to be a “threat”, someone
would have to have a high level or working knowledge of either the Anoto SDK (which is not
easily obtainable) or PlanetPress Workflow and PlanetPress Capture. In some situations this
may be enough (security through obscurity) but we always recommend having the same level
of security for Capture files and documents as you would the rest of your sensitive information.
In most cases, the procedures in place are enough for this purpose.
20,000 Patterns
When reading or learning about PlanetPress Capture, you may have seen a number pop up
here and there: "20,000 Patterns". In order to better understand what this number means and
what it entails for you, the user, this document will first present an overview of a typical
PlanetPress Capture implementation and then explain how the 20,000 patterns limitation can
be circumvented in some cases. We will also touch upon the potential pitfalls of these
workarounds as they are used.
The Numbers
First and foremost, the 20,000 patterns is a fixed number - PlanetPress can only generate
20,000 unique patterns as this is the number of patterns that we license through Anoto.
The 20,000 patterns are, however, not all available when generating documents. There are 8
"demo"patterns that are used to generate documents when PlanetPress Capture is in demo
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mode (no license activated), and react the same way that the bulk of the 20,000 patterns.
Another single pattern is used to register pens in the database, and one last single pattern is
used when printing a "Preview"from PlanetPress Design. So in reality, the number of available
patterns for document generation is 19990, but for simplicity's sake this FAQuses the round
number "20,000".
In a typical PlanetPress Capture implementation, a process in PlanetPress Workflow generates
output (generally, this output is directly printed) and, at the same time, will "lock" one pattern for
each page that it generates, if that page contains a pattern. PlanetPress Workflow also stores a
copy of each document in the Capture Database, in PDF format.
While a document is printed, and while this printed document has not received any ink or
signature, the document is deemed "open", the pattern it uses remains locked in the database
and cannot be re-used. Then, when someone writes on the document and sends the pen data
to PlanetPress Workflow (through a docking station or through Bluetooth), if the required
conditions have been met, the document will be "closed", its pattern released and available to
be used immediately.
An open document can also be called a "live" document, in the sense that it is only active
between the time where it is printed and the time where ink from the Anoto Digital Pen is
processed and the document is closed. This duration is called "time to live" or "TTL", and it is
the second very important number: how long is the pattern actually needed.
The third important number is based on your actual output needs. In other words, how many
documents do you intend to print on a regular basis that will contain a pattern?
These three numbers, together, represent an easy way to determine if the 20,000 patterns are
actually enough for you. Basically, if you generate X documents within a specific time frame but
N of these documents are closed through regular process (writing on them with a pen and
docking it) during that period, does the difference between both ever reach 20,000?
Example
Say you print 19,000 pages containing a pattern, every day. You may think you'll "run out of
patterns" after a single day. But if 18,900 of these documents are being written to and
processed within the day, at the end of the day you only have a 100 page difference, possibly
due to mistakes, lost pages, or errors during processing. In this specific example, you would run
out of patterns only after 10 days, assuming the numbers remained completely static. Since
there are easy ways to deal with these remainders (a simple automated process that, once a
day, closes any document that is older than 48 hours, for example), a correct implementation
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like this one would be perfectly functional and not be affected by the 20,000 page limit.
Remember however that this means that 19,000 physical sheets of paper are printed every day,
and those 19,000 documents are written on using one or more Anoto Digital Pens, which are
then processed back into the system.
The example above actually uses numbers that are much higher than our typical PlanetPress
Capture user. That is to say, a vast majority of our users will never have to worry about reaching
the pattern limitation, unless their implementation is missing important parts, such as the
"cleanup" process. But this also means a smaller minority of our users may require more than
20,000 patterns, so let's deal with this now.
Extending
There are actually 2 ways of dealing with extending the number of patterns using the currently
available tools, each with its own advantages and disadvantages.
Using separate PlanetPress Workflow servers and licenses.
In a scenario where there are multiple locations that use PlanetPress Capture and where
neither pen nor paper has any risk of being moved from one location to another, the easiest (but
costlier) solution is to have a separate installation of PlanetPress Workflow in each location.
Each installation would be responsible for its own documents and pens. The limitation here is
that it would not be directly possible to send a page with an existing pattern to another location
(either via email in PDF or via courier), sign it there and send it back - this would cause errors
that would be hard to prevent and correct. In this scenario however, it's possible to centralize
the activation of pen licenses to one server, while keeping the pattern generation systems
separate.
Using Pattern Sequences
In the event where a single location generates all the patterns and this output *can* be split into
multiple logical zones, Pattern Sequences can be used. A Pattern Sequence is basically a
"tag" that is added after the pattern's identification (Pattern ID). When a Pattern Sequence is
used, each Pattern Sequence can re-use each of the 20,000 available patterns. "Zones", in this
case, could refer to a specific region within a city, or a whole city or a province, whatever fits
your needs.
Pattern Sequences can be handled in 2 different ways: by attaching a Pattern Sequence to a
specific pen, or by attaching it to a specific PlanetPress Workflow process. Here is an example
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for each cases, using a typical situation of a shipping company that uses PlanetPress Capture
to simplify the archiving of the client's signature on a "Confirmation of Reception" slip.
lPen-Based Sequences: In this case, each pen is attributed a specific pattern sequence.
When documents are printed, they are set to attribute a pattern sequence to each
document in relation to which pen it will be signed on. For example, the shipping
company may have decided to print each "route" using the route number as a pattern
sequence, and each pen is tagged (with a label) as being for use with a specific pattern
sequence also. Each morning, as drivers are attributed a route, they pick up the correct
pen and stack of paper that belong to their route before leaving.
Note
It's very important to note here that the Anoto Digital Pen has absolutely no concept of Pattern
Sequences. When "attributing" a sequence to a pen, this is fully on the PlanetPress Workflow side,
in the Capture Database. This means that if a pen is mislabeled or someone picks up the wrong pen,
this pen has absolutely no way to know that it is writing on the wrong paper. more about this in the
Contamination section below.
lProcess-Based Sequences: In this case, while documents are still printed and their
route number attributed to their pattern sequence, the pens do not have this distinction.
However, the docking station where the pens are placed at the end of the day are set to
send the pen's data to a specific process which will only handle processing for that
specific route number. In this case, one physical computer (and, presumably, printer) is
used for each route, and the driver must dock the pen in the proper docking station which
corresponds to his router number, at the end of the day.
As you may have figured out by now, we are still not actually printing more than 20,000
patterns. The only distinction here is that we are re-using patterns in separate "zones" (or, well,
sequences) and as long as pens and pages using capture patterns are not exchanged between
these zones, they act independently with their own 20,000 pattern limitation.
Note
The mobile phone application, "PlanetPress Mobile", which uses Bluetooth communication to
receive pen data and transmit it to PlanetPress Workflow, can still be used with both pattern
sequence methods, as it is the equivalent of a docking station on the web. PlanetPress Mobile was
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added to PlanetPress Capture in version 7.4.
Contamination
The single but critical danger with any implementation that deals with PlanetPress Capture is
"Contamination". Basically, contamination happens when an Anoto Digital Pen writes on a
"wrong" document or is docked in the wrong location. This can happen any number of ways
and in different situations, and can have devastating effects in some of those cases so please
pay special attention to this section.
First, contamination is not limited to implementations that extend their patterns through
methods 1) and 2) above. Any time that a pen writes on a "wrong" document, it is considered
contamination. A simple example in a basic implementation would be to print a document with
a pattern on it, put this paper aside (or lose it on a desk somewhere) and forget about it.
Assuming proper processes were put in place, this document would eventually be closed by a
manual or automatic procedure. However, the physical document with the pattern still exists
even if it is closed in regards to the PlanetPress Capture database. Contamination would
happen if a new document is printed with the same pattern, but somehow the "old" document
re-surfaces and someone writes ink on it and docks the pen. When this happens, neither the
pen nor PlanetPress Workflow can understand that the data does not belong on that document
and will happily update the "current" document, possibly closing it. Because the "old" document
relates (presumably) to a different client, this means the "current" document has invalid
information.
This can be prevented through simple methods such as printing a date on each sheet and
ensuring that users never sign a document that is older than a certain time, for example 48
hours. These sheets should simply be destroyed.
Second, contamination can happen in method 1) above if a pen or paper is moved from one
location to another. Similarly to the previous contamination example, if there exists a document
in the Capture Database where the "wrong" data is processed, it will update a document where
it does not belong. Again, neither the pen nor PlanetPress Workflow have any idea that this
causes an error until it's too late.
Third, contamination (the most common one) can happen if pattern sequences get mixed up, if
pens or paper gets swapped between users, etc. For example, again using a shipping
company (with example 2-A), if two of the drivers were to meet for a coffee and exchange their
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pens inadvertently (we hope, anyways), the pens would be signing the "wrong" documents all
day and, when docked, would update the wrong documents in the database.
In all of these cases, the errors often do not appear when the wrong document is updated - it
actually occurs when the "right" data is processed. This happens precisely because the Pen
and Production have no idea that the wrong data is received and will generally close the
document after that "wrong" data has been processed - this often works with no error. However,
when the "right" data is processed, then it tries to update a document that has already been
closed by the "wrong" data, and thus fails.
Safeguards
There are certain safeguards against contamination:
lPlanetPress Capture checks for pattern size and placement. If the data contains ink for a
specific pattern but the ink location does not correspond to the Capture Fields of the
document it's updating, it will fail.
lErrors can be set to stop and revert the whole current batch. If a single error occurs during
the pen data processing, it is possible for this processing to be stopped and all changes
the Capture Database reverted. In implementations where the pen signs high number of
documents, this can especially be an easy way to do this, as chances are the data will not
match in at least one case.
Conclusion
lPlanetPress Workflow can only generate 20,000 unique patterns
lOne pattern is used (locked) for each page containing a pattern.
lProcessing the ink data from a pen and closing the document releases the pattern
lMost implementations will not need more than 20,000 patterns
lWhen necessary, patterns can be extended using multiple servers or Pattern Sequences
(as long as these are used in separate physical locations).
lIt is extremely critical that contamination be avoided at all costs.
lWhenever possible, always avoid using pattern sequences unless it is absolutely
necessary to do so.
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Anoto penDirector
The Anoto penDirector is a software driver provided as a download by Objectif Lune Inc. The
penDirector creates a bridge between the Anoto Digital Pen and a PlanetPress Capture
workflow in PlanetPress Workflow.
In order to use penDirector, it needs to be downloaded from the Objectif Lune website, on this
page. This software must be installed after PlanetPress Workflow. The setup will install a pre-
configured version of penDirector which can be immediately used with PlanetPress Capture.
The communication between penDirector and PlanetPress Workflow is either through a folder
transfer or HTTPPost communication.
To configure this communication:
1. Open penDirector setup by right-clicking on its icon in the Windows System Tray, and
selecting penDispatcher.
2. Double-click on the PlanetPress Capture entry.
3. Change the PGCStorage folder or PGCPOST URLsettings to your liking.
4. Click OK, then OKagain.
The PGCPOSTURLshould correspond to your server name or IP, Port and the HTTPAction
task of your HTTPInput, if that is what you are using.
Example:http://127.0.0.1:8080/ProcessPGC
Bluetooth Connectivity
The Anoto penDirector program can also connect directly to the pen via wireless Bluetooth and
receive PGCfiles directly through the Bluetooth link, without needing to dock the pen.
To pair penDirector with an Anoto Digital Pen:
1. Make sure that a Bluetooth dongle is present and enabled on the computer where
penDirector is installed.
2. Note down the PINof the Anoto Digital Pen, by docking the pen and going in the Pen
settings tab of penDirector and looking at the Pen access group at the bottom of the
dialog. The default PINis 0000.
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3. Undock the pen, or remove its protective cap if it is not docked. Make sure the power light
on the pen is turned on and green in color.
4. Go in the Bluetooth tab of penDirector and click on Add Pen.
5. Click on Search while the cap is off on the pen.
6. When the pen is found, click on it and then click Add.
7. When asked for the PIN, enter the one noted above.
8. Click OKto save the settings.
The settings for Bluetooth PGChandling are separate from the ones used when docking.
Through Bluetooth, only a single storage and PGCPost URLlocation can be set for all PGCs.
Warning
Because the Bluetooth configuration only handles a single route, it is not possible to use
the Design preview patter, or the special registration pattern, using Bluetooth
connectivity. To use the preview Pattern in PlanetPress Design or use the special
registration pattern, the pen's docking station must be used.
To specify where to send the PGC files received through Bluetooth:
1. Open penDirector.
2. Go to the Bluetooth tab
3. Click on the paired pen that you want to configure
4. Specify a PGCStorage folder
5. Check the PGCPOSTURLoption
6. Enter the URLof your PGChandling process in the box
7. Click OKto save.
PlanetPress Mobile Application
The PlanetPress Mobile application can be installed on some mobile phones and enable fast
and direct connectivity between the Anoto Digital Pen and PlanetPress Workflow. The
connectivity between the pen and the mobile phone is done through Bluetooth, while the
connectivity between the mobile phone and PlanetPress Workflow is through the currently
active data plan (either wifi or the cell phone company's data plan, such as 3G).
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PlanetPress Capture Implementation Restrictions
This document describes the limitations of the Anoto Digital Pen &Paper Technology,
especially in regards to using it within a PlanetPress Workflow implementation. Note that these
limitations apply to any Anoto technology implementation and not just our own.
Printer limitations
Any document printed with Capture Fields (aka Anoto Patterns)must be sent through a Laser
printer. Bubble jet printers are not supported and will most likely cause reading errors with
Anoto Digital Pens. Thermal printers will not work either due to the low quality printout and the
absence of actual blank ink on the paper.
Black ink close to patterns
Because the Anoto Pen &Paper technology relies on infrared to read pure-black dots on the
paper, it is imperative that no other black ink interfere with this reading. Though it is possible to
print Capture documents on a black &white laser printer as long as there is no other ink on top
of, or close to, the patterns, this is not recommended. Acolor laser printer should be used, and
any elements placed close to, or on top of, the Capture Patterns should be printed in color.
Black ink can be simulated using composite colors, but should never be pure black.
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Paper quality
The PlanetPress Capture technology, when generating the Anoto Pattern, already accounts for
ink dispersion on laser printers and on general-use laser paper. Therefore, using paper that is
not of the same quality (for example, one where the dispersion rate is much higher) or the same
type (reflective paper)may not permit the pen's camera to read the pattern properly.
Pattern sizes
The absolute minimum required for an Anoto Digital Pen to read the pattern and know it's
position on the page is 7mm (1/4"). Any pattern smaller than this will not be readable. However,
at 7mm width and height, the pen can only recognize a single dot within that pattern, at the top
of the field.
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This is because the pen's camera (which captures the position of the pen)is located under the
pen tip and must fully see the pattern. The following image illustrates how the pen reads its
position:
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Knowing this, the best practice when creating fields is that they have, at the very least, a 7mm
margin on each size of the actual area you want to capture from. For example, an effective
30mm wide pattern will actually be 44mm wide using these margins. The margin should be for
both the vertical size and the horizontal size.
Distance between patterns
In implementations where a lot of patterns need to be close together (a questionnaire, multiple
choice question, checkmarks, etc) it is important to understand the risk of then pen writing
across multiple fields on the paper. People using the pen may, for example, make a very broad
checkmark which would bleed over to the next field. This can cause PlanetPress Capture to
detect the ink as being present, and thus trigger whatever that field does.
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PlanetPress Capture ICR
The term "ICR", which means "IntelligentCharacter Recognition"is an evolution on the
popularly-known "OCR", which is "Optical Character Recognition". The difference between the
two is easily explained:While OCRcan only recognize characters using the finished shape (for
example, in scanned documents and pictures), ICRrelies on much more data which is provided
by the Anoto Digital Pen:the path that the pen takes, the exact timing of this path, start and stop
points, etc. This extra information boosts the recognition rates of characters by a wide margin.
It's important to note that both OCRand ICRare relatively loose terms - that is to say, they can
have different specific meanings depending on the technology used, but in their general sense
mean the same thing. When using the term ICR, we use the above definition for convenience.
Note
The PlanetPress Capture ICRengine is only available with PlanetPress Workflow
version 7.5 and higher.
An ICRWorkflow
The ICRengine in PlanetPress Workflow is used in conjunction with PlanetPress Capture,
translating the ink from the Anoto Digital Pen into separate characters, or text, that is readable
by the suite. Multiple components are required in order for the ICRto work:
lIn PlanetPress Design, a Capture Field Object must be added and the Perform
ICRoption must be activated (See the Capture Field page in the PlanetPress Design
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User Guide). This must be either a Multi-Area Field or a Text Field.
lThe Capture Fields Processor must have the Perform ICRRecognition option checked,
and language needs to be selected.
lOnce the ICRdata is available, do something with it. This is done by reading the ICRdata
that is available in the metadata generated by the Get Capture Document task.
lThe metadata is also readable by the Capture Condition task, including the captured text
and the reliability of this text.
The Workflow as such is the following:
lA Capture field is setup for ICR in a PlanetPress Design document.
lThe document is sent to PlanetPress Production
lThe Capture Field Generator is used to produce one or more print-outs using this
document.
lThe physical sheets are written on using an Anoto Digital Pen
lThe pen is docked and the data is sent to PlanetPress Production
lThe pen data goes through the Capture Field Processor, where the Capture Field ink is
sent through the ICRengine.
lThe captured ICRdata is retrieved with the document using the Get Capture Document
task.
lConditions are applied if necessary with the Capture Condition task.
Warning
ICR, just like OCR, has its limitations. Please refer to the PlanetPress Capture ICR Best
Practices page for more information.
Terminology and Definitions
In regards to our ICRtechnology specifically, the following terminology applies:
lICR:"Intelligent Character Recognition", or the engine that will read the pen data and
attempt to recognize the text written using the pen itself. The ICRengine uses the path of
the pen, its movement speed as well as the overall shape of each character to determine
which character was written.
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lICRValue:The alpha, numeric or alphanumeric value that was determined by the
ICRengine.
lICRConfidence:Apercentage value that the ICRengine gives to any specific value,
when comparing the pen data with it's character database.
lICRResemblance:Apercentage value that defines how closely the value resembles the
"average"character shape. Both the Confidence and Resemblance can be used together
to make an informed decision on the contents received by ICR.
PlanetPress Capture ICR Best Practices
From Workflow 7.5 onwards, PlanetPress Capture supports Intelligent Character Recognition
(ICR). However, this technology comes with certain limitations. A successful integration of ICR
within a business requires the application of best practices by all parties involved: Form
designer, Workflow designer and User.
Here we present a list of recommended best practices. Each of these guidelines aim at
maximizing the likelihood that the characters are recognized; and minimize the risk of errors
due to an incorrect analysis.
You will find the following information, when applicable, for each best practice:
lTarget: The targeted audience. There are 3 possibilities: Form designer, Workflow
designer and User.
lWhat: A brief description of the best practice. This could include an explanation of the
concepts that are addressed.
lWhy: A brief explanation of the reasoning behind the relevance of this guideline.
lHow: How to apply this best practice.
This section describes a list of the best practices to implement. They are listed in no particular
order of importance. Pay attention to the targeted audience to know if this rule applies to you.
Using the Most Restrictive Mask
lTarget: Form designer.
lWhat: In the Capture Options tab of a Capture object, the mask type indicates the type of
character to be recognized. There are 3 possible selections: numeric, alphabet and
alphanumeric. The alphabetic mask type allows you to select the letter case.
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The following guidelines are applicable when configuring a PlanetPress Capture object
that utilizes ICR:
lThe collected data is expected to be a number, therefore the numeric mask type must be
selected, or
lThe collected data is expected to be a letter, therefore the alphabet mask type must be
selected,
lIf upper case letters are expected, select Upper case in the Case option menu. The
captured characters would be immediately converted to capital letter i.e. the ICR engine
will recognize a lower case a but will display it in upper case.
lIf lower case letters are expected, select Lower case in the Case option menu. Same as
for upper case letters, the captured characters would be converted to lower case and
displayed as such.
lIf proper names or nouns are expected (i.e. only the first letter must be a capital letter),
select Capitalization in the Case option menu. Only the first letter would be converted to
a capital letter.
lIf no specific format is expected, select None in the Case option menu. The letters will be
interpreted as written, no conversion will be done i.e. characters in lower case will be
displayed as such.
lThe collected data is expected to be a combination of numbers and letters, therefore the
alphanumeric mask type must be selected.
Why: Reducing the number of expected characters increases the probability that the correct
one is matched. This allows us to avoid that the letter l (a lowercase L) is not recognized as the
numeric value 1 (one) and vice versa. Or, if the mask type is identified as alphanumeric, there’s
a possibility that the letter a is recognized as 2; since Capture will also interpret how the
movement was traced.
How: Use the following options from the Capture options tab under Mask Type and Case
option to filter the expected data.
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The following diagram illustrates the available mask types. It is recommended to select the
mask type that is the closest to the desired result. An alphanumeric field should be used as a
last resort.
Guidelines for Capture-Ready Fields
lTarget: Form designer
lWhat: Only one character per Capture field can be recognized. When expecting multiple
characters making up a word or phrase, you must make sure that the user only writes one
character per field. In order to do so, you must make sure that the fields are big enough
and have enough space between each one. The best practice is to make sure that there
is a boundary surrounding the field where ink marks are to be written.
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Why: To avoid any ink marks that would spill over from one field to another. If both fields A and
B are to close in proximity and the ink marks from field A spill over to field B, then the marks
captured on field B would be considered as being part of a character written on field B. For
example, if a number spills over and is written over two fields like numbers 9, 1 or 7; then the
bottom tip of these numbers could be considered as number 1 in the second field. (Refer to the
example below)
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How: Make sure there’s enough space between each field. You must re-design the document if
that’s the case. There’s no minimum value that is required as the distance between 2 fields,
except for the 7mm border that is required in order for the Anoto digital pen to recognize the
pattern being used.
Writing in a Legible Way
lTarget: User.
lWhat: It is important to write in a legible way i.e. applying yourself by writing well defined
numbers and letter that are easily interpreted.
Warning
You must write on a flat and smooth surface i.e. a delivery person should use a clipboard.
Why: Some numbers can create some confusion, like numbers 7 and 1. 7 can be interpreted as
a 1 and vice versa. The letter i, where the dot on top is a circle, can possibly cause a conflict
because the dot can be considered as an o.
How:
lWrite an additional line under the number 1.
lWrite an additional line across the number 7.
lThe ICR functionality of PlanetPress Capture cannot recognize dotted letters where there
are circles instead of dots (like i , j). This would be analyzed as an i AND o. Therefore,
dots should be as such and not circles.
lIn French, the ç is somewhat sensitive. You must apply yourself and draw the letter
carefully. In most cases, it is recognized, but attention must be paid.
lNumber 8 is also sensitive. It is recommended that the number is traced as one
movement instead of drawing 2 circles on top of each other.
Selecting the Correct Language When Using the Capture Field Processor Task
lTarget: Workflow designer.
lWhat: It is crucial that the correct language is selected when using the ICR recognition
option. This will affect how the captured data is interpreted.
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Why: The available filters to interpret the ink marks done with the Anoto digital pen, allow you
to select the engine language to be used. Doing so will give you results that are the closest
match to the captured data. Multiple cultural characters can be interpreted with ICR once the
correct language is selected such as û, à, é, etc.
How: This option is available from the Capture Fields Processor task.
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Possibility of Interpretation Error in an Automated Process
lTarget: Workflow designer
lWhat: We cannot be 100% sure that a character would be recognized by PlanetPress
Capture as it should. Therefore, the analysis of a value interpreted with ICR should only
occur if the level of confidence is superior to a determined level.
Why: An automated process can treat the characters incorrectly due to an incorrect
interpretation of a value. This occurrence should be minimized as much as possible.
How: Allow for a special process (possibly manual handling) in the case the automated
process didn’t reach a high confidence level in its analysis of the ink marks. Use the plugin
Capture condition that includes the ICRContent option. This can be configured to be a true
condition if the confidence level is greater than a certain value.
Basic Functional Capture Workflow
This workflow is the most basic and simple workflow that you can use with PlanetPress
Capture. In small implementations with only one simple document, this may be the only thing
required for a functional workflow since, even in this simple state, it can be enough to automate
the archive of your digital documents.
Generator Process
The workflow requires two separate processes that will be triggered at different times. The first
process, the generator process,produces printable output by merging a data file with a
Capture-Ready PlanetPress Design document. For each document page produced, an Anoto
Pattern is assigned to the document and locked, and a page is produced in the output.
Depending on the setup used, this may produce on or more print jobs or PDFs as an output.
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lAny input task
l"Create Metadata" on page509
l"Capture Fields Generator" on page482
lPrint output
PGCHandling Process
The second process is the PGCHandling process.It receives data from the Anoto Digital pen,
updates the Capture database and releases patterns as appropriate.
l"HTTP Server Input" on page228 or "Folder Capture" on page213 input task
l"Capture Fields Processor" on page486
l"Get Capture Document" on page502
lArchive or Print output
Capture Post Processing Workflow
Though the "Basic Functional Capture Workflow" on the previous page is minimal functional
one, it will most likely not be enough for most actual implementations. The goal with
PlanetPress Capture (and PlanetPress Workflow in general)being to automate as much as
possible, there are some tools within the PlanetPress Capture tasks that can greatly help with
this goal.
There are two places where post-processing can happen:after the "Capture Fields Processor"
on page486 while handling incoming ink data, or after the "Find Capture Documents" on
page497 task that is part of an automated process or after a user request.
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Post-Processing is generally done using the "Capture Condition" on page476 task, which
verifies the presence or state of the ink on the document or on specific fields.
After PGCHandling
Here is an example of a process that receives ink data, updates the database, and then verifies
whether or not a field that indicates manager attention is required (for example, a box noting the
wrong number of items in a delivery slip). If attention is required, the document is sent via email
to the manager. Otherwise, the document is simply archived.
Task Breakdown:
lThe HTTP Server Input receives a POSTrequest sent either by the Anoto penDirector or
the PlanetPress Mobile Application. This requests contains information sent by the pen
as well as a PGCfile as an attachment. Because we're only concerned about the PGC,
the task is configured to ignore the XMLenvelope as well as loop through each
attachments (of which there is only one). So, the output of the task is the PGCfile alone.
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lThe Capture Fields Processor then uses the PGCfile to update any documents in the
database that the pen wrote on, and closes those documents in the database when they
are complete.
lCapture Condition is where we can check whether a specific field (a
"RequireManager"field) has ink contained in it, and if it does, the branch on the right is
triggered.
lIn the branch, Get Capture Document retrieves a PDFversion of the document and
sends it as an attachment to an email sent directly to a manager using Send Email.
lOtherwise, Get Capture Document is used again, but this time the PDF is stored in a
SharePoint Server using the Output to SharePoint connector.
After Retrieving Information from the Capture Database
There are two basic ways in which the Find Capture Document task can be used. First, in an
automated process that runs at specified intervals. For example, the following process which
sends a daily report of all incomplete and "in error"documents to an agent who would
presumably take action on each document through the document manager.
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Task Breakdown
lThe Find Capture Documents task queries the Capture database for documents that
correspond to certain specific conditions. For example, here we would look for all
documents that are either in an "Error"or a "Partial"state, which means they received ink
but are not completed correctly. To do this, the "Content Status"filter and setting it "Equal
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to" those states. Two conditions are necessary, and the "Condition is true when"is set to
"all items are met".
lWith this list of documents in the metadata, we Branch off. This is done because we need
to build a report that will be sent to an administrator, and only one email should be sent.
lTo build the report, inside of the branch we use the Metadata Sequencer to create
one sequence for each document, by splitting at the Document level, by 1
occurrence of the level for each sequence.
lThe Capture Condition task then
Capture Web Manager Workflow
This example is both a more involved workflow for Capture, and an interesting implementation
of an HTTPWorkflow. Before looking at this example, it would be best to become familiar with
both "PlanetPress Capture Workflow" on page143 and "HTTP Server Workflow" on the facing
page.
The example is too complex to display as images in this guide, so it is rather available for
download. It infers two different files:
lCapture Web Manager Workflow Configuration (PW7)
lCapture Web Manager PlanetPress Design Document (PP7)
Technical
This example is compatible with PlanetPress Workflow 7.4 and higher and will not work
in older versions.
Installation
1. Download both resource files
2. Create a folder on your disk called c:\PlanetPress
3. Open the invoice.pp7 document and send it towards your local PlanetPress Workflow
server (localhost or 127.0.0.1)
4. Open the configuration file CaptureExampleProcess.pw7
5. Click the PlanetPress Workflow button (File menu) and go in Preferences.
6. In the HTTP Server Input 2 section, check the Serve HTTP resources option, change
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the Resource action name box to static , and the Resource folder to
c:\PlanetPress\http . Then, click OK.
7. Send the configuration to your local PlanetPress Workflow server.
8. Start PlanetPress Workflow services (see "Start and Stop PlanetPress Workflow Service"
on page660).
9. Open your browser and point it to http://127.0.0.1:8080/documentlist , assuming you have
not changed the default HTTP port in the HTTP Server Input 2 section.
Explanation
You can follow along the process by looking at the comments available in each process of the
workflow file. Each comment explains both what the following plugins do, but also how it
integrates into the workflow in general and what to keep in mind when doing an actual
implementation of such a process.
Considerations
lThe workflow itself is a standalone system that does not interact with any third-party
systems, which of course does not correspond to real customer implementation. A client
will most likely need to communicate with both an ERP system that generates documents
as well as an archive software to store completed documents.
lThe HTML, CSS and data file are generated whenever the process starts, in a specified
location, in order to avoid having to distribute multiple static files which would need to be
extracted and moved to a specific folder. In an actual implementation, these files would
probably be edited externally and loaded from a location on the hard drive. However, the
method of using a template to generate output is not so alien to PlanetPress Workflow so
it is not condemned to do so.
lThe example doesn't use any advanced coding such as JavaScript, Ajax and caching. It's
easier to follow, but is less optimized in its use than a complex workflow that would use
such features.
HTTP Server Workflow
An HTTPServer workflow is one that has one or more processes that always start with the
HTTPServer Input task and returns something to a client using a web browser. Each process
would have a specific task referred to as an "action", called from the browser itself.
HTTP Server Input tasks are typically used in one of the two following situations:
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lHTML Form Action: An HTMLForm in the browser that may contain text and attached
files can be filled and sent to a process with the HTTPServer Input task.
lHTTP Data Submission: A custom application or a server sends the request to
PlanetPress Workflow using either a POST or GET command. The application or server
then waits for a response from PlanetPress WorkflowTools.
PlanetPress Workflow can serve both static and dynamic resources to a web browser, however
it is not meant to be used as a fully featured web server, as it is not built for responsiveness nor
guaranteed uptime. It is much better to have a common web server (for example, IISor
Apache)to serve your contents and to have PlanetPress Workflow available only to process
things only it can do.
Note
You can control access to the PlanetPress Workflow Tools HTTP Server via the Access
Manager.
Important Configuration, Setup and Options
Before starting to work with HTTPworkflows, there are few key points to keep in mind in terms
of configuration. First of all, the following options are available in PlanetPress Workflow
Preference screen, under the HTTPServer Input 1 and HTTPServer Input 2 sections:
lPort (default value:8080 recommended):The port number is the one in which a
browser needs to make a request to PlanetPress Workflow. By default in most web
server, port 80 is used and, when this is the case, it is not necessary to include it. For
example, if Itype http://www.objectiflune.com/ in my browser, it is actually accessing the
address http://www.objectiflune.com:80/ , but port 80 is always hidden. The reason port
8080 is used by default is to prevent any interference with existing web servers installed
or activated on the same server as PlanetPress Workflow.
lTime-out(seconds):This determines how long the HTTPServer service will wait for the
process to finish, before returning a time out error back to the client browser. This means
that if a process takes more than 120 seconds (by default)to complete, the browser will
time out. While you can change this value, it is recommended to always keep your
processing to a minimum, since both browsers and users generally frown upon being
stopped for more than a minute, unless they are well aware of this processing time (and
even then...)
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lEnable server for SSLrequests:This enables secure communication between the
browser and the server via HTTPS. By enabling this option, you will need to provide for
the proper certificates, key and password. While this configuration is beyond the scope of
this document, there are plenty of resources on the Internet to explain these systems.
lServe HTTPresources:This is where you enable static resources in PlanetPress
Workflow. When enabling this option, the HTTPserver will always look in the Resource
Folder for files requested inside of the Resource action name as a folder. This means
that, if your Resource folder is c:\PlanetPress\http and your Resource action
name is static, pointing your browser to
http://127.0.0.1:8080/static/css/style.css will immediately load and
return the file c:\PlanetPress\http\css\style.css . This does not require any
process to work - everything is handled directly by the HTTPServer Input and files are
returned immediately. This feature is very useful when dealing with stylesheets, images,
browser JavaScript, or static html files that do not require any processing.
Technical
As of PlanetPress Workflow 8.1, it is now possible to serve a default HTMLfile when no
action is specified, for example http://localhost:8080/ . This is done by creating an
index.html file in the Resource Folder defined above. However, resources called by
this index.html must still use the Resource action name, for example a stylesheet
would still point to http://127.0.0.1:8080/static/css/style.css or more simply
static/css/style.css.
You also need to take into consideration the options inside each of your processes that start
with the HTTPServer Input task, as they will greatly impact how this process responds. In the
process' properties, the following options will modify HTTPbehavior:
lSelf-Replicating Process:This option is critically important when dealing with
HTTPprocesses, so check it now. Basically, this means that when HTTPrequests are
received, the process will duplicate itself up to the specified maximum number, in order to
simultaneously (and asynchronously)handle multiple requests. See " Process
Properties" on page704 for more details.
lAs soon as possible:This option needs to be checked, otherwise requests will not be
handled as they come in (this option is meant to be used on scheduled processes that run
at intervals).
lPolling Interval (sec):This option determines how much time the HTTPServer Input
waits between the moment it finishes processing a request and the moment it picks up a
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new request. This should be put at 0 in order to process requests as soon as possible,
meaning immediately.
And finally, the HTTPServer Input task properties. While these are described in the "HTTP
Server Input" on page228 task properties page, here are a few considerations to keep in mind
when using this task:
lThe HTTPAction corresponds precisely to the name immediately following the first slash
of your address. That is to say, placing the action myaction here means the process
would be triggered by opening http://127.0.0.1:8080/myaction in your
browser.
lThe HTTPservice accepts both POSTand GETrequests. Other than the presence of file
attachments, there is little difference in how these are handled. This means that visiting
/myaction?id=12345&q=test would be the same as having a form with two <input>
fields named, respectively, id and q, and submitting them with the information
"12345"and "test". In both cases, this information is located in the XMLenvelope that is
the original input file.
lWhen doing POSTrequests and uploading files, always make sure to include the
"multipart"option in the <form>tag:
<form action="http://127.0.0.1:8080/myaction" method="POST"
enctype="multipart/form-data">
Otherwise, file attachments will not be received, only their file names.
lThe Mime Type option is better left at Auto-Detect unless the process requires it to be
forced to a specific type. This means that if a process can either return a PDF when
successful or an HTMLpage with an error message, it will not attempt to send an HTML
with a PDFmime type (which, obviously, would cause confusion).
lThere is no HTTPServer Output task (see below on how to end your process)
Request/Process/Response cycle
Once a process using the HTTPServer Input task is created, it is important to understand the
cycle that is triggered when such a process runs. Note that this is the process when the default
HTTPServer Input task options are used (more on how that behavior changes later):
1. A request is received by the HTTPservice.
2. This request is converted into an XMLrequest file along with one or more attachments
when present.
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3. The XMLrequest file and attachments are saved in a local folder, if the HTTPAction is a
valid one (otherwise, the files are deleted).
4. The HTTPservice keeps the request from the client open (it does not yet respond ot it),
and waits.
5. The HTTPprocess corresponding to the HTTPAction captures the XMLfile and
attachments and the process begins.
6. The process runs its course just like any other process would (including subprocesses,
send to process, etc).
7. The very last file that is active when the process finishes is then returned to the
HTTPservice.
8. The HTTPservice returns the file to the client and then closes the connection.
9. If, during this time, the timeout has expired (if the process takes more than 120 seconds),
the HTTPservice returns a "timeout"to the client, but the process stills finishes on its
own. When the process finishes, the return file is ignored by the HTTPservice.
Point 7 is critical to understand, as it has an impact on what the client receives. If a process
receives a file that is split into multiple parts and each of these parts generates and output, the
last split's output will be sent to the client. If the last output task generates a PostScript file for
printing, this PostScript is returned to the client.
In most cases, what is returned is what remains after the last task, but only if this task's
processing is done in PlanetPress Workflow. For example, if the data file is a text file and this
file is sent to PlanetPress Image using the Image connector, it is a text file that is returned, not
the output of the Imaging. Similarly, ending a process with the Delete task does not return an
empty file, it returns the actual data file.
This is actually the most used way of returning a response:Generate an HTMLfile using either
Create File or Load External File, then delete the file as a last output. The HTMLis thus
returned to the client.
Example HTTPWorkflows
l"HTTP PDF Invoice Request" on the next page (GET)
l"HTTP Brochure Request" on page185 (Customer Information+POST)
l"Capture Web Manager Workflow" on page178 (Capture +HTTP)
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HTTP PDF Invoice Request
This straightforward workflow simply receives a GETrequest from a browser, loads an existing
PDFinvoice from a folder on the hard drive, and returns it to the browser. To do this, a client (or
a web service)would request the following page:
http://ppworkflowserver:8080/getinvoice?in=INV999999
Breakdown of this URL:
lhttp:// :transfer protocol. This could be HTTPS if the SSLcertificates are activated in the
preferences.
lppworkflowserver :name of the machine. This could also be an IP (192.168.1.123) or a
full domain name (www.myserver.com), depending on the connectivity between the client
and PlanetPress Workflow Server.
l:8080 :The default PlanetPress Workflow HTTPPort, set in the preferences.
l/getinvoice :The HTTPAction Name, as set in the HTTPServer Input task.
l?in=INV999999 :AGETVariable, specifying that the variable named invoicenum
(invoice number)would have a value of INV999999 , or any other "valid"invoice number.
Process Illustration
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Task Breakdown
lThe HTTP Server Input task receives a request through the /getinvoice HTTPAction.
Because this task either returns an HTMLpage with an error message or a PDF, the
MIMEtype isAuto-Detect.
lIt checks whether the invoice request exists by checking if the size of the file is less than
1kb using "File Size Condition" on page402. The condition returns "true"if the file is not
found:
c:\PlanetPress\archives\pdf\invoices\xmlget('/request[1]/values[1]/invoicenum
[1]',Value,KeepCase,NoTrim).pdf
Here, the xmlget()function grabs the invoicenum variable from the GET request, which
would be INV999999.pdf in the specified folder.
lIf the file is not found, then a simple, basic HTMLpage is created indicating the invoice
was not found. For this, a "Create File" on page205 task will suffice, followed by the
Delete output task. As we've already mentioned in "HTTP Server Workflow" on page179,
deleting the data file only means you are not doing anything with it locally - it is still
returned to the client.
lIf, however, the file is found, then it is loaded with the "Load External File" on page325
task, and then deleted (for the same reasons).
HTTP Brochure Request
This workflow builds on the knowledge acquired in "HTTP PDF Invoice Request" on the
previous page and uses a single process, but in this case it also uses a PlanetPress Design
document which merges the data received from a browser form with the document to generate
a PDFbrochure, which is sent via email.
Resources
lHTTPBrochureRequest.pw7 (PlanetPress Workflow Configuration)
lInformationBrochure.pp7 (PlanetPress Design Document)
Installation
lDownload both files
lOpen InformationBrochure.pp7 and send it to PlanetPress Workflow.
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lOpen HTTPBrochureRequest.pw7 and send the configuration to your local PlanetPress
Workflow service.
lOpen your browser to http://localhost:8080/generatebrochure
Task Breakdown
lThe HTTPServer Input receives the initial request from the browser.
lBecause this is a demonstration, a backup is made of the XMLrequest. It's not suggested
to do this every time, especially on servers receiving a large number of requests, as these
files do take some amount of space for each request.
lAcondition checks whether the form has been submitted, by verifying that one of the
required fields is empty. If it is, it means this is the initial request, so the condition
becomes true.
lIf this is the initial request, an HTMLpage is created which contains a form asking
the client for a required full name and email, and optional company name. A
checkmark also offers to subscribe to a newsletter (it is unchecked by default!). The
form submits back to the same URL, meaning it is handled by the same process.
lThe file is renamed with the .html extension, so that both the HTTP service and the
browser will recognize it as an HTMLpage. And then, as usual, it is deleted (but still
returned to the browser).
lWhen the condition is false, it means that there is something in the Full Name field. In this
case, we know that the form was filled and submitted back to the process, and we handle
the request as such.
lFirst, we add the full name, email and company information to job informations, in order
for them to be available for the rest of the process.
lThen, we have a small condition that verifies if the user checked the "Newsletter"box. If
so, the conditional branch is triggered. Note that this condition is put inside its own branch
because otherwise, the rest of the process would not run when the newsletter is selected.
Since we want both to happen, the branch is there with a "stub"if the condition is false.
PDF Workflow
A PDFworkflow, in essence, is one that does not contain any PlanetPress Design document
and only uses PDFfiles as data files. In most cases, this also implies the use of Metadata, as
Metadata is used to establish boundaries between document, sort and sequence (split)the
PDF data into different parts.
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The idea is that a PDFfile, because it is a formatted document in and of itself, doesn't
absolutely need to go through PlanetPress Design to be processed and printed. Additionally,
because of the PDFtools in PlanetPress Workflow, you can easily merge, split, print and take
parts of the PDFfile as required.
Because we are using Metadata, however, here are a few ground rules to keep in mind while
working with such workflows (these rules also apply to Metadata use in general):
lModifying Metadata does not immediately modify the data. This is one of the benefits
of Metadata because you can sort it, filter it, sequence it, add data to it, without ever
modifying the data file itself. This is important because if you, for instance, filter out certain
data pages from the metadata and then save your data file with the Send to Folder task,
the full data file is saved, not the filtered one. This is resolved through different methods,
used in the different examples below.
lModifying data does not immediately modify the Metadata. So, if you have a PDFfile
with metadata and you use a PDFsplitter, the metadata information would still reflect the
original data, not the split. This can generally be resolved by using the Create Metadata
plugin again.
lBranches, Loops and Conditions do not reset the metadata. This is important in
some cases because the metadata does affect your output (see next point)and can cause
confusion if not handled properly. For example, if you were to split a data file and, under a
specific condition, create metadata on the file and generate a PDF, other wise print the
file, you would run into this issue. When the metadata is created in the condition, it stays
"active"even on the next split. If that split actually prints, it's using the metadata from the
previous split, and will attempt to print the number of pages specified in the metadata. So,
it may print 3 pages instead of 40, or 25 pages, the last 5 of which would be blank. The
only way to get around this is to either regenerate your metadata when possible, or to use
the "Metadata File Management" on page519 to delete the active metadata file. When
doing this, metadata is ignored so the data file itself properly determines the number of
pages to print.
lAs a general rule, only input tasks and Metadata related tasks modify Metadata. There
are, however, a few notable exceptions:
l"Create PDF" on page293 has the option to reset your metadata according to the
new PDFfile. In reality, Create PDF is one of the most useful tasks in PDF
workflows, since it is the easiest way to make your PDFfile conform to the metadata
without using a PlanetPress Design document. See the "Create PDF" on page293
page for more information.
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l"Run Script" on page409 tasks can also modify metadata using the Metadata API
(See "Using Scripts" on page91).
lThe "Barcode Scan" on page279 task can add information to the existing metadata,
and creates it if there is none.
lThe "Capture Fields Generator" on page482, "Capture Fields Processor" on
page486, "Get Capture Document" on page502 and "Find Capture Documents" on
page497 tasks generate their own metadata.
lThe "Lookup in Microsoft® Excel® Documents" on page440 enhances metadata
fields with information from an Excel spreadsheet, but does not otherwise change its
structure.
Examples
l"Daily Sales Report from PDF Files" below
Daily Sales Report from PDF Files
This workflow makes heavy use of both PDFTools and Metadata, and assume that you are
using PlanetPress Workflow version 7.3 or higher.
This single process workflow generates a daily sales report for any sales rep inside of a
company which made at least one sale. It does this by capturing the invoices generated within
a specific day, putting all the invoices for each sales rep in a single PDFand then sending it to
the sales rep.It does this using several specific metadata tasks as well as a quick lookup in an
external Excel spreadsheet.
Resources
lPDF-DailySalesReport-Workflow.zip
Task Breakdown
lThe initial input is the "Merge PDF Files" on page243, which retrieves and merges all the
PDFfiles inside of the specified folder. Once a single PDFis created, the task also
optimizes the PDF(to avoid duplicating images and font definitions for each page)as well
as generates a basic Metadata structure containing a single document with one Data
Page per captured PDF.
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lThe "Metadata Level Creation" on page524 creates the Document level of the metadata
by placing each PDFdata file in its own Document level. It does this by detecting when
the Address in the document changes.
lThen, the "Metadata Fields Management" on page515 adds a few fields at the Document
level in order to properly tag each document with the appropriate information, in this case
the CustomerID, Country and Rep ID. These fields are identical to ones that would have
been added in PlanetPress Design, and are used for the following metadata tasks.
lThe "Metadata Filter" on page521 follows by removing any invoice that is not in the US.
Note that the Metadata filter is an *inclusive*filter, meaning that the filter includes the
parts of the metadata where the result of the filter is true, and filters out anything else.
lThe "Metadata Sorter" on page530 then re-orders the metadata documents by Rep ID, so
that all of the invoices for any particular sales representative are all together.
l"Lookup in Microsoft® Excel® Documents" on page440 then uses the Rep IDfield to
retrieve each sales rep's email from a specific Excel spreadsheet.
lThe "Metadata Sequencer" on page528 acts like a splitter, where the separation
happens whenever the Rep ID changes. Since documents are sorted with that field, each
sequence can contain one or more document, but they will all be for the same Rep ID.
l"Create PDF" on page293 is then used to generate a single PDFfor each sales rep.
Because Create PDFworks in conjunction with Metadata and because it can be used in
pass-through mode, in this instance it will only take the relevant PDFpages from the
original data file in order to create a single PDF file. Other than the extraction of these
pages, the original concatenated data file is untouched.
lFinally, the output is done using a "Send to Folder" on page641 in this case. Obviously,
this should be a "Send Email" on page636 output, but since we don't want to spam
anyone, instead we place the PDFin a folder with the rep id's email as a folder name.
Workflow processes in a Connect Send solution
OL Connect Send needs one Workflow process to handle the job transfer, and in licensed
mode it needs at least one other process to interact with the user. Reports about the use of OL
Connect Send might be produced in yet another Workflow process.
Each OLConnect Send solution will require the Workflow processes to be configured
differently, but certain plugins will always be part of the solution.
Job transfer process
The Workflow process that handles the job transfer starts with an HTTP Input task. The action
name of this HTTP Input task must match the last part of the URL for print job submission set in
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the printer driver installer (by default: olcs_transfer).
The Job Processor plugin is the only other task in this Workflow process (see "Job Processor"
on page549).
Interactive process
When a job is received in licensed mode, an interactive process is started. This process, which
may consist of several Workflow processes, serves web pages to the customer and handles the
customer's response, changing (settings for) the print job.
A few of the key components in this process are:
lThe HTTP Server Input plugin. The interactive process start with this plugin. The action
name of this HTTP Input task must match the HTTP action for interaction given in the
Connect Send Printer Driver installer (by default: olcs_interaction). (See HTTP Server
Input.)
lThe Get Job Data plugin. Creating interactive processes for incoming print jobs requires
that the relevant information about the respective job is available and can be used in
Workflow. This is what the OL Connect Send Get Job Data plugin is made for. (See "Get
Job Data" on page544.)
lThe Create Web Content plugin. Each web page served by an interaction process is
generated by this plugin. (See Create Web Content.)
lThe Create Preview PDF plugin generates a PDF preview for a single record as fast as
possible. It is typically used for previews embedded in web pages. (See Create Preview
PDF.)
Production report process
The key plugin in a process that produces reports about jobs received with OL Connect Send is
the Get Data plugin. It allows to query the OL Connect Send database. (See "Get Data" on
page538.)
Sample project
The Ad Hoc Mail Consolidation sample project may help you understand the Workflow
processes for OL Connect Send and configure your own.
lWatch the sample in action on demo.objectiflune.com. Under Ad Hoc Mail
Consolidation, click Demo and follow the instructions. (If you have already installed the
printer driver, you don't have to do that again.) Add a Connect Send printer with the given
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settings and print the provided Word file to that printer. The printer will trigger an
interactive process on demo.objectiflune.com.
lDownload the sample files from OL's Resource Center:
http://help.objectiflune.com/en/#csend.
The basic processes involved in the Capture OnTheGo
Workflow
PlanetPress® or PReS® Connect is an extremely flexible solution that lets you do almost
anything you want with your data. So although the three basic processes explained in this
section are required to enable a Capture OnTheGo solution, you may add as many plugins and
processes as you like to customize a solution that perfectly suits your needs.
The three basic processes are:
lThe process that makes a document available to COTG users, see "The process that
publishes a document" below.
lThe process that authenticates and replies to document requests from COTG users, see
"The process that replies to document requests from Capture OnTheGo users" on
page194.
lThe process that receives data from COTG users, see "The Process that Receives Data
from Capture OnTheGo Users" on page193.
The process that publishes a document
The process that publishes a document is not necessarily the first process in your complete
COTG Workflow configuration. Depending on your specific needs, your data or business
processes may require pre-treatment, and this may be done easier using other processes. But a
process like the one presented below must be included in your Workflow configuration.
The example below was designed to be as simple as possible on purpose, to show what this
kind of a process can resemble when only the bare bones are present.
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This process watches a certain folder. When a file enters that folder, a data mapping is
performed on it. Then an HTML file is created and saved to another folder. The Output to
PlanetPress Workflow plugin sends a ticket (not the actual HTML file) to the Capture OnTheGo
Server, so that when the intended user logs in, the name of the HTML file will appear in the
App's Repository, signaling to the user that the file is available for download.
The Output to PlanetPress Workflow plugin is on the Connectors tab in Workflow. When you
add the plugin to a Workflow process, the corresponding dialog box is automatically displayed
to let you configure the plugin (see below). Note that you may enter variables in those boxes
that have a maroon label.
The Create Web Content task and the Execute Data Mapping task are found on the OL
Connect tab in Workflow. You may, of course, add other plugins and conditions to this process
as required. For more information on how to add and configure tasks, refer to the PlanetPress®
or PReS® Connect Workflow documentation on http://help.objectiflune.com/.
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The Process that Receives Data from Capture OnTheGo Users
HTML documents that were downloaded can be used to collect information. This information
can be extremely varied, ranging from a simple signature confirming the reception of a parcel,
to a complete report including numbers, notes, pictures, etc. Once they have finished collecting
information on a given delivery or client, Capture OnTheGo App users simply need to tap the
Submit button on their intelligent device to send all this information to their organization via the
internet. Note that only the data is sent. Once on the receiving end, the data may be merged
with the same HTML document, but it may also be processed in a variety of ways, as required.
For this to happen, one last process is needed. This process also includes an HTTP Server
Input task, but in this case, the task is used to reply to POST requests, rather than GET
requests. When a Capture OnTheGo App user taps the Submit button, a POST request is sent
to a PlanetPress or PreS HTTP Server. The server replies by collecting the information, which
is passed down to other tasks. The process may include multiple branches and a large variety
of tasks. Some or all of the collected information may be used, as required, in a variety of ways.
lIt may be passed on to other systems.
lIt may be merged with the same form used by the Capture OnTheGo App user, or with a
different one, and then used to generate a PDF for archiving.
lIt may be used to generate an email.
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Since this part of the processing is handled by PlanetPress or PreS Workflow, you can use its
renowned feature set to do virtually anything.
For detailed information on how to use and configure the HTTP Server Input task to reply to
POST requests, refer to PlanetPress Workflow documentation. Also refer to the same
documentation to know how to add those tasks that will let you send or process the received
data as required.
The process that replies to document requests from Capture OnTheGo users
The previous process informed the Capture OnTheGo Server that a new document was now
available. So Capture OnTheGo App users that have access to this document can now see it
and download it from a PlanetPress HTTP Server or a regular Web server. Based on the
document’s Capture OnTheGo settings (for more information on this, refer to "The process that
publishes a document" on page191), the document is either automatically downloaded, or it
can be manually downloaded. The actual download of this document is done via a PlanetPress
Workflow process that includes an HTTP Server Input task.
The example below is divided into three parts: receiving the request, fetching the document and
sending the document.
Receiving the request
To begin with, the HTTP Server Input task waits for requests. When a request is received and
authenticated, the next task down stores the request’s parameters in a variable. The variable’s
content is then processed to remove any malicious code. The following task completes the
document’s path by adding the location of the server where the document is actually stored.
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Note: To make sure that documents are served only to users of the COTG app, the Input task
authenticates download requests, using the authentication key of the COTG repository. This
key can be found in the Parameters section of the COTG Web Administration Panel.
Enter the key in the HTTP Server Input 2 User Options in the Workflow preferences (see HTTP
Server Input 2 User Options (PreS) or HTTP Server Input 2 User Options (PlanetPress)).
For further information on how to use and configure the HTTP Server Input task to serve
documents over the internet, refer to the Workflow documentation.
Finding the document
The next part of the process checks whether the requested document can be found or not. If the
requested document is less than zero kilobytes in size, it is assumed to be non-existent. When
this is the case, a File Not Found document is created, sent to the requesting client, and then
deleted from the server.
Sending the document
If the requested document is more than zero kilobytes in size, then we know it does exist. In the
third part of our process, the document is actually sent to the requesting client. The document is
first loaded, renamed to the original name included in the request (the full path is reduced to the
file name), and sent to the client. Finally, the document is deleted from the server.
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Downloaded PDF documents can then be opened for viewing, and HTML documents can be
used to collect information that can then be sent back for processing.
About Tasks
A task is a plugin or a block that is used to build PlanetPress Workflow processes. Tasks can
do multiple things depending on the type of task and where they are placed. You can add as
many tasks as you like to your processes and order them in any way you can.
There are different types of tasks:
lInput Task:Will either capture data from a specific location, or wait for input from a
service or other computer to start processing.
lAction Task:Will manipulate the data in any number of ways. An action task is any task
that is not an input or output task or a branch or condition.
lOutput Task:Will output data to a specific location or send to a different service or
computer.
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Some tasks have a multipurpose and can be used as either an input, action or output task or
any combination. These multipurpose tasks are indicated as such in the task description and
can be found in the most relevant section of the available tasks.
For more information on the tasks available to you in PlanetPress Workflow, see the following
pages:
l"Input Tasks" on page203
l"Action Tasks" on page268
l"Data Splitters" on page368
l"Process Logic Tasks" on page396
l"Connector Tasks" on page426
l"PlanetPress Capture" on page475
l"Metadata Tasks" on page509
l"Output Tasks" on page619
lAbout Fax
lAbout Image
Note
Completely empty files (0 bytes) cannot be processed by Workflow.
Task Properties
Any task you add to your PlanetPress Workflowprocess must be configured using its properties
dialog box. Each task's Properties dialog will give you the options to configure that specific,
individual task. Properties of one task do not directly affect the properties of another task,
however there are some software preferences that may affect tasks in one way or another (See
"Preferences" on page730)
Variable Properties
When you edit tasks, you may notice that some of the properties that you can modify have a red
(or more precisely, a maroon) title. This means that the property can be dynamically determined
whenever your process runs, that is to say it will not remain static. This can be extremely useful
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when, for example, you want to determine how many copies you will print out depending on
your data, or what document will be used in the printout depending on the department it came
from.
Variable properties may include:
lStatic data.
lStandard Variables. See "Standard Variables" on page646.
lLocal and Global Variables. See "Manipulate Local Variables" on page683.
lJob Infos. See "Job Info Variables" on page645.
lData and Metadata Selections. See "Data selections" on page26.
lPrinter Control Characters. See "Shared Printer Queue Properties" on page70. These
are normally only used in printer outputs.
Variable propertiescan also be used in these special locations:
lIn the Set Job Infos and Variables Action Task. See "Set Job Infos and Variables" on
page350.
lIn Scripts. See the chapter on "Using Scripts" on page91.
lIn the Create File Input Task. See "Create File" on page205.
lWithin a PlanetPress Design Document, using the ExpandString()function.See the
PlanetPress Design User Guide and PlanetPress Talk Reference Guide.
Variable properties can also be mixed, meaning you can combine, within a single variable
property box, any number and order of variable types. You can, for example, do the following for
an output file name: %O_@(1,1,1,30, KeepCase,Trim)_%y-%m-%d.txt. This would translate in
the original file name, followed by part of the first line of a text data file, then the current date.
Contextual Menu
In any variable properties box, you may use the contextual (right-click) menu to add variables
and control characters, as well as to get data and make data selections. The lower part of the
contextual menu is divided into 4 items that provide variable properties:
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lVariables
lSystem: Contains system variables, also called "Standard Variables" on page646.
lJob Info: Contains Job Info variables from %1 to %9
lLocal Variables: Contains a list of local variables in this process. If no local
variables exist, this item is disabled.
lGlobal Variables:Contains a list of global variables in this configuration. If no
global variables exist, this item is disabled.
lControl Characters:Contains a list of control characters that can be used in printers.
lGet Data Value: Brings up the Data Selector, retrieves the value you select and places it
in the variable properties box. This information becomes static and does not change
between each datapage and job file.
lGet Data Location:Brings up the Data Selector and records your selection. The data
selection is dynamic, meaning it will get the data located in the area you choose, every
time a new data file passes through it. This is indicated by a data selection (see "Data
selections" on page26).
lGet Metadata Value:Brings up the Data Selector with only the Metadata tab visible and
lets you select the value (contents)of a Metadata attribute or field. The result is static and
does not change between jobs.
lGet Metadata Location:Brings up the Data Selector with only the Metadata tab visible
and lets you select the location of the data. The result is variable and changes between
jobs.
lGet Repository Value:Brings up the "Data Repository Manager" on page721 dialog to
select the value (contents)of a specific key. The result of the lookup is static.
lGet Repository Location:Brings up the DataRepository Manager dialog to select the
location of the key to lookup every time this task is executed.
You can quickly identify variable information that is already present in your variable properties
as such:
lA percentage sign identifies standard variables, as well as standard and custom job info
variables — %f, for example.
lA backslash indicates a control character — \004, for example.
lAn at sign (@) indicates a data selection for emulations other than database — @
(1,1,1,1,17,KeepCase,Trim), for example.
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lField indicates a data selection for a database emulation — field(1,0,0,'Billing_
Email',KeepCase,NoTrim), for example.
lThe lookup()function indicates a lookup in the "Data Repository Manager" on page721.
Unknown Tasks
An unknown task is a task location that is not linked to any existing known task. Unknown tasks
can have multiple causes:
lCutting an input or output task will replace it with an unknown task. See Cutting, Copying
and Pasting Tasks and Branches
lCreating a new branch will create an unknown output task in that branch. See Adding
Branches.
lUsing Branch From Here... will create an unknown output task below that branch. See
Adding Branches.
lOpening a configuration that contains additional plugins that are not installed on that
system will cause these plugins to be replaced by unknown tasks. Installing the additional
plugins and re-opening the configuration will restore the plugins and their properties.
lOpening a configuration that contains plugins only available in PlanetPress Workflow
(such as Create PDF) from a PlanetPress Watch installation will cause these plugins to
be replaced by unknown tasks. Opening the configuration in a PlanetPress Production or
Office installation up upgrading PlanetPress Watch to PlanetPress Production or Office
and re-opening the configuration will restore the plugins and their properties.
Masks
A file name that includes characters meant to be replaced at run-time is referred to as a mask.
Masks can be used in many edit boxes and can be used, for instance, to select multiple files.
File selection is typically limited by fixed characters or special wildcard characters. If you create
aFolder Capture input task and enter *.* in the Masks box, the input task will grab all the files
that are put in the source folder. If you enter *.mdb instead, the task will only take the those
database files that have an mdb extension. You can use any standard wildcard character in
PlanetPress Workflow.
Technical
Masks are case-insensitive, since the Windows platform does not support case-sensitive
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file names (yes, you can have mixed case in a file name but that's visual fluff - the
OSitself does not care).
Mask Format
Here are the different mask formats available:
lLiteral characters:Any alphanumerical character is considered literal character and
must appear. For example, a mask of "trigger.txt"will not capture any other files than that
name.
lWildcards:Two wildcards are available in masks.
lAsterisk (*):Supports any number of characters. *.txt would pick up any text file,
file*.txt would pick up any file starting with file and any characters:file1.txt,
filetest.txt.
lQuestion Mark (?):Supports a single character. file?.txt would pick up File1.txt or
filea.txt , but not file13.txt or filetest.txt.
lBrackets:Specifies a set of supported characters, or range of characters. Only one
character from the range is accepted, making this a subset of the ? wildcard.
lSets:[13ab] defines support for one of these 4 characters. file[13ab].txt would pick
up file1.txt ,filea.txt , but not file13.txt or filea3.txt.
lNegative Sets:[!13ab] indicates the character should NOTbe part of the set. file
[!13ab].txt would pick up file2.txt and filec.txt but not file1.txt or fileb.txt (nor would
it pick up file13.txt or filea3.txt).
lRanges:[1-5] , [a-d] define ranges between the characters. file[1-5].txt would pick
up file1.txt and file4.txt but not file6.txt or file13.txt.
lNegative Ranges:Negative ranges such as [!2-4] are also possible.
Technical
Filename containing brackets can be a hassle when attempting to capture them with a
mask and using sets or ranges. You can capture a set that contains an opening bracket (
[[] ) , but not a closing bracket as the closing bracket always ends the set or range. There
is no escape character available in masks.
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Date and Time Format
To simplify things and to prevent errors, date and time formats have been standardized.
lDate are entered and displayed as yyyy/MM/dd (2007/06/13, for example).
lTimes are entered and displayed using the 24 hour format as HH:mm:ss (3:38:54 PM, for
example, is entered and displayed as 15:38:54).
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Input Tasks
Input tasks are the starting point to any process and determine what file this process will being
with. Each process must begin with an input tasks, and although a given process may have
multiple input tasks, no task can have more than one initial input task.
Initial Input Tasks
Initial input tasks are always at the beginning of a process and are always triggered when the
process starts. The process itself may start on a schedule or poll at regular intervals, which
means the initial input task only runs whenever the process is set to run. For more information
about what happens outside of the process scheduled times and to learn how to set the
schedule, See " Process Properties" on page704.
Note
If an error occurs during an initial input task, the On Error tab is never triggered. See
"Using the On Error tab" on page56.
Input tasks may either poll a specific location, or await for jobs to be sent to a specific
PlanetPress Workflow Service. It is not recommended to have two initial input tasks capturing
the same input location, for the following reasons:
lIt is a "hit and miss"to know which of the two tasks will pick up the file. This is an issue if
the two processes are different.
lOne of the processes may process a file quicker than another and finish first, which may
be an issue if the processing relies on FIFO(First In, First Out).
lOne process may error out as it's trying to capture an input that's currently being read by
another one. This causes issues if the process is on a schedule and only runs once per
period.
It is important to note that initial input tasks processes files one at a time, and will return to the
input task once the current file has finished processing. Each time it returns to the input task, it
again only captures one single file. It does this until there are no more files in the folder and will
also capture any new file that were added during the time it processed other files. Once no
more files are found, it stops processing until it is scheduled to run again.
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This is an important consideration when scheduling a task, as the Folder Capture will keep
capturing files as long as new files are added, even if it means continuing to capture and
process outside its scheduled time. It is also important that while the Folder Capture input task
is processing files it keeps a copy of each file in a temporary folder, and will not delete any of
these files until it has finished processing all of them. This may cause issues with running out of
disk space.
Secondary Input Tasks
Secondary input tasks are placed in the process like an action task would and will replace the
job file in the process with the file they retrieve. Since they are part of the process, they can use
data from previous tasks to pull data from a variable location. Secondary inputs do not follow a
separate schedule from the process - they are automatically run when the process triggers
them.
Secondary Input Task Considerations:
lIf your initial input task does not start, either because there is no data to capture or
because the process is out of its schedule, any secondary input task will not run either.
lSecondary input tasks replace both the job file and the job info variables. They do not
change local and global variables.
lIf your secondary input task creates a job file using a different emulation, you will need to
use a "Change Emulation" on page287 task after the secondary input task to correctly
change to that emulation.
Properties common to all input tasks
The Othertab is common to all input tasks and are available in the Properties of all input tasks.
"Other" Tab
lJob Information group
lInformation elements:indicates what job infos are automatically created by the
input task.
lAdd lines before first data page:Using the arrows keys you can add any job
information directly at the beginning of your data file.
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lBackup input files:Check this to save a copy of each data file that is captured by your
input. These files are saved in the PlanetPress Suite Workflow Tools working folders
under the "Backup"folder.
lBackup filename:Enter the filename that you wish the input data file backup to be saved
under.
lDelete Existing Metadata:Check to remove any metadata from memory. This option is
disabled on initial input tasks, and is checked by default on secondary input tasks.
Create File
Create File input tasks are different from other input tasks in that they do not pull in data from a
source location. The data that this task passes along to other task is its own: text or values from
variables entered when the task was created or last edited.
Since Create File input tasks are not dependent on data from external sources, they are
performed at every polling interval and the process is thus started every time.
Input
Create File does not capture any file and, if it is a secondary input task, discards the current
data file.
Processing
Create File generates a job file with the contents of it's text. If variables and control characters
are present, they are evaluated at run-time when the task is executed.
Output
The output is the job file. No metadata is generated by the task itself, however if metadata is
present in the job and it is not deleted (in the "Other" tab), it will remain active.
Properties
General Tab
lCreate File: Enter the text to use as the data. The Create File box is a Variables
Properties box, so you can use any of the variables, control characters or data selections
as noted in Variable Properties.
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lAdd CRLF after last line: Check if you want the plugin to automatically add a new line at
the end of the file. Remove the checkmark to leave the file as-is, useful in the creation of
CSV files for example.
lDelete Metadata: Check to delete any metadata attached to your data file.
"Other" Tab
lJob Information group
lInformation elements:indicates what job infos are automatically created by the
input task.
lAdd lines before first data page:Using the arrows keys you can add any job
information directly at the beginning of your data file.
lBackup input files:Check this to save a copy of each data file that is captured by your
input. These files are saved in the PlanetPress Suite Workflow Tools working folders
under the "Backup"folder.
lBackup filename:Enter the filename that you wish the input data file backup to be saved
under.
lDelete Existing Metadata:Check to remove any metadata from memory. This option is
disabled on initial input tasks, and is checked by default on secondary input tasks.
Job Information definitions
lThis task does not generate any job information.
Examples &Use Cases
This task is put into effect in the following use cases and example processes:
lHTTP PDF Invoice Request
lHTTP Brochure Request
lCapture Web Manager Workflow
On Error Tab
The On Error tab is common to all tasks. Details can be found in the" Task Properties Dialog"
on page777.
By default, any action task, branch, splitter or condition that generates an error will simply be
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ignored, and the task just under it (not within a branch)will be given control of the job file
without any modification. Any initial input task that generates an error will stop the process from
running as a whole, and output tasks will not generate output. The On Error tab can be used to
overwrite the default behaviors.
lSend to Process: Check this option to send the job file to an error management process.
lError Process drop-down:Enabled only when the Send to Process option is checked.
Lists any process of which the initial input task is the Input Error Bin task.
lAction:In the initial input tasks, this group is disabled and defaults to Stop Process. In
all other tasks where the On Error tab is present, the following options are available:
lDefault:By default, the task is ignored as if it did not exist and the error is logged
before continuing the branch or process; the job file is passed on to the next task in
the process. When an error occurs in a loop (or in a plugin that acts like a loop), the
loop may log the error, terminate the current iteration and proceed with the next
iteration.
lStop Branch:If the task is in a branch of the process, the branch is stopped and the
job file is returned to the process after the branch. The branch will not produce any
output. If the task is not on a branch, the entire process will be stopped.
lStop Process:The process is stopped and no more processing is done. No further
output is produced.
lLog Message:Check this option to enable logging a custom error message in the
PlanetPress Workflow log file and in the Windows Application Events.
lMessage:Enabled only when the Log Message option is checked. Enter a message that
will be logged in the PlanetPress Workflow log file. You can use any variables available
in PlanetPress Workflow to customize the message.
lStore the message in variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you
want to store the message content.
lID:Enter an error ID. This IDwill be visible in the Windows Event Viewer. However, the
IDis not visible in the PlanetPress Workflow log file.
lStore the IDin variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you want to
store the error ID.
lReset to defaults:Resets all options in this tab to their default values.
When storing the message or ID, if they are stored in a jobinfo they will be available in any
error handling process where errors are being forwarded. If your process continues after the
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error, the contents of the variables selected in this window will be available to the rest of your
process, or as long as they are not overwritten.
Common Errors
Though some error messages are specific to a task in particular, others may apply to any and
all tasks because they are related more to the system than to PlanetPress itself. Some
examples would be W3813,W3830,W3991,W4005. These correspond to issues such as not
having any space to write files, permission errors on folders or files, etc.
Comments Tab
The Comments tab is common to all tasks. It contains a text area (Task comments)that lets
you write comments about the task. These comments are saved when the dialog is closed with
the OKbutton, and are displayed in the Task Comments Pane.
Check the option Use as step description to display the text next to the icon of the plugin in
the Process area.
Email Input
Email Input retrieves email data through a Microsoft Outlook or POP3 connection.
Note
If Microsoft Outlook connection is used, Microsoft Outlook 2000 or higher must be
installed on the computer where PlanetPress Workflow is located.
Input
Email Input captures all emails and their attachments from the selected inbox, when those
emails correspond to the rules defined in the General tab. If no rule is defined, all emails in the
inbox are retrieved. Emails retrieved using POP3 are deleted from the server, emails retrieved
from an Outlook inbox are moved to the Deleted Items folder by default.
Processing
Depending on the options selected below, each email is converted into a text-only data file, and
each attachment is separated from the email.
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Output
Depending on the options, each email is sent as a data file, followed by each of its attachments
sequentially.
Technical
If you use Email input tasks to capture data encoded using a Double-Byte character set
(such as those used for Japanese or Chinese, for instance), it is preferable to use
attachments rather than the email body to carry the data from its source to the input task,
as data corruption is less likely to occur using this method.
Properties
General tab
lData Location group
lMessage body: Select to use the data found in the body of the email.
lAttached file: Select to use the data found in the email’s attachment. If both the
Message body and Attached files options are selected, the message’s body and the
message’s attachment are treated as separate data files and processed one after
the other.
lUnzip attached file: Select to unzip the attached files.
lZip password: Enter the password required to unzip the attached files (if any).
Note that you can use variables and data selections.
lConditions group
l“Subject” contains: Select to limit those messages used by this task to those with
a specific subject. The subject you enter in the box below can include variables.
Note
Since characters '?' and '*' are considered valid to define the subject of an
email, their use as wildcards is not supported .
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lNothing: Select to limit those messages used by this task to those that do not
specify any subject.
l“From” contains: Select to limit those messages used by this task to those that are
sent from a specific address. The address you enter in the box below can include
variables.
l“To” contains: Select to limit those messages used by this task to those that are
sent to a specific address. The address you enter in the box below can include
variables.
Login Tab
lUse Microsoft Outlook: Select to use the Microsoft Outlook email account of the current
user to receive emails. The current user is the one defined in PlanetPress Workflow
Service Logon.
lMove message after processing to folder: Enter the name of an Outlook Folder to
keep copies of the emails taken by this email input task. You should enter only the
name of the folder as it appears in Outlook’s Folder List area, regardless of whether
it is a child of another folder. For example, if you want to use a folder named Bills
that is listed under another folder named PassedDue, only enter Bills in the text box.
Make sure no two folders have the same name, even if they are under different
parent folders, as this could generate errors. Consider creating a special folder in
Outlook (perhaps a child of the Deleted Items folder named Watch) and then using
that folder as your backup folder.
lUse POP3 mail group
lSelect this option to use a POP3 mail server and to activate this group. Note that
emails retrieved via POP3 are always deleted from the server.
lIncoming mail (POP3): Enter the address of the incoming POP3 mail server. This
box is only enabled when the Use POP3 mail option is selected.
lAccount name: Enter the email account name on the POP3 mail server. This box is
only enabled when the Use POP3 mail option is selected.
lPassword: Enter the password required to unlock the selected account on the
POP3 mail server. This box is only enabled when the Use POP3 mail option is
selected.
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"Other" Tab
lJob Information group
lInformation elements:indicates what job infos are automatically created by the
input task.
lAdd lines before first data page:Using the arrows keys you can add any job
information directly at the beginning of your data file.
lBackup input files:Check this to save a copy of each data file that is captured by your
input. These files are saved in the PlanetPress Suite Workflow Tools working folders
under the "Backup"folder.
lBackup filename:Enter the filename that you wish the input data file backup to be saved
under.
lDelete Existing Metadata:Check to remove any metadata from memory. This option is
disabled on initial input tasks, and is checked by default on secondary input tasks.
Job Information definitions
l%1- Date received. Contains the date of the reception of the email (and not the date of
retrieval by PlanetPress Workflow). The format is YYYY/MM/DD HH:MM:SS.
l%2- Sender's name:Contains the name of the sender as defined by the sender himself
(or, if the sender is using Exchange, by the name defined in his Exchange server).
l%3 - Sender's address:Contains the email address of the sender as defined by the
sender himself.
l%4 - Subject:Contains the subject of the received email (may be blank).
l%5 - Recipients:Contains a list of the names of all the recipients of the email, separated
by a semicolon (;).
Technical
Because of the way Microsoft Exchange works, when receiving an email from a user on
the same local Exchange server, the email address may not be available. See FAQ-1509
in the Knowledge Base for details.
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On Error Tab
The On Error tab is common to all tasks. Details can be found in the" Task Properties Dialog"
on page777.
By default, any action task, branch, splitter or condition that generates an error will simply be
ignored, and the task just under it (not within a branch)will be given control of the job file
without any modification. Any initial input task that generates an error will stop the process from
running as a whole, and output tasks will not generate output. The On Error tab can be used to
overwrite the default behaviors.
lSend to Process: Check this option to send the job file to an error management process.
lError Process drop-down:Enabled only when the Send to Process option is checked.
Lists any process of which the initial input task is the Input Error Bin task.
lAction:In the initial input tasks, this group is disabled and defaults to Stop Process. In
all other tasks where the On Error tab is present, the following options are available:
lDefault:By default, the task is ignored as if it did not exist and the error is logged
before continuing the branch or process; the job file is passed on to the next task in
the process. When an error occurs in a loop (or in a plugin that acts like a loop), the
loop may log the error, terminate the current iteration and proceed with the next
iteration.
lStop Branch:If the task is in a branch of the process, the branch is stopped and the
job file is returned to the process after the branch. The branch will not produce any
output. If the task is not on a branch, the entire process will be stopped.
lStop Process:The process is stopped and no more processing is done. No further
output is produced.
lLog Message:Check this option to enable logging a custom error message in the
PlanetPress Workflow log file and in the Windows Application Events.
lMessage:Enabled only when the Log Message option is checked. Enter a message that
will be logged in the PlanetPress Workflow log file. You can use any variables available
in PlanetPress Workflow to customize the message.
lStore the message in variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you
want to store the message content.
lID:Enter an error ID. This IDwill be visible in the Windows Event Viewer. However, the
IDis not visible in the PlanetPress Workflow log file.
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lStore the IDin variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you want to
store the error ID.
lReset to defaults:Resets all options in this tab to their default values.
When storing the message or ID, if they are stored in a jobinfo they will be available in any
error handling process where errors are being forwarded. If your process continues after the
error, the contents of the variables selected in this window will be available to the rest of your
process, or as long as they are not overwritten.
Common Errors
Though some error messages are specific to a task in particular, others may apply to any and
all tasks because they are related more to the system than to PlanetPress itself. Some
examples would be W3813,W3830,W3991,W4005. These correspond to issues such as not
having any space to write files, permission errors on folders or files, etc.
Comments Tab
The Comments tab is common to all tasks. It contains a text area (Task comments)that lets
you write comments about the task. These comments are saved when the dialog is closed with
the OKbutton, and are displayed in the Task Comments Pane.
Check the option Use as step description to display the text next to the icon of the plugin in
the Process area.
Folder Capture
Folder Capture input tasks retrieve files corresponding to a specified file mask, from a
specified folder.
Input
Folder Capture retrieves all files corresponding to the specified mask. These files may be of
any format, even formats that are not readable by PlanetPress Workflow.
Processing
Each file capture by the input is sent down through the process, one at a time. When the file is
finished, the process goes back to the input which feeds another file down, as long as there are
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files in the queue. Once all the files are gone, the task polls the input folder again to see if new
files are present and, if so, the process continues with these files. Otherwise, the process ends.
Output
The output to this task is a series of individual files, one after the other. These files are not
modified in any way from when they are captured from the source folder.
Note
As with any task that can refer to network resources, it is important to understand the
considerations involved with paths and permissions of these resources. Please refer to
the Network Considerations page in the Advanced Configuration and Options chapter
(Reference Guide, in English only).
Warning
If you create a Folder Capture input task that takes any file it finds in the root folder of
one of your hard disks, then PlanetPress Workflow will try to remove all the files located
in that folder, including all the system and hidden files. So when using a Folder Capture,
be aware of where you are capturing.
General Tab
lFolder list: Enter the full path of the folder from which the input files are to be taken.
lMasks: Enter a single or multiple file names or use file name masks. See Masks.
lTreat as regular expressions: When ticked, the contents of the Mask field are
deemed to be a regular expression . You can specify multiple masks based on
regular expressions, separating the regular expressions by a semicolon.
The checkbox is not ticked by default. Please refer to Regular Expressions for more
information.
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Note
No Variable Data can be used inside this field if the Treat as regular expressions
option is ticked. The percent sign, the curly brackets and the period are all key
elements of the RegEx syntax, therefore they cannot be mixed and matched with
Workflow variable data syntax (e.g. %1, ${global.myvar}, etc.). Also, there is no
validation of the RegEx being specified.
lSort files by: Select a given sorting method to prompt PlanetPress Workflow to sort the
files in the source folder before taking them (and thus to take them in a specific order).
Select None to let PlanetPress Workflow take the files without sorting them first.
lSort order: If you selected a sorting method in the Sort files by box, select the order in
which you want the files to be sorted.
lUse archive attribute: Select to turn on the archive attribute of the data files found in the
source folder and to leave them in their original location (i.e. to take copies of the source
files). Note that PlanetPress Workflow never takes source files that have their archive
attribute turned on (so the source files will not be taken again and again). When this
option is turned off, PlanetPress Workflow removes data files from the source location.
lCapture files in subfolders: Select to capture files from child folders of the source folder
as well.
lSort directories first: If you selected a sorting method in the Sort files by box, and if you
want the folders present in the source folder to be sorted first, select this option. When this
option is selected, the chosen Sort order is applied to each separate folder, not across
folders. The subfolders themselves are always processed in alphabetical order,
regardless of the sort order.
lInclude hidden files: Select if you want any hidden folders or files present in the source
folder to be taken as well.
lInclude empty files: Select if you want any empty folders or files present in the source
folder to be taken as well.
"Other" Tab
lJob Information group
lInformation elements:indicates what job infos are automatically created by the
input task.
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lAdd lines before first data page:Using the arrows keys you can add any job
information directly at the beginning of your data file.
lBackup input files:Check this to save a copy of each data file that is captured by your
input. These files are saved in the PlanetPress Suite Workflow Tools working folders
under the "Backup"folder.
lBackup filename:Enter the filename that you wish the input data file backup to be saved
under.
lDelete Existing Metadata:Check to remove any metadata from memory. This option is
disabled on initial input tasks, and is checked by default on secondary input tasks.
Job Information definitions
l%1- Source File Name. Contains the file name (excluding path but including
extension)of the file name that is captured. Equivalent to using the %o system variable.
l%2- Folder:Contains the folder from which the data was captured.
On Error Tab
The On Error tab is common to all tasks. Details can be found in the" Task Properties Dialog"
on page777.
By default, any action task, branch, splitter or condition that generates an error will simply be
ignored, and the task just under it (not within a branch)will be given control of the job file
without any modification. Any initial input task that generates an error will stop the process from
running as a whole, and output tasks will not generate output. The On Error tab can be used to
overwrite the default behaviors.
lSend to Process: Check this option to send the job file to an error management process.
lError Process drop-down:Enabled only when the Send to Process option is checked.
Lists any process of which the initial input task is the Input Error Bin task.
lAction:In the initial input tasks, this group is disabled and defaults to Stop Process. In
all other tasks where the On Error tab is present, the following options are available:
lDefault:By default, the task is ignored as if it did not exist and the error is logged
before continuing the branch or process; the job file is passed on to the next task in
the process. When an error occurs in a loop (or in a plugin that acts like a loop), the
loop may log the error, terminate the current iteration and proceed with the next
iteration.
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lStop Branch:If the task is in a branch of the process, the branch is stopped and the
job file is returned to the process after the branch. The branch will not produce any
output. If the task is not on a branch, the entire process will be stopped.
lStop Process:The process is stopped and no more processing is done. No further
output is produced.
lLog Message:Check this option to enable logging a custom error message in the
PlanetPress Workflow log file and in the Windows Application Events.
lMessage:Enabled only when the Log Message option is checked. Enter a message that
will be logged in the PlanetPress Workflow log file. You can use any variables available
in PlanetPress Workflow to customize the message.
lStore the message in variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you
want to store the message content.
lID:Enter an error ID. This IDwill be visible in the Windows Event Viewer. However, the
IDis not visible in the PlanetPress Workflow log file.
lStore the IDin variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you want to
store the error ID.
lReset to defaults:Resets all options in this tab to their default values.
When storing the message or ID, if they are stored in a jobinfo they will be available in any
error handling process where errors are being forwarded. If your process continues after the
error, the contents of the variables selected in this window will be available to the rest of your
process, or as long as they are not overwritten.
Common Errors
Though some error messages are specific to a task in particular, others may apply to any and
all tasks because they are related more to the system than to PlanetPress itself. Some
examples would be W3813,W3830,W3991,W4005. These correspond to issues such as not
having any space to write files, permission errors on folders or files, etc.
Comments Tab
The Comments tab is common to all tasks. It contains a text area (Task comments)that lets
you write comments about the task. These comments are saved when the dialog is closed with
the OKbutton, and are displayed in the Task Comments Pane.
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Check the option Use as step description to display the text next to the icon of the plugin in
the Process area.
Folder Listing
Folder Listing input tasks list the files present in a selected folder and gives you the option to
use filename masks, to sort files by name or date, and to list the files present in the selected
folder’s subfolders. The lists it generates are in XML format.
Input
Folder Listing captures nothing, however it does read the input folders (and, if selected,
subfolders) and gathers information about each file in that folder.
Processing
Folder Listing loops through the files and, for each file, generates an XMLnode with information
about the file.
Output
The output is an XMLfile containing information about each file. If the Sub-directories option
was checked, the structure of the XMLalso contains the folder structure as it is present on the
drive.
Here is a sample of the XMLthat is generated:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="windows-1252"?>
<files count="3" filemask="*.*">
<folder>C:\Samples\<file>
<filename>invoice.pdf</filename>
<path>C:\Samples\</path>
<time>2012/06/01 16:14:40</time>
<size>81452</size>
</file>
<file>
<filename>test1.pdf</filename>
<path>C:\Samples\</path>
<time>2013/01/17 09:13:50</time>
<size>20197</size>
</file>
</folder>
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<folder>C:\Samples\manuals\<file>
<filename>usermanual.pdf</filename>
<path>C:\Samples\manuals\</path>
<time>1999/10/06 09:52:04</time>
<size>644037</size>
</file>
</folder>
</files>
Note
The <time> tag is independent of the OSlocale, language or settings. The format is always
YYYY/MM/DD 23:59:59.
Properties
General Tab
lInput folder: Enter the path of the folder that contains the files you want listed.
lSorted by: Select either Name or Modified date, depending on how you want the list top
be sorted.
lFile mask: Edit the default file name mask (*.*) if you want only some of the files present
in the folder to appear in the list.
lList files in sub-directories also: Select this option if you want the task to list any files
present in subfolders of the selected input folder.
"Other" Tab
lJob Information group
lInformation elements:indicates what job infos are automatically created by the
input task.
lAdd lines before first data page:Using the arrows keys you can add any job
information directly at the beginning of your data file.
lBackup input files:Check this to save a copy of each data file that is captured by your
input. These files are saved in the PlanetPress Suite Workflow Tools working folders
under the "Backup"folder.
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lBackup filename:Enter the filename that you wish the input data file backup to be saved
under.
lDelete Existing Metadata:Check to remove any metadata from memory. This option is
disabled on initial input tasks, and is checked by default on secondary input tasks.
Job Information definitions
l%1- Folder:Contains the full path of the base folder from which the files are listed.
On Error Tab
The On Error tab is common to all tasks. Details can be found in the" Task Properties Dialog"
on page777.
By default, any action task, branch, splitter or condition that generates an error will simply be
ignored, and the task just under it (not within a branch)will be given control of the job file
without any modification. Any initial input task that generates an error will stop the process from
running as a whole, and output tasks will not generate output. The On Error tab can be used to
overwrite the default behaviors.
lSend to Process: Check this option to send the job file to an error management process.
lError Process drop-down:Enabled only when the Send to Process option is checked.
Lists any process of which the initial input task is the Input Error Bin task.
lAction:In the initial input tasks, this group is disabled and defaults to Stop Process. In
all other tasks where the On Error tab is present, the following options are available:
lDefault:By default, the task is ignored as if it did not exist and the error is logged
before continuing the branch or process; the job file is passed on to the next task in
the process. When an error occurs in a loop (or in a plugin that acts like a loop), the
loop may log the error, terminate the current iteration and proceed with the next
iteration.
lStop Branch:If the task is in a branch of the process, the branch is stopped and the
job file is returned to the process after the branch. The branch will not produce any
output. If the task is not on a branch, the entire process will be stopped.
lStop Process:The process is stopped and no more processing is done. No further
output is produced.
lLog Message:Check this option to enable logging a custom error message in the
PlanetPress Workflow log file and in the Windows Application Events.
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lMessage:Enabled only when the Log Message option is checked. Enter a message that
will be logged in the PlanetPress Workflow log file. You can use any variables available
in PlanetPress Workflow to customize the message.
lStore the message in variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you
want to store the message content.
lID:Enter an error ID. This IDwill be visible in the Windows Event Viewer. However, the
IDis not visible in the PlanetPress Workflow log file.
lStore the IDin variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you want to
store the error ID.
lReset to defaults:Resets all options in this tab to their default values.
When storing the message or ID, if they are stored in a jobinfo they will be available in any
error handling process where errors are being forwarded. If your process continues after the
error, the contents of the variables selected in this window will be available to the rest of your
process, or as long as they are not overwritten.
Common Errors
Though some error messages are specific to a task in particular, others may apply to any and
all tasks because they are related more to the system than to PlanetPress itself. Some
examples would be W3813,W3830,W3991,W4005. These correspond to issues such as not
having any space to write files, permission errors on folders or files, etc.
Comments Tab
The Comments tab is common to all tasks. It contains a text area (Task comments)that lets
you write comments about the task. These comments are saved when the dialog is closed with
the OKbutton, and are displayed in the Task Comments Pane.
Check the option Use as step description to display the text next to the icon of the plugin in
the Process area.
FTP Input
FTP Input tasks retrieve files from FTP sites using the FTP protocol. Masks are typically used
to select multiple files to be retrieved from the server.
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Input
FTPInput connects to the specified FTPserver and path, and retrieves all files corresponding
to the specified mask. These files may be of any format, even formats that are not readable by
PlanetPress Workflow.
Processing
Each file capture by the input is sent down through the process, one at a time. When the file is
finished, the process goes back to the input which feeds another file down, as long as there are
files in the queue. Once all the files are gone, the task polls the FTPfolder again to see if new
files are present and, if so, the process continues with these files. Otherwise, the process ends.
Output
The output to this task is a series of individual files, one after the other. These files are not
modified in any way from when they are captured from the source FTPserver.
Properties
General tab
lFTP Server: Enter the IP address or host name of the FTP server to poll.
lUser name: Enter the name of a user account on the FTP server.
lPassword: If account named in the User name box is password protected, enter the
password here.
lPort number: Set to use a specific port number. Note: There is no validation to ensure
the port is available. It is the user's responsibility to ensure the selected port is available
and not being monitored by another application or another PlanetPress Workflow task.
lDirectory: Enter the path of the folder to poll on the FTP server. If this box is left empty,
PlanetPress Workflow will poll the root directory.
lMasks: Enter a single file name mask. Multiple entries are not allowed in this box.
lConnection mode group
lActive: Select to prompt the ftp client to use the active mode when retrieving files
from the FTP server.
lPassive: Select to prompt the ftp client to use the passive mode when retrieving
files from the FTP server.
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"Other" Tab
lJob Information group
lInformation elements:indicates what job infos are automatically created by the
input task.
lAdd lines before first data page:Using the arrows keys you can add any job
information directly at the beginning of your data file.
lBackup input files:Check this to save a copy of each data file that is captured by your
input. These files are saved in the PlanetPress Suite Workflow Tools working folders
under the "Backup"folder.
lBackup filename:Enter the filename that you wish the input data file backup to be saved
under.
lDelete Existing Metadata:Check to remove any metadata from memory. This option is
disabled on initial input tasks, and is checked by default on secondary input tasks.
Job Information definitions
l%1- User name:Contains the user name that was used to connect to the FTPserver.
This is useful if this task is used as a secondary input and the information is defined
dynamically.
l%2 - FTPServer:Contains the FTP address of the server from which the files were
retrieved.
l%3 - Source file name:Contains the name of the current file that was retrieved from the
server.
l%4 - Folder:Contains the FTPfolder from which the current file was retrieved.
On Error Tab
The On Error tab is common to all tasks. Details can be found in the" Task Properties Dialog"
on page777.
By default, any action task, branch, splitter or condition that generates an error will simply be
ignored, and the task just under it (not within a branch)will be given control of the job file
without any modification. Any initial input task that generates an error will stop the process from
running as a whole, and output tasks will not generate output. The On Error tab can be used to
overwrite the default behaviors.
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lSend to Process: Check this option to send the job file to an error management process.
lError Process drop-down:Enabled only when the Send to Process option is checked.
Lists any process of which the initial input task is the Input Error Bin task.
lAction:In the initial input tasks, this group is disabled and defaults to Stop Process. In
all other tasks where the On Error tab is present, the following options are available:
lDefault:By default, the task is ignored as if it did not exist and the error is logged
before continuing the branch or process; the job file is passed on to the next task in
the process. When an error occurs in a loop (or in a plugin that acts like a loop), the
loop may log the error, terminate the current iteration and proceed with the next
iteration.
lStop Branch:If the task is in a branch of the process, the branch is stopped and the
job file is returned to the process after the branch. The branch will not produce any
output. If the task is not on a branch, the entire process will be stopped.
lStop Process:The process is stopped and no more processing is done. No further
output is produced.
lLog Message:Check this option to enable logging a custom error message in the
PlanetPress Workflow log file and in the Windows Application Events.
lMessage:Enabled only when the Log Message option is checked. Enter a message that
will be logged in the PlanetPress Workflow log file. You can use any variables available
in PlanetPress Workflow to customize the message.
lStore the message in variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you
want to store the message content.
lID:Enter an error ID. This IDwill be visible in the Windows Event Viewer. However, the
IDis not visible in the PlanetPress Workflow log file.
lStore the IDin variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you want to
store the error ID.
lReset to defaults:Resets all options in this tab to their default values.
When storing the message or ID, if they are stored in a jobinfo they will be available in any
error handling process where errors are being forwarded. If your process continues after the
error, the contents of the variables selected in this window will be available to the rest of your
process, or as long as they are not overwritten.
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Common Errors
Though some error messages are specific to a task in particular, others may apply to any and
all tasks because they are related more to the system than to PlanetPress itself. Some
examples would be W3813,W3830,W3991,W4005. These correspond to issues such as not
having any space to write files, permission errors on folders or files, etc.
Comments Tab
The Comments tab is common to all tasks. It contains a text area (Task comments)that lets
you write comments about the task. These comments are saved when the dialog is closed with
the OKbutton, and are displayed in the Task Comments Pane.
Check the option Use as step description to display the text next to the icon of the plugin in
the Process area.
HTTP Client Input
HTTP Client Input tasks use the HTTP protocol to issue HTTP GET commands (queries) to
HTTP servers. Replies received from the HTTP servers are used as jobfiles and are thus
passed on to following tasks.
Input
This initial input task retrieves a single file as specified in the URLoption. This file may be of
any format, even formats that are not readable by PlanetPress Workflow.
Processing
No processing is done by this task. The file retrieved is not changed in any way.
Output
HTTPClient Input will output a single file which was retrieved from the web. Metadata is not
generated by this task.
HTTP Client Input task properties are as follows:
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General tab
lURL: Enter the URL of the HTTP server from which the file must be downloaded. Since
this is a variable property box, variables may be used, as well as the Get Data and Select
Data commands. Note that when PlanetPress Workflow connects to a secure page, an
SSL (Secure Socket Layer) connection is automatically used.
lServer requires authentication: Check this option if the HTTP server requires user
authentication. This enables the following options.
luser name: A user name known to the Web server.
lPassword: The password associated with the user name entered above.
"Other" Tab
lJob Information group
lInformation elements:indicates what job infos are automatically created by the
input task.
lAdd lines before first data page:Using the arrows keys you can add any job
information directly at the beginning of your data file.
lBackup input files:Check this to save a copy of each data file that is captured by your
input. These files are saved in the PlanetPress Suite Workflow Tools working folders
under the "Backup"folder.
lBackup filename:Enter the filename that you wish the input data file backup to be saved
under.
lDelete Existing Metadata:Check to remove any metadata from memory. This option is
disabled on initial input tasks, and is checked by default on secondary input tasks.
Job Information definitions
l%1- URLaddress:Contains the full URL that was requested by the task. This includes
any GETvariables in the URL.
On Error Tab
The On Error tab is common to all tasks. Details can be found in the" Task Properties Dialog"
on page777.
By default, any action task, branch, splitter or condition that generates an error will simply be
Page 226
ignored, and the task just under it (not within a branch)will be given control of the job file
without any modification. Any initial input task that generates an error will stop the process from
running as a whole, and output tasks will not generate output. The On Error tab can be used to
overwrite the default behaviors.
lSend to Process: Check this option to send the job file to an error management process.
lError Process drop-down:Enabled only when the Send to Process option is checked.
Lists any process of which the initial input task is the Input Error Bin task.
lAction:In the initial input tasks, this group is disabled and defaults to Stop Process. In
all other tasks where the On Error tab is present, the following options are available:
lDefault:By default, the task is ignored as if it did not exist and the error is logged
before continuing the branch or process; the job file is passed on to the next task in
the process. When an error occurs in a loop (or in a plugin that acts like a loop), the
loop may log the error, terminate the current iteration and proceed with the next
iteration.
lStop Branch:If the task is in a branch of the process, the branch is stopped and the
job file is returned to the process after the branch. The branch will not produce any
output. If the task is not on a branch, the entire process will be stopped.
lStop Process:The process is stopped and no more processing is done. No further
output is produced.
lLog Message:Check this option to enable logging a custom error message in the
PlanetPress Workflow log file and in the Windows Application Events.
lMessage:Enabled only when the Log Message option is checked. Enter a message that
will be logged in the PlanetPress Workflow log file. You can use any variables available
in PlanetPress Workflow to customize the message.
lStore the message in variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you
want to store the message content.
lID:Enter an error ID. This IDwill be visible in the Windows Event Viewer. However, the
IDis not visible in the PlanetPress Workflow log file.
lStore the IDin variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you want to
store the error ID.
lReset to defaults:Resets all options in this tab to their default values.
When storing the message or ID, if they are stored in a jobinfo they will be available in any
error handling process where errors are being forwarded. If your process continues after the
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error, the contents of the variables selected in this window will be available to the rest of your
process, or as long as they are not overwritten.
Common Errors
Though some error messages are specific to a task in particular, others may apply to any and
all tasks because they are related more to the system than to PlanetPress itself. Some
examples would be W3813,W3830,W3991,W4005. These correspond to issues such as not
having any space to write files, permission errors on folders or files, etc.
Comments Tab
The Comments tab is common to all tasks. It contains a text area (Task comments)that lets
you write comments about the task. These comments are saved when the dialog is closed with
the OKbutton, and are displayed in the Task Comments Pane.
Check the option Use as step description to display the text next to the icon of the plugin in
the Process area.
HTTP Server Input
HTTP Server Input tasks are used to receive HTTP requests made via GET or POST
commands and to send replies to the servers from which the requests were made. The HTTP
server supports both http and e. For HTTPSSupport information, see HTTP Server Input User
Options.
Note
While you can insert the HTTPServer Input task anywhere in your process as a
secondary input task, in reality the HTTPServer Input task will only function when used
as the initial input, as it is triggered when PlanetPress Workflow HTTPServer receives a
request and passes it on to the correct task.
Warning
It is highly recommended to make all processes using the HTTP Server Input task self-
replicating and to reduce their polling interval in the Process Properties.
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Input
The HTTPServer Input task does not, by itself, capture any files. Neither does it directly wait
for requests to be received. Actually, it is the HTTPservice that receives the requests and
places them in a specific location on the drive. When a request is received, the HTTPServer
Input polls that location and finds the requests and all attachments. It will always pick up the
"oldest"request received.
The request can contain one or more files, one being an XMLfile containing the request
information as well as any GETor POSTvariables that were received within this request. Other
files are POSTattachments.
Note
By default, the request XMLalso contains a CDATAsection which contains the raw input
data, effectively doubling the size of the incoming file. Due to technical restrictions, the
incoming XMLfile cannot be more than 400MB, which because of CDATA is reduced to
around 200MB. To help in this situation, you may elect to omit CDATA from the
attachment, which can be changed in HTTP Server Input User Options. Please note that
incoming binary files (sent through file upload in a form) can never be larger than 400MB.
Processing
Depending on the options chosen in the HTTPServer Input task properties, the task may
choose to ignore some of the files. For example, using the "Do not include
XMLenvelope"means that only the POSTattachments will be used in the process, the
XMLfile will be discarded. Attachments are always saved on disk in a specific location, which
is accessible either directly in the XML or directly as a data file through the "Loop each
attachment as data file"option.
Output
First, the output inside the process itself is, depending on the selected options, an XMLrequest
files, POSTAttachments files, either one or both.
If the Send Immediate Response to clientoption is selected, the response file is sent back
right away and the involvement of the input task ends then. However, if this option is not
checked, it means there is a second output that comes out of the HTTPServer Input task:The
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last output generated by PlanetPress Workflow is sent back to the initial input, which is returned
back to the client.
Note
Starting in version 7.2 of PlanetPress Workflow, you can now serve static resources
through PlanetPress, which is especially useful for images, CSSand JavaScript files.
See "HTTPServer Input 2 plugin preferences" on page756.
HTTP Server input task properties are as follows:
lHTTP action: Enter the name of the action requested of PlanetPress Workflow by the
client. This name corresponds to the URLthat the client will be accessing. For example, if
you enter "MakePDF" here, you could trigger the process by accessing
http://127.0.0.1:8080/MakePDF . This is also what your HTMLForm's action should be.
lMIME Type: Select the MIME type of the file that will be returned by the plugin.
lLoop each attachment as a data file: When receiving attachments through a
POSTrequest (HTMLForm), this option will make the HTTPServer Input task loop
through each attachment. Each data file is an XMLwith the accompanied file.
lDo not include XMLenvelope:Only active when the previous Loop option is
checked. When checked, the XMLfile containing the request data will not be
available. Only the attachment itself is sent as a data file.
lRespond on error: Enter a message to be sent to the client as the output file if the
process encounters an error and is unable to send a reply that includes the actual output
file. The information can be in any desired format such as HTMLor plain text, but most
browsers will interpret it as plain text.
lSend immediate response to client:Do not wait for the process to finish and send a
static HTMLor Text file back to the client instead. This prevents any timeout from
occurring. When checking this option, the field under the option is used to select which
file to return.
lUse custom HTTPserver response code:When the process ends and a response is
sent to the requesting client, a custom response code can be specified depending on how
the process goes. While in previous versions the "200 OK"code was always used, this
option overrides it to, for example, "404 Not Found"or "401 Unauthorized".
lVariable containing the response code:The contents of the job information or
local variable selected in this drop-down, presumed to be a valid response code,
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will be returned in the response header. This is the value that is present at the end
of the process, not the beginning.
"Other" Tab
lJob Information group
lInformation elements:indicates what job infos are automatically created by the
input task.
lAdd lines before first data page:Using the arrows keys you can add any job
information directly at the beginning of your data file.
lBackup input files:Check this to save a copy of each data file that is captured by your
input. These files are saved in the PlanetPress Suite Workflow Tools working folders
under the "Backup"folder.
lBackup filename:Enter the filename that you wish the input data file backup to be saved
under.
lDelete Existing Metadata:Check to remove any metadata from memory. This option is
disabled on initial input tasks, and is checked by default on secondary input tasks.
Job Information definitions
l%1- Client IPaddress:Contains the IPaddress of the HTTPclient requesting a
response.
l%2 - Request header:Contains the headers of the request, which can contain
information such as the Browser and Operating System, languages, etc.
l%3 - Filename:Contains the local file name of the job file created by this task (and
XMLfile). This is equivalent to %o.
Examples &Use Cases
This task is put into effect in the following use cases and example processes:
lHTTP PDF Invoice Request
lHTTP Brochure Request
lCapture Web Manager Workflow
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On Error Tab
The On Error tab is common to all tasks. Details can be found in the" Task Properties Dialog"
on page777.
By default, any action task, branch, splitter or condition that generates an error will simply be
ignored, and the task just under it (not within a branch)will be given control of the job file
without any modification. Any initial input task that generates an error will stop the process from
running as a whole, and output tasks will not generate output. The On Error tab can be used to
overwrite the default behaviors.
lSend to Process: Check this option to send the job file to an error management process.
lError Process drop-down:Enabled only when the Send to Process option is checked.
Lists any process of which the initial input task is the Input Error Bin task.
lAction:In the initial input tasks, this group is disabled and defaults to Stop Process. In
all other tasks where the On Error tab is present, the following options are available:
lDefault:By default, the task is ignored as if it did not exist and the error is logged
before continuing the branch or process; the job file is passed on to the next task in
the process. When an error occurs in a loop (or in a plugin that acts like a loop), the
loop may log the error, terminate the current iteration and proceed with the next
iteration.
lStop Branch:If the task is in a branch of the process, the branch is stopped and the
job file is returned to the process after the branch. The branch will not produce any
output. If the task is not on a branch, the entire process will be stopped.
lStop Process:The process is stopped and no more processing is done. No further
output is produced.
lLog Message:Check this option to enable logging a custom error message in the
PlanetPress Workflow log file and in the Windows Application Events.
lMessage:Enabled only when the Log Message option is checked. Enter a message that
will be logged in the PlanetPress Workflow log file. You can use any variables available
in PlanetPress Workflow to customize the message.
lStore the message in variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you
want to store the message content.
lID:Enter an error ID. This IDwill be visible in the Windows Event Viewer. However, the
IDis not visible in the PlanetPress Workflow log file.
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lStore the IDin variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you want to
store the error ID.
lReset to defaults:Resets all options in this tab to their default values.
When storing the message or ID, if they are stored in a jobinfo they will be available in any
error handling process where errors are being forwarded. If your process continues after the
error, the contents of the variables selected in this window will be available to the rest of your
process, or as long as they are not overwritten.
Common Errors
Though some error messages are specific to a task in particular, others may apply to any and
all tasks because they are related more to the system than to PlanetPress itself. Some
examples would be W3813,W3830,W3991,W4005. These correspond to issues such as not
having any space to write files, permission errors on folders or files, etc.
Comments Tab
The Comments tab is common to all tasks. It contains a text area (Task comments)that lets
you write comments about the task. These comments are saved when the dialog is closed with
the OKbutton, and are displayed in the Task Comments Pane.
Check the option Use as step description to display the text next to the icon of the plugin in
the Process area.
Input Error Bin
The Input Error Bin Task is used specifically and only to create error management processes.
These processes do not run on their own but are rather triggered by the On Errortab of tasks in
other processes, when that task fails.
Input
This task receives a data file from a task that generated an error. Accompanying this data file is
the current Job Infos of the process that triggered the error. This means that this input does not
generate its own job infos!
No Metadata is received by this task, and none is generated.
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The following error information is generated by the Input Error Bin starting version 7.5, and is
accessible throughout the process:
l%{error.process}:the process name where the error occurred.
l%{error.tasktype}:the type of the failed task, can be Action, Input, Output, Printer,
Comment and Branch.
l%{error.taskname}: the name of the plugin (the Display Name as seen in the plugin bar).
l%{error.taskindex}:the index of the task in the process (its position in the process).
l%{error.errormsg}: the "Message"specified on the OnError tab of the failed task.
l%{error.errorid}:the error "ID" specified on the OnError tab of the failed task.
Processing
No processing is done by this task.
Output
The output of this task is the same as the input - a data file and job infos that are sent from a
task that generated an error.
General Tab
lThe Input Error Bin task does not have any specific properties unique to it, since it only
receives input directly from tasks in other processes when an error is generated. For more
information, see the chapter on "Debugging and Error Handling" on page55.
"Other" Tab
lJob Information group
lInformation elements:indicates what job infos are automatically created by the
input task.
lAdd lines before first data page:Using the arrows keys you can add any job
information directly at the beginning of your data file.
lBackup input files:Check this to save a copy of each data file that is captured by your
input. These files are saved in the PlanetPress Suite Workflow Tools working folders
under the "Backup"folder.
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lBackup filename:Enter the filename that you wish the input data file backup to be saved
under.
lDelete Existing Metadata:Check to remove any metadata from memory. This option is
disabled on initial input tasks, and is checked by default on secondary input tasks.
Job Information definitions
lThis task does not generate any job information.
On Error Tab
The On Error tab is common to all tasks. Details can be found in the" Task Properties Dialog"
on page777.
By default, any action task, branch, splitter or condition that generates an error will simply be
ignored, and the task just under it (not within a branch)will be given control of the job file
without any modification. Any initial input task that generates an error will stop the process from
running as a whole, and output tasks will not generate output. The On Error tab can be used to
overwrite the default behaviors.
lSend to Process: Check this option to send the job file to an error management process.
lError Process drop-down:Enabled only when the Send to Process option is checked.
Lists any process of which the initial input task is the Input Error Bin task.
lAction:In the initial input tasks, this group is disabled and defaults to Stop Process. In
all other tasks where the On Error tab is present, the following options are available:
lDefault:By default, the task is ignored as if it did not exist and the error is logged
before continuing the branch or process; the job file is passed on to the next task in
the process. When an error occurs in a loop (or in a plugin that acts like a loop), the
loop may log the error, terminate the current iteration and proceed with the next
iteration.
lStop Branch:If the task is in a branch of the process, the branch is stopped and the
job file is returned to the process after the branch. The branch will not produce any
output. If the task is not on a branch, the entire process will be stopped.
lStop Process:The process is stopped and no more processing is done. No further
output is produced.
lLog Message:Check this option to enable logging a custom error message in the
PlanetPress Workflow log file and in the Windows Application Events.
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lMessage:Enabled only when the Log Message option is checked. Enter a message that
will be logged in the PlanetPress Workflow log file. You can use any variables available
in PlanetPress Workflow to customize the message.
lStore the message in variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you
want to store the message content.
lID:Enter an error ID. This IDwill be visible in the Windows Event Viewer. However, the
IDis not visible in the PlanetPress Workflow log file.
lStore the IDin variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you want to
store the error ID.
lReset to defaults:Resets all options in this tab to their default values.
When storing the message or ID, if they are stored in a jobinfo they will be available in any
error handling process where errors are being forwarded. If your process continues after the
error, the contents of the variables selected in this window will be available to the rest of your
process, or as long as they are not overwritten.
Common Errors
Though some error messages are specific to a task in particular, others may apply to any and
all tasks because they are related more to the system than to PlanetPress itself. Some
examples would be W3813,W3830,W3991,W4005. These correspond to issues such as not
having any space to write files, permission errors on folders or files, etc.
Comments Tab
The Comments tab is common to all tasks. It contains a text area (Task comments)that lets
you write comments about the task. These comments are saved when the dialog is closed with
the OKbutton, and are displayed in the Task Comments Pane.
Check the option Use as step description to display the text next to the icon of the plugin in
the Process area.
Input SOAP
The Input SOAP task is used to answer calls from a remote SOAPclient and to return a
response to that request. It is similar in functionality to the "HTTP Server Input" on page228
task.
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Input
This task does not poll any location by itself. It sits there waiting for requests coming in through
WSDL(SOAPcommunication)and, when it receives a request, runs the process and returns
the last output generated by the process to the client.
Processing
No processing is done. The request that is received by this task is XML and it is maintained as
such.
Output
As with the HTTPServer Input, this task has a dual-output purpose. First, when the initial input
task is run, the XMLrequest is output onto the process. Then, when the process is finished, the
last job file generated by the process is returned to the requesting client.
Technical
SOAPcommunication is non-trivial and requires a certain understanding of XMLand the
SOAPprotocol. Using the SOAPtasks pre-supposes this knowledge and this
documentation does not attempt to provide it.
The Input SOAP Task only responds to a single SOAPaction by the client:SubmitJob. Within
this request however, a secondary action (SubmitSOAPActionName)can be specified - this is
what the SOAPAction corresponds to in this task's properties.
General Tab
lSOAP Action: The SOAP action is used with the SubmitJob action. It’s the equivalent of
the process name. The difference is that more than one processes can share the same
SOAP action. That way more than 1 CPU can be used to process all the incoming
requests however this means that all process sharing the same SOAP action must be
identical because there is no way to decide the execution order of all the process.
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"Other" Tab
lJob Information group
lInformation elements:indicates what job infos are automatically created by the
input task.
lAdd lines before first data page:Using the arrows keys you can add any job
information directly at the beginning of your data file.
lBackup input files:Check this to save a copy of each data file that is captured by your
input. These files are saved in the PlanetPress Suite Workflow Tools working folders
under the "Backup"folder.
lBackup filename:Enter the filename that you wish the input data file backup to be saved
under.
lDelete Existing Metadata:Check to remove any metadata from memory. This option is
disabled on initial input tasks, and is checked by default on secondary input tasks.
Job Information definitions
lThis task does not generate any job information.
On Error Tab
The On Error tab is common to all tasks. Details can be found in the" Task Properties Dialog"
on page777.
By default, any action task, branch, splitter or condition that generates an error will simply be
ignored, and the task just under it (not within a branch)will be given control of the job file
without any modification. Any initial input task that generates an error will stop the process from
running as a whole, and output tasks will not generate output. The On Error tab can be used to
overwrite the default behaviors.
lSend to Process: Check this option to send the job file to an error management process.
lError Process drop-down:Enabled only when the Send to Process option is checked.
Lists any process of which the initial input task is the Input Error Bin task.
lAction:In the initial input tasks, this group is disabled and defaults to Stop Process. In
all other tasks where the On Error tab is present, the following options are available:
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lDefault:By default, the task is ignored as if it did not exist and the error is logged
before continuing the branch or process; the job file is passed on to the next task in
the process. When an error occurs in a loop (or in a plugin that acts like a loop), the
loop may log the error, terminate the current iteration and proceed with the next
iteration.
lStop Branch:If the task is in a branch of the process, the branch is stopped and the
job file is returned to the process after the branch. The branch will not produce any
output. If the task is not on a branch, the entire process will be stopped.
lStop Process:The process is stopped and no more processing is done. No further
output is produced.
lLog Message:Check this option to enable logging a custom error message in the
PlanetPress Workflow log file and in the Windows Application Events.
lMessage:Enabled only when the Log Message option is checked. Enter a message that
will be logged in the PlanetPress Workflow log file. You can use any variables available
in PlanetPress Workflow to customize the message.
lStore the message in variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you
want to store the message content.
lID:Enter an error ID. This IDwill be visible in the Windows Event Viewer. However, the
IDis not visible in the PlanetPress Workflow log file.
lStore the IDin variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you want to
store the error ID.
lReset to defaults:Resets all options in this tab to their default values.
When storing the message or ID, if they are stored in a jobinfo they will be available in any
error handling process where errors are being forwarded. If your process continues after the
error, the contents of the variables selected in this window will be available to the rest of your
process, or as long as they are not overwritten.
Common Errors
Though some error messages are specific to a task in particular, others may apply to any and
all tasks because they are related more to the system than to PlanetPress itself. Some
examples would be W3813,W3830,W3991,W4005. These correspond to issues such as not
having any space to write files, permission errors on folders or files, etc.
Page 239
Comments Tab
The Comments tab is common to all tasks. It contains a text area (Task comments)that lets
you write comments about the task. These comments are saved when the dialog is closed with
the OKbutton, and are displayed in the Task Comments Pane.
Check the option Use as step description to display the text next to the icon of the plugin in
the Process area.
LPD Input
LPD (Line Printer Daemon) input tasks retrieve data in the form of print files sent from remote
computers using the LPD/LPR protocol. ThePlanetPress Workflow LPD server starts
automatically when a configuration that includes at least one active LPD Input task is started.
To prevent conflicts between competing LPD servers, you must not run any other LPD server
than the PlanetPress Workflow LPD server on PlanetPress Workflow workstation.
LPD tasks are configured primarily through user options (See "LPD Input plugin preferences"
on page757). The only LDP information you enter in each LPD task is the queue name.
Input
This task does not poll an input, it sits there and waits for a job file to be sent through the
LPRport.
Processing
When the job is received through LPR, it is saved as a job file. No further processing is done on
the file.
Output
The task outputs the job file as is, with no evaluation or modification.
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Properties
General tab
lLPD queue name: Enter the queue name specified in the printer queue on the remote
computer or computers.
"Other" Tab
lJob Information group
lInformation elements:indicates what job infos are automatically created by the
input task.
lAdd lines before first data page:Using the arrows keys you can add any job
information directly at the beginning of your data file.
lBackup input files:Check this to save a copy of each data file that is captured by your
input. These files are saved in the PlanetPress Suite Workflow Tools working folders
under the "Backup"folder.
lBackup filename:Enter the filename that you wish the input data file backup to be saved
under.
lDelete Existing Metadata:Check to remove any metadata from memory. This option is
disabled on initial input tasks, and is checked by default on secondary input tasks.
Job Information definitions
l%1- User name:Contains the user name of the user who sent the job to the printer, or
the user for which a software sending the job was logged in under.
l%2 - Host computer:Contains the name of the computer from which the job was sent.
l%3 - Job name:Contains the name of the job as specified by the software that sent the
job.
l%4 - Source file name:Contains the name of the job file as specified by the software that
sent the job.
l%5 - Sender's IPaddress:Contains the IPaddress from which the job was sent.
On Error Tab
The On Error tab is common to all tasks. Details can be found in the" Task Properties Dialog"
on page777.
Page 241
By default, any action task, branch, splitter or condition that generates an error will simply be
ignored, and the task just under it (not within a branch)will be given control of the job file
without any modification. Any initial input task that generates an error will stop the process from
running as a whole, and output tasks will not generate output. The On Error tab can be used to
overwrite the default behaviors.
lSend to Process: Check this option to send the job file to an error management process.
lError Process drop-down:Enabled only when the Send to Process option is checked.
Lists any process of which the initial input task is the Input Error Bin task.
lAction:In the initial input tasks, this group is disabled and defaults to Stop Process. In
all other tasks where the On Error tab is present, the following options are available:
lDefault:By default, the task is ignored as if it did not exist and the error is logged
before continuing the branch or process; the job file is passed on to the next task in
the process. When an error occurs in a loop (or in a plugin that acts like a loop), the
loop may log the error, terminate the current iteration and proceed with the next
iteration.
lStop Branch:If the task is in a branch of the process, the branch is stopped and the
job file is returned to the process after the branch. The branch will not produce any
output. If the task is not on a branch, the entire process will be stopped.
lStop Process:The process is stopped and no more processing is done. No further
output is produced.
lLog Message:Check this option to enable logging a custom error message in the
PlanetPress Workflow log file and in the Windows Application Events.
lMessage:Enabled only when the Log Message option is checked. Enter a message that
will be logged in the PlanetPress Workflow log file. You can use any variables available
in PlanetPress Workflow to customize the message.
lStore the message in variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you
want to store the message content.
lID:Enter an error ID. This IDwill be visible in the Windows Event Viewer. However, the
IDis not visible in the PlanetPress Workflow log file.
lStore the IDin variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you want to
store the error ID.
lReset to defaults:Resets all options in this tab to their default values.
When storing the message or ID, if they are stored in a jobinfo they will be available in any
error handling process where errors are being forwarded. If your process continues after the
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error, the contents of the variables selected in this window will be available to the rest of your
process, or as long as they are not overwritten.
Common Errors
Though some error messages are specific to a task in particular, others may apply to any and
all tasks because they are related more to the system than to PlanetPress itself. Some
examples would be W3813,W3830,W3991,W4005. These correspond to issues such as not
having any space to write files, permission errors on folders or files, etc.
Comments Tab
The Comments tab is common to all tasks. It contains a text area (Task comments)that lets
you write comments about the task. These comments are saved when the dialog is closed with
the OKbutton, and are displayed in the Task Comments Pane.
Check the option Use as step description to display the text next to the icon of the plugin in
the Process area.
Merge PDF Files
The Merge PDF Files input task (previously named "Concatenate PDFFiles")captures all
PDF files in a given folder and merges them into a single PDFfile.
Note
This feature is part of the PDFTools, which is only available in PlanetPress Workflow.
Input
This task captures all of the PDF files present in a specific folder, in one operation.
The Merge PDF Files input task performs just like any other input: once the process has
completed, control is transferred back to the input one last time to check if new files meeting the
mask have come in. This means that the merging of PDF files that are not all present at the start
of the process may take several passes, which may have an adverse effect on the overall
performance and the size of the resulting PDF.
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Processing
Once all PDF files are captured, their original copies are deleted from the input folder (or
tagged as Archive if this option is selected) and they are merged into a single PDF. This is
done in a single operation, not incrementally, meaning the file is built once and, if the option is
chosen, optimized once.
Output
Asingle PDFcontaining as many pages as all the combined input PDFs is generated. If the
option is selected, this PDFis optimized. An optional metadata file is also created, containing
information about the PDFs. This metadata is divided such that each PDFfile is its own
document, which can contain multiple data pages.
General tab
lFolder: Enter the full path of the folder from which the input files are to be taken.
lMasks: Enter a single or multiple file names or use file name masks. See Masks. Since
this task only supports PDFfiles, make sure your extension remains .PDF for all your
masks.
lSort files by: Select a given sorting method to prompt PlanetPress Workflow to sort the
files in the source folder before taking them (and thus to take them in a specific order).
Select None to let PlanetPress Workflow take the files without sorting them first.
lSort order: If you selected a sorting method in the Sort files by box, select the order in
which you want the files to be sorted.
lUse archive attribute: Select to turn on the archive attribute of the data files found in the
source folder and to leave them in their original location (i.e. to take copies of the source
files). Note that PlanetPress Workflow never takes source files that have their archive
attribute turned on (so the source files will not be taken again and again). When this
option is turned off, PlanetPress Workflow removes data files from the source location.
lCapture files in sub-directories also: Select to capture files from child folders of the
source folder as well. When this option is selected, the chosen Sort order is applied to
each separate folder, not across folders. The subfolders themselves are always
processed in alphabetical order, regardless of the sort order.
lSort directories first: If you selected a sorting method in the Sort files by box, and if you
want the folders present in the source folder to be sorted first, select this option.
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lOptimize resulting PDF: Select to specify whether the resulting PDF should be
optimized. Optimization can lead to a significant reduction in the size of the PDF, but it
may also add a certain amount of time to the process. This option should only be
unchecked if the timing of the process is critical and needs to be done quickly, but keep in
mind that the resulting PDFmay be much larger than it should be and may even be too
large for PlanetPress Workflow to handle.
lCreate Metadata:Select to specify that a basic metadata structure should be created for
the resulting PDF file. The metadata structure created will contain a single Job separated
by one Document per captured PDFfile. Within each Document, one Data Page
containing a single Page is created for each page of the PDF file.
Note
Metadata can be manipulated with the Metadata Tasks, See "Metadata Tasks" on
page509.
"Other" Tab
lJob Information group
lInformation elements:indicates what job infos are automatically created by the
input task.
lAdd lines before first data page:Using the arrows keys you can add any job
information directly at the beginning of your data file.
lBackup input files:Check this to save a copy of each data file that is captured by your
input. These files are saved in the PlanetPress Suite Workflow Tools working folders
under the "Backup"folder.
lBackup filename:Enter the filename that you wish the input data file backup to be saved
under.
lDelete Existing Metadata:Check to remove any metadata from memory. This option is
disabled on initial input tasks, and is checked by default on secondary input tasks.
Job Information definitions
l%1- PDFDirectory:Contains the folder from which the data was captured.
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Examples &Use Cases
This task is put into effect in the following use cases and example processes:
lDaily Sales Report from PDF Files
On Error Tab
The On Error tab is common to all tasks. Details can be found in the" Task Properties Dialog"
on page777.
By default, any action task, branch, splitter or condition that generates an error will simply be
ignored, and the task just under it (not within a branch)will be given control of the job file
without any modification. Any initial input task that generates an error will stop the process from
running as a whole, and output tasks will not generate output. The On Error tab can be used to
overwrite the default behaviors.
lSend to Process: Check this option to send the job file to an error management process.
lError Process drop-down:Enabled only when the Send to Process option is checked.
Lists any process of which the initial input task is the Input Error Bin task.
lAction:In the initial input tasks, this group is disabled and defaults to Stop Process. In
all other tasks where the On Error tab is present, the following options are available:
lDefault:By default, the task is ignored as if it did not exist and the error is logged
before continuing the branch or process; the job file is passed on to the next task in
the process. When an error occurs in a loop (or in a plugin that acts like a loop), the
loop may log the error, terminate the current iteration and proceed with the next
iteration.
lStop Branch:If the task is in a branch of the process, the branch is stopped and the
job file is returned to the process after the branch. The branch will not produce any
output. If the task is not on a branch, the entire process will be stopped.
lStop Process:The process is stopped and no more processing is done. No further
output is produced.
lLog Message:Check this option to enable logging a custom error message in the
PlanetPress Workflow log file and in the Windows Application Events.
lMessage:Enabled only when the Log Message option is checked. Enter a message that
will be logged in the PlanetPress Workflow log file. You can use any variables available
in PlanetPress Workflow to customize the message.
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lStore the message in variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you
want to store the message content.
lID:Enter an error ID. This IDwill be visible in the Windows Event Viewer. However, the
IDis not visible in the PlanetPress Workflow log file.
lStore the IDin variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you want to
store the error ID.
lReset to defaults:Resets all options in this tab to their default values.
When storing the message or ID, if they are stored in a jobinfo they will be available in any
error handling process where errors are being forwarded. If your process continues after the
error, the contents of the variables selected in this window will be available to the rest of your
process, or as long as they are not overwritten.
Common Errors
Though some error messages are specific to a task in particular, others may apply to any and
all tasks because they are related more to the system than to PlanetPress itself. Some
examples would be W3813,W3830,W3991,W4005. These correspond to issues such as not
having any space to write files, permission errors on folders or files, etc.
Comments Tab
The Comments tab is common to all tasks. It contains a text area (Task comments)that lets
you write comments about the task. These comments are saved when the dialog is closed with
the OKbutton, and are displayed in the Task Comments Pane.
Check the option Use as step description to display the text next to the icon of the plugin in
the Process area.
Serial Input
Serial Input tasks receive files sent to a serial port on the computer running PlanetPress
Workflow. All the Serial Input tasks in aPlanetPress Workflow configuration share the same
general properties, which are configured through user options (see "Serial Input plugin
preferences" on page758). Only the properties set in the Other and Error tabs are specific to
individual tasks.
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Input
This task does not poll an input, it sits there and waits for a job file to be sent through the Serial
connection.
Processing
When the job is received through the Serial connection, it is saved as a job file. No further
processing is done on the file.
Output
The task outputs the job file as is, with no evaluation or modification.
General Tab
lSince Serial Input tasks have no specific task configurable properties, this section
contains no property information.
"Other" Tab
lJob Information group
lInformation elements:indicates what job infos are automatically created by the
input task.
lAdd lines before first data page:Using the arrows keys you can add any job
information directly at the beginning of your data file.
lBackup input files:Check this to save a copy of each data file that is captured by your
input. These files are saved in the PlanetPress Suite Workflow Tools working folders
under the "Backup"folder.
lBackup filename:Enter the filename that you wish the input data file backup to be saved
under.
lDelete Existing Metadata:Check to remove any metadata from memory. This option is
disabled on initial input tasks, and is checked by default on secondary input tasks.
Job Information definitions
l%1 - Source file name:Contains the name of the job file as specified by the software that
sent the job.
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On Error Tab
The On Error tab is common to all tasks. Details can be found in the" Task Properties Dialog"
on page777.
By default, any action task, branch, splitter or condition that generates an error will simply be
ignored, and the task just under it (not within a branch)will be given control of the job file
without any modification. Any initial input task that generates an error will stop the process from
running as a whole, and output tasks will not generate output. The On Error tab can be used to
overwrite the default behaviors.
lSend to Process: Check this option to send the job file to an error management process.
lError Process drop-down:Enabled only when the Send to Process option is checked.
Lists any process of which the initial input task is the Input Error Bin task.
lAction:In the initial input tasks, this group is disabled and defaults to Stop Process. In
all other tasks where the On Error tab is present, the following options are available:
lDefault:By default, the task is ignored as if it did not exist and the error is logged
before continuing the branch or process; the job file is passed on to the next task in
the process. When an error occurs in a loop (or in a plugin that acts like a loop), the
loop may log the error, terminate the current iteration and proceed with the next
iteration.
lStop Branch:If the task is in a branch of the process, the branch is stopped and the
job file is returned to the process after the branch. The branch will not produce any
output. If the task is not on a branch, the entire process will be stopped.
lStop Process:The process is stopped and no more processing is done. No further
output is produced.
lLog Message:Check this option to enable logging a custom error message in the
PlanetPress Workflow log file and in the Windows Application Events.
lMessage:Enabled only when the Log Message option is checked. Enter a message that
will be logged in the PlanetPress Workflow log file. You can use any variables available
in PlanetPress Workflow to customize the message.
lStore the message in variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you
want to store the message content.
lID:Enter an error ID. This IDwill be visible in the Windows Event Viewer. However, the
IDis not visible in the PlanetPress Workflow log file.
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lStore the IDin variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you want to
store the error ID.
lReset to defaults:Resets all options in this tab to their default values.
When storing the message or ID, if they are stored in a jobinfo they will be available in any
error handling process where errors are being forwarded. If your process continues after the
error, the contents of the variables selected in this window will be available to the rest of your
process, or as long as they are not overwritten.
Common Errors
Though some error messages are specific to a task in particular, others may apply to any and
all tasks because they are related more to the system than to PlanetPress itself. Some
examples would be W3813,W3830,W3991,W4005. These correspond to issues such as not
having any space to write files, permission errors on folders or files, etc.
Comments Tab
The Comments tab is common to all tasks. It contains a text area (Task comments)that lets
you write comments about the task. These comments are saved when the dialog is closed with
the OKbutton, and are displayed in the Task Comments Pane.
Check the option Use as step description to display the text next to the icon of the plugin in
the Process area.
SFTP Input
The SFTP Input task retrieves files from a secure FTP site through an encrypted connection.
Masks are typically used to select multiple files to be retrieved from the server.
Input
The SFTPInput connects to the specified FTPserver and path, and retrieves a list of all files
corresponding to the specified mask. These files may be of any format, even formats that are
not readable by PlanetPress Workflow. The files are not deleted from the server when they are
downloaded. They are added to a list of processed files for this server. These lists are located
under C:\ProgramData\Objectif Lune\.
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Processing
Each file capture by the input is sent down through the process, one at a time. When the file is
finished, the process goes back to the input which feeds another file down, as long as there are
files in the queue. Once all the files are gone, the task polls the FTPfolder again to see if new
files are present and, if so, the process continues with these files. Otherwise, the process ends.
Output
The output to this task is a series of individual files, one after the other. These files are not
modified in any way from when they are captured from the source FTPserver.
Properties
General tab
lServer Settings group
lFTP Server: Enter the IP address or host name of the FTP server to poll.
lUser name: Enter the name of a user account on the FTP server.
lPassword: If account named in the User name box is password protected, enter the
password here.
lProtocol group
lSFTP: Select if the FTPserver uses SFTP(SSH).
lFTPS:Select if the FTPserver uses FTPS(SSL/TSL)
lPort Number Group
lUse default port:Check to use the default port used by the protocol selected
above.
lPort number: Set to use a specific port number. Note: There is no validation to
ensure the port is available. It is the user's responsibility to ensure the selected port
is available and not being monitored by another application or another PlanetPress
Workflow task.
lFile Options group
lDirectory: Enter the path of the folder to poll on the FTP server. If this box is left
empty, PlanetPress Workflow will poll the root directory.
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Note
The given directory will be looked up from the user's home directory. Such a home
directory is usually under the server main user directory and generally includes the
user’s name. For example, if "/tmp/temp/copy_pending" is entered, it does not point
to the "/tmp/temp/copy_pending" directory but to the "/users/support/tmp/temp/copy_
pending" directory.
lMasks: Enter a single file name mask. Multiple entries are not allowed in this box.
lDelete remote file:Check this option to delete the file after it has been retrieved by
Workflow.
lConnection mode group:This group is only relevant to the FTPSprotocol and appears
when it is selected. SFTPuses a single connection to download all files.
lActive: Select to prompt the ftp client to use the active mode when retrieving files
from the FTP server.
lPassive: Select to prompt the ftp client to use the passive mode when retrieving
files from the FTP server.
lReset Download List:
Security Tab
This tab defines the certificates used to connect to the secured FTPservers.
lAccept all certificates:Check this option to automatically accept the certificates returned
by the FTPserver. Otherwise, in order for a connection to work, you have to establish a
connection first and then accept a certificate from the List of known servers up to the
Approved server list.
lApproved Server list:Displays a list of servers that were approved for connection:
lServer:The name of the server the certificate belongs to.
lFingerprint:The RSAfingerprint of the server.
lRemove:Click to remove the server from the approved list.
lList of known servers:Displays a list of servers that were connected to, whether they
are approved or not.
lServer:The name of the server the certificate belongs to.
lFingerprint:The RSAfingerprint of the server.
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lApprove:Click to add the server to the list of approved servers.
lRefresh:Click to refresh the list of known servers
"Other" Tab
lJob Information group
lInformation elements:indicates what job infos are automatically created by the
input task.
lAdd lines before first data page:Using the arrows keys you can add any job
information directly at the beginning of your data file.
lBackup input files:Check this to save a copy of each data file that is captured by your
input. These files are saved in the PlanetPress Suite Workflow Tools working folders
under the "Backup"folder.
lBackup filename:Enter the filename that you wish the input data file backup to be saved
under.
lDelete Existing Metadata:Check to remove any metadata from memory. This option is
disabled on initial input tasks, and is checked by default on secondary input tasks.
Job Information definitions
l%1- User name:Contains the user name that was used to connect to the FTPserver.
This is useful if this task is used as a secondary input and the information is defined
dynamically.
l%2 - FTPServer:Contains the FTP address of the server from which the files were
retrieved.
l%3 - Source file name:Contains the name of the current file that was retrieved from the
server.
l%4 - Folder:Contains the FTPfolder from which the current file was retrieved.
On Error Tab
The On Error tab is common to all tasks. Details can be found in the" Task Properties Dialog"
on page777.
By default, any action task, branch, splitter or condition that generates an error will simply be
ignored, and the task just under it (not within a branch)will be given control of the job file
without any modification. Any initial input task that generates an error will stop the process from
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running as a whole, and output tasks will not generate output. The On Error tab can be used to
overwrite the default behaviors.
lSend to Process: Check this option to send the job file to an error management process.
lError Process drop-down:Enabled only when the Send to Process option is checked.
Lists any process of which the initial input task is the Input Error Bin task.
lAction:In the initial input tasks, this group is disabled and defaults to Stop Process. In
all other tasks where the On Error tab is present, the following options are available:
lDefault:By default, the task is ignored as if it did not exist and the error is logged
before continuing the branch or process; the job file is passed on to the next task in
the process. When an error occurs in a loop (or in a plugin that acts like a loop), the
loop may log the error, terminate the current iteration and proceed with the next
iteration.
lStop Branch:If the task is in a branch of the process, the branch is stopped and the
job file is returned to the process after the branch. The branch will not produce any
output. If the task is not on a branch, the entire process will be stopped.
lStop Process:The process is stopped and no more processing is done. No further
output is produced.
lLog Message:Check this option to enable logging a custom error message in the
PlanetPress Workflow log file and in the Windows Application Events.
lMessage:Enabled only when the Log Message option is checked. Enter a message that
will be logged in the PlanetPress Workflow log file. You can use any variables available
in PlanetPress Workflow to customize the message.
lStore the message in variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you
want to store the message content.
lID:Enter an error ID. This IDwill be visible in the Windows Event Viewer. However, the
IDis not visible in the PlanetPress Workflow log file.
lStore the IDin variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you want to
store the error ID.
lReset to defaults:Resets all options in this tab to their default values.
When storing the message or ID, if they are stored in a jobinfo they will be available in any
error handling process where errors are being forwarded. If your process continues after the
error, the contents of the variables selected in this window will be available to the rest of your
process, or as long as they are not overwritten.
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Common Errors
Though some error messages are specific to a task in particular, others may apply to any and
all tasks because they are related more to the system than to PlanetPress itself. Some
examples would be W3813,W3830,W3991,W4005. These correspond to issues such as not
having any space to write files, permission errors on folders or files, etc.
Comments Tab
The Comments tab is common to all tasks. It contains a text area (Task comments)that lets
you write comments about the task. These comments are saved when the dialog is closed with
the OKbutton, and are displayed in the Task Comments Pane.
Check the option Use as step description to display the text next to the icon of the plugin in
the Process area.
SMTP Input
SMTPinput tasks are used to receive SMTP requests made by any email client or other
SMTPcommands and can act as an SMTPproxy, processing emails before they are sent to
another SMTPserver. In order for this task to receive files, the SMTPServer (also called
"Outgoing Email Server")in the email client must point to PlanetPress Workflow server's IPor
hostname.
Warning
Emails received through this task will not reach their intended destination if the process
does not end with a Send Email Output Task, or contain the PlanetPress Connect
"Create Email Content" on page562 task.
Input
The SMTPInput task does not, by itself, capture any files. Neither does it directly wait for
requests to be received. Actually, it is the SMTPServer service that receives the requests and
places them in a specific location on the drive. When a request is received, the SMTP Input
polls that location and finds the requests and all attachments. It will always pick up the
"oldest"request received.
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Warning
In its initial implementation, the SMTPInput task will NOTreceive the BCCaddresses
from most emails sent to it. This is due to a technical limitation that will be resolved in a
future version.
Processing
The task reads the incoming SMTPrequest and provides the data within its body.
Output
Depending on the Data Location option, the output is different:
lEnvelope: The request file in XMLformat, including all email fields (from, to, cc, bcc,
subject, body) as well as additional header fields (email client information, attachments,
etc). The message body and attachments are available through specific XMLattributes.
These files do not have the full path, but you can use the %t%O variable to get the current
temporary folder where they are located.
Tip
Suppose we have two files named in the XML file under /ppemail[1]/@rawemail and
/ppemail[1]/body[1]/@html respectively.
With %t%O\xmlget('/ppemail[1]/body[1]/@html',Value,KeepCase,NoTrim)
and %t%O\xmlget('/ppemail[1]/@rawemail',Value,KeepCase,NoTrim)
We get both the body and the whole raw email.
lAttachments:The input task loops through each attachment and sends them down
through the process. While the Envelope is not available, the Job Infos contain pretty
much all of the information you would get from it.
SMTPInput task properties are as follows:
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lData location:Determines what files are sent into the process:
lEnvelope:Only the request envelope is sent to the process (see above).
lAttachments: Each attachment is sent down the process (see above).
lUnzip attached file: Select to unzip the attached files.
lZip password: Enter the password required to unzip the attached files (if any). Note
that you can use variables and data selections.
lConditions:Defines a filter on capturing files from the SMTPService's hot folder. When a
condition is added, only files that match this filter are captured, the rest remain untouched.
l“Subject” contains: Select to limit those messages used by this task to those with
a specific subject. The subject you enter in the box below can include variables and
wildcards.
lNothing: Select to limit those messages used by this task to those that do not
specify any subject.
l“From” contains: Select to limit those messages used by this task to those that are
sent from a specific address. The address you enter in the box below can include
variables and wildcards.
l“To” contains: Select to limit those messages used by this task to those that are
sent to a specific address. The address you enter in the box below can include
variables and wildcards.
"Other" Tab
lJob Information group
lInformation elements:indicates what job infos are automatically created by the
input task.
lAdd lines before first data page:Using the arrows keys you can add any job
information directly at the beginning of your data file.
lBackup input files:Check this to save a copy of each data file that is captured by your
input. These files are saved in the PlanetPress Suite Workflow Tools working folders
under the "Backup"folder.
lBackup filename:Enter the filename that you wish the input data file backup to be saved
under.
lDelete Existing Metadata:Check to remove any metadata from memory. This option is
disabled on initial input tasks, and is checked by default on secondary input tasks.
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Job Information definitions
l%1- Date Received:Contains the date and time at which the email was received.
l%2 - Originator Name:Contains the Name of the sender (in the from field).
l%3 - Originator Address:Contains the Email address of the sender (in the from field).
l%4 - Recipients:Contains the recipient(s)of the email (in the to field).
l%5 - CC:Contains the Carbon Copy recipient if there is one (in the cc field).
l%6 - BCC:Contains the Blind Carbon Copy recipient if there is one (in the bcc field).
l%7 - Subject:Contains the subject line of the email.
l%8 - Header:Contains the headers of the message (in multiple lines separated by a line
return).
l%9 - Body:Contains the body text of the message.
On Error Tab
The On Error tab is common to all tasks. Details can be found in the" Task Properties Dialog"
on page777.
By default, any action task, branch, splitter or condition that generates an error will simply be
ignored, and the task just under it (not within a branch)will be given control of the job file
without any modification. Any initial input task that generates an error will stop the process from
running as a whole, and output tasks will not generate output. The On Error tab can be used to
overwrite the default behaviors.
lSend to Process: Check this option to send the job file to an error management process.
lError Process drop-down:Enabled only when the Send to Process option is checked.
Lists any process of which the initial input task is the Input Error Bin task.
lAction:In the initial input tasks, this group is disabled and defaults to Stop Process. In
all other tasks where the On Error tab is present, the following options are available:
lDefault:By default, the task is ignored as if it did not exist and the error is logged
before continuing the branch or process; the job file is passed on to the next task in
the process. When an error occurs in a loop (or in a plugin that acts like a loop), the
loop may log the error, terminate the current iteration and proceed with the next
iteration.
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lStop Branch:If the task is in a branch of the process, the branch is stopped and the
job file is returned to the process after the branch. The branch will not produce any
output. If the task is not on a branch, the entire process will be stopped.
lStop Process:The process is stopped and no more processing is done. No further
output is produced.
lLog Message:Check this option to enable logging a custom error message in the
PlanetPress Workflow log file and in the Windows Application Events.
lMessage:Enabled only when the Log Message option is checked. Enter a message that
will be logged in the PlanetPress Workflow log file. You can use any variables available
in PlanetPress Workflow to customize the message.
lStore the message in variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you
want to store the message content.
lID:Enter an error ID. This IDwill be visible in the Windows Event Viewer. However, the
IDis not visible in the PlanetPress Workflow log file.
lStore the IDin variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you want to
store the error ID.
lReset to defaults:Resets all options in this tab to their default values.
When storing the message or ID, if they are stored in a jobinfo they will be available in any
error handling process where errors are being forwarded. If your process continues after the
error, the contents of the variables selected in this window will be available to the rest of your
process, or as long as they are not overwritten.
Common Errors
Though some error messages are specific to a task in particular, others may apply to any and
all tasks because they are related more to the system than to PlanetPress itself. Some
examples would be W3813,W3830,W3991,W4005. These correspond to issues such as not
having any space to write files, permission errors on folders or files, etc.
Comments Tab
The Comments tab is common to all tasks. It contains a text area (Task comments)that lets
you write comments about the task. These comments are saved when the dialog is closed with
the OKbutton, and are displayed in the Task Comments Pane.
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Check the option Use as step description to display the text next to the icon of the plugin in
the Process area.
Example
In this example, the SMTP Input plugin is used to capture incoming emails data that must meet
certain conditions as the subject that contains "Work to do" and the sender that contains
"client@company.com ". The process then redirects the content of those emails to an extraction
and finally to a PDF printing.
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Telnet Input
The Telnet Input Task (also known as the Raw Socket Printing Input)receives files sent to a
specific port. If you want PlanetPress Workflow to receive data using multiple ports, you must
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use multiple Telnet input tasks. To turn on or off the Telnet logging option, see the user options
(see "Telnet Input plugin preferences" on page759).
Input
This task does not poll an input, it sits there and waits for a job file to be sent through the Telnet
port.
Processing
When the job is received through Telnet, it is saved as a job file. No further processing is done
on the file.
Output
The task outputs the job file as is, with no evaluation or modification.
Properties
General tab
lPort: Enter the number of the port on which PlanetPress Workflow is to listen for Raw
Socket communications. The default port number is 9100. Bear in mind that no two input
tasks, whatever their type (Telnet, serial, LDP, etc.), should be listening to the same port.
lDescription: PlanetPress Workflow displays the name of the service or process assigned
to the port number entered in the Port box. Note that these are standard Internet Assigned
Numbers Authority (IANA) descriptions.
"Other" Tab
lJob Information group
lInformation elements:indicates what job infos are automatically created by the
input task.
lAdd lines before first data page:Using the arrows keys you can add any job
information directly at the beginning of your data file.
lBackup input files:Check this to save a copy of each data file that is captured by your
input. These files are saved in the PlanetPress Suite Workflow Tools working folders
under the "Backup"folder.
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lBackup filename:Enter the filename that you wish the input data file backup to be saved
under.
lDelete Existing Metadata:Check to remove any metadata from memory. This option is
disabled on initial input tasks, and is checked by default on secondary input tasks.
Job Information definitions
lThis task does not generate any job information.
On Error Tab
The On Error tab is common to all tasks. Details can be found in the" Task Properties Dialog"
on page777.
By default, any action task, branch, splitter or condition that generates an error will simply be
ignored, and the task just under it (not within a branch)will be given control of the job file
without any modification. Any initial input task that generates an error will stop the process from
running as a whole, and output tasks will not generate output. The On Error tab can be used to
overwrite the default behaviors.
lSend to Process: Check this option to send the job file to an error management process.
lError Process drop-down:Enabled only when the Send to Process option is checked.
Lists any process of which the initial input task is the Input Error Bin task.
lAction:In the initial input tasks, this group is disabled and defaults to Stop Process. In
all other tasks where the On Error tab is present, the following options are available:
lDefault:By default, the task is ignored as if it did not exist and the error is logged
before continuing the branch or process; the job file is passed on to the next task in
the process. When an error occurs in a loop (or in a plugin that acts like a loop), the
loop may log the error, terminate the current iteration and proceed with the next
iteration.
lStop Branch:If the task is in a branch of the process, the branch is stopped and the
job file is returned to the process after the branch. The branch will not produce any
output. If the task is not on a branch, the entire process will be stopped.
lStop Process:The process is stopped and no more processing is done. No further
output is produced.
lLog Message:Check this option to enable logging a custom error message in the
PlanetPress Workflow log file and in the Windows Application Events.
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lMessage:Enabled only when the Log Message option is checked. Enter a message that
will be logged in the PlanetPress Workflow log file. You can use any variables available
in PlanetPress Workflow to customize the message.
lStore the message in variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you
want to store the message content.
lID:Enter an error ID. This IDwill be visible in the Windows Event Viewer. However, the
IDis not visible in the PlanetPress Workflow log file.
lStore the IDin variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you want to
store the error ID.
lReset to defaults:Resets all options in this tab to their default values.
When storing the message or ID, if they are stored in a jobinfo they will be available in any
error handling process where errors are being forwarded. If your process continues after the
error, the contents of the variables selected in this window will be available to the rest of your
process, or as long as they are not overwritten.
Common Errors
Though some error messages are specific to a task in particular, others may apply to any and
all tasks because they are related more to the system than to PlanetPress itself. Some
examples would be W3813,W3830,W3991,W4005. These correspond to issues such as not
having any space to write files, permission errors on folders or files, etc.
Comments Tab
The Comments tab is common to all tasks. It contains a text area (Task comments)that lets
you write comments about the task. These comments are saved when the dialog is closed with
the OKbutton, and are displayed in the Task Comments Pane.
Check the option Use as step description to display the text next to the icon of the plugin in
the Process area.
WinQueue Input
WinQueue input tasks capture print jobs received by a Windows printer queue.
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Note
Before you go through the following procedure, on the computer running PlanetPress
Workflow you will need to create a local printer queue that will be used to receive data
files in the form of print jobs. This queue can be shared, so as to be able to receive jobs
sent from local as well as remote users.
To ensure that the spooled files created by PlanetPress Workflow queue remain in the spool
folder, the printer queue must be paused.
Input
The WinQueue input regularly polls the selected printer queue for new jobs. When a new job is
available, it is captured automatically by this task.
Processing
The print job, by default, is in EMFformat. If this option is selected, no action is taken on the
data file. However, if the RAWformat is selected, the job is converted to RAW. Furthermore, if
the Create PDFoption is selected, the file is converted to a PDF, including metadata.
Output
Either one of 3 formats is output from this task:
lAn EMFjob format
lA RAWjob format
lA PDF with attached metadata.
Properties
General tab
lPrinter queue: Select the PlanetPress Workflow printer queue (the one to which data
files are going to be sent).
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lPrinter properties group
lSpool Print Job ins EMFFormat (Advanced printing features): Select to create
EMF files for Windows Print Converter action tasks (see "Windows Print Converter"
on page362). Note that this option must not be selected when capturing generic text
type data.
lSpool Print Jobs in RAWFormat: Select to output in RAW format, which is the
exactly the data that the computer receives (and is not converted in any way).
lCreate PDF(With Metadata): Select to output a PDF which can be used by
the Document Input (PDFInput)feature in PlanetPress Workflow.
lOptimize Resulting PDF:The resulting PDF is optimized for size and
caching options are enabled. This reduces the size of the PDFs
(depending on some factors), but may take more time to output the PDF.
lInclude empty files:Check to process empty incoming jobs. The output will be empty,
the job is deleted from the print queue, and the job information is available in the process
(sending computer and user name, etc).
"Other" Tab
lJob Information group
lInformation elements:indicates what job infos are automatically created by the
input task.
lAdd lines before first data page:Using the arrows keys you can add any job
information directly at the beginning of your data file.
lBackup input files:Check this to save a copy of each data file that is captured by your
input. These files are saved in the PlanetPress Suite Workflow Tools working folders
under the "Backup"folder.
lBackup filename:Enter the filename that you wish the input data file backup to be saved
under.
lDelete Existing Metadata:Check to remove any metadata from memory. This option is
disabled on initial input tasks, and is checked by default on secondary input tasks.
Job Information definitions
l%1- User name:Contains the user name of the user who sent the job to the printer, or
the user un which a software sending the job was logged in under.
l%2 - Host computer:Contains the name of the computer from which the job was sent.
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l%3 - Printer name:Contains the name of the printer in which the job was received. Is the
same for all jobs received on any given printer.
l%4 - Document name:Contains the name of the job as seen in the printer queue from
which it is captured. This name is defined by the software that creates the print job.
On Error Tab
The On Error tab is common to all tasks. Details can be found in the" Task Properties Dialog"
on page777.
By default, any action task, branch, splitter or condition that generates an error will simply be
ignored, and the task just under it (not within a branch)will be given control of the job file
without any modification. Any initial input task that generates an error will stop the process from
running as a whole, and output tasks will not generate output. The On Error tab can be used to
overwrite the default behaviors.
lSend to Process: Check this option to send the job file to an error management process.
lError Process drop-down:Enabled only when the Send to Process option is checked.
Lists any process of which the initial input task is the Input Error Bin task.
lAction:In the initial input tasks, this group is disabled and defaults to Stop Process. In
all other tasks where the On Error tab is present, the following options are available:
lDefault:By default, the task is ignored as if it did not exist and the error is logged
before continuing the branch or process; the job file is passed on to the next task in
the process. When an error occurs in a loop (or in a plugin that acts like a loop), the
loop may log the error, terminate the current iteration and proceed with the next
iteration.
lStop Branch:If the task is in a branch of the process, the branch is stopped and the
job file is returned to the process after the branch. The branch will not produce any
output. If the task is not on a branch, the entire process will be stopped.
lStop Process:The process is stopped and no more processing is done. No further
output is produced.
lLog Message:Check this option to enable logging a custom error message in the
PlanetPress Workflow log file and in the Windows Application Events.
lMessage:Enabled only when the Log Message option is checked. Enter a message that
will be logged in the PlanetPress Workflow log file. You can use any variables available
in PlanetPress Workflow to customize the message.
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lStore the message in variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you
want to store the message content.
lID:Enter an error ID. This IDwill be visible in the Windows Event Viewer. However, the
IDis not visible in the PlanetPress Workflow log file.
lStore the IDin variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you want to
store the error ID.
lReset to defaults:Resets all options in this tab to their default values.
When storing the message or ID, if they are stored in a jobinfo they will be available in any
error handling process where errors are being forwarded. If your process continues after the
error, the contents of the variables selected in this window will be available to the rest of your
process, or as long as they are not overwritten.
Common Errors
Though some error messages are specific to a task in particular, others may apply to any and
all tasks because they are related more to the system than to PlanetPress itself. Some
examples would be W3813,W3830,W3991,W4005. These correspond to issues such as not
having any space to write files, permission errors on folders or files, etc.
Comments Tab
The Comments tab is common to all tasks. It contains a text area (Task comments)that lets
you write comments about the task. These comments are saved when the dialog is closed with
the OKbutton, and are displayed in the Task Comments Pane.
Check the option Use as step description to display the text next to the icon of the plugin in
the Process area.
Action Tasks
Use action tasks in PlanetPress Workflow to perform a wide variety of operations. PlanetPress
Workflow includes more action tasks then input and output tasks combined. Action tasks can
even be used to input data and to output data.
The difference between an action task and an input task is that an action task can never be the
first task of a process. In the same fashion, the difference between an action task and an output
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task, is that an action task can never appear at the end of a process. In other words, action
tasks are always placed between other tasks.
This section covers all the action tasks available in PlanetPress Workflow.
Available Action tasks
l"Add Document" on the next page
l"Add/Remove Text" on page272
l"Advanced Search and Replace" on page275
l"Barcode Scan" on page279
l"Change Emulation" on page287
l"Create PDF" on page293
l"Database Query" on page299
l"Decompress File(s)" on page306
l"Digital Action" on page309
l"Download to Printer" on page318
l"External Program" on page321
l"Load External File" on page325
l"Mathematical Operations" on page328
l"Open XSLT" on page329
l"Push to Repository" on page331
l"Rename" on page334
l"Run Script" on page409
l"Search and Replace" on page341
l"Send Images to Printer" on page343
l"Send to Folder" on page347
l"Set Job Infos and Variables" on page350
l"SOAP Client plugin" on page625
l"Standard Filter" on page356
l"Translator" on page359
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l"Windows Print Converter" on page362
l"XML/JSON Conversion" on page365
Add Document
The Add Document action task prepares a printer-centric PostScript job by adding a
PostScript version of a selected PlanetPress Connect document and the trigger to execute it
before the active data file.
Input
This task can support files in any emulation, however, the actual file that should be used is one
that is compatible with the selected PlanetPress Design document.
Processing
This task takes the PostScript version of the document (.ps7), ads the trigger and then the
active data file to it. If metadata is present, the output is based on this metadata (unselected
data pages will not generate output, the sort order will be respected, etc). Otherwise the
complete data file is merged.
Output
The output is an PostScript job that can be sent to any output task in "passthrough"mode, for
example Create PDF, PlanetPress Image, etc. Metadata is not generated by this task.
Properties
General tab
lDocuments: Select a specific PlanetPress Design document if you want all the jobs to be
merged with that document.
lAdd job information to the document: Select to prompt your PlanetPress Workflow to
add the available job information elements in the header of the generated file. Note that
this option is only enabled if a document was selected.
On Error Tab
The On Error tab is common to all tasks. Details can be found in the" Task Properties Dialog"
on page777.
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By default, any action task, branch, splitter or condition that generates an error will simply be
ignored, and the task just under it (not within a branch)will be given control of the job file
without any modification. Any initial input task that generates an error will stop the process from
running as a whole, and output tasks will not generate output. The On Error tab can be used to
overwrite the default behaviors.
lSend to Process: Check this option to send the job file to an error management process.
lError Process drop-down:Enabled only when the Send to Process option is checked.
Lists any process of which the initial input task is the Input Error Bin task.
lAction:In the initial input tasks, this group is disabled and defaults to Stop Process. In
all other tasks where the On Error tab is present, the following options are available:
lDefault:By default, the task is ignored as if it did not exist and the error is logged
before continuing the branch or process; the job file is passed on to the next task in
the process. When an error occurs in a loop (or in a plugin that acts like a loop), the
loop may log the error, terminate the current iteration and proceed with the next
iteration.
lStop Branch:If the task is in a branch of the process, the branch is stopped and the
job file is returned to the process after the branch. The branch will not produce any
output. If the task is not on a branch, the entire process will be stopped.
lStop Process:The process is stopped and no more processing is done. No further
output is produced.
lLog Message:Check this option to enable logging a custom error message in the
PlanetPress Workflow log file and in the Windows Application Events.
lMessage:Enabled only when the Log Message option is checked. Enter a message that
will be logged in the PlanetPress Workflow log file. You can use any variables available
in PlanetPress Workflow to customize the message.
lStore the message in variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you
want to store the message content.
lID:Enter an error ID. This IDwill be visible in the Windows Event Viewer. However, the
IDis not visible in the PlanetPress Workflow log file.
lStore the IDin variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you want to
store the error ID.
lReset to defaults:Resets all options in this tab to their default values.
When storing the message or ID, if they are stored in a jobinfo they will be available in any
error handling process where errors are being forwarded. If your process continues after the
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error, the contents of the variables selected in this window will be available to the rest of your
process, or as long as they are not overwritten.
Common Errors
Though some error messages are specific to a task in particular, others may apply to any and
all tasks because they are related more to the system than to PlanetPress itself. Some
examples would be W3813,W3830,W3991,W4005. These correspond to issues such as not
having any space to write files, permission errors on folders or files, etc.
Comments Tab
The Comments tab is common to all tasks. It contains a text area (Task comments)that lets
you write comments about the task. These comments are saved when the dialog is closed with
the OKbutton, and are displayed in the Task Comments Pane.
Check the option Use as step description to display the text next to the icon of the plugin in
the Process area.
Add/Remove Text
Add/Remove Text action tasks can be used to perform the following actions on the data file
they receive:
lTo add or remove characters.
lTo add or remove lines of data.
lTo add the content of a text file.
Note that the content must be located at the beginning or the end of the data file.
Input
Any text-based file can be used in this task, even formats that are not directly compatible with
PlanetPress. As long as the text is visible in a text-based editor (such as Notepad), it is
readable and supported by this task.
Processing
The selected operation (adding or removing lines, text or pages)is made on the data file.
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Output
The modified data file is output from this task. Metadata is not modified in any way if it is
present.
Task Properties
General tab
lAction group
lAdd: Select if you want the task to add content to the job file.
lRemove: Select if you want the task to remove content from the job file.
lContent: Select what the task will actually add or remove. Select Text file to add the
whole content of a text file to the beginning or end of the job file. Select Characters to add
the string of characters entered in the Characters box to the beginning or end of the job
file, or to remove a given number of characters from the beginning or end of the job file.
Select Lines to add the lines of text entered in the Lines box to the beginning or end of the
job file, or to remove a given number of lines from the beginning or end of the job file.
lPosition: Select whether you want the task to add or remove content from the beginning
or end of the job file.
lAdd CRLF after last line: Select if you want to add a CRLF (carriage return/line feed)
character after the last line of text added to the job file. This option is only available when
you choose to add lines of text to the job file.
lASCII file: Enter the path and name of the text file to be added to the job file, or use the
Browse button to navigate to this file. This box is only displayed when the Text file option
is selected in the Content box.
lCharacters: Enter the string of characters to be added to the job file. This box is only
displayed when the Characters option is selected in the Content box.
lLines: Enter the lines of text to be added to the job file. This box is only displayed when
the Lines option is selected in the Content box.
lRemove: Enter the number of characters or lines to be removed from the job file. This box
is only displayed when Remove is selected in the Action group and when the Characters
or Lines option is selected in the Content box.
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On Error Tab
The On Error tab is common to all tasks. Details can be found in the" Task Properties Dialog"
on page777.
By default, any action task, branch, splitter or condition that generates an error will simply be
ignored, and the task just under it (not within a branch)will be given control of the job file
without any modification. Any initial input task that generates an error will stop the process from
running as a whole, and output tasks will not generate output. The On Error tab can be used to
overwrite the default behaviors.
lSend to Process: Check this option to send the job file to an error management process.
lError Process drop-down:Enabled only when the Send to Process option is checked.
Lists any process of which the initial input task is the Input Error Bin task.
lAction:In the initial input tasks, this group is disabled and defaults to Stop Process. In
all other tasks where the On Error tab is present, the following options are available:
lDefault:By default, the task is ignored as if it did not exist and the error is logged
before continuing the branch or process; the job file is passed on to the next task in
the process. When an error occurs in a loop (or in a plugin that acts like a loop), the
loop may log the error, terminate the current iteration and proceed with the next
iteration.
lStop Branch:If the task is in a branch of the process, the branch is stopped and the
job file is returned to the process after the branch. The branch will not produce any
output. If the task is not on a branch, the entire process will be stopped.
lStop Process:The process is stopped and no more processing is done. No further
output is produced.
lLog Message:Check this option to enable logging a custom error message in the
PlanetPress Workflow log file and in the Windows Application Events.
lMessage:Enabled only when the Log Message option is checked. Enter a message that
will be logged in the PlanetPress Workflow log file. You can use any variables available
in PlanetPress Workflow to customize the message.
lStore the message in variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you
want to store the message content.
lID:Enter an error ID. This IDwill be visible in the Windows Event Viewer. However, the
IDis not visible in the PlanetPress Workflow log file.
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lStore the IDin variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you want to
store the error ID.
lReset to defaults:Resets all options in this tab to their default values.
When storing the message or ID, if they are stored in a jobinfo they will be available in any
error handling process where errors are being forwarded. If your process continues after the
error, the contents of the variables selected in this window will be available to the rest of your
process, or as long as they are not overwritten.
Common Errors
Though some error messages are specific to a task in particular, others may apply to any and
all tasks because they are related more to the system than to PlanetPress itself. Some
examples would be W3813,W3830,W3991,W4005. These correspond to issues such as not
having any space to write files, permission errors on folders or files, etc.
Comments Tab
The Comments tab is common to all tasks. It contains a text area (Task comments)that lets
you write comments about the task. These comments are saved when the dialog is closed with
the OKbutton, and are displayed in the Task Comments Pane.
Check the option Use as step description to display the text next to the icon of the plugin in
the Process area.
Advanced Search and Replace
Advanced Search and Replace action tasks are used to locate and replace strings of data
within the job file and to replace them with other strings of data. Contrary to Search and
Replace action tasks, they allow the use of regular expressions.
Using regular expressions, it is possible to search for patterns rather than specific strings. For
instance, a pattern can be specified to find all valid email addresses or phone numbers within
the data stream.
Input
Any text-based file can be used in this task, even formats that are not directly compatible with
PlanetPress Workflow. As long as the text is visible in a text-based editor (such as Notepad), it
is readable and supported by this task.
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Processing
The appropriate changes are made to the data file (replacing text).
Output
The modified data file is output from this task. Metadata is not modified in any way if it is
present.
Task Properties
General tab
lSearch mode group:Select your chosen search mode within this group.
lSearch line by line: Select if you want each line in the data stream to be searched
separately. When this option is selected, PlanetPress Workflow considers each line
as an individual data stream (lines are separated by Line Feed characters). It
minimizes memory requirements but may also limit hits, since lines are considered
separately. Note that it is not possible to use search expressions that specify
multiple data lines when this option is selected.
lSearch whole file: Select if you want the entire data stream to be searched as if it
were a single string of text. When this option is selected, PlanetPress Workflow
loads the entire file in memory. It offers more flexibility, since search expressions
may span across multiple lines and may result in more successful hits. Note that
since this option uses more memory, it may affect performance.
lString to search: Enter your search string or regular expression in this variable
property box. To enter multiple strings or expressions, press Enter after each one
(note that only one string can be entered in the Replace with box).
lTreat as regular expression: Select to specify that the string or strings entered above
are to be interpreted as regular expressions rather than ordinary text strings. This option
disables all position options as well as the Whole words only option.
lSearch options group
lCase sensitive: Select to force the plugin to match the character casing of the
search string above with the characters found in the file. If this option is selected,
“DAY” and “Day” will not be considered as matching the search string “day”.
lWhole word only: Select force the plugin to search only for strings that match the
search string from beginning to end (cannot be used with regular expressions). If
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this option is selected, “DAY” and “DAYS” will not be considered as matching
strings.
lPosition options group:Specify the location where the string must be found using this
group. Note that this whole group is disabled when the Treat as regular expression
option is selected.
lAnywhere on the line: Select to indicate that the search string can be anywhere on
the line.
lAt the beginning of a line: Select to indicate that the search string must be the first
string on the line.
lAt the end of a line: Select to indicate that the search string must be the last string
on the line.
lAt column: Select to indicate that the search string must be in a specific column.
Specify the column number (the value must be greater then 0) in the Column value
box below.
lBetween specific words: Select to indicate that the search string must be between
specific words. Specify these words in the Word before and Word after boxes
below.
lOccurrence related: Select to indicate that the search string must be found a
specific number of times before a string replacement is performed. If the Search line
by line option is selected in the Search mode group, the search counter is reset for
every line. If the Search whole file option is selected in the Search mode group,
the search counter is not reset before the end of the file. Select one of the
occurrence options (described below) in the list box below and enter a value in the
Occurrence value box besides it.
lAt occurrence: The replacement will take place only when the specified
number of occurrences has been reached. Specifying 2 occurrences, for
instance, means that only the second occurrence will be replaced.
lAt every specified occurrence: The replacement will take place every time
the specified number of occurrences is reached. Specifying 2 occurrences, for
instance, means that the second, the fourth and the sixth (and so on)
occurrence will be replaced.
lAll after occurrence: All occurrences of the search string will be replaced
once the specified number of occurrences has been reached. Specifying 2
occurrences, for instance, means that all occurrences after the second one will
be replaced.
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lAll before occurrence: All occurrences of the search string will be replaced
until the specified number of occurrences has been reached. Specifying 5
occurrences, for instance, means that the four first occurrences will be
replaced.
lReplace with: Enter the string that must be used as the replacement sting when a match
is found.
On Error Tab
The On Error tab is common to all tasks. Details can be found in the" Task Properties Dialog"
on page777.
By default, any action task, branch, splitter or condition that generates an error will simply be
ignored, and the task just under it (not within a branch)will be given control of the job file
without any modification. Any initial input task that generates an error will stop the process from
running as a whole, and output tasks will not generate output. The On Error tab can be used to
overwrite the default behaviors.
lSend to Process: Check this option to send the job file to an error management process.
lError Process drop-down:Enabled only when the Send to Process option is checked.
Lists any process of which the initial input task is the Input Error Bin task.
lAction:In the initial input tasks, this group is disabled and defaults to Stop Process. In
all other tasks where the On Error tab is present, the following options are available:
lDefault:By default, the task is ignored as if it did not exist and the error is logged
before continuing the branch or process; the job file is passed on to the next task in
the process. When an error occurs in a loop (or in a plugin that acts like a loop), the
loop may log the error, terminate the current iteration and proceed with the next
iteration.
lStop Branch:If the task is in a branch of the process, the branch is stopped and the
job file is returned to the process after the branch. The branch will not produce any
output. If the task is not on a branch, the entire process will be stopped.
lStop Process:The process is stopped and no more processing is done. No further
output is produced.
lLog Message:Check this option to enable logging a custom error message in the
PlanetPress Workflow log file and in the Windows Application Events.
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lMessage:Enabled only when the Log Message option is checked. Enter a message that
will be logged in the PlanetPress Workflow log file. You can use any variables available
in PlanetPress Workflow to customize the message.
lStore the message in variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you
want to store the message content.
lID:Enter an error ID. This IDwill be visible in the Windows Event Viewer. However, the
IDis not visible in the PlanetPress Workflow log file.
lStore the IDin variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you want to
store the error ID.
lReset to defaults:Resets all options in this tab to their default values.
When storing the message or ID, if they are stored in a jobinfo they will be available in any
error handling process where errors are being forwarded. If your process continues after the
error, the contents of the variables selected in this window will be available to the rest of your
process, or as long as they are not overwritten.
Common Errors
Though some error messages are specific to a task in particular, others may apply to any and
all tasks because they are related more to the system than to PlanetPress itself. Some
examples would be W3813,W3830,W3991,W4005. These correspond to issues such as not
having any space to write files, permission errors on folders or files, etc.
Comments Tab
The Comments tab is common to all tasks. It contains a text area (Task comments)that lets
you write comments about the task. These comments are saved when the dialog is closed with
the OKbutton, and are displayed in the Task Comments Pane.
Check the option Use as step description to display the text next to the icon of the plugin in
the Process area.
Barcode Scan
TheBarcode Scan task is used to convert barcode data from multiple image formats into text-
readable information. This information is placed in the metadata and can be used by the rest of
the process.
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Input
Image formats supported by the Barcode Scan task are:
lTag Image File Format (TIFF)
lPortable Document Format (PDF)
lJoint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG and JPG)
lPortable Network Graphics (PNG)
lBitmap (BMP)
Processing
The task reads the image and detects the presence of the selected supported barcode types.
When a barcode is detected, the data it contains is read and added to the Data Page level of
the metadata.
Technical
This task does not recognize more than one level of the metadata Document. This means
that if you are intending to define separate documents, you should use the Metadata
Level Creation task after the Barcode Scan.
Output
This task outputs the original data file but with modified (or created)metadata. The format
should be the same as the input.
Supported Barcode Types
The following types of barcodes are supported:
Barcode
types
Description
EAN13 EAN13 symbology. Used with consumer products internationally, 13
characters.
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Barcode
types
Description
EAN8 EAN8 symbology. Short version of EAN-13, 8 characters.
UPCA UPCA symbology. Used with consumer products in U.S., 12 characters.
UPCE UPCE symbology. Short version of UPC symbol, 6 characters.
Code11 Code 11 symbology. Used to identify telecommunications equipment
Code39 Code 39 symbology. U.S. Government and military use, required for DoD
applications
Code93 Code 93 symbology. Compressed form of Code 39.
Code128 Code128 symbology. Very dense code, used extensively worldwide.
Codabar Codabar symbology. Used in libraries and blood banks.
Inter2of5 Interleaved 2 of 5 symbology. Used in warehouse, industrial applications.
Add2 2 additional digits code for UPC-based symbologies. Used to indicate
magazines and newspaper issue numbers.
Add5 5 additional digits code for UPC-based symbologies. Used to mark suggested
retail price of books.
PDF417 Portable Data File is a 2-dimensional barcode (also known as matrix code)
used in a variety of applications, including Transport, Identification cards, and
Inventory management. It is best suited for cases where information needs to
move with an item or document.
DataMatrix DataMatrix is a two-dimensional barcode which can store from 1 to about
2,000 characters. DataMatrix is being used to encode product and serial
number information on electrical rating plates; to mark of surgical instruments
in Japan; to identify lenses, circuit boards, and other items during
manufacturing.
QRCode The QR Code (Quick Response Code) is a 2-dimensional matrix code. It can
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Barcode
types
Description
encode up to 2509 numeric or 1520 alphanumeric characters.
PostNet PostNet symbology. Used by the United States Postal Service to assist in
directing mail.
RM4SCC RM4SCC symbology. Used by the Royal Mail.
Note
The fewer barcode types are selected, the faster the plugin performs. Selecting only the
expected barcodes is therefore a good practice.
Barcode Orientations
Barcode orientations represent a barcode orientation on an image. For example,when the left-
to-right optionis checked, the task will try to read the barcode value assuming that the barcode
data should be read in a left-to-right fashion.
Note
The fewer orientations are selected, the faster the task performs.
Settings
lForce checksum validation: Select to define whether the checksum validation is
required for symbologies in which a checksum character is optional. The goal of
checksum is to detect accidental modification such as corruption to stored data or errors
in a barcode values. By default it is set to false. Note: If barcodes using symbologies with
optional checksum do not show the checksum and the option Force checksum validation
is checked, no barcode will be detected on the page
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lProcess by: Select to define whether to process the image by page orby file:
lProcess by Page: The task is able to handle single or multiple page files (Tiff and
PDF) and act as a loop to process each page independently and sequentially. The
metadata file will be created separately for each page if it does not exist or will be
enhanced with the values on processed Datapage level if it already exists. All
supported images will be converted to tiff format.
lProcess by File: The task will process the file once and will insert the barcode
information in one metadata file. Metadata will be created if it does not exist or will
be enhanced with the values if it already exists.
lReplace non-printable character with: Enter a character that will be used as a
replacement for all non-printable characters read from the barcode.Some barcode types
like Data Matrix can store non-printable characters that metadata does not support.
TheBarcode Scan taskcharacter replacement option will allow successful barcode
reading of all non-printable characters in a given barcode. The value specified in the
Replace non-printable character with option will be foundin place of any non-printable
character in the BarcodeValue and Barcode_x_Value metadata fields, while the original
barcode value (i.e. with non-printable characters)will beavailable in the
BarcodeBase64_x_value metadata field. This option allows only one printable
replacement character. By default, this character is an empty space.Note: Non-printable
characters are the first 32 characters in ASCII character table (Ex.: form-feed, newline,
carriage return characters)
lScan Interval: Set a scan interval in pixels of image scanning. This property directly
affects the performance and quality of the recognition. A greater interval value means
better performance, but a lower recognition confidence level, and vice versa. For
example, a value of 1 means that every image line will be scanned. By default, the Scan
Interval is set to 1.
lThreshold level [0..255]: Set to represent the color threshold level in order to distinguish
foreground pixels from background pixels in color or gray scale images. Value can be
between 0 and 255, corresponding to the pixel intensity value, from 0 (black) to 255
(white). Therefore, defining a threshold value of 128 means that the pixels with an
intensity greater than 128 will be considered as white, while those less than 128 will be
considered black. The value 0 means that the color threshold level will be calculated
automatically depending on the image. By default Threshold level [0..255] is 0. This
parameter is ignored with binary images (black and white images).
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On Error Tab
The On Error tab is common to all tasks. Details can be found in the" Task Properties Dialog"
on page777.
By default, any action task, branch, splitter or condition that generates an error will simply be
ignored, and the task just under it (not within a branch)will be given control of the job file
without any modification. Any initial input task that generates an error will stop the process from
running as a whole, and output tasks will not generate output. The On Error tab can be used to
overwrite the default behaviors.
lSend to Process: Check this option to send the job file to an error management process.
lError Process drop-down:Enabled only when the Send to Process option is checked.
Lists any process of which the initial input task is the Input Error Bin task.
lAction:In the initial input tasks, this group is disabled and defaults to Stop Process. In
all other tasks where the On Error tab is present, the following options are available:
lDefault:By default, the task is ignored as if it did not exist and the error is logged
before continuing the branch or process; the job file is passed on to the next task in
the process. When an error occurs in a loop (or in a plugin that acts like a loop), the
loop may log the error, terminate the current iteration and proceed with the next
iteration.
lStop Branch:If the task is in a branch of the process, the branch is stopped and the
job file is returned to the process after the branch. The branch will not produce any
output. If the task is not on a branch, the entire process will be stopped.
lStop Process:The process is stopped and no more processing is done. No further
output is produced.
lLog Message:Check this option to enable logging a custom error message in the
PlanetPress Workflow log file and in the Windows Application Events.
lMessage:Enabled only when the Log Message option is checked. Enter a message that
will be logged in the PlanetPress Workflow log file. You can use any variables available
in PlanetPress Workflow to customize the message.
lStore the message in variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you
want to store the message content.
lID:Enter an error ID. This IDwill be visible in the Windows Event Viewer. However, the
IDis not visible in the PlanetPress Workflow log file.
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lStore the IDin variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you want to
store the error ID.
lReset to defaults:Resets all options in this tab to their default values.
When storing the message or ID, if they are stored in a jobinfo they will be available in any
error handling process where errors are being forwarded. If your process continues after the
error, the contents of the variables selected in this window will be available to the rest of your
process, or as long as they are not overwritten.
Common Errors
Though some error messages are specific to a task in particular, others may apply to any and
all tasks because they are related more to the system than to PlanetPress itself. Some
examples would be W3813,W3830,W3991,W4005. These correspond to issues such as not
having any space to write files, permission errors on folders or files, etc.
Comments Tab
The Comments tab is common to all tasks. It contains a text area (Task comments)that lets
you write comments about the task. These comments are saved when the dialog is closed with
the OKbutton, and are displayed in the Task Comments Pane.
Check the option Use as step description to display the text next to the icon of the plugin in
the Process area.
Metadata Implementation
The Barcode Scan task reads each scanned file and outputs the values read from barcode(s)
on the page(s) into metadata depending of the selected Process by option:
lIf the selected option is process by page, then the metadata file is created and overwritten
for each new scanned page.
lIf the selected option is process by file, thenonly one metadata file will be created(or
updated).
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Note
If metadata was created previously in the process, the task only adds new fields to the existing
metadata at the datapage level.
Metadata Fields
The barcode valuesare stored at the datapage level of the metadata. In the following
defintions, the first 2 metadata fields are for standard use,while the next 8 fields contain '_1_' in
their name. This number represents the barcode index on the page. If there is more than one
barcode on the same page, these metadata fields will be defined as many times as there are
barcodes on the page, except that the middle number (..._X_...) will increment according to the
barcode index (e.g. Barcode_2_Value, Barcode_3_Value, etc.).
lBarcodeValue: Metadata field representing the value of the barcode. When multiple
barcodes are present on the page, this field is present multiple times.
lBarcodeCount:: Metadata field representing the number of barcodes on the page.
lBarcode_1_Value: Metadata field representing the value of the first barcode on the
page.Note that thisfield (Barcode_1_Value) contains the same value as the first
occurrence of BarcodeValue.
lBarcodeBase64_1_Value: Metadata field containing the value of the first barcode,
encoded in Base64.
lBarcode_1_Type: Metadata field containing the type of the first barcode (ex. EAN13,
UPCA …).
lBarcode_1_Orientation: Metadata field containing the orientation of the first barcode.
lBarcode_1_Top: Metadata field providing the distance (in pixels)from the top of the
page to the top of the first barcode.
lBarcode_1_Bottom: Metadata field providing the distance (in pixels) from the top of the
page to the bottom of the first barcode.
lBarcode_1_Left: Metadata field providing the distance (in pixels) from the left of the page
to the left side part of the first barcode.
lBarcode_1_Right: Metadata field providing the distance (in pixels) from the left of the
page to the right side part of the first barcode.
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Accessing Barcode Value From a Workflow Tool
One method is to use a VBScriptwith the Open Script task, using the Watch.ExpandString
command with a metadata command as its input parameter, in between double quotes. For
example, the following script line gives the value of the first BarcodeValue metadata field of the
first datapage:
watch.expandstring("GetMeta(BarcodeValue[0],0,Job.Group[0].Document[0].Datapage[0])")
Another method is to use a Set Job Infos and Variables task to copy a metadata field into a
Workflow variable.
Limitations
lSome barcodes created with PlanetPress 5 could not be read by the Barcode Scan task,
so please use PlanetPress version 6 or 7 to create barcoded documents.
lWhen using a secondary input, a known issue of the Workflow Tool can cause some
unexpected behavior, like having the same metadata file reused instead of a new one
being created for each data file captured. To work around this issue, simply add a
Rename action taskto set a unique file name (Ex. %u) to each new file before the
Barcode Scan task, after each secondary input.
Change Emulation
Change Emulation action tasks are used to tell the tasks that follow them to use a different
emulation to format the data they receive. So these tasks do not perform any operation as such
on the data, but rather they modify the way subsequent tasks process the data they receive.
Change Emulation action tasks are typically used when a secondary input task brings new
data that is not structured like the initial data into the process. By default, every task included in
a process uses the emulation associated with the sample data file to structure the data before it
processes it. Any task that must use a different emulation must be preceded by a Change
Emulation action task. All the tasks that follow on the same branch will use the emulation
chosen in the Change Emulation task.
Input
Any data file.
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Processing
The emulation for the following tasks is changed to the selected emulation.
Output
The original data file, metadata and job infos are not modified. Only the emulation is changed.
Properties
lThe options of this task are basically the same as the Data Selector in PlanetPress
Design; see PlanetPress Design User Guide.
General Tab
Add/remove characters: Enter the number of characters to add to, or remove from, the head of
the data stream, or use the spin buttons to increment or decrement the value. Positive values
add characters; negative values remove characters. This is useful when one or more characters
of input data precede the start of the first data page. Note that certain control characters can be
problematic. For example, the NUL character (hexadecimal 00) cannot be removed from the
head of the data stream, and a backspace (hexadecimal 08) can cause unpredictable behavior.
The Hex Viewer can be useful in helping determine the control characters that appear at the
head of the data stream. (To open the Hex Viewer, select Debug > View as Hex, in the menu.)
Note that you cannot add characters in either a CSV or user defined emulation.
Further note that if you remove characters in a CSV emulation, you should ensure that you do
not inadvertently remove field or text delimiters.
Add/remove lines: Enter the number of lines to add to, or remove from, the head of the data
stream, or use the spin buttons to increment or decrement the value. Positive values add lines;
negative values remove lines. This is useful when one or more lines of input data precede the
start of the first data page. Note that you cannot add lines in either a CSV or user defined
emulation.
Lines per page: Enter the number of lines each data page contains, or use the spin buttons to
increment or decrement the value.
Pages in buffer: Enter the number of data pages you want the data page buffer to contain, or
use the spin buttons to increment or decrement the value.
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Read in binary mode: Select to read the sample data file in binary mode. You select this if you
intend to run the document on a printer that is set to binary mode. In binary mode, the printer
reads the end of line characters (CR, LF, and CRLF) as they appear in the data stream and
does not perform any substitution. A printer that does not support binary mode or is not running
in binary mode replaces any CR, LF, or CRLF that appears at the end of a line of data with a
LF. Note, however, that it replaces a line feed followed by a carriage return (LFCR) with two
LFs. Binary mode is the recommended printer mode when you use an ASCII emulation.
Cut on FF character: Select to have the document start a new data page when it encounters a
form feed character in the data stream. If you select Cut on FF character, you have two
conditions that signal the end of a data page: the form feed character and the number of lines
set in the Lines per page box.
View Selector: Click to go to the Data Selector to set the properties of this task.
Emulation. The available emulations are:
lLine printer. (Nothing to configure.)
lASCII.
lTab on CR: Select to have the document insert a tab after each carriage return
character it encounters. Set the number of spaces in the tab using the Number of
spaces in the tab box. This option is available only if you selected Read in binary
mode. If you cleared Read in binary mode, the printer replaces any end of line
characters (CR, LF, or CRLF) it encounters with a LF.
lNumber of spaces per tab: Enter the number of spaces you want the document to
use for a tab, or use the spin buttons to adjust the value.
lRemove HP PCL escapes: Select to have the document remove any Hewlett
Packard Printer Control Language (HP PCL) escape sequences it encounters.
lCSV (comma separated values).
lText delimiter: Enter the character that starts and ends the data in each field of the
record. If you do not set a text delimiter and the data in a field contains the character
you set as the delimiter, the document splits that data into two fields. If you want to
use a backslash character (\) as a delimiter, you must precede it with another
backslash character (thus you would enter \\). You can also specify an ASCII
character using its octal value preceded by a backslash (for example, \041 is the
exclamation mark character [!]).
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lForce one record per page: Select to force a single record per data page. If you
clear the selection, the document fills the data page completely, splitting a record
across data pages if necessary. If you want to avoid splitting a record across data
pages, yet have several records in the buffer, select Force one record per page,
and, when you stabilize your data, set Pages in buffer to the number of records you
want the buffer to hold.
lDelimiter: Enter the character that separates the fields of each record in the input
data. If you want to use a tab as a delimiter, select Set tab as field delimiter. If you
want to use a backslash character (\) as a delimiter, you must precede it with
another backslash character (thus you would enter \\). You can also specify an
ASCII character using its octal value preceded by a backslash (for example, \041 is
the exclamation mark character [!]).
lSet tab as field delimiter: Select to define a tab as the character that separates the
fields of each record in the input data. Clear to use the Delimiter box to define that
character.
lChannel skip.
lSkip page: Enter the channel skip code that, in your data, signals the start of a new
data page. In standard channel skip emulation, a 1 (one) signals the start of a new
data page. If a 1 appears in the first column of your data, it is likely the channel skip
codes are standard, and that only minor adjustments to the other codes, if any, will
be necessary.
lNo line feed: Enter the channel skip code that tells the document to ignore any line
feed character (LF) that appears at the end of the line. This causes the next line to
print over the current line, and is a technique impact printers use to print a line, or
elements of a line, in bold or with underlining. For example, the input data for an
impact printer might underline text by placing the text to underline on one line, and
the underscore characters of the underline on the following line. The first character
of the line with the text is a code that tells the printer to ignore the LF at the end of
that line. The result is underlined text.
It is important to understand what happens when you tell the channel skip emulation
in PlanetPress Design to ignore the LF at the end of a line. Recall that the emulation
stores each line of data in the data page buffer, and that each cell of the data page
buffer can contain at most a single character. If the emulation ignores the LF at the
end of a line, it must determine whether to overwrite the cells of the last line of data it
stored. In this case, it compares the character in each cell in the line with the one in
the new line destined for that cell. If the character in the cell is a space or an
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underscore, it overwrites that character with the one from the new line. If the
character in the cell is not a space or an underscore, it leaves it intact.
lSkip x lines: Use these boxes to enter any channel skip codes in your data that tell
the document to skip a specific number of lines. If you want to enter a backslash
character (\) as a code, you must precede it with another backslash character (thus
you would enter \\). You can also specify an ASCII character as a code using its
octal value preceded by a backslash (for example, \041 is the exclamation mark
character [!]).
lChar, Skip to line: Use these boxes to enter any channel skip codes in your data
that tell the document to skip to a specific line. Enter the code in the Char box; enter
the line number in the Skip to line box or use the spin buttons to adjust its value. If
you want to use a backslash character (\) as a code, you must precede it with
another backslash character (thus you would enter \\). You can also specify an
ASCII character as a code using its octal value preceded by a backslash (for
example, \041 is the exclamation mark character [!]).
lGo to column: Use this to enter the channel skip code in your data that tells the
document to advance to a specific column. Enter the code in the Char box to the left
of the Go to column label, and use the box on the right of the Go to column label to
set the column number. This is useful when your data contains redundant lines that
were originally created to bold a line on a line printer. By entering a Go to column
value that is greater than the width of the data page, you can remove the second
line by shifting the contents of the second line outside the data page.
lDatabase. (Nothing to configure.)
lXML.
lCache XML data: When this option is selected, PlanetPress Watch/Server only
reloads the data if the size or modified date of the XML file changes. When this
option is not selected, the XML data will be reloaded into memory every time that a
plugin works on the data file. Caching the XML data will make subsequent tasks run
faster (as loading an XML file can take a long time) but will also use up more
memory since that memory isn't released in between tasks. For single runs the
performance gain is less noticeable than in loops (either through a splitter, a Loop
task or a metadata filter) where the XML file would be loaded repeatedly.
lPDF. (Nothing to configure.)
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On Error Tab
The On Error tab is common to all tasks. Details can be found in the" Task Properties Dialog"
on page777.
By default, any action task, branch, splitter or condition that generates an error will simply be
ignored, and the task just under it (not within a branch)will be given control of the job file
without any modification. Any initial input task that generates an error will stop the process from
running as a whole, and output tasks will not generate output. The On Error tab can be used to
overwrite the default behaviors.
lSend to Process: Check this option to send the job file to an error management process.
lError Process drop-down:Enabled only when the Send to Process option is checked.
Lists any process of which the initial input task is the Input Error Bin task.
lAction:In the initial input tasks, this group is disabled and defaults to Stop Process. In
all other tasks where the On Error tab is present, the following options are available:
lDefault:By default, the task is ignored as if it did not exist and the error is logged
before continuing the branch or process; the job file is passed on to the next task in
the process. When an error occurs in a loop (or in a plugin that acts like a loop), the
loop may log the error, terminate the current iteration and proceed with the next
iteration.
lStop Branch:If the task is in a branch of the process, the branch is stopped and the
job file is returned to the process after the branch. The branch will not produce any
output. If the task is not on a branch, the entire process will be stopped.
lStop Process:The process is stopped and no more processing is done. No further
output is produced.
lLog Message:Check this option to enable logging a custom error message in the
PlanetPress Workflow log file and in the Windows Application Events.
lMessage:Enabled only when the Log Message option is checked. Enter a message that
will be logged in the PlanetPress Workflow log file. You can use any variables available
in PlanetPress Workflow to customize the message.
lStore the message in variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you
want to store the message content.
lID:Enter an error ID. This IDwill be visible in the Windows Event Viewer. However, the
IDis not visible in the PlanetPress Workflow log file.
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lStore the IDin variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you want to
store the error ID.
lReset to defaults:Resets all options in this tab to their default values.
When storing the message or ID, if they are stored in a jobinfo they will be available in any
error handling process where errors are being forwarded. If your process continues after the
error, the contents of the variables selected in this window will be available to the rest of your
process, or as long as they are not overwritten.
Common Errors
Though some error messages are specific to a task in particular, others may apply to any and
all tasks because they are related more to the system than to PlanetPress itself. Some
examples would be W3813,W3830,W3991,W4005. These correspond to issues such as not
having any space to write files, permission errors on folders or files, etc.
Comments Tab
The Comments tab is common to all tasks. It contains a text area (Task comments)that lets
you write comments about the task. These comments are saved when the dialog is closed with
the OKbutton, and are displayed in the Task Comments Pane.
Check the option Use as step description to display the text next to the icon of the plugin in
the Process area.
Create PDF
The Create PDF action task allows users running PlanetPress Workflow to create native PDF
outputs without an active PlanetPress Image license. It is very similar to the Digital Action task
(see "Digital Action" on page309) but is more limited. It does not contain the advanced
PDFoptions that are offered by the PlanetPress Image solution, but is useful for creating
simple PDFfiles using the default quality.
Note
This feature is part of the PDFTools, which is only available in PlanetPress Workflow.
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PDFs created with the new Create PDF action task will effectively replace the current data file
in any given process using such a task.
Input
Any data file supported by PlanetPress Workflow.
Processing
In the case of regular data files, these files will need to be merged with a PlanetPress Design
document.
In the case of a PDFdata file, two things can happen. The PDFcan be used as a data file for a
Design document, or it can be part of a straight PDFworkflow. When this is the case, this task
will rather apply the active metadata to the PDFdata file (see "PDF Workflow" on page186 for
more information on this).
Output
The output of this task is always, exclusively, a PDFfile, optionally optimized and optionally
with fresh metadata.
General tab
lDocuments: Select a specific PlanetPress Design document if you want all the jobs to be
generated with that document. The None option is available to create or update a PDF
without using a PlanetPress Design document, in a Metadata-based workflow.
lRun mode group
lPrinter centric: Select to send the document along with the trigger and data to the
PDFRIP.
lOptimized PostScript Stream: Select to merge the selected document with the
data received by this task before sending it to the PDFRIP. Note that some features,
such as the Time and Date require that this option be selected.
lOptions group
lAdd job information to the document: Select to add the available job info
variables in the “header” of the generated output file.
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lOptimize resulting PDF: Select to specify whether the resulting PDF should be
optimized. Optimization can lead to a significant reduction in the size of the PDF,
but it may also add a certain amount of time to the process. This option should only
be unchecked if the timing of the process is critical and needs to be done quickly,
but keep in mind that the resulting PDFmay be much larger than it should be and
may even be too large for PlanetPress Workflow to handle.
lReset Metadata according to new PDF: The metadata is updated to included only
the selected nodes from the current metadata, and sequential indexes are re-
created.
ll Security group
lSet document permissions: Select to enter the Permissions password.
lPermissions password: Enter a password in this box only if you want to
prevent users who does not have this password from changing the security
options of the generated PDF files.
lAllow printing: Select to let users print the generated PDF files.
lAllow changing the document: Select to let users edit the generated PDF files.
lAllow content copying: Select to let users copy content from the generated PDF
files.
lAllow form filling: Select to let users enter information in the form fields included in
the generated PDF files.
ll PDF open password: Enter a password in this box only if you want to prevent
users who does not have this password from opening the generated PDF files.
lSecurity Level: The password protection for PDF can be encrypted using one of
the available encryption methods (RC4, AES-256 and AES-128). It gives the task
the ability to take an existing PDF in input and apply the selected password to the
PDF without any change to the quality level of the original PDF.
lFont group
lEmbed all: Select to embed the entire font of all fonts used in the variable content
document within the generated PDFs. Using this option may result in large PDFs,
especially if many fonts are used. Note that those fonts installed by default with the
Adobe Acrobat and Adobe Reader are never embedded. If a font is not embedded
in your PDF, opening it on another computer or printing it may cause it to be
substituted by another default font.
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lSubset: Select to embed only a subset of the Type 1 and TrueType fonts used in
the document. A font subset is in fact composed of only those characters that are
actually used in the document. This option can only be used if the Embed all fonts
option is selected. Note that if more than 35% of the characters included in a font are
used in the document, the entire font is embedded. This option often produces
smaller PDF files and ensures proper PDF display.
lInitial view group
lZoom factor: Select the magnification at which you want Adobe Acrobat or Adobe
Reader (or other PDF viewer) to open the generated PDF. Choose the Fit in
window option to display the entire page using the available screen space, or
choose a percentage of the actual document size.
lShow: Select the information you want Adobe Acrobat or Adobe Reader (or other
PDF viewer) to display with the generated PDF. Select Page only to leave the tabs
area to the left of the PDF pages empty. Select Bookmarks and page to display the
contents of the Bookmarks tab (you use data selection objects to create bookmarks
in PlanetPress) alongside the PDF pages. Select Page tab and Page to display the
content of the Pages tab (thumbnails of each PDF pages) alongside the PDF
pages. Select Full screen to hide all screen contents except the PDF page, and
expand the PDF page to the maximum size it can occupy onscreen.
On Error Tab
The On Error tab is common to all tasks. Details can be found in the" Task Properties Dialog"
on page777.
By default, any action task, branch, splitter or condition that generates an error will simply be
ignored, and the task just under it (not within a branch)will be given control of the job file
without any modification. Any initial input task that generates an error will stop the process from
running as a whole, and output tasks will not generate output. The On Error tab can be used to
overwrite the default behaviors.
lSend to Process: Check this option to send the job file to an error management process.
lError Process drop-down:Enabled only when the Send to Process option is checked.
Lists any process of which the initial input task is the Input Error Bin task.
lAction:In the initial input tasks, this group is disabled and defaults to Stop Process. In
all other tasks where the On Error tab is present, the following options are available:
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lDefault:By default, the task is ignored as if it did not exist and the error is logged
before continuing the branch or process; the job file is passed on to the next task in
the process. When an error occurs in a loop (or in a plugin that acts like a loop), the
loop may log the error, terminate the current iteration and proceed with the next
iteration.
lStop Branch:If the task is in a branch of the process, the branch is stopped and the
job file is returned to the process after the branch. The branch will not produce any
output. If the task is not on a branch, the entire process will be stopped.
lStop Process:The process is stopped and no more processing is done. No further
output is produced.
lLog Message:Check this option to enable logging a custom error message in the
PlanetPress Workflow log file and in the Windows Application Events.
lMessage:Enabled only when the Log Message option is checked. Enter a message that
will be logged in the PlanetPress Workflow log file. You can use any variables available
in PlanetPress Workflow to customize the message.
lStore the message in variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you
want to store the message content.
lID:Enter an error ID. This IDwill be visible in the Windows Event Viewer. However, the
IDis not visible in the PlanetPress Workflow log file.
lStore the IDin variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you want to
store the error ID.
lReset to defaults:Resets all options in this tab to their default values.
When storing the message or ID, if they are stored in a jobinfo they will be available in any
error handling process where errors are being forwarded. If your process continues after the
error, the contents of the variables selected in this window will be available to the rest of your
process, or as long as they are not overwritten.
Common Errors
Though some error messages are specific to a task in particular, others may apply to any and
all tasks because they are related more to the system than to PlanetPress itself. Some
examples would be W3813,W3830,W3991,W4005. These correspond to issues such as not
having any space to write files, permission errors on folders or files, etc.
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Comments Tab
The Comments tab is common to all tasks. It contains a text area (Task comments)that lets
you write comments about the task. These comments are saved when the dialog is closed with
the OKbutton, and are displayed in the Task Comments Pane.
Check the option Use as step description to display the text next to the icon of the plugin in
the Process area.
Other Notes
Here's a list of the hard-coded PDF values for files generated with this new plugin. Basically,
these settings correspond to Digital Action and PlanetPress Image settings for Standard
Quality:
lPDF version :1.4
lJob option :Standard quality
lGeneral:
lCompress text and line art
lAuto-rotate pages
lOptimize for fast web view
lAuthor: PlanetPress
lKeywords: PlanetPress; Create PDF plugin
lMonochrome images :
lCompression: CCITT
lPixels per inch: 1200
lGrayscale images :
lCompression: Auto
ldown sampling : Bicubic
lPixels per inch: 300
lColor images :
lCompression: Auto
ldown sampling : Bicubic
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lPixels per inch: 150
lSecurity :
lAllow printing
lAllow changing the document
lAllow content copying
lAllow form filling
lFont :
lEmbed all fonts
lSubset embedded fonts
lOpen options :
lZoom factor: Fit in window
lDefault view: Page only
Database Query
Database Query action task retrieves data from various databases to use as input data. The
data received by the task may be kept as is or converted to the CSV, Fixed Length Columns or
XML format.
Database Query action tasks are not considered input tasks as such, because they cannot be
used to start a process. Although they cannot be used to get the process’ initial input, they can
be used to gather secondary input (see "Input Tasks" on page203). In cases where all your
data comes from databases, you can use a Create File input task as a dummy task at the
beginning of your process, and then use a PlanetPress Workflow Database action task to
gather your actual data.
Technical
Database Query action tasks require version 2.5 or higher of the Microsoft Data Access
Components (MDAC), including JET 4.0.
When adding a Database Query action task, you have two options:
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lYou can use static properties (properties that will remain the same regardless of the data
processed at run-time). This option lets you use an Open DataBase Connectivity (ODCB)
compliant data source. You can also edit the SQL statement that assembles the database
table. Note that you can import a database connection configuration that you previously
exported from PlanetPress Design (when you created a document) or from PlanetPress
Workflow (when you set up a sample data file for a process).
lYou can use dynamic properties (properties that include variables or data available at
run-time). This option lets you create a dynamic database connection string as well as an
SQL statement that changes based on the data processed by PlanetPress Workflow.
Note that this option will not let you test the query performed by this task before it is
performed with actual data.
Input
Any data file. The data file will be discarded by the task.
Processing
Aconnection to the selected database is made, the data is retrieved, and an output in the
selected emulation format is generated.
Output
The result of the query is output in the selected data format. The current emulation is changed
to the selected format. Metadata and jobinfos are not modified in any way.
Properties
Database Connection tab
lDatabase group
lLocation: Enter either the path and name of the database or a database connection
string in this box. You may click to navigate to the database and paste the database
path and name automatically to this box. You may also click create an ODBC
connection string to the data source and paste the string automatically to this box. If
a login name and password are required to connect to the database, a dialog box is
displayed and the information you enter is saved in the configuration of the
PlanetPress Workflow Database action task.
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lTable/Query: Select the table or query containing the information you need as your
input data.
lRange group
lAll: Select this option use all the records included in the database.
lRecords: Select this option use only some of the records in the database. Indicate
the range by entering the number of the first record followed by a dash and the
number of the last record. To use records 50 to 75, for example, enter 50-75. Note
that this option is intended mostly for testing purposes, since in real life scenarios,
you typically want to use all the records stored in a database.
lEmulation group:Use options from this group to customize the data file generated by the
PlanetPress Workflow Database action task.
lOutput file emulation: Select the emulation corresponding to the type of output file
you want the PlanetPress Workflow Database action task to generate.
lCR-LF replacement: If you want CR-LF (Carriage Return-Line Feed) characters
within the data file to be replaced by another character, use this box to indicate
which character to use. You may select the replacement character from the list or
type your own.
lEmulation options group:Options from this group change based on the selected
output file emulation.
lPlanetPress Workflow Database Emulation:If you selected PlanetPress
Workflow Database in the Output file emulation box, the following options are
available:
lCreate data pages as follows: Select the option that will be used to generate
the data pages. Each data page created using the table or query selected
above (Table/Query box) can contain a single record, a fixed number of
records, or a variable number of records. To choose the last option, select one
of the When [field name] changes listed in this box.
lSort on conditional field: Select this option if you want the table to be sorted
using the field selected in the Create data pages as follows box before the
data page creation process is started.
lMaximum number of records per page: For data pages that contain multiple
records (a fixed or variable number of records), enter a maximum number of
records per page in this box. Note that this value cannot exceed 4,000.
lCSV Emulation: If you selected CSV in the Output file emulation box, the following
options are available:
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lSort on field: If you want the table to be sorted before the data page creation
process is started, select the sort field from this box.
lText delimiter: Select the text delimiter to be used in the generated file.
lField separator: Select the field separator to be used in the generated file.
lAdd a header record with field names: Select this option if you want the
generated file to have a header record (a record that includes the field names
only).
lFixed Length Columns Emulation:If you selected Fixed length columns in the
Output file emulation box, the following options are available:
lSort on field: If you want the table to be sorted before the data page creation
process is started, select the sort field from this box.
lDefault width: This box is used to set the default width for all fields. It is set to
60 by default, but can be set to any value between 1 and 65535. This value is
applied to all the fields in the generated file. To set different widths for each
field, use the Configure Width button. Doing this disables the Default width
box.
lConfigure Width: Click to set the width of each field in the generated file. The
displayed Configure Width dialog box lists all the fields in the file that will be
generated and indicates their widths. To change the indicated widths, simply
click the values displayed in the Width column and enter new values. Click
OK when you are done to close the dialog box. You will then no longer be
able to use the Default width box.
lXML Emulation:If you selected XML in the Output file emulation box, the following
options are available:
lCreate data pages as follows: Select the option used to generate the data
pages. Each data page created using the table or query selected above
(Table/Query box) can contain a single record, a fixed number of records, or a
variable number of records. To choose the last option, select one of the When
[field name] changes listed in this box.
lSort on conditional field: Select this option if you want the table to be sorted
using the field selected in the Create data pages as follows box before the
data page creation process is started.
lData encoding: Select the encoding used in the generated XML file. By
default, this option is set to the default encoding of the computer used to create
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or edit the configuration. You may choose any encoding listed in the drop-
down list or enter your own.
lMaximum records per page: Select this option if you want to limit the number
of records per page. This option is only available if you indicated that you
wanted each data page to contain several records in the Create data pages as
follows box.
lXMLfor PrintShop Mail:This emulation is specifically for use with merging your
data with a PrintShop Mail document, using the PrintShop Mail task (see PrintShop
Mail). No options are offered, as this format is static and should not be modified.
lAlternate syntax: Select to prevent automatically enclosing the names of any database
tables and fields that appear in the SQL query in square brackets when it exits the
Advanced SQL Statement dialog box. The alternate syntax may be required for some
database types.
lEdit SQL: Click to create and test an advanced SQL query.
lImport Config: If you previously created and exported a PlanetPress Workflow Database
Connection configuration, click this button to import it. This saves you the trouble of
configuring the connection every time.
lClient-side Cursor:When this option is enabled, the complete result set is downloaded
before processing starts, and changing records is done by PlanetPress Workflow. This is
generally faster for queries returning a small number of results ; otherwise the start of the
record processing can be delayed since the whole record set must be downloaded.
Note
MySQL, using ODBC 5.0, must be set to use a client-side cursor.
Microsoft Access will always work better when using a Server-Side cursor.
lInclude password in config: Select to save an encrypted version of the database
password (if any) within the exported configuration.
lExport Config: Click to export the currently displayed properties of the PlanetPress
Workflow action task. The exported configuration can then be reused on other
PlanetPress Workflow workstations.
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Dynamic SQL tab
lUse dynamic values at run-time: Select to use a dynamic database connection string
and / or SQL statement at run-time. Check this box to enable the options included in this
group (this disables the corresponding options in the General tab).
lParse normally: Select to interpret any backslashes included in the database
connection string as backslashes. If this option is not selected, any backslash that is
not doubled will be disregarded.
lExpect record set:Check if you are expecting a result from the database after
executing the SQLquery. If the query is expecting a record set in return and does
not return one, the task will trigger an error.
lDatabase connection string: Enter a variable connection string in this box. To do
this you may begin by clicking to create an ODBC connection string to the data
source and paste the string automatically to this box. Note that if a login name and
password are required to connect to the database, a dialog box is displayed and the
information you enter is saved in the configuration of the PlanetPress Workflow
Database action task. Another option, if a database connection string (not a
database path and name) was already entered in the Database Connection tab, is ti
simply copy and paste it to this box. Bear in mind that if the Parse normally option is
not selected, any backslashes included in the connection string that is not doubled
will be disregarded. Once your connection string is displayed in this box, you can
edit it by adding variables or data selections.
lSQL statement: Enter your SQL statement. Remember that you may use variables
and data selections in your statement.
On Error Tab
The On Error tab is common to all tasks. Details can be found in the" Task Properties Dialog"
on page777.
By default, any action task, branch, splitter or condition that generates an error will simply be
ignored, and the task just under it (not within a branch)will be given control of the job file
without any modification. Any initial input task that generates an error will stop the process from
running as a whole, and output tasks will not generate output. The On Error tab can be used to
overwrite the default behaviors.
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lSend to Process: Check this option to send the job file to an error management process.
lError Process drop-down:Enabled only when the Send to Process option is checked.
Lists any process of which the initial input task is the Input Error Bin task.
lAction:In the initial input tasks, this group is disabled and defaults to Stop Process. In
all other tasks where the On Error tab is present, the following options are available:
lDefault:By default, the task is ignored as if it did not exist and the error is logged
before continuing the branch or process; the job file is passed on to the next task in
the process. When an error occurs in a loop (or in a plugin that acts like a loop), the
loop may log the error, terminate the current iteration and proceed with the next
iteration.
lStop Branch:If the task is in a branch of the process, the branch is stopped and the
job file is returned to the process after the branch. The branch will not produce any
output. If the task is not on a branch, the entire process will be stopped.
lStop Process:The process is stopped and no more processing is done. No further
output is produced.
lLog Message:Check this option to enable logging a custom error message in the
PlanetPress Workflow log file and in the Windows Application Events.
lMessage:Enabled only when the Log Message option is checked. Enter a message that
will be logged in the PlanetPress Workflow log file. You can use any variables available
in PlanetPress Workflow to customize the message.
lStore the message in variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you
want to store the message content.
lID:Enter an error ID. This IDwill be visible in the Windows Event Viewer. However, the
IDis not visible in the PlanetPress Workflow log file.
lStore the IDin variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you want to
store the error ID.
lReset to defaults:Resets all options in this tab to their default values.
When storing the message or ID, if they are stored in a jobinfo they will be available in any
error handling process where errors are being forwarded. If your process continues after the
error, the contents of the variables selected in this window will be available to the rest of your
process, or as long as they are not overwritten.
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Common Errors
Though some error messages are specific to a task in particular, others may apply to any and
all tasks because they are related more to the system than to PlanetPress itself. Some
examples would be W3813,W3830,W3991,W4005. These correspond to issues such as not
having any space to write files, permission errors on folders or files, etc.
Comments Tab
The Comments tab is common to all tasks. It contains a text area (Task comments)that lets
you write comments about the task. These comments are saved when the dialog is closed with
the OKbutton, and are displayed in the Task Comments Pane.
Check the option Use as step description to display the text next to the icon of the plugin in
the Process area.
Decompress File(s)
Decompress file action tasks decompress zipped job files (files compressed as zip files).
Input
This task only accepts ZIPFiles, however it is not necessary that the job file be the ZIP, since
this file path and name can be specified in the task itself.
Processing
Every file in the ZIPis extracted to the specified location. If a folder structure exists in the ZIP, it
is respected in the output folder.
Output
This task outputs the data file it received with no modification. Metadata and job files are not
touched either.
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Properties
General Tab
lZip file name: Enter the name of the zipped file. In this variable property box, you may
enter static characters, variables, job information elements, data selections, or any
combination of these.
lOutput folder: Enter the name of the folder in which you want the decompressed files to
be stored.
lFile mask: Enter a file name mask to specify which files must be decompressed. Leave
the default value of *.* to decompress all the files found within the zip.
lPassword: Enter a password if the zip file is password protected.
lRestore path structure: Select if you want the complete file structure to be rebuilt from
the output folder to the decompressed files.
lForce directories: Select if you want to allow the system to create new folders when
required. If this option is not select and the Decompress file action task tries to save a file
to a folder that does not exist, the task will fail.
lOverwrite existing files: Select if you want decompressed files that have the same name
as existing files to overwrite the existing files.
On Error Tab
The On Error tab is common to all tasks. Details can be found in the" Task Properties Dialog"
on page777.
By default, any action task, branch, splitter or condition that generates an error will simply be
ignored, and the task just under it (not within a branch)will be given control of the job file
without any modification. Any initial input task that generates an error will stop the process from
running as a whole, and output tasks will not generate output. The On Error tab can be used to
overwrite the default behaviors.
lSend to Process: Check this option to send the job file to an error management process.
lError Process drop-down:Enabled only when the Send to Process option is checked.
Lists any process of which the initial input task is the Input Error Bin task.
lAction:In the initial input tasks, this group is disabled and defaults to Stop Process. In
all other tasks where the On Error tab is present, the following options are available:
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lDefault:By default, the task is ignored as if it did not exist and the error is logged
before continuing the branch or process; the job file is passed on to the next task in
the process. When an error occurs in a loop (or in a plugin that acts like a loop), the
loop may log the error, terminate the current iteration and proceed with the next
iteration.
lStop Branch:If the task is in a branch of the process, the branch is stopped and the
job file is returned to the process after the branch. The branch will not produce any
output. If the task is not on a branch, the entire process will be stopped.
lStop Process:The process is stopped and no more processing is done. No further
output is produced.
lLog Message:Check this option to enable logging a custom error message in the
PlanetPress Workflow log file and in the Windows Application Events.
lMessage:Enabled only when the Log Message option is checked. Enter a message that
will be logged in the PlanetPress Workflow log file. You can use any variables available
in PlanetPress Workflow to customize the message.
lStore the message in variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you
want to store the message content.
lID:Enter an error ID. This IDwill be visible in the Windows Event Viewer. However, the
IDis not visible in the PlanetPress Workflow log file.
lStore the IDin variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you want to
store the error ID.
lReset to defaults:Resets all options in this tab to their default values.
When storing the message or ID, if they are stored in a jobinfo they will be available in any
error handling process where errors are being forwarded. If your process continues after the
error, the contents of the variables selected in this window will be available to the rest of your
process, or as long as they are not overwritten.
Common Errors
Though some error messages are specific to a task in particular, others may apply to any and
all tasks because they are related more to the system than to PlanetPress itself. Some
examples would be W3813,W3830,W3991,W4005. These correspond to issues such as not
having any space to write files, permission errors on folders or files, etc.
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Comments Tab
The Comments tab is common to all tasks. It contains a text area (Task comments)that lets
you write comments about the task. These comments are saved when the dialog is closed with
the OKbutton, and are displayed in the Task Comments Pane.
Check the option Use as step description to display the text next to the icon of the plugin in
the Process area.
Digital Action
Digital Action action tasks generates the same types of documents generated by PlanetPress
Image output tasks. Since Digital Action tasks are not output tasks, the documents they create
are typically passed on to the following task. The image files they generate are always saved,
along with their index files (if any), to an archive folder.
Technical
The Digital Action task requires a PlanetPress Image license to be present on the same
IPSubnet as PlanetPress Workflow, either on the same server or a different one with
PlanetPress Image installed and activated.
Differences between Digital Action and Image tasks:
lDigital Action is an action task and cannot be the last task in a branch or process. Image
is an output task, and has to be placed at the end of a process or branch.
lIn PlanetPress Workflow 7.2.4 and older, Digital Action does not update the PlanetPress
Search Database, even if a PDIis generated and even if the option is checked in the
preferences. This behavior was changed starting in PlanetPress Workflow 7.3.
lDigital Action can accept PostScript (.ps)files as an input, even if they are not generated
by any PlanetPress Workflow tools.
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Task Properties
General tab
lHost: Select the IP address of the PlanetPress Image host to which you want the request
to be sent.
lRefresh: Click to update the list of IP addresses displayed in the Host drop-down list box.
lDocuments: Select a specific PlanetPress Design document if you want all the jobs to be
generated with that document. To use a document chosen at run-time for each job, enter a
dynamic document name using a combination of text, variables and data selections. To
enable the dynamic document name box, click inside it. To disable it, press Enter. Note
that in the later case, you must be certain that the documents that will be chosen at run-
time will in fact be available locally or at the selected host.
Note
While the Do not use a document (passthrough)is visible in this list, it is not
compatible with the PlanetPress Image output if the PostScript was not generated
by merging a design document with data in PlanetPress Workflow. In order to
generate an image in passthrough mode with external PostScript, please use the
Digital Action task.
lList only documents using VDXcompilation:Check to ensure that only documents
that are compatible with the VDXcompilation method are shown in the list, if producing
VDXoutput.
lRun mode group
lPrinter centric: Select to send the document along with the trigger and data to
PlanetPress Image.
lOptimized PostScript Stream: Select to merge the selected document with the
data received by this task before sending it to PlanetPress Image. Note that some
features, such as the Time and Date require that this option be selected.
lAdd job information to the document: Select to add the available job info variables in
the “header” of the generated output file.
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lOutput type: Select the output file type that you want.
lPDF:The output will be a PDFfile. If you select PDF, the DPI and Color Depth
options (see below) are disabled and the options available in the PDF tab are
enabled.
lJPEG:The output will be a JPEGfile. JPEGis a lossy compression image format
that creates small files, compressing continuous tone images (such as scanned
photographs) well.
lTIFF:The output will be a TIFFfile. TIFF is a higher quality format that is one of the
standards for document exchange, useful for eventual printing or archiving. You
have a choice of the following compressed TIFF formats: TIFF Group 3, TIFF Group
4, and TIFF Packed bits. You can also use the uncompressed TIFF format, which
produces the largest files with the highest quality. TIFF is a versatile and platform-
independent format. It is used in many digitizing projects as the format of choice for
the digital masters. The TIFF Group 3 and Group 4 formats are efficient for
document storage.
lThe AutoStore,DocAccel and KYOcapture formats also generate TIFF files along
with special XMLthat are meant for these specialized systems.
lDPI: Enter the dots per inch (dpi) resolution of the output image. This property is enabled
for all output types except PDF.
lColor depth: Enter the color depth of the output image in bits per pixel (bpp). The color
depth is measured in bits, because each pixel of the output image can be described with
a varied number of bits. A higher bit number allows for more colors. It also increases the
image file size. A 1-bit color depth produces monochrome images. 8-bits produce
grayscale images (in PlanetPress Design you can have 8-bit color images, but these are
reduced to grayscale if you select 8-bit here), while 24-bits produce full color images. For
JPEG output, you cannot select a monochrome (1 bpp) color depth. For TIFF G3 and
TIFF G4, monochrome (1 bpp) is the only Color depth option you can select. This property
is enabled for all output types except PDF.
lMulti-page: Select to generate a single file containing multiple pages. When this option is
not selected, PlanetPress Image creates a file for each page included in the output file.
This property is enabled for all output types except PDF and JPEG.
Add page number: Select to put a page number on each page included in the output file.
This option goes with the Multiple TIFF option and is only visible if either the AutoStore,
DocAccel or KYOcapture format is selected.
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lData Stream group: Determines what is output by the Digital Action task:
lUse Digital as new data stream: Use the file generated by the task for the rest of
the process.
lUse original data stream (without document): Use the same data file as what
was input to this task.
lUse original data stream (with document): Uses the PostScript data generated
before image is created.
lSave a copy:Optional when the "Use Digital as the new data stream"option is checked,
otherwise is always checked. Keeps a copy of the digital output onto the specified folder.
lFolder and filename: Enter the path of the folder to which output files generated by this
task are to be archived. PDF index files (PDI and XML) are also put in this folder. This edit
box is enabled when the Save a copy option is selected. To prevent each new file from
overwriting the previous one, you should use variable names. As with any variable
property box, you can use any combination of text, variables and data selections. When
multiple files are generated for a single job (such as for multiple TIFFs), each file name
includes a sequence number, such as in Invoice0, Invoice1, Invoice2. If you use file name
masks that include dots, such as Statement.%y.@(1,1,1,1,25,KeepCase,Trim) or Job.%f,
for example, you must add quotation marks at the beginning and end of the file name
(“Statement.%y.%m.@(1,1,1,1,25,KeepCase,Trim)” or ”Job.%f”). Otherwise, when the file
is saved, anything appearing after the last dot is replaced by the file’s extension
characters (and the file name thus becomes Statement.2005.pdf instead of
Statement.2005.255842.pdf, or Job.tif instead of Job.544872.tif). Failing to add the
quotation marks may result in files being overwritten.
lAutomatically Add Extension:Check if you want the correct extension for the image
type to be appended to the filename automatically, rather than having to add it in the
Filename box. The Output Type determines the extension to be used.
lAdd PDFto PlanetPress Search database:Check to update the PlanetPress Search
database with each new PDFgenerated.
lIndex group: This group lets you specify which type of index must be created for each
document generated by this task. PDIfiles are used by PlanetPress Search as indexing
information.
lNone: Select if you do not want this task to add an index file to the generated
document.
lPDI: Select if you want this task to add a PDI index file to the generated document.
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lXML and PDI: Select if you want this task to add both an XML and a PDI index file
to the generated document.
Job Options tab
If you chose PDF as the output type in the General tab, use this tab to choose the appropriate
PDF options. Note that all the options available in this tab are only used with PDF files.
lJob options: Select the PDF output option that best describes your needs. This loads all
the standard settings for the selected usage scenario. These settings can be changed as
required. Note that if you make changes and then select a different output option, your
changes will be lost. PlanetPress Image supports numerous PDF standards: Standard,
High Quality, Custom, and a variety of PDF/VT, PDF/A and PDF/X formats.
lGeneral group
lASCII format: Select to create the PDF file using ASCII characters (instead of the
usual 8-bit binary format). This option produces a file suitable for transmission over
a 7-bit ASCII link. This option is useful if the PDFs need to be opened in a text
editor, sent across networks, or sent via email using a program that does not support
binary files. This option also generates smaller files.
lCompress text and line art: Select to compress the text and line work in the file
using the Flate compression filter. Flate is a compression method that works well on
elements with large areas of single colors or repeating patterns, as well as on black-
and-white elements that contain repeating patterns.
lAuto-rotate pages: Select to automatically rotate pages based on the orientation of
the text or DSC comments.
lOptimize for fast web view: Select to minimize file size and facilitate page
downloading.
lTitle: Enter a title for the document. If you leave this box empty, the document’s
name will be used as the document’s title. Since this is a variable property box, you
may use variables and data selections and let PlanetPress Workflow interpret this
information at run-time.
lAuthor: You may enter the name of the author of the document. Since this is a
variable property box, you may use variables and data selections and let
PlanetPress Workflow interpret this information at run-time.
lSubject: You may enter the subject of the document. Since this is a variable
property box, you may use variables and data selections and letPlanetPress
Workflow interpret this information at run-time. Note that if you use a data selection
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in this box, you must be sure that the data that will be selected at run-time will not
contain any parentheses, as this would cause the task to fail. If you suspect that the
data may contain parentheses, you should use a Run script action task (see Run
Script Action Task Property) with a Strip() function to strip them out.
lKeywords: You may enter keywords for the document. Since this is a variable
property box, you may use variables and data selections and let PlanetPress
Workflow interpret this information at run-time.
lMonochrome images group
lMonochrome compression: Select the compression to use for the monochrome
images. Flate compression is lossless, so no data is lost during compression. Flate
Mono works well on images with large areas of solid shades or repeating patterns,
such as screen shots and simple images created with paint or drawing programs.
CCITT typically yields the best compression of monochrome images. It is the
compression method developed for fax transmissions. Note that configurations that
were created with an earlier version of PlanetPress Workflow and that included
tasks set not to use any compression will by default be set to use the Flat
compression method.
lMonochrome resolution: Select the resolution to use for monochrome images.
lGrayscale images group
lGrayscale compression: Select the compression to use for the grayscale images.
Flate is a lossless compression method, so no data is lost in the process. It works
well on images with large areas of single shades or repeating patterns, such as
screen shots and simple images created with paint or drawing programs. JPEG
removes image data and may reduce image quality, but may be suitable for
continuous-tone photographs containing more detail than can be reproduced
onscreen or in print. Since JPEG eliminates data, it can achieve much smaller file
sizes than Flate compression. Select Auto to let the application choose the best
compression method automatically. Note that configurations that were created with
an earlier version of PlanetPress Workflow and that included tasks set not to use
any compression will by default be set to use the Flate compression method.
lGrayscale down sampling: Select the down sampling option. down sampling
reduces image size by breaking images down into small areas in which multiple
pixels are replaced by single pixels. The Grayscale resolution you enter in the
following box is used to control the down sampling process. Select None to prevent
grayscale down sampling . Select Average to average pixel shades in each sample
area and to replace the entire area with a pixel of the average shade. Select
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Subsample to use a pixel in the center of the sample area and replace the entire
area with that pixel value. This method is significantly faster, but results in images
that are less smooth. Select Bicubic to use a weighted average to determine pixel
shades. This method is the slowest but most precise and results in the smoothest
tonal gradations.
lGrayscale resolution: Select the resolution to use for grayscale images. Note that
this setting has an impact on the grayscale down sampling process.
lColor images group
lColor compression: Select the compression to use for the color images. Flate is a
lossless compression method, so no data is lost in the process. It works well on
images with large areas of single shades or repeating patterns, such as screen
shots and simple images created with paint or drawing programs. JPEG removes
image data and may reduce image quality, but may be suitable for continuous-tone
photographs containing more detail than can be reproduced onscreen or in print.
Since JPEG eliminates data, it can achieve much smaller file sizes than Flate
compression. Select Auto to let the application choose the best compression
method automatically. Note that configurations that were created with an earlier
version of PlanetPress Workflow and that included tasks set not to use any
compression will by default be set to use the Flate compression method.
lColor down sampling: Select the down sampling option. down sampling reduces
image size by breaking images down into small areas in which multiple pixels are
replaced by single pixels. The Color resolution you enter in the following box is
used to control the down sampling process. Select None to prevent grayscale down
sampling. Select Average to average pixel color in each sample area and to replace
the entire area with a pixel of the average color. Select Subsample to use a pixel in
the center of the sample area and replace the entire area with that pixel value. This
method is significantly faster, but results in images that are less smooth. Select
Bicubic to use a weighted average to determine pixel shades. This method is the
slowest but most precise and results in the smoothest tonal gradations.
lColor resolution: Select the resolution to use for color images. Note that this setting
has an impact on the color down sampling process.
ll Security group
lSet document permissions: Select to enter the Permissions password.
lPermissions password: Enter a password in this box only if you want to
prevent users who does not have this password from changing the security
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options of the generated PDF files.
lAllow printing: Select to let users print the generated PDF files.
lAllow changing the document: Select to let users edit the generated PDF files.
lAllow content copying: Select to let users copy content from the generated PDF
files.
lAllow form filling: Select to let users enter information in the form fields included in
the generated PDF files.
ll PDF open password: Enter a password in this box only if you want to prevent
users who does not have this password from opening the generated PDF files.
lSecurity Level: The password protection for PDF can be encrypted using one of
the available encryption methods (RC4, AES-256 and AES-128). It gives the task
the ability to take an existing PDF in input and apply the selected password to the
PDF without any change to the quality level of the original PDF.
lFont group
lEmbed all: Select to embed the entire font of all fonts used in the variable content
document within the generated PDFs. Using this option may result in large PDFs,
especially if many fonts are used. Note that those fonts installed by default with the
Adobe Acrobat and Adobe Reader are never embedded. If a font is not embedded
in your PDF, opening it on another computer or printing it may cause it to be
substituted by another default font.
lSubset: Select to embed only a subset of the Type 1 and TrueType fonts used in
the document. A font subset is in fact composed of only those characters that are
actually used in the document. This option can only be used if the Embed all fonts
option is selected. Note that if more than 35% of the characters included in a font are
used in the document, the entire font is embedded. This option often produces
smaller PDF files and ensures proper PDF display.
lInitial view group
lZoom factor: Select the magnification at which you want Adobe Acrobat or Adobe
Reader (or other PDF viewer) to open the generated PDF. Choose the Fit in
window option to display the entire page using the available screen space, or
choose a percentage of the actual document size.
lShow: Select the information you want Adobe Acrobat or Adobe Reader (or other
PDF viewer) to display with the generated PDF. Select Page only to leave the tabs
area to the left of the PDF pages empty. Select Bookmarks and page to display the
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contents of the Bookmarks tab (you use data selection objects to create bookmarks
in PlanetPress) alongside the PDF pages. Select Page tab and Page to display the
content of the Pages tab (thumbnails of each PDF pages) alongside the PDF
pages. Select Full screen to hide all screen contents except the PDF page, and
expand the PDF page to the maximum size it can occupy onscreen.
lFont group
lEmbed all: Select to embed the entire font of all fonts used in the variable content
document within the generated PDFs. Using this option may result in large PDFs,
especially if many fonts are used. Note that those fonts installed by default with the
Adobe Acrobat and Adobe Reader are never embedded. If a font is not embedded
in your PDF, opening it on another computer or printing it may cause it to be
substituted by another default font.
lSubset: Select to embed only a subset of the Type 1 and TrueType fonts used in
the document. A font subset is in fact composed of only those characters that are
actually used in the document. This option can only be used if the Embed all fonts
option is selected. Note that if more than 35% of the characters included in a font are
used in the document, the entire font is embedded. This option often produces
smaller PDF files and ensures proper PDF display.
lInitial view group
lZoom factor: Select the magnification at which you want Adobe Acrobat or Adobe
Reader (or other PDF viewer) to open the generated PDF. Choose the Fit in
window option to display the entire page using the available screen space, or
choose a percentage of the actual document size.
lShow: Select the information you want Adobe Acrobat or Adobe Reader (or other
PDF viewer) to display with the generated PDF. Select Page only to leave the tabs
area to the left of the PDF pages empty. Select Bookmarks and page to display the
contents of the Bookmarks tab (you use data selection objects to create bookmarks
in PlanetPress) alongside the PDF pages. Select Page tab and Page to display the
content of the Pages tab (thumbnails of each PDF pages) alongside the PDF
pages. Select Full screen to hide all screen contents except the PDF page, and
expand the PDF page to the maximum size it can occupy onscreen.
PlanetPress Search Database tab
If PlanetPress Workflow is configured to automatically update a PlanetPress Search database
(See "PlanetPress Image preferences" on page764), this tab can be used to override the
global settings so that the task updates a different database than the one set in that global
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configuration. In order for the settings to work, the Add PDF to PlanetPress Search database
must be checked. However, you can override which database will be updating using the option
in this window, Override global PlanetPress Search Database settings. The database options
then activate.
lDatabase type: Select the type of the database in which you want to create a table
(Access, or SQL Server).
lConnection time-out: Enter the time, in seconds, that the connection to the database is
maintained while no action is taking place before the connection is severed.
lDatabase directory: Enter the path of the directory in which the Access database is
located, or use the Browse button to navigate to, and select, the directory. This option is
available only when you select Access database in the Database type box.
lData source name: Enter the name of the computer on which the database runs. This
option is available only when you select SQL Server database or Oracle database in the
Database type box.
lUse default database: Select to use the default database associated with your user
profile on that SQL Server or Oracle database. Clear to enter the name of the database in
the box that appears.
lUse Windows NT Integrated security: Select to use your Windows user name and
password to log onto the SQL database.
lUser ID: Enter the user id required to access the database to which you are adding new
PDI files from the generated PDF files. If you are using an SQL database, enter the login
name you chose when you configured the SQL database (refer to the “Using
PlanetPressSearch with an SQL Server Database” section of the PlanetPress Search
User Guide).
lPassword: Enter the password required to access the database.
lTest Connection: Click to verify that PlanetPressImage can connect to the specified
database.
lEnforce global table creation: Select this option, as it ensures that all database users
are granted access to the database. This option is available only when you select SQL
database in the Database type box.
Download to Printer
Download to Printer action tasks are used to warn printers that the files that will be sent to
them are to be stored to a specific location rather than printed. Note that each Download to
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Printer action task must be followed by a Printer Queue output task set to "pass-through", in
order for it to be sent to the printer and not merged with a document.
You can use Download to Printer action tasks to send various types of files, such as
attachments, documents and fonts that are used in PlanetPress Design documents that are
executed directly on the printers.
For images you should rather use Send Images to Printer action tasks (See "Send Images to
Printer" on page343), as they provide image quality and conversion options.
Input
Any file that you wish to upload to the printer. Note that this task does not attempt to verify that
the type of file being sent is compatible with the printer, or is in a supported file format.
Processing
The currently active data file is converted into postscript.
Output
A postscript file containing the necessary code to save the data file on the hard drive.
Properties
General tab
lHard disk name and path (as required): Enter the name and path of the hard disk to
which the file is to be saved (enter “%disk0%/PPFiles/Resources”, for example, to save
the file to the folder [ROOT]/PPFiles/Resources located on a hard disk identified internally
as “disk0”). Leave blank to save the printer’s default hard disk and path.
lFile name: Enter the name under which you want the file to be saved. By default, this
property is set to “%o”, so the file is saved under its original name (this is often the best
choice, for items such as font files, for instance).
lFile name case:
lDo not modify: keeps the character casing of the file name as is.
lAll uppercase: changes all characters to upper case (README.TXT, for example).
lAll lower case: changes all characters to lowercase (readme.txt, for example).
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lKeep file extension: Select to use extensions when saving files. When this option is
selected, if the task receives a file with the “txt” extension, for example, it will keep this
extension even if it renames the file (as specified in the File name box).
lPrint confirmation page: Select to print the Variable content document download
confirmation page when the download is successful.
On Error Tab
The On Error tab is common to all tasks. Details can be found in the" Task Properties Dialog"
on page777.
By default, any action task, branch, splitter or condition that generates an error will simply be
ignored, and the task just under it (not within a branch)will be given control of the job file
without any modification. Any initial input task that generates an error will stop the process from
running as a whole, and output tasks will not generate output. The On Error tab can be used to
overwrite the default behaviors.
lSend to Process: Check this option to send the job file to an error management process.
lError Process drop-down:Enabled only when the Send to Process option is checked.
Lists any process of which the initial input task is the Input Error Bin task.
lAction:In the initial input tasks, this group is disabled and defaults to Stop Process. In
all other tasks where the On Error tab is present, the following options are available:
lDefault:By default, the task is ignored as if it did not exist and the error is logged
before continuing the branch or process; the job file is passed on to the next task in
the process. When an error occurs in a loop (or in a plugin that acts like a loop), the
loop may log the error, terminate the current iteration and proceed with the next
iteration.
lStop Branch:If the task is in a branch of the process, the branch is stopped and the
job file is returned to the process after the branch. The branch will not produce any
output. If the task is not on a branch, the entire process will be stopped.
lStop Process:The process is stopped and no more processing is done. No further
output is produced.
lLog Message:Check this option to enable logging a custom error message in the
PlanetPress Workflow log file and in the Windows Application Events.
lMessage:Enabled only when the Log Message option is checked. Enter a message that
will be logged in the PlanetPress Workflow log file. You can use any variables available
in PlanetPress Workflow to customize the message.
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lStore the message in variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you
want to store the message content.
lID:Enter an error ID. This IDwill be visible in the Windows Event Viewer. However, the
IDis not visible in the PlanetPress Workflow log file.
lStore the IDin variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you want to
store the error ID.
lReset to defaults:Resets all options in this tab to their default values.
When storing the message or ID, if they are stored in a jobinfo they will be available in any
error handling process where errors are being forwarded. If your process continues after the
error, the contents of the variables selected in this window will be available to the rest of your
process, or as long as they are not overwritten.
Common Errors
Though some error messages are specific to a task in particular, others may apply to any and
all tasks because they are related more to the system than to PlanetPress itself. Some
examples would be W3813,W3830,W3991,W4005. These correspond to issues such as not
having any space to write files, permission errors on folders or files, etc.
Comments Tab
The Comments tab is common to all tasks. It contains a text area (Task comments)that lets
you write comments about the task. These comments are saved when the dialog is closed with
the OKbutton, and are displayed in the Task Comments Pane.
Check the option Use as step description to display the text next to the icon of the plugin in
the Process area.
External Program
External Program action tasks are used to launch and execute other programs, which can be
useful when you wish to process your job file in a way that is not possible with the standard
PlanetPress Workflow tasks.
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Note
As with any task that can refer to network resources, it is important to understand the
considerations involved with paths and permissions of these resources. Please refer to
the Network Considerations page in the Advanced Configuration and Options chapter
(Reference Guide, in English only).
There are some important things to consider when using the External Program task:
lThe executable file must accept so-called "command-line options" and be able to run
without any sort of user interaction. Only certain programs are able to do this and may
refer to it as "command-line"or "automation"features.
lThe process will always wait for the executable file to finish before it continues to the next
task, and does not have any timeout setting. This mean that if your program fails to exit for
any reason, your process will hang.
Input
Any active data file, in any format.
Processing
The external program is executed using the parameters provided. Note that the current data file
is not "sent"to the executable file, however you can refer to the full path of the data file using
%F.
Output
If the external program modifies the job file using the full path, the modified file is the output of
this software. Otherwise, the output is the same as the input. Metadata is not modified in any
way. Job Infos may be modified, depending on the options set in the task's properties.
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Properties
General tab
lProgram group
lExecutable file: Enter the name and path of an executable file (exe or com
extension), batch file (bat extension), or command script (cmd extension) that can
run in command mode. Note that the program will be run without user interaction.
Although it may display progress information, it is better if the application has no
user interface.
lParameters: Enter parameters that will be passed to the external program when it is
launched. Each parameter should be enclosed in quotation marks and separated by
a space ("Param1""Param2" "Param3") except command line options (such as -f,
/n). The exact parameters accepted are unique to the executable and defined in its
documentation if it exists.
lStart in: Enter the folder in which the external program is to run. This is important,
for example, if the program is to generate files that are to be picked up in a specific
location for further processing, or if it requires resources that are located in a specific
folder. Leave blank to run the program in the folder of the executable file.
lRun minimized: Select to prevent a window (a DOS box, for instance) from being
displayed on the desktop. When selected, the program runs in a background
window.
lProgram output capture group
lLog the program output: Check to store the program output (messages generated
by the execution of the external program)inside of a job info or variable.
lStore the program output in variable: Use the drop-down to select which variable
or job info to will be used to store the program output.
lExit Code group
lStore the exit code in job info:Use the drop-down to select which variable or job
info will be used to store the program's exit code. The exit code is a numerical value
generated by the program which will indicate whether its execution was a success
or if errors were encountered.
lVerify return value: Check to enable the group and react whenever specific exit
codes are returned by the software.
lIf exit code is:Use the drop-down to select how to compare to the exit code. This
numerical comparison is either equal, greater than or lower than.
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lValue:The numerical exit code that will be verified.
lReturn:Use the drop-down to select whether this exit code should define a success
or a failure of the external program. If "Failure"is chosen, exit codes that match the
condition set will cause the On Error tab to be triggered and any other exit code will
be considered a success. Inversily, if Success is chosen, exit codes that match the
condition set will cause be considered a success and any other exit code will cause
the On Error tab to be triggered.
On Error Tab
The On Error tab is common to all tasks. Details can be found in the" Task Properties Dialog"
on page777.
By default, any action task, branch, splitter or condition that generates an error will simply be
ignored, and the task just under it (not within a branch)will be given control of the job file
without any modification. Any initial input task that generates an error will stop the process from
running as a whole, and output tasks will not generate output. The On Error tab can be used to
overwrite the default behaviors.
lSend to Process: Check this option to send the job file to an error management process.
lError Process drop-down:Enabled only when the Send to Process option is checked.
Lists any process of which the initial input task is the Input Error Bin task.
lAction:In the initial input tasks, this group is disabled and defaults to Stop Process. In
all other tasks where the On Error tab is present, the following options are available:
lDefault:By default, the task is ignored as if it did not exist and the error is logged
before continuing the branch or process; the job file is passed on to the next task in
the process. When an error occurs in a loop (or in a plugin that acts like a loop), the
loop may log the error, terminate the current iteration and proceed with the next
iteration.
lStop Branch:If the task is in a branch of the process, the branch is stopped and the
job file is returned to the process after the branch. The branch will not produce any
output. If the task is not on a branch, the entire process will be stopped.
lStop Process:The process is stopped and no more processing is done. No further
output is produced.
lLog Message:Check this option to enable logging a custom error message in the
PlanetPress Workflow log file and in the Windows Application Events.
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lMessage:Enabled only when the Log Message option is checked. Enter a message that
will be logged in the PlanetPress Workflow log file. You can use any variables available
in PlanetPress Workflow to customize the message.
lStore the message in variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you
want to store the message content.
lID:Enter an error ID. This IDwill be visible in the Windows Event Viewer. However, the
IDis not visible in the PlanetPress Workflow log file.
lStore the IDin variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you want to
store the error ID.
lReset to defaults:Resets all options in this tab to their default values.
When storing the message or ID, if they are stored in a jobinfo they will be available in any
error handling process where errors are being forwarded. If your process continues after the
error, the contents of the variables selected in this window will be available to the rest of your
process, or as long as they are not overwritten.
Common Errors
Though some error messages are specific to a task in particular, others may apply to any and
all tasks because they are related more to the system than to PlanetPress itself. Some
examples would be W3813,W3830,W3991,W4005. These correspond to issues such as not
having any space to write files, permission errors on folders or files, etc.
Comments Tab
The Comments tab is common to all tasks. It contains a text area (Task comments)that lets
you write comments about the task. These comments are saved when the dialog is closed with
the OKbutton, and are displayed in the Task Comments Pane.
Check the option Use as step description to display the text next to the icon of the plugin in
the Process area.
Load External File
Load External File action tasks are used to replace the current job file by the designated text
file. Loading an external file does not delete the original file or modify it in any way.
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Input
The current data file in the process will be discarded.
Processing
The external file specified in the task's properties is loaded and replaces the current data file.
Output
The loaded file is output. Metadata is not modified in any way, neither are job infos.
Properties
General tab
lExternal file: The path to the file you want the job file to be replaced with. You may
browse to the file using the browse button on the right of the field.
Examples &Use Cases
This task is put into effect in the following use cases and example processes:
lHTTP PDF Invoice Request
On Error Tab
The On Error tab is common to all tasks. Details can be found in the" Task Properties Dialog"
on page777.
By default, any action task, branch, splitter or condition that generates an error will simply be
ignored, and the task just under it (not within a branch)will be given control of the job file
without any modification. Any initial input task that generates an error will stop the process from
running as a whole, and output tasks will not generate output. The On Error tab can be used to
overwrite the default behaviors.
lSend to Process: Check this option to send the job file to an error management process.
lError Process drop-down:Enabled only when the Send to Process option is checked.
Lists any process of which the initial input task is the Input Error Bin task.
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lAction:In the initial input tasks, this group is disabled and defaults to Stop Process. In
all other tasks where the On Error tab is present, the following options are available:
lDefault:By default, the task is ignored as if it did not exist and the error is logged
before continuing the branch or process; the job file is passed on to the next task in
the process. When an error occurs in a loop (or in a plugin that acts like a loop), the
loop may log the error, terminate the current iteration and proceed with the next
iteration.
lStop Branch:If the task is in a branch of the process, the branch is stopped and the
job file is returned to the process after the branch. The branch will not produce any
output. If the task is not on a branch, the entire process will be stopped.
lStop Process:The process is stopped and no more processing is done. No further
output is produced.
lLog Message:Check this option to enable logging a custom error message in the
PlanetPress Workflow log file and in the Windows Application Events.
lMessage:Enabled only when the Log Message option is checked. Enter a message that
will be logged in the PlanetPress Workflow log file. You can use any variables available
in PlanetPress Workflow to customize the message.
lStore the message in variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you
want to store the message content.
lID:Enter an error ID. This IDwill be visible in the Windows Event Viewer. However, the
IDis not visible in the PlanetPress Workflow log file.
lStore the IDin variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you want to
store the error ID.
lReset to defaults:Resets all options in this tab to their default values.
When storing the message or ID, if they are stored in a jobinfo they will be available in any
error handling process where errors are being forwarded. If your process continues after the
error, the contents of the variables selected in this window will be available to the rest of your
process, or as long as they are not overwritten.
Common Errors
Though some error messages are specific to a task in particular, others may apply to any and
all tasks because they are related more to the system than to PlanetPress itself. Some
examples would be W3813,W3830,W3991,W4005. These correspond to issues such as not
having any space to write files, permission errors on folders or files, etc.
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Comments Tab
The Comments tab is common to all tasks. It contains a text area (Task comments)that lets
you write comments about the task. These comments are saved when the dialog is closed with
the OKbutton, and are displayed in the Task Comments Pane.
Check the option Use as step description to display the text next to the icon of the plugin in
the Process area.
Mathematical Operations
The Mathematical Operations action task resolves a mathematical expression and stores the
result in an existing job information or variable.
Note
When adding this task to your process, you will be asked if you want to add the task as an
Action or a Condition. This task should only be used as an Action. If used as a condition,
it will always return False.
The task does not modify the job file in any way, its only output is the change in the specified
variable where the result is stored.
Technical
The expression itself must be written in a format understood by the VBSCript scripting
language. For more information, please see Mathematical Functions in VBSCript and
VBSCript Math Operators.
Input
Any active data file, in any format. This data file is ignored by the task and is not modified in any
way.
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Processing
The task executes the mathematical operation and stores the result in the selected job info or
variable.
Output
The input data file is returned with no modifications. Metadata is not modified. Asingle job info
or variable is modified by this task.
Properties
General Tab
lMathematical Expression: Variable data field containing the expression to be evaluated.
This expression may combine any combination of standard PlanetPress Workflow
variables and VBScript mathematical expressions. For example, to multiply Job Info 9 by
2, the expression would be %9*2 .
lStore result in: Variable data field containing the job information, local or global variable
in which to store the result. For job information use %1 through %9, for local variables use
%{variable} and for global variables use %{global.variable}.
lUse value of Variable/JobInfo # expression: Use the contents of the variable entered in
Store result in:, which is assumed to be a digit between 1 and 9. This digit determines in
which job info the result of the mathematical expression is store. For example, if %
{myvariable} is equal to 9, job information 9 will store the result of the mathematical
operation.
Note
This task was built using a custom plugin system and does not display the On Error tab in
the regular view. To access the On Error tab, right-click on the task and select "Advanced
Properties...".
Open XSLT
The Open XSLT action task takes an XML file as input and executes the XSLT code as
parameter to rearranges the content of the XML file.
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XSLT (or XSL Transformation) is a style sheet that describes how an XML document is to be
transformed into another XML document. The reason to transform an XML document into
another XML document is simply to rearrange the information it contains in order to make the
data structure more convenient for your needs.
Input
Avalid XMLfile.
Processing
The XSLTis applied to the XMLdata file.
Output
The modified XMLdata file is output. Metadata and jobinfos are not modified.
lFile
lImport:Lets you open an existing XSLTscript from an XSL, XSLT or TXTfile.
lExport:Lets you save the current XSLTscript as a file.
lPrint:Prints the current XSLTscript.
lEdit
lUndo:Undo the last edit.
lCut:Cut the current selection (only available if there is selected text in the editor).
lCopy:Copy the current selection (only available if there is selected text in the
editor).
lPaste:Paste the last selection that was cut or copied in the location of the cursor in
the text editor.
lDelete:Delete the current selection (only available if there is selected text in the
editor).
lSelect All:Select all of the contents of the editor.
lSearch
lFind:Brings up the Find dialog.
lFindAgain:Repeats the previous search and finds the next occurrence.
lReplace:Brings up the Replace dialog.
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lGo To Line: Brings up the Go To Line dialog where you can enter a line number
and jump directly to that line.
lXSLTVersion
lXSLT1.0:Select if you will be entering or pasting XSLT version 1.0 code.
lXSLT2.0:Select if you will be entering or pasting XSLT version 2.0 code.
lTools
lEditor Options...:Opens the "Editor Options" on page769.
lHelp
lContents and Indexes:Opens the Editor Help (this page)
The other options of the window are:
lThe script editor text box:This is where you enter your XSLTScript that will be used. If
you use an external script file, this will display the content of the file (note however that
modifying the script in this case does not modify the external file and changes are not
saved).
lScript running from:Choose if the script should be run from the editor text box, or from
an external script file.
lScript filename and path:Either enter the full path of the XSLTScript, or click the
Browse button to navigate to the file. This option is only available if you choose external
script file in the Script running from option.
Push to Repository
The Push to Repository Action task adds data to the PlanetPress Workflow Data Repository.
The task may only add one KeySet per action. If more than one insert is needed, a loop must be
established first.
The Push to Repository task can also be used to update an existing KeySet if a lookup is
provided.
Input
Any data file, in any format.
Processing
A new KeySet is added to the Data Repository, or updated, using the data provided.
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Output
The unmodified input file. This task does not change the data file in any way. The only
modification is a single variable or job info, if the "Store Result"option is selected.
Properties
The Push to Repository task options are as follows:
General tab
lGroup:Use the drop-down to select into which group the KeySet is inserted, or in which
group the KeySet should be updated.
lKey set:Displays a list of keys for the selected group.
lKey:Displays the key name in the group.
lValue:Enter a value for the key, which will be inserted in the KeySet. This value
can be dynamic, including data selections, metadata selections, variables and other
data.
lUpdate:Check to update the key with new data. For the Update column to be
active, the Update base on option must be checked. Key values will only change in
the KeySet if the Update checkmark is checked for that key, otherwise it is left
unchanged.
lCreate Group and Key(s)if they don't exist:Check this option to force the creation of a
new group and/or keys, if they do not exist. This is useful for portability:if a configuration
with this task is sent to a new Workflow server that does not contain this group or is
missing keys, the task will create them automatically.
lUpdate based on: Check this option to update an existing KeySet instead of creating a
new one. The value of the Condition field is used to filter the KeySets to only obtain one
or more. Here are some valid conditions:
llast_name = 'Jones'
lid = 237
lage IS NOT NULL
llast_name LIKE'La%'
lprovince IN('QC', 'ON', 'AB')
lAdd KeySet when condition is false:If the update condition above is false, a new
KeySet is added to the group. If unchecked, no data is changed in the repository.
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lStore the result IDin variable: Select a variable or JobInfo in which an array of inserted
or updated IDs will be placed. The array of IDs in the form of [1, 2, 3, 4, 2443, 532, 5457,
...]
On Error Tab
The On Error tab is common to all tasks. Details can be found in the" Task Properties Dialog"
on page777.
By default, any action task, branch, splitter or condition that generates an error will simply be
ignored, and the task just under it (not within a branch)will be given control of the job file
without any modification. Any initial input task that generates an error will stop the process from
running as a whole, and output tasks will not generate output. The On Error tab can be used to
overwrite the default behaviors.
lSend to Process: Check this option to send the job file to an error management process.
lError Process drop-down:Enabled only when the Send to Process option is checked.
Lists any process of which the initial input task is the Input Error Bin task.
lAction:In the initial input tasks, this group is disabled and defaults to Stop Process. In
all other tasks where the On Error tab is present, the following options are available:
lDefault:By default, the task is ignored as if it did not exist and the error is logged
before continuing the branch or process; the job file is passed on to the next task in
the process. When an error occurs in a loop (or in a plugin that acts like a loop), the
loop may log the error, terminate the current iteration and proceed with the next
iteration.
lStop Branch:If the task is in a branch of the process, the branch is stopped and the
job file is returned to the process after the branch. The branch will not produce any
output. If the task is not on a branch, the entire process will be stopped.
lStop Process:The process is stopped and no more processing is done. No further
output is produced.
lLog Message:Check this option to enable logging a custom error message in the
PlanetPress Workflow log file and in the Windows Application Events.
lMessage:Enabled only when the Log Message option is checked. Enter a message that
will be logged in the PlanetPress Workflow log file. You can use any variables available
in PlanetPress Workflow to customize the message.
lStore the message in variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you
want to store the message content.
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lID:Enter an error ID. This IDwill be visible in the Windows Event Viewer. However, the
IDis not visible in the PlanetPress Workflow log file.
lStore the IDin variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you want to
store the error ID.
lReset to defaults:Resets all options in this tab to their default values.
When storing the message or ID, if they are stored in a jobinfo they will be available in any
error handling process where errors are being forwarded. If your process continues after the
error, the contents of the variables selected in this window will be available to the rest of your
process, or as long as they are not overwritten.
Common Errors
Though some error messages are specific to a task in particular, others may apply to any and
all tasks because they are related more to the system than to PlanetPress itself. Some
examples would be W3813,W3830,W3991,W4005. These correspond to issues such as not
having any space to write files, permission errors on folders or files, etc.
Comments Tab
The Comments tab is common to all tasks. It contains a text area (Task comments)that lets
you write comments about the task. These comments are saved when the dialog is closed with
the OKbutton, and are displayed in the Task Comments Pane.
Check the option Use as step description to display the text next to the icon of the plugin in
the Process area.
Rename
Rename action tasks are used to rename the job files they receive. Note that you can see how
each file is renamed via the Object Inspector when stepping through a process in Debug mode.
Input
Any job file, in any format.
Processing
The task renames the job file to the desired name, and changes the value of %f and %Fto
reflect the new name.
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Output
The input data file is output, with the new name.
Properties
General tab
lNew file name: Enter the job file’s new name. In this variable property box, you may enter
static characters, variables, job information elements, data selections, or any combination
of these.
On Error Tab
The On Error tab is common to all tasks. Details can be found in the" Task Properties Dialog"
on page777.
By default, any action task, branch, splitter or condition that generates an error will simply be
ignored, and the task just under it (not within a branch)will be given control of the job file
without any modification. Any initial input task that generates an error will stop the process from
running as a whole, and output tasks will not generate output. The On Error tab can be used to
overwrite the default behaviors.
lSend to Process: Check this option to send the job file to an error management process.
lError Process drop-down:Enabled only when the Send to Process option is checked.
Lists any process of which the initial input task is the Input Error Bin task.
lAction:In the initial input tasks, this group is disabled and defaults to Stop Process. In
all other tasks where the On Error tab is present, the following options are available:
lDefault:By default, the task is ignored as if it did not exist and the error is logged
before continuing the branch or process; the job file is passed on to the next task in
the process. When an error occurs in a loop (or in a plugin that acts like a loop), the
loop may log the error, terminate the current iteration and proceed with the next
iteration.
lStop Branch:If the task is in a branch of the process, the branch is stopped and the
job file is returned to the process after the branch. The branch will not produce any
output. If the task is not on a branch, the entire process will be stopped.
lStop Process:The process is stopped and no more processing is done. No further
output is produced.
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lLog Message:Check this option to enable logging a custom error message in the
PlanetPress Workflow log file and in the Windows Application Events.
lMessage:Enabled only when the Log Message option is checked. Enter a message that
will be logged in the PlanetPress Workflow log file. You can use any variables available
in PlanetPress Workflow to customize the message.
lStore the message in variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you
want to store the message content.
lID:Enter an error ID. This IDwill be visible in the Windows Event Viewer. However, the
IDis not visible in the PlanetPress Workflow log file.
lStore the IDin variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you want to
store the error ID.
lReset to defaults:Resets all options in this tab to their default values.
When storing the message or ID, if they are stored in a jobinfo they will be available in any
error handling process where errors are being forwarded. If your process continues after the
error, the contents of the variables selected in this window will be available to the rest of your
process, or as long as they are not overwritten.
Common Errors
Though some error messages are specific to a task in particular, others may apply to any and
all tasks because they are related more to the system than to PlanetPress itself. Some
examples would be W3813,W3830,W3991,W4005. These correspond to issues such as not
having any space to write files, permission errors on folders or files, etc.
Comments Tab
The Comments tab is common to all tasks. It contains a text area (Task comments)that lets
you write comments about the task. These comments are saved when the dialog is closed with
the OKbutton, and are displayed in the Task Comments Pane.
Check the option Use as step description to display the text next to the icon of the plugin in
the Process area.
Run Script
Run Script tasks are used to run scripts that typically perform some kind of processing on the
job file received by the task. Scripts are often simpler to write than programs added with the
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External Program action (see "External Program" on page321). However, they can be slower
to execute.
The Run Script action task can be used either as an action or a condition. When dragging and
dropping a Run Script action task on a given process, you select whether to use this task as an
action or a condition from a contextual menu.
For more information on scripts, what languages are supported and how to write scripts and
conditions, please see the related chapter, "Using Scripts" on page91.
Input
Any data file, in any format.
Processing
The script is executed. The script can modify anything such as the data file, job infos, metadata,
or even other files on the operating system.
Output
Whatever file the Run Script action generates, metadata it modifies or creates, etc.
Note
When using Run Script as a condition, the output of the task can be within the branch or
on the main trunk. To control the output, use the "Script.ReturnValue" on page119
variable in your script.
Properties
The ScriptEditor menu options are as followed:
lFile
lImport:Lets you open an existing script froman external file. This file can be in
.vbs, .js, .pl or .py for language-specific scripts, or .txt for any of them.
lExport:Lets you save the currentscript as a file.
lPrint:Prints the currentscript.
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lEdit
lUndo:Undo the last edit.
lCut:Cut the current selection (only available if there is selected text in the editor).
lCopy:Copy the current selection (only available if there is selected text in the
editor).
lPaste:Paste the last selection that was cut or copied in the location of the cursor in
the text editor.
lDelete:Delete the current selection (only available if there is selected text in the
editor).
lSelect All:Select all of the contents of the editor.
lSearch
lFind:Brings up the Find dialog.
lFindAgain:Repeats the previous search and finds the next occurrence.
lReplace:Brings up the Replace dialog.
lGo To Line: Brings up the Go To Line dialog where you can enter a line number
and jump directly to that line.
lLanguage: By default, the task expects a VB Script. You can set another language as the
default for the Run Script task in the the Workflow preferences (Behavior > Default
Configuration).
lVBScript:Select if your script is written in VBScript.
lJavaScript:Select if your script is written in JavaScript.
lPerl:Select if your script is written in Perl.
lPython:Select if your script is written in Pyton.
lTools
lEditor Options...:Opens the "Editor Options" on page769.
lHelp
lContents and Indexes:Opens the Editor Help (this page)
The other options of the window are:
lThe script editor text box:This is where you enter your XSLTScript that will be used. If
you use an external script file, this will display the content of the file (note however that
modifying the script in this case does not modify the external file and changes are not
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saved).
lScript running from:Choose if the script should be run from the editor text box, or from
an external script file.
lScript filename and path:Either enter the full path of the XLSTScript, or click the
Browse button to navigate to the file. This option is only available if you choose external
script file in the Script running from option.
Warning
With the Run Script action, the OnErrortab is accessible by right-clicking on the action
in your process and clicking Advanced Properties.
The On Error tab will be triggered if your script has an execution error (such as syntax
error, etc) as well as when raising an error from within your script.
On Error Tab
The On Error tab is common to all tasks. Details can be found in the" Task Properties Dialog"
on page777.
By default, any action task, branch, splitter or condition that generates an error will simply be
ignored, and the task just under it (not within a branch)will be given control of the job file
without any modification. Any initial input task that generates an error will stop the process from
running as a whole, and output tasks will not generate output. The On Error tab can be used to
overwrite the default behaviors.
lSend to Process: Check this option to send the job file to an error management process.
lError Process drop-down:Enabled only when the Send to Process option is checked.
Lists any process of which the initial input task is the Input Error Bin task.
lAction:In the initial input tasks, this group is disabled and defaults to Stop Process. In
all other tasks where the On Error tab is present, the following options are available:
lDefault:By default, the task is ignored as if it did not exist and the error is logged
before continuing the branch or process; the job file is passed on to the next task in
the process. When an error occurs in a loop (or in a plugin that acts like a loop), the
loop may log the error, terminate the current iteration and proceed with the next
iteration.
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lStop Branch:If the task is in a branch of the process, the branch is stopped and the
job file is returned to the process after the branch. The branch will not produce any
output. If the task is not on a branch, the entire process will be stopped.
lStop Process:The process is stopped and no more processing is done. No further
output is produced.
lLog Message:Check this option to enable logging a custom error message in the
PlanetPress Workflow log file and in the Windows Application Events.
lMessage:Enabled only when the Log Message option is checked. Enter a message that
will be logged in the PlanetPress Workflow log file. You can use any variables available
in PlanetPress Workflow to customize the message.
lStore the message in variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you
want to store the message content.
lID:Enter an error ID. This IDwill be visible in the Windows Event Viewer. However, the
IDis not visible in the PlanetPress Workflow log file.
lStore the IDin variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you want to
store the error ID.
lReset to defaults:Resets all options in this tab to their default values.
When storing the message or ID, if they are stored in a jobinfo they will be available in any
error handling process where errors are being forwarded. If your process continues after the
error, the contents of the variables selected in this window will be available to the rest of your
process, or as long as they are not overwritten.
Common Errors
Though some error messages are specific to a task in particular, others may apply to any and
all tasks because they are related more to the system than to PlanetPress itself. Some
examples would be W3813,W3830,W3991,W4005. These correspond to issues such as not
having any space to write files, permission errors on folders or files, etc.
Comments Tab
The Comments tab is common to all tasks. It contains a text area (Task comments)that lets
you write comments about the task. These comments are saved when the dialog is closed with
the OKbutton, and are displayed in the Task Comments Pane.
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Check the option Use as step description to display the text next to the icon of the plugin in
the Process area.
Search and Replace
Search and Replace action tasks are used to locate and replace strings of data within the job
file and to replace them with other strings of data. Note that this action task cannot be used with
binary files.
For more advanced search and replace functionality, you can also see "Advanced Search and
Replace" on page275.
Input
Any text-based file can be used in this task, even formats that are not directly compatible with
PlanetPress. As long as the text is visible in a text-based editor (such as Notepad), it is
readable and supported by this task.
Processing
The appropriate changes are made to the data file (replacing text).
Output
The modified data file is output from this task. Metadata is not modified in any way if it is
present.
Properties
General Tab
lFind: Enter the string of data for which to search. In this variable property box, you may
enter static characters, variables, job information elements, data selections, or any
combination of these.
lReplace with: Enter the string of data to use as a replacement. Since this is also a
variable property box, the same as above applies.
lList of words to find and replace: Lists each string to find, and its replacement. These
are executed in order, from top to bottom.
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lFind: Enter the string of data for which to search. In this variable property box, you
may enter static characters, variables, job information elements, data selections, or
any combination of these.
lReplace with: Enter the string of data to use as a replacement. Since this is also a
variable property box, the same as above applies.
lbutton:Click to add a new line to the list of words to find and replace.
lbutton:Click to remove the currently selected line from the list.
lbutton:Move the currently selected line up one position.
lbutton:Move the currently selected line down one position.
On Error Tab
The On Error tab is common to all tasks. Details can be found in the" Task Properties Dialog"
on page777.
By default, any action task, branch, splitter or condition that generates an error will simply be
ignored, and the task just under it (not within a branch)will be given control of the job file
without any modification. Any initial input task that generates an error will stop the process from
running as a whole, and output tasks will not generate output. The On Error tab can be used to
overwrite the default behaviors.
lSend to Process: Check this option to send the job file to an error management process.
lError Process drop-down:Enabled only when the Send to Process option is checked.
Lists any process of which the initial input task is the Input Error Bin task.
lAction:In the initial input tasks, this group is disabled and defaults to Stop Process. In
all other tasks where the On Error tab is present, the following options are available:
lDefault:By default, the task is ignored as if it did not exist and the error is logged
before continuing the branch or process; the job file is passed on to the next task in
the process. When an error occurs in a loop (or in a plugin that acts like a loop), the
loop may log the error, terminate the current iteration and proceed with the next
iteration.
lStop Branch:If the task is in a branch of the process, the branch is stopped and the
job file is returned to the process after the branch. The branch will not produce any
output. If the task is not on a branch, the entire process will be stopped.
lStop Process:The process is stopped and no more processing is done. No further
output is produced.
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lLog Message:Check this option to enable logging a custom error message in the
PlanetPress Workflow log file and in the Windows Application Events.
lMessage:Enabled only when the Log Message option is checked. Enter a message that
will be logged in the PlanetPress Workflow log file. You can use any variables available
in PlanetPress Workflow to customize the message.
lStore the message in variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you
want to store the message content.
lID:Enter an error ID. This IDwill be visible in the Windows Event Viewer. However, the
IDis not visible in the PlanetPress Workflow log file.
lStore the IDin variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you want to
store the error ID.
lReset to defaults:Resets all options in this tab to their default values.
When storing the message or ID, if they are stored in a jobinfo they will be available in any
error handling process where errors are being forwarded. If your process continues after the
error, the contents of the variables selected in this window will be available to the rest of your
process, or as long as they are not overwritten.
Common Errors
Though some error messages are specific to a task in particular, others may apply to any and
all tasks because they are related more to the system than to PlanetPress itself. Some
examples would be W3813,W3830,W3991,W4005. These correspond to issues such as not
having any space to write files, permission errors on folders or files, etc.
Comments Tab
The Comments tab is common to all tasks. It contains a text area (Task comments)that lets
you write comments about the task. These comments are saved when the dialog is closed with
the OKbutton, and are displayed in the Task Comments Pane.
Check the option Use as step description to display the text next to the icon of the plugin in
the Process area.
Send Images to Printer
The Send Images to Printer action task is used to (obviously)send images to the printer so
they can be used as resources by documents run on the printer. They are comparable to
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Download to Printer action tasks (see "Download to Printer" on page318), but they include
image specific options. Furthermore, they can be used to send images not only to printers, but
also to the virtual drive of other computers running PlanetPress Workflow applications. Note
that each Sent Images to Printer action task must be followed by a Printer Queue Output
task set to "passthrough", in order for the images to be actually sent to that printer.
Note
Images sent to a printer are stored in the root folder of the printer’s hard disk, while
images sent to the virtual drive of another computer are stored in a sub-folder of the
PlanetPress Workflow folder.
Input
Any image file that you wish to upload to the printer.
Processing
The currently active image data file converted to postscript. The image's resolution, scan
orientation, and quality can be modified, depending on the selected option. All files are
converted into PostScript format for storage on the printer.If a virtual drive, the file is
automatically sent to it.
Output
A postscript file containing the necessary code to save the data file on the hard drive.
Properties
General tab
lScan orientation: Select Side to side for images that will be printed in their original
orientation on a portrait oriented page, or in a rotated orientation on a landscape page.
Select Top to bottom for images that will be printed in a rotated orientation on a portrait
oriented page, or in a rotated orientation on a portrait oriented page. Note that images that
are meant to be printed in various ways can be stored twice on the printer as two identical
copies of the same file that bear different names (Image_Original.tif and Image_
Rotated.tif, for example). The first copy can be processed using a Send Images to
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Printer action task with the scan orientation set to Side to side, the second one with a
different Send Images to Printer action task with the scan orientation set to Top to
bottom, each one typically being included on two different branches of the same process.
lColor conversion: Select As is to keep the color information included in the images.
Select Grayscale to convert color images to gray scale.
lNaming convention: Select ’File name, original’ to store the file under its original file
name. Select ’File name, no extension’ to store the file without its original file name
extension. Note that all characters are converted to uppercase and that extended
characters (characters, such as é, for example) are not recommended in image file
names.
lImage quality: Select the same image quality chosen in the PlanetPress Design
documents that reference the image files you are sending. In PlanetPress Design, this
setting is included in the document’s resource options.
lImage compression level: Select the level at which you want images to be compressed.
Values can range from 1 (compress up to 1% of the image’s original size) to 100 (do not
compress). For example if you set this box to 75, the Image Downloader compresses all
images by 75% when it converts those image to PostScript. The default compression
level is 70%.
lSend to Virtual Drive of: Select the computers and / or printers to which the images are
to be sent.
lRefresh: Click to prompt PlanetPress Workflow to look again for available printers and
computers.
lHard disk name and path: You may enter the name and path of the hard disk to which
you want to send the images. Needless to say that this option is used if the device to
which you are sending the images has multiple hard drives.
lPrint confirmation page: Select to print a confirmation page on each one of the selected
printers after an image has been successfully received.
On Error Tab
The On Error tab is common to all tasks. Details can be found in the" Task Properties Dialog"
on page777.
By default, any action task, branch, splitter or condition that generates an error will simply be
ignored, and the task just under it (not within a branch)will be given control of the job file
without any modification. Any initial input task that generates an error will stop the process from
running as a whole, and output tasks will not generate output. The On Error tab can be used to
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overwrite the default behaviors.
lSend to Process: Check this option to send the job file to an error management process.
lError Process drop-down:Enabled only when the Send to Process option is checked.
Lists any process of which the initial input task is the Input Error Bin task.
lAction:In the initial input tasks, this group is disabled and defaults to Stop Process. In
all other tasks where the On Error tab is present, the following options are available:
lDefault:By default, the task is ignored as if it did not exist and the error is logged
before continuing the branch or process; the job file is passed on to the next task in
the process. When an error occurs in a loop (or in a plugin that acts like a loop), the
loop may log the error, terminate the current iteration and proceed with the next
iteration.
lStop Branch:If the task is in a branch of the process, the branch is stopped and the
job file is returned to the process after the branch. The branch will not produce any
output. If the task is not on a branch, the entire process will be stopped.
lStop Process:The process is stopped and no more processing is done. No further
output is produced.
lLog Message:Check this option to enable logging a custom error message in the
PlanetPress Workflow log file and in the Windows Application Events.
lMessage:Enabled only when the Log Message option is checked. Enter a message that
will be logged in the PlanetPress Workflow log file. You can use any variables available
in PlanetPress Workflow to customize the message.
lStore the message in variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you
want to store the message content.
lID:Enter an error ID. This IDwill be visible in the Windows Event Viewer. However, the
IDis not visible in the PlanetPress Workflow log file.
lStore the IDin variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you want to
store the error ID.
lReset to defaults:Resets all options in this tab to their default values.
When storing the message or ID, if they are stored in a jobinfo they will be available in any
error handling process where errors are being forwarded. If your process continues after the
error, the contents of the variables selected in this window will be available to the rest of your
process, or as long as they are not overwritten.
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Common Errors
Though some error messages are specific to a task in particular, others may apply to any and
all tasks because they are related more to the system than to PlanetPress itself. Some
examples would be W3813,W3830,W3991,W4005. These correspond to issues such as not
having any space to write files, permission errors on folders or files, etc.
Comments Tab
The Comments tab is common to all tasks. It contains a text area (Task comments)that lets
you write comments about the task. These comments are saved when the dialog is closed with
the OKbutton, and are displayed in the Task Comments Pane.
Check the option Use as step description to display the text next to the icon of the plugin in
the Process area.
Send to Folder
Send to Folder action tasks send the files they receive to a local folder. They perform the same
function as Send to Folder output tasks, with the only difference being that in this case
PlanetPress Workflow will wait for the task to be completed before going on to the next task in
the configuration.
Note
As with any task that can refer to network resources, it is important to understand the
considerations involved with paths and permissions of these resources. Please refer to
the Network Considerations page in the Advanced Configuration and Options chapter
(Reference Guide, in English only).
Input
Any data file in any format.
Processing
A copy of the data file is saved on the hard drive at the specified location.
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Output
The original data file, metadata and job infos are not modified, they are passed on to the next
task.
Properties
General tab
lFolder: Enter the path of the folder to which the files are to be saved.
lFile name: Enter the name of the output files generated by this task. To prevent each new
file from overwriting the previous one, you should use variable names. As with any
variable property box, you can use any combination of text, variables and data selections.
lConcatenate files: If this option is selected, when PlanetPress Workflow tries to save a
file under a given name, if a file under that same name already exists, instead of
overwriting it, PlanetPress Workflow will append the content of the new file to that of the
existing file. This appending process will go on until the file is removed from the folder.
lSeparator string: This option is used to add a separator string between the content of
each file when the Concatenate files option is selected.
On Error Tab
The On Error tab is common to all tasks. Details can be found in the" Task Properties Dialog"
on page777.
By default, any action task, branch, splitter or condition that generates an error will simply be
ignored, and the task just under it (not within a branch)will be given control of the job file
without any modification. Any initial input task that generates an error will stop the process from
running as a whole, and output tasks will not generate output. The On Error tab can be used to
overwrite the default behaviors.
lSend to Process: Check this option to send the job file to an error management process.
lError Process drop-down:Enabled only when the Send to Process option is checked.
Lists any process of which the initial input task is the Input Error Bin task.
lAction:In the initial input tasks, this group is disabled and defaults to Stop Process. In
all other tasks where the On Error tab is present, the following options are available:
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lDefault:By default, the task is ignored as if it did not exist and the error is logged
before continuing the branch or process; the job file is passed on to the next task in
the process. When an error occurs in a loop (or in a plugin that acts like a loop), the
loop may log the error, terminate the current iteration and proceed with the next
iteration.
lStop Branch:If the task is in a branch of the process, the branch is stopped and the
job file is returned to the process after the branch. The branch will not produce any
output. If the task is not on a branch, the entire process will be stopped.
lStop Process:The process is stopped and no more processing is done. No further
output is produced.
lLog Message:Check this option to enable logging a custom error message in the
PlanetPress Workflow log file and in the Windows Application Events.
lMessage:Enabled only when the Log Message option is checked. Enter a message that
will be logged in the PlanetPress Workflow log file. You can use any variables available
in PlanetPress Workflow to customize the message.
lStore the message in variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you
want to store the message content.
lID:Enter an error ID. This IDwill be visible in the Windows Event Viewer. However, the
IDis not visible in the PlanetPress Workflow log file.
lStore the IDin variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you want to
store the error ID.
lReset to defaults:Resets all options in this tab to their default values.
When storing the message or ID, if they are stored in a jobinfo they will be available in any
error handling process where errors are being forwarded. If your process continues after the
error, the contents of the variables selected in this window will be available to the rest of your
process, or as long as they are not overwritten.
Common Errors
Though some error messages are specific to a task in particular, others may apply to any and
all tasks because they are related more to the system than to PlanetPress itself. Some
examples would be W3813,W3830,W3991,W4005. These correspond to issues such as not
having any space to write files, permission errors on folders or files, etc.
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Comments Tab
The Comments tab is common to all tasks. It contains a text area (Task comments)that lets
you write comments about the task. These comments are saved when the dialog is closed with
the OKbutton, and are displayed in the Task Comments Pane.
Check the option Use as step description to display the text next to the icon of the plugin in
the Process area.
Set Job Infos and Variables
Add Set Job Infos and Variables action tasks to set job info elements as well as custom
variables. You can set multiple variables and job info values in a single task. Be aware that
lines are processed from top to bottom.
Input
Any data file in any format.
Processing
This task assigns the defined values to each local or global variables or job information. It does
not modify the data file nor the metadata.
Output
The original data file, metadata and job infos are not modified, they are passed on to the next
task. Set Job Infos and Variables action task properties are as follows:
General tab
lVar/Info#: Lists all job infos, local variables in the current process and global variables in
the configuration. Click on the variable you want to change.
lValue: Enter the value that you want to associate with the selected job information
element or custom variable.
lbutton:Adds a new line and lets you define the variable and value to set.
lbutton:Removes the line that is currently selected (highlighted).
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lbutton: Moves the line up so it is processed before.
lbutton: Moves the line down so it is processed after.
On Error Tab
The On Error tab is common to all tasks. Details can be found in the" Task Properties Dialog"
on page777.
By default, any action task, branch, splitter or condition that generates an error will simply be
ignored, and the task just under it (not within a branch)will be given control of the job file
without any modification. Any initial input task that generates an error will stop the process from
running as a whole, and output tasks will not generate output. The On Error tab can be used to
overwrite the default behaviors.
lSend to Process: Check this option to send the job file to an error management process.
lError Process drop-down:Enabled only when the Send to Process option is checked.
Lists any process of which the initial input task is the Input Error Bin task.
lAction:In the initial input tasks, this group is disabled and defaults to Stop Process. In
all other tasks where the On Error tab is present, the following options are available:
lDefault:By default, the task is ignored as if it did not exist and the error is logged
before continuing the branch or process; the job file is passed on to the next task in
the process. When an error occurs in a loop (or in a plugin that acts like a loop), the
loop may log the error, terminate the current iteration and proceed with the next
iteration.
lStop Branch:If the task is in a branch of the process, the branch is stopped and the
job file is returned to the process after the branch. The branch will not produce any
output. If the task is not on a branch, the entire process will be stopped.
lStop Process:The process is stopped and no more processing is done. No further
output is produced.
lLog Message:Check this option to enable logging a custom error message in the
PlanetPress Workflow log file and in the Windows Application Events.
lMessage:Enabled only when the Log Message option is checked. Enter a message that
will be logged in the PlanetPress Workflow log file. You can use any variables available
in PlanetPress Workflow to customize the message.
lStore the message in variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you
want to store the message content.
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lID:Enter an error ID. This IDwill be visible in the Windows Event Viewer. However, the
IDis not visible in the PlanetPress Workflow log file.
lStore the IDin variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you want to
store the error ID.
lReset to defaults:Resets all options in this tab to their default values.
When storing the message or ID, if they are stored in a jobinfo they will be available in any
error handling process where errors are being forwarded. If your process continues after the
error, the contents of the variables selected in this window will be available to the rest of your
process, or as long as they are not overwritten.
Common Errors
Though some error messages are specific to a task in particular, others may apply to any and
all tasks because they are related more to the system than to PlanetPress itself. Some
examples would be W3813,W3830,W3991,W4005. These correspond to issues such as not
having any space to write files, permission errors on folders or files, etc.
Comments Tab
The Comments tab is common to all tasks. It contains a text area (Task comments)that lets
you write comments about the task. These comments are saved when the dialog is closed with
the OKbutton, and are displayed in the Task Comments Pane.
Check the option Use as step description to display the text next to the icon of the plugin in
the Process area.
SOAP Client plugin
SOAP Client plugin tasks can be used as input, output and action tasks, although their basic
function is to generate output. SOAP (Simple Object Access Protocol) is a light protocol that
defines a standard XML format used to communicate among systems across different
architectures, languages, and operating systems.
A SOAP request is an XML-based Remote Procedure Call (RPC) sent using the HTTP
transport protocol. The payload of the SOAP packet is an XML document that specifies the call
being made and the parameters being passed.
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Web services, a SOAP class of applications, expose their services via the Internet in a manner
that lets other applications access them, as well as use and combine them as required.
In order to access and successfully use Web services, client applications must know how to get
them, what operations they support, what parameters they expect, as well as what they return.
SOAP servers make this information available via WSDL (Web Service Description Language)
files.
To configure a given SOAP Client plugin task in the PlanetPress Workflow Configuration
program, you must first get its WSDL file (note that you cannot download the WSDL file over an
HTTPS connection, so you should use an HTTP connection to get the file and then switch back
to a secure connection). This lets you know which services the SOAP server provides, as well
as each service’s methods and name spaces.
If firewalls control communication between the SOAP client and the Web servers, they must be
configured so as not to block client-server communication.
In the case of "string" type data, SOAP Client plugin tasks normalize all line endings to a
single line feed character.
Properties
General tab
lWSDL address: Enter the URL address of the WSDL file, or choose a previously
selected address from the drop-down list.
Note
The WSDL Address of a PlanetPress Workflow SOAP server is the following:
http://127.0.0.1:8080/wsdl/isoapact (assuming you are on the same machine
and did not change the default HTTP port).
lGet: Click to get the WSDL file from the SOAP server and populate the Service box
below.
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lService: Choose an available Web service from this drop-down list to populate the
Method box below. You may also enter the service name directly if the WSDL file cannot
be found.
lMethod: Choose an available method from this drop-down list. This populates the
Namespace box below. You may also enter the method name directly.
lNamespace: You may choose an available namespace to prevent ambiguity between
identically named elements or attributes. You may also enter a namespace directly.
lResolve: Click to apply the options you chose above and to display the arguments of the
chosen method in the Arguments box below.
lAs script: Click to apply the options you chose above and to display information on the
chosen Web service in JavaScript format in a script viewer. You should use this option if
the Web service is too complex to be interpreted correctly by the SOAP Client plugin.
lName: Displays the name of the arguments associated with the selected method. Note
that you may also manually enter new arguments, change or delete existing ones, as well
as change their order if needed.
lType: Displays the argument type.
lValue: Lets you enter fixed or variable values. To exchange variable information between
the Web service and PlanetPress Workflow, you must use job information variables %1 to
%9 or variable %c (which contains the entire job file). Note that return values (arguments
which are used to return information to the SOAP Client) are displayed in bold font.
lNamespace: Displays the namespace of the arguments associated with the selected
method.
lUse returned raw SOAP packet as new data file: Check to use the complete SOAP
packet (including the passed parameters) instead of the parameters only. This option
overrides any return value set to %c in the Arguments box. You should use this option
when the SOAP Client plugin is not able to fully support the syntax of the response.
Advanced tab
lDomain:Enter the domain for the authentication on the SOAPserver. The Domain is
optional even when authentication is used.
luser name:Enter the user name for the authentication, if required.
lPassword: Enter the password for the above user name.
lAllow invalid security certificate:Check to ignore SSLcertificates that are invalid.
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On Error Tab
The On Error tab is common to all tasks. Details can be found in the" Task Properties Dialog"
on page777.
By default, any action task, branch, splitter or condition that generates an error will simply be
ignored, and the task just under it (not within a branch)will be given control of the job file
without any modification. Any initial input task that generates an error will stop the process from
running as a whole, and output tasks will not generate output. The On Error tab can be used to
overwrite the default behaviors.
lSend to Process: Check this option to send the job file to an error management process.
lError Process drop-down:Enabled only when the Send to Process option is checked.
Lists any process of which the initial input task is the Input Error Bin task.
lAction:In the initial input tasks, this group is disabled and defaults to Stop Process. In
all other tasks where the On Error tab is present, the following options are available:
lDefault:By default, the task is ignored as if it did not exist and the error is logged
before continuing the branch or process; the job file is passed on to the next task in
the process. When an error occurs in a loop (or in a plugin that acts like a loop), the
loop may log the error, terminate the current iteration and proceed with the next
iteration.
lStop Branch:If the task is in a branch of the process, the branch is stopped and the
job file is returned to the process after the branch. The branch will not produce any
output. If the task is not on a branch, the entire process will be stopped.
lStop Process:The process is stopped and no more processing is done. No further
output is produced.
lLog Message:Check this option to enable logging a custom error message in the
PlanetPress Workflow log file and in the Windows Application Events.
lMessage:Enabled only when the Log Message option is checked. Enter a message that
will be logged in the PlanetPress Workflow log file. You can use any variables available
in PlanetPress Workflow to customize the message.
lStore the message in variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you
want to store the message content.
lID:Enter an error ID. This IDwill be visible in the Windows Event Viewer. However, the
IDis not visible in the PlanetPress Workflow log file.
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lStore the IDin variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you want to
store the error ID.
lReset to defaults:Resets all options in this tab to their default values.
When storing the message or ID, if they are stored in a jobinfo they will be available in any
error handling process where errors are being forwarded. If your process continues after the
error, the contents of the variables selected in this window will be available to the rest of your
process, or as long as they are not overwritten.
Common Errors
Though some error messages are specific to a task in particular, others may apply to any and
all tasks because they are related more to the system than to PlanetPress itself. Some
examples would be W3813,W3830,W3991,W4005. These correspond to issues such as not
having any space to write files, permission errors on folders or files, etc.
Comments Tab
The Comments tab is common to all tasks. It contains a text area (Task comments)that lets
you write comments about the task. These comments are saved when the dialog is closed with
the OKbutton, and are displayed in the Task Comments Pane.
Check the option Use as step description to display the text next to the icon of the plugin in
the Process area.
Standard Filter
Standard Filter action tasks can be used to remove HP Escape characters from data files, as
well as to eliminate spacing problems caused by LF-CR end-of-line sequences.
HP escape characters are used in the Hewlett Packard Printer Control Language (HP PCL) to
communicate basic page formatting and font selection information from print jobs to HP or HP-
compatible printers.
These characters, like other printer control characters that control how printers interpret and
print jobs, are not meant to be printed.
If your print job is bound for an HP compatible printer, it may include these characters even
when printing to a PostScript printer that does not recognize them. PlanetPress Workflow
provides an easy way to automatically filter these characters through its Standard Filter action.
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Input
Text-based data files such as Line Printer Emulation and ASCII Emulation data files, which
contain HPPCLcontrol characters.
Processing
All HPPCLcharacters are removed from the data file. Note that these characters are not
interpreted, only stripped out.
Output
The modified data file, with stripped characters, is output from this task. Metadata, job infos and
variables are not modified.
Properties
General tab
lProcess job using ASCII emulation: Select to use the ASCII emulation to process the
job file. This reverses LF-CR end-of-line sequences that may result in unwanted double-
spacing.
lRemove and convert HP escape characters: Select to filter HP escape character
sequences from the job file.
On Error Tab
The On Error tab is common to all tasks. Details can be found in the" Task Properties Dialog"
on page777.
By default, any action task, branch, splitter or condition that generates an error will simply be
ignored, and the task just under it (not within a branch)will be given control of the job file
without any modification. Any initial input task that generates an error will stop the process from
running as a whole, and output tasks will not generate output. The On Error tab can be used to
overwrite the default behaviors.
lSend to Process: Check this option to send the job file to an error management process.
lError Process drop-down:Enabled only when the Send to Process option is checked.
Lists any process of which the initial input task is the Input Error Bin task.
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lAction:In the initial input tasks, this group is disabled and defaults to Stop Process. In
all other tasks where the On Error tab is present, the following options are available:
lDefault:By default, the task is ignored as if it did not exist and the error is logged
before continuing the branch or process; the job file is passed on to the next task in
the process. When an error occurs in a loop (or in a plugin that acts like a loop), the
loop may log the error, terminate the current iteration and proceed with the next
iteration.
lStop Branch:If the task is in a branch of the process, the branch is stopped and the
job file is returned to the process after the branch. The branch will not produce any
output. If the task is not on a branch, the entire process will be stopped.
lStop Process:The process is stopped and no more processing is done. No further
output is produced.
lLog Message:Check this option to enable logging a custom error message in the
PlanetPress Workflow log file and in the Windows Application Events.
lMessage:Enabled only when the Log Message option is checked. Enter a message that
will be logged in the PlanetPress Workflow log file. You can use any variables available
in PlanetPress Workflow to customize the message.
lStore the message in variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you
want to store the message content.
lID:Enter an error ID. This IDwill be visible in the Windows Event Viewer. However, the
IDis not visible in the PlanetPress Workflow log file.
lStore the IDin variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you want to
store the error ID.
lReset to defaults:Resets all options in this tab to their default values.
When storing the message or ID, if they are stored in a jobinfo they will be available in any
error handling process where errors are being forwarded. If your process continues after the
error, the contents of the variables selected in this window will be available to the rest of your
process, or as long as they are not overwritten.
Common Errors
Though some error messages are specific to a task in particular, others may apply to any and
all tasks because they are related more to the system than to PlanetPress itself. Some
examples would be W3813,W3830,W3991,W4005. These correspond to issues such as not
having any space to write files, permission errors on folders or files, etc.
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Comments Tab
The Comments tab is common to all tasks. It contains a text area (Task comments)that lets
you write comments about the task. These comments are saved when the dialog is closed with
the OKbutton, and are displayed in the Task Comments Pane.
Check the option Use as step description to display the text next to the icon of the plugin in
the Process area.
Translator
PlanetPress Workflow Translator action tasks can convert your data from its current encoding to
a number of different encoding. The same data may be converted back and forth as required.
The Translator Action Task is useful for data file using foreign languages, as well as to convert
Unicode data file (which are not supported by PlanetPress Workflow).
Technical
You can create your own translation matrix files for the Translation Action Task by adding
them to the following folder:
%CommonProgramFiles%\Objectif Lune\PlanetPress Workflow 7\Plugins\Translator
Two examples are already present, converting ASCIIto and from IBMEBCDIC.
Codepage 1252 (ANSI - Latin 1) is used for many Latin language documents, since it can be
used for Afrikaans, Basque, Catalan, Danish, Dutch, English, Faroese, Finnish, French,
Galician, German, Icelandic, Indonesian, Italian, Malay, Norwegian, Portuguese, Spanish,
Swahili and Swedish. Codepage 932 is often used for Japanese.
Input
Any text-based data file.
Processing
The characters in the data file are converted from the old encoding to the new one.
Output
The data file in its new encoding format. Metadata, job info and variables are unchanged.
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Properties
General tab
lSource encoding: Select the current data encoding. Note that the source encoding is not
selected automatically and you must therefore select the proper encoding from this list in
order for the conversion process to be performed successfully.
lTarget encoding: Select the encoding to which you want the data to be converted.
lInclude target encoding signature: This option is only available when converting to
UTF-8 (Windows code page 65001) or UCS-4 (code page 12000 or 12001). Select to
include the character encoding signature—also known as the byte order mark—at the
beginning of the target string.
lDefault character on translation: You may enter a character to be used to replace all
those characters that cannot be found in the source encoding. If you leave this box empty,
they will be simply stripped from the data, so you may consider using a space as a place
holder for unidentified characters.
On Error Tab
The On Error tab is common to all tasks. Details can be found in the" Task Properties Dialog"
on page777.
By default, any action task, branch, splitter or condition that generates an error will simply be
ignored, and the task just under it (not within a branch)will be given control of the job file
without any modification. Any initial input task that generates an error will stop the process from
running as a whole, and output tasks will not generate output. The On Error tab can be used to
overwrite the default behaviors.
lSend to Process: Check this option to send the job file to an error management process.
lError Process drop-down:Enabled only when the Send to Process option is checked.
Lists any process of which the initial input task is the Input Error Bin task.
lAction:In the initial input tasks, this group is disabled and defaults to Stop Process. In
all other tasks where the On Error tab is present, the following options are available:
lDefault:By default, the task is ignored as if it did not exist and the error is logged
before continuing the branch or process; the job file is passed on to the next task in
the process. When an error occurs in a loop (or in a plugin that acts like a loop), the
loop may log the error, terminate the current iteration and proceed with the next
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iteration.
lStop Branch:If the task is in a branch of the process, the branch is stopped and the
job file is returned to the process after the branch. The branch will not produce any
output. If the task is not on a branch, the entire process will be stopped.
lStop Process:The process is stopped and no more processing is done. No further
output is produced.
lLog Message:Check this option to enable logging a custom error message in the
PlanetPress Workflow log file and in the Windows Application Events.
lMessage:Enabled only when the Log Message option is checked. Enter a message that
will be logged in the PlanetPress Workflow log file. You can use any variables available
in PlanetPress Workflow to customize the message.
lStore the message in variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you
want to store the message content.
lID:Enter an error ID. This IDwill be visible in the Windows Event Viewer. However, the
IDis not visible in the PlanetPress Workflow log file.
lStore the IDin variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you want to
store the error ID.
lReset to defaults:Resets all options in this tab to their default values.
When storing the message or ID, if they are stored in a jobinfo they will be available in any
error handling process where errors are being forwarded. If your process continues after the
error, the contents of the variables selected in this window will be available to the rest of your
process, or as long as they are not overwritten.
Common Errors
Though some error messages are specific to a task in particular, others may apply to any and
all tasks because they are related more to the system than to PlanetPress itself. Some
examples would be W3813,W3830,W3991,W4005. These correspond to issues such as not
having any space to write files, permission errors on folders or files, etc.
Comments Tab
The Comments tab is common to all tasks. It contains a text area (Task comments)that lets
you write comments about the task. These comments are saved when the dialog is closed with
the OKbutton, and are displayed in the Task Comments Pane.
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Check the option Use as step description to display the text next to the icon of the plugin in
the Process area.
Windows Print Converter
Windows Print Converter action tasks are designed to convert Windows print files into Line
Printer files, that can then be used in a variety of other PlanetPress Workflow tasks. Typically,
Windows Print Converter action tasks are located below WinQueue input tasks (note that the
latter include options specific to Windows Print Converter action tasks).
The full conversion process is performed in two phases:
lThe Windows print file is first converted into an XML file in which each printable character
appears with its horizontal and vertical coordinates.
lThe XML file is then converted into a standard Line Printer file.
Note
Although it is more common to perform both phases in a single pass, each phase can be performed
selectively, as required.
Input
A print job in EMFformat, generally captured from a WinQueue input task.
Processing
The EMFjob is converted into a text-only, Line Printer Emulation data file.
Output
ALine Printer file. Metadata, job infos and variables are not changed.
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Properties
General tab
lEMF to XY group: Select this option if the file received by this task is a Windows print
file. This will prompt the task to perform the first phase of the process, and thus convert the
file to an XML file. If this option is not selected, the input file will not be converted to an
XML file (note that the task will fail if the file it receives is not an XML file). The settings
included in this group fine tune the process. They let you control precisely which text
blocks are recognized as belonging together in one line. This has particular affect when
dealing with font size differences between consecutive passages of text, the distance
from one text passage to another (word distance) as well as the base line offset (vertical
distance). To find out if one text passage belongs to the one found before it, first the
vertical distance, second the horizontal distance and finally, the font size difference are
checked. Only if all three values lie within the tolerance are the two blocks recognized as
belonging together. Additionally, you can control text passages whose horizontal distance
has been recognized as out of the tolerance, but whose type size difference and vertical
distance lie within the tolerance, outputting it in one line. At the output, these text
passages are separated by a tabulator (ASCII code 9).
lFont size difference: Indicates the smallest acceptable factor between maximum
and minimum font size within one line. A value of 0.60 means that with a ratio from
maximum to minimum font size (in points), that is less than 0.60, two text passages
are not recognized as belonging together. For example, if two text passages are
formatted with different font sizes. Passage 1 with 10, passage 2 with 18 point. The
ratio 0.56 is smaller than the adjusted value 0.60. Therefore those two text
passages are recognized as not belonging together.
lWord distance: Indicates the largest acceptable distance between two text
passages, so that they are still recognized as belonging together. This the factor the
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font's mean character width is multiplied with. The value for the mean character
width is taken from the corresponding font's attributes (for texts which are printed
justified, it is suggested to raise this value up to about 2). For example, if the mean
character width of the font example shown here corresponds to the width of the
blank character (for other fonts it may be another sign). There is another text
passage found whose horizontal distance is even bigger than the first one's mean
character width, multiplied by factor 1.0. The two text passages are found to not
belong together.
lVertical distance: Indicates the biggest acceptable vertical distance between two
text passages so that they're still recognized as belonging together. This is the
factor the font's height and size is multiplied with. The value for the font's height
therefore is taken from the corresponding font's attributes. For example, if the height
of that font example in 10 point size is 0.32 cm. There is a passage found that is
positioned 0.15 cm above - which means 0.15/0.31 = 0.48 < 0.50 - the previous text
passage. So the two passages are not recognized as belonging together.
lWindows Print Converter: Select this option if the task is to generate a Line Printer file.
This will prompt the task to perform the second phase of the process, and thus convert the
XML file to a Line Printer file. If this option is not selected, the output file will thus be an
XML file. The settings included in this group determine the format settings of the
generated Line Printer file.
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lCharacter per inch (CPI): The number of individual characters per inch on a line of
text.
lLine per inch (LPI): The number of lines of text per inch.
XML/JSON Conversion
The XML/JSON Action task converts an XML job file to JSON or a JSON job file to XML.
This task makes parsing XML/JSON files much simpler in a JavaScript environment and also
allows processes to natively send JSON to a Connect template or data mapping configuration.
Input
The current job file.
Processing
The current job file is converted from XML to JSON or from JSON to XML. When converting
from JSON to XML, the encoding of the resulting XML file is always set to UTF-8 (which is the
default format for JSON).
The converted job file gets the appropriate extension (.JSON or .XML).
If the current job file isn't JSON or XML (depending on the type of conversion requested), or if
the conversion fails for any reason, the task raises an error and the current job file and
metadata remain unchanged.
JSON to XML conversion
When a JSON source file contains a single JSON object, that object's key will be used as the
root node name in the resulting XML file, and the root node will be populated with the data
inside of the JSON object. In all other cases, a root node named 'root' will be added to the XML.
It has the property "OL" with the value "RootObject" to define it as an array container. This
property will be ignored when converting from XML to JSON.
Note
In addition to being valid, the JSON should follow naming rules for XML elements. For example,
"adress_line_1:" is a valid key name in JSON, but it cannot be converted to a valid element name in
XML because ':' is forbidden in XML element names.
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Output
The output is the modified job file, which replaces the input job file. The metadata are reset.
Properties
The XML/JSON task options are as follows:
General tab
lAutomatic detection: By default, the format of the job file is detected automatically. If the
source file is a JSON file, it will be converted to XML. If it is an XML file, it will be
converted to JSON.
Uncheck this option to limit the task to one type of conversion.
lJSON to XML: the task only converts JSON files to XML.
lXML to JSON: the task only converts XML files to JSON.
On Error Tab
The On Error tab is common to all tasks. Details can be found in the" Task Properties Dialog"
on page777.
By default, any action task, branch, splitter or condition that generates an error will simply be
ignored, and the task just under it (not within a branch)will be given control of the job file
without any modification. Any initial input task that generates an error will stop the process from
running as a whole, and output tasks will not generate output. The On Error tab can be used to
overwrite the default behaviors.
lSend to Process: Check this option to send the job file to an error management process.
lError Process drop-down:Enabled only when the Send to Process option is checked.
Lists any process of which the initial input task is the Input Error Bin task.
lAction:In the initial input tasks, this group is disabled and defaults to Stop Process. In
all other tasks where the On Error tab is present, the following options are available:
lDefault:By default, the task is ignored as if it did not exist and the error is logged
before continuing the branch or process; the job file is passed on to the next task in
the process. When an error occurs in a loop (or in a plugin that acts like a loop), the
loop may log the error, terminate the current iteration and proceed with the next
iteration.
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lStop Branch:If the task is in a branch of the process, the branch is stopped and the
job file is returned to the process after the branch. The branch will not produce any
output. If the task is not on a branch, the entire process will be stopped.
lStop Process:The process is stopped and no more processing is done. No further
output is produced.
lLog Message:Check this option to enable logging a custom error message in the
PlanetPress Workflow log file and in the Windows Application Events.
lMessage:Enabled only when the Log Message option is checked. Enter a message that
will be logged in the PlanetPress Workflow log file. You can use any variables available
in PlanetPress Workflow to customize the message.
lStore the message in variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you
want to store the message content.
lID:Enter an error ID. This IDwill be visible in the Windows Event Viewer. However, the
IDis not visible in the PlanetPress Workflow log file.
lStore the IDin variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you want to
store the error ID.
lReset to defaults:Resets all options in this tab to their default values.
When storing the message or ID, if they are stored in a jobinfo they will be available in any
error handling process where errors are being forwarded. If your process continues after the
error, the contents of the variables selected in this window will be available to the rest of your
process, or as long as they are not overwritten.
Common Errors
Though some error messages are specific to a task in particular, others may apply to any and
all tasks because they are related more to the system than to PlanetPress itself. Some
examples would be W3813,W3830,W3991,W4005. These correspond to issues such as not
having any space to write files, permission errors on folders or files, etc.
Comments Tab
The Comments tab is common to all tasks. It contains a text area (Task comments)that lets
you write comments about the task. These comments are saved when the dialog is closed with
the OKbutton, and are displayed in the Task Comments Pane.
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Check the option Use as step description to display the text next to the icon of the plugin in
the Process area.
Data Splitters
Splitter action tasks are used to single data files into multiple data files. You can use such
tasks, for example, to split files that contain statements for multiple clients into smaller files that
each contain a single client statement. Each statement can then be printed and sent by snail
mail, or even emailed directly from PlanetPress Workflow, to each individual client.
Splitters initiate a recurring cycle that stops only when the original file has been completely
processed. When a given splitter creates a file, it hands it down to the task that follows, and all
the tasks on the same branch are performed until the output task. Then the splitter task creates
yet another file that is again handed down to the next task, and so forth until the cycle ends
(when there is no more data in the original file).
If the process merges the split data with a document, the splitter must not alter the structure of
the data file. In other words, each split file must have the same structure as the original files,
otherwise the PlanetPress Design documents to which they will be sent will not be able to
extract the data correctly and the merging process will fail.
Warning
Splitters do not modify the metadata that is currently active within your process. This
means that, if you are intending to use metadata along with a process using splitters, you
can either use the "Metadata Sequencer" on page528 instead of a splitter, or (re)create
the metadata after the splitter.
About Using Emulations with Splitters
When an emulation is used with a splitter action task, the job file is emulated, cut to pieces and
de-emulated. Most times, the emulation/de-emulation process is completely transparent.
However, in some cases, there may be minute differences.
When using the ASCII or Channel Skip emulation, if there are missing line feed characters
(when lines end with a single carriage return in ASCII, or when lines start with a No line feed
channel in Channel Skip), the output data will be different from the input data, but the change
will not be significant.
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Let us imagine that a splitter action task processes the following data file using the ASCII
emulation:
Data line1 of page 1<cr><lf>
Data line2 of page 1<cr>
Last data line of page 1<cr><lf>
Data line1 of page 2<cr><lf>
...and so forth...
Once split, the first file generated by the action task would look like this:
Data line1 of page 1<cr><lf>
Data line2 of page 1<cr>
Data line2 of page 1<cr><lf>
Last data line of page 1<cr>
But when opened with PlanetPress Design or a PlanetPress Workflow using the ASCII
emulation, the data in the generated file would look exactly like the data in the original. The
same would hold true for the Channel Skip emulation.
Note the following details about emulations and their options:
lWith most emulations, if a file is split on a form feed, the form feed will not be appended to
the output file.
lWith the ASCII emulation, tabs within the input data file are replaced by spaces (the
number of spaces is determined within the configuration of the emulation).
lWith the ASCII emulation, if the Remove HP PCL Escapes option is selected, the data
coming out of the splitter will have no escape sequences.
lThe Goto column option of Channel Skip emulation is not supported.
Database Splitter
Database Splitter is used to split database files into multiple data files that are passed to
subsequent tasks in the process.
Input
A Database Emulation data file.
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Processing
The file is separated into multiple chunks according to the rules set in the task's properties.
Output
Multiple data files, sent one after the other to the rest of the tasks in the process. Metadata, job
infos and user variables are not modified by this task.
Properties
General tab
lSplit group: Use this group to indicate how you want the file to be split.
lField value change: Select if you want the file to be split based on changes in the values
of a selected database field (the value in the ClientID field changes, for example).
lField value condition: Select if you want the file to be split based on a condition set for
the values of a selected database field (the value in the Order field equals 1, for example).
lField count: Select if you want the file to be split whenever a given number of pages or
data pages has been reached.
The following options are only displayed when the Field value change or the Field value
condition option has been selected at the top of the dialog box.
lField: Enter the name of the field upon which to base the splitter condition. Note that you
can use the popup menu's Get Data command to select the field and populate this box
automatically.
The following options are only displayed when the Field value condition option has been
selected at the top of the dialog box.
lOperator: Select the condition to fulfill for the condition to be true and thus for the splitting
process to take place.
lValue: Enter the condition value. Note that you can use the popup menu's Get Data
command to select the value and populate this box automatically
lMatch case: Select to force the splitter to match the character casing when resolving the
Field value change or Field value condition. If this option is selected, a change from
“DAY” to “Day” will be considered as a valid field value change, and “DAY” and “Day” will
not be considered as equal values.
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lWhere to split group: Options from this group are used to define a number of pages or
records before or after which the file is to be split.
lPages or records: Enter the number of pages or records before or after which the file is
to be split. Enter 0 if you want the file to be split right before or after the page or record that
matches the set condition.
lBefore or after: Options from this list box are used to define exactly how the file is to be
split. Select Records before if you want the file to be split a given number of records
before the field that matches the set condition. Select Records after if you want the file to
be split a given number of records after the field that matches the set condition. Select
Pages before if you want the file to be split a given number of pages before the field that
matches the set condition. Select Pages after if you want the file to be split a given
number of pages after the field that matches the set condition.
lSplit when condition is found group: Use this group if you want the condition to be met
a multiple number of times before splitting the file. Leave the default value of 1 in the
Times box if you want to split the file every time the condition is met, but enter a value of
2, for example, if you want to split the file every second time the condition is met.
lTime(s): Enter the number of times the condition must be met before the file is to be split.
The following options are only displayed when the Field count option has been selected
at the top of the dialog box.
lMaximum records per file: Enter the maximum number of records to include in each file.
Enter 0 for no limit.
lMaximum pages per file: Enter the maximum number of pages to include in each file.
Enter 0 for no limit.
On Error Tab
The On Error tab is common to all tasks. Details can be found in the" Task Properties Dialog"
on page777.
By default, any action task, branch, splitter or condition that generates an error will simply be
ignored, and the task just under it (not within a branch)will be given control of the job file
without any modification. Any initial input task that generates an error will stop the process from
running as a whole, and output tasks will not generate output. The On Error tab can be used to
overwrite the default behaviors.
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lSend to Process: Check this option to send the job file to an error management process.
lError Process drop-down:Enabled only when the Send to Process option is checked.
Lists any process of which the initial input task is the Input Error Bin task.
lAction:In the initial input tasks, this group is disabled and defaults to Stop Process. In
all other tasks where the On Error tab is present, the following options are available:
lDefault:By default, the task is ignored as if it did not exist and the error is logged
before continuing the branch or process; the job file is passed on to the next task in
the process. When an error occurs in a loop (or in a plugin that acts like a loop), the
loop may log the error, terminate the current iteration and proceed with the next
iteration.
lStop Branch:If the task is in a branch of the process, the branch is stopped and the
job file is returned to the process after the branch. The branch will not produce any
output. If the task is not on a branch, the entire process will be stopped.
lStop Process:The process is stopped and no more processing is done. No further
output is produced.
lLog Message:Check this option to enable logging a custom error message in the
PlanetPress Workflow log file and in the Windows Application Events.
lMessage:Enabled only when the Log Message option is checked. Enter a message that
will be logged in the PlanetPress Workflow log file. You can use any variables available
in PlanetPress Workflow to customize the message.
lStore the message in variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you
want to store the message content.
lID:Enter an error ID. This IDwill be visible in the Windows Event Viewer. However, the
IDis not visible in the PlanetPress Workflow log file.
lStore the IDin variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you want to
store the error ID.
lReset to defaults:Resets all options in this tab to their default values.
When storing the message or ID, if they are stored in a jobinfo they will be available in any
error handling process where errors are being forwarded. If your process continues after the
error, the contents of the variables selected in this window will be available to the rest of your
process, or as long as they are not overwritten.
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Common Errors
Though some error messages are specific to a task in particular, others may apply to any and
all tasks because they are related more to the system than to PlanetPress itself. Some
examples would be W3813,W3830,W3991,W4005. These correspond to issues such as not
having any space to write files, permission errors on folders or files, etc.
Comments Tab
The Comments tab is common to all tasks. It contains a text area (Task comments)that lets
you write comments about the task. These comments are saved when the dialog is closed with
the OKbutton, and are displayed in the Task Comments Pane.
Check the option Use as step description to display the text next to the icon of the plugin in
the Process area.
Emulated Data Splitter
Emulated Data Splitter action tasks are used to split emulated data files (with the exception of
XML and database data files - refer to "XML Splitter" on page391 or "Database Splitter" on
page369) into multiple data files that are passed to subsequent tasks in the process.
The data received by the process is typically prepared for a given output device using a pre-set
emulation. In some cases, the data’s original emulation may also have been changed by a
Change Emulation action task (See "Change Emulation" on page287).
Using an emulation to format the data before splitting provides the most splitting options, but
slows down the process. Splitting a data file containing a few hundred thousand pages may
take several hours. So you may choose to use non-emulated data to speed up the splitting
process (See "In-Stream Splitter" on page384).
Input
Any emulated data file.
Processing
The file is separated into multiple chunks according to the rules set in the task's properties.
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Output
Multiple data files, sent one after the other to the rest of the tasks in the process. Metadata, job
infos and user variables are not modified by this task.
Properties
General tab
lSplit data file on emulated page group: Select to split the data file based on pages
(rather than on a word found within the emulated data) and to activate the option from this
group, which is used to tailor exactly how you want the page based splitting process to
take place.
lPage(s) per output: Enter the number of pages to include in the file generated by
the splitter in this edit box below or use the spin buttons.
lSplit data file on a word group: Select to split the data file whenever a given word is
found within the emulated data file (rather than on based on pages), or whenever the
word found at a given location changes, and to activate the options from this group, which
are used to tailor exactly how you want the word based splitting process to take place.
lWord change: Select if you want the data file to be split when the word found at a
given location changes.
lGet: Click to go to the Data Selector and select the location associated with the
Word change option.
lSpecific word: Enter the word to use as the splitting criteria. In this variable property
box, you may enter static characters, variables, job information elements or any
combination of these. You may also use the Get Data button to get a static string of
characters from the sample data file. If you use this option, the coordinates of the
data you will select will be added to the From line, To line, From column and To
column boxes below.
lFrom line: Enter a value corresponding to the first line on which the splitter must
start searching for the word.
lTo line: Enter a value corresponding to the last line on which the splitter must start
searching for the word.
lFrom column: Enter a value corresponding to the first column in which the splitter
must start searching for the word.
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lTo column: Enter a value corresponding to the last column in which the splitter
must start searching for the word.
lMatch case: Select to force the splitter to match the character casing. Note that this
setting applies both to the Specific Word and Word change options. If this option is
selected, “DAY” and “Day” will not be considered as matching the search string
“day”.
lTrim selection: Select to force the splitter to strip empty trailing characters. When
this option is not selected, blank trailing characters, if any, are considered in the
matching process, so the word “DAY” will not be considered as matching the word
“DAY”. Note that this setting applies only to the Word change option.
lWhere to split: By default, the task splits the file at the beginning of the line on
which the condition is met (the default value is 0). If you want the task to split the file
a certain number of lines before or after that line, enter a value other than 0 in this
box. Enter 1, for example, to split the file at the beginning of the line that precedes
the line on which the condition is met.
lBefore: If you entered a value other than 0 in the Where to split box, select this
option if you want to split the file a given number of lines before the line on
which the condition is met.
lAfter: If you entered a value other than 0 in the Where to split box, select this
option if you want to split the file a given number of lines after the line on
which the condition is met.
lWhen condition is found: By default, the task splits the file every time the condition
is met (the default value is 1). If you want the task to split the file only when the
condition has been met twice, for example, enter the number 2 in this box.
lCSVEmulation Group
lAdd header to each output file:This option should only be checked if you are
using CSVemulation, and will copy the first line of your data file as the first line of
each split file afterward. This is useful only if your first line is a Header line that
contains your field names.
Examples &Use Cases
This task is put into effect in the following use cases and example processes:
lCapture Web Manager Workflow
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On Error Tab
The On Error tab is common to all tasks. Details can be found in the" Task Properties Dialog"
on page777.
By default, any action task, branch, splitter or condition that generates an error will simply be
ignored, and the task just under it (not within a branch)will be given control of the job file
without any modification. Any initial input task that generates an error will stop the process from
running as a whole, and output tasks will not generate output. The On Error tab can be used to
overwrite the default behaviors.
lSend to Process: Check this option to send the job file to an error management process.
lError Process drop-down:Enabled only when the Send to Process option is checked.
Lists any process of which the initial input task is the Input Error Bin task.
lAction:In the initial input tasks, this group is disabled and defaults to Stop Process. In
all other tasks where the On Error tab is present, the following options are available:
lDefault:By default, the task is ignored as if it did not exist and the error is logged
before continuing the branch or process; the job file is passed on to the next task in
the process. When an error occurs in a loop (or in a plugin that acts like a loop), the
loop may log the error, terminate the current iteration and proceed with the next
iteration.
lStop Branch:If the task is in a branch of the process, the branch is stopped and the
job file is returned to the process after the branch. The branch will not produce any
output. If the task is not on a branch, the entire process will be stopped.
lStop Process:The process is stopped and no more processing is done. No further
output is produced.
lLog Message:Check this option to enable logging a custom error message in the
PlanetPress Workflow log file and in the Windows Application Events.
lMessage:Enabled only when the Log Message option is checked. Enter a message that
will be logged in the PlanetPress Workflow log file. You can use any variables available
in PlanetPress Workflow to customize the message.
lStore the message in variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you
want to store the message content.
lID:Enter an error ID. This IDwill be visible in the Windows Event Viewer. However, the
IDis not visible in the PlanetPress Workflow log file.
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lStore the IDin variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you want to
store the error ID.
lReset to defaults:Resets all options in this tab to their default values.
When storing the message or ID, if they are stored in a jobinfo they will be available in any
error handling process where errors are being forwarded. If your process continues after the
error, the contents of the variables selected in this window will be available to the rest of your
process, or as long as they are not overwritten.
Common Errors
Though some error messages are specific to a task in particular, others may apply to any and
all tasks because they are related more to the system than to PlanetPress itself. Some
examples would be W3813,W3830,W3991,W4005. These correspond to issues such as not
having any space to write files, permission errors on folders or files, etc.
Comments Tab
The Comments tab is common to all tasks. It contains a text area (Task comments)that lets
you write comments about the task. These comments are saved when the dialog is closed with
the OKbutton, and are displayed in the Task Comments Pane.
Check the option Use as step description to display the text next to the icon of the plugin in
the Process area.
Generic Splitter
The Generic Splitter is a legacy task which is kept for backwards compatibility purpose. In
previous versions of PlanetPress Workflow, it was the only splitter available. While this splitter
seems to have more options than the other ones, this is only because it contains combined
features from these other splitters.
Warning
The Generic Splitter, while seemingly more feature-rich, is slower than the other splitters
by an order of magnitude. Whenever encountering the Generic Splitter, it is always
recommended to replace it with a more appropriate splitter instead.
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Input
Any data file.
Processing
The file is separated into multiple chunks according to the rules set in the task's properties.
Output
Multiple data files, sent one after the other to the rest of the tasks in the process. Metadata, job
infos and user variables are not modified by this task.
Properties
General Tab
lSplit data file on: Use this box to choose the item on which top split the file. The options
available depend on whether or not the Use emulation box is checked (see below).
lUse emulation: Check to emulate the data before splitting the file. This lets you split the
file on a word, a word change, a page number, a database field value or a database field
change. When this option is not checked, you can only split the file on a form feed, a
specific number of lines, or a chain of characters. See below for detailed information on
any of these splitting methods.
lA word:If you choose “A word” in the Split data file on list box (the Use emulation option
must be selected), the following boxes are displayed.
lWord: Enter the string of characters to search for as the splitting criteria. In this variable
property box, you may enter static characters, variables, job information elements or any
combination of these.
lGet: Click to get a static string of characters from the sample data file. If you use this
button, the coordinates of the data you will select will be added to the Word is between
lines and Word is between columns groups below.
lWord is between lines group
lFrom and To: Enter a vertical search region defined as starting from a given line
and ending at a given line. If you enter 1 in the From box and 1 in the To box, the
Generic Splitter will search for the string of characters entered above only in the first
line of every page. If you enter 1 in the From box and 10 in the To box, the Generic
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Splitter will search in the ten first lines of every page. Note that the actual search
region is a combination of the vertical and horizontal search regions.
lWord is between columns group
lFrom and To: Enter a horizontal search region defined as starting from a given
column and ending at a given column. If you enter 1 in the From box and 5 in the To
box, the Generic Splitter will search for the string of characters only in the first five
column (five first characters of every line selected above).
lConsider case: Select to force the Generic Splitter to match the character casing of
the string of characters entered above with the characters found in the file. If this
option is selected, “DAY” and “Day” will not be considered as matching the search
string “day”.
lWhere to split group
lPages: Enter exactly where to split the file. Enter 1 to split the file 1 page before or
after the string, 2 to split the file 2 pages before or after the string, or 0 to split the file
immediately before or after the string.
lBefore or after: In the previous box, you entered exactly where you wanted to split
the file, here is where you specify whether you want the split before or after.
lSplit when word found: You may not want to split the file every time the string of
characters entered above is found, but only every other time, or every third time. If so,
enter the number of times in this box.
lA Word change:If you choose A word change in the Split data file on list box (the Use
emulation option must be selected), the following boxes are displayed.
lGet: Click to select a search region. The coordinates of the selected region will be
added to the Word is in line box and the Word is between columns group below.
The Generic Splitter will look for changes in the string of characters appearing in
that region.
lWord is in line: Enter the line on which to search for the word change. If you enter
1, the Generic Splitter will consider only in the first line of every page. Note that the
actual search region is a combination of the vertical and horizontal search regions.
lWord is between columns group
lFrom and To: Enter a horizontal search region defined as starting from a
given column and ending at a given column. If you enter 1 in the From box and
1 in the To box, the Generic Splitter will search for the string of characters
entered above only in the first column of the line selected above. If you enter 1
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in the From box and 10 in the To box, the Generic Splitter will search in the ten
first columns of the line selected above.
lConsider case: Select to force the Generic Splitter to consider a change in
character casing as a word change. If this option is selected, “DAY” will be
considered as different from “day”.
lTrim selection: Select to force the Generic Splitter to trim empty characters at
the beginning and end of the data found in the search region. If this option is
not selected, “DAY” will be considered as different from “DAY”.
lWhere to split group
lPages: Enter exactly where to split the file. Enter 1 to split the file 1 page
before or after the string, 2 to split the file 2 pages before or after the string, or 0
to split the file immediately before or after the string.
lBefore or after: In the previous box, you entered exactly where you wanted to
split the file, here is where you specify whether you want the split before or
after.
lSplit when word changed: You may not want to split the file every time the string of
characters entered above changes, but only every other time, or every third time. If
so, enter the number of times in this box.
lA Page Number:If you choose A page number in the Split data file on list box (the Use
emulation option must be selected), the following boxes are displayed.
lPages per output file: Enter a number of pages after which to split the file. If you
enter 3, for example, the Generic Splitter will split the file every time it has counted
three pages. A 10 page file would be split in 4 files, the first three being three pages
long and the last one only 1 page long.
lView data file: Click to view the sample data file and to cycle through the pages.
lA Database Field Value:If you choose A database value in the Split data file on list box
(the Use emulation option must be selected), the following box is displayed.
lField: Enter the name of the field that the Generic Splitter must check (only
alphanumeric fields can be used—selecting a binary field, for instance, will cause
the job to fail). If you enter “ID”, for example, the Generic Splitter will only look in the
field named “ID” for the value entered below. In this variable property box, you may
enter static characters, variables, job information elements or any combination of
these.
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lOperator: Select the appropriate comparison operator. If you select Equals, the
Generic Splitter will only consider that the condition is met when it finds a perfect
match (“day“and “day“, for example). If you select Contains, the Generic Splitter will
consider that the condition is met whenever it finds the string of characters entered
in the Value box, even if the database field contains additional characters (“day“and
“days“, for example, would be considered a match).
lValue: Enter the string of characters to search for as the splitting criteria. Like the
Field box, this is also a variable property box.
lConsider case: Select to force the Generic Splitter to match the character casing of
the string of characters entered in the Value box with the characters found in the file.
If this option is selected, “DAY” and “Day” will not be considered as matching the
search string “day”.
lWhere to split group
lPages or records: Enter exactly where to split the file. Enter 1 to split the file
1 page or record before or after the string, 2 to split the file 2 pages or records
before or after the string, or 0 to split the file immediately before or after the
string.
lBefore or after: In the previous box, you entered where you wanted to split
the file. Here is where you specify whether you want the Generic Splitter to
split the file X number of pages or records before or after the string. Choose 5
in the Pages or records box and “Records after” in this box, for example, to
split the file 5 records after the record that matches the condition.
lSplit when condition found: You may not want to split the file every time the string
of characters entered in the Value box is found, but only every other time, or every
third time. If so, enter the number of times in this box.
lA Database Field Change:If you choose A database field change in the Split data file
on list box (the Use emulation option must be selected), the following box is displayed.
lField name: Enter the name of the field that the Generic Splitter must check. If you
enter “ID”, for example, the Generic Splitter will only look in the field named “ID” for
the value entered below. In this variable property box, you may enter static
characters, variables, job information elements or any combination of these.
lConsider case: Select to force the Generic Splitter to match the character casing of
the string of the values appearing in the selected database field. If this option is
selected, “DAY” and “Day” will not be considered as matching the search string
“day”.
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lWhere to split group
lPages or records: Enter exactly where to split the file. Enter 1 to split the file
1 page or record before or after the string, 2 to split the file 2 pages or records
before or after the string, or 0 to split the file immediately before or after the
string.
lBefore or after: In the previous box, you entered where you wanted to split
the file. Here is where you specify whether you want the Generic Splitter to
split the file X number of pages or records before or after the string. Choose 5
in the Pages or records box and “Records after” in this box, for example, to
split the file 5 records after the record that matches the condition.
lSplit when condition found: You may not want to split the file every time the string
of characters changes, but only every other time, or every third time. If so, enter the
number of times in this box.
On Error Tab
The On Error tab is common to all tasks. Details can be found in the" Task Properties Dialog"
on page777.
By default, any action task, branch, splitter or condition that generates an error will simply be
ignored, and the task just under it (not within a branch)will be given control of the job file
without any modification. Any initial input task that generates an error will stop the process from
running as a whole, and output tasks will not generate output. The On Error tab can be used to
overwrite the default behaviors.
lSend to Process: Check this option to send the job file to an error management process.
lError Process drop-down:Enabled only when the Send to Process option is checked.
Lists any process of which the initial input task is the Input Error Bin task.
lAction:In the initial input tasks, this group is disabled and defaults to Stop Process. In
all other tasks where the On Error tab is present, the following options are available:
lDefault:By default, the task is ignored as if it did not exist and the error is logged
before continuing the branch or process; the job file is passed on to the next task in
the process. When an error occurs in a loop (or in a plugin that acts like a loop), the
loop may log the error, terminate the current iteration and proceed with the next
iteration.
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lStop Branch:If the task is in a branch of the process, the branch is stopped and the
job file is returned to the process after the branch. The branch will not produce any
output. If the task is not on a branch, the entire process will be stopped.
lStop Process:The process is stopped and no more processing is done. No further
output is produced.
lLog Message:Check this option to enable logging a custom error message in the
PlanetPress Workflow log file and in the Windows Application Events.
lMessage:Enabled only when the Log Message option is checked. Enter a message that
will be logged in the PlanetPress Workflow log file. You can use any variables available
in PlanetPress Workflow to customize the message.
lStore the message in variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you
want to store the message content.
lID:Enter an error ID. This IDwill be visible in the Windows Event Viewer. However, the
IDis not visible in the PlanetPress Workflow log file.
lStore the IDin variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you want to
store the error ID.
lReset to defaults:Resets all options in this tab to their default values.
When storing the message or ID, if they are stored in a jobinfo they will be available in any
error handling process where errors are being forwarded. If your process continues after the
error, the contents of the variables selected in this window will be available to the rest of your
process, or as long as they are not overwritten.
Common Errors
Though some error messages are specific to a task in particular, others may apply to any and
all tasks because they are related more to the system than to PlanetPress itself. Some
examples would be W3813,W3830,W3991,W4005. These correspond to issues such as not
having any space to write files, permission errors on folders or files, etc.
Comments Tab
The Comments tab is common to all tasks. It contains a text area (Task comments)that lets
you write comments about the task. These comments are saved when the dialog is closed with
the OKbutton, and are displayed in the Task Comments Pane.
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Check the option Use as step description to display the text next to the icon of the plugin in
the Process area.
In-Stream Splitter
In-Stream Splitter action tasks are used to split non-emulated data files into multiple data files
that are passed to subsequent tasks in the process.
Note
Performing the splitting process on raw, non-emulated data speeds up the splitting process.
Properties
General tab
lSplit data file on page group: Select to split the data file based on pages (rather than on
a word found within the data stream) and to activate the options from this group, which are
used to tailor exactly how you want the page based splitting process to take place.
lPage breaks on form feed: Select if you want to start a new data page whenever a
form feed character is found.
lPage breaks on a number of lines: Select if you want start a new data page
whenever a given number of lines has been counted. Enter the number of lines in
the edit box below or use the spin buttons.
lPage(s) per output: Select if you want the file generated by the splitter to include
multiple data pages. Enter the number of pages in the edit box below or use the spin
buttons.
lSplit data file on a word group: Select to split the data file based on a word found within
the data stream (rather than on based on pages) and to activate the options from this
group, which are used to tailor exactly how you want the word based splitting process to
take place.
lWord: Enter the word to use as the splitting criteria. In this variable property box,
you may enter static characters, variables, job information elements or any
combination of these. You may also use the Get Data button to get a static string of
characters from the sample data file. If you use this option, the coordinates of the
data you will select will be added to the From column and To column boxes below.
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lFrom column: Enter a value corresponding to the first column in which the splitter
must start searching for the word.
lTo column: Enter a value corresponding to the last column in which the splitter
must start searching for the word.
lMatch case: Select to force the splitter to match the character casing of the string of
characters entered above with the characters found in the file. If this option is
selected, “DAY” and “Day” will not be considered as matching the search string
“day”.
lWhere to split: By default, the task splits the file at the beginning of the line on
which the search word is found (the default value is 0). If you want the task to split
the file a certain number of lines before or after that line, enter a value other than 0 in
this box. Enter 1, for example, to split the file at the beginning of the line that
precedes the line on which the search word is found.
lBefore: If you entered a value other than 0 in the Where to split box, select this
option if you want to split the file a given number of lines before the search word.
lAfter: If you entered a value other than 0 in the Where to split box, select this option
if you want to split the file a given number of lines after the search word.
lWhen word is found: By default, the task splits the file every time the search word
is found (the default value is 1). If you want the task to split the file only when the
search word has been found twice, for example, enter the number 2 in this box.
On Error Tab
The On Error tab is common to all tasks. Details can be found in the" Task Properties Dialog"
on page777.
By default, any action task, branch, splitter or condition that generates an error will simply be
ignored, and the task just under it (not within a branch)will be given control of the job file
without any modification. Any initial input task that generates an error will stop the process from
running as a whole, and output tasks will not generate output. The On Error tab can be used to
overwrite the default behaviors.
lSend to Process: Check this option to send the job file to an error management process.
lError Process drop-down:Enabled only when the Send to Process option is checked.
Lists any process of which the initial input task is the Input Error Bin task.
lAction:In the initial input tasks, this group is disabled and defaults to Stop Process. In
all other tasks where the On Error tab is present, the following options are available:
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lDefault:By default, the task is ignored as if it did not exist and the error is logged
before continuing the branch or process; the job file is passed on to the next task in
the process. When an error occurs in a loop (or in a plugin that acts like a loop), the
loop may log the error, terminate the current iteration and proceed with the next
iteration.
lStop Branch:If the task is in a branch of the process, the branch is stopped and the
job file is returned to the process after the branch. The branch will not produce any
output. If the task is not on a branch, the entire process will be stopped.
lStop Process:The process is stopped and no more processing is done. No further
output is produced.
lLog Message:Check this option to enable logging a custom error message in the
PlanetPress Workflow log file and in the Windows Application Events.
lMessage:Enabled only when the Log Message option is checked. Enter a message that
will be logged in the PlanetPress Workflow log file. You can use any variables available
in PlanetPress Workflow to customize the message.
lStore the message in variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you
want to store the message content.
lID:Enter an error ID. This IDwill be visible in the Windows Event Viewer. However, the
IDis not visible in the PlanetPress Workflow log file.
lStore the IDin variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you want to
store the error ID.
lReset to defaults:Resets all options in this tab to their default values.
When storing the message or ID, if they are stored in a jobinfo they will be available in any
error handling process where errors are being forwarded. If your process continues after the
error, the contents of the variables selected in this window will be available to the rest of your
process, or as long as they are not overwritten.
Common Errors
Though some error messages are specific to a task in particular, others may apply to any and
all tasks because they are related more to the system than to PlanetPress itself. Some
examples would be W3813,W3830,W3991,W4005. These correspond to issues such as not
having any space to write files, permission errors on folders or files, etc.
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Comments Tab
The Comments tab is common to all tasks. It contains a text area (Task comments)that lets
you write comments about the task. These comments are saved when the dialog is closed with
the OKbutton, and are displayed in the Task Comments Pane.
Check the option Use as step description to display the text next to the icon of the plugin in
the Process area.
PDF Splitter
PDF Splitter action tasks are used to split emulated PDF data files into multiple data files that
are passed to subsequent tasks in the process.
Note
This feature is part of the PDFTools, which is only available in PlanetPress Workflow.
Input
A PDF Emulation data file.
Processing
The file is separated into multiple chunks according to the rules set in the task's properties.
Output
Multiple data files, sent one after the other to the rest of the tasks in the process. Metadata, job
infos and user variables are not modified by this task.
Properties
General Tab
lSplit on page: Select to split the data file based on pages (rather than on a word found
within the PDF data) and to activate the option from this group, which is used to tailor
exactly how you want the page based splitting process to take place.
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lPage(s) per output: Enter the number of pages to include in the file generated by
the splitter in this edit box below or use the spin buttons.
lSplit PDF file on a word: Select to split the data file whenever a given region is found
within the PDF data file (rather than on based on pages), or whenever the region found at
a given location changes, and to activate the options from this group, which are used to
tailor exactly how you want the region based splitting process to take place.
lOn region content change: Select if you want the data file to be split when the
word found at a given location changes.
lGet button: Click to go to the Data Selector and select the location associated with
the On region change option.
lSpecific word: Enter the word to use as the splitting criteria. In this variable property
box, you may enter static characters, variables, job information elements or any
combination of these. You may also use the Get Data button to get a static string of
characters from the sample data file. If you use this option, the coordinates of the
data you will select will be added to the Left, Right, Top and Bottom boxes below.
lLeft: Enter a value corresponding to the left coordinate on which the splitter must
start searching for the region.
lRight: Enter a value corresponding to the right coordinate on which the splitter must
start searching for the region.
lTop: Enter a value corresponding to the top coordinate on which the splitter must
start searching for the region.
lBottom: Enter a value corresponding to the bottom coordinate on which the splitter
must start searching for the region.
lMatch case: Select to force the splitter to match the character casing. Note that this
setting applies both to the On region change and Specific word options. If this option
is selected, “DAY” and “Day” will not be considered as matching the search string
“day”.
lTrim selection: Select to force the splitter to strip empty trailing characters. When
this option is not selected, blank trailing characters, if any, are considered in the
matching process, so the word “DAY” will not be considered as matching the word
“DAY”. Note that this setting applies only to the On region change option.
lWhere to split: By default, the task splits the file at the beginning of the line on
which the condition is met (the default value is 0). If you want the task to split the file
a certain number of lines before or after that line, enter a value other than 0 in this
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box. Enter 1, for example, to split the file at the beginning of the line that precedes
the line on which the condition is met.
lBefore: If you entered a value other than 0 in the Where to split box, select this
option if you want to split the file a given number of lines before the line on which
the condition is met.
lAfter: If you entered a value other than 0 in the Where to split box, select this option
if you want to split the file a given number of lines after the line on which the
condition is met.
lWhen condition is found: By default, the task splits the file every time the condition
is met (the default value is 1). If you want the task to split the file only when the
condition has been met twice, for example, enter the number 2 in this box.
lSplit PDFfile based on Metadata group:
lMetadata Level: Determines on which level of the metadata the split occurs. This
can be Group, Document to Data page.
lSequencing based on:
lThe following number of occurrences of the level: Determine a sequence
based on the number of instances found for the metadata level currently
processed. For example, if the Metadata level is set to Group, and this value is
set to 3, each sequence contains 3 groups (except, possibly, the last one,
depending on the number of groups left in the last sequence). The next loop
starts with the next group after this sequence.
lThefollowing number of sequences in the job:Divides the metadata into a
set number of sequences and equally distributes the number of levels
between the sequences. For example, it the Metadata level is set to
Document, and this value is set to 5, a 100 document job file will be divided
into 5 sequences of 20 documents each.
lThefollowing rule: Determine if a new sequence starts or if the current one
ends. For each metadata level, the current value of the specified metadata
attribute / field is compared with the one in memory. If they are different, either
a new sequence starts or the current sequence is ended. The next sequence
starts with the next metadata level being processed. For details see the Rule
Interface.
lOptimize resulting PDF: Select to specify whether the resulting PDF should be
optimized. Optimization can lead to a significant reduction in the size of the PDF, but it
may also add a certain amount of time to the process. This option should only be
unchecked if the timing of the process is critical and needs to be done quickly, but keep in
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mind that the resulting PDFmay be much larger than it should be and may even be too
large for PlanetPress Workflow to handle.
lReset Metadata according to new PDF: Metadata will be recreated according to the
new PDFthat was created, including page numbering, etc.
On Error Tab
The On Error tab is common to all tasks. Details can be found in the" Task Properties Dialog"
on page777.
By default, any action task, branch, splitter or condition that generates an error will simply be
ignored, and the task just under it (not within a branch)will be given control of the job file
without any modification. Any initial input task that generates an error will stop the process from
running as a whole, and output tasks will not generate output. The On Error tab can be used to
overwrite the default behaviors.
lSend to Process: Check this option to send the job file to an error management process.
lError Process drop-down:Enabled only when the Send to Process option is checked.
Lists any process of which the initial input task is the Input Error Bin task.
lAction:In the initial input tasks, this group is disabled and defaults to Stop Process. In
all other tasks where the On Error tab is present, the following options are available:
lDefault:By default, the task is ignored as if it did not exist and the error is logged
before continuing the branch or process; the job file is passed on to the next task in
the process. When an error occurs in a loop (or in a plugin that acts like a loop), the
loop may log the error, terminate the current iteration and proceed with the next
iteration.
lStop Branch:If the task is in a branch of the process, the branch is stopped and the
job file is returned to the process after the branch. The branch will not produce any
output. If the task is not on a branch, the entire process will be stopped.
lStop Process:The process is stopped and no more processing is done. No further
output is produced.
lLog Message:Check this option to enable logging a custom error message in the
PlanetPress Workflow log file and in the Windows Application Events.
lMessage:Enabled only when the Log Message option is checked. Enter a message that
will be logged in the PlanetPress Workflow log file. You can use any variables available
in PlanetPress Workflow to customize the message.
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lStore the message in variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you
want to store the message content.
lID:Enter an error ID. This IDwill be visible in the Windows Event Viewer. However, the
IDis not visible in the PlanetPress Workflow log file.
lStore the IDin variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you want to
store the error ID.
lReset to defaults:Resets all options in this tab to their default values.
When storing the message or ID, if they are stored in a jobinfo they will be available in any
error handling process where errors are being forwarded. If your process continues after the
error, the contents of the variables selected in this window will be available to the rest of your
process, or as long as they are not overwritten.
Common Errors
Though some error messages are specific to a task in particular, others may apply to any and
all tasks because they are related more to the system than to PlanetPress itself. Some
examples would be W3813,W3830,W3991,W4005. These correspond to issues such as not
having any space to write files, permission errors on folders or files, etc.
Comments Tab
The Comments tab is common to all tasks. It contains a text area (Task comments)that lets
you write comments about the task. These comments are saved when the dialog is closed with
the OKbutton, and are displayed in the Task Comments Pane.
Check the option Use as step description to display the text next to the icon of the plugin in
the Process area.
XML Splitter
XML Splitter action tasks use the XSLT language to split XML data files into multiple XML data
files that are passed to subsequent tasks in the process. The XML splitter includes options to
add a new root node within the generated files, as well as to change the original file’s encoding
to UTF8. Note that the XML Splitter cannot process files larger than 30 megabytes.
Input
A XML Emulation data file.
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Processing
The file is separated into multiple chunks according to the rules set in the task's properties.
Output
Multiple data files, sent one after the other to the rest of the tasks in the process. Metadata, job
infos and user variables are not modified by this task.
Properties
General Tab
This tab lets you choose the splitter settings for default PlanetPress Workflow XSLT engine. If
you want to use your own XSLT engine, click the Alternate XSLT Engine tab.
lSplit method: Use this box only if you want to edit the standard XSLT script that will be
used to split the XML file. First use the Standard XML splitter option to define the standard
settings. Then, to change the standard XSLT script, select Advanced XML splitter and edit
the script as required.
lStandard XML splitter
The following options are only displayed when the Standard XML splitter option is
selected in the Split method box.
lCondition node path: In the tree view, select the XML node to consider to
determine when to split the file. To indicate whether you want the file to be
split whenever this node is encountered or whenever the information in this
node changes, see the Condition group below.
lCondition group: Use this group to indicate whether you want the file to be
split whenever this node is encountered or whenever the information in this
node changes.
lWhen condition node is found: Select if you want the file to be split
whenever the node selected in the Condition node path box is encountered.
lWhen condition node content changes: Select if you want the file to be split
whenever the information stored in node selected in the Condition node path
box changes. When this option is selected, the split files typically contain more
information (all the orders for a given customer, for example).
lNew file root structure group: Use this group to tailor the structure of the
generated XML files.
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lKeep XML structure: Select if you want the generated files to have the exact
same structure as the original XML file (all the way to the root node).
lAdd new root node: Select this option and enter a root node name in the box
to the right, if you want the generated files to have a structure that begins with
a new root name and that then goes directly to the node on which the file was
split, as indicated in the Split on node box below.
lEncoding group: This group lets you indicate whether you want the splitter to
use the file’s own encoding or the universal encoding UTF8 to process the
file. Note that if the file contains no indication as to which encoding should be
used, the default system encoding will be used. This may result in errors being
generated or split files that contain bad data. Using the UTF8 encoding can
prevent such errors.
lUse UTF8 encoding: Select if you want to use the UTF8 encoding to process
the file.
lUse file’s encoding: Select if you want to use the XML file’s own encoding to
process the file.
lAdvanced XML splitter: The following options and buttons are only displayed
when the Advanced XML splitter option is selected in the Split method box. Note
that you should not use this option before you have completed all the required
settings using the Standard XML splitter option.
lRefresh XSLT button: Once you have made all the required settings using the Standard
XML splitter option, click this button to display the XML code generated by the XML
splitter. You can then use the box below to edit the code as required.
l{WATCHTEMPFOLDER} file separator: Use this box to edit the default XML file
separator (/).
Alternate XSLT Engine tab
This tab lets you choose the splitter settings for your own XSLT engine. If you want to use the
default PlanetPress Workflow XSLT engine, click the General tab.
lUse alternate XSLT engine group: Select this option to enable the box and the buttons
included in this group.
lPath and parameters for the alternate engine: Enter your XSLT engine’s absolute path
(use quotes for non DOS 8.3 compliant paths) followed by its required operators and
parameters (you must know exactly which operators and parameters your XSLT engine
requires and in which order they must appear in the command prompt used to launch the
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engine). Note that you should not enter fixed values for the following parameters: the
XSLT stylesheet parameter, the source XML data file parameter or the output file
parameter. When you click the buttons below, the corresponding parameters are
automatically added at the current cursor position. These variables will be replaced by the
correct information at run-time.
lXSLT file button: Click to add the {XSLTFILE} variable to the command prompt displayed
in the box above.
lData file button: Click to add the {DATAFILE} variable to the command prompt displayed
in the box above.
lOutput file(s) button: Click to add the {OUTPUTFILE} variable to the command prompt
displayed in the box above.
lBrowse button: Click this button and browse to select the XSLT engine you want the XML
splitter to use.
On Error Tab
The On Error tab is common to all tasks. Details can be found in the" Task Properties Dialog"
on page777.
By default, any action task, branch, splitter or condition that generates an error will simply be
ignored, and the task just under it (not within a branch)will be given control of the job file
without any modification. Any initial input task that generates an error will stop the process from
running as a whole, and output tasks will not generate output. The On Error tab can be used to
overwrite the default behaviors.
lSend to Process: Check this option to send the job file to an error management process.
lError Process drop-down:Enabled only when the Send to Process option is checked.
Lists any process of which the initial input task is the Input Error Bin task.
lAction:In the initial input tasks, this group is disabled and defaults to Stop Process. In
all other tasks where the On Error tab is present, the following options are available:
lDefault:By default, the task is ignored as if it did not exist and the error is logged
before continuing the branch or process; the job file is passed on to the next task in
the process. When an error occurs in a loop (or in a plugin that acts like a loop), the
loop may log the error, terminate the current iteration and proceed with the next
iteration.
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lStop Branch:If the task is in a branch of the process, the branch is stopped and the
job file is returned to the process after the branch. The branch will not produce any
output. If the task is not on a branch, the entire process will be stopped.
lStop Process:The process is stopped and no more processing is done. No further
output is produced.
lLog Message:Check this option to enable logging a custom error message in the
PlanetPress Workflow log file and in the Windows Application Events.
lMessage:Enabled only when the Log Message option is checked. Enter a message that
will be logged in the PlanetPress Workflow log file. You can use any variables available
in PlanetPress Workflow to customize the message.
lStore the message in variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you
want to store the message content.
lID:Enter an error ID. This IDwill be visible in the Windows Event Viewer. However, the
IDis not visible in the PlanetPress Workflow log file.
lStore the IDin variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you want to
store the error ID.
lReset to defaults:Resets all options in this tab to their default values.
When storing the message or ID, if they are stored in a jobinfo they will be available in any
error handling process where errors are being forwarded. If your process continues after the
error, the contents of the variables selected in this window will be available to the rest of your
process, or as long as they are not overwritten.
Common Errors
Though some error messages are specific to a task in particular, others may apply to any and
all tasks because they are related more to the system than to PlanetPress itself. Some
examples would be W3813,W3830,W3991,W4005. These correspond to issues such as not
having any space to write files, permission errors on folders or files, etc.
Comments Tab
The Comments tab is common to all tasks. It contains a text area (Task comments)that lets
you write comments about the task. These comments are saved when the dialog is closed with
the OKbutton, and are displayed in the Task Comments Pane.
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Check the option Use as step description to display the text next to the icon of the plugin in
the Process area.
Process Logic Tasks
A process is like a flowchart. The data files captured by the input tasks become job files (see
"Data File and Job File" on page24) that travel down the process. Many processes include
multiple process logic tasks.
In the Process area, conditional branches appear with their associated condition, allowing you
to understand the logic of the whole process at a glance. When PlanetPress Workflow comes to
a condition, it tests the condition and sends the job file down one of the two branches based on
the test result. So every time a job file travels down the process, it is either routed down the
True or False branch.
Note
Branches, Loops and other process logic tasks do not generally modify the job file,
though some may change system variables. The only exception is the Run Script action,
which can be a condition that also modifies the data.
Warning
Branches, loops and conditions do NOTmodify metadata in any way. Furthermore, even
if a branch does a backup of jobinfos and the data file, it does not back up the metadata.
Keep this in mind when designing a process.
ABranch is effectively a doubling of your job file. As your job file goes down the process, when
it encounters a branch it will go in that branch, process all tasks up to the output, and return to
the main trunk to continue processes. You can have branches within branches, and all
branches must have an output. For more information on branches, see "Branch" on the facing
page.
ALoop is a task that will cause anything after it to repeat a certain number of times. You can
indicate a static number of loops or dynamically determine the number via a variable or
information from your job file, and store the iteration of the loop in a job info. See "Loop" on
page406.
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The Send to Process action and Go Sub Action are used to send the job file to another
process or subprocess and, in the case of the GoSub, to get information back from the
subprocess. See "Send to Process" on page413 and "Go Sub" on page404.
Branch
ABranch duplicates your job file along with accompanying information. Branches do not
execute in parallel - the branch is executed, and then the trunk (or the following
branch)continues.
Properties
Backup Tab
lBackup job file: Select if you want PlanetPress Workflow to use identical copies of the
job file for the main and secondary branches. When this option is not selected, the file
generated by the output task located at the end of the secondary branch is used as the job
file for the main branch. Note that if the secondary branch ends with a Delete output task,
the main branch will receive the job file in the state it was just before the delete. If the
secondary branch includes a splitter task, the main branch will receive the last part of the
job file (as split by the splitter task). If the secondary branch ends with a PlanetPress Fax
or PlanetPress Image output task, the main branch will receive a PostScript file.
lBackup job information: Select if you want PlanetPress Workflow to use identical
copies of the job file information for the main and secondary branches. When this option
is not selected, the job file information that reaches the output task located at the end of
the secondary branch is used for the main branch. Any modification performed on the
secondary branch thus has an impact on the main branch.
lBackup emulation: Select if you want PlanetPress Workflow to use the emulation
selected when the job file reaches the secondary branch for the main branch as well.
When this option is not selected, the emulation selected when the job file reaches the
output task located at the end of the secondary branch is used for the main branch. If the
secondary branch includes a secondary input task or a Change Emulation action task,
then the last emulation selected in the secondary branch will be the one used for the main
branch.
lBackup local variables: Select if you want PlanetPress Workflow to use identical copies
of the local variables for the main and secondary branches. When this option is not
selected, the local variables that reaches the output task located at the end of the
secondary branch is used for the main branch. Any modification performed on the
secondary branch thus has an impact on the main branch.
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In case of the failure of a Branch task (the branch itself, not the other tasks contained within),
by default the process will ignore the branch and simply go down the main trunk. You can
overwrite this in the On Error tab.
On Error Tab
The On Error tab is common to all tasks. Details can be found in the" Task Properties Dialog"
on page777.
By default, any action task, branch, splitter or condition that generates an error will simply be
ignored, and the task just under it (not within a branch)will be given control of the job file
without any modification. Any initial input task that generates an error will stop the process from
running as a whole, and output tasks will not generate output. The On Error tab can be used to
overwrite the default behaviors.
lSend to Process: Check this option to send the job file to an error management process.
lError Process drop-down:Enabled only when the Send to Process option is checked.
Lists any process of which the initial input task is the Input Error Bin task.
lAction:In the initial input tasks, this group is disabled and defaults to Stop Process. In
all other tasks where the On Error tab is present, the following options are available:
lDefault:By default, the task is ignored as if it did not exist and the error is logged
before continuing the branch or process; the job file is passed on to the next task in
the process. When an error occurs in a loop (or in a plugin that acts like a loop), the
loop may log the error, terminate the current iteration and proceed with the next
iteration.
lStop Branch:If the task is in a branch of the process, the branch is stopped and the
job file is returned to the process after the branch. The branch will not produce any
output. If the task is not on a branch, the entire process will be stopped.
lStop Process:The process is stopped and no more processing is done. No further
output is produced.
lLog Message:Check this option to enable logging a custom error message in the
PlanetPress Workflow log file and in the Windows Application Events.
lMessage:Enabled only when the Log Message option is checked. Enter a message that
will be logged in the PlanetPress Workflow log file. You can use any variables available
in PlanetPress Workflow to customize the message.
lStore the message in variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you
want to store the message content.
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lID:Enter an error ID. This IDwill be visible in the Windows Event Viewer. However, the
IDis not visible in the PlanetPress Workflow log file.
lStore the IDin variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you want to
store the error ID.
lReset to defaults:Resets all options in this tab to their default values.
When storing the message or ID, if they are stored in a jobinfo they will be available in any
error handling process where errors are being forwarded. If your process continues after the
error, the contents of the variables selected in this window will be available to the rest of your
process, or as long as they are not overwritten.
Common Errors
Though some error messages are specific to a task in particular, others may apply to any and
all tasks because they are related more to the system than to PlanetPress itself. Some
examples would be W3813,W3830,W3991,W4005. These correspond to issues such as not
having any space to write files, permission errors on folders or files, etc.
Comments Tab
The Comments tab is common to all tasks. It contains a text area (Task comments)that lets
you write comments about the task. These comments are saved when the dialog is closed with
the OKbutton, and are displayed in the Task Comments Pane.
Check the option Use as step description to display the text next to the icon of the plugin in
the Process area.
Comment
Comments can be used to clarify your process either for yourself or others, to explain branches
and scripts, or add information for anyone editing the configuration in the future.
Comments do not open, modify or otherwise process the job file in any way, and are simply
ignored at run-time. They do not have an On Errortab because of this, since they cannot
generate an error in any situation.
Comments have a single property in the General tab, which is the box where you enter the
comment itself. This box does not process variables (it is not a "variable property"), since that
would be of no use at run-time.
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File Name Condition
File Name conditions test the original name of the job file traveling down the process branch, or
in other words, the name of the file received by the last input task appearing above the
condition.
Properties
General tab
lFile name mask: Enter one file name mask or multiple masks separated by a semicolon
(;). See Masks. The condition will be tested True only in the case of an exact match, so
consider using wildcard characters.
lInvert condition result: Select to toggle the result of the condition (true becomes false
and vice versa).
On Error Tab
The On Error tab is common to all tasks. Details can be found in the" Task Properties Dialog"
on page777.
By default, any action task, branch, splitter or condition that generates an error will simply be
ignored, and the task just under it (not within a branch)will be given control of the job file
without any modification. Any initial input task that generates an error will stop the process from
running as a whole, and output tasks will not generate output. The On Error tab can be used to
overwrite the default behaviors.
lSend to Process: Check this option to send the job file to an error management process.
lError Process drop-down:Enabled only when the Send to Process option is checked.
Lists any process of which the initial input task is the Input Error Bin task.
lAction:In the initial input tasks, this group is disabled and defaults to Stop Process. In
all other tasks where the On Error tab is present, the following options are available:
lDefault:By default, the task is ignored as if it did not exist and the error is logged
before continuing the branch or process; the job file is passed on to the next task in
the process. When an error occurs in a loop (or in a plugin that acts like a loop), the
loop may log the error, terminate the current iteration and proceed with the next
iteration.
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lStop Branch:If the task is in a branch of the process, the branch is stopped and the
job file is returned to the process after the branch. The branch will not produce any
output. If the task is not on a branch, the entire process will be stopped.
lStop Process:The process is stopped and no more processing is done. No further
output is produced.
lLog Message:Check this option to enable logging a custom error message in the
PlanetPress Workflow log file and in the Windows Application Events.
lMessage:Enabled only when the Log Message option is checked. Enter a message that
will be logged in the PlanetPress Workflow log file. You can use any variables available
in PlanetPress Workflow to customize the message.
lStore the message in variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you
want to store the message content.
lID:Enter an error ID. This IDwill be visible in the Windows Event Viewer. However, the
IDis not visible in the PlanetPress Workflow log file.
lStore the IDin variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you want to
store the error ID.
lReset to defaults:Resets all options in this tab to their default values.
When storing the message or ID, if they are stored in a jobinfo they will be available in any
error handling process where errors are being forwarded. If your process continues after the
error, the contents of the variables selected in this window will be available to the rest of your
process, or as long as they are not overwritten.
Common Errors
Though some error messages are specific to a task in particular, others may apply to any and
all tasks because they are related more to the system than to PlanetPress itself. Some
examples would be W3813,W3830,W3991,W4005. These correspond to issues such as not
having any space to write files, permission errors on folders or files, etc.
Comments Tab
The Comments tab is common to all tasks. It contains a text area (Task comments)that lets
you write comments about the task. These comments are saved when the dialog is closed with
the OKbutton, and are displayed in the Task Comments Pane.
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Check the option Use as step description to display the text next to the icon of the plugin in
the Process area.
File Size Condition
File Size conditions test the size of the job file they receive. Note that the job file may include
data selections, attachments and documents that were added by other tasks. If a file does not
exist, it's file size will be 0kb.
Properties
General tab
lFile size is: Select whether the condition is to check if the job file is smaller (less than) or
larger (more than) then the specified value.
lKbytes: Enter the minimum (more than) or maximum (less than) size setting in kilobytes.
lInvert condition result: Select to toggle the result of the condition (true becomes false
and vice versa).
Examples &Use Cases
This task is put into effect in the following use cases and example processes:
lHTTP PDF Invoice Request
On Error Tab
The On Error tab is common to all tasks. Details can be found in the" Task Properties Dialog"
on page777.
By default, any action task, branch, splitter or condition that generates an error will simply be
ignored, and the task just under it (not within a branch)will be given control of the job file
without any modification. Any initial input task that generates an error will stop the process from
running as a whole, and output tasks will not generate output. The On Error tab can be used to
overwrite the default behaviors.
lSend to Process: Check this option to send the job file to an error management process.
lError Process drop-down:Enabled only when the Send to Process option is checked.
Lists any process of which the initial input task is the Input Error Bin task.
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lAction:In the initial input tasks, this group is disabled and defaults to Stop Process. In
all other tasks where the On Error tab is present, the following options are available:
lDefault:By default, the task is ignored as if it did not exist and the error is logged
before continuing the branch or process; the job file is passed on to the next task in
the process. When an error occurs in a loop (or in a plugin that acts like a loop), the
loop may log the error, terminate the current iteration and proceed with the next
iteration.
lStop Branch:If the task is in a branch of the process, the branch is stopped and the
job file is returned to the process after the branch. The branch will not produce any
output. If the task is not on a branch, the entire process will be stopped.
lStop Process:The process is stopped and no more processing is done. No further
output is produced.
lLog Message:Check this option to enable logging a custom error message in the
PlanetPress Workflow log file and in the Windows Application Events.
lMessage:Enabled only when the Log Message option is checked. Enter a message that
will be logged in the PlanetPress Workflow log file. You can use any variables available
in PlanetPress Workflow to customize the message.
lStore the message in variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you
want to store the message content.
lID:Enter an error ID. This IDwill be visible in the Windows Event Viewer. However, the
IDis not visible in the PlanetPress Workflow log file.
lStore the IDin variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you want to
store the error ID.
lReset to defaults:Resets all options in this tab to their default values.
When storing the message or ID, if they are stored in a jobinfo they will be available in any
error handling process where errors are being forwarded. If your process continues after the
error, the contents of the variables selected in this window will be available to the rest of your
process, or as long as they are not overwritten.
Common Errors
Though some error messages are specific to a task in particular, others may apply to any and
all tasks because they are related more to the system than to PlanetPress itself. Some
examples would be W3813,W3830,W3991,W4005. These correspond to issues such as not
having any space to write files, permission errors on folders or files, etc.
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Comments Tab
The Comments tab is common to all tasks. It contains a text area (Task comments)that lets
you write comments about the task. These comments are saved when the dialog is closed with
the OKbutton, and are displayed in the Task Comments Pane.
Check the option Use as step description to display the text next to the icon of the plugin in
the Process area.
Go Sub
The GoSub action task transfers the execution of the calling process to the specified
subprocess. When a process encounters a GoSub action, it halts its own execution, start the
subprocess and waits for it to complete before resuming its workflow with the next task.
Every subprocess starts with a BeginSub input task and ends with a EndSub output task, both
of which have nothing to configure and cannot be replaced or deleted. The simply represents
entry and exit points for the subprocess.
Note
While it is possible to place a GoSub action within a subprocess, doing so will hide the
subprocess from any GoSub action, in order to avoid circular referencing (aka an infinite
loop).
General tab
lSubprocess: Drop down list containing all the available subprocesses in the current
configuration.
lBackup job file: Select if you want to use identical copies of the job file for the main
process and the subprocess.
lBackup job information: Select if you want to use identical copies of the job file
information for the main process and subprocess. Once the subprocess completes its
execution, the main process will retrieve the original job information values.
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lBackup emulation: Select if you want to use the emulation selected when the job file
reaches the subprocess for the main process as well. Note that the emulation is not
passed from a main process to a subprocess or vice versa.
lRetrieve subprocess error: Select if you want to receive error(s) from the subprocess in
order to handle them on its own.
On Error Tab
The On Error tab is common to all tasks. Details can be found in the" Task Properties Dialog"
on page777.
By default, any action task, branch, splitter or condition that generates an error will simply be
ignored, and the task just under it (not within a branch)will be given control of the job file
without any modification. Any initial input task that generates an error will stop the process from
running as a whole, and output tasks will not generate output. The On Error tab can be used to
overwrite the default behaviors.
lSend to Process: Check this option to send the job file to an error management process.
lError Process drop-down:Enabled only when the Send to Process option is checked.
Lists any process of which the initial input task is the Input Error Bin task.
lAction:In the initial input tasks, this group is disabled and defaults to Stop Process. In
all other tasks where the On Error tab is present, the following options are available:
lDefault:By default, the task is ignored as if it did not exist and the error is logged
before continuing the branch or process; the job file is passed on to the next task in
the process. When an error occurs in a loop (or in a plugin that acts like a loop), the
loop may log the error, terminate the current iteration and proceed with the next
iteration.
lStop Branch:If the task is in a branch of the process, the branch is stopped and the
job file is returned to the process after the branch. The branch will not produce any
output. If the task is not on a branch, the entire process will be stopped.
lStop Process:The process is stopped and no more processing is done. No further
output is produced.
lLog Message:Check this option to enable logging a custom error message in the
PlanetPress Workflow log file and in the Windows Application Events.
lMessage:Enabled only when the Log Message option is checked. Enter a message that
will be logged in the PlanetPress Workflow log file. You can use any variables available
in PlanetPress Workflow to customize the message.
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lStore the message in variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you
want to store the message content.
lID:Enter an error ID. This IDwill be visible in the Windows Event Viewer. However, the
IDis not visible in the PlanetPress Workflow log file.
lStore the IDin variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you want to
store the error ID.
lReset to defaults:Resets all options in this tab to their default values.
When storing the message or ID, if they are stored in a jobinfo they will be available in any
error handling process where errors are being forwarded. If your process continues after the
error, the contents of the variables selected in this window will be available to the rest of your
process, or as long as they are not overwritten.
Common Errors
Though some error messages are specific to a task in particular, others may apply to any and
all tasks because they are related more to the system than to PlanetPress itself. Some
examples would be W3813,W3830,W3991,W4005. These correspond to issues such as not
having any space to write files, permission errors on folders or files, etc.
Comments Tab
The Comments tab is common to all tasks. It contains a text area (Task comments)that lets
you write comments about the task. These comments are saved when the dialog is closed with
the OKbutton, and are displayed in the Task Comments Pane.
Check the option Use as step description to display the text next to the icon of the plugin in
the Process area.
Loop
Loop action tasks are used to repeat those tasks that are located after it on a given process
branch. The number of repeats can be fixed or variable, as required.
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Properties
General tab
lNumber of iterations: The number of times the loop should be repeated. Every task after
the Loop action task will be repeated this number of times. The number may be static, or
use a variables (See Variable Properties).
lStore current iteration in Job Info #: The Job Info in which the loop's iteration should be
stored. Useful for sequential file names or conditions based on the iteration. The value of
this Variable Properties box should be a digit between 1 and 9.
lUse value of Variable/JobInfo # expression:If the contents of the previous option is a
variable, it's content (which is assumed to be a number between 1 and 9) will be used to
determine which job info number to use for the iteration number. For example if %
{myvariable} is used and contains the value 9, then Job Info 9 will store the value of the
loop's iteration.
lUse original Data Stream every time: Select to reuse the original job file received by the
Loop action task at every iteration. If this option is not selected and if the process ends
with Printer Queue Output task, for example, the second time the Loop action task will
be performed, it will use the PostScript file generated by the output task.
On Error Tab
The On Error tab is common to all tasks. Details can be found in the" Task Properties Dialog"
on page777.
By default, any action task, branch, splitter or condition that generates an error will simply be
ignored, and the task just under it (not within a branch)will be given control of the job file
without any modification. Any initial input task that generates an error will stop the process from
running as a whole, and output tasks will not generate output. The On Error tab can be used to
overwrite the default behaviors.
lSend to Process: Check this option to send the job file to an error management process.
lError Process drop-down:Enabled only when the Send to Process option is checked.
Lists any process of which the initial input task is the Input Error Bin task.
lAction:In the initial input tasks, this group is disabled and defaults to Stop Process. In
all other tasks where the On Error tab is present, the following options are available:
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lDefault:By default, the task is ignored as if it did not exist and the error is logged
before continuing the branch or process; the job file is passed on to the next task in
the process. When an error occurs in a loop (or in a plugin that acts like a loop), the
loop may log the error, terminate the current iteration and proceed with the next
iteration.
lStop Branch:If the task is in a branch of the process, the branch is stopped and the
job file is returned to the process after the branch. The branch will not produce any
output. If the task is not on a branch, the entire process will be stopped.
lStop Process:The process is stopped and no more processing is done. No further
output is produced.
lLog Message:Check this option to enable logging a custom error message in the
PlanetPress Workflow log file and in the Windows Application Events.
lMessage:Enabled only when the Log Message option is checked. Enter a message that
will be logged in the PlanetPress Workflow log file. You can use any variables available
in PlanetPress Workflow to customize the message.
lStore the message in variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you
want to store the message content.
lID:Enter an error ID. This IDwill be visible in the Windows Event Viewer. However, the
IDis not visible in the PlanetPress Workflow log file.
lStore the IDin variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you want to
store the error ID.
lReset to defaults:Resets all options in this tab to their default values.
When storing the message or ID, if they are stored in a jobinfo they will be available in any
error handling process where errors are being forwarded. If your process continues after the
error, the contents of the variables selected in this window will be available to the rest of your
process, or as long as they are not overwritten.
Common Errors
Though some error messages are specific to a task in particular, others may apply to any and
all tasks because they are related more to the system than to PlanetPress itself. Some
examples would be W3813,W3830,W3991,W4005. These correspond to issues such as not
having any space to write files, permission errors on folders or files, etc.
Page 408
Comments Tab
The Comments tab is common to all tasks. It contains a text area (Task comments)that lets
you write comments about the task. These comments are saved when the dialog is closed with
the OKbutton, and are displayed in the Task Comments Pane.
Check the option Use as step description to display the text next to the icon of the plugin in
the Process area.
Run Script
Run Script tasks are used to run scripts that typically perform some kind of processing on the
job file received by the task. Scripts are often simpler to write than programs added with the
External Program action (see "External Program" on page321). However, they can be slower
to execute.
The Run Script action task can be used either as an action or a condition. When dragging and
dropping a Run Script action task on a given process, you select whether to use this task as an
action or a condition from a contextual menu.
For more information on scripts, what languages are supported and how to write scripts and
conditions, please see the related chapter, "Using Scripts" on page91.
Input
Any data file, in any format.
Processing
The script is executed. The script can modify anything such as the data file, job infos, metadata,
or even other files on the operating system.
Output
Whatever file the Run Script action generates, metadata it modifies or creates, etc.
Note
When using Run Script as a condition, the output of the task can be within the branch or
Page 409
on the main trunk. To control the output, use the "Script.ReturnValue" on page119
variable in your script.
Properties
The ScriptEditor menu options are as followed:
lFile
lImport:Lets you open an existing script froman external file. This file can be in
.vbs, .js, .pl or .py for language-specific scripts, or .txt for any of them.
lExport:Lets you save the currentscript as a file.
lPrint:Prints the currentscript.
lEdit
lUndo:Undo the last edit.
lCut:Cut the current selection (only available if there is selected text in the editor).
lCopy:Copy the current selection (only available if there is selected text in the
editor).
lPaste:Paste the last selection that was cut or copied in the location of the cursor in
the text editor.
lDelete:Delete the current selection (only available if there is selected text in the
editor).
lSelect All:Select all of the contents of the editor.
lSearch
lFind:Brings up the Find dialog.
lFindAgain:Repeats the previous search and finds the next occurrence.
lReplace:Brings up the Replace dialog.
lGo To Line: Brings up the Go To Line dialog where you can enter a line number
and jump directly to that line.
lLanguage: By default, the task expects a VB Script. You can set another language as the
default for the Run Script task in the the Workflow preferences (Behavior > Default
Configuration).
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lVBScript:Select if your script is written in VBScript.
lJavaScript:Select if your script is written in JavaScript.
lPerl:Select if your script is written in Perl.
lPython:Select if your script is written in Pyton.
lTools
lEditor Options...:Opens the "Editor Options" on page769.
lHelp
lContents and Indexes:Opens the Editor Help (this page)
The other options of the window are:
lThe script editor text box:This is where you enter your XSLTScript that will be used. If
you use an external script file, this will display the content of the file (note however that
modifying the script in this case does not modify the external file and changes are not
saved).
lScript running from:Choose if the script should be run from the editor text box, or from
an external script file.
lScript filename and path:Either enter the full path of the XLSTScript, or click the
Browse button to navigate to the file. This option is only available if you choose external
script file in the Script running from option.
Warning
With the Run Script action, the OnErrortab is accessible by right-clicking on the action
in your process and clicking Advanced Properties.
The On Error tab will be triggered if your script has an execution error (such as syntax
error, etc) as well as when raising an error from within your script.
On Error Tab
The On Error tab is common to all tasks. Details can be found in the" Task Properties Dialog"
on page777.
By default, any action task, branch, splitter or condition that generates an error will simply be
ignored, and the task just under it (not within a branch)will be given control of the job file
Page 411
without any modification. Any initial input task that generates an error will stop the process from
running as a whole, and output tasks will not generate output. The On Error tab can be used to
overwrite the default behaviors.
lSend to Process: Check this option to send the job file to an error management process.
lError Process drop-down:Enabled only when the Send to Process option is checked.
Lists any process of which the initial input task is the Input Error Bin task.
lAction:In the initial input tasks, this group is disabled and defaults to Stop Process. In
all other tasks where the On Error tab is present, the following options are available:
lDefault:By default, the task is ignored as if it did not exist and the error is logged
before continuing the branch or process; the job file is passed on to the next task in
the process. When an error occurs in a loop (or in a plugin that acts like a loop), the
loop may log the error, terminate the current iteration and proceed with the next
iteration.
lStop Branch:If the task is in a branch of the process, the branch is stopped and the
job file is returned to the process after the branch. The branch will not produce any
output. If the task is not on a branch, the entire process will be stopped.
lStop Process:The process is stopped and no more processing is done. No further
output is produced.
lLog Message:Check this option to enable logging a custom error message in the
PlanetPress Workflow log file and in the Windows Application Events.
lMessage:Enabled only when the Log Message option is checked. Enter a message that
will be logged in the PlanetPress Workflow log file. You can use any variables available
in PlanetPress Workflow to customize the message.
lStore the message in variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you
want to store the message content.
lID:Enter an error ID. This IDwill be visible in the Windows Event Viewer. However, the
IDis not visible in the PlanetPress Workflow log file.
lStore the IDin variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you want to
store the error ID.
lReset to defaults:Resets all options in this tab to their default values.
When storing the message or ID, if they are stored in a jobinfo they will be available in any
error handling process where errors are being forwarded. If your process continues after the
error, the contents of the variables selected in this window will be available to the rest of your
process, or as long as they are not overwritten.
Page 412
Common Errors
Though some error messages are specific to a task in particular, others may apply to any and
all tasks because they are related more to the system than to PlanetPress itself. Some
examples would be W3813,W3830,W3991,W4005. These correspond to issues such as not
having any space to write files, permission errors on folders or files, etc.
Comments Tab
The Comments tab is common to all tasks. It contains a text area (Task comments)that lets
you write comments about the task. These comments are saved when the dialog is closed with
the OKbutton, and are displayed in the Task Comments Pane.
Check the option Use as step description to display the text next to the icon of the plugin in
the Process area.
Send to Process
The Send to Process task transfers job file(s), job information and all related files (metadata,
sorted metadata, etc.) to a selected process. This action task is asynchronous, meaning the
current process will continue running in parallel to the process chosen in this task and will not
wait for it to finish.
This task is dual-purpose:It can be used either as an Action task, or as an Output task. In either
case, it does not directly produce an output, though the process it calls may produce one or
more outputs.
In either case, the called process will ignore the input task along with its job infos and schedule,
and use the job file, job infos, metadata and variables from the current process.
General tab
lProcess: The name of the target process to send current job to. Note that startup and
subprocesses are not available. You can either enter the name of a process (or use
variable properties)or use the drop-down to list existing processes.
On Error Tab
The On Error tab is common to all tasks. Details can be found in the" Task Properties Dialog"
on page777.
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By default, any action task, branch, splitter or condition that generates an error will simply be
ignored, and the task just under it (not within a branch)will be given control of the job file
without any modification. Any initial input task that generates an error will stop the process from
running as a whole, and output tasks will not generate output. The On Error tab can be used to
overwrite the default behaviors.
lSend to Process: Check this option to send the job file to an error management process.
lError Process drop-down:Enabled only when the Send to Process option is checked.
Lists any process of which the initial input task is the Input Error Bin task.
lAction:In the initial input tasks, this group is disabled and defaults to Stop Process. In
all other tasks where the On Error tab is present, the following options are available:
lDefault:By default, the task is ignored as if it did not exist and the error is logged
before continuing the branch or process; the job file is passed on to the next task in
the process. When an error occurs in a loop (or in a plugin that acts like a loop), the
loop may log the error, terminate the current iteration and proceed with the next
iteration.
lStop Branch:If the task is in a branch of the process, the branch is stopped and the
job file is returned to the process after the branch. The branch will not produce any
output. If the task is not on a branch, the entire process will be stopped.
lStop Process:The process is stopped and no more processing is done. No further
output is produced.
lLog Message:Check this option to enable logging a custom error message in the
PlanetPress Workflow log file and in the Windows Application Events.
lMessage:Enabled only when the Log Message option is checked. Enter a message that
will be logged in the PlanetPress Workflow log file. You can use any variables available
in PlanetPress Workflow to customize the message.
lStore the message in variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you
want to store the message content.
lID:Enter an error ID. This IDwill be visible in the Windows Event Viewer. However, the
IDis not visible in the PlanetPress Workflow log file.
lStore the IDin variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you want to
store the error ID.
lReset to defaults:Resets all options in this tab to their default values.
When storing the message or ID, if they are stored in a jobinfo they will be available in any
error handling process where errors are being forwarded. If your process continues after the
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error, the contents of the variables selected in this window will be available to the rest of your
process, or as long as they are not overwritten.
Common Errors
Though some error messages are specific to a task in particular, others may apply to any and
all tasks because they are related more to the system than to PlanetPress itself. Some
examples would be W3813,W3830,W3991,W4005. These correspond to issues such as not
having any space to write files, permission errors on folders or files, etc.
Comments Tab
The Comments tab is common to all tasks. It contains a text area (Task comments)that lets
you write comments about the task. These comments are saved when the dialog is closed with
the OKbutton, and are displayed in the Task Comments Pane.
Check the option Use as step description to display the text next to the icon of the plugin in
the Process area.
SNMP Condition
SNMPis a communication protocol for helping network administrators manage devices and
peripherals on their network. It is useful for verifying the status of network printers, as you can
retrieve error and other status messages that printers send out, such as being out of paper or
having low toner.
PlanetPress Workflow uses the SNMPprotocol in the form of an SNMPCondition, in to
ways:
lTo check the status of printers on your network against values you set in a condition, and
to return a true or false value. This is called setting a Printer condition in the
SNMPcondition's Properties dialog box.
lTo check different values of printers or other SNMPcompatible devices against
conditions you set, to return a true or false value. This is called setting a User defined
condition in the SNMPcondition's Properties dialog box. You indicate what is called
management information bases (MIB)and object identifiers (OID)that are extensible and
can be vendor specific.
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Properties
General tab
lParameters group
lCommunity: Enter the community name for the printer or other SNMP compliant
device you want to monitor. Acommunity acts like a combination of a user and
password granting you access to an SNMPdevice. Depending on the community
name, the device knows what rights to grant, for example, read-only or read-write.
Community names serve as a form of organization and security used with SNMP.
The community name must allow sufficient access to the SNMPdevice to monitor it
with the condition. Most SNMPdevices come with a public community name that
usually gives you read-only and/or read-write access. It is recommended to increase
security on your network by entering community names allowing varying levels of
access depending on the particular device, its users, etc. The community name tells
the device which rights to grant PlanetPress Workflow (required to perform the test).
lIP address: Enter the IP address of the network printer (or other device) whose
status is to be checked via SNMP.
lGet info: Click to retrieve information corresponding to the IPaddress you entered.
If the information is successfully retrieved and it corresponds to a printer, the Host
name and Description of the printer (or other device)appears in the corresponding
boxes.
lHost name: When you click Get info, if PlanetPress Workflow is able to
communicate with the device, it displays its name here.
lDescription: When you click Get info, if PlanetPress Workflow is able to
communicate with the device, it displays its description here.
lCondition type: Select Printer Queue to test a standard printer status condition or
User Defined to test a status identified using a printer specific identification code.
Bear in mind that the failure to comply with any of the test conditions selected below
will make the whole condition False.
lPrinter Queue group (displayed when Printer Queue is selected in the Condition Type
box)
lPrinter status: Select Idle or Printing to test whether the printer is currently idle or
printing. Select Do not test if you only want to test the printer’s alert status (below).
lAlert status: Select No alert to make the condition False whenever an alert
situation is detected, regardless of its type or severity. Select No critical alert to
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make the condition False whenever a critical alert is detected, regardless of its type.
Select Non-critical alert to choose a specific non-critical alert in the Detected error
box. Select Critical alert to choose a specific critical alert in the Detected error box.
Select Do not test if you only want to test the printer status (above).
lDetected error: Select a specific non-critical or critical alert. Note that this box is
only displayed if you selected either Non-critical alert or Critical alert in the Alert
Status box.
lUser Defined (displayed when User Defined is selected in the Condition Type box)
lMIB OID number: Enter the Management Information Base Object Identifier
corresponding to the object you want to test. Vendors of SNMP compliant devices
sometimes list MIB OIDs in their documentation.
lTest: Click to test communication with the device and the MIB OID number.
lOperator: Select the operator used to test the condition.
lValue: Enter a specific object status. Vendors of SNMP compliant devices
sometimes list possible object states in their documentation.
lInvert condition result: Select to toggle the result of the whole SNMP condition
(true becomes false and vice versa).
Management Information Base Object Identifiers
A Management Information Base (MIB) is a database of Object Identifiers (OIDs) that can be
used to monitor device objects using SNMP. An MIB OID can point be a printer tray, cartridge or
hard disk, or to modem mode. Using an SNMP condition, PlanetPress Workflow can
communicate with a device located at a given IP address and request the status of the object
identified by a given MIB OID number. Object Identifiers are typically assigned and registered
by device manufacturers. They are based on a standard known as Abstract Syntax Notation
One (often referred to as the ASN.1 standard).
On Error Tab
The On Error tab is common to all tasks. Details can be found in the" Task Properties Dialog"
on page777.
By default, any action task, branch, splitter or condition that generates an error will simply be
ignored, and the task just under it (not within a branch)will be given control of the job file
without any modification. Any initial input task that generates an error will stop the process from
running as a whole, and output tasks will not generate output. The On Error tab can be used to
overwrite the default behaviors.
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lSend to Process: Check this option to send the job file to an error management process.
lError Process drop-down:Enabled only when the Send to Process option is checked.
Lists any process of which the initial input task is the Input Error Bin task.
lAction:In the initial input tasks, this group is disabled and defaults to Stop Process. In
all other tasks where the On Error tab is present, the following options are available:
lDefault:By default, the task is ignored as if it did not exist and the error is logged
before continuing the branch or process; the job file is passed on to the next task in
the process. When an error occurs in a loop (or in a plugin that acts like a loop), the
loop may log the error, terminate the current iteration and proceed with the next
iteration.
lStop Branch:If the task is in a branch of the process, the branch is stopped and the
job file is returned to the process after the branch. The branch will not produce any
output. If the task is not on a branch, the entire process will be stopped.
lStop Process:The process is stopped and no more processing is done. No further
output is produced.
lLog Message:Check this option to enable logging a custom error message in the
PlanetPress Workflow log file and in the Windows Application Events.
lMessage:Enabled only when the Log Message option is checked. Enter a message that
will be logged in the PlanetPress Workflow log file. You can use any variables available
in PlanetPress Workflow to customize the message.
lStore the message in variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you
want to store the message content.
lID:Enter an error ID. This IDwill be visible in the Windows Event Viewer. However, the
IDis not visible in the PlanetPress Workflow log file.
lStore the IDin variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you want to
store the error ID.
lReset to defaults:Resets all options in this tab to their default values.
When storing the message or ID, if they are stored in a jobinfo they will be available in any
error handling process where errors are being forwarded. If your process continues after the
error, the contents of the variables selected in this window will be available to the rest of your
process, or as long as they are not overwritten.
Page 418
Common Errors
Though some error messages are specific to a task in particular, others may apply to any and
all tasks because they are related more to the system than to PlanetPress itself. Some
examples would be W3813,W3830,W3991,W4005. These correspond to issues such as not
having any space to write files, permission errors on folders or files, etc.
Comments Tab
The Comments tab is common to all tasks. It contains a text area (Task comments)that lets
you write comments about the task. These comments are saved when the dialog is closed with
the OKbutton, and are displayed in the Task Comments Pane.
Check the option Use as step description to display the text next to the icon of the plugin in
the Process area.
Text Condition
Text conditions can be used to perform two different types of tests:
lTo test the presence of a string within the job file. You can, for example, search for the
string “Gold member” on the first line of the job file. As another example, you could search
for a variable string retrieved via a job info variable or a data selection in a given location
in the job file.
lTo compare two strings. As with the test above, this test can also be used to search for
a string in a given location. The difference with this test is that it gives you comparison
options. Using the “Contains” operator, you can test the presence of the string “Gold
member” at a given location in the job file (using a data selection), but the other operators
can be used to test whether or not the first string is equal to the second one, whether it is
equal or lower than the second one, etc.
The logic of text conditions can sometimes be tricky, especially if it includes variable strings, so
you should test it thoroughly.
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Properties
General tab
lString: If you want to test the presence of a given string at a given location, enter the
string in this box. If you want to compare two strings or perform a numeric comparison,
enter the first string in this box. Note that you can enter either a static string, a variable or a
data selection in this box. If you enter a variable, PlanetPress Workflow will retrieve the
string from the variable before performing the comparison. If you enter a data selection,
PlanetPress Workflow will search the job file and retrieve the string found at the
referenced location before performing the comparison.
lOperator: Select the desired operator. Note that neither the “Is found” nor the “Is not
found” operator can be used to test XML data.
lConvert data to uppercase before comparison: This option is only displayed when
either “Is found” or “Is not found” is selected in the Operator box. Select to prompt
PlanetPress Workflow to convert the string to uppercase before performing the
comparison.
lNumeric comparison: This option is not displayed when either “Is found” or “Is not found”
is selected in the Operator box. Select to convert the strings from the String and
Comparison string boxes to their corresponding numeric values before performing the
comparison. If you chose an operator that compares numeric values, you should select
this option.
lOn numeric error: This option is only available when the Numeric comparison option is
selected. Select the behavior you prefer when PlanetPress Workflow is unable to
successfully perform a numeric comparison. Select ”Return the error”, if you want the Text
condition to fail altogether. Select ”Return true”, if you want the condition to be considered
True. Select ”Return false”, if you want the condition to be considered False.
lLocation: You can only enter a location when either ”Is found” or ”Is not found” is selected
in the Operator box. If you select “at”, you also have to enter a specific line and column. If
you select “on line”, you have to enter a given line. If you select “in area”, you have to
enter a range of lines and columns. If you select “on the page”, the search area will cover
the whole data page (as defined below).
lCompare to string: You cannot enter a comparison string when either “Is found” or “Is not
found” is selected in the Operator box. Enter the second string of the comparison in this
box. As with the String box, you can enter a static string, a variable or a data selection in
this box.
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lPage range: Select Any page if you do not want to specify a precise data page. Select
Pages to specify individual pages or page ranges. The page range setting is only
considered when either ”Is found” or ”Is not found” is selected in the Operator box.
lRange: Entries must be separated by commas. Page ranges are entered using a starting
page and an ending page, separated by a dash. For pages 1, 3 and 5 to 7, you would
enter the following: 1,3,5-7.
lInvert condition result: Select to toggle the result of the condition (true becomes false
and vice versa).
On Error Tab
The On Error tab is common to all tasks. Details can be found in the" Task Properties Dialog"
on page777.
By default, any action task, branch, splitter or condition that generates an error will simply be
ignored, and the task just under it (not within a branch)will be given control of the job file
without any modification. Any initial input task that generates an error will stop the process from
running as a whole, and output tasks will not generate output. The On Error tab can be used to
overwrite the default behaviors.
lSend to Process: Check this option to send the job file to an error management process.
lError Process drop-down:Enabled only when the Send to Process option is checked.
Lists any process of which the initial input task is the Input Error Bin task.
lAction:In the initial input tasks, this group is disabled and defaults to Stop Process. In
all other tasks where the On Error tab is present, the following options are available:
lDefault:By default, the task is ignored as if it did not exist and the error is logged
before continuing the branch or process; the job file is passed on to the next task in
the process. When an error occurs in a loop (or in a plugin that acts like a loop), the
loop may log the error, terminate the current iteration and proceed with the next
iteration.
lStop Branch:If the task is in a branch of the process, the branch is stopped and the
job file is returned to the process after the branch. The branch will not produce any
output. If the task is not on a branch, the entire process will be stopped.
lStop Process:The process is stopped and no more processing is done. No further
output is produced.
lLog Message:Check this option to enable logging a custom error message in the
PlanetPress Workflow log file and in the Windows Application Events.
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lMessage:Enabled only when the Log Message option is checked. Enter a message that
will be logged in the PlanetPress Workflow log file. You can use any variables available
in PlanetPress Workflow to customize the message.
lStore the message in variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you
want to store the message content.
lID:Enter an error ID. This IDwill be visible in the Windows Event Viewer. However, the
IDis not visible in the PlanetPress Workflow log file.
lStore the IDin variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you want to
store the error ID.
lReset to defaults:Resets all options in this tab to their default values.
When storing the message or ID, if they are stored in a jobinfo they will be available in any
error handling process where errors are being forwarded. If your process continues after the
error, the contents of the variables selected in this window will be available to the rest of your
process, or as long as they are not overwritten.
Common Errors
Though some error messages are specific to a task in particular, others may apply to any and
all tasks because they are related more to the system than to PlanetPress itself. Some
examples would be W3813,W3830,W3991,W4005. These correspond to issues such as not
having any space to write files, permission errors on folders or files, etc.
On Error Tab
The On Error tab is common to all tasks. Details can be found in the" Task Properties Dialog"
on page777.
By default, any action task, branch, splitter or condition that generates an error will simply be
ignored, and the task just under it (not within a branch)will be given control of the job file
without any modification. Any initial input task that generates an error will stop the process from
running as a whole, and output tasks will not generate output. The On Error tab can be used to
overwrite the default behaviors.
lSend to Process: Check this option to send the job file to an error management process.
lError Process drop-down:Enabled only when the Send to Process option is checked.
Lists any process of which the initial input task is the Input Error Bin task.
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lAction:In the initial input tasks, this group is disabled and defaults to Stop Process. In
all other tasks where the On Error tab is present, the following options are available:
lDefault:By default, the task is ignored as if it did not exist and the error is logged
before continuing the branch or process; the job file is passed on to the next task in
the process. When an error occurs in a loop (or in a plugin that acts like a loop), the
loop may log the error, terminate the current iteration and proceed with the next
iteration.
lStop Branch:If the task is in a branch of the process, the branch is stopped and the
job file is returned to the process after the branch. The branch will not produce any
output. If the task is not on a branch, the entire process will be stopped.
lStop Process:The process is stopped and no more processing is done. No further
output is produced.
lLog Message:Check this option to enable logging a custom error message in the
PlanetPress Workflow log file and in the Windows Application Events.
lMessage:Enabled only when the Log Message option is checked. Enter a message that
will be logged in the PlanetPress Workflow log file. You can use any variables available
in PlanetPress Workflow to customize the message.
lStore the message in variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you
want to store the message content.
lID:Enter an error ID. This IDwill be visible in the Windows Event Viewer. However, the
IDis not visible in the PlanetPress Workflow log file.
lStore the IDin variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you want to
store the error ID.
lReset to defaults:Resets all options in this tab to their default values.
When storing the message or ID, if they are stored in a jobinfo they will be available in any
error handling process where errors are being forwarded. If your process continues after the
error, the contents of the variables selected in this window will be available to the rest of your
process, or as long as they are not overwritten.
Common Errors
Though some error messages are specific to a task in particular, others may apply to any and
all tasks because they are related more to the system than to PlanetPress itself. Some
examples would be W3813,W3830,W3991,W4005. These correspond to issues such as not
having any space to write files, permission errors on folders or files, etc.
Page 423
Comments Tab
The Comments tab is common to all tasks. It contains a text area (Task comments)that lets
you write comments about the task. These comments are saved when the dialog is closed with
the OKbutton, and are displayed in the Task Comments Pane.
Check the option Use as step description to display the text next to the icon of the plugin in
the Process area.
Time of Day Condition
Time of Day conditions test the current time and day. Using a time and day grid, you can select
blocks that correspond to time and day coordinates. Various settings can be used to change
time intervals, for instance, that range from 15 minutes to 24 hours. You may choose to use
days or dates, and you may also select specific weeks or months.
The Time of Day condition differs from the process schedule in the fact that you could put this
condition after generating some output, and you can also run tasks when the condition itself is
false, which is not the case for a process outside of schedule.
You can choose contiguous as well as separate time blocks as required. The condition is
tested True every time the current time and date corresponds to a selected time block.
Properties
General tab
lMonth: Select “All months” if you want the selected time blocks to be valid every month of
the year. Select a specific month if you want the selected time blocks to be valid only on
that month.
lWeek of month / by date: Select “Date” if you want the selected time blocks to be valid
only on specific dates. Select “All weeks” if you want the selected time blocks to be valid
every week of the month. Select a specific week of the month if you want the selected
time blocks to be valid only on that week (the first, second or last week of the month, for
instance).
lTime division: Select the desired time interval. Each block in the grid corresponds to the
selected time interval.
lInvert condition result: Select to toggle the result of the condition (true becomes false
and vice versa).
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lGrid: Select separate or contiguous time blocks. Click a block to toggle it on or off. Click
and drag to toggle multiple blocks on or off. Click date or day at the top of the grid to
toggle the whole date or day on or off. Click a time interval on the left margin of the grid to
toggle the whole time interval on or off.
lSelect All: Click to toggle all the time blocks on.
lClear: Click to toggle all the time blocks off.
On Error Tab
The On Error tab is common to all tasks. Details can be found in the" Task Properties Dialog"
on page777.
By default, any action task, branch, splitter or condition that generates an error will simply be
ignored, and the task just under it (not within a branch)will be given control of the job file
without any modification. Any initial input task that generates an error will stop the process from
running as a whole, and output tasks will not generate output. The On Error tab can be used to
overwrite the default behaviors.
lSend to Process: Check this option to send the job file to an error management process.
lError Process drop-down:Enabled only when the Send to Process option is checked.
Lists any process of which the initial input task is the Input Error Bin task.
lAction:In the initial input tasks, this group is disabled and defaults to Stop Process. In
all other tasks where the On Error tab is present, the following options are available:
lDefault:By default, the task is ignored as if it did not exist and the error is logged
before continuing the branch or process; the job file is passed on to the next task in
the process. When an error occurs in a loop (or in a plugin that acts like a loop), the
loop may log the error, terminate the current iteration and proceed with the next
iteration.
lStop Branch:If the task is in a branch of the process, the branch is stopped and the
job file is returned to the process after the branch. The branch will not produce any
output. If the task is not on a branch, the entire process will be stopped.
lStop Process:The process is stopped and no more processing is done. No further
output is produced.
lLog Message:Check this option to enable logging a custom error message in the
PlanetPress Workflow log file and in the Windows Application Events.
Page 425
lMessage:Enabled only when the Log Message option is checked. Enter a message that
will be logged in the PlanetPress Workflow log file. You can use any variables available
in PlanetPress Workflow to customize the message.
lStore the message in variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you
want to store the message content.
lID:Enter an error ID. This IDwill be visible in the Windows Event Viewer. However, the
IDis not visible in the PlanetPress Workflow log file.
lStore the IDin variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you want to
store the error ID.
lReset to defaults:Resets all options in this tab to their default values.
When storing the message or ID, if they are stored in a jobinfo they will be available in any
error handling process where errors are being forwarded. If your process continues after the
error, the contents of the variables selected in this window will be available to the rest of your
process, or as long as they are not overwritten.
Common Errors
Though some error messages are specific to a task in particular, others may apply to any and
all tasks because they are related more to the system than to PlanetPress itself. Some
examples would be W3813,W3830,W3991,W4005. These correspond to issues such as not
having any space to write files, permission errors on folders or files, etc.
Comments Tab
The Comments tab is common to all tasks. It contains a text area (Task comments)that lets
you write comments about the task. These comments are saved when the dialog is closed with
the OKbutton, and are displayed in the Task Comments Pane.
Check the option Use as step description to display the text next to the icon of the plugin in
the Process area.
Connector Tasks
A Connector, as the name implies, is a task that connects to something outside of PlanetPress
Workflow itself. In some cases those are other parts of the PlanetPress Workflow, but in other
cases we offer connectors for third-party applications or systems.
Page 426
Available Connector tasks
l"Create MRDX" below
l"Input from SharePoint" on page432
l"Laserfiche Repository Output" on page436
l"Lookup in Microsoft® Excel® Documents" on page440
l"Microsoft® Word® Documents To PDF Conversion" on page444
l"Output to Capture OnTheGo" on page449
l"Output to SharePoint" on page453
l"PlanetPress Fax" on page457
l"PlanetPress Image" on page458
l"PReSPrint Controls" on page468
l"PrintShop Mail" on page471
Create MRDX
The Create MRDXaction task is used to register a job on a Suretrac server using an
MRDXfile. The MRDXcontains information about the job and its finishing, as well as integrity
features use by SureTrac. This task requires a PDFfile as an input, along with metadata
generated through a document that contains PitneyBowes Scan Codes.
Properties
General Tab
lRegister Job to the SureTrac Server group:Check this option to enable the group.
lServer Name:The complete URLof the SureTrac server.
lProcess Verification Job Name:The SureTrac job that this PDF should fall under.
Use the button next to the list to retrieve a list of available SureTrac jobs from the
server.
lMailrun ID:Aunique identification for the current job. This IDmust never be the
same between two mail runs - we suggest using either %f or %u , which are both
always unique as they are based on date and time.
lUse Job ID:Check to send the Job IDchosen in the PitneyBowes Scan Code utility
along with the job.
Page 427
lUse External MRDX and PDF:Check this option to ignore the MRDXcreation and use
an existing PDFand MRDXinstead.
lFiles Location:Enter the path and file name (without extension)of the PDF and
MRDXfile, or use the Browse button to select either. The PDFand MRDXfile must
have the exact same name apart from the extension.
lUse MRDXas new data file:Ignore the PDFfile and use the MRDXas a job file after this
task. The PDFis discarded. If this is unchecked, the PDFand metadata are used.
On Error Tab
The On Error tab is common to all tasks. Details can be found in the" Task Properties Dialog"
on page777.
By default, any action task, branch, splitter or condition that generates an error will simply be
ignored, and the task just under it (not within a branch)will be given control of the job file
without any modification. Any initial input task that generates an error will stop the process from
running as a whole, and output tasks will not generate output. The On Error tab can be used to
overwrite the default behaviors.
lSend to Process: Check this option to send the job file to an error management process.
lError Process drop-down:Enabled only when the Send to Process option is checked.
Lists any process of which the initial input task is the Input Error Bin task.
lAction:In the initial input tasks, this group is disabled and defaults to Stop Process. In
all other tasks where the On Error tab is present, the following options are available:
lDefault:By default, the task is ignored as if it did not exist and the error is logged
before continuing the branch or process; the job file is passed on to the next task in
the process. When an error occurs in a loop (or in a plugin that acts like a loop), the
loop may log the error, terminate the current iteration and proceed with the next
iteration.
lStop Branch:If the task is in a branch of the process, the branch is stopped and the
job file is returned to the process after the branch. The branch will not produce any
output. If the task is not on a branch, the entire process will be stopped.
lStop Process:The process is stopped and no more processing is done. No further
output is produced.
lLog Message:Check this option to enable logging a custom error message in the
PlanetPress Workflow log file and in the Windows Application Events.
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lMessage:Enabled only when the Log Message option is checked. Enter a message that
will be logged in the PlanetPress Workflow log file. You can use any variables available
in PlanetPress Workflow to customize the message.
lStore the message in variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you
want to store the message content.
lID:Enter an error ID. This IDwill be visible in the Windows Event Viewer. However, the
IDis not visible in the PlanetPress Workflow log file.
lStore the IDin variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you want to
store the error ID.
lReset to defaults:Resets all options in this tab to their default values.
When storing the message or ID, if they are stored in a jobinfo they will be available in any
error handling process where errors are being forwarded. If your process continues after the
error, the contents of the variables selected in this window will be available to the rest of your
process, or as long as they are not overwritten.
Common Errors
Though some error messages are specific to a task in particular, others may apply to any and
all tasks because they are related more to the system than to PlanetPress itself. Some
examples would be W3813,W3830,W3991,W4005. These correspond to issues such as not
having any space to write files, permission errors on folders or files, etc.
Comments Tab
The Comments tab is common to all tasks. It contains a text area (Task comments)that lets
you write comments about the task. These comments are saved when the dialog is closed with
the OKbutton, and are displayed in the Task Comments Pane.
Check the option Use as step description to display the text next to the icon of the plugin in
the Process area.
Delete Capture OnTheGo Document
The Delete Capture OnTheGo Document deletes a document from a Capture OnTheGo
Repository, which stores documents that can then be retrieved by the Capture OnTheGo
mobile application. It can be used, for example, to delete a document that has its expiration
date set in the distant future but needs to be deleted as soon as an app user has submitted it.
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This task can be added as an Action task (see "Action Tasks" on page268) or as a Condition
Task. When used as a Condition task, the success of the delete operation determines whether
the condition returns True or False.
Input
This task doesn't require an input file. It does need a Repository ID and password, and the ID of
the document to delete.
Processing
This task connects to a Capture OnTheGo Repository and requests removal of a document with
a given document ID.
Output
When used as a Condition task, the success of the delete operation determines whether the
task returns True or False.
Properties
General Tab
The General tab is where you enter the connection information necessary to log on to the
Repository to request removal of the specified the document.
lRepository ID:Enter a valid Capture OnTheGo Repository ID.
lPassword:Enter the password that corresponds to the Repository ID entered above.
lDocument ID:Enter the ID of the document to delete from the Repository.
lInvert result: When the task is used as a Condition task, the success of the delete
operation determines whether the condition returns True or False. Check this option to
invert the result.
On Error Tab
The On Error tab is common to all tasks. Details can be found in the" Task Properties Dialog"
on page777.
By default, any action task, branch, splitter or condition that generates an error will simply be
ignored, and the task just under it (not within a branch)will be given control of the job file
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without any modification. Any initial input task that generates an error will stop the process from
running as a whole, and output tasks will not generate output. The On Error tab can be used to
overwrite the default behaviors.
lSend to Process: Check this option to send the job file to an error management process.
lError Process drop-down:Enabled only when the Send to Process option is checked.
Lists any process of which the initial input task is the Input Error Bin task.
lAction:In the initial input tasks, this group is disabled and defaults to Stop Process. In
all other tasks where the On Error tab is present, the following options are available:
lDefault:By default, the task is ignored as if it did not exist and the error is logged
before continuing the branch or process; the job file is passed on to the next task in
the process. When an error occurs in a loop (or in a plugin that acts like a loop), the
loop may log the error, terminate the current iteration and proceed with the next
iteration.
lStop Branch:If the task is in a branch of the process, the branch is stopped and the
job file is returned to the process after the branch. The branch will not produce any
output. If the task is not on a branch, the entire process will be stopped.
lStop Process:The process is stopped and no more processing is done. No further
output is produced.
lLog Message:Check this option to enable logging a custom error message in the
PlanetPress Workflow log file and in the Windows Application Events.
lMessage:Enabled only when the Log Message option is checked. Enter a message that
will be logged in the PlanetPress Workflow log file. You can use any variables available
in PlanetPress Workflow to customize the message.
lStore the message in variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you
want to store the message content.
lID:Enter an error ID. This IDwill be visible in the Windows Event Viewer. However, the
IDis not visible in the PlanetPress Workflow log file.
lStore the IDin variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you want to
store the error ID.
lReset to defaults:Resets all options in this tab to their default values.
When storing the message or ID, if they are stored in a jobinfo they will be available in any
error handling process where errors are being forwarded. If your process continues after the
error, the contents of the variables selected in this window will be available to the rest of your
process, or as long as they are not overwritten.
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Common Errors
Though some error messages are specific to a task in particular, others may apply to any and
all tasks because they are related more to the system than to PlanetPress itself. Some
examples would be W3813,W3830,W3991,W4005. These correspond to issues such as not
having any space to write files, permission errors on folders or files, etc.
Comments Tab
The Comments tab is common to all tasks. It contains a text area (Task comments)that lets
you write comments about the task. These comments are saved when the dialog is closed with
the OKbutton, and are displayed in the Task Comments Pane.
Check the option Use as step description to display the text next to the icon of the plugin in
the Process area.
Input from SharePoint
The Input from SharePoint task can be used to retrieve files from a SharePoint server on your
network, filtering on your template fields and creating metadata to use in your process.
When the Input from SharePoint task runs, it first lists all of the files to download then runs the
process once for each file in the list. If any new files are added during the process, they will not
be touched until the next time the process is scheduled.
This task can work with many of the available SharePoint servers:
lMicrosoft SharePoint 2007
lMicrosoft SharePoint 2010
lWindows SharePoint Services 3.0 SP2
lSharePoint Foundation 2010
Technical
Document libraries using the Content Type system in SharePoint 2007 and higher (as
well as Windows SharePoint Services 3.0 and higher) are supported in PlanetPress 7.5
and higher only.
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Input
Any data file present on a SharePoint document store, even those not compatible with
PlanetPress Workflow emulations, and the properties of these files.
Processing
The task connects to the selected Document store and retrieves a copy of files according to the
specified rules. The files may be deleted or marked as checked out depending on the options
selected, otherwise they are untouched.
Output
The output to this task is a series of individual files, one after the other.
Properties
General Tab
Note
For this tab to work, you must have entered your SharePoint Connection information in
the Connection Tab.
lSharePoint Site:The name of the SharePoint site from where you want to retrieve
documents. You can click on the Refresh button to display a list of sites on your
SharePoint server.
lDocument Library:The document library where you want to retrieve the files. You can
click on the Refresh button to display a list of libraries on the SharePoint site selected
previously.
lFolder:The folder in the document library where your files are located. You can click the
Browse button to display your folder structure. In the Browse Folders dialog, click on the
folder you want to use and click OK.
lInput Rule:Lets you define rules to filter incoming files on certain variables, for example
the file name, size, etc. Clicking the ... button brings up the Rule Interface.
lDownload files from sub-directories also:Check to also look into subdirectories of the
specified Folder.
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lDo not download checked out documents:If the document is set as "Checked Out" in
SharePoint, it will be ignored.
lAction Group
lDownload the document:Simply download the document and do not modify it in
SharePoint.
lDownload the document and mark it as checked out in SharePoint:Download
the document and mark it as Checked Out in SharePoint. This is useful for
preventing files to be downloaded more than once.
lDownload the document and delete it from SharePoint:Download the document
and delete it from the SharePoint server.
Connection Tab
lServer Name:The name of the SharePoint server. This can either be a server name (e.g.
http://SharePoint2003 )or an IPaddress (e.g. http://192.168.1.123 ). Both http:// and
https:// (secure) connections are accepted.
lDomain:The active directory domain for the logon credentials. This is not necessary if
the SharePoint server is not part of a domain.
lUserName:A valid user name that has access to the SharePoint site and is able to read
and write to document libraries.
lPassword:The correct password for the user name.
"Other" Tab
lJob Information group
lInformation elements:indicates what job infos are automatically created by the
input task.
lAdd lines before first data page:Using the arrows keys you can add any job
information directly at the beginning of your data file.
lBackup input files:Check this to save a copy of each data file that is captured by your
input. These files are saved in the PlanetPress Suite Workflow Tools working folders
under the "Backup"folder.
lBackup filename:Enter the filename that you wish the input data file backup to be saved
under.
lDelete Existing Metadata:Check to remove any metadata from memory. This option is
disabled on initial input tasks, and is checked by default on secondary input tasks.
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Job Information definitions
l%1 - Source file name:Contains the name of the current captured file.
l%2 - Directory:Contains the name of the SharePoint director from which the current file
was captured.
On Error Tab
The On Error tab is common to all tasks. Details can be found in the" Task Properties Dialog"
on page777.
By default, any action task, branch, splitter or condition that generates an error will simply be
ignored, and the task just under it (not within a branch)will be given control of the job file
without any modification. Any initial input task that generates an error will stop the process from
running as a whole, and output tasks will not generate output. The On Error tab can be used to
overwrite the default behaviors.
lSend to Process: Check this option to send the job file to an error management process.
lError Process drop-down:Enabled only when the Send to Process option is checked.
Lists any process of which the initial input task is the Input Error Bin task.
lAction:In the initial input tasks, this group is disabled and defaults to Stop Process. In
all other tasks where the On Error tab is present, the following options are available:
lDefault:By default, the task is ignored as if it did not exist and the error is logged
before continuing the branch or process; the job file is passed on to the next task in
the process. When an error occurs in a loop (or in a plugin that acts like a loop), the
loop may log the error, terminate the current iteration and proceed with the next
iteration.
lStop Branch:If the task is in a branch of the process, the branch is stopped and the
job file is returned to the process after the branch. The branch will not produce any
output. If the task is not on a branch, the entire process will be stopped.
lStop Process:The process is stopped and no more processing is done. No further
output is produced.
lLog Message:Check this option to enable logging a custom error message in the
PlanetPress Workflow log file and in the Windows Application Events.
lMessage:Enabled only when the Log Message option is checked. Enter a message that
will be logged in the PlanetPress Workflow log file. You can use any variables available
in PlanetPress Workflow to customize the message.
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lStore the message in variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you
want to store the message content.
lID:Enter an error ID. This IDwill be visible in the Windows Event Viewer. However, the
IDis not visible in the PlanetPress Workflow log file.
lStore the IDin variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you want to
store the error ID.
lReset to defaults:Resets all options in this tab to their default values.
When storing the message or ID, if they are stored in a jobinfo they will be available in any
error handling process where errors are being forwarded. If your process continues after the
error, the contents of the variables selected in this window will be available to the rest of your
process, or as long as they are not overwritten.
Common Errors
Though some error messages are specific to a task in particular, others may apply to any and
all tasks because they are related more to the system than to PlanetPress itself. Some
examples would be W3813,W3830,W3991,W4005. These correspond to issues such as not
having any space to write files, permission errors on folders or files, etc.
Laserfiche Repository Output
Laserfiche Repository Output task publishes files- and optionally sets index values- into a
Laserfiche server. This task uploads any documents in a Laserfiche repository, optionally filling
the index information on the Laserfiche server with dynamic information that can be taken from
PlanetPress WorkflowPDI files (for PlanetPress Workflow archives only).
Note
The Laserfiche Repository Output requires the Laserfiche run-time version 8.1 or higher
and will not work with previous versions. It also requires a valid PlanetPress license.
Laserfiche is a provider of digital document and records management systems. Laserfiche has
two components: the Laserfiche server, which hosts the repository, and the Laserfiche client,
which serves as the user’s interface with the repository.
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Input
Any file that is compatible with Laserfiche (see the Laserfiche user manual for more information
on supported files types)
Processing
A connection is established with the Laserfiche server, the file is uploaded and the metadata in
the Laserfiche server is generated correctly.
Output
The output from this task is the specified file along with the metadata within the Laserfiche
server. The file is not directly modified by this task.
Task Properties
General Tab
lLaserfiche configuration group
lFolder: Enter the Laserfiche client repository folder where the documents will be
exported.The usercanspecify the remote folder by clicking the Browse… button.
Note: If the Folder field is empty, the documents will be exported by default to the
root folder
lImport Format group
lLaserfiche Pages: Converts all images files (*.bmp, *.gif, *.jpeg, *.pcx, *.png,
*.tif, *.tiff, *.txt) into the Laserfiche internal TIFF format on the server. When
double-clicking on the document in Laserfiche the image will be opened in the
Laserfiche Image Viewer.
lElectronic files: All files will be stored in their original format in Laserfiche.
When double-clicking on the document in Laserfiche the native Windows
application associated with the file extension of the archive will be opened.
lForce folder creation: Select to force the folder creation if it does not already exist
on the Laserfiche server.
lVolume: A list allowing to choose among available Laserfiche volumes.
lConfigure Tags: Click to open the Configure Tags dialog. See LaserFiche
Repository Output - Configure Tags.
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lConfigure Templates: Click to open the Configure Templates dialog. See
LaserFiche Repository Output - Configure Templates.
lPlanetPress archive folder: Folder path of the folder capture of the current process. This
field is optional and should only be set when publishing PlanetPress Workflow archives
that have PDI files.
lIf the PlanetPress Image archive folder field is empty andthe option “Use
PlanetPress PDF/A” is selected,a warning message will be displayed: "You should
insert PlanetPress Image archive folder source".
lThe indexes in the PlanetPress Design document must match the ones in the
Laserfiche server.
Connection Tab
lServer Name:The server name or IPaddress of the server you wish to connect to.
lRepository:The name of the repository you wish to send the files to.
luser name:A user name in Laserfiche that has access to the above repository.
lPassword:The password for the above user name.
lTest Connection:Click to verify that the information entered in this tab is correct and the
server accepts it.
On Error Tab
The On Error tab is common to all tasks. Details can be found in the" Task Properties Dialog"
on page777.
By default, any action task, branch, splitter or condition that generates an error will simply be
ignored, and the task just under it (not within a branch)will be given control of the job file
without any modification. Any initial input task that generates an error will stop the process from
running as a whole, and output tasks will not generate output. The On Error tab can be used to
overwrite the default behaviors.
lSend to Process: Check this option to send the job file to an error management process.
lError Process drop-down:Enabled only when the Send to Process option is checked.
Lists any process of which the initial input task is the Input Error Bin task.
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lAction:In the initial input tasks, this group is disabled and defaults to Stop Process. In
all other tasks where the On Error tab is present, the following options are available:
lDefault:By default, the task is ignored as if it did not exist and the error is logged
before continuing the branch or process; the job file is passed on to the next task in
the process. When an error occurs in a loop (or in a plugin that acts like a loop), the
loop may log the error, terminate the current iteration and proceed with the next
iteration.
lStop Branch:If the task is in a branch of the process, the branch is stopped and the
job file is returned to the process after the branch. The branch will not produce any
output. If the task is not on a branch, the entire process will be stopped.
lStop Process:The process is stopped and no more processing is done. No further
output is produced.
lLog Message:Check this option to enable logging a custom error message in the
PlanetPress Workflow log file and in the Windows Application Events.
lMessage:Enabled only when the Log Message option is checked. Enter a message that
will be logged in the PlanetPress Workflow log file. You can use any variables available
in PlanetPress Workflow to customize the message.
lStore the message in variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you
want to store the message content.
lID:Enter an error ID. This IDwill be visible in the Windows Event Viewer. However, the
IDis not visible in the PlanetPress Workflow log file.
lStore the IDin variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you want to
store the error ID.
lReset to defaults:Resets all options in this tab to their default values.
When storing the message or ID, if they are stored in a jobinfo they will be available in any
error handling process where errors are being forwarded. If your process continues after the
error, the contents of the variables selected in this window will be available to the rest of your
process, or as long as they are not overwritten.
Common Errors
Though some error messages are specific to a task in particular, others may apply to any and
all tasks because they are related more to the system than to PlanetPress itself. Some
examples would be W3813,W3830,W3991,W4005. These correspond to issues such as not
having any space to write files, permission errors on folders or files, etc.
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Restrictions
lEach Laserfiche Repository Output task uses a connection to Laserfiche. You can use
as many Laserfiche Repository Output tasks at the same time as your Laserfiche
license allows. If you see the error message ‘The session number was exceeded’ in the
PlanetPress Workflow Service Console, it means you have exceeded your allowed
number of connections.
lTo use the “Use PlanetPress PDF/A archives” option,make sureto:
lCheck the field as Multiple, select CHAR type and enter the width fields in
Laserfiche administration console as long as your PlanetPress fields.
lInsert a folder path to your PDI source files in the PlanetPress Image archive folder.
lIf a field is checked as Required in Laserfiche administration console, fill the field value.
lIf you want to assign an Informational Tag, do not check the Security tag option in the
Laserfiche administration console.
lIf the output repository folder does not have access rights to read and create documents,
the task will not be able to export documents to the selected Laserfiche folder.
lIf you intend to use PDI for number type, your decimal separator in both your Regional
and Language Options and in PlanetPress Index (PDI) numbers should be a dot (".").
lThe Laserfiche output task will only work if an activated PlanetPress Image is found,
either locally or on the network.
Lookup in Microsoft® Excel® Documents
The Lookup in Microsoft® Excel® Documents action task is used to complement your job
file's metadata by retrieving data from a Microsoft® Excel® spreadsheet on your system.The
data retrieved is based on existing data in your metadata, and it will either be added to your
metadata or will append or replace your existing metadata if it exists.
Fields on any level (Page, Datapage, Document, Group, Job)can be used, and the result field
will be added on the same level as the lookup field.
Note
This task will automatically "loop" through the metadata and repeat its action for each of
your metadata's data pages. This task should not be placed after a Metadata Sequencer
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task, otherwise it will run as many times as there are metadata sequences, which will
result in decreased performance.
Input
Any compatible data file, requires metadata to be present.
Processing
The task parses each level of the metadata and, for each field of the specified name it finds, a
lookup is made. If a field of the same name appears on multiple levels, the lookup will happen
for all fields, on all levels, individually.
Output
The original data file is unchanged. Metadata is updated according to the specified criteria.
Properties
General Tab
lExcel group
lExcel workbook:The full path and file name of a Microsoft® Excel® workbook (.xls
or .xslx file). You can use the Browse button on the right to browse to the file on
your computer.
lExcel worksheet:The name of the worksheet you want to use. Once a workbook is
open, this drop-down will automatically list all the available worksheets.
lRefresh button:If you have modified the original Microsoft® Excel® workbook to
add a sheet, click this button to refresh the list of worksheets.
lMetadata group
lLookup Field:The name of the metadata field that will be used to determine which
row should be returned. The Metadata field can be on any level.
lLookup Column:The name of the column in the Microsoft® Excel® worksheet that
corresponds to the contents of the Lookup Field.
lAction:What to do with the resulting data from the Microsoft® Excel® worksheet.
This can be:
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lAdd Field:Creates a new field with the data. This may cause multiple fields to
be created.
lReplace field value:Replaces any existing field with the new content. Only
the last result will be displayed. If the field does not exist, it will create it.
lAppend field value:Ads the data to the existing field within the same one. No
"separator"is added. If the field does not exist, it will create it.
lResult Field:The metadata field name in which the result should be stored. This
field will appear in the same metadata level as the Lookup Field.
lResult Column:The name of the column where the information you want to retrieve
is located. For example, this could be a client email or full name.
lbutton:Ads a new lookup line. You can have as many lines as you want. The
lines will be executed in order from top to bottom, so you can rely on a previous line
to bring additional information.
lbutton:Removes the currently selected (highlighted) line.
lbutton:Moves the currently selected line up one place.
lbutton:Moves the currently selected line down one place.
lSearch option group
lMatch case:Will force the lookup column names to be in exactly the same case as
the Lookup column name. This means if you type in "CustomerID"in the lookup
column and the actual column is named "customerid", it would not return any result.
On Error Tab
The On Error tab is common to all tasks. Details can be found in the" Task Properties Dialog"
on page777.
By default, any action task, branch, splitter or condition that generates an error will simply be
ignored, and the task just under it (not within a branch)will be given control of the job file
without any modification. Any initial input task that generates an error will stop the process from
running as a whole, and output tasks will not generate output. The On Error tab can be used to
overwrite the default behaviors.
lSend to Process: Check this option to send the job file to an error management process.
lError Process drop-down:Enabled only when the Send to Process option is checked.
Lists any process of which the initial input task is the Input Error Bin task.
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lAction:In the initial input tasks, this group is disabled and defaults to Stop Process. In
all other tasks where the On Error tab is present, the following options are available:
lDefault:By default, the task is ignored as if it did not exist and the error is logged
before continuing the branch or process; the job file is passed on to the next task in
the process. When an error occurs in a loop (or in a plugin that acts like a loop), the
loop may log the error, terminate the current iteration and proceed with the next
iteration.
lStop Branch:If the task is in a branch of the process, the branch is stopped and the
job file is returned to the process after the branch. The branch will not produce any
output. If the task is not on a branch, the entire process will be stopped.
lStop Process:The process is stopped and no more processing is done. No further
output is produced.
lLog Message:Check this option to enable logging a custom error message in the
PlanetPress Workflow log file and in the Windows Application Events.
lMessage:Enabled only when the Log Message option is checked. Enter a message that
will be logged in the PlanetPress Workflow log file. You can use any variables available
in PlanetPress Workflow to customize the message.
lStore the message in variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you
want to store the message content.
lID:Enter an error ID. This IDwill be visible in the Windows Event Viewer. However, the
IDis not visible in the PlanetPress Workflow log file.
lStore the IDin variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you want to
store the error ID.
lReset to defaults:Resets all options in this tab to their default values.
When storing the message or ID, if they are stored in a jobinfo they will be available in any
error handling process where errors are being forwarded. If your process continues after the
error, the contents of the variables selected in this window will be available to the rest of your
process, or as long as they are not overwritten.
Common Errors
Though some error messages are specific to a task in particular, others may apply to any and
all tasks because they are related more to the system than to PlanetPress itself. Some
examples would be W3813,W3830,W3991,W4005. These correspond to issues such as not
having any space to write files, permission errors on folders or files, etc.
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Comments Tab
The Comments tab is common to all tasks. It contains a text area (Task comments)that lets
you write comments about the task. These comments are saved when the dialog is closed with
the OKbutton, and are displayed in the Task Comments Pane.
Check the option Use as step description to display the text next to the icon of the plugin in
the Process area.
Use Cases
Use Case 1: Send Personalized Emails with Promotional Document Attached
A PlanetPress Design document takes as input a PDF file as the input data file, and
reproduces it exactly as it enters. The document also contains a custom data selection set to
hold an email address.The data selection's value is given by a Metadata Field
called'Email'.The value of this Emailmetadata field isa region from the sample data file
representing the customer number. At production time, the Lookup in Microsoft® Excel®
Documents action task will replace the value of this metadata field with the corresponding
customer email.
Use Case 2: Translate a list of line items descriptions into a given language
A PlanetPress Design documenttakes as input a transactional PDF file, and reproduces it
exactly as it enters. Metadata fields called ItemDesc are created, one for each line item
description, at the datapage level. Each ItemDesc metadata field is given the value of a line
item description as found on a region of the current data page. The line item descriptions
appearing on the resulting page produced by the design tool are custom data selections whose
valuecome fromthe correspondingItemDescmetadata fields. The Lookup in Microsoft®
Excel® Documents action task updates the value of all 'ItemDesc' metadata fields with their
corresponding foreign language descriptions.
Microsoft® Word® Documents To PDF Conversion
The Microsoft® Word® to PDFaction task can be used to convert a Word® document into a
PDFfile that can be used in your PlanetPress Workflow process. It can also do a Mail Merge as
it runs the task.
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Note
Microsoft® Word® needs to be installed for this task to be functional and to test the
connection.
Input
Acompatible MicrosoftWord Document (see notes).
Processing
The Word document is converted into a PDFfile. If a Mail Merge is made, the mail merge is
done in the document before the document is converted into a PDFfile. The conversion is done
through the use of a printer queue - the document is printed to this queue and the print job is
converted to PDF. This is the same technique used in the "WinQueue Input" on page264 when
generating PDFfiles.
Output
One of:
lBy default, aPDFfile accompanied with basic PDFmetadata. The Metadata contains
one "Document" level, and one data page (and page)level for each PDFpage generated
by the document. When Mail Merge is not selected, this is the only available choice.
Technical
In current versions, the Objectif Lune Printer Driver will naturally add a margin to the
PDF generated by this task. While this will be fixed in future versions, if your PDFis
full bleed you will not get the desired results using this option.
lA DOC(Word Document)file which is the result of the mail merge. This output is only
available when doing a mail merge.
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Properties
General tab
lMicrosoft Word Document: Enter a Microsoft® Word® document or template, or click
the browse button to navigate to the location of the document. The supported extensions
are: *.doc, *.docx, *.dot and *.dotx.
lPerform Mail Merge: Check when providing a Microsoft® Word® document or template
configured for mail merge.
lUse settings specified in document: Selected to instruct the task to use the
connection string and SQL statements stored in the DOC file. There is no guarantee
that the database, connection string or statement are still valid, especially if the
DOC file was moved or sent to someone else.
lUse custom settings: Override the mail merge settings in the Microsoft® Word®
document and lets you specify your own.
lConnection String: The connection string to any ODBCdatabase supported by
PlanetPress Workflow. You can use the Browse button to open an existing File
DSN, or use the Database Button to open the ODBCconnection interface.
lSQL Statement:An SQLstatement that is understood by the database you are
using and that will return a series of records that the Microsoft® Word® template is
expecting. Note that no validation is made on SQLstatements except if they are for
Microsoft Access and Excel data files. You can use the Test Connection button to
test the SQLand connection string.
lTest connection: Checks if the Connection String and SQLStatement are valid,
and if the resulting recordset is understood by the Microsoft® Word® document.
This is optional, though highly recommended.
lOutput Type:
l.PDFFile (with metadata):The result will be a PDFfile with the number of pages
generated by the combination of the template and record set. Metadata is also
included that complement the PDF.
l.DOCfile:The result is a Microsoft® Word® document in .doc format. Note that this
format is not supported by PlanetPress Workflow as a data file or job file, so this
option is only useful if you are simply planning to save the Word document in a
specific location.
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On Error Tab
The On Error tab is common to all tasks. Details can be found in the" Task Properties Dialog"
on page777.
By default, any action task, branch, splitter or condition that generates an error will simply be
ignored, and the task just under it (not within a branch)will be given control of the job file
without any modification. Any initial input task that generates an error will stop the process from
running as a whole, and output tasks will not generate output. The On Error tab can be used to
overwrite the default behaviors.
lSend to Process: Check this option to send the job file to an error management process.
lError Process drop-down:Enabled only when the Send to Process option is checked.
Lists any process of which the initial input task is the Input Error Bin task.
lAction:In the initial input tasks, this group is disabled and defaults to Stop Process. In
all other tasks where the On Error tab is present, the following options are available:
lDefault:By default, the task is ignored as if it did not exist and the error is logged
before continuing the branch or process; the job file is passed on to the next task in
the process. When an error occurs in a loop (or in a plugin that acts like a loop), the
loop may log the error, terminate the current iteration and proceed with the next
iteration.
lStop Branch:If the task is in a branch of the process, the branch is stopped and the
job file is returned to the process after the branch. The branch will not produce any
output. If the task is not on a branch, the entire process will be stopped.
lStop Process:The process is stopped and no more processing is done. No further
output is produced.
lLog Message:Check this option to enable logging a custom error message in the
PlanetPress Workflow log file and in the Windows Application Events.
lMessage:Enabled only when the Log Message option is checked. Enter a message that
will be logged in the PlanetPress Workflow log file. You can use any variables available
in PlanetPress Workflow to customize the message.
lStore the message in variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you
want to store the message content.
lID:Enter an error ID. This IDwill be visible in the Windows Event Viewer. However, the
IDis not visible in the PlanetPress Workflow log file.
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lStore the IDin variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you want to
store the error ID.
lReset to defaults:Resets all options in this tab to their default values.
When storing the message or ID, if they are stored in a jobinfo they will be available in any
error handling process where errors are being forwarded. If your process continues after the
error, the contents of the variables selected in this window will be available to the rest of your
process, or as long as they are not overwritten.
Common Errors
Though some error messages are specific to a task in particular, others may apply to any and
all tasks because they are related more to the system than to PlanetPress itself. Some
examples would be W3813,W3830,W3991,W4005. These correspond to issues such as not
having any space to write files, permission errors on folders or files, etc.
Comments Tab
The Comments tab is common to all tasks. It contains a text area (Task comments)that lets
you write comments about the task. These comments are saved when the dialog is closed with
the OKbutton, and are displayed in the Task Comments Pane.
Check the option Use as step description to display the text next to the icon of the plugin in
the Process area.
Notes
lMicrosoft Word must be installed on PlanetPress Workflow system.
lMicrosoft Word must not be currently opened when the automation task runs.
lMicrosoft Word 2003 and up are supported.
lThe task uses a printer queue set with the “PlanetPress Word to PDF Printer” driver,
which is created and set by default on-the-fly the first time a Microsoft® Word®
Document to PDFaction task is run. This printer cannot be shared on the network in
order to avoid confusion from network users, however it is shared between all Microsoft®
Word® Document to PDFaction tasks on the same system.
lWhile debugging this task, the printer shows the message that the document can not be
printed. This message is normal and will not appear when running a live configuration.
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lIf using a Microsoft® database such as Access® or Excel®, each software must be
installed in the same version. For example, using Microsoft® Word® 2007 with a
Microsoft® Access® 2003 database will cause the task to fail.
lIf the database path is specified in the Microsoft® Word® document, the mail merge has
to be performed with the settings specified in the document, otherwise the database path
provided in the task is ignored and can cause different conflicts. To use custom settings,
the Microsoft® Word® document should contain only mail merge fields with no database
path entered. The Microsoft® Word® to PDF action task allows specifying the path of the
database and the query to use. The Use custom settings option is very usefully for using
different databases and queries in a single process.
lIf the database is the same for 2 processes, one of two processes aborts. Each process
has to use different databases, or no more than one process with a Microsoft® Word® to
PDF task.
Output to Capture OnTheGo
The Output to Capture OnTheGo task sends document information to the Capture OnTheGo
online repository. These documents can then be retrieved by the Capture OnTheGo mobile
application.
This task can be added as an Action task (see "Action Tasks" on page268) or as an Output
task. Adding it as an Action task enables the process or branch to continue after this task. An
Output task is always located at the end of a process or branch.
Input
This task ignores the input data file and any metadata it unless data selections are used in the
variable data fields.
Processing
This task does not process the data or metadata file. The information entered in the Deposit tab
of this task is sent to the repository configured in the Repository tab.
Output
The output that this task produces is the information sent to the Capture OnTheGo online
repository (the document ID).
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Properties
Repository Tab
The Repository tab is where you enter the connection information necessary to create the link
between OL Connect or PlanetPress and CaptureOnTheGo.
lRepository ID:Enter a valid Capture OnTheGo Server user name (mandatory).
lPassword:Enter the password (mandatory) that corresponds to the Repository ID
entered above.
lShow password:Check this box if you want to see the password you type in the
Password box.
Deposit Tab
In the Deposit tab, you enter information regarding the document you are making available to
Capture OnTheGo users.
lDocument to Publish group:This is where you specify the document location and type.
It is mandatory to enter valid information in all the boxes included in this group.
lUSE URL: Enter a URL corresponding to the document location and name (note
that the URL must begin with either HTTP: // or HTTPS: //). The document would
typically be available from the PlanetPress HTTP Server or a regular Web server.
lFile Type: Select the appropriate document type. HTML for forms that users can fill
out, and PDF for documents users can read.
lCover Image:Enter the path to a cover image that is shown in the repository and
library list, as well as the document property. The maximum image size is 500x500
px and it is required to be in JPG or PNG format. Use the Browse button to locate
an image on the local drive. The Cover Image is optional and, if omitted, displays a
default image based on the file type.
lDocument Information group:In this group, you enter information that will help users
identify the document. It is mandatory to enter valid information in all the boxes included
in this group.
lTitle: Enter the document name that Capture OnTheGo users will see on their
device. Choose a name that will let users clearly identify the document.
lAuthor(s): Enter a name identifying the document’s creator(s).
lDescription: Enter a description helping users identify the document.
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lMetadata group:This group lets you determine which Capture OnTheGo users can see
the document and where they will see it.
lRecipients: Enter valid Capture OnTheGo user group names or individual user
names in this box. These names determine which users can have access to the
document. Click the button marked with a plus sign to add groups of users or
individual users to this list box. The list must include at least one entry (otherwise,
no one will be able to see the document). Note that you may enter multiple names
on a single line, granted that you use a semi-colon to separate each one. Also note
that there cannot be any spaces before or after each group or user name and that
the names are case insensitive. Click any given line to edit the information
appearing on this line. To remove a group of users or a single user, make a
selection in the list and then click the button marked with an X.
lCategories: Enter at least one valid Capture OnTheGo document category in this
box. Capture OnTheGo documents are listed by categories (Reference, Delivery
bills, Satisfaction Polls, for instance) on Capture OnTheGo app. These categories
are typically managed via the Capture OnTheGo Repository Management page.
Note that there cannot be any spaces before or after each category name and that
the names are case insensitive. Click the button marked with a plus sign to add a
category to this list box. To remove a category, make a selection in the list and then
click the button marked with an X.
lFail process if any of the categories does not exist: Check this box if you want
the process to fail if any of the categories listed above does not exist on the Capture
OnTheGo Server. If this option is not selected, and if some of the listed categories
are not present on the Capture OnTheGo Server, the process will go through and
the listed categories will be added to the Server.
Advanced Tab
The Advanced tab is where you specify the document's time to live either in the repository or
the user's device.
lDocument Handling Options group:
lCustomize: You must check this box if you want the options included in this group
to be used. When this option is not checked, the other boxes included in this group
are faded.
lAuto-Download: This option determines whether the document is to be
automatically downloaded to the users’ devices (documents that are not
automatically downloaded are first listed on users’ devices – users must then tap
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the Download button, if they want to have the document on their device). You may
enter ‘Yes’, ‘No’, or a variable. The document will be automatically downloaded if
the value is ‘Yes’ (whether entered manually or returned by the variable) and if the
recipients list includes only individual user names. In any other case, the document
will need to be manually downloaded by the users.
lStored on a User Device for: Enter the number of days for which the document is
to remain on a user’s device once downloaded. If you leave this box empty or enter
a value of 0, the document will never automatically expire on the devices.
lKeep in repository group:The boxes found in this group let you specify how long
the document is to remain in the repository (even if they are not downloaded to the
user's device).
lFor: If you want the document to remain in the repository for a given number of
days, select this option and enter the number of days in the corresponding
box. If you leave the box empty or enter a value of 0, the document will not be
removed from the repository based on this setting. Note that any positive
number you enter will automatically be reflected in the Until box below.
lUntil: If you want the document to remain in the repository until a given date,
select this option and enter a date in the corresponding box (the date format
must be “YYYY-MM-DD” - note that you can use the date picker). The date
entered corresponds to the last day of validity (the document is valid until
11:59:59 PM on the date you entered). If you leave the box empty, the
document will not be removed from the repository based on this setting. Note
that the date you enter will automatically be reflected in the For box above.
lTime zone: When you enter a number of days in the For box or a date in the
Until box above, the computer’s time zone appears in this box. You may select
a different time zone if required.
lDocument Tracking:
lTrack documents sent: Check this option to track documents sent to the
Capture OnTheGo Server. This tracking is done through the
COTGDefaul.mdb database located in %ProgramData%\Objectif
Lune\PlanetPress Workflow 8\PlanetPress Watch\COTG , and includes most
of the information set in this task, as well as information returned from the
server.
lStore the result ID in variable: Use the drop-down to select the variable in
which you want the document ID to be stored, so that it can be used in one of
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the following tasks (if the Output to Capture OnTheGo task has been added as
an Action).
lBlank Forms group: Check the This is a blank form option to make the form reusable.
The Form will not be deleted from the app's form library when it is submitted, so it can be
used over and over again. It will only be deleted from the app's form library after the
number of days set in Days to keep each instance.
Output to SharePoint
The Output to SharePoint action task can be used to send files to an existing Microsoft
SharePoint server.
Input
Any data file, with optional metadata.
Processing
The task connects to the selected Document store and uploads the current data file. If the file
already exists, it will be overwritten and, if this option is selected, marked as "checked in". The
information accompanying the file (the SharePoint metadata) is either updated or created.
Output
The output of this task is the original data file.
Properties
General Tab
lSharePoint Site:The name of the SharePoint site where you want to send the files. You
can click on the Refresh button to display a list of sites on your SharePoint server.
lDocument Library:The document library where you want to send the files. You can click
on the Refresh button to display a list of libraries on the SharePoint site selected
previously.
lFolder:The folder location in the document library where your files will be sent. You can
click the Browse button to display your folder structure. In the Browse Folders dialog,
click on the folder you want to use and click OK.
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lForce folder creation:If the folder does not exist, it will be created.
lError if the file name exists:Task will generate an error if the file name is already there.
lMark the document as checked in:Sets the "Checked in"property of the document on
the SharePoint server.
lConfigure Fields:Opens the Configure SharePoint Metadata Fields dialog.
Configure SharePoint Metadata Fields dialog
This dialog lets you setup the information you want to assign to the SharePoint Metadata
information. It contains one line for each field present in the SharePoint document library.
lField Name:Name of the field as set in SharePoint Document Library.
lField Information:The information to enter in the SharePoint Document's Metadata for
this field.
lUse PDF/A:Check to use the information contained within an PDF. This PDFmust have
been created with PlanetPress Image and contain an Index field (data selection) of which
the name corresponds exactly to the Field Name in the SharePoint Document Library. If
this option is checked, the Field Information will change to "Use PlanetPress Index
(PDF/A)".
lField Type: The type of field as set in the SharePoint Document Library. The following
SharePoint field types are supported by the SharePoint output task:
lSingle line of text: This type may contain a string of any type of characters. This is
the most flexible type of field. Use this type when you are not sure if the constraints
of the other types of fields will be appropriate.
lMultiple line of text: This type may contain multiple lines of text.
lChoice: This type contains the menu to choose from.
lNumber: This type may contain a number (1, 1.0, 100). The decimal separator is “.”
in the plugin.
lCurrency: This type contains the currency ($…).
lDate/Time: Date/Time fields contain a date and time
lYes/No: Yes/No (menu to choose from). If passing a variable, has to be either
"Yes"or "No".
lHyperlink or Picture:This type contains an html hyperlink or picture.
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Technical
Document libraries using the Content Type system in SharePoint 2007 and higher (as
well as Windows SharePoint Services 3.0 and higher) are supported in PlanetPress
Workflow 7.4 and higher only.
Connection Tab
lServer Name:The name of the SharePoint server. This can either be a server name (e.g.
http://SharePoint2003 )or an IPaddress (e.g. http://192.168.1.123 ). Both http:// and
https:// (secure) connections are accepted.
lDomain:The active directory domain for the log-on credentials. This is not necessary if
the SharePoint server is not part of a domain.
lUserName:A valid user name that has access to the SharePoint site and is able to read
and write to document libraries.
lPassword:The correct password for the user name.
Examples &Use Cases
This task is put into effect in the following use cases and example processes:
lCapture Post Processing Workflow
On Error Tab
The On Error tab is common to all tasks. Details can be found in the" Task Properties Dialog"
on page777.
By default, any action task, branch, splitter or condition that generates an error will simply be
ignored, and the task just under it (not within a branch)will be given control of the job file
without any modification. Any initial input task that generates an error will stop the process from
running as a whole, and output tasks will not generate output. The On Error tab can be used to
overwrite the default behaviors.
lSend to Process: Check this option to send the job file to an error management process.
lError Process drop-down:Enabled only when the Send to Process option is checked.
Lists any process of which the initial input task is the Input Error Bin task.
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lAction:In the initial input tasks, this group is disabled and defaults to Stop Process. In
all other tasks where the On Error tab is present, the following options are available:
lDefault:By default, the task is ignored as if it did not exist and the error is logged
before continuing the branch or process; the job file is passed on to the next task in
the process. When an error occurs in a loop (or in a plugin that acts like a loop), the
loop may log the error, terminate the current iteration and proceed with the next
iteration.
lStop Branch:If the task is in a branch of the process, the branch is stopped and the
job file is returned to the process after the branch. The branch will not produce any
output. If the task is not on a branch, the entire process will be stopped.
lStop Process:The process is stopped and no more processing is done. No further
output is produced.
lLog Message:Check this option to enable logging a custom error message in the
PlanetPress Workflow log file and in the Windows Application Events.
lMessage:Enabled only when the Log Message option is checked. Enter a message that
will be logged in the PlanetPress Workflow log file. You can use any variables available
in PlanetPress Workflow to customize the message.
lStore the message in variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you
want to store the message content.
lID:Enter an error ID. This IDwill be visible in the Windows Event Viewer. However, the
IDis not visible in the PlanetPress Workflow log file.
lStore the IDin variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you want to
store the error ID.
lReset to defaults:Resets all options in this tab to their default values.
When storing the message or ID, if they are stored in a jobinfo they will be available in any
error handling process where errors are being forwarded. If your process continues after the
error, the contents of the variables selected in this window will be available to the rest of your
process, or as long as they are not overwritten.
Common Errors
Though some error messages are specific to a task in particular, others may apply to any and
all tasks because they are related more to the system than to PlanetPress itself. Some
examples would be W3813,W3830,W3991,W4005. These correspond to issues such as not
having any space to write files, permission errors on folders or files, etc.
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Comments Tab
The Comments tab is common to all tasks. It contains a text area (Task comments)that lets
you write comments about the task. These comments are saved when the dialog is closed with
the OKbutton, and are displayed in the Task Comments Pane.
Check the option Use as step description to display the text next to the icon of the plugin in
the Process area.
PlanetPress Fax
PlanetPress Fax output tasks are used to make request to PlanetPress Fax, which creates
faxes and sends them to a faxing program.
In addition to the job-specific PlanetPress Fax properties you configure in the task’s
Properties dialog box, there are configurable options common to all PlanetPress Fax outputs
processed by a given computer (See "PlanetPress Fax plugin preferences" on page759). Note
that those options are specific to each PlanetPress Fax installation and that they are
immediately applied.
Input
Any data file with a valid Emulation. Metadata is optional and can be used to specify the fax
number and information to send the file. Alternatively, a TIFFfile in the proper page size and
compression (CCITT Group 4) can be used.
Processing
If a data file with metadata is used, the data file is merged with the selected PlanetPress Design
document, converted into a multi-page TIFF file with CCITTGroup 4 compression, and sent to
the PlanetPress Fax host specified in the properties. If the file is a TIFFfile in the proper format
and the "Pass-through"option is selected, no processing is done, the file is sent as-is.
Output
ATIFF in the CCITTGroup 4 compression, and information for the FAXserver to know where
to send the file.
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Task Properties
General tab
lHost: Select the IP address of the PlanetPress Fax host to which you want the request to
be sent. The Fax configuration is set in the PlanetPress Fax User Options on the target
host.
lRefresh: Click to update the list of IP addresses displayed in the Host drop-down list box.
lDocuments: Select a specific PlanetPress Design document if you want all the jobs to be
faxed with that document. You must select a document, pass-troughs are not available.
lAdd job information to the document: Select to add the available job info variables in
the “header” of the generated output file.
lRun mode group
lPrinter centric: Select to send the document along with the trigger and data to the
component that generates fax documents.
lOptimized PostScript Stream: Select to merge the selected document with the
data received by this task before sending it to the component that generates fax
documents. Some PlanetPress Design features, such as the Time and Date
functions, require that this option be selected.
PlanetPress Image
PlanetPress Image output tasks are used to make request to PlanetPress Image, which
creates image files which it then archives or emails. Since this task is an output, it is not
possible to immediately act on the generated image before continuing. When necessary to
immediately retrieve the generated file, "Digital Action" on page309 should be used instead.
In addition to the job-specific PlanetPress Image properties you configure in the task’s
Properties dialog box, there are configurable options common to all PlanetPress Image
outputs processed by a given computer (see "PlanetPress Image preferences" on page764).
Note that those options are specific to each PlanetPress Image installation and that they are
immediately applied.
The following describes the properties specific to PlanetPress Image output tasks. For
information on those properties shared by various types of tasks, such as Other and On error
properties, refer to Configurations, Processes and Tasks.
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Note
In some combinations of Microsoft Outlook and Windows versions, it is not possible for
Outlook to be opened while PlanetPress Workflow is running, so emails are not sent out
automatically. To correct this, make sure to log on to Windows on the PlanetPress
Workflow server using the same login that PlanetPress Workflow is using, and open
Outlook before starting the PlanetPress Workflow services. You could also use a startup
process to start Outlook before the rest of the services.
Input
Any data file with a valid Emulation, or an Optimized PostScript Stream file (.ps)generated by
PlanetPress Workflow itself.
The .ps file must be the result of the merge between a PlanetPress Design document and a
data file, and can be generated either with the use of "Add Document" on page270, or a printer
queue using a "Send to Folder Printer Queue" on page76. Postscript generated using any
other way will fail, as PlanetPress Image requires knowledge of the number of pages in the
document, which is not available in output generated using any other means. Note however
that "Digital Action" on page309 does have the ability, in most cases, to generate output using
third-party postscript files.
Processing &Output
Multiple things can happen, depending on the options chosen and the type of data this task
receives:
lIf the data file and a document are selected, and Printer Centricmode is used, the data
file is sent to the PlanetPress Image host which merges the data and document to
produce output.
lIf the data file and a document are selected, and Optimized PostScript Streammode is
used, the data file is merged with the document and the resulting OPSjob is sent to the
PlanetPress Image host to produce output.
lIf the data file is a postscript file and either mode is used, the postscript file is sent to the
PlanetPress Image host which generates output (since this is already Optimized
PostScript, it is not regenerated).
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Properties
General tab
lHost: Select the IP address of the PlanetPress Image host to which you want the request
to be sent.
lRefresh: Click to update the list of IP addresses displayed in the Host drop-down list box.
lDocuments: Select a specific PlanetPress Design document if you want all the jobs to be
generated with that document. To use a document chosen at run-time for each job, enter a
dynamic document name using a combination of text, variables and data selections. To
enable the dynamic document name box, click inside it. To disable it, press Enter. Note
that in the later case, you must be certain that the documents that will be chosen at run-
time will in fact be available locally or at the selected host.
Note
While the Do not use a document (passthrough)is visible in this list, it is not
compatible with the PlanetPress Image output if the PostScript was not generated
by merging a design document with data in PlanetPress Workflow. In order to
generate an image in passthrough mode with external PostScript, please use the
Digital Action task.
lList only documents using VDXcompilation:Check to ensure that only documents
that are compatible with the VDXcompilation method are shown in the list, if producing
VDXoutput.
lRun mode group
lPrinter centric: Select to send the document along with the trigger and data to
PlanetPress Image.
lOptimized PostScript Stream: Select to merge the selected document with the
data received by this task before sending it to PlanetPress Image. Note that some
features, such as the Time and Date functions, require that this option be selected.
lAdd job information to the document: Select to add the available job info variables in
the “header” of the generated output file.
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lOutput type: Select the output file type that you want.
lPDF:The output will be a PDFfile. If you select PDF, the DPI and Color Depth
options (see below) are disabled and the options available in the PDF tab are
enabled.
lJPEG:The output will be a JPEGfile. JPEGis a lossy compression image format
that creates small files, compressing continuous tone images (such as scanned
photographs) well.
lTIFF:The output will be a TIFFfile. TIFF is a higher quality format that is one of the
standards for document exchange, useful for eventual printing or archiving. You
have a choice of the following compressed TIFF formats: TIFF Group 3, TIFF Group
4, and TIFF Packed bits. You can also use the uncompressed TIFF format, which
produces the largest files with the highest quality. TIFF is a versatile and platform-
independent format. It is used in many digitizing projects as the format of choice for
the digital masters. The TIFF Group 3 and Group 4 formats are efficient for
document storage.
lThe AutoStore,DocAccel and KYOcapture formats also generate TIFF files along
with special XMLthat are meant for these specialized systems.
lDPI: Enter the dots per inch (dpi) resolution of the output image. This property is enabled
for all output types except PDF.
lColor depth: Enter the color depth of the output image in bits per pixel (bpp). The color
depth is measured in bits, because each pixel of the output image can be described with
a varied number of bits. A higher bit number allows for more colors. It also increases the
image file size. A 1-bit color depth produces monochrome images. 8-bits produce
grayscale images (in PlanetPress Design you can have 8-bit color images, but these are
reduced to grayscale if you select 8-bit here), while 24-bits produce full color images. For
JPEG output, you cannot select a monochrome (1 bpp) color depth. For TIFF G3 and
TIFF G4, monochrome (1 bpp) is the only Color depth option you can select. This property
is enabled for all output types except PDF.
lMulti-page: Select to generate a single file containing multiple pages. When this option is
not selected, PlanetPress Image creates a file for each page included in the output file.
This property is enabled for all output types except PDF and JPEG.
lAdd page number: Select to put a page number on each page included in the output file.
This option goes with the Multiple TIFF option and is only visible if either the AutoStore,
DocAccel or KYOcapture format is selected.
lArchive output: Select to archive generated files. If you select this option, you must enter
a folder path in the Archive folder box and a name in the File name box.
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lSend Email: Select to send the generated file via email. You enter the emailing
properties in the Login, Recipients, and Attachment(s) tabs. Note that the generated file
will only be sent if you select the Attach output file(s) option in the Attachment(s) tab.
lArchive folder: Enter the path of the folder to which output files generated by this task are
to be archived. PDF index files (PDI and XML) are also put in this folder. This edit box is
enabled when the Archive output option is selected.
lFilename : Enter the name of the output files generated by this task. To prevent each new
file from overwriting the previous one, you should use variable names. As with any
variable property box, you can use any combination of text, variables and data selections.
When multiple files are generated for a single job (such as for multiple TIFFs), each file
name includes a sequence number, such as in Invoice0, Invoice1, Invoice2. If you use file
name masks that include dots, such as Statement.%y.@(1,1,1,1,25,KeepCase,Trim) or
Job.%f, for example, you must add quotation marks at the beginning and end of the file
name (“Statement.%y.%m.@(1,1,1,1,25,KeepCase,Trim)” or ”Job.%f”). Otherwise, when
the file is saved, anything appearing after the last dot is replaced by the file’s extension
characters (and the file name thus becomes Statement.2005.pdf instead of
Statement.2005.255842.pdf, or Job.tif instead of Job.544872.tif). Failing to add the
quotation marks may result in files being overwritten.
lAutomatically Add Extension:Check if you want the correct extension for the image
type to be appended to the file name automatically, rather than having to add it in the
Filename box. The Output Type determines the extension to be used.
lIndex group: This group lets you specify which type of index must be created for each
document generated by this task. PDIfiles are used by PlanetPress Search as indexing
information.
lNone: Select if you do not want this task to add an index file to the generated
document.
lPDI: Select if you want this task to add a PDI index file to the generated document.
lXML and PDI: Select if you want this task to add both an XML and a PDI index file
to the generated document.
Job Options tab
If you chose PDF as the output type in the General tab, use this tab to choose the appropriate
PDF options. Note that all the options available in this tab are only used with PDF files.
lJob options: Select the PDF output option that best describes your needs. This loads all
the standard settings for the selected usage scenario. These settings can be changed as
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required. Note that if you make changes and then select a different output option, your
changes will be lost. PlanetPress Image supports numerous PDF standards: Standard,
High Quality, Custom, and a variety of PDF/VT, PDF/A and PDF/X formats.
lGeneral group
lASCII format: Select to create the PDF file using ASCII characters (instead of the
usual 8-bit binary format). This option produces a file suitable for transmission over
a 7-bit ASCII link. This option is useful if the PDFs need to be opened in a text
editor, sent across networks, or sent via email using a program that does not support
binary files. This option also generates smaller files.
lCompress text and line art: Select to compress the text and line work in the file
using the Flate compression filter. Flate is a compression method that works well on
elements with large areas of single colors or repeating patterns, as well as on black-
and-white elements that contain repeating patterns.
lAuto-rotate pages: Select to automatically rotate pages based on the orientation of
the text or DSC comments.
lOptimize for fast web view: Select to minimize file size and facilitate page
downloading.
lTitle: Enter a title for the document. If you leave this box empty, the document’s
name will be used as the document’s title. Since this is a variable property box, you
may use variables and data selections and let PlanetPress Workflow interpret this
information at run-time.
lAuthor: You may enter the name of the author of the document. Since this is a
variable property box, you may use variables and data selections and let
PlanetPress Workflow interpret this information at run-time.
lSubject: You may enter the subject of the document. Since this is a variable
property box, you may use variables and data selections and letPlanetPress
Workflow interpret this information at run-time. Note that if you use a data selection
in this box, you must be sure that the data that will be selected at run-time will not
contain any parentheses, as this would cause the task to fail. If you suspect that the
data may contain parentheses, you should use a Run Script action task (see Run
Script Action Task Property) with a Strip() function to strip them out.
lKeywords: You may enter keywords for the document. Since this is a variable
property box, you may use variables and data selections and let PlanetPress
Workflow interpret this information at run-time.
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lMonochrome images group
lCompression: Select the compression to use for the monochrome images. Flate
compression is lossless, so no data is lost during compression. Flate Mono works
well on images with large areas of solid shades or repeating patterns, such as
screen shots and simple images created with paint or drawing programs. CCITT
typically yields the best compression of monochrome images. It is the compression
method developed for fax transmissions. Note that configurations that were created
with an earlier version of PlanetPress Workflow and that included tasks set not to
use any compression will by default be set to use the Flate compression method.
lResolution: Select the resolution to use for monochrome images.
lGrayscale images group
lCompression: Select the compression to use for the grayscale images. Flate is a
lossless compression method, so no data is lost in the process. It works well on
images with large areas of single shades or repeating patterns, such as screen
shots and simple images created with paint or drawing programs. JPEG removes
image data and may reduce image quality, but may be suitable for continuous-tone
photographs containing more detail than can be reproduced onscreen or in print.
Since JPEG eliminates data, it can achieve much smaller file sizes than Flate
compression. Select Auto to let the application choose the best compression
method automatically. Note that configurations that were created with an earlier
version of PlanetPress Workflow and that included tasks set not to use any
compression will by default be set to use the Flate compression method.
lDownsampling: Select the down sampling option. Down sampling reduces image
size by breaking images down into small areas in which multiple pixels are
replaced by single pixels. The Grayscale resolution you enter in the following box is
used to control the down sampling process. Select None to prevent grayscale down
sampling. Select Average to average pixel shades in each sample area and to
replace the entire area with a pixel of the average shade. Select Subsample to use
a pixel in the center of the sample area and replace the entire area with that pixel
value. This method is significantly faster, but results in images that are less smooth.
Select Bicubic to use a weighted average to determine pixel shades. This method is
the slowest but most precise and results in the smoothest tonal gradations.
lResolution: Select the resolution to use for grayscale images. Note that this setting
has an impact on the grayscale down sampling process.
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lColor images group
lCompression: Select the compression to use for the color images. Flate is a
lossless compression method, so no data is lost in the process. It works well on
images with large areas of single shades or repeating patterns, such as screen
shots and simple images created with paint or drawing programs. JPEG removes
image data and may reduce image quality, but may be suitable for continuous-tone
photographs containing more detail than can be reproduced onscreen or in print.
Since JPEG eliminates data, it can achieve much smaller file sizes than Flate
compression. Select Auto to let the application choose the best compression
method automatically. Note that configurations that were created with an earlier
version of PlanetPress Workflow and that included tasks set not to use any
compression will by default be set to use the Flate compression method.
lDownsampling: Select the down sampling option. Down sampling reduces image
size by breaking images down into small areas in which multiple pixels are
replaced by single pixels. The Color resolution you enter in the following box is
used to control the down sampling process. Select None to prevent grayscale down
sampling. Select Average to average pixel color in each sample area and to replace
the entire area with a pixel of the average color. Select Subsample to use a pixel in
the center of the sample area and replace the entire area with that pixel value. This
method is significantly faster, but results in images that are less smooth. Select
Bicubic to use a weighted average to determine pixel shades. This method is the
slowest but most precise and results in the smoothest tonal gradations.
lResolution: Select the resolution to use for color images. Note that this setting has
an impact on the color down-sampling process.
ll Security group
lSet document permissions: Select to enter the Permissions password.
lPermissions password: Enter a password in this box only if you want to
prevent users who does not have this password from changing the security
options of the generated PDF files.
lAllow printing: Select to let users print the generated PDF files.
lAllow changing the document: Select to let users edit the generated PDF files.
lAllow content copying: Select to let users copy content from the generated PDF
files.
lAllow form filling: Select to let users enter information in the form fields included in
the generated PDF files.
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ll PDF open password: Enter a password in this box only if you want to prevent
users who does not have this password from opening the generated PDF files.
lSecurity Level: The password protection for PDF can be encrypted using one of
the available encryption methods (RC4, AES-256 and AES-128). It gives the task
the ability to take an existing PDF in input and apply the selected password to the
PDF without any change to the quality level of the original PDF.
lFont group
lEmbed all: Select to embed the entire font of all fonts used in the variable content
document within the generated PDFs. Using this option may result in large PDFs,
especially if many fonts are used. Note that those fonts installed by default with the
Adobe Acrobat and Adobe Reader are never embedded. If a font is not embedded
in your PDF, opening it on another computer or printing it may cause it to be
substituted by another default font.
lSubset: Select to embed only a subset of the Type 1 and TrueType fonts used in
the document. A font subset is in fact composed of only those characters that are
actually used in the document. This option can only be used if the Embed all fonts
option is selected. Note that if more than 35% of the characters included in a font are
used in the document, the entire font is embedded. This option often produces
smaller PDF files and ensures proper PDF display.
lInitial view group
lZoom factor: Select the magnification at which you want Adobe Acrobat or Adobe
Reader (or other PDF viewer) to open the generated PDF. Choose the Fit in
window option to display the entire page using the available screen space, or
choose a percentage of the actual document size.
lShow: Select the information you want Adobe Acrobat or Adobe Reader (or other
PDF viewer) to display with the generated PDF. Select Page only to leave the tabs
area to the left of the PDF pages empty. Select Bookmarks and page to display the
contents of the Bookmarks tab (you use data selection objects to create bookmarks
in PlanetPress) alongside the PDF pages. Select Page tab and Page to display the
content of the Pages tab (thumbnails of each PDF pages) alongside the PDF
pages. Select Full screen to hide all screen contents except the PDF page, and
expand the PDF page to the maximum size it can occupy onscreen.
PlanetPress Search Database tab
If PlanetPress Workflow is configured to automatically update a PlanetPress Search database
(See "PlanetPress Image preferences" on page764), this tab can be used to override the
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global settings so that the task updates a different database than the one set in that global
configuration. In order for the settings to work, the Add PDF to PlanetPress Search database
must be checked. However, you can override which database will be updating using the option
in this window, Override global PlanetPress Search Database settings. The database options
then activate.
lDatabase type: Select the type of the database in which you want to create a table
(Access, or SQL Server).
lConnection time-out: Enter the time, in seconds, that the connection to the database is
maintained while no action is taking place before the connection is severed.
lDatabase directory: Enter the path of the directory in which the Access database is
located, or use the Browse button to navigate to, and select, the directory. This option is
available only when you select Access database in the Database type box.
lData source name: Enter the name of the computer on which the database runs. This
option is available only when you select SQL Server database or Oracle database in the
Database type box.
lUse default database: Select to use the default database associated with your user
profile on that SQL Server or Oracle database. Clear to enter the name of the database in
the box that appears.
lUse Windows NT Integrated security: Select to use your Windows user name and
password to log onto the SQL database.
lUser ID: Enter the user id required to access the database to which you are adding new
PDI files from the generated PDF files. If you are using an SQL database, enter the login
name you chose when you configured the SQL database (refer to the “Using
PlanetPressSearch with an SQL Server Database” section of the PlanetPress Search
User Guide).
lPassword: Enter the password required to access the database.
lTest Connection: Click to verify that PlanetPressImage can connect to the specified
database.
lEnforce global table creation: Select this option, as it ensures that all database users
are granted access to the database. This option is available only when you select SQL
database in the Database type box.
Login, Recipient, Attachments
lFor the Login,Recipient and Attachment tabs, please see the "Send Email" on
page636 task properties.
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PReSPrint Controls
The PReSPrint Controls output task is used for running PReS Classic jobs through Connect
Workflow.
Limitations
In order for PReS Print Control tasks to be functional, some pre-requisites must first be met:
lPReS Classic 6.3.0 or higher must be installed on the same system.
lA valid PReS Classic license (either dongle or software based) must be available on the
same system.
Note
All PReS Classic licenses are issued and controlled by the PReS License Server
and not Connect. Thus a separate PReSClassic license is required.
Input
A PReSClassic job and the resources it needs.
These resources include the data file to run against the job, plus any graphic or font resources
the jobs needs, along with any required PReSClassic specific resources, such as TRF or PDI
files.
Processing
The selected data file is merged with the selected PReSClassic job to create a print output
stream.
If the PReSClassic job selected is an un-compiled PReS Classic script (PDS), it will first be
compiled on the fly and then run using the selected data file.
If the PReSClassic job selected is a pre-compiled PReS job (PDC) file, then the pre-compiled
job will run with the selected data file.
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Output
The available output print stream options are AFPDS, GOPReS (Graphic Output), IJPDS, PCL,
PDF and PostScript (PS) outputs.
Task Properties
General tab
lPDC File: Select either an un-compiled PReS Classic script file (PDS) which will need to
be compiled on the fly, or a pre-compiled PReS Classic job file (PDC).
The job needs to be specified exactly. If you want to compile the job at run time, then you
must select a PDS file. If you wish to use a pre-compiled PReS Classic job, then select
the PDC file, rather than the PDS.
If a PReS Classic script file (PDS) is selected, Connect Workflow will use PReS Classic
to compile the selected file and then run the resultant PDC file, regardless of whether
there was an existing PDC file within the folder already. Any existing PDC file in that
folder will be overwritten by the new compilation.
Note
The use of pre-compiled PReS Classic jobs is heavily recommended, as this
greatly reduces the scope for run-time errors.
lData File: The data file to use in the run. This file can be explicitly selected, or it could be
set via a Connect Workflow variable.
Note
Note: If the Data File selection does not include the data file folder path, then the
folder entered into the Working Folder entry will be used for determining the path.
lWorking Folder: Select the folder that contains the PReS Classic job and associated
resources.
This entry can either be explicitly selected or it could be set via Connect Workflow
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variable.
If the PDC File selection contains a full folder path along with the filename, then the
Working Folder does not need to be selected, as Connect Workflow will use the path
contained in the PDC File entry.
Note
If the PDC File selection contains a folder path and the Working Folder also has
an entry, then the PDC File entry will be appended to the Working Folder entry.
One should be very cautious doing this, as it could easily lead to errors.
lPDL Type: Select the desired PReSClassic output type for the job.
Note
Not all PReS Classic jobs can be swapped between output types. Jobs designed
for certain output types (such as AFPDS) will likely have settings specific to the
original output type.
Changing the output type at this point will likely lead to errors or require job
modifications to suit the changed output type.
lLog level: Specifies the verboseness of messages returned by job processing. The
available levels are Error, Warning, Information and Debug.
Connect Workflow logs a successful PReS Classic job processing with a “Job Status:
Finished” status, followed shortly after by “Exec Status: 1”.
A successful PReSClassic job usually returns a zero value, but non-zero return values
do not necessarily signal job failure, as PReS Classic jobs can be set to return specific
values as part of job processing.
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If the job still finishes with a Job Status of “Finished” and Exec Status “1” then the job
completed without error.
lInstance: Used for specifying the PReS Classic Print Control instance. PReS allows up
to four instances of the same Print Control type (license dependent), and any one of those
instances can be selected here.
Selecting 1 would force Connect Workflow to use Print Control PRN1, whilst selecting 2
would launch PRN2, and so on. This is useful if you have a variety of Print Control
license speeds, and each license is assigned to a different PRNx instance. This allows
for manual load balancing, by selecting specific Print Control speeds for different jobs,
based upon your own criteria. Such as the size or urgency of the job being processed.
The default Auto option lets Connect Workflow choose whichever instance is available.
Note
It is heavily recommended that this setting be left as ‘Auto’, as PReSClassic
licenses being assigned to different PRNx instances is extremely rare.
lTime-out: The time in seconds that the Connect Workflow waits for a response from the
PReS Print Control to make sure it is running. If Connect Workflow does not receive a
response in the allotted time it will terminate the Print Control and continue to the next
step in the workflow.
PrintShop Mail
Once you have imported PrintShop Mail documents (see " Import Documents" on page54) to
your PlanetPress Workflow workstation, you can use PrintShop Mail action tasks to output the
job file with a selected PrintShop Mail document. PrintShop Mail action tasks let you print as
well as generate PostScript or PDF files. The PrintShop Mail and PrintShop Mail 7 action
tasks are essentially the same except for the version supported:PrintShop Mail only supports
6.1 documents, while PrintShop Mail 7 supports 7.0 and 7.1 documents.
Limitations
In order for the PrintShop Mail tasks to be functional, some pre-requisites must be met:
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lPrintShop Mail version 6.1 or higher must be installed on the same system, and an
activated PrintShop Mail production dongle must be plugged in to the system.
lYou must have at least one printer using a PostScript driver on your system in order to
produce PDF output. It is highly recommended that a PostScript printer be set as the
default system printer in order to act as a fall back if the selected printer is unreachable.
lPlanetPress Workflow Service must be configured with a user name and password that
have access to the required printer(s). The Local System Account setting will not work.
Input
A data file compatible with a PrintShop Mail Document. Metadata is ignored by this task.
Processing
The data file is merged with the selected PrintShop Mail Design document, producing the
number of records selected in the task properties. This merging uses the PrintShop Mail engine
(PSMail.exe) to generate the output.
Output
The output produced by this task is dependent on the options selected: it can be PDF, a
Windows EMF print job, a PostScript print job or a JPGfile. Note that the Preflight output type
doesn't actually produce printable or viewable output. The Preflight option does a cursory
verification of the job and will generate an XMLfile that contains a list of all warnings and
errors.
Properties
PSMail tab
lFile name: Select a specific PrintShop Mail document if you want all the jobs to be
printed with that document.
lOutput type group
lOutput type: Select the type of output you want the task to generate.
lSelect PDF to generate a PDF file.
lSelect Windows PostScript driver to print to a PostScript printer available via
Windows.
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lSelect Preflight to check if the merging of the data file and document would
generate warnings or errors. This does not actually produce output, only an
XMLfile containing a list of warnings and errors, including on which record
and layout the warning or error occurred, and a description.
lSelect Produce PostScript to generate a standard PostScript file that can then
be sent to any PostScript printer.
lSelect JPG to generate a JPG image file.
lData file type:Select the data file type that is sent to this task, and used as a
database for the PrintShop Mail document.
lDistilling options file: Enter the name and path of a distilling options file (or
"joboptions"file) or use the Browse button to navigate to that file. This option is only
available when PDF is selected in the Output type box.
lPDFType:Select Preview or Print to select which type of PDFshould be
generated. This option is only available when PDF is selected in the Output type
box.
lPostScript Driver:Select which driver to use to generate the job. This should be
the same as the printer selected in your PrintShop Mail document when designing
it. This option only appears in the PDFand Produce PostScript output types.
lWindows printer: Select the print driver of the printer to which you want the print job
to be sent. This option is only available when Windows PostScript driver is selected
in the Output type box.
lPrint Technology:Select the PrintShop Mail print technology to use when
generating the output. For a list of available job technologies, consult the PrintShop
Mail User Guide. This option is only available when Windows PostScript driver is
selected in the Output type box.
lLayout: Select which layout to use to produce the JPGfile (output is limited to a
single image). This option is only available when JPG is selected in the Output type
box.
lUser generated file as output:The output from the plugin will be the file generated
by the merging (depending on the output type selected). This option is not available
in the Windows PostScript Driver output type.
lUser original data as output: The output from the plugin will be original data file.
When this option is selected, a box is enabled under the option, letting you specify a
full path where the output should be saved. This option is not available in the
Windows PostScript Driver output type.
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lRecord Range group
lAll records: Select if you want to print all the records included in the job file.
lUse Record Range: Select if you want to print only some of the range included in
the job file. Use the From and To boxes to indicate the record range.
On Error Tab
The On Error tab is common to all tasks. Details can be found in the" Task Properties Dialog"
on page777.
By default, any action task, branch, splitter or condition that generates an error will simply be
ignored, and the task just under it (not within a branch)will be given control of the job file
without any modification. Any initial input task that generates an error will stop the process from
running as a whole, and output tasks will not generate output. The On Error tab can be used to
overwrite the default behaviors.
lSend to Process: Check this option to send the job file to an error management process.
lError Process drop-down:Enabled only when the Send to Process option is checked.
Lists any process of which the initial input task is the Input Error Bin task.
lAction:In the initial input tasks, this group is disabled and defaults to Stop Process. In
all other tasks where the On Error tab is present, the following options are available:
lDefault:By default, the task is ignored as if it did not exist and the error is logged
before continuing the branch or process; the job file is passed on to the next task in
the process. When an error occurs in a loop (or in a plugin that acts like a loop), the
loop may log the error, terminate the current iteration and proceed with the next
iteration.
lStop Branch:If the task is in a branch of the process, the branch is stopped and the
job file is returned to the process after the branch. The branch will not produce any
output. If the task is not on a branch, the entire process will be stopped.
lStop Process:The process is stopped and no more processing is done. No further
output is produced.
lLog Message:Check this option to enable logging a custom error message in the
PlanetPress Workflow log file and in the Windows Application Events.
lMessage:Enabled only when the Log Message option is checked. Enter a message that
will be logged in the PlanetPress Workflow log file. You can use any variables available
in PlanetPress Workflow to customize the message.
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lStore the message in variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you
want to store the message content.
lID:Enter an error ID. This IDwill be visible in the Windows Event Viewer. However, the
IDis not visible in the PlanetPress Workflow log file.
lStore the IDin variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you want to
store the error ID.
lReset to defaults:Resets all options in this tab to their default values.
When storing the message or ID, if they are stored in a jobinfo they will be available in any
error handling process where errors are being forwarded. If your process continues after the
error, the contents of the variables selected in this window will be available to the rest of your
process, or as long as they are not overwritten.
Common Errors
Though some error messages are specific to a task in particular, others may apply to any and
all tasks because they are related more to the system than to PlanetPress itself. Some
examples would be W3813,W3830,W3991,W4005. These correspond to issues such as not
having any space to write files, permission errors on folders or files, etc.
Comments Tab
The Comments tab is common to all tasks. It contains a text area (Task comments)that lets
you write comments about the task. These comments are saved when the dialog is closed with
the OKbutton, and are displayed in the Task Comments Pane.
Check the option Use as step description to display the text next to the icon of the plugin in
the Process area.
PlanetPress Capture
Note
PlanetPress Capture is only available in version 7.2 and higher of PlanetPress Workflow.
It is not available in older versions nor is it available in PlanetPress Office and
PlanetPressWatch.
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PlanetPress Capture is a set of tools available in PlanetPress Workflow that enable output and
input for interaction with an Anoto Digital Pen. Anoto Digital Pens are electronic devices
containing a camera, processor, memory and communication capabilities and they can
recognize their location on any paper where a special Anoto pattern is printed.
For more information on building and using PlanetPress Capture processes, please see
"PlanetPress Capture Workflow" on page143.
"Anoto" and the Anoto logotype are trademarks owned by Anoto AB. PLANETPRESS
CAPTURE is based on Anoto Digital Pen and Paper Technology, which is covered by
over 200 patents worldwide, including but not limited to US6663008, US7172131,
US7248250, US7281668, JP3872498, JP3842283, CN1595440, SE517445,
RU2256225, and AU773011.
Capture Condition
The Capture Condition checks the status or field contents of a capture document that has been
processed by the Capture Field Processor action task.
Input
A data file in PGCor PDFformat that is accompanied by valid Metadata. This metadata must
contain Capture information and is generally available after a "Capture Fields Processor" on
page486 or "Find Capture Documents" on page497 task. However, it is also possible to
directly retrieve the required information from a specific Document ID. When a specific ID is
used, the data file and metadata are completely ignored by this task's condition rules, and the
database information is used instead.
Processing
The condition is evaluated using the specified rules, combination (condition is true when...) and
scope(condition scope).
Output
The original data file and metadata is output by this task. If the rules used in the condition return
True, the data and metadata is sent down in the condition's branch. Otherwise, this same
information is sent in the trunk.
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Task Properties
General Tab
lDocument Origin:
lDocument to process:Determines where the document information is read
lFrom Metadata:Select to use the current document available in the metadata
generated by the Capture Field Processor.
lFrom Specific ID:Select to specify an exact Document ID from the database.
This document does not need to be loaded as a data file or its metadata
manually obtained, as this task simply looks up the information directly in the
PlanetPress Capture database.
lCondition based on Document Status:Select this to base the condition on the state of
the document
lDocument is open:Condition will be true if the document is open (not all Capture
fields are filled).
lDocument is closed: Condition will be true if the document is closed (all relevant
Capture Fields are filled).
lDocument is complete:Condition will be true if the document is still open, but all
appropriate Capture Fields are filled.
lDocument is partial:Condition will be true if the document is still open but only part
of the appropriate Capture Fields are filled.
lDocument is empty:Condition will be true if the document is open but no Capture
Field is filled.
lDocument is on error:Condition will be true if a logical error was triggered while
processing the PGC. This can happen, for example, if a field was re-written when it
should not, a List Field set to only accept one option contains ink in both options,
etc.
lCondition based on Pattern Availability:Select to base the condition on the availability
or non availability of patterns in a specific pattern sequence.
lFor Pattern Sequence:The name or identification of the pattern sequence to
check. Leave blank if no pattern sequence is used.
lNumber of Patterns available are:The operator for the comparison. Numeric
comparison with the number of available patterns in the specified pattern sequence.
lThis number of Patterns:The number to use as a comparison to the available
number of patterns in the pattern sequence.
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lCapture Field-based condition:Select to base the condition on the state of one or more
fields of your document.
lField Name:The name of the field on which to base your condition. This is
equivalent to the name of the Capture Field Object in PlanetPress Design.
Technical
In this field in particular, the right-click menu displays a unique option, 'Open
Document Preview'. This option displays a list of existing documents. When
clicking on a document, the "PDF Viewer" on page717 appears and displays
all of the capture fields. Double-click on a Capture field to automatically add
its name to the Field Name box.
lCondition: Defines what should trigger the condition:
lInk is Present:Triggered by the presence or absence of ink in the field.
lNone:No ink should be present in any field with this name.
lAny:Ink should be present in at least one field of this name in your
document.
lAll:Ink should be present in all fields of this name in your document.
lIndex:The specified index of the capture field of this name should
contain ink. The Index property is generated when a Capture Field
object is repeated or is part of a runpage. This index is 1-based.
lPidget setting:Triggered by specific pidget settings.
lEvery pidget setting (such as stroke color and stroke thickness)is listed
here. If the specific pidget was triggered before ink was applied to the
Capture Field, the conditions becomes true.
lStart timestamp: Triggered when the first ink is applied in the field.
lBefore:If the first stroke found in the Capture Field was made earlier
than the specified date and time, the condition becomes true.
lAfter:If the first stroke found in the Capture Field was made later than
the specified date and time, the condition becomes true.
lIn the last:If the first stroke found in the Capture Field was made within
the specified number of Hour(s), Day(s) or Week(s) counting backwards
from the moment the PGCis received, the condition becomes true.
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lEnd timestamp: Triggered when the last stroke finishes in the field. (see Start
Timestamp for detailed options)
lPen Id: Triggered by the ID(serial number)of the pen. A box provides a way
to specify which Pen IDwill trigger this condition to be true.
lField List Value: Triggered only on Field List Capture Fields. Abox provides
a way to specify which value will trigger this condition to be true.
lContent Status:Triggered when the field is in a specific status. ADrop-down
provides a way to select which status will trigger this condition to be true.
lComplete:The field contains ink and no error was detected.
lEmpty:No ink was found in the field.
lError:A logical error was detected in the field. This can happen, for
example, if a field was re-written when it should not, a List Field set to
only accept one option contains ink in both options, etc.
lICRValue:Triggered when the value given by the ICRengine compares with
the specified value. Operators are available for the comparison (such as
Equal, Not Equal, Lower or Higher Than, Contains and etc). It is also possible
to select which Index of the field to use (See Ink is Present" above).
lICRConfidence:Triggered when the confidence percentage the ICRengine
gave to the ICRvalue compares with the value determined in the
"Confidence"box, using the chosen comparison operator.
lICRResemblance:Triggered then the resemblance percentage the
ICRengine gave to the ICRvalue in relation to its recognition database
compares with the value determined in the "Resemblance"box, using the
chosen comparison operator. For more information on ICR, see PlanetPress
Capture ICR.
lbutton:Add a new field and action line.
lbutton: Remove the currently selected line.
lThe condition is true when: Specifies how to react when more than one Capture Field
based condition is present
lAll items are met: The task will return true if ALLthe combined conditions are true.
lAt least one item is met: The task will return true if ANY of the combined conditions
is true.
lCondition Scope:Determines whether the conditions need to be true for all the pages of
the document, or any one of them.
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lIn the document (occurrence):The task will return true if the condition set it true
for any page of the document.
lOn each pages:The task will return true only if the condition set is true for all of the
pages of the document.
lInvert condition:Inverts the result of the task.
Examples &Use Cases
This task is put into effect in the following use cases and example processes:
lCapture Post Processing Workflow
lCapture Web Manager Workflow
On Error Tab
The On Error tab is common to all tasks. Details can be found in the" Task Properties Dialog"
on page777.
By default, any action task, branch, splitter or condition that generates an error will simply be
ignored, and the task just under it (not within a branch)will be given control of the job file
without any modification. Any initial input task that generates an error will stop the process from
running as a whole, and output tasks will not generate output. The On Error tab can be used to
overwrite the default behaviors.
lSend to Process: Check this option to send the job file to an error management process.
lError Process drop-down:Enabled only when the Send to Process option is checked.
Lists any process of which the initial input task is the Input Error Bin task.
lAction:In the initial input tasks, this group is disabled and defaults to Stop Process. In
all other tasks where the On Error tab is present, the following options are available:
lDefault:By default, the task is ignored as if it did not exist and the error is logged
before continuing the branch or process; the job file is passed on to the next task in
the process. When an error occurs in a loop (or in a plugin that acts like a loop), the
loop may log the error, terminate the current iteration and proceed with the next
iteration.
lStop Branch:If the task is in a branch of the process, the branch is stopped and the
job file is returned to the process after the branch. The branch will not produce any
output. If the task is not on a branch, the entire process will be stopped.
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lStop Process:The process is stopped and no more processing is done. No further
output is produced.
lLog Message:Check this option to enable logging a custom error message in the
PlanetPress Workflow log file and in the Windows Application Events.
lMessage:Enabled only when the Log Message option is checked. Enter a message that
will be logged in the PlanetPress Workflow log file. You can use any variables available
in PlanetPress Workflow to customize the message.
lStore the message in variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you
want to store the message content.
lID:Enter an error ID. This IDwill be visible in the Windows Event Viewer. However, the
IDis not visible in the PlanetPress Workflow log file.
lStore the IDin variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you want to
store the error ID.
lReset to defaults:Resets all options in this tab to their default values.
When storing the message or ID, if they are stored in a jobinfo they will be available in any
error handling process where errors are being forwarded. If your process continues after the
error, the contents of the variables selected in this window will be available to the rest of your
process, or as long as they are not overwritten.
Common Errors
Though some error messages are specific to a task in particular, others may apply to any and
all tasks because they are related more to the system than to PlanetPress itself. Some
examples would be W3813,W3830,W3991,W4005. These correspond to issues such as not
having any space to write files, permission errors on folders or files, etc.
Comments Tab
The Comments tab is common to all tasks. It contains a text area (Task comments)that lets
you write comments about the task. These comments are saved when the dialog is closed with
the OKbutton, and are displayed in the Task Comments Pane.
Check the option Use as step description to display the text next to the icon of the plugin in
the Process area.
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Capture Fields Generator
The Capture Fields Generator action task is used to generate Capture patterns in your job,
which will then be printed for use with an Anoto Digital Pen. It also interacts with the Capture
database and does some operations.
Warning
PlanetPress Capture Fields cannot simply be inserted into an existing document as-is
and expected to work properly, efficiently or consistently. In order to design a document
with Capture Fields, you must review and understand the Critical PlanetPress Capture
Implementation Restrictions.
Input
The Capture Field Generator action task expects to receive a regular data file that
corresponds to the Capture-Ready document that uses it, along with Metadata generated using
the same data file and document. This means that this task must be preceded by at least the
Create Metadata task.
This metadata must also be correctly separated at the documents level, either in the Capture-
Ready document's properties or through the Metadata Level Creation task.
You may also use a Metadata Sequencer task in order to split the job into multiple parts. This
both creates multiple smaller outputs, as well as multiple smaller PDFs in the Capture
database. While it is not recommended to separate each document on its own as it removes all
optimization and makes the database much larger, you may split into document batches such
as 250, 1000 or 2500 documents.
If using the Metadata Sequencer it is generally recommended to place the Sequencer and the
Capture Fields Generator tasks within a branch and, within the Capture Field Generator's On
Error properties tab, to set it to stop the branch if any errors occur. This is to ensure that if such
an error occurs most of your document sequences will get generated and you will not have to
start the job over from the beginning.
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Processing
The Capture Fields Generator action task uses an existing PlanetPress Design document
containing Capture fields and assigns a unique Capture pattern to each printed page. The task
then locks each pattern that it used so it cannot be reassigned to any other document.
The whole job is then converted into a PDFfile which is stored, without the patterns, in the
Capture Database. This PDFfile is later used by the "Capture Fields Processor" on page486
to be merged with ink from the pen. At the same time the output is generated, either as a PDF
(including the patterns)or an Optimized PostScript Stream file. This means that regardless of
the output, a PDFis always generated in the database.
Note
If any error occurs during processing, such as running out of patterns while generating the
job, every action made by this task will be rolled back as if they hadn't happened.
Output
The Capture fields Generator action task will output either a PDFand Metadata, or an
Optimized PostScript Stream file without Metadata.
Properties
Pattern Generator action task properties are as follows:
lCapture Document: Choose the PlanetPress Design capture ready document that will
be used to generate the output including the capture fields.
lDocument Title:Enter a name for the document that will be saved inside the PlanetPress
Capture Database. This name should be unique and recognizable and will be used later
to retrieve the documentform using the GetCapture Document action task.
lDocument Title group: Determines a Title for the document. This title is accessible in the
Capture Database and can be used to search for a document or retrieve a list of
document using other tasks.
lFrom metadata:Use the Document Title property as set in the PlanetPress
Capture section of a PlanetPress Design document's properties.
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lCustom:Use the title in the input field as set by the user. The field is variable so the
title can be set on a per-document basis using data or metadata selections.
lOutput Format group
lContinue process with optimized postscript(no metadata):The job file coming
out of the task will be a PostScript file that can be sent to any postscript printer or
saved locally.
lContinue process with PDF(with new metadata):The job file coming out of the
task will be a PDFwith accompanying metadata for that PDF(previous metadata is
lost).
lOverride document pattern sequence:Check to override the pattern sequence as
entered in your PlanetPress Design document properties. Once checked, enter a new
pattern sequence in the Pattern Sequence box.
lFail if document doesn't contain at least one capture field:If the static or dynamic
document that tries to pass through this task does not contain any capture fields, an error
will be generated.
lSimulate pattern area on final document:When retrieving the document from the
database with the Get Capture Document, each Capture Field is simulated using a grey
box. This box is not a pattern and cannot be used with the Anoto Digital Pen, however
this option can be used to keep the same overall design of your document.
Examples &Use Cases
This task is put into effect in the following use cases and example processes:
lBasic Functional Capture Workflow
lCapture Web Manager Workflow
On Error Tab
The On Error tab is common to all tasks. Details can be found in the" Task Properties Dialog"
on page777.
By default, any action task, branch, splitter or condition that generates an error will simply be
ignored, and the task just under it (not within a branch)will be given control of the job file
without any modification. Any initial input task that generates an error will stop the process from
running as a whole, and output tasks will not generate output. The On Error tab can be used to
overwrite the default behaviors.
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lSend to Process: Check this option to send the job file to an error management process.
lError Process drop-down:Enabled only when the Send to Process option is checked.
Lists any process of which the initial input task is the Input Error Bin task.
lAction:In the initial input tasks, this group is disabled and defaults to Stop Process. In
all other tasks where the On Error tab is present, the following options are available:
lDefault:By default, the task is ignored as if it did not exist and the error is logged
before continuing the branch or process; the job file is passed on to the next task in
the process. When an error occurs in a loop (or in a plugin that acts like a loop), the
loop may log the error, terminate the current iteration and proceed with the next
iteration.
lStop Branch:If the task is in a branch of the process, the branch is stopped and the
job file is returned to the process after the branch. The branch will not produce any
output. If the task is not on a branch, the entire process will be stopped.
lStop Process:The process is stopped and no more processing is done. No further
output is produced.
lLog Message:Check this option to enable logging a custom error message in the
PlanetPress Workflow log file and in the Windows Application Events.
lMessage:Enabled only when the Log Message option is checked. Enter a message that
will be logged in the PlanetPress Workflow log file. You can use any variables available
in PlanetPress Workflow to customize the message.
lStore the message in variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you
want to store the message content.
lID:Enter an error ID. This IDwill be visible in the Windows Event Viewer. However, the
IDis not visible in the PlanetPress Workflow log file.
lStore the IDin variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you want to
store the error ID.
lReset to defaults:Resets all options in this tab to their default values.
When storing the message or ID, if they are stored in a jobinfo they will be available in any
error handling process where errors are being forwarded. If your process continues after the
error, the contents of the variables selected in this window will be available to the rest of your
process, or as long as they are not overwritten.
Page 485
Common Errors
Though some error messages are specific to a task in particular, others may apply to any and
all tasks because they are related more to the system than to PlanetPress itself. Some
examples would be W3813,W3830,W3991,W4005. These correspond to issues such as not
having any space to write files, permission errors on folders or files, etc.
Comments Tab
The Comments tab is common to all tasks. It contains a text area (Task comments)that lets
you write comments about the task. These comments are saved when the dialog is closed with
the OKbutton, and are displayed in the Task Comments Pane.
Check the option Use as step description to display the text next to the icon of the plugin in
the Process area.
"Anoto" and the Anoto logotype are trademarks owned by Anoto AB. PLANETPRESS
CAPTURE is based on Anoto Digital Pen and Paper Technology, which is covered by
over 200 patents worldwide, including but not limited to US6663008, US7172131,
US7248250, US7281668, JP3872498, JP3842283, CN1595440, SE517445,
RU2256225, and AU773011.
Capture Fields Processor
The Capture Fields Processor action task is used to update the Capture database using
information received from an incoming PGCfile, which generally originates from a
communication by the Anoto penDirector.
Input
This task requires a PGCfile that has been obtained from an Anoto Digital Pen that was used
to write on documents generated from the same PlanetPress Workflow installation.
Processing
The PlanetPress Capture Fields Processor action task receives and processes the
information sent by the Anoto digital pen and updates all the documents in the PlanetPress
Capture Database using the information from the pen. Any ink in the pen is added as an EPS
Page 486
(image)layer on the PDFinside the Capture Database. If a specific document needs to be
closed to release its pattern, this task does so.
During processing, ink is always applied to the document first and then the logic is applied for
releasing patterns. This means that even if a document is closed by a field set asFinal that was
checked first, ink present in other fields will still be applied to the document.
From version 7.5 and onwards, ICRis done on the ink, if the "Perform ICRRecognition"option
is checked.
Error Handling
If the Capture Fields Processor generates a critical error during the processing of any document
in the PGCfile, all of its actions will be reverted. If your PGCfile contains multiple documents,
even those documents that were processed before will revert. It is strongly suggested to backup
your PGCfile before using this task and to create an error handling process to capture these
errors.
Logical errors do not cause this task to exit. For example, if a List Item Capture Field is set to
only accept a single option but contains ink in more than one option, or if a Capture Field that
does not accept re-writing receives more ink, the task will still complete. The inks that are
relevant to logical errors are still added to the PDFdocument, but they are added on a separate
"error"layer.
Output
This task outputs the PGCfile it received along with metadata that contains the documents that
have been updated by this task. The metadata can be used to do post-processing of the file
using Capture Conditions, or directly through other metadata tools. The structure of the output
metadata added by Capture is the following:
lDocument Level
lCapCloseDate:Date at which the document was closed by Capture Field
Generator. Blank if the document is still open.
lCapDocID:The database IDof the document. This field is useful especially if using
the Capture API since the IDcorresponds to the itembyIDfunction.
lCapDocName:The name of the document as specified in the Capture Field
Generator.
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lCapOpenDate:The date at which the document was created by the Capture Field
Generator.
lCapPatternSequence:The value of the pattern sequence assigned to the
document.
lCapPGCName:The name of each PGCfile that was used to update this document
(will repeat for each PGCfile)
lCapStatus:Current status of the document:
l0:Open
l1:Closed by an optional field
l2:Closed by a mandatory field
l3:Closed by a final field
lCapTemplateName:Name of the PlanetPress Connect document used to generate
the document.
lPage Level:
lCaptureField:Information on each capture field on the page. Repeated for each
capture field that is present.
Technical
There is currently no method of obtaining the information from a PGC except through a
successful processing of this task, or via the use of the PlanetPress Capture API within a
Script (see "Using Scripts" on page91)
Properties
Capture Fields Processor action task properties are as follows:
lPGCName: This value will be added to the output metadata, as well as the Capture
Database, to link the PGCto the document it updates.
lPattern sequence group
lType:Specify from where the Pattern Sequence should be taken.
lNone:Do not use a Pattern Sequence.
lPen Information:Use the Pattern Sequence assigned to the pen in the
PlanetPress Capture Database.
Page 488
lCustom:Overwrite the pen's information and specify a Pattern Sequence
manually or use a data selection.
lCustom Pattern Sequence:If you choose Custom in the Type drop-down, enter a
manual Pattern Sequence or a data selection that contains the Pattern Sequence to
be used.
lICRSettings group
lPerform ICRRecognition:Triggers the PlanetPress Capture ICRengine. For more
information, see PlanetPress Capture ICR.
lEngine Language:Define the language the ICRengine will use for text
recognition. This has a major effect on the way text is recognized, as different
languages use different databases to recognize letters, numbers and characters.
For example, accented letters are not correctly recognized in the English
ICRdatabase.
lFail if new ink is found on non-rewritable fields:Check to trigger the On Error tab if
and when a field set as Disable Rewriting receives ink in a new session.
lIgnore out of bounds ink data:Check to continue processing even if receiving a
PGCthat causes ink to be outside of any Capture Field to appear. This may happen if
updating the wrong document. When out of bounds ink is found, the document will be set
in the "Error"status. (see note below)
lSplit PGCby document:Check to treat each document as a separate PGCfile. This
removes the need to use a Capture PGCsplitter before this task, however the
PGCSplitter remains useful when using self-replicating processes to accelerate
PGCprocessing.
lAdd pattern information to the metadata:Adds advanced information in the Metadata
for post-processing:
lAt the Document node, timestamp information such as ink start/end time
lAt the Page node, information about each Capture Field such as its name,
dimensions, style, index, mask, timestamp and content status.
Technical
When the "ignore out of bounds ink data"option is checked, this option modifies the way
that the On Error tab reacts. When a single split is processed and generates an error,
only that split triggers the On Error tab. The other splits continue processing as usual. If
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another split generates an error, it also triggers the On Error tab.
Examples &Use Cases
This task is put into effect in the following use cases and example processes:
lBasic Functional Capture Workflow
lCapture Web Manager Workflow
On Error Tab
The On Error tab is common to all tasks. Details can be found in the" Task Properties Dialog"
on page777.
By default, any action task, branch, splitter or condition that generates an error will simply be
ignored, and the task just under it (not within a branch)will be given control of the job file
without any modification. Any initial input task that generates an error will stop the process from
running as a whole, and output tasks will not generate output. The On Error tab can be used to
overwrite the default behaviors.
lSend to Process: Check this option to send the job file to an error management process.
lError Process drop-down:Enabled only when the Send to Process option is checked.
Lists any process of which the initial input task is the Input Error Bin task.
lAction:In the initial input tasks, this group is disabled and defaults to Stop Process. In
all other tasks where the On Error tab is present, the following options are available:
lDefault:By default, the task is ignored as if it did not exist and the error is logged
before continuing the branch or process; the job file is passed on to the next task in
the process. When an error occurs in a loop (or in a plugin that acts like a loop), the
loop may log the error, terminate the current iteration and proceed with the next
iteration.
lStop Branch:If the task is in a branch of the process, the branch is stopped and the
job file is returned to the process after the branch. The branch will not produce any
output. If the task is not on a branch, the entire process will be stopped.
lStop Process:The process is stopped and no more processing is done. No further
output is produced.
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lLog Message:Check this option to enable logging a custom error message in the
PlanetPress Workflow log file and in the Windows Application Events.
lMessage:Enabled only when the Log Message option is checked. Enter a message that
will be logged in the PlanetPress Workflow log file. You can use any variables available
in PlanetPress Workflow to customize the message.
lStore the message in variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you
want to store the message content.
lID:Enter an error ID. This IDwill be visible in the Windows Event Viewer. However, the
IDis not visible in the PlanetPress Workflow log file.
lStore the IDin variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you want to
store the error ID.
lReset to defaults:Resets all options in this tab to their default values.
When storing the message or ID, if they are stored in a jobinfo they will be available in any
error handling process where errors are being forwarded. If your process continues after the
error, the contents of the variables selected in this window will be available to the rest of your
process, or as long as they are not overwritten.
Common Errors
Though some error messages are specific to a task in particular, others may apply to any and
all tasks because they are related more to the system than to PlanetPress itself. Some
examples would be W3813,W3830,W3991,W4005. These correspond to issues such as not
having any space to write files, permission errors on folders or files, etc.
Comments Tab
The Comments tab is common to all tasks. It contains a text area (Task comments)that lets
you write comments about the task. These comments are saved when the dialog is closed with
the OKbutton, and are displayed in the Task Comments Pane.
Check the option Use as step description to display the text next to the icon of the plugin in
the Process area.
Capture PGC Splitter
The Capture PGCSplitter task can be used to separate each document into its own PGCfile
so they can be processed separately. The splitter then sends each document PGCto the next
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action, which should be the Capture Fields Processor task. Note that using the Capture
PGCSplitter will cause your process to take more time, since each PGCmust pass through the
Capture Fields Processor and then the Get Capture Document task.
Technical
Due to the fact that the Capture PGCSplitter task modifies the original PGC, in some
cases the legality of the PGCsignature may be compromised. This depends on your
country or region's laws, so if your implementation of Capture requires signatures to be
authenticated please consult a legal advisor for more details.
Input
A PGCfile received from an Anoto digital pen.
Processing
The PGCfile is split by document, if a document can be matched for each pattern IDfound in
the PGC. The match is made by comparing each Pattern IDwith the information found in the
Capture database. If more than one pattern is used in a document (pattern on multiple pages of
the document), all of the information for this document (more than one Pattern ID)is sent down
as a split. Patterns that do not match any document are sent individually, one Pattern IDper
split.
Output
One or more PGCfile, separated as described above.
Task Properties
General tab
lPattern sequence group:Determines what Pattern Sequence will be assigned to each
PGCfile.
lType:Specify from where the Pattern Sequence should be taken.
lNone:Do not use a Pattern Sequence.
lPen Information:Use the Pattern Sequence assigned to the pen in the
PlanetPress Capture Database.
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lCustom:Overwrite the pen's information and specify a Pattern Sequence
manually or use a data selection.
lCustom Pattern Sequence:If you choose Custom in the Type drop-down, enter a
manual Pattern Sequence or a data selection that contains the pattern sequence to
be used.
On Error Tab
The On Error tab is common to all tasks. Details can be found in the" Task Properties Dialog"
on page777.
By default, any action task, branch, splitter or condition that generates an error will simply be
ignored, and the task just under it (not within a branch)will be given control of the job file
without any modification. Any initial input task that generates an error will stop the process from
running as a whole, and output tasks will not generate output. The On Error tab can be used to
overwrite the default behaviors.
lSend to Process: Check this option to send the job file to an error management process.
lError Process drop-down:Enabled only when the Send to Process option is checked.
Lists any process of which the initial input task is the Input Error Bin task.
lAction:In the initial input tasks, this group is disabled and defaults to Stop Process. In
all other tasks where the On Error tab is present, the following options are available:
lDefault:By default, the task is ignored as if it did not exist and the error is logged
before continuing the branch or process; the job file is passed on to the next task in
the process. When an error occurs in a loop (or in a plugin that acts like a loop), the
loop may log the error, terminate the current iteration and proceed with the next
iteration.
lStop Branch:If the task is in a branch of the process, the branch is stopped and the
job file is returned to the process after the branch. The branch will not produce any
output. If the task is not on a branch, the entire process will be stopped.
lStop Process:The process is stopped and no more processing is done. No further
output is produced.
lLog Message:Check this option to enable logging a custom error message in the
PlanetPress Workflow log file and in the Windows Application Events.
lMessage:Enabled only when the Log Message option is checked. Enter a message that
will be logged in the PlanetPress Workflow log file. You can use any variables available
in PlanetPress Workflow to customize the message.
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lStore the message in variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you
want to store the message content.
lID:Enter an error ID. This IDwill be visible in the Windows Event Viewer. However, the
IDis not visible in the PlanetPress Workflow log file.
lStore the IDin variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you want to
store the error ID.
lReset to defaults:Resets all options in this tab to their default values.
When storing the message or ID, if they are stored in a jobinfo they will be available in any
error handling process where errors are being forwarded. If your process continues after the
error, the contents of the variables selected in this window will be available to the rest of your
process, or as long as they are not overwritten.
Common Errors
Though some error messages are specific to a task in particular, others may apply to any and
all tasks because they are related more to the system than to PlanetPress itself. Some
examples would be W3813,W3830,W3991,W4005. These correspond to issues such as not
having any space to write files, permission errors on folders or files, etc.
Comments Tab
The Comments tab is common to all tasks. It contains a text area (Task comments)that lets
you write comments about the task. These comments are saved when the dialog is closed with
the OKbutton, and are displayed in the Task Comments Pane.
Check the option Use as step description to display the text next to the icon of the plugin in
the Process area.
"Anoto" and the Anoto logotype are trademarks owned by Anoto AB. PLANETPRESS
CAPTURE is based on Anoto Digital Pen and Paper Technology, which is covered by
over 200 patents worldwide, including but not limited to US6663008, US7172131,
US7248250, US7281668, JP3872498, JP3842283, CN1595440, SE517445,
RU2256225, and AU773011.
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Extract ICRData
The Extract ICRData task retrieves the ICRdata from the specified document ID from the
Capture Database and adds this information to the current Metadata in the process, at the
specified level.
Input
Any data file, but generally one associated with the document in question (either a PGCor a
PDF), along with an associated metadata file.
Processing
A query is made to the Capture database and the ICRdata is retrieved. The document that is
queried must be available in the database (must not have been closed and retrieved
previously).
Output
The original data file is output by this task, along with the original Metadata file that has been
enhanced with the ICRdata at the selected level.
Properties
General Tab
lDocument ID:A variable data field that corresponds to the database IDof the document
from which you want to retrieve ICRdata. The Document IDis generated by the system
through the Capture Fields Generator. The IDmust correspond to a document in the
Capture database, or the task will fail with an error.
lMetadata Level:A drop-down list containing all of the levels of Metadata. Choose the
one where the ICRdata will be added.
On Error Tab
The On Error tab is common to all tasks. Details can be found in the" Task Properties Dialog"
on page777.
By default, any action task, branch, splitter or condition that generates an error will simply be
ignored, and the task just under it (not within a branch)will be given control of the job file
without any modification. Any initial input task that generates an error will stop the process from
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running as a whole, and output tasks will not generate output. The On Error tab can be used to
overwrite the default behaviors.
lSend to Process: Check this option to send the job file to an error management process.
lError Process drop-down:Enabled only when the Send to Process option is checked.
Lists any process of which the initial input task is the Input Error Bin task.
lAction:In the initial input tasks, this group is disabled and defaults to Stop Process. In
all other tasks where the On Error tab is present, the following options are available:
lDefault:By default, the task is ignored as if it did not exist and the error is logged
before continuing the branch or process; the job file is passed on to the next task in
the process. When an error occurs in a loop (or in a plugin that acts like a loop), the
loop may log the error, terminate the current iteration and proceed with the next
iteration.
lStop Branch:If the task is in a branch of the process, the branch is stopped and the
job file is returned to the process after the branch. The branch will not produce any
output. If the task is not on a branch, the entire process will be stopped.
lStop Process:The process is stopped and no more processing is done. No further
output is produced.
lLog Message:Check this option to enable logging a custom error message in the
PlanetPress Workflow log file and in the Windows Application Events.
lMessage:Enabled only when the Log Message option is checked. Enter a message that
will be logged in the PlanetPress Workflow log file. You can use any variables available
in PlanetPress Workflow to customize the message.
lStore the message in variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you
want to store the message content.
lID:Enter an error ID. This IDwill be visible in the Windows Event Viewer. However, the
IDis not visible in the PlanetPress Workflow log file.
lStore the IDin variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you want to
store the error ID.
lReset to defaults:Resets all options in this tab to their default values.
When storing the message or ID, if they are stored in a jobinfo they will be available in any
error handling process where errors are being forwarded. If your process continues after the
error, the contents of the variables selected in this window will be available to the rest of your
process, or as long as they are not overwritten.
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Common Errors
Though some error messages are specific to a task in particular, others may apply to any and
all tasks because they are related more to the system than to PlanetPress itself. Some
examples would be W3813,W3830,W3991,W4005. These correspond to issues such as not
having any space to write files, permission errors on folders or files, etc.
Comments Tab
The Comments tab is common to all tasks. It contains a text area (Task comments)that lets
you write comments about the task. These comments are saved when the dialog is closed with
the OKbutton, and are displayed in the Task Comments Pane.
Check the option Use as step description to display the text next to the icon of the plugin in
the Process area.
Find Capture Documents
The Find Capture Document task retrieves a list of pertinent information about Capture
documents present in the Capture database according to a specified set of rules.
This task is most often useful as the beginning of an automated process using a series of
Capture documents, for example one that removes old documents to unlock patterns. However,
it can also be used as a secondary input in order to retrieve one or more documents after some
operations.
Note
The Find Capture Document task makes multiple simultaneous statements to the
database when requesting a list of documents. For this task to work, the option "Allow
multiple statements"must be checked in the ODBCconnection setup done in the control
panel.
Input
Because this task in an input task, it does not use the current job file in your process, even
when used as a secondary input task.
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Processing
This task connects to the Capture database and looks up all available documents that meet the
criteria specified in the plugin. Then it does further processing to retrieve relevant information
about each document and places the information in the data file it generates.
Output
The data file generated by this task is an XMLstructure containing the data about each
document. It also generates metadata that is compatible with post-processing tasks such as the
"Capture Condition" on page476 and "Get Capture Document" on page502 tasks.
Properties
General Tab
lDocument-IDBased Condition:Select this option for this task to filter its results using a
specific Document ID.
lDocument ID:Enter the IDon which you want to filter. TheDocument IDis a
unique identifier of the document when it is stored in the database. It is attributed to
the job metadata when the "Capture Fields Generator" on page482 ads it to the
Capture database.
lDocument-Based Condition:Select this option to set up an advanced filter containing
one or more conditions.
lCondition Grid:Displays the list of current condition criteria that were set for
document retrieval.
lFilter:The selected filter type. This can be any of the following:
lDocument Name:The name of the document, as specified in the
Document Name property of the "Capture Fields Generator" on
page482.
lDate Generated:The date, in YYYY-MM-DDformat, when the
document was generated through the Capture Field Generator.
lDate Closed:The date, in YYYY-MM-DDformat, when the document
was closed by the Capture Field Processor or Get Capture Document
tasks. This field is empty in documents that are still open.
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lPen user (by description):The description of the pen, as entered in the
"PlanetPress Capture Pen Management Tool" on page745. Generally,
this is the name of the owner of the pen.
lPen user (by serial number):The serial number of the pen (aka Pen
ID)
lPattern Sequence:The Pattern Sequence in which a document is
entered.
lTemplate name:The name of the PlanetPress Design document used
to generate the Capture document. This is set in the document's
properties, in PlanetPress Design.
lPattern ID: The exact IDof the Anoto Pattern used. This is also called
"Pattern Trace Code".
lContent Status:The status of the document as a whole. A document
can be Empty (no ink), Partial(some ink but still open), Complete (all
mandatory ink is present)or in Error (logical or process error).
lOperator:The choice of the condition operator. The available choices are
variable depending on the filter but will be part of the following choices:
lEqual:Inclusive filter, where anything equal (either by string or numeric
comparison)is included in the results.
lNot Equal:Exclusive filter, where anything not equal to the condition is
included in the results.
lLess Than:Numerical comparison, where anything lower than the
specified value is included.
lGreater Than:Numerical comparison, where anything higher than the
specified value is included.
lLess than or equal to:Numerical comparison, where anything lower or
equal to than the specified value is included.
lGreater than or equal to:Numerical comparison, where anything
higher or equal to than the specified value is included.
lContains:Inclusive string comparison, documents where the specified
value is present within the chosen filter are included.
lDoes not contain:Exclusive string comparison, documents where the
specified value is not present within the chosen filter are included.
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lBefore:Date comparison, documents of which the date is previous to
the specified value are included (Date Generated and Date Closed
filters only).
lAfter:Date comparison, documents of which the date is closer than the
specified value are included (Date Generated and Date Closed filters
only).
lLast:Date comparison, documents of which the date is within the
specified interval are included (Date Generated and Date Closed filters
only).
lOlder than:Date comparison, documents of which the date is older than
the specified interval are included (Date Generated and Date Closed
filters only).
lCondition:The condition or value the document needs to meet. The condition
is variable dependent on the chosen filter. It can be a drop-down of values, an
alphanumerical or numerical value.
lAdd button:Click to add a condition row to the grid.
lRemove button:Click to remove the currently selected condition from the grid. To
select a row, simply click on any of its 3 components.
lCondition Operator:Select either "All items are met"to force all conditions to be
true for a document to be included, or "At least one item is met"to include
documents where a minimum of 1 condition is true.
lCreate Advanced Data File:Click to retrieve additional information about each
document in the result list. These information include each field, the presence of ink on
each of them, time stamps, etc. Please refer to Find Capture Document for an example of
the XMLfile.
Warning
The Advanced Data File option will generate a high number of queries into the Capture
Database, and will be slower than a regular data file by orders of magnitude. Do not use
this option unless you are aware of the loss of performance and actually need to access
each field's properties individually!
Examples &Use Cases
This task is put into effect in the following use cases and example processes:
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lCapture Post Processing Workflow
lCapture Web Manager Workflow
On Error Tab
The On Error tab is common to all tasks. Details can be found in the" Task Properties Dialog"
on page777.
By default, any action task, branch, splitter or condition that generates an error will simply be
ignored, and the task just under it (not within a branch)will be given control of the job file
without any modification. Any initial input task that generates an error will stop the process from
running as a whole, and output tasks will not generate output. The On Error tab can be used to
overwrite the default behaviors.
lSend to Process: Check this option to send the job file to an error management process.
lError Process drop-down:Enabled only when the Send to Process option is checked.
Lists any process of which the initial input task is the Input Error Bin task.
lAction:In the initial input tasks, this group is disabled and defaults to Stop Process. In
all other tasks where the On Error tab is present, the following options are available:
lDefault:By default, the task is ignored as if it did not exist and the error is logged
before continuing the branch or process; the job file is passed on to the next task in
the process. When an error occurs in a loop (or in a plugin that acts like a loop), the
loop may log the error, terminate the current iteration and proceed with the next
iteration.
lStop Branch:If the task is in a branch of the process, the branch is stopped and the
job file is returned to the process after the branch. The branch will not produce any
output. If the task is not on a branch, the entire process will be stopped.
lStop Process:The process is stopped and no more processing is done. No further
output is produced.
lLog Message:Check this option to enable logging a custom error message in the
PlanetPress Workflow log file and in the Windows Application Events.
lMessage:Enabled only when the Log Message option is checked. Enter a message that
will be logged in the PlanetPress Workflow log file. You can use any variables available
in PlanetPress Workflow to customize the message.
lStore the message in variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you
want to store the message content.
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lID:Enter an error ID. This IDwill be visible in the Windows Event Viewer. However, the
IDis not visible in the PlanetPress Workflow log file.
lStore the IDin variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you want to
store the error ID.
lReset to defaults:Resets all options in this tab to their default values.
When storing the message or ID, if they are stored in a jobinfo they will be available in any
error handling process where errors are being forwarded. If your process continues after the
error, the contents of the variables selected in this window will be available to the rest of your
process, or as long as they are not overwritten.
Common Errors
Though some error messages are specific to a task in particular, others may apply to any and
all tasks because they are related more to the system than to PlanetPress itself. Some
examples would be W3813,W3830,W3991,W4005. These correspond to issues such as not
having any space to write files, permission errors on folders or files, etc.
Comments Tab
The Comments tab is common to all tasks. It contains a text area (Task comments)that lets
you write comments about the task. These comments are saved when the dialog is closed with
the OKbutton, and are displayed in the Task Comments Pane.
Check the option Use as step description to display the text next to the icon of the plugin in
the Process area.
Get Capture Document
The Get Capture Document action task is used after the Capture Fields Processor to
retrieve all documents that have been updated.
Input
A data file in PGCor PDFformat that is accompanied by valid Metadata. This metadata must
contain Capture information and is generally available after a "Capture Fields Processor" on
page486 or "Find Capture Documents" on page497 task. However, it is also possible to
directly retrieve the required information from a specific Document ID. When a specific ID is
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used, the data file and metadata are completely ignored by this task's condition rules, and the
database information is used instead.
Processing
One PDF, corresponding to the information present either in the metadata or specified in the
task, is extracted from the Capture database.
When retrieving documents from the database, the PDFfrom which the document is obtained
will remain in the database until each document contained in it is retrieved from it. For example,
if a 10-page PDFcontains 5 documents, the 10 pages remain in that PDFuntil all 5 documents
have received ink, been closed and retrieved from the database. This may mean space issues
if too many PDFfiles remain in your database.
Technical
Performance-wise, when this plugin retrieves a document from a 10,000 page PDF in the
database, it will take more time then if it retrieved it from a 100 page PDF.
Output
The Get Capture Document action task is a loop that outputs a PDFversion of the Capture
Document. The PDFcontains the original document, any ink added by the "Capture Fields
Processor" on page486 action task.
In addition, any ICRinformation available (when using PlanetPress Capture ICR)will be
placed at the Page Level, as follows:
lICR_[FieldName]_Val:The value of the text that was recognized by the ICRengine, for
the field named [FieldName]. If the field is not and ICRfield or if that field contains no ink,
the value will be empty.
lICR_[FieldName]_Cfd :The confidence value (in percentage) of the engine for the value
provided.
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Properties
General Tab
lDocument Origin group:
lDocument to process:Determines where the document information is read
lFrom Metadata:Select to use the current document available in the metadata
generated by the Capture Field Processor.
lFrom Specific ID:Select to specify an exact Document ID from the database.
This document does not need to be loaded as a data file or its metadata
manually obtained, as this task simply looks up the information directly in the
PlanetPress Capture database.
lDocument Type group
lGet all documents:Get all the documents that have been updated, according to the
metadata.
lGet closed documents only: Get only the documents that have been closed in this
process, according to the metadata.
lClose document after retrieval: Once the task has retrieved the document from the
Capture database, the document will be closed even if it is incomplete.
lAnnotate PDF: Add annotations to the PDFthat describe each Capture field and the ink
that is included in those fields. Note that not all PDFreaders support annotations.
Examples &Use Cases
This task is put into effect in the following use cases and example processes:
lBasic Functional Capture Workflow
lCapture Post Processing Workflow
lCapture Web Manager Workflow
On Error Tab
The On Error tab is common to all tasks. Details can be found in the" Task Properties Dialog"
on page777.
By default, any action task, branch, splitter or condition that generates an error will simply be
ignored, and the task just under it (not within a branch)will be given control of the job file
Page 504
without any modification. Any initial input task that generates an error will stop the process from
running as a whole, and output tasks will not generate output. The On Error tab can be used to
overwrite the default behaviors.
lSend to Process: Check this option to send the job file to an error management process.
lError Process drop-down:Enabled only when the Send to Process option is checked.
Lists any process of which the initial input task is the Input Error Bin task.
lAction:In the initial input tasks, this group is disabled and defaults to Stop Process. In
all other tasks where the On Error tab is present, the following options are available:
lDefault:By default, the task is ignored as if it did not exist and the error is logged
before continuing the branch or process; the job file is passed on to the next task in
the process. When an error occurs in a loop (or in a plugin that acts like a loop), the
loop may log the error, terminate the current iteration and proceed with the next
iteration.
lStop Branch:If the task is in a branch of the process, the branch is stopped and the
job file is returned to the process after the branch. The branch will not produce any
output. If the task is not on a branch, the entire process will be stopped.
lStop Process:The process is stopped and no more processing is done. No further
output is produced.
lLog Message:Check this option to enable logging a custom error message in the
PlanetPress Workflow log file and in the Windows Application Events.
lMessage:Enabled only when the Log Message option is checked. Enter a message that
will be logged in the PlanetPress Workflow log file. You can use any variables available
in PlanetPress Workflow to customize the message.
lStore the message in variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you
want to store the message content.
lID:Enter an error ID. This IDwill be visible in the Windows Event Viewer. However, the
IDis not visible in the PlanetPress Workflow log file.
lStore the IDin variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you want to
store the error ID.
lReset to defaults:Resets all options in this tab to their default values.
When storing the message or ID, if they are stored in a jobinfo they will be available in any
error handling process where errors are being forwarded. If your process continues after the
error, the contents of the variables selected in this window will be available to the rest of your
process, or as long as they are not overwritten.
Page 505
Common Errors
Though some error messages are specific to a task in particular, others may apply to any and
all tasks because they are related more to the system than to PlanetPress itself. Some
examples would be W3813,W3830,W3991,W4005. These correspond to issues such as not
having any space to write files, permission errors on folders or files, etc.
Comments Tab
The Comments tab is common to all tasks. It contains a text area (Task comments)that lets
you write comments about the task. These comments are saved when the dialog is closed with
the OKbutton, and are displayed in the Task Comments Pane.
Check the option Use as step description to display the text next to the icon of the plugin in
the Process area.
PGC to PDF Converter
The PGC to PDF Converter tasks extracts the digital ink located in a PGC file and adds it to a
blank PDF, creating one page per document in the PGC. It's main use is to process PGCs that
generated errors when processing them, as part of an Error Handling process.
Note
When adding this task to your process, you will be asked if you want to add the task as an
Action or a Condition. This task should only be used as an Action. If used as a condition,
it will always return False.
Input
A PGCfile received from an Anoto digital pen.
Processing
The ink contained in the PGCfile is converted into an EPSlayer, which is then applied on an
blank, empty PDFfile of the size specified in the task's properties. If more than one Pattern IDis
found in the PGCfile, each separate Pattern IDwill generate a new page on which its ink is
applied.
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Output
A PDFfile with a blank background and only the ink data found in the PGCfile.
Properties
General Tab
lPDF page size: Choose the page size of the output PDF. The default size is A2, and
changing the format does not scale the digital ink. Ink appearing outsize of the selected
page size will not be visible.
Note
This task was built using a custom plugin system and does not display the On Error tab in
the regular view. To access the On Error tab, right-click on the task and select "Advanced
Properties...".
Examples &Use Cases
This task is put into effect in the following use cases and example processes:
lPlanetPress Capture Workflow
On Error Tab
The On Error tab is common to all tasks. Details can be found in the" Task Properties Dialog"
on page777.
By default, any action task, branch, splitter or condition that generates an error will simply be
ignored, and the task just under it (not within a branch)will be given control of the job file
without any modification. Any initial input task that generates an error will stop the process from
running as a whole, and output tasks will not generate output. The On Error tab can be used to
overwrite the default behaviors.
lSend to Process: Check this option to send the job file to an error management process.
lError Process drop-down:Enabled only when the Send to Process option is checked.
Lists any process of which the initial input task is the Input Error Bin task.
Page 507
lAction:In the initial input tasks, this group is disabled and defaults to Stop Process. In
all other tasks where the On Error tab is present, the following options are available:
lDefault:By default, the task is ignored as if it did not exist and the error is logged
before continuing the branch or process; the job file is passed on to the next task in
the process. When an error occurs in a loop (or in a plugin that acts like a loop), the
loop may log the error, terminate the current iteration and proceed with the next
iteration.
lStop Branch:If the task is in a branch of the process, the branch is stopped and the
job file is returned to the process after the branch. The branch will not produce any
output. If the task is not on a branch, the entire process will be stopped.
lStop Process:The process is stopped and no more processing is done. No further
output is produced.
lLog Message:Check this option to enable logging a custom error message in the
PlanetPress Workflow log file and in the Windows Application Events.
lMessage:Enabled only when the Log Message option is checked. Enter a message that
will be logged in the PlanetPress Workflow log file. You can use any variables available
in PlanetPress Workflow to customize the message.
lStore the message in variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you
want to store the message content.
lID:Enter an error ID. This IDwill be visible in the Windows Event Viewer. However, the
IDis not visible in the PlanetPress Workflow log file.
lStore the IDin variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you want to
store the error ID.
lReset to defaults:Resets all options in this tab to their default values.
When storing the message or ID, if they are stored in a jobinfo they will be available in any
error handling process where errors are being forwarded. If your process continues after the
error, the contents of the variables selected in this window will be available to the rest of your
process, or as long as they are not overwritten.
Common Errors
Though some error messages are specific to a task in particular, others may apply to any and
all tasks because they are related more to the system than to PlanetPress itself. Some
examples would be W3813,W3830,W3991,W4005. These correspond to issues such as not
having any space to write files, permission errors on folders or files, etc.
Page 508
Comments Tab
The Comments tab is common to all tasks. It contains a text area (Task comments)that lets
you write comments about the task. These comments are saved when the dialog is closed with
the OKbutton, and are displayed in the Task Comments Pane.
Check the option Use as step description to display the text next to the icon of the plugin in
the Process area.
Metadata Tasks
Metadata tasks are plugins that can create or edit metadata for a job file.For more information
about the metadata structure and elements, see "Metadata" on page38.
l"Create Metadata" below
l"Embed/Extract PlanetPress Workflow Metadata" on page512
l"Metadata Fields Management" on page515
l"Metadata File Management" on page519
l"Metadata Filter" on page521
l"Metadata Level Creation" on page524
l"Metadata Sequencer" on page528
l"Metadata Sorter" on page530
l"Metadata to PDI" on page532
l"Metadata-Based N-Up" on page535
Create Metadata
Creates all the metadata that is either the result of the merging between a data file and a
PlanetPress Design document, or the information about a PDFFile.
Input
Either a data file in any supported Emulation, or a PDFFile.
Processing
If a data file and document are selected, the metadata is generated by merging the data file and
document and retrieving only the metadata generated by this merge. The Metadata levels will
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reflect those defined in the document, including separation for Group and Document, metadata
fields, etc.
lIn PDF emulation, the size and orientation attributes for each page are set in the
metadata. In all other emulations, those attributes remain blank.
lIn XML emulation, the metadata file is always created as if the user had specified the
"Second Level" parameter in PlanetPress Design.
If the "Do not use document (passthrough)"option is used, no PlanetPress Design document is
used. The metadata will contain a single Job, Group and Document level, as many data page
levels as there are records (pages in a PDF, XMLlevels, etc)in the file, and one page level per
data page.
Technical
In PlanetPress Design, this step is equivalent to a &metamode variable value of 1.
Output
The original data file is output, along with the newly generated metadata file. Job infos are not
changed.
Properties
General Tab
lDocuments: Select a specific PlanetPress Design document you want all the jobs
metadata information generated for.
lAdd job information to the document: Select to prompt your PlanetPress Workflow to
add the available job information elements in the header of the generated file. Note that
this option is only enabled if a document was selected.
Examples &Use Cases
This task is put into effect in the following use cases and example processes:
lBasic Functional Capture Workflow
lCapture Web Manager Workflow
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lDaily Sales Report from PDF Files
On Error Tab
The On Error tab is common to all tasks. Details can be found in the" Task Properties Dialog"
on page777.
By default, any action task, branch, splitter or condition that generates an error will simply be
ignored, and the task just under it (not within a branch)will be given control of the job file
without any modification. Any initial input task that generates an error will stop the process from
running as a whole, and output tasks will not generate output. The On Error tab can be used to
overwrite the default behaviors.
lSend to Process: Check this option to send the job file to an error management process.
lError Process drop-down:Enabled only when the Send to Process option is checked.
Lists any process of which the initial input task is the Input Error Bin task.
lAction:In the initial input tasks, this group is disabled and defaults to Stop Process. In
all other tasks where the On Error tab is present, the following options are available:
lDefault:By default, the task is ignored as if it did not exist and the error is logged
before continuing the branch or process; the job file is passed on to the next task in
the process. When an error occurs in a loop (or in a plugin that acts like a loop), the
loop may log the error, terminate the current iteration and proceed with the next
iteration.
lStop Branch:If the task is in a branch of the process, the branch is stopped and the
job file is returned to the process after the branch. The branch will not produce any
output. If the task is not on a branch, the entire process will be stopped.
lStop Process:The process is stopped and no more processing is done. No further
output is produced.
lLog Message:Check this option to enable logging a custom error message in the
PlanetPress Workflow log file and in the Windows Application Events.
lMessage:Enabled only when the Log Message option is checked. Enter a message that
will be logged in the PlanetPress Workflow log file. You can use any variables available
in PlanetPress Workflow to customize the message.
lStore the message in variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you
want to store the message content.
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lID:Enter an error ID. This IDwill be visible in the Windows Event Viewer. However, the
IDis not visible in the PlanetPress Workflow log file.
lStore the IDin variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you want to
store the error ID.
lReset to defaults:Resets all options in this tab to their default values.
When storing the message or ID, if they are stored in a jobinfo they will be available in any
error handling process where errors are being forwarded. If your process continues after the
error, the contents of the variables selected in this window will be available to the rest of your
process, or as long as they are not overwritten.
Common Errors
Though some error messages are specific to a task in particular, others may apply to any and
all tasks because they are related more to the system than to PlanetPress itself. Some
examples would be W3813,W3830,W3991,W4005. These correspond to issues such as not
having any space to write files, permission errors on folders or files, etc.
Embed/Extract PlanetPress Workflow Metadata
Embed the current PlanetPress Workflow metadata inside the current data file in a PDF
emulation. It can also extract PlanetPress Workflow metadata from the current data file and
make the extracted file the new current metadata file.
Input
A PDFFile, either with no metadata and along with metadata that presumably corresponds to
the PDF file, or a PDFfile with embedded metadata.
Processing
If the Embed option is used, the metadata information is embedded directly into the PDFFile as
binary data. This does not change the way the PDFis viewed by any PDFviewer.
If the Extract option is used, metadata present inside of the PDFfile is extracted from it. If no
metadata is embedded, the task generates an error W3976.
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Output
The PDFfile with embedded metadata (the metadata is not deleted from the PDFFile on
extraction, so this task will always output a PDFwith embedded metadata).
Properties
General Tab
lExtract metadata into PDFjob file:the metadata is extracted from the current data file
(which is assumed to be a PDF file in which metadata has been previously embedded),
and it becomes the current metadata from this point on, overwriting any current metadata
file that may already be set.
lEmbed metadata from PDFjob file:the current metadata file is inserted in the current
data file, which is assumed to be a PDF file. If the original PDF is PDF/X or PDF/A
compliant, the resulting PDF filewill also becompliant.
On Error Tab
The On Error tab is common to all tasks. Details can be found in the" Task Properties Dialog"
on page777.
By default, any action task, branch, splitter or condition that generates an error will simply be
ignored, and the task just under it (not within a branch)will be given control of the job file
without any modification. Any initial input task that generates an error will stop the process from
running as a whole, and output tasks will not generate output. The On Error tab can be used to
overwrite the default behaviors.
lSend to Process: Check this option to send the job file to an error management process.
lError Process drop-down:Enabled only when the Send to Process option is checked.
Lists any process of which the initial input task is the Input Error Bin task.
lAction:In the initial input tasks, this group is disabled and defaults to Stop Process. In
all other tasks where the On Error tab is present, the following options are available:
lDefault:By default, the task is ignored as if it did not exist and the error is logged
before continuing the branch or process; the job file is passed on to the next task in
the process. When an error occurs in a loop (or in a plugin that acts like a loop), the
loop may log the error, terminate the current iteration and proceed with the next
iteration.
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lStop Branch:If the task is in a branch of the process, the branch is stopped and the
job file is returned to the process after the branch. The branch will not produce any
output. If the task is not on a branch, the entire process will be stopped.
lStop Process:The process is stopped and no more processing is done. No further
output is produced.
lLog Message:Check this option to enable logging a custom error message in the
PlanetPress Workflow log file and in the Windows Application Events.
lMessage:Enabled only when the Log Message option is checked. Enter a message that
will be logged in the PlanetPress Workflow log file. You can use any variables available
in PlanetPress Workflow to customize the message.
lStore the message in variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you
want to store the message content.
lID:Enter an error ID. This IDwill be visible in the Windows Event Viewer. However, the
IDis not visible in the PlanetPress Workflow log file.
lStore the IDin variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you want to
store the error ID.
lReset to defaults:Resets all options in this tab to their default values.
When storing the message or ID, if they are stored in a jobinfo they will be available in any
error handling process where errors are being forwarded. If your process continues after the
error, the contents of the variables selected in this window will be available to the rest of your
process, or as long as they are not overwritten.
Common Errors
Though some error messages are specific to a task in particular, others may apply to any and
all tasks because they are related more to the system than to PlanetPress itself. Some
examples would be W3813,W3830,W3991,W4005. These correspond to issues such as not
having any space to write files, permission errors on folders or files, etc.
Comments Tab
The Comments tab is common to all tasks. It contains a text area (Task comments)that lets
you write comments about the task. These comments are saved when the dialog is closed with
the OKbutton, and are displayed in the Task Comments Pane.
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Check the option Use as step description to display the text next to the icon of the plugin in
the Process area.
Metadata Fields Management
The Metadata Fields Management task can be used to add new fields into your metadata,
either for every element or through conditions.
Note
This task will automatically loop through the metadata and repeat its action for each of
your metadata's datapages. This task should not be placed after a Metadata Sequencer.
Input
Any data file with accompanying metadata.
Processing
Fields are added, removed, modified, etc, according to the actions defined in the task
properties. If the field is present in a level that repeats (for example, the data page level), this
task loops so that the action may take place on each of the occurrences of that level.
Updating all nodes
For a given Metadata Field Management action, all nodes of a given level mightbe updated
with a New Field value.To accommodate this, all metadata/data selection functions accept a
wildcard parameter "?", indicating the function operates on allnodes (not just one) of a given
level.See: "Data selections" on page26.
Limitations
lThe name of the metadata field to add must adhere to these syntax rules: start with a
letter, followed by zero or more letters, numbers, underscore or dash. The name is not
case-sensitive.
lMetadata Fields Management actions on the page level are not possible since the entire
task execution is based on the data page node.
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lThe task raises an error if the selected Metadata Fields Management action is Sum and
if one of the field valuesis not numeric.The task supports approximately 15 digits of
precision in a range from 2.23 x 10-308 to 1.79 x 10308.
Output
The original data file is outputted, along with the modified metadata.
Properties
General tab
lAction: Select the type of Metadata Field Management action to perform. Five action
types are available:
lAdd/Replace: Create a new metadata field. If the name already exists, the value is
overwritten with the new one.
lDuplicate: Create a new metadata field. If the field already exists, a new instance is
created.
lAppend: Append the new value at the end of the current one. If no field with that
name exists, a new one is created.
lSum: Calculate the sum of all values found inall fields of a given name, at a given
level. The resulting number is formatted by default with the dot decimal separator.
lDelete: Delete the metadata field if it exists and disable the Field information
column's Field value option.
lField Information: Specify the metadata node level, field name and field value of the
specified action.
lLevel: Choose between Job, Group, Document, Datapage. The task will loop
through each selected node of the chosen metadata level.
lJob: Apply the action on the specified field at the Job level.
lGroup: Apply the action on the specified field at the Group level.
lDocument: Apply the action on the specified field at the Document level.
lData page: Apply the action on the specified field at the Data page level.
lField Name: Enter the metadata field name on which the task will operate.
lField Value: Enter the metadata field value. Note that if the chosenaction is Delete,
this parameter is disabled.For otheraction types,in order to set the field value, click
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the [...] button. This button opens the Data Selector, which allows to specify a data
selection as the field's value.
Note that when adding a metadata field, if you perform a multi-line data selection on
a PDF region, only the first line of that region will be set to the metadata field.
lDecimal Separator: Set the decimal separator for the Sum option. 3 possible
modes are offered:
lAuto-detect: Interpret automatically the value. This option is ideal for
documents using mixed decimal separators. Note that the auto-detect option
encountering the value 1,000 (with a comma separator), interprets it as a
thousand while interpreting 1.000 (with a dot separator), as one.
l.: Treat every value with the dot (".") decimal separator. Commas (",") are
treated as thousand separator.
l,: Treat every value with the comma (",") decimal separator. Dots (".") are
treated as thousand separator.
lRule: Define criteria for the Metadata Field Management action execution. The condition
must be TRUE for the action to execute. To set up conditions, the Rule Interface is
displayed, allowing to edit the condition for the given action. See theRule Interface page
for more details.
On Error Tab
The On Error tab is common to all tasks. Details can be found in the" Task Properties Dialog"
on page777.
By default, any action task, branch, splitter or condition that generates an error will simply be
ignored, and the task just under it (not within a branch)will be given control of the job file
without any modification. Any initial input task that generates an error will stop the process from
running as a whole, and output tasks will not generate output. The On Error tab can be used to
overwrite the default behaviors.
lSend to Process: Check this option to send the job file to an error management process.
lError Process drop-down:Enabled only when the Send to Process option is checked.
Lists any process of which the initial input task is the Input Error Bin task.
lAction:In the initial input tasks, this group is disabled and defaults to Stop Process. In
all other tasks where the On Error tab is present, the following options are available:
lDefault:By default, the task is ignored as if it did not exist and the error is logged
before continuing the branch or process; the job file is passed on to the next task in
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the process. When an error occurs in a loop (or in a plugin that acts like a loop), the
loop may log the error, terminate the current iteration and proceed with the next
iteration.
lStop Branch:If the task is in a branch of the process, the branch is stopped and the
job file is returned to the process after the branch. The branch will not produce any
output. If the task is not on a branch, the entire process will be stopped.
lStop Process:The process is stopped and no more processing is done. No further
output is produced.
lLog Message:Check this option to enable logging a custom error message in the
PlanetPress Workflow log file and in the Windows Application Events.
lMessage:Enabled only when the Log Message option is checked. Enter a message that
will be logged in the PlanetPress Workflow log file. You can use any variables available
in PlanetPress Workflow to customize the message.
lStore the message in variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you
want to store the message content.
lID:Enter an error ID. This IDwill be visible in the Windows Event Viewer. However, the
IDis not visible in the PlanetPress Workflow log file.
lStore the IDin variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you want to
store the error ID.
lReset to defaults:Resets all options in this tab to their default values.
When storing the message or ID, if they are stored in a jobinfo they will be available in any
error handling process where errors are being forwarded. If your process continues after the
error, the contents of the variables selected in this window will be available to the rest of your
process, or as long as they are not overwritten.
Common Errors
Though some error messages are specific to a task in particular, others may apply to any and
all tasks because they are related more to the system than to PlanetPress itself. Some
examples would be W3813,W3830,W3991,W4005. These correspond to issues such as not
having any space to write files, permission errors on folders or files, etc.
Comments Tab
The Comments tab is common to all tasks. It contains a text area (Task comments)that lets
you write comments about the task. These comments are saved when the dialog is closed with
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the OKbutton, and are displayed in the Task Comments Pane.
Check the option Use as step description to display the text next to the icon of the plugin in
the Process area.
Metadata File Management
The Metadata File Management action task is used to execute actions on Metadata files. This
task does not modify the data, job infos, variables or any other part of your process.
Input
This task takes any file as input and does not modify it.
Process
This task does not execute any change to the process, its files or variables. It only executes the
selected action on Metadata.
Output
This task outputs the exact same data that was given to it. Its metadata will either be missing
(Delete Metadata), Changed (Load Metadata)or the same (Save Metadata).
Properties
lChose an action group
lLoad metadata file:Loads an external metadata file that was previously saved.
This can be useful in Error processes if you have previously saved the Metadata to
file (ErrorBin outputs do not transfer Metadata).
lSave the current metadata file:Saves the current metadata to a specified location.
Useful as a backup or for use in Error processes.
lDelete the current metadata file:Removes the active metadata from the process.
Useful when using a secondary input task that does not automatically regenerates
metadata. No metadata will be available until another task generates it.
lMetadata Folder:Use Browse to find the location of the folder where to save the files or
enter a path using variables. Not active when the delete action is chosen.
lMetadata Filename: Enter a static or variable name for the metadata file to load. Not
active when the delete action is chosen.
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On Error Tab
The On Error tab is common to all tasks. Details can be found in the" Task Properties Dialog"
on page777.
By default, any action task, branch, splitter or condition that generates an error will simply be
ignored, and the task just under it (not within a branch)will be given control of the job file
without any modification. Any initial input task that generates an error will stop the process from
running as a whole, and output tasks will not generate output. The On Error tab can be used to
overwrite the default behaviors.
lSend to Process: Check this option to send the job file to an error management process.
lError Process drop-down:Enabled only when the Send to Process option is checked.
Lists any process of which the initial input task is the Input Error Bin task.
lAction:In the initial input tasks, this group is disabled and defaults to Stop Process. In
all other tasks where the On Error tab is present, the following options are available:
lDefault:By default, the task is ignored as if it did not exist and the error is logged
before continuing the branch or process; the job file is passed on to the next task in
the process. When an error occurs in a loop (or in a plugin that acts like a loop), the
loop may log the error, terminate the current iteration and proceed with the next
iteration.
lStop Branch:If the task is in a branch of the process, the branch is stopped and the
job file is returned to the process after the branch. The branch will not produce any
output. If the task is not on a branch, the entire process will be stopped.
lStop Process:The process is stopped and no more processing is done. No further
output is produced.
lLog Message:Check this option to enable logging a custom error message in the
PlanetPress Workflow log file and in the Windows Application Events.
lMessage:Enabled only when the Log Message option is checked. Enter a message that
will be logged in the PlanetPress Workflow log file. You can use any variables available
in PlanetPress Workflow to customize the message.
lStore the message in variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you
want to store the message content.
lID:Enter an error ID. This IDwill be visible in the Windows Event Viewer. However, the
IDis not visible in the PlanetPress Workflow log file.
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lStore the IDin variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you want to
store the error ID.
lReset to defaults:Resets all options in this tab to their default values.
When storing the message or ID, if they are stored in a jobinfo they will be available in any
error handling process where errors are being forwarded. If your process continues after the
error, the contents of the variables selected in this window will be available to the rest of your
process, or as long as they are not overwritten.
Common Errors
Though some error messages are specific to a task in particular, others may apply to any and
all tasks because they are related more to the system than to PlanetPress itself. Some
examples would be W3813,W3830,W3991,W4005. These correspond to issues such as not
having any space to write files, permission errors on folders or files, etc.
Comments Tab
The Comments tab is common to all tasks. It contains a text area (Task comments)that lets
you write comments about the task. These comments are saved when the dialog is closed with
the OKbutton, and are displayed in the Task Comments Pane.
Check the option Use as step description to display the text next to the icon of the plugin in
the Process area.
Metadata Filter
The task allows specifying the Level (Group, Document and Datapage) on which to perform the
action and under which condition. At least one level must have the condition set. The action will
be performed sequentially beginning with the rule on the Group level, Document level and Data
page level. The selection is performed on the node only.
Input
Any data file with accompanying metadata.
Processing
Any metadata that does not correspond to the rules set forth by the filter are removed from the
active metadata. Note that the metadata is still "present", but is disabled and ignored on all
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tasks that uses metadata afterward.
Output
The original data file is output, along with the modified metadata.
Properties
General Tab
lFilter levels: Rules for deselecting nodes at the Group, Document or Data page level.
Note that currently unselectednodesare ignored.
lGroup: Select the metadata Group nodes (the nodes only) based on the specified
rule(s).
lDocument: Select the metadata Document nodes (the nodes only) based on the
specified rule(s).
lDatapage: Select the metadata Datapage nodes (the nodes only) based on the
specified rule(s).
lRules: Define according to which criteria the action must to be performed. The condition
must be TRUE to execute the action. All nodes on a specific level with false condition
become Unselected. The task effectively both selects and deselects nodes based on the
condition. To set up conditions, the Rule Interface is displayed, allowing to edit the
condition for the given action. See theRule Interface page for more details.
lSelect all metadata nodes: Check to reset the Selection status of all nodes before
performing the filtering, effectively selecting all metadata nodes. This basically undoes
the work of any previous Metadata Filter or Metadata Sequencer, so please be careful
when using this option.
On Error Tab
The On Error tab is common to all tasks. Details can be found in the" Task Properties Dialog"
on page777.
By default, any action task, branch, splitter or condition that generates an error will simply be
ignored, and the task just under it (not within a branch)will be given control of the job file
without any modification. Any initial input task that generates an error will stop the process from
running as a whole, and output tasks will not generate output. The On Error tab can be used to
overwrite the default behaviors.
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lSend to Process: Check this option to send the job file to an error management process.
lError Process drop-down:Enabled only when the Send to Process option is checked.
Lists any process of which the initial input task is the Input Error Bin task.
lAction:In the initial input tasks, this group is disabled and defaults to Stop Process. In
all other tasks where the On Error tab is present, the following options are available:
lDefault:By default, the task is ignored as if it did not exist and the error is logged
before continuing the branch or process; the job file is passed on to the next task in
the process. When an error occurs in a loop (or in a plugin that acts like a loop), the
loop may log the error, terminate the current iteration and proceed with the next
iteration.
lStop Branch:If the task is in a branch of the process, the branch is stopped and the
job file is returned to the process after the branch. The branch will not produce any
output. If the task is not on a branch, the entire process will be stopped.
lStop Process:The process is stopped and no more processing is done. No further
output is produced.
lLog Message:Check this option to enable logging a custom error message in the
PlanetPress Workflow log file and in the Windows Application Events.
lMessage:Enabled only when the Log Message option is checked. Enter a message that
will be logged in the PlanetPress Workflow log file. You can use any variables available
in PlanetPress Workflow to customize the message.
lStore the message in variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you
want to store the message content.
lID:Enter an error ID. This IDwill be visible in the Windows Event Viewer. However, the
IDis not visible in the PlanetPress Workflow log file.
lStore the IDin variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you want to
store the error ID.
lReset to defaults:Resets all options in this tab to their default values.
When storing the message or ID, if they are stored in a jobinfo they will be available in any
error handling process where errors are being forwarded. If your process continues after the
error, the contents of the variables selected in this window will be available to the rest of your
process, or as long as they are not overwritten.
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Common Errors
Though some error messages are specific to a task in particular, others may apply to any and
all tasks because they are related more to the system than to PlanetPress itself. Some
examples would be W3813,W3830,W3991,W4005. These correspond to issues such as not
having any space to write files, permission errors on folders or files, etc.
Comments Tab
The Comments tab is common to all tasks. It contains a text area (Task comments)that lets
you write comments about the task. These comments are saved when the dialog is closed with
the OKbutton, and are displayed in the Task Comments Pane.
Check the option Use as step description to display the text next to the icon of the plugin in
the Process area.
Special Considerations
lThe task CANNOT re-select unselected nodes if the condition is false for those nodes.
lFilter rules cannot be based on the following metadata attributes: SelectedIndexInJob,
SelectedIndexInGroup, SelectedIndexInDocument and SelectedIndex.
Metadata Level Creation
Conditionally creates new metadata groups or documents. This task is only functional if
metadata already exists for the current job.
The task enables users to merge data pages into Documents and/or merge Documents into
Groups, based on conditions. Unselected Data pages are ignored, but are moved with other
Data pages if the action is applied to the current parent node.
Using the wildcard parameter "?"
Since all metadata data pages, and possibly all physical data pages, are treated by the task at
run-time in order to evaluate the condition at each level, it is necessary to dynamically define
metadata as well as data selections to check all occurrences instead of a fixed one.
This is done using the wildcard parameter "?". When a question mark is used as a parameter in
a data or metadata function, the function operates on allnodes (not just one) of a given level.
Used in a rule, it indicates that a dynamic update of the current data page or level is required
before evaluating the condition.
For examples of how to use the wildcard parameter, see "Data selections" on page26.
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Example of a process with the Metadata Level Creation task
Given a document input (created with metadata), this task can be used to regroup the PDF
pages of the received print stream in logical (metadata) documents, based on the keyword
“Page 1 of” printed on the pages, and then treat each newly created document individually in
the rest of the process
The process begins with the following tasks:
1. WinQueue Input: Intercepts a printed data file sent to a Windows printer queue.
2. Metadata Level Creation: Begins a new document node when “Page 1 of” is found on a
data page.
lAction: Document
lDelimiter: Begins when
lRule: (@(?,1,1,1,9,KeepCase,NoTrim) IS EQUAL TO Page 1 of)
3. Metadata Sequencer: Splits the data file on each metadata document node level.
With this example, before the Metadata Level Creation task, the metadata structure contains
one group containing one document (containing multiple data pages). After the Metadata Level
Creation task, the metadata structure contains one group containing multiple documents.
Input
Any data file with accompanying metadata.
Processing
The metadata file is split on the selected level.
Output
The original data file is output, along with the modified metadata.
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Properties
General Tab
lDocument: Create a new Document level. Note: Attributes and Fields are deleted for all
new Document levels created as well as existing Groups.
lGroup: Create a new Group level.
Note
Attributes and Fields are deleted for all new Group levels created.
ll Delimiter defines if the Condition parameter is triggering the beginning or the end of a
Group or Document. If the delimiter option is set to None, the action is not performed.
lRules enable the user to define on which criteria the action must to be performed. The
condition must be TRUE to execute the action. If the condition is not met at least once, the
rule is not applied. To set up conditions, the Rule Interface is displayed, allowing to edit
the condition for the given action. See theRule Interface page for more details.
On Error Tab
The On Error tab is common to all tasks. Details can be found in the" Task Properties Dialog"
on page777.
By default, any action task, branch, splitter or condition that generates an error will simply be
ignored, and the task just under it (not within a branch)will be given control of the job file
without any modification. Any initial input task that generates an error will stop the process from
running as a whole, and output tasks will not generate output. The On Error tab can be used to
overwrite the default behaviors.
lSend to Process: Check this option to send the job file to an error management process.
lError Process drop-down:Enabled only when the Send to Process option is checked.
Lists any process of which the initial input task is the Input Error Bin task.
lAction:In the initial input tasks, this group is disabled and defaults to Stop Process. In
all other tasks where the On Error tab is present, the following options are available:
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lDefault:By default, the task is ignored as if it did not exist and the error is logged
before continuing the branch or process; the job file is passed on to the next task in
the process. When an error occurs in a loop (or in a plugin that acts like a loop), the
loop may log the error, terminate the current iteration and proceed with the next
iteration.
lStop Branch:If the task is in a branch of the process, the branch is stopped and the
job file is returned to the process after the branch. The branch will not produce any
output. If the task is not on a branch, the entire process will be stopped.
lStop Process:The process is stopped and no more processing is done. No further
output is produced.
lLog Message:Check this option to enable logging a custom error message in the
PlanetPress Workflow log file and in the Windows Application Events.
lMessage:Enabled only when the Log Message option is checked. Enter a message that
will be logged in the PlanetPress Workflow log file. You can use any variables available
in PlanetPress Workflow to customize the message.
lStore the message in variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you
want to store the message content.
lID:Enter an error ID. This IDwill be visible in the Windows Event Viewer. However, the
IDis not visible in the PlanetPress Workflow log file.
lStore the IDin variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you want to
store the error ID.
lReset to defaults:Resets all options in this tab to their default values.
When storing the message or ID, if they are stored in a jobinfo they will be available in any
error handling process where errors are being forwarded. If your process continues after the
error, the contents of the variables selected in this window will be available to the rest of your
process, or as long as they are not overwritten.
Common Errors
Though some error messages are specific to a task in particular, others may apply to any and
all tasks because they are related more to the system than to PlanetPress itself. Some
examples would be W3813,W3830,W3991,W4005. These correspond to issues such as not
having any space to write files, permission errors on folders or files, etc.
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Comments Tab
The Comments tab is common to all tasks. It contains a text area (Task comments)that lets
you write comments about the task. These comments are saved when the dialog is closed with
the OKbutton, and are displayed in the Task Comments Pane.
Check the option Use as step description to display the text next to the icon of the plugin in
the Process area.
to dynamically define metadata as well as data selections to check all occurrences instead of a
fixed one, use the wildcard parameter "?" can be used in all current data and metadata
functions (region(), @(), field(), xmlget()). to identifying the data page or the level. can be
replaced with a question mark (“?”), indicating that a dynamic update of the current data page or
level is required before evaluating the condition.
For example, in a PDF emulation, the format of a selected region would look like this:
region(?,0.59375,2.21875,1.85416,2.51041,KeepCase,NoTrim)
where "?" represents the current page.
Using this expression, if the metadata structure has 3 data pages, then the task willproceed 3
times sequentially, with ?=1 for the first data page, ?=2 for the second and ?=3 for the third and
last data page index from the metadata structure.
In the Metadata tab of the Data Selector, the syntax of the selection is:
GetMeta(ItemDesc[?], 2, Job.Group[?].Document[?].Datapage[?])
where "?" is replaced with the current level index.
Note: For a relative position, the string has to be edited manually.
Metadata Sequencer
Although the Metadata Sequencer acts as a splitter, the data file itself remains untouched, as
neither the data nor the metadata are actually being split through this task. With each
sequence, the entire data file still gets carried from one task to another. Metadata records are
simply selected / deselected, which has the same effect.
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Input
Any data file with accompanying metadata.
Processing
A loop is established and the metadata is separated into chunks, as defined in the rules set
forth in the task properties.
Output
The original data file is output once per chunk, along with this chunk's metadata. Note that
*all*the metadata is in each of the sequence, but anything not part of the sequence is disabled
and is ignored by all tasks using metadata afterwards.
Properties
General Tab
lMetadata level: Select the metadata level to process.
lSequencing is based on
lThe following number of occurrences of the level: Determine a sequence based
on the number of instances found for the metadata level currently processed. For
example, if the Metadata level is set to Group, and this value is set to 3, each
sequence contains 3 groups (except, possibly, the last one, depending on the
number of groups left in the last sequence). The next loop starts with the next group
after this sequence.
lThefollowing number of sequences in the job:Divides the metadata into a set
number of sequences and equally distributes the number of levels between the
sequences. For example, it the Metadata level is set to Document, and this value is
set to 5, a 100 document job file will be divided into 5 sequences of 20 documents
each.
lThefollowing rule: Determine if a new sequence starts or if the current one ends.
For each metadata level, the current value of the specified metadata attribute / field
is compared with the one in memory. If they are different, either a new sequence
starts or the current sequence is ended. The next sequence starts with the next
metadata level being processed. For details see the Rule Interface.
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Metadata Sorter
The Metadata Sorter action task allows metadata to be sorted sequentially on three different
levels, alphabetically or numerically. It also allows sorting in ascending and descending order.
Input
Any data file with accompanying metadata.
Processing
The order of the metadata is changed in accordance with the rules set forth in the task's
properties.
Output
The original data file is output, along with the modified metadata.
General Tab
lGroup:Sorts the metadata by group.
lDocument:Sorts the metadata by document.
lData page:Sorts the metadata by data page.
For each parameter, three columns are available:Sort By, Then by, Then by (again). This lets
you sort your document level in three different orders sequentially. Sorts are always done from
left to right, top to bottom, giving you a total of 9 sorting possibilities.
When you click on either of the sort boxes, a small popup displays the following options:
lSort by:The drop down displays a list of available fields and attributes in that level,
letting you select on which to sort. The field or attributes must be present for every
instance of the level you are searching on, or the task raises an error.
lOrder:Choose Ascending (orders like a,b,c, or 1,2,3) or Descending (orders like 3,2,1
or c,b,a) order. If the Numeric sorting option is not checked, numbers are sorted like
this:"1, 10, 11, 12, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9".
lNumeric Sorting:Check to sort numerically instead of alphabetically (only supports
whole numbers. Currency with thousands separator and decimal points will not work). If
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any non-numeric value is found in the field or attribute, in any instance of the level, the
task raises an error.
On Error Tab
The On Error tab is common to all tasks. Details can be found in the" Task Properties Dialog"
on page777.
By default, any action task, branch, splitter or condition that generates an error will simply be
ignored, and the task just under it (not within a branch)will be given control of the job file
without any modification. Any initial input task that generates an error will stop the process from
running as a whole, and output tasks will not generate output. The On Error tab can be used to
overwrite the default behaviors.
lSend to Process: Check this option to send the job file to an error management process.
lError Process drop-down:Enabled only when the Send to Process option is checked.
Lists any process of which the initial input task is the Input Error Bin task.
lAction:In the initial input tasks, this group is disabled and defaults to Stop Process. In
all other tasks where the On Error tab is present, the following options are available:
lDefault:By default, the task is ignored as if it did not exist and the error is logged
before continuing the branch or process; the job file is passed on to the next task in
the process. When an error occurs in a loop (or in a plugin that acts like a loop), the
loop may log the error, terminate the current iteration and proceed with the next
iteration.
lStop Branch:If the task is in a branch of the process, the branch is stopped and the
job file is returned to the process after the branch. The branch will not produce any
output. If the task is not on a branch, the entire process will be stopped.
lStop Process:The process is stopped and no more processing is done. No further
output is produced.
lLog Message:Check this option to enable logging a custom error message in the
PlanetPress Workflow log file and in the Windows Application Events.
lMessage:Enabled only when the Log Message option is checked. Enter a message that
will be logged in the PlanetPress Workflow log file. You can use any variables available
in PlanetPress Workflow to customize the message.
lStore the message in variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you
want to store the message content.
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lID:Enter an error ID. This IDwill be visible in the Windows Event Viewer. However, the
IDis not visible in the PlanetPress Workflow log file.
lStore the IDin variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you want to
store the error ID.
lReset to defaults:Resets all options in this tab to their default values.
When storing the message or ID, if they are stored in a jobinfo they will be available in any
error handling process where errors are being forwarded. If your process continues after the
error, the contents of the variables selected in this window will be available to the rest of your
process, or as long as they are not overwritten.
Common Errors
Though some error messages are specific to a task in particular, others may apply to any and
all tasks because they are related more to the system than to PlanetPress itself. Some
examples would be W3813,W3830,W3991,W4005. These correspond to issues such as not
having any space to write files, permission errors on folders or files, etc.
Comments Tab
The Comments tab is common to all tasks. It contains a text area (Task comments)that lets
you write comments about the task. These comments are saved when the dialog is closed with
the OKbutton, and are displayed in the Task Comments Pane.
Check the option Use as step description to display the text next to the icon of the plugin in
the Process area.
Metadata to PDI
The Metadata to PDItask takes the active metadata and generates a PDI using the information
in that metadata. It is generally used in conjunction with a PDFdata file and is used to generate
the PDIfile which is used by PlanetPress Search when building, refreshing or rebuilding its
database.
Input
This task can use any data file, as long as it is accompanied by metadata. This metadata may
have been directly generated or could be extracted from a PDFusing the Embed and Extract
PlanetPress Workflow Metadata task.
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Processing
The metadata is read and PDFindexes are located. These indexes are defined in the
PlanetPress Design document as data selections, in which the Archive / Email / Fax properties
define the data as an index with a name.
When all the indexes are collected, a PDIfile is generated with those indexes.
Output
The output is the same as the input, no modification is done to either the data file or the
metadata. However, a PDIfile is generated and saved in the location specified in the task.
Metadata to PDITask Properties are as such:
lArchive Folder:Specifies where the PDIfile should be saved. This should be the same
location as the PDFfile that the PDIrefers to.
lFilename:The file name for the PDI. This name should correspond exactly with the name
of the PDFthat the PDIfile refers to.
lIndex Group:
lPDI:Only generate a PDI file.
lPDIand XML:Generate both the PDIand an XMLequivalent (not used by
PlanetPress Search).
On Error Tab
The On Error tab is common to all tasks. Details can be found in the" Task Properties Dialog"
on page777.
By default, any action task, branch, splitter or condition that generates an error will simply be
ignored, and the task just under it (not within a branch)will be given control of the job file
without any modification. Any initial input task that generates an error will stop the process from
running as a whole, and output tasks will not generate output. The On Error tab can be used to
overwrite the default behaviors.
lSend to Process: Check this option to send the job file to an error management process.
lError Process drop-down:Enabled only when the Send to Process option is checked.
Lists any process of which the initial input task is the Input Error Bin task.
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lAction:In the initial input tasks, this group is disabled and defaults to Stop Process. In
all other tasks where the On Error tab is present, the following options are available:
lDefault:By default, the task is ignored as if it did not exist and the error is logged
before continuing the branch or process; the job file is passed on to the next task in
the process. When an error occurs in a loop (or in a plugin that acts like a loop), the
loop may log the error, terminate the current iteration and proceed with the next
iteration.
lStop Branch:If the task is in a branch of the process, the branch is stopped and the
job file is returned to the process after the branch. The branch will not produce any
output. If the task is not on a branch, the entire process will be stopped.
lStop Process:The process is stopped and no more processing is done. No further
output is produced.
lLog Message:Check this option to enable logging a custom error message in the
PlanetPress Workflow log file and in the Windows Application Events.
lMessage:Enabled only when the Log Message option is checked. Enter a message that
will be logged in the PlanetPress Workflow log file. You can use any variables available
in PlanetPress Workflow to customize the message.
lStore the message in variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you
want to store the message content.
lID:Enter an error ID. This IDwill be visible in the Windows Event Viewer. However, the
IDis not visible in the PlanetPress Workflow log file.
lStore the IDin variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you want to
store the error ID.
lReset to defaults:Resets all options in this tab to their default values.
When storing the message or ID, if they are stored in a jobinfo they will be available in any
error handling process where errors are being forwarded. If your process continues after the
error, the contents of the variables selected in this window will be available to the rest of your
process, or as long as they are not overwritten.
Common Errors
Though some error messages are specific to a task in particular, others may apply to any and
all tasks because they are related more to the system than to PlanetPress itself. Some
examples would be W3813,W3830,W3991,W4005. These correspond to issues such as not
having any space to write files, permission errors on folders or files, etc.
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Comments Tab
The Comments tab is common to all tasks. It contains a text area (Task comments)that lets
you write comments about the task. These comments are saved when the dialog is closed with
the OKbutton, and are displayed in the Task Comments Pane.
Check the option Use as step description to display the text next to the icon of the plugin in
the Process area.
Metadata-Based N-Up
The Metadata-based N-Up action task works in conjunction with the PlanetPress Design tool's
N-Up functionality. It allows to specify how many virtual pages will appear on each physical
page of the PlanetPress Design template to be used with the current data file. The task
rearranges the metadata accordingly, which greatly facilitates the set up of the N-Up
functionality in the design tool, especially when the solutionincludes duplex printing with
variable dataon both sides.
The PlanetPress Design document needs to be properly set up with the N-Up object and
proper virtual pages in order to correctly use this task:
lAll PlanetPress Design document templates must use the n-up object on both the front
and the back pages of the duplex document.
lEach instance of the n-up object must have the “change data page with each repeat”
option checked.
lThe total number of repeats on each page (vertical X horizontal) must correspond to the
number specified in the Number of virtual pages per physical page option..
lThe Alignment setting of each n-up object must be set according to the device’s
duplicating capabilities (long-edge or short edge binding).
Input
Any data file with accompanying metadata.
Processing
The metadata is re-arranged and/or duplicated in order to correspond to the options set forth in
this task's properties.
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Output
The original data file is output, along with the modified metadata.
General Tab
lNumber of virtual pages that appear on each physical page: This is equivalent to the
N in N-Up. This number should be equal to the total number of virtual pages in your
PlanetPress Design document. For example, a 2 horizontal x 3 vertical is 6-up, so this
number should be 6.
lNumber of data pages that make up a single duplex virtual document: Either 1 if your
document is duplex (has a front and back), whether the back has variable data or not, or 2
if your document is simplex or the data is already properly duplicated so the front and
back already match.
On Error Tab
The On Error tab is common to all tasks. Details can be found in the" Task Properties Dialog"
on page777.
By default, any action task, branch, splitter or condition that generates an error will simply be
ignored, and the task just under it (not within a branch)will be given control of the job file
without any modification. Any initial input task that generates an error will stop the process from
running as a whole, and output tasks will not generate output. The On Error tab can be used to
overwrite the default behaviors.
lSend to Process: Check this option to send the job file to an error management process.
lError Process drop-down:Enabled only when the Send to Process option is checked.
Lists any process of which the initial input task is the Input Error Bin task.
lAction:In the initial input tasks, this group is disabled and defaults to Stop Process. In
all other tasks where the On Error tab is present, the following options are available:
lDefault:By default, the task is ignored as if it did not exist and the error is logged
before continuing the branch or process; the job file is passed on to the next task in
the process. When an error occurs in a loop (or in a plugin that acts like a loop), the
loop may log the error, terminate the current iteration and proceed with the next
iteration.
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lStop Branch:If the task is in a branch of the process, the branch is stopped and the
job file is returned to the process after the branch. The branch will not produce any
output. If the task is not on a branch, the entire process will be stopped.
lStop Process:The process is stopped and no more processing is done. No further
output is produced.
lLog Message:Check this option to enable logging a custom error message in the
PlanetPress Workflow log file and in the Windows Application Events.
lMessage:Enabled only when the Log Message option is checked. Enter a message that
will be logged in the PlanetPress Workflow log file. You can use any variables available
in PlanetPress Workflow to customize the message.
lStore the message in variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you
want to store the message content.
lID:Enter an error ID. This IDwill be visible in the Windows Event Viewer. However, the
IDis not visible in the PlanetPress Workflow log file.
lStore the IDin variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you want to
store the error ID.
lReset to defaults:Resets all options in this tab to their default values.
When storing the message or ID, if they are stored in a jobinfo they will be available in any
error handling process where errors are being forwarded. If your process continues after the
error, the contents of the variables selected in this window will be available to the rest of your
process, or as long as they are not overwritten.
Common Errors
Though some error messages are specific to a task in particular, others may apply to any and
all tasks because they are related more to the system than to PlanetPress itself. Some
examples would be W3813,W3830,W3991,W4005. These correspond to issues such as not
having any space to write files, permission errors on folders or files, etc.
Comments Tab
The Comments tab is common to all tasks. It contains a text area (Task comments)that lets
you write comments about the task. These comments are saved when the dialog is closed with
the OKbutton, and are displayed in the Task Comments Pane.
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Check the option Use as step description to display the text next to the icon of the plugin in
the Process area.
OL Connect Send
Connect Send allows for PostScript files to be received over the internet from any Windows
Desktop application. It is in fact an application with two components. The first is a Windows
printer driver while the other is a group of Workflow plugins (Job Processor,Get Job Data and
Get Data). These two components work together indiscriminately, each needing the other to
function.
Connect Send can be used in unlicensed mode and licensed mode.
The Unlicensed mode (default) allows users to push documents to Connect Send. They will
receive a pop-up message in the Notification Area confirming whether the job was received or
not.
The Licensed mode causes the Connect Send Printer Driver to request a web page that will
be displayed in the user’s browser in order to allow them to enter job specific information. The
information from this web page can be used to tell Workflow what to do next.
Workflow processes in Connect Send
For help on the configuration of Workflow processes in a Connect Send solution, see
"Workflow processes in a Connect Send solution" on page189.
Get Data
This plugin allows OL Connect Send users (admins, accounting personnel, print masters ...) to
get information about all jobs received with OL Connect Send on a dedicated machine. It
allows queries of the OL Connect Send Database to be made for the production of reports.
All job info that could be retrieved will be written to a temporary results file that is then passed
on as the new Workflow job file. It can be used right after the Get Job data plugin in the same
Workflow configuration. It could for example be saved using a Send to Folder plugin.
Note
The Get Data plugin gets data from the OL Connect Send database which means it only works
when Connect is in LICENSED mode.
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Properties
General Tab
Filter options
Filters are required for:
lStart and end date (down to minutes)
lDomain(s)
lUser(s)
lMachine name(s)
Except for start and end dates, it is possible to pass a list of multiple search criteria, separated
with semicolons, containing:
lWorkflow variables
lJob variables
lNames.
Tip
No spaces are allowed around the listed names, respectively before or after a semicolon.
Operators
lSearches are case-insensitive.
lMultiple entries in one filter field are combined with: OR.
lEntries in different filter fields are combined with: AND.
Example 1
A valid user name search string, entered in the Filter Users field, would be:
%\{global.User};helen;%1;george napier
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This would look for all entries, where the user name is either:
las currently stored in the global Workflow variable User
l"helen"
las stored in the job variable number 1
lequals "george napier" (case insensitive).
These search criteria are combined with OR.
Example 2
The domain name entered in the Filter Domains field is objmtl.objectiflune.com and the user
name entered in the Filter Users field is rentel.
If search criteria are entered in multiple input fields, all of them are combined with AND.
Therefore the result will only contain all the print job information for objmtl.objectiflune.com
where the user name is rentel.
Date and Time Definitions
Both date and time entries must be notated in UTC format. During runtime the dates are
checked and if any other date/time notation is used, a Workflow error log entry is created.
UTC notation is described here: https://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/~mgk25/iso-time.html.
Valid date/time entries:
2016-07-12 It is possible to only define a date without a time.
2016-%m-%d Standard Workflow variables for year, month and day are allowed.
2016-07-12 11:00 From and To dates may also have a time indicator (24 hour notation,
separator from the date is a space character, separator between hour
and minute is a colon)
It is possible to define the same date for From Date/Time as for To Date/Time. However,
entering the same info (without time information) would lead to getting no entries.
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Results
For each job that matches the search criteria, the following information will be put into the
resulting data file:
lJob UID
lDate/Time stamp
lNumber of Copies
lNumber of pages
lUser name
lOriginal file name
lOriginal file size
lDomain (workgroup) name
lDomain / Workgroup Indicator
lMachine name
lMachine GUID.
Results File Format
The following result file formats are selectable:
lXML
lJSON
lCSV (Separator = semicolon (0x3B), string indicator = quote (0x22)).
Note
This file is not automatically saved to disk. The retrieved job info is written to a temporary results
file that will be passed on as the new Workflow job file. To save the results file, use a Send to
Folder plugin and configure that appropriately.
Returned information
For each job received by the OL Connect Send Job Processor plugin the following values will
be available.
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lJob UID: This is the 10 (ten) character long Unique Job Identifier string.
lDate/Time stamp: This is the time when the matching job was initially created in the
database. It is stored in UTC format plus time zone indicator inside the database. It will
differ from the time stamp logged by the OL Connect Send Printer Driver as well as by the
OL Connect Send Job Processor.
Note
The Printer Driver machine time stamp in the Printer Driver log may significantly
differ from this value.
lNumber of Copies: This is the value set by the OL Connect Send Printer Driver for the
number of copies (intended number of copies required for the print job). Some
applications do not use the general print job information to define the number of copies. In
such (rare) cases, the Number of Copies sent in the job can differ from what the user
entered in the print dialog. For example: "IrfanView" does not use the regular Copies
indicator, but instead sends the same job as many times as indicated by Copies in its
print dialog.
lNumber of pages: This is the number of pages for one copy of the print job. This value is
calculated by the Windows spooler, when processing the printing order. Please be aware
that some applications do an implicit reformatting of jobs if the intended paper size does
not match the paper size as selected in the print dialog. This may lead to the fact that the
number of pages, as calculated by the spooler and reported by OL Connect Send, can
differ from that value as shown to the user in the application itself.
lUser name: This is the Windows user name of the user who started the application to
produce the print job. It is not - in all cases - the user name of the user who is currently
logged into the system.
lOriginal file name: This is the "file name" as sent from the application to the Windows
spooling system. It is taken from the name as it arrives in the spooler. Some applications
add info to the name (like Notepad++) while others don’t (like Adobe Reader). OL
Connect Send can only use what it gets from the spooler. It does not interact with the
applications itself.
lOriginal file size: The size of the print job - NOT the size of the document file.
lDomain (workgroup) name: The name of the domain or workgroup the printing user
belongs to. This is not necessarily the name of the domain the machine itself belongs to.
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lDomain / Workgroup Indicator: This domain name is the real domain name or only a
workgroup name. For explanations about domains, domain names, users, user names,
user domains, logged on users vs. application running users, machine names etc. please
refer to the respective Windows help pages or ask your system administrator.
lMachine name: The name of the machine the OL Connect Send Printer Driver is running
on as retrieved by the respective Windows API.
lMachine GUID: The unique machine ID of the machine on which the job was produced. It
can be used as an additional identification mark to validate the origin of the job.
On Error Tab
The On Error tab is common to all tasks. Details can be found in the" Task Properties Dialog"
on page777.
By default, any action task, branch, splitter or condition that generates an error will simply be
ignored, and the task just under it (not within a branch)will be given control of the job file
without any modification. Any initial input task that generates an error will stop the process from
running as a whole, and output tasks will not generate output. The On Error tab can be used to
overwrite the default behaviors.
lSend to Process: Check this option to send the job file to an error management process.
lError Process drop-down:Enabled only when the Send to Process option is checked.
Lists any process of which the initial input task is the Input Error Bin task.
lAction:In the initial input tasks, this group is disabled and defaults to Stop Process. In
all other tasks where the On Error tab is present, the following options are available:
lDefault:By default, the task is ignored as if it did not exist and the error is logged
before continuing the branch or process; the job file is passed on to the next task in
the process. When an error occurs in a loop (or in a plugin that acts like a loop), the
loop may log the error, terminate the current iteration and proceed with the next
iteration.
lStop Branch:If the task is in a branch of the process, the branch is stopped and the
job file is returned to the process after the branch. The branch will not produce any
output. If the task is not on a branch, the entire process will be stopped.
lStop Process:The process is stopped and no more processing is done. No further
output is produced.
lLog Message:Check this option to enable logging a custom error message in the
PlanetPress Workflow log file and in the Windows Application Events.
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lMessage:Enabled only when the Log Message option is checked. Enter a message that
will be logged in the PlanetPress Workflow log file. You can use any variables available
in PlanetPress Workflow to customize the message.
lStore the message in variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you
want to store the message content.
lID:Enter an error ID. This IDwill be visible in the Windows Event Viewer. However, the
IDis not visible in the PlanetPress Workflow log file.
lStore the IDin variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you want to
store the error ID.
lReset to defaults:Resets all options in this tab to their default values.
When storing the message or ID, if they are stored in a jobinfo they will be available in any
error handling process where errors are being forwarded. If your process continues after the
error, the contents of the variables selected in this window will be available to the rest of your
process, or as long as they are not overwritten.
Common Errors
Though some error messages are specific to a task in particular, others may apply to any and
all tasks because they are related more to the system than to PlanetPress itself. Some
examples would be W3813,W3830,W3991,W4005. These correspond to issues such as not
having any space to write files, permission errors on folders or files, etc.
Comments Tab
The Comments tab is common to all tasks. It contains a text area (Task comments)that lets
you write comments about the task. These comments are saved when the dialog is closed with
the OKbutton, and are displayed in the Task Comments Pane.
Check the option Use as step description to display the text next to the icon of the plugin in
the Process area.
Get Job Data
Creating an interactive process for incoming print jobs using OL Connect Send requires that
the relevant information about the respective job is available and can be used in Workflow. Job
Information retrieval is made easy with the Get Job Data plugin.
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The plugin appears in the Plug-in Bar of Workflow under OL Connect Send.
Typically, it is used in the OL Connect Send interaction process, just after the initial HTTP
Server Input plugin.
The Get Job Data plugin gets all relevant information for the dedicated print job using the
Unique Job ID. Whenever an OL Connect Send Printer Driver is sending a print job to the
OL Connect Send Job Processor plugin, it creates a unique ID string composed from 10
upper- and lowercase letters and digits e.g. “ri0zZdluLp”. This Unique Job ID is used in any
communication between the Printer Driver and the plugin and is the leading identification
element for this particular job. All job related information is stored in the underlying database
and linked together by this Unique Job ID.
Note
The Get Job Data plugin gets data from the OL Connect Send database which means it only
works when Connect is in LICENSED mode.
Properties
General tab
Three different settings affect the general behavior of the plugin:
lWhere to get the Print Job ID.
lWhen to continue with the next step.
lWhere to store the job information details.
Select Job ID Source
The plugin can be used in a generic way. Whenever information about a specific print job is
required, it can be retrieved as long as the related job ID is known. However, the plugin has
been implemented in a way that it can also be used very easily in the OL Connect Send
interaction process. It can get the related job ID from the incoming data of the HTTP Server
Input plugin.
lRead from HTTP Input data: When this option is selected, the plugin analyzes the
incoming data and if it can find the Job ID at the expected location, it uses it for further
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processing.
lRead from Variable: When selecting this option, any existing Workflow variable can be
chosen via the drop-down field. In this case, the plugin reads the Job ID from that
variable.
Select Returning Type
Depending on this setting the plugin gets status information about the job before it has arrived
or it gets information after the job has been completely received.
lImmediately: By choosing this option, the Get Job Data plugin will return as quickly as it
can, providing it can find a matching Job ID in the database. It is important to know that it
will wait until any information about the job is available. If no matching Job ID is found, the
plugin will wait for 5 seconds and then raise an error, which can be acted upon via the On
Error tab settings.
When selecting this option, the Status ID information has to be checked. A Status ID
value of 1 or 6 indicates a fully processed job. Any value between 2 and 5 (inclusive)
means that the job is still in progress.
lWhen Job is Processed: When this option is selected, the plugin will query the
database until the Status ID value is 1 or 6. If the status does not become 1 or 6 within the
time defined via the Timeout (sec) input field, the plugin will raise an error.
Select Output Type
lXMLData to Workflow: This will result in an XML file containing all job related data and
becoming the new Workflow job file. In this case, the incoming data file of the HTTP
Server Input plugin is overwritten and lost.
lWrite to Variables: This allows print job information to be stored in Workflow variables by
using a simple drop-down list. In this case, the HTTP Server Input data will be kept as
Workflow job file. If the same Workflow variable is assigned more than once, the plugin
will give a warning and will not close until the issue is fixed.
Returned information
For each job received by the OL Connect Send Job Processor plugin the following values will
be available.
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lJob UID: This is the 10 (ten) character long Unique Job Identifier string.
lDate/Time stamp: This is the time when the matching job was initially created in the
database. It is stored in UTC format plus time zone indicator inside the database. It will
differ from the time stamp logged by the OL Connect Send Printer Driver as well as by the
OL Connect Send Job Processor.
Note
The Printer Driver machine time stamp in the Printer Driver log may significantly
differ from this value.
lNumber of Copies: This is the value set by the OL Connect Send Printer Driver for the
number of copies (intended number of copies required for the print job). Some
applications do not use the general print job information to define the number of copies. In
such (rare) cases, the Number of Copies sent in the job can differ from what the user
entered in the print dialog. For example: "IrfanView" does not use the regular Copies
indicator, but instead sends the same job as many times as indicated by Copies in its
print dialog.
lNumber of pages: This is the number of pages for one copy of the print job. This value is
calculated by the Windows spooler, when processing the printing order. Please be aware
that some applications do an implicit reformatting of jobs if the intended paper size does
not match the paper size as selected in the print dialog. This may lead to the fact that the
number of pages, as calculated by the spooler and reported by OL Connect Send, can
differ from that value as shown to the user in the application itself.
lUser name: This is the Windows user name of the user who started the application to
produce the print job. It is not - in all cases - the user name of the user who is currently
logged into the system.
lOriginal file name: This is the "file name" as sent from the application to the Windows
spooling system. It is taken from the name as it arrives in the spooler. Some applications
add info to the name (like Notepad++) while others don’t (like Adobe Reader). OL
Connect Send can only use what it gets from the spooler. It does not interact with the
applications itself.
lOriginal file size: The size of the print job - NOT the size of the document file.
lDomain (workgroup) name: The name of the domain or workgroup the printing user
belongs to. This is not necessarily the name of the domain the machine itself belongs to.
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lDomain / Workgroup Indicator: This domain name is the real domain name or only a
workgroup name. For explanations about domains, domain names, users, user names,
user domains, logged on users vs. application running users, machine names etc. please
refer to the respective Windows help pages or ask your system administrator.
lMachine name: The name of the machine the OL Connect Send Printer Driver is running
on as retrieved by the respective Windows API.
lMachine GUID: The unique machine ID of the machine on which the job was produced. It
can be used as an additional identification mark to validate the origin of the job.
On Error Tab
The On Error tab is common to all tasks. Details can be found in the" Task Properties Dialog"
on page777.
By default, any action task, branch, splitter or condition that generates an error will simply be
ignored, and the task just under it (not within a branch)will be given control of the job file
without any modification. Any initial input task that generates an error will stop the process from
running as a whole, and output tasks will not generate output. The On Error tab can be used to
overwrite the default behaviors.
lSend to Process: Check this option to send the job file to an error management process.
lError Process drop-down:Enabled only when the Send to Process option is checked.
Lists any process of which the initial input task is the Input Error Bin task.
lAction:In the initial input tasks, this group is disabled and defaults to Stop Process. In
all other tasks where the On Error tab is present, the following options are available:
lDefault:By default, the task is ignored as if it did not exist and the error is logged
before continuing the branch or process; the job file is passed on to the next task in
the process. When an error occurs in a loop (or in a plugin that acts like a loop), the
loop may log the error, terminate the current iteration and proceed with the next
iteration.
lStop Branch:If the task is in a branch of the process, the branch is stopped and the
job file is returned to the process after the branch. The branch will not produce any
output. If the task is not on a branch, the entire process will be stopped.
lStop Process:The process is stopped and no more processing is done. No further
output is produced.
lLog Message:Check this option to enable logging a custom error message in the
PlanetPress Workflow log file and in the Windows Application Events.
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lMessage:Enabled only when the Log Message option is checked. Enter a message that
will be logged in the PlanetPress Workflow log file. You can use any variables available
in PlanetPress Workflow to customize the message.
lStore the message in variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you
want to store the message content.
lID:Enter an error ID. This IDwill be visible in the Windows Event Viewer. However, the
IDis not visible in the PlanetPress Workflow log file.
lStore the IDin variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you want to
store the error ID.
lReset to defaults:Resets all options in this tab to their default values.
When storing the message or ID, if they are stored in a jobinfo they will be available in any
error handling process where errors are being forwarded. If your process continues after the
error, the contents of the variables selected in this window will be available to the rest of your
process, or as long as they are not overwritten.
Common Errors
Though some error messages are specific to a task in particular, others may apply to any and
all tasks because they are related more to the system than to PlanetPress itself. Some
examples would be W3813,W3830,W3991,W4005. These correspond to issues such as not
having any space to write files, permission errors on folders or files, etc.
Comments Tab
The Comments tab is common to all tasks. It contains a text area (Task comments)that lets
you write comments about the task. These comments are saved when the dialog is closed with
the OKbutton, and are displayed in the Task Comments Pane.
Check the option Use as step description to display the text next to the icon of the plugin in
the Process area.
Job Processor
The Job Processor plugin is an output plugin that appears in the Plug-in Bar of Workflow
under OL Connect Send.
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Input
The Job Processor plugin must be added to a Workflow job transfer process that starts with
an HTTP Server Input. The Job Processor plugin is the only other task in that process.
The action name of the HTTP Input task must match the last part of the URL for print job
submission, set in the OLConnect Send Printer Driver installer. By default this is olcs_transfer.
After the job is processed, the HTTP Server Input returns a reply from the Job Processor
plugin back to the OLCS Printer Driver in order to notify the user that the job has been
received successfully (or failed if an error occurred).
Note
It is strongly recommended that a single job transfer process for all OL Connect Send Printer
Drivers is created, using the domain or machine’s or user information to divert to any follow-up
processes.
This single transfer process can be set to "Self Replicating", so that parallelization is possible.
Processing
The Job Processor plugin receives a compressed PostScript file sent by the OL Connect Send
Printer Driver and communicates with the Printer Driver to ensure that all data has been
received correctly. If the Printer Driver has split the job into multiple chunks, the plugin
combines the chunks into one PostScript file.
License mode
Each incoming print job is checked against the license to determine if it can be handled in
licensed mode or in unlicensed mode.
If OL Connect Send is unlicensed, the plugin stores the incoming job in the target folder using
the specified file name, but it does not save any information in the database. The end user will
receive a message in the Notification Area (also called "system tray") confirming the unlicensed
status, and the printer driver will not request another web page.
In licensed mode, the plugin will store all relevant information about each job in the OL
Connect Send database. This database is a HSQLDB and is installed automatically.
Subsequent Workflow processes can use the information in the database for additional
processing (see "Get Job Data" on page544).
Whether OL Connect Send is licensed can be seen on the General tab of the properties dialog.
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Timeout
During a job transfer from the OL Connect Send Printer Driver to Workflow, a timeout could
occur (indicated by a log entry like “ERROR: sendBinaryContents: Could not open request.
Reason: 12002”). In this case, the timeout for the HTTP service in Workflow needs to be
increased. It is recommended to use a value of more than 10 minutes (>600 seconds).
Additionally, the timeout in the browser on the client side should be enhanced. Please see the
help pages for your browser about how to do this.
Security
In order to provide security when printing over the internet, OL Connect Send includes several
protective features.
HTTPS Communication
The OL Connect Send Printer Driver can be set to use HTTPS for any job transfer. To do this,
Workflow must also be set to use HTTPS.
Job Origin
Each print job will include unique information about the machine it has been sent from. This
unique machine ID is calculated with a proven method and will be transferred, encrypted and
enhanced. The enhancement will result in a different encrypted machine ID per print job, so that
spoofing can be detected. On the server side, if spoofing is detected a respective message will
be created.
Users can set up Workflow processes and filters to accept only specific jobs from known
machine IDs, thus enhancing security.
Database connection
The Job Processor plugin works with a database to store all relevant job information. This
database is a HyperSQL Database (HSQLDB, see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HSQL_
Database_Engine). It is installed as a service with the name OL Connect Send DBServer (the
internal service name is OLCSServer).
Communication between the plugin and the database occurs using port 9001 (the default port
for HSQLDB). However, there may be situations where this port is already blocked by another
application and may need to be changed.
Several database settings can be modified by creating an ini file. This file must be named
“OLCSSvc.ini” and stored in the same folder as the executable OLCSSvc.exe, located under
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“%CommonProgramFiles(x86)%\Objectif Lune\<Workflow Name>\Plugins\CPD”.
By adding the entry “DBPort = <new port number>” under [HSQLDBSETTINGS] and then
restarting the service, the communication port is changed.
Note that Workflow has to be restarted after such a modification.
Output
The plugin stores the incoming print job in the target folder with the file name specified in the
plugin.
If no extension is defined by the user for the file name, the default “.ps” extension is added
automatically, as the incoming print jobs are PostScript files.
Metadata
In addition to the print job, the plugin creates a metadata file with basic information. The values
originate from the client machine.
In unlicensed mode, the user name, machine name and domain/workgroup name will not be
available through the metadata.
Properties
General tab
lData Output
lOutput Folder: Enter the target folder for the incoming print jobs.
lOutput File Name: Enter the file name for the incoming print jobs.
Note
If no extension is defined by the user for the file name, the default “.ps” extension is
added automatically, as the incoming print jobs are PostScript files.
Workflow variables
Variables can and should be used to create dynamic file and folder names for each print
job. This enables separating licensed and unlicensed jobs and/or storing the files by
domain, machine and even user name.
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To facilitate using job related information for the creation of the target folder and file
name/s, the Job Processor plugin maps job relevant information to the standard Workflow
variables (%1 to %8). The following mappings apply:
Information Workflow
Variable
When licensed When unlicensed
Job ID %1 Job ID Job ID
License status
for this job
%2 "Licensed" "Unlicensed"
Username 1%3 The user name "na"
IP Address 1%4 The IP address The IP address
No. of Pages 1%5 Number of pages of
the job
Number of pages of
the job
No. of Copies 1%6 Number of copies set
by the user
Number of copies set
by the user
Domain Name 1%7 The Domain Name "na"
Machine Name 1%8 The Machine Name "na"
1) These values originate from the Printer Driver machine.
lPlug-in Information
lLicense: Shows whether a license for OL Connect Send could be found. If not, OL
Connect Send will be running in unlicensed (default) mode.
lProtocol version: Here the plugin shows which protocol version is used. The OL
Connect Send components communicate with each other by using a well-defined
and versioned protocol. As long as these components use the same protocol
version, the job transfer will work even if the plugins themselves are changed.
The protocol version used by the Printer Driver can be found in the third part of the
version number of the Printer Driver (i.e. in version number 1.2.5.98-17, the “5”
indicates protocol version 1.5, omitting the leading 1).
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Any OL Connect Send Printer Driver can communicate with any plugin, as long as
this third version number part is identical.
On Error Tab
The On Error tab is common to all tasks. Details can be found in the" Task Properties Dialog"
on page777.
By default, any action task, branch, splitter or condition that generates an error will simply be
ignored, and the task just under it (not within a branch)will be given control of the job file
without any modification. Any initial input task that generates an error will stop the process from
running as a whole, and output tasks will not generate output. The On Error tab can be used to
overwrite the default behaviors.
lSend to Process: Check this option to send the job file to an error management process.
lError Process drop-down:Enabled only when the Send to Process option is checked.
Lists any process of which the initial input task is the Input Error Bin task.
lAction:In the initial input tasks, this group is disabled and defaults to Stop Process. In
all other tasks where the On Error tab is present, the following options are available:
lDefault:By default, the task is ignored as if it did not exist and the error is logged
before continuing the branch or process; the job file is passed on to the next task in
the process. When an error occurs in a loop (or in a plugin that acts like a loop), the
loop may log the error, terminate the current iteration and proceed with the next
iteration.
lStop Branch:If the task is in a branch of the process, the branch is stopped and the
job file is returned to the process after the branch. The branch will not produce any
output. If the task is not on a branch, the entire process will be stopped.
lStop Process:The process is stopped and no more processing is done. No further
output is produced.
lLog Message:Check this option to enable logging a custom error message in the
PlanetPress Workflow log file and in the Windows Application Events.
lMessage:Enabled only when the Log Message option is checked. Enter a message that
will be logged in the PlanetPress Workflow log file. You can use any variables available
in PlanetPress Workflow to customize the message.
lStore the message in variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you
want to store the message content.
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lID:Enter an error ID. This IDwill be visible in the Windows Event Viewer. However, the
IDis not visible in the PlanetPress Workflow log file.
lStore the IDin variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you want to
store the error ID.
lReset to defaults:Resets all options in this tab to their default values.
When storing the message or ID, if they are stored in a jobinfo they will be available in any
error handling process where errors are being forwarded. If your process continues after the
error, the contents of the variables selected in this window will be available to the rest of your
process, or as long as they are not overwritten.
Common Errors
Though some error messages are specific to a task in particular, others may apply to any and
all tasks because they are related more to the system than to PlanetPress itself. Some
examples would be W3813,W3830,W3991,W4005. These correspond to issues such as not
having any space to write files, permission errors on folders or files, etc.
Comments Tab
The Comments tab is common to all tasks. It contains a text area (Task comments)that lets
you write comments about the task. These comments are saved when the dialog is closed with
the OKbutton, and are displayed in the Task Comments Pane.
Check the option Use as step description to display the text next to the icon of the plugin in
the Process area.
OL Connect tasks
OLConnect tasks are available in PlanetPress Workflow 8.0 and up. They are used
specifically to communicate with the Server component of PlanetPress Connect or
PReSConnect and for such purposes as creating record sets, generating contents and
generating output.
All In One
The All In One task is a combination of 4 different OLConnect tasks within a single one. This
makes creating Print content easier and faster, as the task is optimized for this specific purpose.
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It exchanges less data with the server than the separate plugins do and it has multi-threading
support: it can produce the data set and content items in parallel.
The task is build with 3 tabs that represent the 3 main steps of the creation of a Print
Output:Data Mapping, Content Creation and Output Creation.
In a Print process built with separate plugins, the Job Creation task comes between Content
Creation and Output Creation. With the All In One, Job Creation is implied and equivalent to a
single created job; it isn't possible to use a Job Preset.
Tip
If you do need to use a Job Preset, set the All-In-One’s Output Creation options to None. Add the
Job Creation and Output Creation tasks to the process after the All-In-One.
This task can be added as an Action task (see "Action Tasks" on page268) or as an Output
task. Adding it as an Action task enables the process or branch to continue after this task. An
Output task is always located at the end of a process or branch.
Note
When added as an Output task, the All In One plugin works asynchronously to the Workflow
process.
Properties
The All In One task properties are as follows:
Data Mapper Tab
The Data Mapper tab generates a Record Set from a specific source:data mapping on the
appropriate source (Current Data File, Database or PDF/VT data file), Retrieving items from the
Connect Database (filter setting) or uses the current job Metadata. The resulting Record Set is
given to the Content Creation part of the task. In order to optimize the process, blocks of 100
records are sent sequentially to the ContentCreation in parallel, instead of waiting for the
whole record set to be created.
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lSource: Indicates the source of the Record Set metadata:
lData Mapping Configuration:Executes data mapping on the appropriate source.
Select the appropriate data mapping configuration in the list:
l"None": Select to execute default, basic data mapping on the input PDV/VT
file.
l"%o":Select to use a dynamic data mapping configuration name. Click on %o
to change the expression that determines the name of the data mapping
configuration to use.
lConfiguration Names:Select the appropriate data mapping configuration.
Adding configurations is done through the Send to Workflow option in the
DataMapper Module.
Click the Open data model of selected configurationbutton to view the data
model attached to the configuration in the Data Mapper module, to verify that
the right one is used. Only works for configurations listed (will not work for
"None"or "Dynamic"options).
lNo storing or post-processing of the data records (faster): This option
prevents data from being written to the database. Instead, records are
streamed directly into the Content Creation process for immediate merging.
Turning this feature on can improve data mapping performance significantly,
as well as the time required for the cleanup process. However, since the data
is not written to the database, there is no way to do post-processing on the
extracted data after the All In One operation has completed. Any post-
processors defined in the data mapping configuration will be disabled.
This option is unchecked by default.
lFilter:Retrieves records from the Connect Database. This is identical to using the
Retrieve Entities task.
lFilter type:Determines at which level to retrieve the records:
lRecord:Retrieves one or more Records, whether or not they are part of
a Record Set. Output similar to the Create Record Set task.
lRecord Set:Retrieves one or more Record Sets, including all their
records. Output similar to the Create Record Set task.
lFilter:
lAdd a condition:Click to add a new condition line. This adds the line to
the current condition level, by default with an AND operator.
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lSwitch conditions:Click to swap two conditions on the same level, or
two groups of conditions.
lDelete the selected condition:Click to delete the currently selected
conditions in the list.
lClear the rule: Click to delete all rules in the list. Note:This cannot be
undone.
lImport a rule:Click to open the Browse dialog and load a Rules file.
This will load its rules into the list.
lExport the rule:Click to open a Save dialog and save the Rules file to
disk.
lRule Viewer:Displays a text-based view of the condition using operators and
parentheses.
lSort contents:Defines how records are sorted.
lSort items based on: Displays the current sorting method. To modify
the sorting method, click on the [...] button at the right of the box to open
the Sort Parameters dialog.
lMetadata:Uses existing metadata, generally the output of a "Execute Data
Mapping" on page591 or a "Retrieve Items" on page609 task set to retrieve
Records or Record Sets. This source has no options as it expects valid metadata.
lPDF/VT with Content Creation:Expects a PDF/VTfile as an input and executes
basic data mapping on the file. This is the same as using the passthrough option in
the "Execute Data Mapping" on page591 task. Content Items are created
automatically. When this source is selected, the Content Creation tab is disabled.
Note
Once the All In One plugin has been executed with this option selected, any
task that attempts to access records in the database will fail.
Content Creation Tab
The Content Creation tab generates Content Items either by merging a Record Set with a
Template, or by processing a PDF/VTfile into individual content items.
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lTemplate:Select the appropriate template or option to execute it:
l"None"filename:Select to skip Content Creation completely.
l"%o":Select to use a dynamic template name. Click on %o to change the
expression that determines the name of the template to use.
lTemplate Names:Select the appropriate template name from the list. Adding
templates is done from the Send to Workflow option in the Designer Module.
lPreview:Displays a preview of the output generated by the Print context of the selected
Template. Not available for the PDF/VTor dynamic template names.
By default the entire Print context is printed. Printing selected Print sections can only be
achieved with a Control Script in the template (see Control Scripts in the Designer Help).
Output Creation Tab
The Output Creation tab generates the output for the current job, using the selected Output
Creation Preset. Note that the Job Creationtask normally necessary when using the individual
tasks is implicitly executed before output creation.
lOutput Preset: Select the appropriate Output Creation Preset to use:
l"None":Select to prevent the execution of Output Creation. In this case the All In
One can be combined with the Create Job and Create Output tasks and thus also
with a Job Preset and Output Preset.
l"%o":Select to use a dynamic Preset name. Click on %o to change the expression
that determines the name of the Preset to use.
lPreset Name:Select the appropriate Preset to create output with. Adding Output
Creation Presets is done from the Sent to Workflow option in the Designer Module.
OL Connect Proxy Tab
This tab is common to all OLConnect tasks and defines where to process the jobs sent through
these tasks. When these fields are empty, they use the defaults set in the OL Connect User
Options page of the preferences.
Note
Defaults are not used unless the configuration is sent to the Workflow service.
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lOL Connect Proxy Address: Enter the machine name or IPAddress where the
OLConnectServer resides.
lPort: Enter the port to use to communicate with the OLConnect Server. Default:9340
lUser name:Enter the user name expected by the OLConnect Server.
lPassword:Enter the password expected by the OLConnect Server for the above user
name.
On Error Tab
The On Error tab is common to all tasks. Details can be found in the" Task Properties Dialog"
on page777.
By default, any action task, branch, splitter or condition that generates an error will simply be
ignored, and the task just under it (not within a branch)will be given control of the job file
without any modification. Any initial input task that generates an error will stop the process from
running as a whole, and output tasks will not generate output. The On Error tab can be used to
overwrite the default behaviors.
lSend to Process: Check this option to send the job file to an error management process.
lError Process drop-down:Enabled only when the Send to Process option is checked.
Lists any process of which the initial input task is the Input Error Bin task.
lAction:In the initial input tasks, this group is disabled and defaults to Stop Process. In
all other tasks where the On Error tab is present, the following options are available:
lDefault:By default, the task is ignored as if it did not exist and the error is logged
before continuing the branch or process; the job file is passed on to the next task in
the process. When an error occurs in a loop (or in a plugin that acts like a loop), the
loop may log the error, terminate the current iteration and proceed with the next
iteration.
lStop Branch:If the task is in a branch of the process, the branch is stopped and the
job file is returned to the process after the branch. The branch will not produce any
output. If the task is not on a branch, the entire process will be stopped.
lStop Process:The process is stopped and no more processing is done. No further
output is produced.
lLog Message:Check this option to enable logging a custom error message in the
PlanetPress Workflow log file and in the Windows Application Events.
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lMessage:Enabled only when the Log Message option is checked. Enter a message that
will be logged in the PlanetPress Workflow log file. You can use any variables available
in PlanetPress Workflow to customize the message.
lStore the message in variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you
want to store the message content.
lID:Enter an error ID. This IDwill be visible in the Windows Event Viewer. However, the
IDis not visible in the PlanetPress Workflow log file.
lStore the IDin variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you want to
store the error ID.
lReset to defaults:Resets all options in this tab to their default values.
When storing the message or ID, if they are stored in a jobinfo they will be available in any
error handling process where errors are being forwarded. If your process continues after the
error, the contents of the variables selected in this window will be available to the rest of your
process, or as long as they are not overwritten.
Common Errors
Though some error messages are specific to a task in particular, others may apply to any and
all tasks because they are related more to the system than to PlanetPress itself. Some
examples would be W3813,W3830,W3991,W4005. These correspond to issues such as not
having any space to write files, permission errors on folders or files, etc.
Comments Tab
The Comments tab is common to all tasks. It contains a text area (Task comments)that lets
you write comments about the task. These comments are saved when the dialog is closed with
the OKbutton, and are displayed in the Task Comments Pane.
Check the option Use as step description to display the text next to the icon of the plugin in
the Process area.
Sort Parameters
The Search Parameters define how to sort the entities retrieved from the Connect Database
using either the Retrieve Items task, or the Filter source in the All in One Action Task's Data
Mapper task.
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lSort items based on:Lists the different sorts to apply to the entities.
lName:Click and enter the name for the Value or the Property to sort on.
lType:Select whether the Name option refers to a Property or a Value within the
entity.
lOrder:Select how to sort, either Ascending or Descending alphabetical order.
lAdd:Click to add a new line to the sort list.
lRemove:Click to remove the currently selected line in the sort list.
lMove Up:Click to move the currently selected line up one position in the sort list.
lMove Down:Click to move the currently selected line down one position in the sort list.
lValidate Names:Click to check the each of line in the sort list against the currently active
Metadata. Metadata must be loaded in the Data Selector or through the use of the
Debugging feature.
Create Email Content
The Create Email Content task generates a set of email content items from a template's Email
Context, which are then sent directly to the recipient set in each record.
Input
This task must receive either metadata containing information regarding a valid Record Set, or
JSON data.
Metadata
The "Execute Data Mapping" on page591 task and the "Retrieve Items" on page609 task
output metadata containing information regarding a Record Set.
JSON
The Create Email Content task supports two types of JSON:
lA JSON object or an array of JSON objects representing records. If a value in a record
object is a string, it is considered to be a field value. If a value in a record object is a
JSON object, it is considered to be a nested table with detail records. For examples, see
"JSON string samples" on page579.
lA JSON Record Data List (see the REST API Cookbook). When the "Retrieve Items" on
page609 task is set to output Records in JSON, it outputs this kind of JSON data.
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If the input is JSON, the task performs a REST call to the
/rest/serverengine/workflow/contentcreation/email/{templateId}} endpoint on the
Connect Server. For more information see the REST API Cookbook.
Processing
This task loops through each record in a Record Set or through each JSON object in an array.
For each record or JSON object, an HTMLEmail is generated using that record's or object's
data. The output generated is then sent via an SMTPserver with the email address set by the
template.
Output
Within the Workflow process, the output to this task is only modified metadata indicating that the
task is complete. It is the Server component that outputs the emails themselves and sends them
to each recipient.
Properties
General Tab
lTemplate
l"%o":Select to use a dynamic template name. Click on %o to change the
expression that determines the name of the template to use.
lTemplate Names:Select the appropriate template. Adding template is done
through the Send to Workflow option in the Designer Module.
lSection:Enter the section name that will generate output. Only one section can be
output. If no section is defined or if the section name is invalid, the default section will be
output.
lData Source (see "Input" on the previous page):
lMetadata:
lUpdate Records from Metadata: If the process metadata has been modified
by any of the "Metadata Tasks" on page509, check this option to update the
records in the Connect database with the metadata and use the updated
records. Otherwise, only the IDof the current job is sent, and the unchanged
records are used.
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lJSON:
lJSON String: a JSON object or an array of JSON objects representing
records (see "JSON" on page562) or a JSON Record Data List (see the
REST API Cookbook).
This option requires that keys in the JSON data have matching field names in
the data model of the template. When they have, the JSON values are passed
to the template and the personalization scripts of the template will have
access to the values through the record's data fields. (See the Designer help:
Adding Variable Data.)
Warning
The JSON format is not validated by the plugin; it is passed as is to the
server.
Email Info tab
lSender Address:Enter the email address that appears in the "From"field of the email.
lMail host:Enter the address of the SMTPserver through which emails should be routed.
The address can include a port number. This information should be available from your
ITstaff.
lSend emails to sender (test mode):Check to ignore the email address from each record
and send all emails to the address entered in the Sender Address field instead.
lPrecedence to template address: If the sender's address is given in the template, that
address gets precedence over the one specified here.
lUse Authentication group: Check to enable authentication to the SMTPserver.
lUser name: Enter a user name that has permission to send email through the
SMTPserver.
lPassword:Enter the password for the above user name.
lStart TLS:Check to send connect to the SMTPserver using TLS(Transport Layer
Security, also called "SSL").
lAttachments:
lPrint Context as PDF document: Check to generate the Print Context in the
template as a PDF and send it with the email as an attachment.
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lWeb Content as HTML page: Check to generate the active Web section in the
template as an HTML page and send it with the email as an attachment
lTest SMTP settings: Validates the format of the sender's address and mail host and tries
to send a test email. This won't work when the option Start TLS is checked.
OL Connect Proxy Tab
This tab is common to all OLConnect tasks and defines where to process the jobs sent through
these tasks. When these fields are empty, they use the defaults set in the OL Connect User
Options page of the preferences.
Note
Defaults are not used unless the configuration is sent to the Workflow service.
lOL Connect Proxy Address: Enter the machine name or IPAddress where the
OLConnectServer resides.
lPort: Enter the port to use to communicate with the OLConnect Server. Default:9340
lUser name:Enter the user name expected by the OLConnect Server.
lPassword:Enter the password expected by the OLConnect Server for the above user
name.
On Error Tab
The On Error tab is common to all tasks. Details can be found in the" Task Properties Dialog"
on page777.
By default, any action task, branch, splitter or condition that generates an error will simply be
ignored, and the task just under it (not within a branch)will be given control of the job file
without any modification. Any initial input task that generates an error will stop the process from
running as a whole, and output tasks will not generate output. The On Error tab can be used to
overwrite the default behaviors.
lSend to Process: Check this option to send the job file to an error management process.
lError Process drop-down:Enabled only when the Send to Process option is checked.
Lists any process of which the initial input task is the Input Error Bin task.
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lAction:In the initial input tasks, this group is disabled and defaults to Stop Process. In
all other tasks where the On Error tab is present, the following options are available:
lDefault:By default, the task is ignored as if it did not exist and the error is logged
before continuing the branch or process; the job file is passed on to the next task in
the process. When an error occurs in a loop (or in a plugin that acts like a loop), the
loop may log the error, terminate the current iteration and proceed with the next
iteration.
lStop Branch:If the task is in a branch of the process, the branch is stopped and the
job file is returned to the process after the branch. The branch will not produce any
output. If the task is not on a branch, the entire process will be stopped.
lStop Process:The process is stopped and no more processing is done. No further
output is produced.
lLog Message:Check this option to enable logging a custom error message in the
PlanetPress Workflow log file and in the Windows Application Events.
lMessage:Enabled only when the Log Message option is checked. Enter a message that
will be logged in the PlanetPress Workflow log file. You can use any variables available
in PlanetPress Workflow to customize the message.
lStore the message in variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you
want to store the message content.
lID:Enter an error ID. This IDwill be visible in the Windows Event Viewer. However, the
IDis not visible in the PlanetPress Workflow log file.
lStore the IDin variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you want to
store the error ID.
lReset to defaults:Resets all options in this tab to their default values.
When storing the message or ID, if they are stored in a jobinfo they will be available in any
error handling process where errors are being forwarded. If your process continues after the
error, the contents of the variables selected in this window will be available to the rest of your
process, or as long as they are not overwritten.
Common Errors
Though some error messages are specific to a task in particular, others may apply to any and
all tasks because they are related more to the system than to PlanetPress itself. Some
examples would be W3813,W3830,W3991,W4005. These correspond to issues such as not
having any space to write files, permission errors on folders or files, etc.
Page 566
Comments Tab
The Comments tab is common to all tasks. It contains a text area (Task comments)that lets
you write comments about the task. These comments are saved when the dialog is closed with
the OKbutton, and are displayed in the Task Comments Pane.
Check the option Use as step description to display the text next to the icon of the plugin in
the Process area.
Create Job
The Create Job action task prepares a series of print content items for output generation. AJob
is not actual contents but simply a collection of content items ready to be printed.
Input
The task expects to have a valid Print Content Set, output from the "Create Print Content" on
page582 task, or the result of the "Retrieve Items" on page609 task set to retrieve either
Content Items or a Content Set.
Note
The result of a Retrieve Items task cannot be used with a Job Creation Preset. Use the IDs in the
metadata instead (see the Properties below).
Processing
The task prepares the content items or content sets for printing, tagging them as printable. Only
the content items that are part of the job will generate output.
Output
The task outputs a Print Job ready to be sent to the Create Output task for printing.
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Properties
General Tab
lJob Preset file:Select which Job Preset to use to generate the job. To be used in this
dialog, a preset must have been sent to PlanetPress Workflow using the Package File
function in PlanetPress Connect.
lDefault: The IDs in the metadata are used instead of a job preset file. Select this
option if the Print Content Set is the result of the Retrieve Items task.
l"%o":Select to use a dynamic preset name. Click on %o to change the expression
that determines the name of the preset to use. The preset name must be available in
the list below.
lPreset Names:Select the appropriate preset to generate output.
OL Connect Proxy Tab
This tab is common to all OLConnect tasks and defines where to process the jobs sent through
these tasks. When these fields are empty, they use the defaults set in the OL Connect User
Options page of the preferences.
Note
Defaults are not used unless the configuration is sent to the Workflow service.
lOL Connect Proxy Address: Enter the machine name or IPAddress where the
OLConnectServer resides.
lPort: Enter the port to use to communicate with the OLConnect Server. Default:9340
lUser name:Enter the user name expected by the OLConnect Server.
lPassword:Enter the password expected by the OLConnect Server for the above user
name.
On Error Tab
The On Error tab is common to all tasks. Details can be found in the" Task Properties Dialog"
on page777.
By default, any action task, branch, splitter or condition that generates an error will simply be
Page 568
ignored, and the task just under it (not within a branch)will be given control of the job file
without any modification. Any initial input task that generates an error will stop the process from
running as a whole, and output tasks will not generate output. The On Error tab can be used to
overwrite the default behaviors.
lSend to Process: Check this option to send the job file to an error management process.
lError Process drop-down:Enabled only when the Send to Process option is checked.
Lists any process of which the initial input task is the Input Error Bin task.
lAction:In the initial input tasks, this group is disabled and defaults to Stop Process. In
all other tasks where the On Error tab is present, the following options are available:
lDefault:By default, the task is ignored as if it did not exist and the error is logged
before continuing the branch or process; the job file is passed on to the next task in
the process. When an error occurs in a loop (or in a plugin that acts like a loop), the
loop may log the error, terminate the current iteration and proceed with the next
iteration.
lStop Branch:If the task is in a branch of the process, the branch is stopped and the
job file is returned to the process after the branch. The branch will not produce any
output. If the task is not on a branch, the entire process will be stopped.
lStop Process:The process is stopped and no more processing is done. No further
output is produced.
lLog Message:Check this option to enable logging a custom error message in the
PlanetPress Workflow log file and in the Windows Application Events.
lMessage:Enabled only when the Log Message option is checked. Enter a message that
will be logged in the PlanetPress Workflow log file. You can use any variables available
in PlanetPress Workflow to customize the message.
lStore the message in variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you
want to store the message content.
lID:Enter an error ID. This IDwill be visible in the Windows Event Viewer. However, the
IDis not visible in the PlanetPress Workflow log file.
lStore the IDin variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you want to
store the error ID.
lReset to defaults:Resets all options in this tab to their default values.
When storing the message or ID, if they are stored in a jobinfo they will be available in any
error handling process where errors are being forwarded. If your process continues after the
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error, the contents of the variables selected in this window will be available to the rest of your
process, or as long as they are not overwritten.
Common Errors
Though some error messages are specific to a task in particular, others may apply to any and
all tasks because they are related more to the system than to PlanetPress itself. Some
examples would be W3813,W3830,W3991,W4005. These correspond to issues such as not
having any space to write files, permission errors on folders or files, etc.
Comments Tab
The Comments tab is common to all tasks. It contains a text area (Task comments)that lets
you write comments about the task. These comments are saved when the dialog is closed with
the OKbutton, and are displayed in the Task Comments Pane.
Check the option Use as step description to display the text next to the icon of the plugin in
the Process area.
Create Output
The Create Output task generates Print output in a format specified by a Connect Print Preset
and sends this output to the appropriate target location.
This task can be added as an Action task (see "Action Tasks" on page268) or as an Output
task. Adding it as an Action task enables the process or branch to continue after this task. An
Output task is always located at the end of a process or branch.
Note
When added as an Output task, the Create Output plugin works asynchronously to the Workflow
process.
Input
The task requires a valid Job Metadata file, normally output from a Create Job or Merge Jobs
task.
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Processing
The job is sent to the OLConnect Server for processing.
Output
Depending on the options set, either a simple metadata file with information about processing
is returned, or the actual output file created by the server.
Properties
The Create Output task properties are as follows:
General Tab
lOutput Preset file:Select which Output Preset to use to generate the output. To be used
in this dialog, a preset must have been sent to PlanetPress Workflow using the Package
File function in PlanetPress Connect.
l"%o":Select to use a dynamic preset name. Click on %o to change the expression
that determines the name of the preset to use. The preset name must be available in
the list below.
lPreset Names:Select the appropriate preset to generate output.
lOutput Management group:
lAs defined by Output Preset:Select to send the output of the job to the location
set in the Print Preset (file, printer, etc).
lThrough Workflow: Select to replace the current job file with the output produced
by the server. Every option in the Output Preset is still used, except for the output
location.
Note that when the output is separated, the current job file is not replaced with the
actual output files but with a CSV file that lists the paths to the outputted files (e.g.
“C:\Users\Administrator\Connect\filestore\3836.2859982401376467470\template_
0001.pdf,C:\Users\Administrator\Connect\filestore\3836.2859982401376467470\te
mplate_0002.pdf,…”).
OL Connect Proxy Tab
This tab is common to all OLConnect tasks and defines where to process the jobs sent through
these tasks. When these fields are empty, they use the defaults set in the OL Connect User
Options page of the preferences.
Page 571
Note
Defaults are not used unless the configuration is sent to the Workflow service.
lOL Connect Proxy Address: Enter the machine name or IPAddress where the
OLConnectServer resides.
lPort: Enter the port to use to communicate with the OLConnect Server. Default:9340
lUser name:Enter the user name expected by the OLConnect Server.
lPassword:Enter the password expected by the OLConnect Server for the above user
name.
On Error Tab
The On Error tab is common to all tasks. Details can be found in the" Task Properties Dialog"
on page777.
By default, any action task, branch, splitter or condition that generates an error will simply be
ignored, and the task just under it (not within a branch)will be given control of the job file
without any modification. Any initial input task that generates an error will stop the process from
running as a whole, and output tasks will not generate output. The On Error tab can be used to
overwrite the default behaviors.
lSend to Process: Check this option to send the job file to an error management process.
lError Process drop-down:Enabled only when the Send to Process option is checked.
Lists any process of which the initial input task is the Input Error Bin task.
lAction:In the initial input tasks, this group is disabled and defaults to Stop Process. In
all other tasks where the On Error tab is present, the following options are available:
lDefault:By default, the task is ignored as if it did not exist and the error is logged
before continuing the branch or process; the job file is passed on to the next task in
the process. When an error occurs in a loop (or in a plugin that acts like a loop), the
loop may log the error, terminate the current iteration and proceed with the next
iteration.
lStop Branch:If the task is in a branch of the process, the branch is stopped and the
job file is returned to the process after the branch. The branch will not produce any
output. If the task is not on a branch, the entire process will be stopped.
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lStop Process:The process is stopped and no more processing is done. No further
output is produced.
lLog Message:Check this option to enable logging a custom error message in the
PlanetPress Workflow log file and in the Windows Application Events.
lMessage:Enabled only when the Log Message option is checked. Enter a message that
will be logged in the PlanetPress Workflow log file. You can use any variables available
in PlanetPress Workflow to customize the message.
lStore the message in variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you
want to store the message content.
lID:Enter an error ID. This IDwill be visible in the Windows Event Viewer. However, the
IDis not visible in the PlanetPress Workflow log file.
lStore the IDin variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you want to
store the error ID.
lReset to defaults:Resets all options in this tab to their default values.
When storing the message or ID, if they are stored in a jobinfo they will be available in any
error handling process where errors are being forwarded. If your process continues after the
error, the contents of the variables selected in this window will be available to the rest of your
process, or as long as they are not overwritten.
Common Errors
Though some error messages are specific to a task in particular, others may apply to any and
all tasks because they are related more to the system than to PlanetPress itself. Some
examples would be W3813,W3830,W3991,W4005. These correspond to issues such as not
having any space to write files, permission errors on folders or files, etc.
Comments Tab
The Comments tab is common to all tasks. It contains a text area (Task comments)that lets
you write comments about the task. These comments are saved when the dialog is closed with
the OKbutton, and are displayed in the Task Comments Pane.
Check the option Use as step description to display the text next to the icon of the plugin in
the Process area.
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Create PDF/VT
The Create PDF/VT, similar to the Create PDF task, creates PDF/VTfiles from a PlanetPress
Document (created with PlanetPress Design). This PDF/VTis compatible with the Create Print
Content directly without the use of a Connect Template (PDF/VTmode).
Input
Any data file supported by the selected PlanetPress Document.
Processing
The input data file is merged with the selected PlanetPress Document.
Output
The output is a PDF/VT with default quality settings. The metadata embedded within the
PDF/VTis the one generated by the PlanetPress Document.
Properties
The Create PDF/VT action task properties are as follows (note that the Connect Proxytab is
not present as this task does not communicate with the OLConnect Server module):
General Tab
lDocuments: Select a specific PlanetPress Design document if you want all the jobs to be
generated with that document.
lRecipient Node:Use the drop-down to select which level of the metadata is used as the
"Recipient" node. The Recipient node defines each Record in the output when used with
the Create Print Content.
lAdd job information to document:Check to add the 9 jobinfo variables to the PDF/VT
metadata at the root level.
On Error Tab
The On Error tab is common to all tasks. Details can be found in the" Task Properties Dialog"
on page777.
By default, any action task, branch, splitter or condition that generates an error will simply be
Page 574
ignored, and the task just under it (not within a branch)will be given control of the job file
without any modification. Any initial input task that generates an error will stop the process from
running as a whole, and output tasks will not generate output. The On Error tab can be used to
overwrite the default behaviors.
lSend to Process: Check this option to send the job file to an error management process.
lError Process drop-down:Enabled only when the Send to Process option is checked.
Lists any process of which the initial input task is the Input Error Bin task.
lAction:In the initial input tasks, this group is disabled and defaults to Stop Process. In
all other tasks where the On Error tab is present, the following options are available:
lDefault:By default, the task is ignored as if it did not exist and the error is logged
before continuing the branch or process; the job file is passed on to the next task in
the process. When an error occurs in a loop (or in a plugin that acts like a loop), the
loop may log the error, terminate the current iteration and proceed with the next
iteration.
lStop Branch:If the task is in a branch of the process, the branch is stopped and the
job file is returned to the process after the branch. The branch will not produce any
output. If the task is not on a branch, the entire process will be stopped.
lStop Process:The process is stopped and no more processing is done. No further
output is produced.
lLog Message:Check this option to enable logging a custom error message in the
PlanetPress Workflow log file and in the Windows Application Events.
lMessage:Enabled only when the Log Message option is checked. Enter a message that
will be logged in the PlanetPress Workflow log file. You can use any variables available
in PlanetPress Workflow to customize the message.
lStore the message in variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you
want to store the message content.
lID:Enter an error ID. This IDwill be visible in the Windows Event Viewer. However, the
IDis not visible in the PlanetPress Workflow log file.
lStore the IDin variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you want to
store the error ID.
lReset to defaults:Resets all options in this tab to their default values.
When storing the message or ID, if they are stored in a jobinfo they will be available in any
error handling process where errors are being forwarded. If your process continues after the
Page 575
error, the contents of the variables selected in this window will be available to the rest of your
process, or as long as they are not overwritten.
Common Errors
Though some error messages are specific to a task in particular, others may apply to any and
all tasks because they are related more to the system than to PlanetPress itself. Some
examples would be W3813,W3830,W3991,W4005. These correspond to issues such as not
having any space to write files, permission errors on folders or files, etc.
Comments Tab
The Comments tab is common to all tasks. It contains a text area (Task comments)that lets
you write comments about the task. These comments are saved when the dialog is closed with
the OKbutton, and are displayed in the Task Comments Pane.
Check the option Use as step description to display the text next to the icon of the plugin in
the Process area.
Create Preview PDF
The Create Preview PDF plugin generates a PDF preview for a single record as fast as
possible. This preview is typically used for previews embedded in web pages.
The plugin retrieves the resulting PDF from the file store and makes it available to the process
as the job data file. The job file name extension is .pdf.
This file could be written to a publicly accessible location (for example the _iRes folder) so that
the path could be served back to the browser, allowing the web page to embed the PDF data
for online viewing.
To make the rendering process as fast as possible, the generated PDF isn't optimized for print
production purposes.
Properties
Datamapper tab
The Create Preview PDF plugin gets one record from the source selected on the Datamapper
tab. This record is then merged with the template (selected on the Content Creation tab) to
create a preview PDF.
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The Datamapper tab can have one of the following source options:
lData mapping configuration sets the data source to a data mapping configuration.
l%o: Select this to use a dynamic data mapping configuration name. Click on %o to
change the expression that determines the name of the data mapping configuration
to use.
lAlternatively, select a configuration name. Adding configurations to this list is done
through the Send to Workflow option in the Designer module.
Click the Open data model of selected configuration button to view the data
model attached to the chosen configuration in the DataMapper module, to verify that
the right one is used.
lNo storing or post-processing of the data records (faster): This option prevents
data from being written to the database. Instead, records are streamed directly into
the Content Creation process for immediate merging. Turning this feature on can
improve data mapping performance significantly, as well as the time required for the
cleanup process. However, since the data is not written to the database, there is no
way to do post-processing on the extracted data. Any post-processors defined in the
data mapping configuration will be disabled.
This option is unchecked by default.
Note
When the data mapping configuration provides multiple records, the preview
is created based on the first record.
lJSON string sets the data source to a JSON string (see "Using JSON" on the next page).
A text area is shown allowing the user to enter the JSON string.
The JSON string may contain local and global variables, Job Infos and calls to the lookup
function (see "JSON string samples" on page579).
A single variable can be used, assuming that the respective variable contains a JSON
string.
In case the JSON string is not a valid JSON object, the plugin will error out with an explicit
message.
Page 577
Note
This option requires that keys in the JSON string have matching field names in the
data model of the template. When they have, the JSON values are passed to the
template and the personalization scripts of the template will have access to the
values through the record's data fields. (See the Designer help: Adding Variable
Data).
lMetadata uses existing metadata, generally the output of a Create Record Set or a
Retrieve Items task set to retrieve a record.
Update fields with metadata: when this option is selected, the plugin will update fields in
the Connect database based on the metadata content. This is only useful if the Workflow
process has modified the metadata and the corresponding fields should be updated in the
database before creating the preview PDF.
Note
The Metadata option requires that entries in the metadata have matching field
names in the data model of the template. When they have, the values are passed to
the template and the personalization scripts of the template will have access to the
values through the record's data fields. (See the Designer help: Adding Variable
Data).
Using JSON
In web environments, it is common to send and retrieve data from a server using an AJAX
request (typically invoked from within a JavaScript). Then the data is often exchanged in JSON
format. JSON is short for JavaScript Object Notation. It is a way to store information in a
structured and easy to read format. It is often referred to as XML without nodes and meant for
exchanging data.
Refer to the following online resources for more information on JSON:
lwww.json.org
lwww.w3schools.com
Page 578
JSON string samples
The following JSON string samples show various techniques to incorporate data in a JSON
string.
A simple JSON structure holding the first and last name of a person:
{
"first": "Peter",
"last": "Parker"
}
A JSON string with references to local variables and Job Info 2:
{
"first":"%{first}",
"last":"%{last}",
"email":"%2"
}
A JSON string containing a local variable and various lookups:
{
"jobid":"%{jobid}",
"account":"lookup(OLCS_jobs, account, jobid, '%{jobid}')",
"datafile_name":"lookup(OLCS_jobs, datafile_name, jobid, '%
{jobid}')",
"pages":"lookup(OLCS_jobs, pages, jobid, '%{jobid}')",
"documents":"lookup(OLCS_jobs, documents, jobid, '%{jobid}')",
"recordsetid":"lookup(OLCS_jobs, recordsetid, jobid, '%{jobid}')"
}
An example where the entire JSON string is provided in Job Info 1:
%1
A JSON string constructed with information retrieved from an XML job data file:
{
"first":"xmlget('/request[1]/values[1]/first
[1]',Value,KeepCase,NoTrim)",
"last":"xmlget('/request[1]/values[1]/last
[1]',Value,KeepCase,NoTrim)",
"email":"xmlget('/request[1]/values[1]/email
Page 579
[1]',Value,KeepCase,NoTrim)"
}
A JSON string that contains nested data:
{
"name":"Peter Parker",
"email":"parkerp@localhostcom",
"ExtraData":"foobar",
"detail": [{"id":"inv123","ExtraData":"hello"},
{"id":"456","ExtraData":"world"}]
}
Content Creation tab
The Create Preview PDF plugin creates a preview PDF from a template selected on the
Content Creation tab, using the record that results from the data source selected on the
Datamapper tab. The record is then merged with the template to create a preview PDF.
Select the appropriate template or option:
l%o: Select to use a dynamic template name. Click on %o to change the expression that
determines the name of the template to use.
lAtemplate name: Select the appropriate template name from the list. Adding templates
to this list is done from the Send to Workflow option in the Designer module.
A preview will be displayed of the output generated by the Print context of the selected
template. (Not available for a dynamic template name).
OL Connect Proxy Tab
lServer Connect Settings
lConnect Proxy Address: Enter the machine name or IPAddress where the
OLConnectServer resides.
lPort: Enter the port to use to communicate with the OLConnect Server.
Default:9340.
lUser name:Enter the user name expected by the OLConnect Server.
lPassword:Enter the password expected by the OLConnect Server for the above
user name.
Page 580
On Error Tab
The On Error tab is common to all tasks. Details can be found in the" Task Properties Dialog"
on page777.
By default, any action task, branch, splitter or condition that generates an error will simply be
ignored, and the task just under it (not within a branch)will be given control of the job file
without any modification. Any initial input task that generates an error will stop the process from
running as a whole, and output tasks will not generate output. The On Error tab can be used to
overwrite the default behaviors.
lSend to Process: Check this option to send the job file to an error management process.
lError Process drop-down:Enabled only when the Send to Process option is checked.
Lists any process of which the initial input task is the Input Error Bin task.
lAction:In the initial input tasks, this group is disabled and defaults to Stop Process. In
all other tasks where the On Error tab is present, the following options are available:
lDefault:By default, the task is ignored as if it did not exist and the error is logged
before continuing the branch or process; the job file is passed on to the next task in
the process. When an error occurs in a loop (or in a plugin that acts like a loop), the
loop may log the error, terminate the current iteration and proceed with the next
iteration.
lStop Branch:If the task is in a branch of the process, the branch is stopped and the
job file is returned to the process after the branch. The branch will not produce any
output. If the task is not on a branch, the entire process will be stopped.
lStop Process:The process is stopped and no more processing is done. No further
output is produced.
lLog Message:Check this option to enable logging a custom error message in the
PlanetPress Workflow log file and in the Windows Application Events.
lMessage:Enabled only when the Log Message option is checked. Enter a message that
will be logged in the PlanetPress Workflow log file. You can use any variables available
in PlanetPress Workflow to customize the message.
lStore the message in variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you
want to store the message content.
lID:Enter an error ID. This IDwill be visible in the Windows Event Viewer. However, the
IDis not visible in the PlanetPress Workflow log file.
Page 581
lStore the IDin variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you want to
store the error ID.
lReset to defaults:Resets all options in this tab to their default values.
When storing the message or ID, if they are stored in a jobinfo they will be available in any
error handling process where errors are being forwarded. If your process continues after the
error, the contents of the variables selected in this window will be available to the rest of your
process, or as long as they are not overwritten.
Common Errors
Though some error messages are specific to a task in particular, others may apply to any and
all tasks because they are related more to the system than to PlanetPress itself. Some
examples would be W3813,W3830,W3991,W4005. These correspond to issues such as not
having any space to write files, permission errors on folders or files, etc.
Comments Tab
The Comments tab is common to all tasks. It contains a text area (Task comments)that lets
you write comments about the task. These comments are saved when the dialog is closed with
the OKbutton, and are displayed in the Task Comments Pane.
Check the option Use as step description to display the text next to the icon of the plugin in
the Process area.
Create Print Content
The Create Print Content task generates a set of printable content items from a template's
Print Context, and saves those content items in the database until output creation is requested.
Input
This task can receive either metadata containing information regarding a valid Record Set, or
JSON data, or a PDF/VTFile.
Metadata
The "Execute Data Mapping" on page591 task and the "Retrieve Items" on page609 task
output metadata containing information regarding a Record Set.
Page 582
JSON
The Create Print Content task supports two types of JSON:
lA JSON object or an array of JSON objects representing records. If a value in a record
object is a string, it is considered to be a field value. If a value in a record object is a
JSON object, it is considered to be a nested table with detail records. For examples, see
"JSON string samples" on page579.
lA JSON Record Data List (see the REST API Cookbook). When the "Retrieve Items" on
page609 task is set to output Records in JSON, it outputs this kind of JSON data.
If the input is JSON, the task performs a REST call to the
/rest/serverengine/workflow/contentcreation/{templateId} endpoint on the Connect
Server. For more information see the REST API Cookbook.
Note
When JSON data is used as input, the "Create Job" on page567 plugin (the next task in a print
process) cannot use a Job Creation Preset. The Create Print Content task doesn't create a record
set based on the provided data, like the "Execute Data Mapping" on page591 task does. Job
Creation Presets need such a record set to group, sort and filter items.
Processing
In the case of a record set or a JSON object/array and template, this task loops through each
record (or object) in the set (or array). For each record or JSON object, one or more pages are
generated using the record's data and these pages are saved as a content item in the
database.
In the case of a PDF/VTfile, content items are created based on the structure of the
PDF/VTmetadata and content items are stored using the data for each of those metadata
records.
By default, the entire Print Context is used to create print content items. Individual Print sections
can be selected dynamically via a Control Script. (For more information see the Designer Help.)
Output
The output of this task is modified metadata with information about the job processing and each
created content item. No content item is actually output from the task, they are only saved in the
Page 583
OLConnect Database.
Properties
General Tab
lTemplate File:
l"None" File name: Select to accept a PDF/VTfile as an input and automatically
create content items based on the PDF/VT.
l"%o":Select to use a dynamic template name. Click on %o to change the
expression that determines the name of the template to use.
lTemplate Names:Select the appropriate template. Adding a template to the
resources is done through the Send to Workflow option in the Designer Module.
lData Source (see "Input" on page582):
lMetadata:
lUpdate Records from Metadata: If the process metadata has been modified
by any of the "Metadata Tasks" on page509, check this option to update the
records in the Connect database with the metadata and use the updated
records. Otherwise, only the IDof the current job is sent, and the unchanged
records are used.
lJSON:
lJSON String: A JSON object or an array of JSON objects representing
records (see "Create Print Content" on page582) or A JSON Record Data List
(see the REST API Cookbook).
This option requires that keys in the JSON data have matching field names in
the data model of the template. When they have, the JSON values are passed
to the template and the personalization scripts of the template will have
access to the values through the record's data fields. (See the Designer help:
Adding Variable Data.)
Warning
The JSON format is not validated by the plugin; it is passed as is to the
server.
Page 584
OL Connect Proxy Tab
This tab is common to all OLConnect tasks and defines where to process the jobs sent through
these tasks. When these fields are empty, they use the defaults set in the OL Connect User
Options page of the preferences.
Note
Defaults are not used unless the configuration is sent to the Workflow service.
lOL Connect Proxy Address: Enter the machine name or IPAddress where the
OLConnectServer resides.
lPort: Enter the port to use to communicate with the OLConnect Server. Default:9340
lUser name:Enter the user name expected by the OLConnect Server.
lPassword:Enter the password expected by the OLConnect Server for the above user
name.
On Error Tab
The On Error tab is common to all tasks. Details can be found in the" Task Properties Dialog"
on page777.
By default, any action task, branch, splitter or condition that generates an error will simply be
ignored, and the task just under it (not within a branch)will be given control of the job file
without any modification. Any initial input task that generates an error will stop the process from
running as a whole, and output tasks will not generate output. The On Error tab can be used to
overwrite the default behaviors.
lSend to Process: Check this option to send the job file to an error management process.
lError Process drop-down:Enabled only when the Send to Process option is checked.
Lists any process of which the initial input task is the Input Error Bin task.
lAction:In the initial input tasks, this group is disabled and defaults to Stop Process. In
all other tasks where the On Error tab is present, the following options are available:
lDefault:By default, the task is ignored as if it did not exist and the error is logged
before continuing the branch or process; the job file is passed on to the next task in
the process. When an error occurs in a loop (or in a plugin that acts like a loop), the
loop may log the error, terminate the current iteration and proceed with the next
Page 585
iteration.
lStop Branch:If the task is in a branch of the process, the branch is stopped and the
job file is returned to the process after the branch. The branch will not produce any
output. If the task is not on a branch, the entire process will be stopped.
lStop Process:The process is stopped and no more processing is done. No further
output is produced.
lLog Message:Check this option to enable logging a custom error message in the
PlanetPress Workflow log file and in the Windows Application Events.
lMessage:Enabled only when the Log Message option is checked. Enter a message that
will be logged in the PlanetPress Workflow log file. You can use any variables available
in PlanetPress Workflow to customize the message.
lStore the message in variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you
want to store the message content.
lID:Enter an error ID. This IDwill be visible in the Windows Event Viewer. However, the
IDis not visible in the PlanetPress Workflow log file.
lStore the IDin variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you want to
store the error ID.
lReset to defaults:Resets all options in this tab to their default values.
When storing the message or ID, if they are stored in a jobinfo they will be available in any
error handling process where errors are being forwarded. If your process continues after the
error, the contents of the variables selected in this window will be available to the rest of your
process, or as long as they are not overwritten.
Common Errors
Though some error messages are specific to a task in particular, others may apply to any and
all tasks because they are related more to the system than to PlanetPress itself. Some
examples would be W3813,W3830,W3991,W4005. These correspond to issues such as not
having any space to write files, permission errors on folders or files, etc.
Comments Tab
The Comments tab is common to all tasks. It contains a text area (Task comments)that lets
you write comments about the task. These comments are saved when the dialog is closed with
the OKbutton, and are displayed in the Task Comments Pane.
Page 586
Check the option Use as step description to display the text next to the icon of the plugin in
the Process area.
Create Web Content
The Create Web Content task generates the output of the HTMLContext of a specified
template for a single record and returns the HTMLcode to PlanetPress Workflow for further
processing and return to the requester. Generally, this task is placed within an HTTP Server
Workflow.
This task can be added as an Action task (see "Action Tasks" on page268) or as an Output
task. Adding it as an Action task enables the process or branch to continue after this task. An
Output task is always located at the end of a process or branch.
Input
This task must receive either a valid Record ID or a JSON object.
Record ID
A valid Record ID can be retrieved from various data sources. By default, when the Record ID
input option is selected, the metadata is used as input. The "Execute Data Mapping" on
page591 task and the "Retrieve Items" on page609 task output metadata containing
information regarding records.
JSON
The Create Web Content task supports two types of JSON:
lA JSON object or an array of JSON objects representing records. If a value in a record
object is a string, it is considered to be a field value. If a value in a record object is a
JSON object, it is considered to be a nested table with detail records. For examples, see
"JSON string samples" on page579.
lA JSON Record Data List (see the REST API Cookbook). When the "Retrieve Items" on
page609 task is set to output Records in JSON, it outputs this kind of JSON data.
If the input is JSON data, the task makes a call to the REST workflow/contentcreation/html/
{templateId} endpoint on the Connect Server. For more information see the REST API
Cookbook.
Page 587
Note that only the first JSON object is processed, as the endpoint generates HTML output for a
single record.
Processing
For a single record, this task generates the output for the HTMLContext of the specified
template. Any external resources such as images, css stylesheets or JavaScript files, are also
produced and put aside on the OLConnect Server component.
Output
The task outputs HTMLcode as a job file. Within this HTMLcode, references to external
resources point to the local OLConnect Server and are served to the requester directly when
the HTMLfile is opened in a browser.
Properties
General Tab
lTemplate File:
l"%o":Select to use a dynamic template name. Click on %o to change the
expression that determines the name of the template to use.
lTemplate Names:Select the appropriate template. Adding template is done
through the Send to Workflow option in the Designer Module.
lSection:Enter the section name that will generate output. Only one section can be
output. If no section is defined or if the section name is invalid, the default section will be
output.
lData Source (see "Input" on the previous page):
lRecord ID:
lEnter a valid IDfor a record, or 0 to provide no data. The record must be valid
for the template used. By default, the record ID is pre-filled with the first record
in the metadata. Right-click the field to access other data selection methods
(see"Data selections" on page26).
lJSON:
lJSON String: A JSON object or an array of JSON objects representing
records (see "JSON" on the previous page) or a JSON Record Data List (see
the REST API Cookbook).
This option requires that keys in the JSON data have matching field names in
Page 588
the data model of the template. When they have, the JSON values are passed
to the template and the personalization scripts of the template will have
access to the values through the record's data fields. (See the Designer help:
Adding Variable Data.)
Warning
The JSON format is not validated by the plugin; it is passed as is to the
server.
Note
Only the first record or JSON object is processed, since this task can only generate
HTML output for a single record.
OL Connect Proxy Tab
This tab is common to all OLConnect tasks and defines where to process the jobs sent through
these tasks. When these fields are empty, they use the defaults set in the OL Connect User
Options page of the preferences.
Note
Defaults are not used unless the configuration is sent to the Workflow service.
lOL Connect Proxy Address: Enter the machine name or IPAddress where the
OLConnectServer resides.
lPort: Enter the port to use to communicate with the OLConnect Server. Default:9340
lUser name:Enter the user name expected by the OLConnect Server.
lPassword:Enter the password expected by the OLConnect Server for the above user
name.
Page 589
On Error Tab
The On Error tab is common to all tasks. Details can be found in the" Task Properties Dialog"
on page777.
By default, any action task, branch, splitter or condition that generates an error will simply be
ignored, and the task just under it (not within a branch)will be given control of the job file
without any modification. Any initial input task that generates an error will stop the process from
running as a whole, and output tasks will not generate output. The On Error tab can be used to
overwrite the default behaviors.
lSend to Process: Check this option to send the job file to an error management process.
lError Process drop-down:Enabled only when the Send to Process option is checked.
Lists any process of which the initial input task is the Input Error Bin task.
lAction:In the initial input tasks, this group is disabled and defaults to Stop Process. In
all other tasks where the On Error tab is present, the following options are available:
lDefault:By default, the task is ignored as if it did not exist and the error is logged
before continuing the branch or process; the job file is passed on to the next task in
the process. When an error occurs in a loop (or in a plugin that acts like a loop), the
loop may log the error, terminate the current iteration and proceed with the next
iteration.
lStop Branch:If the task is in a branch of the process, the branch is stopped and the
job file is returned to the process after the branch. The branch will not produce any
output. If the task is not on a branch, the entire process will be stopped.
lStop Process:The process is stopped and no more processing is done. No further
output is produced.
lLog Message:Check this option to enable logging a custom error message in the
PlanetPress Workflow log file and in the Windows Application Events.
lMessage:Enabled only when the Log Message option is checked. Enter a message that
will be logged in the PlanetPress Workflow log file. You can use any variables available
in PlanetPress Workflow to customize the message.
lStore the message in variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you
want to store the message content.
lID:Enter an error ID. This IDwill be visible in the Windows Event Viewer. However, the
IDis not visible in the PlanetPress Workflow log file.
Page 590
lStore the IDin variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you want to
store the error ID.
lReset to defaults:Resets all options in this tab to their default values.
When storing the message or ID, if they are stored in a jobinfo they will be available in any
error handling process where errors are being forwarded. If your process continues after the
error, the contents of the variables selected in this window will be available to the rest of your
process, or as long as they are not overwritten.
Common Errors
Though some error messages are specific to a task in particular, others may apply to any and
all tasks because they are related more to the system than to PlanetPress itself. Some
examples would be W3813,W3830,W3991,W4005. These correspond to issues such as not
having any space to write files, permission errors on folders or files, etc.
Comments Tab
The Comments tab is common to all tasks. It contains a text area (Task comments)that lets
you write comments about the task. These comments are saved when the dialog is closed with
the OKbutton, and are displayed in the Task Comments Pane.
Check the option Use as step description to display the text next to the icon of the plugin in
the Process area.
Execute Data Mapping
The Execute Data Mapping action task generates a record set by executing a data mapping
configuration on a data source. It can also automatically create a record set from a PDF/VTfile
without using a data mapping configuration.
Input
Optional. Both main options can refer to external files, but either one can be the active data file
using %F. By default the Data Source is set to use the active data file as input.
Page 591
Note
AFP input requires the CDP library. The library licence allows PlanetPress Connect to run up to 4
instances of that library on a given machine at a given time.
Processing
The task executes the selected data mapping configuration on the appropriate data source, or
converts the PDF/VTinto a Record Set directly.
If the data mapping configuration expects a database data source, the Data Source option is
ignored and the database is accessed instead. If a PDF/VTfile is used, the data mapping
configuration option is optional - if one is present, it must be able to read the PDF/VT.
Output
The output to this task is twofold. On the OLConnect Server side, a Record Set containing
multiple records is created and saved. On PlanetPress Workflow side, metadata is returned
with information about each record set.
Alternatively, it is possible to ignore creation of the Record Set on the OLConnect Server and
simply return an XMLfile containing the full Record Set structure.
Properties
General Tab
lData mapping configuration:Enter the full path to a valid data mapping configuration
(.oldatamapper)file, or use the Browse button to find the path.
lData Source or PDF/VT file:Enter the full path to a valid data source compatible with the
above data mapping configuration or a PDF/VTfile, or use the Browse button to find the
path.
lOutput Type group:
lOutput IDs in Metadata: Select to only output the Record and Job IDs in the
metadata. This does not permit sorting and filtering, but it enhances performance
since only minimal data is exchanged between the OLConnect Server and
PlanetPress Workflow.
Page 592
lOutput records in Metadata:Select to output the full Record table (no Details
table)as metadata in the task. It is then possible to sort and filter the metadata using
the regular metadata tools, as long as the Update Records from Metadata option
is used in further tasks to use the modified metadata.
lOutput results in XMLdata file:Select to output an XMLstructure containing the
full Record Set including all details table. When this option is used, the Record Set
is not saved on the OLConnect Server, the data is simply returned and processing
stops on the server side. This option cannot be used with other OLConnect tasks.
OL Connect Proxy Tab
This tab is common to all OLConnect tasks and defines where to process the jobs sent through
these tasks. When these fields are empty, they use the defaults set in the OL Connect User
Options page of the preferences.
Note
Defaults are not used unless the configuration is sent to the Workflow service.
lOL Connect Proxy Address: Enter the machine name or IPAddress where the
OLConnectServer resides.
lPort: Enter the port to use to communicate with the OLConnect Server. Default:9340
lUser name:Enter the user name expected by the OLConnect Server.
lPassword:Enter the password expected by the OLConnect Server for the above user
name.
On Error Tab
The On Error tab is common to all tasks. Details can be found in the" Task Properties Dialog"
on page777.
By default, any action task, branch, splitter or condition that generates an error will simply be
ignored, and the task just under it (not within a branch)will be given control of the job file
without any modification. Any initial input task that generates an error will stop the process from
running as a whole, and output tasks will not generate output. The On Error tab can be used to
overwrite the default behaviors.
Page 593
lSend to Process: Check this option to send the job file to an error management process.
lError Process drop-down:Enabled only when the Send to Process option is checked.
Lists any process of which the initial input task is the Input Error Bin task.
lAction:In the initial input tasks, this group is disabled and defaults to Stop Process. In
all other tasks where the On Error tab is present, the following options are available:
lDefault:By default, the task is ignored as if it did not exist and the error is logged
before continuing the branch or process; the job file is passed on to the next task in
the process. When an error occurs in a loop (or in a plugin that acts like a loop), the
loop may log the error, terminate the current iteration and proceed with the next
iteration.
lStop Branch:If the task is in a branch of the process, the branch is stopped and the
job file is returned to the process after the branch. The branch will not produce any
output. If the task is not on a branch, the entire process will be stopped.
lStop Process:The process is stopped and no more processing is done. No further
output is produced.
lLog Message:Check this option to enable logging a custom error message in the
PlanetPress Workflow log file and in the Windows Application Events.
lMessage:Enabled only when the Log Message option is checked. Enter a message that
will be logged in the PlanetPress Workflow log file. You can use any variables available
in PlanetPress Workflow to customize the message.
lStore the message in variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you
want to store the message content.
lID:Enter an error ID. This IDwill be visible in the Windows Event Viewer. However, the
IDis not visible in the PlanetPress Workflow log file.
lStore the IDin variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you want to
store the error ID.
lReset to defaults:Resets all options in this tab to their default values.
When storing the message or ID, if they are stored in a jobinfo they will be available in any
error handling process where errors are being forwarded. If your process continues after the
error, the contents of the variables selected in this window will be available to the rest of your
process, or as long as they are not overwritten.
Page 594
Common Errors
Though some error messages are specific to a task in particular, others may apply to any and
all tasks because they are related more to the system than to PlanetPress itself. Some
examples would be W3813,W3830,W3991,W4005. These correspond to issues such as not
having any space to write files, permission errors on folders or files, etc.
Comments Tab
The Comments tab is common to all tasks. It contains a text area (Task comments)that lets
you write comments about the task. These comments are saved when the dialog is closed with
the OKbutton, and are displayed in the Task Comments Pane.
Check the option Use as step description to display the text next to the icon of the plugin in
the Process area.
File Store - Delete File
The File Store - Delete File task deletes a file from the OLConnect File Store, using either a
file name or File Store ID.
Input
The task requires either the name of the file in the OLConnect File Store or its File Store ID.
The name of a file is chosen and its File Store ID is returned when uploading it with the "File
Store - Upload File" on page600 task.
Processing
The task requests removal of the file by performing a call to the
/rest/serverengine/filestore/delete/{fileId} REST endpoint; see File Store Service:
Delete File in the REST API Cookbook.
Output
This task has no impact on the current Job File.
Page 595
Properties
General Tab
lFile name/ID:The name or the ID of the file to delete. The ID is the ID
OL Connect Proxy Tab
This tab is common to all OLConnect tasks and defines where to process the jobs sent through
these tasks. When these fields are empty, they use the defaults set in the OL Connect User
Options page of the preferences.
Note
Defaults are not used unless the configuration is sent to the Workflow service.
lOL Connect Proxy Address: Enter the machine name or IPAddress where the
OLConnectServer resides.
lPort: Enter the port to use to communicate with the OLConnect Server. Default:9340
lUser name:Enter the user name expected by the OLConnect Server.
lPassword:Enter the password expected by the OLConnect Server for the above user
name.
On Error Tab
The On Error tab is common to all tasks. Details can be found in the" Task Properties Dialog"
on page777.
By default, any action task, branch, splitter or condition that generates an error will simply be
ignored, and the task just under it (not within a branch)will be given control of the job file
without any modification. Any initial input task that generates an error will stop the process from
running as a whole, and output tasks will not generate output. The On Error tab can be used to
overwrite the default behaviors.
lSend to Process: Check this option to send the job file to an error management process.
lError Process drop-down:Enabled only when the Send to Process option is checked.
Lists any process of which the initial input task is the Input Error Bin task.
Page 596
lAction:In the initial input tasks, this group is disabled and defaults to Stop Process. In
all other tasks where the On Error tab is present, the following options are available:
lDefault:By default, the task is ignored as if it did not exist and the error is logged
before continuing the branch or process; the job file is passed on to the next task in
the process. When an error occurs in a loop (or in a plugin that acts like a loop), the
loop may log the error, terminate the current iteration and proceed with the next
iteration.
lStop Branch:If the task is in a branch of the process, the branch is stopped and the
job file is returned to the process after the branch. The branch will not produce any
output. If the task is not on a branch, the entire process will be stopped.
lStop Process:The process is stopped and no more processing is done. No further
output is produced.
lLog Message:Check this option to enable logging a custom error message in the
PlanetPress Workflow log file and in the Windows Application Events.
lMessage:Enabled only when the Log Message option is checked. Enter a message that
will be logged in the PlanetPress Workflow log file. You can use any variables available
in PlanetPress Workflow to customize the message.
lStore the message in variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you
want to store the message content.
lID:Enter an error ID. This IDwill be visible in the Windows Event Viewer. However, the
IDis not visible in the PlanetPress Workflow log file.
lStore the IDin variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you want to
store the error ID.
lReset to defaults:Resets all options in this tab to their default values.
When storing the message or ID, if they are stored in a jobinfo they will be available in any
error handling process where errors are being forwarded. If your process continues after the
error, the contents of the variables selected in this window will be available to the rest of your
process, or as long as they are not overwritten.
Common Errors
Though some error messages are specific to a task in particular, others may apply to any and
all tasks because they are related more to the system than to PlanetPress itself. Some
examples would be W3813,W3830,W3991,W4005. These correspond to issues such as not
having any space to write files, permission errors on folders or files, etc.
Page 597
Comments Tab
The Comments tab is common to all tasks. It contains a text area (Task comments)that lets
you write comments about the task. These comments are saved when the dialog is closed with
the OKbutton, and are displayed in the Task Comments Pane.
Check the option Use as step description to display the text next to the icon of the plugin in
the Process area.
File Store - Download File
The File Store - Download File task downloads a file from the OLConnect File Store, using
either a file name or File Store ID.
Input
The task requires either the name of the file in the OLConnect File Store or its File Store ID.
Processing
The task tries to download the requested file from the OL Connect File Store by performing a
call to the /rest/serverengine/filestore/file/{fileId} REST endpoint; see File Store
Service: Download File in the REST API Cookbook.
Output
The downloaded file becomes the current job file and retains the file name that it had in the OL
Connect File Store.
Properties
General Tab
lFilename or File Store ID:Enter the name of the file in the OL Connect File Store or its
File Store ID. The ID is the ID
OL Connect Proxy Tab
This tab is common to all OLConnect tasks and defines where to process the jobs sent through
these tasks. When these fields are empty, they use the defaults set in the OL Connect User
Options page of the preferences.
Page 598
Note
Defaults are not used unless the configuration is sent to the Workflow service.
lOL Connect Proxy Address: Enter the machine name or IPAddress where the
OLConnectServer resides.
lPort: Enter the port to use to communicate with the OLConnect Server. Default:9340
lUser name:Enter the user name expected by the OLConnect Server.
lPassword:Enter the password expected by the OLConnect Server for the above user
name.
On Error Tab
The On Error tab is common to all tasks. Details can be found in the" Task Properties Dialog"
on page777.
By default, any action task, branch, splitter or condition that generates an error will simply be
ignored, and the task just under it (not within a branch)will be given control of the job file
without any modification. Any initial input task that generates an error will stop the process from
running as a whole, and output tasks will not generate output. The On Error tab can be used to
overwrite the default behaviors.
lSend to Process: Check this option to send the job file to an error management process.
lError Process drop-down:Enabled only when the Send to Process option is checked.
Lists any process of which the initial input task is the Input Error Bin task.
lAction:In the initial input tasks, this group is disabled and defaults to Stop Process. In
all other tasks where the On Error tab is present, the following options are available:
lDefault:By default, the task is ignored as if it did not exist and the error is logged
before continuing the branch or process; the job file is passed on to the next task in
the process. When an error occurs in a loop (or in a plugin that acts like a loop), the
loop may log the error, terminate the current iteration and proceed with the next
iteration.
lStop Branch:If the task is in a branch of the process, the branch is stopped and the
job file is returned to the process after the branch. The branch will not produce any
output. If the task is not on a branch, the entire process will be stopped.
Page 599
lStop Process:The process is stopped and no more processing is done. No further
output is produced.
lLog Message:Check this option to enable logging a custom error message in the
PlanetPress Workflow log file and in the Windows Application Events.
lMessage:Enabled only when the Log Message option is checked. Enter a message that
will be logged in the PlanetPress Workflow log file. You can use any variables available
in PlanetPress Workflow to customize the message.
lStore the message in variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you
want to store the message content.
lID:Enter an error ID. This IDwill be visible in the Windows Event Viewer. However, the
IDis not visible in the PlanetPress Workflow log file.
lStore the IDin variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you want to
store the error ID.
lReset to defaults:Resets all options in this tab to their default values.
When storing the message or ID, if they are stored in a jobinfo they will be available in any
error handling process where errors are being forwarded. If your process continues after the
error, the contents of the variables selected in this window will be available to the rest of your
process, or as long as they are not overwritten.
Common Errors
Though some error messages are specific to a task in particular, others may apply to any and
all tasks because they are related more to the system than to PlanetPress itself. Some
examples would be W3813,W3830,W3991,W4005. These correspond to issues such as not
having any space to write files, permission errors on folders or files, etc.
Comments Tab
The Comments tab is common to all tasks. It contains a text area (Task comments)that lets
you write comments about the task. These comments are saved when the dialog is closed with
the OKbutton, and are displayed in the Task Comments Pane.
Check the option Use as step description to display the text next to the icon of the plugin in
the Process area.
File Store - Upload File
The File Store - Upload File task uploads the current Job File to the OLConnect File Store.
Page 600
Input
The task always takes the current Job File as input file. If you want to upload an external file,
first use the "Load External File" on page325 plugin to load that file as the Job File.
Processing
The task tries to upload the current job file to the OL Connect File Store by making a call to the
/rest/serverengine/filestore/DataFile REST endpoint; see File Store Service: Upload File
in the REST API Cookbook.
Output
When a file is uploaded to the Connect File Store, it is automatically assigned a File Store ID.
The task stores the returned File Store ID in the specified variable.
This task does not modify the Job File.
Properties
General Tab
lFilename:Enter the file name or a JobInfo, local or global variable that contains the file
name, to use when saving the file in the OLConnect File Store. The default is %f, the
name of the job file. Right-click the field to select another variable. When you specify %o
as the file name, the file in the OLConnect File Store will have the same name as the
original file.
lSave File Store ID in variable: Select the variable in which to store the File Store ID that
is returned after a file has been successfully uploaded to the File Store. This ID can be
used to download or delete the file from the OL Connect File Store.
lMark as permanent:When this option is checked, the file will never be removed
automatically by Connect's Clean-Up Service. Non-permanent files may be removed if
there are no remaining references to them in the Connect Database. (See: Clean-Up
Service preferences.)
OL Connect Proxy Tab
This tab is common to all OLConnect tasks and defines where to process the jobs sent through
these tasks. When these fields are empty, they use the defaults set in the OL Connect User
Options page of the preferences.
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Note
Defaults are not used unless the configuration is sent to the Workflow service.
lOL Connect Proxy Address: Enter the machine name or IPAddress where the
OLConnectServer resides.
lPort: Enter the port to use to communicate with the OLConnect Server. Default:9340
lUser name:Enter the user name expected by the OLConnect Server.
lPassword:Enter the password expected by the OLConnect Server for the above user
name.
On Error Tab
The On Error tab is common to all tasks. Details can be found in the" Task Properties Dialog"
on page777.
By default, any action task, branch, splitter or condition that generates an error will simply be
ignored, and the task just under it (not within a branch)will be given control of the job file
without any modification. Any initial input task that generates an error will stop the process from
running as a whole, and output tasks will not generate output. The On Error tab can be used to
overwrite the default behaviors.
lSend to Process: Check this option to send the job file to an error management process.
lError Process drop-down:Enabled only when the Send to Process option is checked.
Lists any process of which the initial input task is the Input Error Bin task.
lAction:In the initial input tasks, this group is disabled and defaults to Stop Process. In
all other tasks where the On Error tab is present, the following options are available:
lDefault:By default, the task is ignored as if it did not exist and the error is logged
before continuing the branch or process; the job file is passed on to the next task in
the process. When an error occurs in a loop (or in a plugin that acts like a loop), the
loop may log the error, terminate the current iteration and proceed with the next
iteration.
lStop Branch:If the task is in a branch of the process, the branch is stopped and the
job file is returned to the process after the branch. The branch will not produce any
output. If the task is not on a branch, the entire process will be stopped.
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lStop Process:The process is stopped and no more processing is done. No further
output is produced.
lLog Message:Check this option to enable logging a custom error message in the
PlanetPress Workflow log file and in the Windows Application Events.
lMessage:Enabled only when the Log Message option is checked. Enter a message that
will be logged in the PlanetPress Workflow log file. You can use any variables available
in PlanetPress Workflow to customize the message.
lStore the message in variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you
want to store the message content.
lID:Enter an error ID. This IDwill be visible in the Windows Event Viewer. However, the
IDis not visible in the PlanetPress Workflow log file.
lStore the IDin variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you want to
store the error ID.
lReset to defaults:Resets all options in this tab to their default values.
When storing the message or ID, if they are stored in a jobinfo they will be available in any
error handling process where errors are being forwarded. If your process continues after the
error, the contents of the variables selected in this window will be available to the rest of your
process, or as long as they are not overwritten.
Common Errors
Though some error messages are specific to a task in particular, others may apply to any and
all tasks because they are related more to the system than to PlanetPress itself. Some
examples would be W3813,W3830,W3991,W4005. These correspond to issues such as not
having any space to write files, permission errors on folders or files, etc.
Comments Tab
The Comments tab is common to all tasks. It contains a text area (Task comments)that lets
you write comments about the task. These comments are saved when the dialog is closed with
the OKbutton, and are displayed in the Task Comments Pane.
Check the option Use as step description to display the text next to the icon of the plugin in
the Process area.
Page 603
Mark Connect Sets for Deletion
The Mark Connect Sets for Deletion task indicates that an item in the Connect Database
should be deleted the next time the Database Cleanup runs. This means that whatever item is
set for deletion will no longer be available from the database.
Input
The task requires a valid metadata file containing items for deletion, including Job Sets,
Content Sets and Data Sets. These can be created by the Execute Data Mapping,Create Print
Content and Create Job tasks. Job Sets, Content Sets and Data Sets are also valid when
obtained using the Retrieve Items task.
Processing
All sets currently active in the metadata are set for deletion.
Output
The same metadata that is input.
Properties
lSet types to mark for deletion based on metadata content:
lJob Set:Tag any Job set created by the Create Job task or the Retrieve Items task
set to retrieve Job Sets.
lContent Set:Tag any Content set created by the Create Print Content task or the
Retrieve Items task set to retrieve Content Sets.
lRecord Set:Tag any Record set created by the Execute Data Mapping task or the
Retrieve Items task set to retrieve Record Sets.
OL Connect Proxy Tab
This tab is common to all OLConnect tasks and defines where to process the jobs sent through
these tasks. When these fields are empty, they use the defaults set in the OL Connect User
Options page of the preferences.
Note
Defaults are not used unless the configuration is sent to the Workflow service.
Page 604
lOL Connect Proxy Address: Enter the machine name or IPAddress where the
OLConnectServer resides.
lPort: Enter the port to use to communicate with the OLConnect Server. Default:9340
lUser name:Enter the user name expected by the OLConnect Server.
lPassword:Enter the password expected by the OLConnect Server for the above user
name.
On Error Tab
The On Error tab is common to all tasks. Details can be found in the" Task Properties Dialog"
on page777.
By default, any action task, branch, splitter or condition that generates an error will simply be
ignored, and the task just under it (not within a branch)will be given control of the job file
without any modification. Any initial input task that generates an error will stop the process from
running as a whole, and output tasks will not generate output. The On Error tab can be used to
overwrite the default behaviors.
lSend to Process: Check this option to send the job file to an error management process.
lError Process drop-down:Enabled only when the Send to Process option is checked.
Lists any process of which the initial input task is the Input Error Bin task.
lAction:In the initial input tasks, this group is disabled and defaults to Stop Process. In
all other tasks where the On Error tab is present, the following options are available:
lDefault:By default, the task is ignored as if it did not exist and the error is logged
before continuing the branch or process; the job file is passed on to the next task in
the process. When an error occurs in a loop (or in a plugin that acts like a loop), the
loop may log the error, terminate the current iteration and proceed with the next
iteration.
lStop Branch:If the task is in a branch of the process, the branch is stopped and the
job file is returned to the process after the branch. The branch will not produce any
output. If the task is not on a branch, the entire process will be stopped.
lStop Process:The process is stopped and no more processing is done. No further
output is produced.
lLog Message:Check this option to enable logging a custom error message in the
PlanetPress Workflow log file and in the Windows Application Events.
Page 605
lMessage:Enabled only when the Log Message option is checked. Enter a message that
will be logged in the PlanetPress Workflow log file. You can use any variables available
in PlanetPress Workflow to customize the message.
lStore the message in variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you
want to store the message content.
lID:Enter an error ID. This IDwill be visible in the Windows Event Viewer. However, the
IDis not visible in the PlanetPress Workflow log file.
lStore the IDin variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you want to
store the error ID.
lReset to defaults:Resets all options in this tab to their default values.
When storing the message or ID, if they are stored in a jobinfo they will be available in any
error handling process where errors are being forwarded. If your process continues after the
error, the contents of the variables selected in this window will be available to the rest of your
process, or as long as they are not overwritten.
Common Errors
Though some error messages are specific to a task in particular, others may apply to any and
all tasks because they are related more to the system than to PlanetPress itself. Some
examples would be W3813,W3830,W3991,W4005. These correspond to issues such as not
having any space to write files, permission errors on folders or files, etc.
Comments Tab
The Comments tab is common to all tasks. It contains a text area (Task comments)that lets
you write comments about the task. These comments are saved when the dialog is closed with
the OKbutton, and are displayed in the Task Comments Pane.
Check the option Use as step description to display the text next to the icon of the plugin in
the Process area.
Merge Jobs
The Merge Jobs action task merges an external metadata file containing an OLConnectJob
with the current job file.
Page 606
Input
The task must receive a Job metadata file, which is output from the Create Job task. The
selected metadata file must also be the output of a Create Job task.
Processing
The current metadata file is merged with the selected external metadata file.
Output
The task outputs a merged Job metadata file which can be used in the Create Output task.
Properties
General Tab
lMetadata file: Enter the full path to a valid Job Metadata file, or use the Browse button to
browse to a valid location.
On Error Tab
The On Error tab is common to all tasks. Details can be found in the" Task Properties Dialog"
on page777.
By default, any action task, branch, splitter or condition that generates an error will simply be
ignored, and the task just under it (not within a branch)will be given control of the job file
without any modification. Any initial input task that generates an error will stop the process from
running as a whole, and output tasks will not generate output. The On Error tab can be used to
overwrite the default behaviors.
lSend to Process: Check this option to send the job file to an error management process.
lError Process drop-down:Enabled only when the Send to Process option is checked.
Lists any process of which the initial input task is the Input Error Bin task.
lAction:In the initial input tasks, this group is disabled and defaults to Stop Process. In
all other tasks where the On Error tab is present, the following options are available:
lDefault:By default, the task is ignored as if it did not exist and the error is logged
before continuing the branch or process; the job file is passed on to the next task in
the process. When an error occurs in a loop (or in a plugin that acts like a loop), the
Page 607
loop may log the error, terminate the current iteration and proceed with the next
iteration.
lStop Branch:If the task is in a branch of the process, the branch is stopped and the
job file is returned to the process after the branch. The branch will not produce any
output. If the task is not on a branch, the entire process will be stopped.
lStop Process:The process is stopped and no more processing is done. No further
output is produced.
lLog Message:Check this option to enable logging a custom error message in the
PlanetPress Workflow log file and in the Windows Application Events.
lMessage:Enabled only when the Log Message option is checked. Enter a message that
will be logged in the PlanetPress Workflow log file. You can use any variables available
in PlanetPress Workflow to customize the message.
lStore the message in variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you
want to store the message content.
lID:Enter an error ID. This IDwill be visible in the Windows Event Viewer. However, the
IDis not visible in the PlanetPress Workflow log file.
lStore the IDin variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you want to
store the error ID.
lReset to defaults:Resets all options in this tab to their default values.
When storing the message or ID, if they are stored in a jobinfo they will be available in any
error handling process where errors are being forwarded. If your process continues after the
error, the contents of the variables selected in this window will be available to the rest of your
process, or as long as they are not overwritten.
Common Errors
Though some error messages are specific to a task in particular, others may apply to any and
all tasks because they are related more to the system than to PlanetPress itself. Some
examples would be W3813,W3830,W3991,W4005. These correspond to issues such as not
having any space to write files, permission errors on folders or files, etc.
Comments Tab
The Comments tab is common to all tasks. It contains a text area (Task comments)that lets
you write comments about the task. These comments are saved when the dialog is closed with
the OKbutton, and are displayed in the Task Comments Pane.
Page 608
Check the option Use as step description to display the text next to the icon of the plugin in
the Process area.
Retrieve Items
The Retrieve Items action task locates and extracts items from the OLConnect Database so
they can be used with further tasks. The items are retrieved using a set of conditions working
together. Since this task can retrieve items at any level, it can be used to generate metadata or
JSON data used in multiple tasks.
Input
The task requires no input file, but any input information such as metadata, job information or a
data file can be used to specify which items to retrieve.
Processing
The task requests the items on the OLConnect Server using the conditions set in the task
properties. Only the condition information and the returned metadata or JSON are exchanged.
Output
The task outputs metadata that is equivalent to the appropriate task that would normally create
the items (see the task properties for the list), or a JSON Record Data List.
Note
The result of a Retrieve Items task can be used with the Create Job task if it is a Content Item or
Content Set, but it cannot be used in combination with a Job Preset (see "Create Job" on page567).
Note
Content Creation tasks accept metadata as well as JSON data as input.
JSON Record Data List example
A JSON Record Data List includes a schema entry with information about the types of all fields
at the beginning of the record, and the data set with values after the schema. This structure
Page 609
allows for easy handling of the results through scripting in Workflow or in the Designer.
This is an example of the JSON output:
[
{
"schema": {
"columns": {
"ID": "STRING",
"Date": "DATETIME"
},
"tables" : {
"detail": {
"columns": {
"ItemTotal": "CURRENCY",
"ItemShipped": "FLOAT",
"ItemOrdered": "BOOLEAN"
}
},
"detail2": {
"columns": {
"ItemUnitPrice": "CURRENCY",
"ItemOrdered": "INT"
}
}
}
},
"id": 3678077,
"datasetid": 2392921,
"fields": {
"ID": "CU19762514",
"Date": 1331096400000
},
"tables": {
"detail": [{
"id": 3678078,
"fields": {
"ItemTotal": "2300.00",
"ItemShipped": 2.0,
"ItemOrdered": false
}
},
{
Page 610
"id": 3678079,
"fields": {
"ItemTotal": "29.99",
"ItemShipped": 1.0,
"ItemOrdered": "false"
}
}],
"detail2": [{
"id": 3678080,
"fields": {
"ItemUnitPrice": "1150.00",
"ItemOrdered": 2
}
},
{
"id": 3678081,
"fields": {
"ItemUnitPrice": "29.99",
"ItemOrdered": 1
}
}]
}
}
]
The values could be retrieved in JavaScript as follows:
var foo = record.fields.ID;
var bar = record.tables.details[0].fields.ID;
Properties
General Tab
lEntity to retrieve:Use the drop-down to select which items to retrieve.
lRecord:Retrieves one or more Records, whether or not they are part of a Record
Set. Output similar to the "Execute Data Mapping" on page591 task.
lRecord Set:Retrieves one or more Record Sets, including all their records. Output
similar to the "Execute Data Mapping" on page591 task.
Page 611
lContent Item: Retrieves one or more Content Items, whether or not they are part of
a Content Set. Output similar to the "Create Print Content" on page582 or "Create
Web Content" on page587 tasks.
lContent Set:Retrieves one or more Content Sets, including all their content items.
Output similar to the "Create Print Content" on page582 task.
lJob:Retrieves one or more Jobs, including all their content items ready to be
printed. Output similar to the "Create Job" on page567 task.
lRetrieve by:
lCondition: Select entities based on one or more conditions, the value of a metadata
field for example.
lRecord ID: Select records based on their Record ID. This option is only available
when the entity to retrieve is a Record. Multiple records can be retrieved by entering
multiple Record ID's, each on a new line.
lConditions:
lAdd a condition:Click to add a new condition line. This adds the line to the current
condition level, by default with an AND operator.
lSwitch conditions:Click to swap two conditions on the same level, or two groups
of conditions.
lDelete the selected condition:Click to delete the currently selected conditions in
the list.
lClear the rule: Click to delete all rules in the list. Note:This cannot be undone.
lImport a rule:Click to open the Browse dialog and load a Rules file. This will load
its rules into the list.
lExport the rule:Click to open a Save dialog and save the Rules file to disk.
lRule Viewer:Displays a text-based view of the condition using operators and
parentheses.
lOutput Type group:
lOutput IDs in Metadata:Select to only output minimal metadata containing the
entity IDs.
lOutput records in Metadata:Select to output IDs as well as record details in the
metadata, useful for further sorting and filtering of the metadata.
lOutput records in Json: Select to output a JSON Record Data List (see "Output"
on page609).
Commingling/Batching Tab
Page 612
Commingling (available only with the appropriate license) is a method by which Print Content
Items are merged together to create mail pieces going to each recipient. For instance, retrieving
a letter, an invoice and a notice within the same mail piece, which presumably could be added
within the same envelope. Batching is the same principle when all the Print Content Items are
generated using the same Template file. This tab is only available if the "Content Item"option is
selected in the General Tab's "Entity to retrieve"drop-down. To modify any of the following
options, click in the Parameters box and then click the [...] button that appears.
lDocument contents:Defines the Document ("Mail Piece")level and how they are built.
lPick items based on:Use the [...] to open the Pick Parameters dialog and define
how to pick which items will be placed in each document. Content items picked
using this method will be part of the same mail piece.
lSort items based on:Use the [...] to open the Sort Parameters dialog and define
how Content Items are sorted within the mail piece.
lGroup contents:Define the Group level (for example, a Mail Route), or how to group
mail pieces together in groups.
lPick items based on: Use the [...] to open the Pick Parameters dialog and define
how to pick which documents will be placed in each Document group. groups are
often used to separate mail routes, provinces, or cities.
lSort items based on:Use the [...] to open the Sort Parameters dialog and define
how documents are sorted within the group, for example by Zip Code.
OL Connect Proxy Tab
This tab is common to all OLConnect tasks and defines where to process the jobs sent through
these tasks. When these fields are empty, they use the defaults set in the OL Connect User
Options page of the preferences.
Note
Defaults are not used unless the configuration is sent to the Workflow service.
lOL Connect Proxy Address: Enter the machine name or IPAddress where the
OLConnectServer resides.
lPort: Enter the port to use to communicate with the OLConnect Server. Default:9340
lUser name:Enter the user name expected by the OLConnect Server.
Page 613
lPassword:Enter the password expected by the OLConnect Server for the above user
name.
On Error Tab
The On Error tab is common to all tasks. Details can be found in the" Task Properties Dialog"
on page777.
By default, any action task, branch, splitter or condition that generates an error will simply be
ignored, and the task just under it (not within a branch)will be given control of the job file
without any modification. Any initial input task that generates an error will stop the process from
running as a whole, and output tasks will not generate output. The On Error tab can be used to
overwrite the default behaviors.
lSend to Process: Check this option to send the job file to an error management process.
lError Process drop-down:Enabled only when the Send to Process option is checked.
Lists any process of which the initial input task is the Input Error Bin task.
lAction:In the initial input tasks, this group is disabled and defaults to Stop Process. In
all other tasks where the On Error tab is present, the following options are available:
lDefault:By default, the task is ignored as if it did not exist and the error is logged
before continuing the branch or process; the job file is passed on to the next task in
the process. When an error occurs in a loop (or in a plugin that acts like a loop), the
loop may log the error, terminate the current iteration and proceed with the next
iteration.
lStop Branch:If the task is in a branch of the process, the branch is stopped and the
job file is returned to the process after the branch. The branch will not produce any
output. If the task is not on a branch, the entire process will be stopped.
lStop Process:The process is stopped and no more processing is done. No further
output is produced.
lLog Message:Check this option to enable logging a custom error message in the
PlanetPress Workflow log file and in the Windows Application Events.
lMessage:Enabled only when the Log Message option is checked. Enter a message that
will be logged in the PlanetPress Workflow log file. You can use any variables available
in PlanetPress Workflow to customize the message.
lStore the message in variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you
want to store the message content.
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lID:Enter an error ID. This IDwill be visible in the Windows Event Viewer. However, the
IDis not visible in the PlanetPress Workflow log file.
lStore the IDin variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you want to
store the error ID.
lReset to defaults:Resets all options in this tab to their default values.
When storing the message or ID, if they are stored in a jobinfo they will be available in any
error handling process where errors are being forwarded. If your process continues after the
error, the contents of the variables selected in this window will be available to the rest of your
process, or as long as they are not overwritten.
Common Errors
Though some error messages are specific to a task in particular, others may apply to any and
all tasks because they are related more to the system than to PlanetPress itself. Some
examples would be W3813,W3830,W3991,W4005. These correspond to issues such as not
having any space to write files, permission errors on folders or files, etc.
Comments Tab
The Comments tab is common to all tasks. It contains a text area (Task comments)that lets
you write comments about the task. These comments are saved when the dialog is closed with
the OKbutton, and are displayed in the Task Comments Pane.
Check the option Use as step description to display the text next to the icon of the plugin in
the Process area.
Pick Parameters
The Search Parameters define how the to pick entities retrieved from the Connect Database
using the Retrieve Items task and place them together in Documents or Groups. Items are
picked using either Properties or Values.
lName:Enter the name of the Property or Value that will be used to pick items.
lType:Use the drop-down to select whether the name refers to a Property or a Value.
lAdd:Click to add a new line to the list.
lRemove:Click to remove the currently selected line in the list.
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lMove Up:Click to move the currently selected line up one position in the list.
lMove Down:Click to move the currently selected line down one position in the list.
lValidate Names:Click to check the each of line in the list against the currently active
Metadata. Metadata must be loaded in the Data Selector or through the use of the
Debugging feature.
Set Properties
The Set Properties action task defines properties for entities saved in the OLConnect
Database (Records, Content, and Jobs). These properties are applied to the entities and can
then be used to retrieve them using the Retrieve Entities task.
Input
The task must receive metadata that contains appropriate entities, generally from the Create
Record Set,Create Print Content,Create HTML Content Set or the Create Job tasks.
Processing
The task sets the chosen properties to all entities present in the metadata. These properties are
added to the entities on the OLConnect Server. Note that the properties are calculated only
once, and are applied identically to all entities. If each entity should have different properties
(such as record-level properties), the Metadata should be split using the Metadata Sequencer
task first.
Output
The task outputs metadata that is identical to the input Metadata. Only the entries on the
OLConnect Server side.
Properties
General Tab
lEntity:Use the drop-down to select the entity type of which to set the properties. This task
does not auto-detect entities, and so the appropriate selection must be made: Record,
Record Set, Content Item, Content Set, Job
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lProperties:Add all the properties to be added
lName:The name of the property.
lValue:The value to apply to the property.
lAdd entry:Click to add another line to the Properties list.
lRemove entry:Click to delete the currently selected line in the Properties list.
lMove entry up:Click to move the currently selected line up in the Properties list.
lMove entry down:Click to move the currently selected line down in the Properties list.
OL Connect Proxy Tab
This tab is common to all OLConnect tasks and defines where to process the jobs sent through
these tasks. When these fields are empty, they use the defaults set in the OL Connect User
Options page of the preferences.
Note
Defaults are not used unless the configuration is sent to the Workflow service.
lOL Connect Proxy Address: Enter the machine name or IPAddress where the
OLConnectServer resides.
lPort: Enter the port to use to communicate with the OLConnect Server. Default:9340
lUser name:Enter the user name expected by the OLConnect Server.
lPassword:Enter the password expected by the OLConnect Server for the above user
name.
On Error Tab
The On Error tab is common to all tasks. Details can be found in the" Task Properties Dialog"
on page777.
By default, any action task, branch, splitter or condition that generates an error will simply be
ignored, and the task just under it (not within a branch)will be given control of the job file
without any modification. Any initial input task that generates an error will stop the process from
running as a whole, and output tasks will not generate output. The On Error tab can be used to
overwrite the default behaviors.
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lSend to Process: Check this option to send the job file to an error management process.
lError Process drop-down:Enabled only when the Send to Process option is checked.
Lists any process of which the initial input task is the Input Error Bin task.
lAction:In the initial input tasks, this group is disabled and defaults to Stop Process. In
all other tasks where the On Error tab is present, the following options are available:
lDefault:By default, the task is ignored as if it did not exist and the error is logged
before continuing the branch or process; the job file is passed on to the next task in
the process. When an error occurs in a loop (or in a plugin that acts like a loop), the
loop may log the error, terminate the current iteration and proceed with the next
iteration.
lStop Branch:If the task is in a branch of the process, the branch is stopped and the
job file is returned to the process after the branch. The branch will not produce any
output. If the task is not on a branch, the entire process will be stopped.
lStop Process:The process is stopped and no more processing is done. No further
output is produced.
lLog Message:Check this option to enable logging a custom error message in the
PlanetPress Workflow log file and in the Windows Application Events.
lMessage:Enabled only when the Log Message option is checked. Enter a message that
will be logged in the PlanetPress Workflow log file. You can use any variables available
in PlanetPress Workflow to customize the message.
lStore the message in variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you
want to store the message content.
lID:Enter an error ID. This IDwill be visible in the Windows Event Viewer. However, the
IDis not visible in the PlanetPress Workflow log file.
lStore the IDin variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you want to
store the error ID.
lReset to defaults:Resets all options in this tab to their default values.
When storing the message or ID, if they are stored in a jobinfo they will be available in any
error handling process where errors are being forwarded. If your process continues after the
error, the contents of the variables selected in this window will be available to the rest of your
process, or as long as they are not overwritten.
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Common Errors
Though some error messages are specific to a task in particular, others may apply to any and
all tasks because they are related more to the system than to PlanetPress itself. Some
examples would be W3813,W3830,W3991,W4005. These correspond to issues such as not
having any space to write files, permission errors on folders or files, etc.
Comments Tab
The Comments tab is common to all tasks. It contains a text area (Task comments)that lets
you write comments about the task. These comments are saved when the dialog is closed with
the OKbutton, and are displayed in the Task Comments Pane.
Check the option Use as step description to display the text next to the icon of the plugin in
the Process area.
Output Tasks
Output tasks are exits from PlanetPress Workflow processes. They can be used to send data to
specific devices, such as printers, applications, such as email software, or locations, such as
folders. A single process can include multiple branches, each one terminated by an output task,
and so a single process may generate output via a variety of output tasks.
Typically, whenever PlanetPress Workflow sends an output task to an output device,
application or location, it considers its job finished. When it sends data to a printer, for example,
it does not wait for the document to have finished printing to consider its job done. In the same
fashion, an email output task is completed once PlanetPress Workflow has sent its message to
the email software, not when the email has actually been sent from the software. And in the
case of a PlanetPress Image output task, PlanetPress Workflow considers its job done once it
has sent its request to PlanetPress Image, not once PlanetPress Image has finished
generating the actual image file.
Other tasks available in PlanetPress Workflow can be used to generate output, such as Digital
Action,Create VDX and PrintForm action tasks. Unlike output tasks, action tasks are only
considered completed once the output file has been generated. In the case of a Digital Action
action task, for example, PlanetPress Workflow will consider the task completed only once the
image file has actually been created. This means that no other task from the same process can
be performed in the meantime. For more information on those tasks, refer to "Action Tasks" on
page268.
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Send to Folder tasks, which are considered as action and output tasks, are documented in the
current chapter.
Delete
Delete output tasks simply delete the job files they receive. They are often used after conditions
to get rid of those files that did not meet the requirements of the condition.
Input
Any data file, with optional metadata.
Processing
The data file is either deleted directly or sent to the Windows Recycle Bin.
Properties
General tab
lMove to recycle bin: Select to send the deleted files to the Windows recycle bin. When
this option is not selected, files are deleted permanently.
Examples &Use Cases
This task is put into effect in the following use cases and example processes:
lHTTP PDF Invoice Request
lHTTP Brochure Request
lCapture Web Manager Workflow
On Error Tab
The On Error tab is common to all tasks. Details can be found in the" Task Properties Dialog"
on page777.
By default, any action task, branch, splitter or condition that generates an error will simply be
ignored, and the task just under it (not within a branch)will be given control of the job file
without any modification. Any initial input task that generates an error will stop the process from
running as a whole, and output tasks will not generate output. The On Error tab can be used to
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overwrite the default behaviors.
lSend to Process: Check this option to send the job file to an error management process.
lError Process drop-down:Enabled only when the Send to Process option is checked.
Lists any process of which the initial input task is the Input Error Bin task.
lAction:In the initial input tasks, this group is disabled and defaults to Stop Process. In
all other tasks where the On Error tab is present, the following options are available:
lDefault:By default, the task is ignored as if it did not exist and the error is logged
before continuing the branch or process; the job file is passed on to the next task in
the process. When an error occurs in a loop (or in a plugin that acts like a loop), the
loop may log the error, terminate the current iteration and proceed with the next
iteration.
lStop Branch:If the task is in a branch of the process, the branch is stopped and the
job file is returned to the process after the branch. The branch will not produce any
output. If the task is not on a branch, the entire process will be stopped.
lStop Process:The process is stopped and no more processing is done. No further
output is produced.
lLog Message:Check this option to enable logging a custom error message in the
PlanetPress Workflow log file and in the Windows Application Events.
lMessage:Enabled only when the Log Message option is checked. Enter a message that
will be logged in the PlanetPress Workflow log file. You can use any variables available
in PlanetPress Workflow to customize the message.
lStore the message in variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you
want to store the message content.
lID:Enter an error ID. This IDwill be visible in the Windows Event Viewer. However, the
IDis not visible in the PlanetPress Workflow log file.
lStore the IDin variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you want to
store the error ID.
lReset to defaults:Resets all options in this tab to their default values.
When storing the message or ID, if they are stored in a jobinfo they will be available in any
error handling process where errors are being forwarded. If your process continues after the
error, the contents of the variables selected in this window will be available to the rest of your
process, or as long as they are not overwritten.
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Common Errors
Though some error messages are specific to a task in particular, others may apply to any and
all tasks because they are related more to the system than to PlanetPress itself. Some
examples would be W3813,W3830,W3991,W4005. These correspond to issues such as not
having any space to write files, permission errors on folders or files, etc.
Comments Tab
The Comments tab is common to all tasks. It contains a text area (Task comments)that lets
you write comments about the task. These comments are saved when the dialog is closed with
the OKbutton, and are displayed in the Task Comments Pane.
Check the option Use as step description to display the text next to the icon of the plugin in
the Process area.
FTP Output
FTP Output tasks send job files to other computers using the FTP protocol. It is similar to the
Sent To Folder output task but sends to an FTPconnection instead of a local drive.
The following describes the properties specific to FTP Output tasks. Note that some FTP
settings used for all FTP Output tasks are available via the PlanetPress Workflow user options
(See "FTP Output Service preferences" on page763).
Input
Any data file.
Processing
The file is sent to the FTPServer and location defined in the task' properties.
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Properties
General tab
lFTP Server: Enter the IP address or host name of the FTP server.
lPort number: Set the plugin to use a specific port number.
lUse FTP Clientdefault port number: Use the value as specified in the
Preferences (port 21 is the default value).
lFTP Port: Enter the specific port number to use when Use FTP Client default port
number is unchecked. Enter a value between 1 and 9999. Note: There is no
validation to ensure the port is available. It is the user's responsibility to ensure the
selected port is available and not being monitored by another application or
PlanetPress Workflow task.
lUser name: Enter an FTP server user name.
lPassword: Enter a password associated with the FTP server user name entered above.
lDirectory: Enter the directory to which the job files are to be uploaded. If you leave this
box empty, the job files are sent to the root directory of the FTP server.
lFile name: Enter the name under which the output job file will be saved. Consider using a
dynamic name, since if you use a static name every new file will overwrite the previous
one.
lConnection mode group
lActive: Select to prompt PlanetPress Workflow to use the active mode when
sending files to the FTP server.
lPassive: Select to prompt PlanetPress Workflow to use the passive mode when
sending files to the FTP server.
On Error Tab
The On Error tab is common to all tasks. Details can be found in the" Task Properties Dialog"
on page777.
By default, any action task, branch, splitter or condition that generates an error will simply be
ignored, and the task just under it (not within a branch)will be given control of the job file
without any modification. Any initial input task that generates an error will stop the process from
running as a whole, and output tasks will not generate output. The On Error tab can be used to
overwrite the default behaviors.
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lSend to Process: Check this option to send the job file to an error management process.
lError Process drop-down:Enabled only when the Send to Process option is checked.
Lists any process of which the initial input task is the Input Error Bin task.
lAction:In the initial input tasks, this group is disabled and defaults to Stop Process. In
all other tasks where the On Error tab is present, the following options are available:
lDefault:By default, the task is ignored as if it did not exist and the error is logged
before continuing the branch or process; the job file is passed on to the next task in
the process. When an error occurs in a loop (or in a plugin that acts like a loop), the
loop may log the error, terminate the current iteration and proceed with the next
iteration.
lStop Branch:If the task is in a branch of the process, the branch is stopped and the
job file is returned to the process after the branch. The branch will not produce any
output. If the task is not on a branch, the entire process will be stopped.
lStop Process:The process is stopped and no more processing is done. No further
output is produced.
lLog Message:Check this option to enable logging a custom error message in the
PlanetPress Workflow log file and in the Windows Application Events.
lMessage:Enabled only when the Log Message option is checked. Enter a message that
will be logged in the PlanetPress Workflow log file. You can use any variables available
in PlanetPress Workflow to customize the message.
lStore the message in variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you
want to store the message content.
lID:Enter an error ID. This IDwill be visible in the Windows Event Viewer. However, the
IDis not visible in the PlanetPress Workflow log file.
lStore the IDin variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you want to
store the error ID.
lReset to defaults:Resets all options in this tab to their default values.
When storing the message or ID, if they are stored in a jobinfo they will be available in any
error handling process where errors are being forwarded. If your process continues after the
error, the contents of the variables selected in this window will be available to the rest of your
process, or as long as they are not overwritten.
Page 624
Common Errors
Though some error messages are specific to a task in particular, others may apply to any and
all tasks because they are related more to the system than to PlanetPress itself. Some
examples would be W3813,W3830,W3991,W4005. These correspond to issues such as not
having any space to write files, permission errors on folders or files, etc.
Comments Tab
The Comments tab is common to all tasks. It contains a text area (Task comments)that lets
you write comments about the task. These comments are saved when the dialog is closed with
the OKbutton, and are displayed in the Task Comments Pane.
Check the option Use as step description to display the text next to the icon of the plugin in
the Process area.
SOAP Client plugin
SOAP Client plugin tasks can be used as input, output and action tasks, although their basic
function is to generate output. SOAP (Simple Object Access Protocol) is a light protocol that
defines a standard XML format used to communicate among systems across different
architectures, languages, and operating systems.
A SOAP request is an XML-based Remote Procedure Call (RPC) sent using the HTTP
transport protocol. The payload of the SOAP packet is an XML document that specifies the call
being made and the parameters being passed.
Web services, a SOAP class of applications, expose their services via the Internet in a manner
that lets other applications access them, as well as use and combine them as required.
In order to access and successfully use Web services, client applications must know how to get
them, what operations they support, what parameters they expect, as well as what they return.
SOAP servers make this information available via WSDL (Web Service Description Language)
files.
To configure a given SOAP Client plugin task in the PlanetPress Workflow Configuration
program, you must first get its WSDL file (note that you cannot download the WSDL file over an
HTTPS connection, so you should use an HTTP connection to get the file and then switch back
to a secure connection). This lets you know which services the SOAP server provides, as well
as each service’s methods and name spaces.
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If firewalls control communication between the SOAP client and the Web servers, they must be
configured so as not to block client-server communication.
In the case of "string" type data, SOAP Client plugin tasks normalize all line endings to a
single line feed character.
Properties
General tab
lWSDL address: Enter the URL address of the WSDL file, or choose a previously
selected address from the drop-down list.
Note
The WSDL Address of a PlanetPress Workflow SOAP server is the following:
http://127.0.0.1:8080/wsdl/isoapact (assuming you are on the same machine
and did not change the default HTTP port).
lGet: Click to get the WSDL file from the SOAP server and populate the Service box
below.
lService: Choose an available Web service from this drop-down list to populate the
Method box below. You may also enter the service name directly if the WSDL file cannot
be found.
lMethod: Choose an available method from this drop-down list. This populates the
Namespace box below. You may also enter the method name directly.
lNamespace: You may choose an available namespace to prevent ambiguity between
identically named elements or attributes. You may also enter a namespace directly.
lResolve: Click to apply the options you chose above and to display the arguments of the
chosen method in the Arguments box below.
lAs script: Click to apply the options you chose above and to display information on the
chosen Web service in JavaScript format in a script viewer. You should use this option if
the Web service is too complex to be interpreted correctly by the SOAP Client plugin.
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lName: Displays the name of the arguments associated with the selected method. Note
that you may also manually enter new arguments, change or delete existing ones, as well
as change their order if needed.
lType: Displays the argument type.
lValue: Lets you enter fixed or variable values. To exchange variable information between
the Web service and PlanetPress Workflow, you must use job information variables %1 to
%9 or variable %c (which contains the entire job file). Note that return values (arguments
which are used to return information to the SOAP Client) are displayed in bold font.
lNamespace: Displays the namespace of the arguments associated with the selected
method.
lUse returned raw SOAP packet as new data file: Check to use the complete SOAP
packet (including the passed parameters) instead of the parameters only. This option
overrides any return value set to %c in the Arguments box. You should use this option
when the SOAP Client plugin is not able to fully support the syntax of the response.
Advanced tab
lDomain:Enter the domain for the authentication on the SOAPserver. The Domain is
optional even when authentication is used.
luser name:Enter the user name for the authentication, if required.
lPassword: Enter the password for the above user name.
lAllow invalid security certificate:Check to ignore SSLcertificates that are invalid.
On Error Tab
The On Error tab is common to all tasks. Details can be found in the" Task Properties Dialog"
on page777.
By default, any action task, branch, splitter or condition that generates an error will simply be
ignored, and the task just under it (not within a branch)will be given control of the job file
without any modification. Any initial input task that generates an error will stop the process from
running as a whole, and output tasks will not generate output. The On Error tab can be used to
overwrite the default behaviors.
lSend to Process: Check this option to send the job file to an error management process.
lError Process drop-down:Enabled only when the Send to Process option is checked.
Lists any process of which the initial input task is the Input Error Bin task.
Page 627
lAction:In the initial input tasks, this group is disabled and defaults to Stop Process. In
all other tasks where the On Error tab is present, the following options are available:
lDefault:By default, the task is ignored as if it did not exist and the error is logged
before continuing the branch or process; the job file is passed on to the next task in
the process. When an error occurs in a loop (or in a plugin that acts like a loop), the
loop may log the error, terminate the current iteration and proceed with the next
iteration.
lStop Branch:If the task is in a branch of the process, the branch is stopped and the
job file is returned to the process after the branch. The branch will not produce any
output. If the task is not on a branch, the entire process will be stopped.
lStop Process:The process is stopped and no more processing is done. No further
output is produced.
lLog Message:Check this option to enable logging a custom error message in the
PlanetPress Workflow log file and in the Windows Application Events.
lMessage:Enabled only when the Log Message option is checked. Enter a message that
will be logged in the PlanetPress Workflow log file. You can use any variables available
in PlanetPress Workflow to customize the message.
lStore the message in variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you
want to store the message content.
lID:Enter an error ID. This IDwill be visible in the Windows Event Viewer. However, the
IDis not visible in the PlanetPress Workflow log file.
lStore the IDin variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you want to
store the error ID.
lReset to defaults:Resets all options in this tab to their default values.
When storing the message or ID, if they are stored in a jobinfo they will be available in any
error handling process where errors are being forwarded. If your process continues after the
error, the contents of the variables selected in this window will be available to the rest of your
process, or as long as they are not overwritten.
Common Errors
Though some error messages are specific to a task in particular, others may apply to any and
all tasks because they are related more to the system than to PlanetPress itself. Some
examples would be W3813,W3830,W3991,W4005. These correspond to issues such as not
having any space to write files, permission errors on folders or files, etc.
Page 628
Comments Tab
The Comments tab is common to all tasks. It contains a text area (Task comments)that lets
you write comments about the task. These comments are saved when the dialog is closed with
the OKbutton, and are displayed in the Task Comments Pane.
Check the option Use as step description to display the text next to the icon of the plugin in
the Process area.
Print Using a Windows Driver
Printing Using a Windows Driver output tasks are used to send jobs to a local or network
printer without going through a PlanetPress Workflow printer queue. Since the printer driver
itself is not necessarily postscript, we cannot optimize the print file, so using a Windows Driver
Output will always generate a larger and slower print job. However, this output can work with
non-postscript printers such as HPPCLprinters.
The Print Using a Windows Driver output taskrequires a PlanetPress Workflow license,
otherwise this plugin will cause a watermark.
Note
This type of output task does not support PDFtransparency and duo-tone features, so
you should not use it with PlanetPress Design documents that use those features.
Input
This task can accept either a data file with a correct Emulation, which is then merged to a
PlanetPress Design document, or a PDFfile which is to be printed natively.
Processing
Either the data file is merged with the document if one is selected, or the PDFFile is printed
natively through the PlanetPress Printer driver (which prints the same as if one were to open
the PDFin a PDFreader and print it).
Page 629
Properties
General Tab
lPrinter queue: Select the queues to which you want to send the output. Note that this is a
variable property box, so you can use various schemes to use printer queue names that
change with each job at run-time.
lProperties: Click to change the current printer queue properties. Note that PlanetPress
Workflow generate the job file and hands it over with the available print options to the
Windows print driver, which takes the relay for the actual printing part, so there is no way
for your PlanetPress Workflow Tool to ensure that all the settings you make will be
applied to the printed document.
lJob name: Enter the job’s file name. By default, the variable %f (Job File Name) is used.
You may use a different variable, but you may not use a data selection. This information
may be used for the printer’s banner page.
lJob owner name: Enter the job owner name. You may use a PlanetPress Workflow
variable.
Note
This option is not functional when natively printing PDFs (without a document).
lDocuments: Select a specific PlanetPress Design document if you want all the jobs to be
printed with that document.
lNatively print PDFfile: This special option can be used if your job file is a PDF.
The job will .
lAdd job information to the document: Select to prompt your PlanetPress Workflow to
add the available job information elements in the header of the file that will be sent to the
selected printer queues.
Metadata
If no metadata file is found, the from / to page settings from the job and the printer's properties
from the task configuration are used, with the job's settings overriding those of the printer where
applicable. If a metadata file is found, it is used to indicate which pages are printed and in
which order. Any other metadata is ignored.
Page 630
Note
Known issue: If a data file with metadata is resubmitted to such a process, the from / to page values
set by the user in the Resubmit interface are ignored.
On Error Tab
The On Error tab is common to all tasks. Details can be found in the" Task Properties Dialog"
on page777.
By default, any action task, branch, splitter or condition that generates an error will simply be
ignored, and the task just under it (not within a branch)will be given control of the job file
without any modification. Any initial input task that generates an error will stop the process from
running as a whole, and output tasks will not generate output. The On Error tab can be used to
overwrite the default behaviors.
lSend to Process: Check this option to send the job file to an error management process.
lError Process drop-down:Enabled only when the Send to Process option is checked.
Lists any process of which the initial input task is the Input Error Bin task.
lAction:In the initial input tasks, this group is disabled and defaults to Stop Process. In
all other tasks where the On Error tab is present, the following options are available:
lDefault:By default, the task is ignored as if it did not exist and the error is logged
before continuing the branch or process; the job file is passed on to the next task in
the process. When an error occurs in a loop (or in a plugin that acts like a loop), the
loop may log the error, terminate the current iteration and proceed with the next
iteration.
lStop Branch:If the task is in a branch of the process, the branch is stopped and the
job file is returned to the process after the branch. The branch will not produce any
output. If the task is not on a branch, the entire process will be stopped.
lStop Process:The process is stopped and no more processing is done. No further
output is produced.
lLog Message:Check this option to enable logging a custom error message in the
PlanetPress Workflow log file and in the Windows Application Events.
lMessage:Enabled only when the Log Message option is checked. Enter a message that
will be logged in the PlanetPress Workflow log file. You can use any variables available
in PlanetPress Workflow to customize the message.
Page 631
lStore the message in variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you
want to store the message content.
lID:Enter an error ID. This IDwill be visible in the Windows Event Viewer. However, the
IDis not visible in the PlanetPress Workflow log file.
lStore the IDin variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you want to
store the error ID.
lReset to defaults:Resets all options in this tab to their default values.
When storing the message or ID, if they are stored in a jobinfo they will be available in any
error handling process where errors are being forwarded. If your process continues after the
error, the contents of the variables selected in this window will be available to the rest of your
process, or as long as they are not overwritten.
Common Errors
Though some error messages are specific to a task in particular, others may apply to any and
all tasks because they are related more to the system than to PlanetPress itself. Some
examples would be W3813,W3830,W3991,W4005. These correspond to issues such as not
having any space to write files, permission errors on folders or files, etc.
Comments Tab
The Comments tab is common to all tasks. It contains a text area (Task comments)that lets
you write comments about the task. These comments are saved when the dialog is closed with
the OKbutton, and are displayed in the Task Comments Pane.
Check the option Use as step description to display the text next to the icon of the plugin in
the Process area.
Printer Queue Output
Printer Queue Output tasks dispatch jobs to selected printer queues. Note that you must have
created at least one printer queue before you can add your first Printer Queue Output task.
Furthermore, to print the data file with a PlanetPress Design document, you must have
associated at least one document with a printer queue.
You can select multiple queues in a Printer Queue Output tasks and choose exactly how your
jobs will be dispatched to the selected printers.
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Input
Any data file.
Processing
If the data file is in a valid Emulation and a document is selected, the data file and document
are merged to produce a PostScript output. The output may be an Optimized PostScript Stream
or a Printer Centric stream (data file +trigger).
If the data file is any file and the Pass-through option is selected, the file is sent as-is to the
selected printer queue. Whether the queue will properly output depends on the capabilities of
the queue and its target. For example, sending a JPGfile in pass-through to an FTPor Send to
Folder output will simply place the file in the destination. Sending this same file to an LPRor
WinQueue output will produce no output as these queues expect valid PostScript.
Properties
General tab
lQueues: Select the queues to which you want to send the output.
lDocuments: Select None if you want the data to print as is. Select a specific PlanetPress
Design document if you want all the jobs to be printed with that document. To use a
document chosen at run-time for each job, enter a dynamic document name using a
combination of text, variables and data selections. To enable the dynamic document
name box, click inside it. To disable it, press Enter. Note that in the later case, you must
be certain that the documents that will be chosen at run-time will in fact be available
locally or at all the selected printer. Note that PlanetPress Workflow will not specify a
given document version number, so the latest version will be used by default. To specify a
given document version number, you can use an Add Document action task instead of a
Printer Queue output, and then use an Add / Remove Text action task to add a version
number in the document trigger (for more information, refer to the Control Versions of a
Document section of the PlanetPress Design User Guide).
Advanced tab
lCopies: Enter the number of copies to be printed outputs. Since this is a variable property
box, you may enter a fixed value or use a data selection. Note that load balancing options
have an impact on how copies are printed as well as on the total number of printed
Page 633
copies.
lLoad balancing group (Options from this group are only valid if multiple printer queues
were selected.)
lNo balancing: No load balancing means that all the selected printer queues get
everything.
lSplit job: Split job means that jobs will be split according to the criteria set in the
Page delimiter group (see below) and that an equal share of the job file will be sent
to each one of the selected printer queues. For a hundred page job, for example, if
two queues were selected, each one will get 50 pages.
lQueue balancing: Queue balancing means that jobs will be split according to the
criteria set in the Page delimiter group (see below) and that a share of the job file
corresponding to each printer’s capacity (as set in the PlanetPress Workflow
Printer Queue Options dialog box—See "Print Using a Windows Driver" on
page629) will be sent to each one of the selected printer queues. If two queues
were selected, the first one sending jobs to a printer that prints 500 pages a minute,
and the second one sending jobs to a smaller printer printing 50 pages a minute, the
first queue will receive roughly ten times more pages than the second one.
lRound robin: Round robin means that complete jobs will be sent in turn to each
one of the selected printer queues. For example, Queue_1 will get the first job,
Queue_2 will get the second job, and so forth.
lPage delimiter group:These options are enabled when you choose Split job or Queue
balancing load balancing options. They are used to determine how each job is to be split
before being sent to the printer queues.
lForm feed: Cuts the job file at every form feed character.
lLines per page: Cuts the job file after the specified number of lines.
lKeyword: Cuts the job file after each occurrence of the specified keyword (string of
characters).
lCustom Trigger: Enter the code of the trigger that will be sent with the data to the
selected printer queues. Note that this box is only enabled if None was selected in the
General tab.
lAdd job information to the document:Includes the current JobInfos to the job output.
This option is only available if a document was selected in the General tab.
lUse job name as Title:Uses the Job Name set in the Printer Queue's General tab, as the
job's title, set as %%Title in the postscript's job.
Page 634
On Error Tab
The On Error tab is common to all tasks. Details can be found in the" Task Properties Dialog"
on page777.
By default, any action task, branch, splitter or condition that generates an error will simply be
ignored, and the task just under it (not within a branch)will be given control of the job file
without any modification. Any initial input task that generates an error will stop the process from
running as a whole, and output tasks will not generate output. The On Error tab can be used to
overwrite the default behaviors.
lSend to Process: Check this option to send the job file to an error management process.
lError Process drop-down:Enabled only when the Send to Process option is checked.
Lists any process of which the initial input task is the Input Error Bin task.
lAction:In the initial input tasks, this group is disabled and defaults to Stop Process. In
all other tasks where the On Error tab is present, the following options are available:
lDefault:By default, the task is ignored as if it did not exist and the error is logged
before continuing the branch or process; the job file is passed on to the next task in
the process. When an error occurs in a loop (or in a plugin that acts like a loop), the
loop may log the error, terminate the current iteration and proceed with the next
iteration.
lStop Branch:If the task is in a branch of the process, the branch is stopped and the
job file is returned to the process after the branch. The branch will not produce any
output. If the task is not on a branch, the entire process will be stopped.
lStop Process:The process is stopped and no more processing is done. No further
output is produced.
lLog Message:Check this option to enable logging a custom error message in the
PlanetPress Workflow log file and in the Windows Application Events.
lMessage:Enabled only when the Log Message option is checked. Enter a message that
will be logged in the PlanetPress Workflow log file. You can use any variables available
in PlanetPress Workflow to customize the message.
lStore the message in variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you
want to store the message content.
lID:Enter an error ID. This IDwill be visible in the Windows Event Viewer. However, the
IDis not visible in the PlanetPress Workflow log file.
Page 635
lStore the IDin variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you want to
store the error ID.
lReset to defaults:Resets all options in this tab to their default values.
When storing the message or ID, if they are stored in a jobinfo they will be available in any
error handling process where errors are being forwarded. If your process continues after the
error, the contents of the variables selected in this window will be available to the rest of your
process, or as long as they are not overwritten.
Common Errors
Though some error messages are specific to a task in particular, others may apply to any and
all tasks because they are related more to the system than to PlanetPress itself. Some
examples would be W3813,W3830,W3991,W4005. These correspond to issues such as not
having any space to write files, permission errors on folders or files, etc.
Comments Tab
The Comments tab is common to all tasks. It contains a text area (Task comments)that lets
you write comments about the task. These comments are saved when the dialog is closed with
the OKbutton, and are displayed in the Task Comments Pane.
Check the option Use as step description to display the text next to the icon of the plugin in
the Process area.
Send Email
The Send Email output task send the data files it receives via email.
Note
In some combinations of Microsoft Outlook and Windows versions, it is not possible for
Outlook to be opened while PlanetPress Workflow is running, so emails are not sent out
automatically. To correct this, make sure to log on to Windows on the PlanetPress
Workflow server using the same login that PlanetPress Workflow is using, and open
Outlook before starting the PlanetPress Workflow services. You could also use a startup
process to start Outlook before the rest of the services.
Page 636
Input
Any data file.
Processing
While an email is always sent by this task (or at least attempted to be sent), the contents of the
file and presence of attachments depends on the selected option. Refer to the properties'
descriptions below to know what each option does.
Once the contents of the file and attachments is determined, the email (and attachments)is
either sent directly to the selected SMTPserver, or is deposited in the "Outbox"folder of the
local Microsoft Outlook account.
Properties
Recipients tab
lTo: Enter the email address(es) of the recipient(s). Remember this is a variable property
box and you can therefore use various schemes to use email addresses that change with
each job at run-time.
lCc: Specify addresses to which copies of the generated emails are to be sent.
lBcc: Specify discreet addresses (other recipients will not be able to see these addresses)
to which copies of the generated emails are to be sent.
lSubject: Enter the subject of the emails generated by PlanetPress Image for this task.
Note that if you use a data selection in this box, you must be sure that the data that will be
selected at run-time will not contain any parentheses, as this would cause the task to fail.
If you suspect that the data may contain parentheses, you should use a Run Script action
task (see "Run Script" on page409) with a Strip() function to strip them out.
lMessage: Enter the content of the email message. Since this is a variable property box,
the text may be personalized using variables and data selections. Note that since this is a
variable property box, its content is parsed at run-time. If HTML code is entered or pasted
in this box, percent (%) and backslash (/) HTML characters must be doubled otherwise
they will be disregarded.
Page 637
Note
Different email clients have different support for various features, especially with
HTMLemails. In most cases, if you want to send your email as an HTML message, your
very first line should start with <html> or <!doctype html>.It should not be any other
character). Also note that it is not currently possible to send both an HTMLand plain-text
version of your message.
Attachments tab
Use this tab to add the files received by this task (plus any other file that you may choose to
attach) to the emails sent by PlanetPress.
lAttach input job files: Select to attach the file received by this task to the emails it will
generate. If this option is not selected, the recipients will not receive any of the data file.
lFile: Select additional files to include as attachments. You may enter the file name directly
and use text, variables and data selections. You may also use the Browse button to
navigate and select the file. To add the file to list displayed in the Attach box, you must the
click the downward pointing arrow button.
lAttach: Lists the files that will be attached to the messages sent from PlanetPress
Workflow for this task. Selecting the Attach output file(s) option adds these files at the top
of the list. Any other file that may have been added using the File box (above) is also
listed here.
lZip mode: Select how you want the files checked in the Attach box to be zipped. Select
Zip individually to have PlanetPress Workflow create a zip file for each file. Select
Archive and Zip if you prefer to have one zip file that contains all the attached files.
lZip file name: Enter the name of the one zip file that will be created if the Archive and Zip
option was selected in the Attach box (this box is otherwise not enabled).
lPassword protect Zip file(s): Select to force recipients to use a password to open the
attached zip files. Note that users will be required to use this password open each one of
the generated zip files.
lPassword: Enter the zip file password.
Page 638
Login tab
lUse Microsoft Outlook: Select to use Microsoft Outlook to send emails (and
attachments). The host computer must be running Outlook, andPlanetPress must have
access to Outlook. Emails generated by PlanetPress Workflow appear in the outbox
before being sent by Outlook whenever it is set to send emails.
lUse SMTP mail: Select to use Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) to send the emails
(and attachments). To use SMTP you must enter information in the Name, Email Address
and Outgoing Mail (SMTP) boxes below.
lName: Enter the sender’s name that will be used in emails sent by PlanetPress Workflow
for this task.
lOrganization: Enter the organization name that will be used in emails sent by
PlanetPress Workflow for this task (this is optional).
lEmail address: Enter the sender’s email address that will be used in emails sent by
PlanetPress Workflow for this task.
lReply address: Enter the reply address that will be used in emails sent by PlanetPress
Workflow for this task (this is optional).
lOutgoing mail (SMTP): Enter the IP address of the mail server PlanetPress Workflow is
to use to send emails via SMTP.
lPort:Specify the outgoing SMTPPort if it is different from the default port (25).
lServer requires authentication: Select if the outgoing server mentioned above requires
authentication. To use authentication you must enter information in the Account name and
Password boxes below.
lAccount name: Enter the name of the account that PlanetPress Workflow is to use to
send emails via the mail server.
lPassword: Enter the password associated with the account name entered above.
Examples &Use Cases
This task is put into effect in the following use cases and example processes:
lCapture Post Processing Workflow
Page 639
On Error Tab
The On Error tab is common to all tasks. Details can be found in the" Task Properties Dialog"
on page777.
By default, any action task, branch, splitter or condition that generates an error will simply be
ignored, and the task just under it (not within a branch)will be given control of the job file
without any modification. Any initial input task that generates an error will stop the process from
running as a whole, and output tasks will not generate output. The On Error tab can be used to
overwrite the default behaviors.
lSend to Process: Check this option to send the job file to an error management process.
lError Process drop-down:Enabled only when the Send to Process option is checked.
Lists any process of which the initial input task is the Input Error Bin task.
lAction:In the initial input tasks, this group is disabled and defaults to Stop Process. In
all other tasks where the On Error tab is present, the following options are available:
lDefault:By default, the task is ignored as if it did not exist and the error is logged
before continuing the branch or process; the job file is passed on to the next task in
the process. When an error occurs in a loop (or in a plugin that acts like a loop), the
loop may log the error, terminate the current iteration and proceed with the next
iteration.
lStop Branch:If the task is in a branch of the process, the branch is stopped and the
job file is returned to the process after the branch. The branch will not produce any
output. If the task is not on a branch, the entire process will be stopped.
lStop Process:The process is stopped and no more processing is done. No further
output is produced.
lLog Message:Check this option to enable logging a custom error message in the
PlanetPress Workflow log file and in the Windows Application Events.
lMessage:Enabled only when the Log Message option is checked. Enter a message that
will be logged in the PlanetPress Workflow log file. You can use any variables available
in PlanetPress Workflow to customize the message.
lStore the message in variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you
want to store the message content.
lID:Enter an error ID. This IDwill be visible in the Windows Event Viewer. However, the
IDis not visible in the PlanetPress Workflow log file.
Page 640
lStore the IDin variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you want to
store the error ID.
lReset to defaults:Resets all options in this tab to their default values.
When storing the message or ID, if they are stored in a jobinfo they will be available in any
error handling process where errors are being forwarded. If your process continues after the
error, the contents of the variables selected in this window will be available to the rest of your
process, or as long as they are not overwritten.
Common Errors
Though some error messages are specific to a task in particular, others may apply to any and
all tasks because they are related more to the system than to PlanetPress itself. Some
examples would be W3813,W3830,W3991,W4005. These correspond to issues such as not
having any space to write files, permission errors on folders or files, etc.
Comments Tab
The Comments tab is common to all tasks. It contains a text area (Task comments)that lets
you write comments about the task. These comments are saved when the dialog is closed with
the OKbutton, and are displayed in the Task Comments Pane.
Check the option Use as step description to display the text next to the icon of the plugin in
the Process area.
Send to Folder
Send to Folder output tasks send the files they receive to a local folder. They perform the same
function as Send to Folder action tasks, with the only difference being that in this case,
PlanetPress Workflow will not wait for the task to be completed before going on to the next task
in the configuration.
The following describes the properties specific to Send to Folder output tasks. For information
on those properties shared by various types of tasks, such as Other and On error properties,
refer toConfigurations, Processes and Tasks.
Input
Any data file.
Page 641
Processing
The file is saved in the location specified, as the file name specified.
Properties
General tab
lFolder: Enter the path of the folder to which the files are to be saved.
lFile name: Enter the name of the output files generated by this task. To prevent each new
file from overwriting the previous one, you should use variable names. As with any
variable property box, you can use any combination of text, variables and data selections.
lConcatenate files: If this option is selected, when PlanetPress Workflow tries to save the
job file under an existing name, it appends the content of the new job file to that of the
existing file, instead of overwriting it.
lIn the case of a PDF, this will act like the "Merge PDF Files" on page243 input task,
merging the PDF logically.
Note
This feature is part of the PDFTools, which is only available in PlanetPress
Workflow.
lSeparator string: This option is used to add a separator string between the content of
each file when the Concatenate files option is selected.
On Error Tab
The On Error tab is common to all tasks. Details can be found in the" Task Properties Dialog"
on page777.
By default, any action task, branch, splitter or condition that generates an error will simply be
ignored, and the task just under it (not within a branch)will be given control of the job file
without any modification. Any initial input task that generates an error will stop the process from
running as a whole, and output tasks will not generate output. The On Error tab can be used to
overwrite the default behaviors.
Page 642
lSend to Process: Check this option to send the job file to an error management process.
lError Process drop-down:Enabled only when the Send to Process option is checked.
Lists any process of which the initial input task is the Input Error Bin task.
lAction:In the initial input tasks, this group is disabled and defaults to Stop Process. In
all other tasks where the On Error tab is present, the following options are available:
lDefault:By default, the task is ignored as if it did not exist and the error is logged
before continuing the branch or process; the job file is passed on to the next task in
the process. When an error occurs in a loop (or in a plugin that acts like a loop), the
loop may log the error, terminate the current iteration and proceed with the next
iteration.
lStop Branch:If the task is in a branch of the process, the branch is stopped and the
job file is returned to the process after the branch. The branch will not produce any
output. If the task is not on a branch, the entire process will be stopped.
lStop Process:The process is stopped and no more processing is done. No further
output is produced.
lLog Message:Check this option to enable logging a custom error message in the
PlanetPress Workflow log file and in the Windows Application Events.
lMessage:Enabled only when the Log Message option is checked. Enter a message that
will be logged in the PlanetPress Workflow log file. You can use any variables available
in PlanetPress Workflow to customize the message.
lStore the message in variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you
want to store the message content.
lID:Enter an error ID. This IDwill be visible in the Windows Event Viewer. However, the
IDis not visible in the PlanetPress Workflow log file.
lStore the IDin variable:Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you want to
store the error ID.
lReset to defaults:Resets all options in this tab to their default values.
When storing the message or ID, if they are stored in a jobinfo they will be available in any
error handling process where errors are being forwarded. If your process continues after the
error, the contents of the variables selected in this window will be available to the rest of your
process, or as long as they are not overwritten.
Page 643
Common Errors
Though some error messages are specific to a task in particular, others may apply to any and
all tasks because they are related more to the system than to PlanetPress itself. Some
examples would be W3813,W3830,W3991,W4005. These correspond to issues such as not
having any space to write files, permission errors on folders or files, etc.
Comments Tab
The Comments tab is common to all tasks. It contains a text area (Task comments)that lets
you write comments about the task. These comments are saved when the dialog is closed with
the OKbutton, and are displayed in the Task Comments Pane.
Check the option Use as step description to display the text next to the icon of the plugin in
the Process area.
Working With Variables
A Variable is basically a keyword that points to specific location in your computer's memory.
This location contains data that you decide to place in it, by assigning that data to the variable
name. This chapter will help you learn about these variables and how you can use them.
Types of Variables
There are 3 types of variables that can be used in PlanetPress Workflow:
lGlobal Variables are available by all processes and tasks within the configuration, and
any modification made to them affects all tasks and configurations. For more information
see "Manipulate Global Variables" on page685.
lLocal Variables are specific to an instance of a process. That is to say, when a process
changes the information in a local variable, it changes it only for that process and only for
that specific instance of the process. For more information see "Manipulate Local
Variables" on page683.
lJob Infos are also specific to an instance of a process, however their use is different. Just
after an initial or secondary input task, Job Infos contain information about the job file
itself. Job Infos are also, by default, accessible by PlanetPress Design documents used
throughout your process. They are generally used to gather information from the input
task, or transfer information to your PlanetPress Design document.
Page 644
All the variables in PlanetPress Workflow are considered strings, even if the information itself
can be a number. There are no other types of variables (such as arrays, floating point numerical
values or Boolean) in PlanetPress Workflow.
Job Info Variables
Job Infos have two main uses. First, they contain information on any job file that comes out of
the initial input task or any secondary input tasks. The number of job infos as well as their
definition can be seen in the Other tab of any input task. Secondly, they are transmitted, unless
otherwise configured, directly to any PlanetPress Design document used within your process
and can be directly accessed by that document, so they can be used to transfer complementary
information to your document that is not contained within your data file.
Note
You can also access global and local variables from your document using the
ExpandString()function. For more information, please see the PlanetPress Design User
Guide.
There are only 9 Job Infos available numbered from 1 to 9. They can be accessed directly
anywhere that accepts variable properties by using the number of the variable preceded by a
percent sign (For example, %2 or %9).
You can set the value of a job info within your process in two ways:
lUse the Set Job Info and Variable action task. See "Set Job Infos and Variables" on
page350.
lYou can use Scripts. See the chapter "Using Scripts" on page91.
Considerations on Job Infos:
lWhile the initial job infos are created by the input task, they can be overwritten by the Set
Job Info and Variables Action Task, by a Script, or by any secondary input task in the
process. Whenever you use a job info in your process, make sure it contains the value
that you want, and not one that has been overwritten by another task.
Page 645
lJob infos sent to the document are global to that document, meaning the values do not
change between data files. This means that if your data file contains multiple data pages
for different clients, your job infos cannot be used to send information to the document.
lJob infos are in limited quantity and are slowly being deprecated when transferring data
to your document. You should probably consider using Metadata, or Local Variables.
Standard Variables
Standard Variables, also known as "system variables", are variables that are created and
managed directly by PlanetPress Workflow. Those variables are read-only and cannot be
modified. They provide information about the job, process, and PlanetPress Workflow
environment.
Available Standard Variables
Variable Name Example value when interpreted
%c Content of
your job file in
its original
format.
n/a
%F Job File Path
and Name
C:\Program Files\PlanetPress Workflow 7\PlanetPress
Watch\Spool\job1D80328.dat
%f Job File
Name
including the
file extension.
job1D80328.dat
%z Job File Size
in bytes.
34134
%o Original File
Name
invoice_june2nd.txt
%O Original File
Name
Without
invoice_june2nd
Page 646
Variable Name Example value when interpreted
Extension
%y Current Year 2010
%m Current
Month
(numeric)
06
%M Current
Month (text)
June
%L Current
Month (short
text)
JUN
%d Current Day
(numeric)
16
%D Current Day
(text)
Monday
%l Current Day
(short text)
MON
%h Current Hour 18
%n Current
Minute
03
%s Current
Second
41
%v Current
Millisecond
24
%u Unique 13-
char string
0ZIS4CW8U47VI00
Page 647
Variable Name Example value when interpreted
(will be
different every
time it is
used)
%t Current
Temporary
Folder
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application
Data\Objectif Lune\PlanetPress Workflow 7\PlanetPress
Watch\Spool\6.tmp\
%e Current
Metadata
Filename
job00ZAIZ2C4FXON16CE6C566.dat.meta
%E Current
Metadata
Path and
Filename
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application
Data\Objectif Lune\PlanetPress Workflow 7\PlanetPress
Watch\Spool\5.tmp\job00ZAIZ2C4FXON16CE6C566.dat.meta
%w Current
process
name.
My Process
%i Current Loop
Iteration Index
(always the
innermost
loop)
2
The %i Loop Count Variable
In version 7.4, the %i variable is introduced. Its value is equivalent to the current iteration of
loops inside of a process. It always contains the value of the innermost loop, and only certain
tasks trigger the counter to start. Here is an example process and the value of %i during this
process:
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Initial input tasks do not modify the value of %i. However, the following tasks do trigger
the variable:
lBarcode scan
lCapture Field Processor
lAll Splitters (Including the Metadata Sequencer)
lGet Capture Document
lLoop
lCapture PGCSplitter
lPrintShop Mail
Error Handling Variables
The following variables are available in error-handling tasks (that start with the ErrorBin Input
task). Note that these are new in PlanetPress Workflow 7.4 and are not available in previous
versions.
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Variable Name Example
value when
interpreted
%
{error.process}
Name of the process where the error was triggered
%
{error.tasktype}
The type of task that triggered the error
%
{error.taskname}
The name of the task that triggered the error
%
{error.taskindex}
The position of the task in the process
%
{error.errormsg}
The error message, as entered in the OnError tab of the
task. This is the same message as appears in
PlanetPress Workflow Log file.
%{error.errorid} The error ID, as entered in the OnError tab of the task.
This is the same ID that appears in the Windows Event
Viewer.
Manipulate Local Variables
Note
For information about Global Variables see Global Variables.
Local Variables are set at the level of the Process and are not shared with any other process or
instance of that process. Local variables can be used anywhere that accepts variables by using
it's namee, surrounded by curly brackets and preceded by a percent sign (for example:%
{myLocalVariable}).
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When the process ends, the local variable forgets whatever value was given to it by the process
and goes back to its default value. Local variables are generally used to keep information that
is useful for the process itself but not to any other process or instance of the process. For
example, you could store the current order IDfor the process, a name or an email. You can
have as many local variables as you want in any given process.
To add a local variable, you can use one of two methods:
lSelect the process where you want to add the variable.
lClick on the Home tab of the PlanetPress Workflow Ribbon, then click Local Variable
in the Variables group.
lRight-click on the process in the Configuration Components area, then click on Insert
Local Variable.
Shared tasks
These procedures can be used on both local and global variables.
To delete a variable
lRight-click on the variable name in the Configuration Components Area and click
Delete.
To rename a variable:
lRight-click on the variable name in the Configuration Components Area.
lClick Rename
lType in the new name of the variable, then press Enter on your keyboard.
While renaming a variable will correctly rename all references to it in task properties or
wherever else it is used in a task, it will not change the references in any script within a Run
Script task. Deleting a variable, on the other hand, does not delete any reference to it. In both
the case where a script refers to a variable and it is renamed, or in the case of deleting a
variable, any task or script that refers to it will cease to function and will generate an error.
You can set the value of a variable within your process in two ways:
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lUse the Set Job Info and Variable action task. See "Set Job Infos and Variables" on
page350.
lYou can use Scripts. See the chapter "Using Scripts" on page91.
Variables may be used as variable properties in variable property boxes (see Variable
Properties).
Manipulate Global Variables
Note
For information about Local Variables see Local Variables.
Global Variables are set at the level of the configuration file and are shared between all
processes and tasks. Global variables can be used anywhere that accepts variables by using
it's name preceded by "global."and surrounded by curly brackets (for example:%
{global.myGlobalVariable}).
Global variables are generally used to keep information that applies to multiple locations but
need to be changed easily. For example, a lot of uses use them to set a server's IP, a printer
name, or folder location that is used by multiple processes. This is useful when moving the
configuration file to another installation of the Workflow Tools where this information is different,
or to quickly modify specific information if something changes on the server. You can have as
many global variable as you want in any given configuration.
To add a global variable from the Configuration Components pane:
1. Right-Click on Global Variables.
2. Click Insert, then Insert Global Variable.
The new variable will appear as GlobalVar or GlobalVarX (the name is automatically
incremented).
To add a global variable from the Ribbon:
1. Click on the Home tab of the PlanetPress Workflow Ribbon.
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2. Click Global Variable in the Variables group.
The new variable will appear as GlobalVar or GlobalVarX (the name is automatically
incremented).
To set the value of a global variable from the Configuration Components pane:
1. Double-click on the global variable in the Configuration Components pane.
(Right-clicking then clicking Properties also works)
2. Enter the new value for your global variable.
3. Click OK to save the new value.
Shared tasks
These procedures can be used on both local and global variables.
To delete a variable
lRight-click on the variable name in the Configuration Components Area and click
Delete.
To rename a variable:
lRight-click on the variable name in the Configuration Components Area.
lClick Rename
lType in the new name of the variable, then press Enter on your keyboard.
While renaming a variable will correctly rename all references to it in task properties or
wherever else it is used in a task, it will not change the references in any script within a Run
Script task. Deleting a variable, on the other hand, does not delete any reference to it. In both
the case where a script refers to a variable and it is renamed, or in the case of deleting a
variable, any task or script that refers to it will cease to function and will generate an error.
You can set the value of a variable within your process in two ways:
lUse the Set Job Info and Variable action task. See "Set Job Infos and Variables" on
page350.
lYou can use Scripts. See the chapter "Using Scripts" on page91.
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Variables may be used as variable properties in variable property boxes (see Variable
Properties).
About Configurations
PlanetPress Workflow configuration files are defined as a set of processes, subprocesses,
variables, documents and printer queues, that work together within PlanetPress Workflow
Service.
PlanetPress Workflow cannot work without a valid configuration and a PlanetPress Workflow
session running on a given computer can only use one configuration at a time. Once you have
created a configuration, you must “send” it to the PlanetPress Workflow Service. When you do
this, your PlanetPress Workflow forgets its previous configuration and starts executing the tasks
included in the new configuration.
Note
A PlanetPress Workflow configuration must be composed of at least one process, but it
may include as many as 512.
For a configuration created in PlanetPress Workflow Configuration to actually be executed by
PlanetPress Workflow, it must be sent to its PlanetPress Workflow service.
See the following pages for information on different parts of PlanetPress Workflow
Configuration:
lFor information about Processes and Subprocesses, see "About Processes and
Subprocesses" on page81.
lFor information about Global Variables, see "Working With Variables" on page644.
Create a New Configuration
When you start PlanetPress Workflow, it always opens the configuration file that is active on the
PlanetPress Watch service. If you create a new configuration, PlanetPress Workflow
automatically creates a process that includes a "Folder Capture" on page213 initial input task
and a "Send to Folder" on page641 output task. You can then edit and save your new
configuration.
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To create a new configuration, chooseNew from the PlanetPress button.
If the active watch file is currently opened, and if it includes unsaved modifications, PlanetPress
Workflow asks you whether to send the configuration to the PlanetPressWatch service before
creating the new configuration. Select the Always send without prompting for confirmation
option to automatically send the edited version of the configuration.
If a file different from the default configuration file is currently opened, and if it includes unsaved
modifications, PlanetPress Workflow asks you whether to save the configuration before
creating the new configuration. Select the Always save without prompting for confirmation
option to automatically save any unsaved work.
Open a PlanetPress Workflow Configuration File
While PlanetPress Workflow Configuration program always loads the default and current
configuration, you may sometimes need to open a Workflow Tool configuration file that is not
the current one, for example to load a previous backup or a configuration file saved from
another computer. This procedure will show you how.
1. From the PlanetPress Workflow button, chooseOpen. The Open dialog box appears.
2. Navigate to the configuration file you want to open, select it and click Open.
If the default configuration file is currently opened, and if it includes unsaved modifications, the
PlanetPress Workflow Configuration program asks you whether to send the configuration to the
PlanetPress Workflowservice before opening the selected configuration. Select the Always
send without prompting for confirmation option to automatically send the edited version of the
configuration before opening any other configuration (See "Saving and Sending" on the next
page).
Note
You can also open a configuration file from a previous version of PlanetPress Workflow
by changing the File Type selector to the desired version (for example, .pw6 for
PlanetPress Watch /Server configurations from Version 6)
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Saving and Sending
Saving and Sending a Configuration
The core of the PlanetPressSuite workflow tools is the PlanetPress Watch service which, once
started, constantly runs in the background to perform the tasks included in its current
configuration file. PlanetPress Workflow lets you create, edit and save configuration files.
As you are working on your configuration, you can save that configuration file as a file on your
local hard drive.
Saving a configuration file never replaces the current PlanetPress Watch service configuration.
To do this, you must use the Send Configuration command.
Saving a Configuration
Files created and edited using PlanetPress Workflow can be saved as PlanetPress Workflow
configuration files anywhere on your computer or even a network location.
To save the current configuration:
lFrom the PlanetPress button, choose Save.
lIf you were editing the current PlanetPressWatch service configuration or if you were
editing a new configuration file, you are prompted with the Save As dialog instead.
To save the current configuration under a new name:
lFrom the PlanetPress button, choose Save As.
lBrowse to the location where you wanted to save the file, enter the new name of the
configuration in the File name box and click Save.
Sending a Configuration
PlanetPress Workflow Configuration saves entire configurations in the form of a single file. Like
any other file, configuration files may be saved and reopened, as well as rename as desired.
Simply saving a configuration has no effect on the configuration actually used by the
PlanetPress Workflowwhen it is started. To change any currently active configuration, you must
use the Send Configuration command.
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When you use the Send command, the PlanetPress Workflow Configuration program uses the
currently opened configuration to overwrite PlanetPress Workflow service's current
configuration.
If PlanetPress Workflow service is running when you send a new configuration, it stops and
restarts automatically with the new configuration. If the service is stopped, it will not start
automatically.
To send a PlanetPress Workflow Configuration to the local server:
1. Open the configuration you want to use as PlanetPress Workflow’s new configuration.
2. Edit the configuration, if required.
3. When the configuration is ready to be used, from the PlanetPress Workflow button,
choose Send Configuration, then Send Local.
To send a PlanetPress Workflow Configuration to a remote server:
1. Open the configuration you want to use as PlanetPress Workflow’s new configuration.
2. Edit the configuration, if required.
3. When the configuration is ready to be used, from the PlanetPress Workflow button,
choose Send Configuration, then Send Remote.
Alist of available PlanetPress Workflow servers on the local network appears.
4. Put a checkmark next to each server where the configuration should be sent.
5. Click OK.
If a server is grayed out, this may mean you do not have access to send a configuration
remotely to it. For more information, please see "Access Manager" on page709.
Note
If PlanetPress Workflow service is paused when you send a new configuration, it will not
stop and restart. Since PlanetPress Workflow service reads its configuration file when it
starts up, when you resume processing, PlanetPress Workflow service will continue
using the old configuration.
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Exit PlanetPress Workflow Configuration Program
Once you are done using PlanetPress Workflow, you can close the configuration program. It is
important to note that closing PlanetPress Workflow Configuration Program does not stop any
of PlanetPress Workflow services or stop processing.
You may exit PlanetPress Workflow Configuration Program in any of the following ways:
lFrom the PlanetPress Workflow button, choose Exit.
lClick the Xat the top-right corner of PlanetPress Workflow Configuration Program
lPress ALT+F4 on your keyboard.
lRight-click on PlanetPress Workflow Configuration Program button in your task bar,
and select Close.
If the default configuration file is currently opened, and if it includes unsaved modifications, the
PlanetPress Workflow Configuration program asks you whether to send the configuration to the
PlanetPress Workflow service before exiting. Select the Always send without prompting for
confirmation option to automatically send the edited version of the configuration before exiting.
If the default configuration does not include any active process, the PlanetPress Workflow
Configuration program asks you whether to continue.
When the PlanetPress Workflow Configuration program sends a configuration, the PlanetPress
Workflow service is stopped and restarted, if it is currently running, and the new configuration
starts being applied immediately.
If a file different from the default configuration file is currently opened, and if it includes unsaved
modifications, the PlanetPress Workflow Configuration program asks you whether to save the
configuration before exiting. Select the Always save without prompting for confirmation option
to automatically save any unsaved work before exiting.
About related programs and services
Services are programs that run in the background and automatically perform tasks that often do
not require any user interaction. With the exception of PlanetPress Workflow Configuration, all
the programs used by PlanetPress Workflow are run as service applications. PlanetPress
Workflow can thus use them as required without the need for any user interaction.
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Although you can manually start and stop any service running on your computer, most of the
basic services used by the system are started and stopped automatically. In the case of
PlanetPress Workflow and their related services, you typically use a command included in your
PlanetPress Workflow Configuration program to start and stop most services. Opening and
closing your PlanetPress Workflow Configuration program has no effect on these services.
The PlanetPress Workflow Service Console, included in the PlanetPress Workflow Tools
ribbon, can be used to monitor, start and stop PlanetPress Workflow services (See Users and
Configurations and "The PlanetPress Workflow Service Console" on page719).
Services must use an account to be granted the permission to use the system’s resources and
objects. This information is included in the service's configuration and most services use the
Local System Account, which is granted access to all the system’s resources. All input and
output services used by PlanetPress Workflow run under the same account. For more
information on services and system permissions, refer to Windows documentation. For more
information on how to configure the account used by the services, See "Workflow Services" on
page702.
Available Input services
Input services are used to pull in data files. The input services used by PlanetPress Workflow
are:
lLPD (Line Printer Daemon) Input service: Inputs data sent from an LPR client. The
LPD/LPR printing protocol is a common way to send print jobs that, in turn, use the
TCP/IP protocol to communicate through the network.
lPrintShop Mail Web Capture service: Monitors print requests from a PrintShop Web
server.
lSerial Input service: Monitors a single serial port for incoming data. Note that all Serial
input tasks use the same serial port (set in the user options of the PlanetPress Workflow
Configuration program).
lTelnet Input service: Monitors multiple telnet ports for incoming data. Note that each
Telnet input task has its own telnet port number (set in each task).
lHTTP/SOAP Server service: Monitors web pages and web sites as well as SOAP
servers.
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Available Output services
Output services are used to output jobs. The output services used by PlanetPress Workflow
are:
lFTP Output service: Places output jobs on a server via the FTP protocol.
lLPR (Line Printer Requester) Output service: Sends jobs to an LPD server or LPD
compatible printers. The LPD/LPR printing protocol is a common way to send print jobs
that, in turn, use the TCP/IP protocol to communicate through the network.
lPlanetPress Image: Outputs jobs as PDF files or in a variety of image formats. You can
also use PlanetPress Image to archive and/or email the files it creates. You can use
PlanetPress Search to search the PDF files PlanetPress Image creates. You can install
multiple instances of the PlanetPress Image service on your network, and have
PlanetPress Workflowsend jobs to one or more of these instances. Each instance of
PlanetPress Image can generate PDFs or images and dispatch them from the host on
which it runs. See About Image.
lPlanetPress Fax: Outputs jobs as faxes. You use PlanetPress Fax as an interface to
WinFax PRO or Windows Fax, to send faxes you create from documents. You can install
multiple instances of the PlanetPress Fax service on your network, and have PlanetPress
Workflowsend jobs to one or more of these instances. Each instance of PlanetPress Fax
can generate faxes and dispatch them from the host on which it runs, using a local faxing
program, such as WinFax PRO, Captaris RightFax or Windows Fax. See About Fax.
lPrintShop Mail:Used to generate documents using PrintShop Mail databases and
documents. Communicate with it through the PrintShop Mail and PrintShop Mail 7
Connector Tasks. See "PrintShop Mail" on page471.
lLaserfiche:Used as a repository for electronic documents. Communicate with it through
the Laserfiche Repository Output Task. See "Laserfiche Repository Output" on page436.
lPlanetPress Capture:Used to generate and process files using Anoto patterns.
Communicate with it through the PlanetPress Capture tasks such as the Anoto Ink
Processor and the Anoto Pattern plugins.
Start and Stop PlanetPress Workflow Service
As with most Windows services, PlanetPress Workflow can be started and stopped
automatically when a Windows session is opened and closed. The other option is to start, stop
or pause PlanetPress Workflow manually using the PlanetPress Workflow Configuration
program.
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Note
The current PlanetPress Workflow status is always displayed in the lower-right corner of
the PlanetPress Workflow Configuration program window.
To start PlanetPress Workflow services via PlanetPress Workflow Configuration
program:
1. Click Tools in the PlanetPress Workflow Ribbon.
2. Click Start Service in the Services Status group. A progress bar is displayed while your
PlanetPress Workflow is being started.
To stop your PlanetPress Workflow services via PlanetPress Workflow Configuration
program:
1. Click Tools in the PlanetPress Workflow Ribbon.
2. Click Stop Service in the Services Status group.
When you stop or pause PlanetPress Workflow, it immediately stops bringing new files
into its processes, but it keeps on performing tasks until all the files which are currently
under process have been completely processed.
To pause your PlanetPress Workflow Tools service via the PlanetPress Workflow
Configuration program:
1. Click Tools in the PlanetPress Workflow Ribbon.
2. Click Pause in the Services Status group. The PlanetPress Workflow service
temporarily stops performing jobs.
Note
If you send a new configuration when PlanetPress Workflow is paused, it will continue using
the old configuration when you resume processing until you stop and restart it.
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To resume your PlanetPress Workflow service after pausing it:
1. Click Tools in the PlanetPress Workflow Ribbon.
2. Click Resume in the Services Status group. The PlanetPress Workflow Tool service
starts performing jobs again.
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The Interface
This chapter centers on the PlanetPress Workflow Configuration program, which you use to
create and edit your configurations.
The basic user interface elements are as follows:
1. The PlanetPress Workflow button. See "PlanetPress Workflow Button" on page672.
2. The Quick Access Toolbar. See " The Quick Access Toolbar" on page785.
3. The Ribbon Tabs. See "The PlanetPress Workflow Ribbon" on page786.
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4. A Group within the Ribbon
5. The Process area. See " The Process Area" on page773.
6. A specific link (aka a "component", "button"or "link").
7. The Dockable panels including "The Plug-in Bar" on page728, " The Object Inspector
Pane" on page727 and "The Debug Information Pane" on page725.
8. The status bar. This displays your current software version and status of the PlanetPress
Service.
9. The Configuration Components pane. See "The Configuration Components Pane" on
page674.
10. The Messages Pane. See " The Message Area Pane" on page726.
You can customize the appearance of PlanetPress Workflow Configuration programs to your
needs. See "Customizing the Workspace" below.
Customizing the Workspace
You can combine and attach the Configuration Components pane, Messages area and
Object Inspector into a single secondary window that can be docked to and undocked from the
main PlanetPress Workflow Configuration program window.
Combining and attaching areas can facilitate the management of your screen real estate. It lets
you reposition multiple areas in a single operation.
Note
Since the Process area must remain in the main PlanetPress Workflow Tools Configuration Program
window, it cannot be combined and attached in this fashion.
Dock and Undock Areas of the Program Window
The Configuration Components pane, the Object Inspector, and the Messages area can be
displayed in windows that are attached to the Program window (docked position) or that float
above it (undocked position). You dock a window when you attach it to the Program window,
and you undock it when you detach it from the Program window.
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The Configuration Components pane, the Object Inspector and the Messages area can
each be displayed inside its own window, whether docked or undocked, but they can also be
displayed attached or combined inside the same window.
lWhen separate areas are displayed simultaneously, they appear in different sections of
the Program window.
lWhen attached areas are displayed simultaneously, they appear side-by-side or above
one another inside sub-windows.
lWhen combined areas are displayed simultaneously, they overlap one another inside the
same window. Tabs let you switch from one area to the other.
To undock an area of the Program window, do one of the following:
lClick either a title bar (separate or attached areas) or a tab (combined areas) displaying
the name of the Configuration Components pane, the Object Inspector or the
Messages area and move the mouse pointer so as to drag the area away from its docked
position. As you drag, a rectangle is displayed to show the landing position. Release the
mouse button when the rectangle is in a floating position (not attached to the Program
window).
lDouble-click either a title bar (separate or attached areas) or a tab (combined areas)
displaying the name of the Configuration Components pane, the Object Inspector or
the Messages area. The area will jump from a docked to an undocked position and vice-
versa.
To dock an area of the Program window, do one of the following:
lClick either a title bar (separate or attached areas) or a tab (combined areas) displaying
the name of the Configuration Components pane, the Object Inspector or the
Messages area and move the mouse pointer so as to drag the area away from its current
undocked position. As you drag, a rectangle is displayed to show the landing position.
Release the mouse button when the rectangle is in a docked position (attached to the
Program window).
lDouble-click either a title bar (separate or attached areas) or a tab (combined areas)
displaying the name of the Configuration Components pane, the Object Inspector or
the Messages area. The area will jump from an undocked to a docked position and vice-
versa.
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Show or Hide Areas of the Program Window
You can choose to hide or display any of the customizable areas in PlanetPress Workflow
program. Hidden areas will still contain the same information but will not be visible.
To show or hide a Program window area:
lIn the PlanetPress Workflow Ribbon, click the View tab.
lFrom the Show/Hide group, click on any area name to hide or display it.
A"highlighted"(orange)button means the area is displayed somewhere on your screen(s).
Adim (blue)button means the area is hidden.
Note
The Process Area is always visible and cannot be hidden.
Combine and Attach Areas
The Configuration Components pane, the Object Inspector, and the Messages area can be
attached or combined to one another and share the same space. However they are displayed,
you can always drag, dock, or undock any area as desired. You can also switch among areas
when they are combined, as well as maximize or minimize areas when they are attached. For
more information, refer to "Customizing the Workspace" on page664.
The following procedures will show a number of things you can do to change the way
information is displayed by PlanetPress Workflow Configuration program.
To combine areas:
lClick either a title bar (separate or attached areas) or a tab (combined areas) displaying
the name of the Configuration Components pane, the Object Inspector or the Messages
area and move the mouse pointer. As you drag, a rectangle is displayed to show the
landing position. Drag the rectangle directly over another area and release the mouse
Page 666
button when the shape of a tab appears at the bottom of the rectangle.
To switch between combined area:
lAt the bottom of the combined area, click the tab of the area you want to bring to the top. If
all the tabs are not displayed, use the left and right arrows to navigate between them.
The left and right arrows lets you show hidden tabs.
To reorder tabs in a combined area:
lAt the bottom of the combined area, click the tab of the area you want to move, drag it to
the left or right and drop it at the desired position.
Dragging a combined area to new position.
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To take an area out of a combined area, do one of the following:
lClick the tab displaying the name of the area you want to take out and move the mouse
pointer so as to drag the area away from the combined area. As you drag, a rectangle is
displayed to show the landing position. Release the mouse button when the rectangle is
away from the combined area.
lDouble-click the tab of the area you want to take out of the combined area. The area will
jump outside of the combined area.
To attach areas:
1. Click either a title bar (separate areas) or a tab (combined areas) displaying the name of
the Configuration Components pane, the Object Inspector or the Messages area and
move the mouse pointer. As you drag, a rectangle is displayed to show the landing
position.
2. Drag around to the edges of another area and release the mouse button when the
rectangle appears to the left or right, or above or below the other area. The rectangle
should not display a tab at its bottom, otherwise the areas will not be attached but rather
combined.
Note
Note that you can attach an area to a group of combined areas, as well as change combined areas
into attached areas. When attaching previously combined areas, you may find it easier to do it in
two steps: begin by taking the area out of the combined area and then try attaching it.
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3. Resize each part of the new group as desired.
Attaching an area to a group of combined areas. The rectangle showing the landing position is
not tabbed and the area will therefore be moved next to the combined area.
To maximize or restore attached areas, do one of the following:
lTo maximize a vertically attached area, click the upward pointing arrow on its title bar.
lTo restore a vertically attached area, click the downward pointing arrow on its title bar.
lTo maximize a horizontally attached area, click the left pointing arrow on its title bar.
lTo restore a horizontally attached area, click the right pointing arrow on its title bar.
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Page 670
A) Click to maximize this area.
B) Click to restore this currently maximized area.
C) Click to maximize this area.
D) Click to restore this currently maximized area.
To take an attached area out of a group, do one of the following:
lClick the title bar displaying the name of the attached area you want to take out and move
the mouse pointer so as to drag the area away from the group. As you drag, a rectangle is
displayed to show the landing position. Release the mouse button when the rectangle is
away from the group.
lDouble-click the title bar of the area you want to take out. The area will jump outside of
the group.
Resize the Program Window Areas
You can adjust the layout of the Program window by resizing one of the Program window
areas.
This also applies to resizing a combined area (see "Combine and Attach Areas" on page666).
To resize a Program window area:
lMove the pointer to the edge of an area you want to resize to display the resize pointer,
then click and drag to resize the area.
Change the Interface Language
PlanetPress Workflow can be used in multiple languages, and the list of available languages
grows as we translate the software. The first time you use PlanetPress Workflow, it starts in the
language used for the installation. You may change this setting as often as you like, but you
need to restart the application every time you do so.
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To change the language used by the PlanetPress Workflow Configuration program:
1. Click the PlanetPress Workflow button, then click Select Language.
The Select Language dialog box appears. This box lists all the languages that can be
used by PlanetPress Workflow as well as the Use System Default Localecheck box.
2. Select the desired language.
3. Use System Default Locale: Select to mirror your language settings, as defined in the
Regional and Language Options of the Windows Control Panel. This option is typically
used to enter and process information in non-European languages. It is only enabled
when English is selected as the program language.
4. Click OK.
Technical
If you plan to enter and process information in non-European languages, you should
know that PlanetPress Workflow uses codepages when storing and retrieving information
(a codepage is a mapping used to convert back and forth the letters and numbers used by
humans to the numeric characters used by computers). By default, codepage 1252 is
used for Latin languages (good for Afrikaans, Basque, Catalan, Danish, Dutch, English,
Faroese, Finnish, French, Galician, German, Icelandic, Indonesian, Italian, Malay,
Norwegian, Portuguese, Spanish, Swahili and Swedish) and codepage 932 is used for
Japanese.
PlanetPress Workflow Button
The PlanetPress Workflow button replaces the File menu from previous versions, and
provides access to the File menu options.
Options
lNew:Closes the configuration that is currently opened and creates a new configuration,
with a single example process and no printer queues. See "Create a New Configuration"
on page654.
lOpen: Displays the dialog to open an existing configuration file.
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lSave: Saves the current configuration. If the file is new and has not yet been saved, or if
the configuration is the loaded directly from the service, the Save As dialog is displayed
instead. See "Saving and Sending" on page656.
lSave As: Saves the current configuration under a new name. It does not overwrite any
existing configuration file, unless an existing file is selected and overwritten manually by
the user.
lImport:
lConfiguration Components:Displays the Import Processes dialog, letting you
import processes and other components from other existing configuration files. See
"Import Processes from Another Configuration File" on page88.
lPlanetPress Document:Displays the dialog to import a PlanetPressConnect
Document to be added to the list in the components area.
lPrintShop Mail Document:Displays the dialog to import a PrintShop Mail
Document to be added to the list in the components area.
lConnect Content:Displays the dialog to import Connect files including templates,
data mapping configurations, presets and packages.
lSend Configuration: Sends the current configuration to the PlanetPress Watch service.
See "Saving and Sending" on page656.
lClose: Closes the configuration that is currently opened and creates a new configuration,
with a single example process and no printer queues. Closing the current configuration is
the same as creating a new one.
lRecent Documents: Displays a list of the 9 most recently opened configuration files.
Click on any of them to open it.
lSelect Language: Click to display the language selection dialog, which changes
PlanetPress Workflow interface language. See " Change the Interface Language" on
page671.
lPreferences: Displays the Options dialog. See "Preferences" on page730.
lExit: Closes PlanetPress Workflow. See " Exit PlanetPress Workflow Configuration
Program" on page658.
When using the New,Open,Close,Recent Documents and Exit menu options, if your current
configuration has not been saved after modifications, a dialog will open asking if you want to
save, not save, or cancel the action and return to the current configuration.
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The Configuration Components Pane
The Configuration Components pane displays processes, subprocesses, variables,
documents and printer queues. It also lets you add any of these components using the right-
click menu.
Components Area Sections
lProcesses:Displays a list of processes in your configuration. Right-click on a process to
access a drop-down menu that offers these choices:
lInsert Process:Inserts a new process with a default input and output task.
lInsert Startup Process:Inserts a new process as a Startup Process. This option is
only available if there is no existing startup process in your configuration.
lInsert Local Variable:Inserts a new local variable.
lCut, Copy, Paste:Controls the clipboard.
lDelete: Deletes the process from the configuration.
lRename: Renames the process.
lActive: Triggers whether the process is active (runs in service mode)or inactive
(does not run in service mode). Inactive processes never trigger their input task or
any other tasks.
lStartup: Triggers whether the process is a startup process (runs before any other
process). This option is only available if there is no existing startup process in your
configuration.
lGroup, Ungroup: Triggers grouping functionality.
lProperties...: Displays the process' properties, for scheduling and error handling.
lSubprocesses: Displays a list of subprocesses in your configuration. Right-click on a
subprocess to access a drop-down menu that offers these choices:
lInsert Subprocess:Inserts a new process with a default input and output task.
lInsert Local Variable: Inserts a new local variable.
lCut, Copy, Paste:Controls the clipboard.
lDelete: Deletes the subprocess from the configuration.
lRename: Renames the subprocess.
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lGroup, Ungroup: Triggers grouping functionality.
lProperties...: Displays the process' properties for error handling.
lGlobal Variables:Displays a list of variables that are shared between all your processes.
Right-click on a Global Variable to access a drop-down menu that offers these choices:
lInsert Global Variable:Creates a new global variable
lCut, Copy, Paste:Controls the clipboard.
lDelete: Deletes the global variable from the configuration.
lRename: Renames the global variable.
lReset: Resets the global variable to its default value. Useful if one of your process
is modifying the global variable's value and you want to return it to its original
default value.
lGroup, Ungroup: Triggers grouping functionality.
lProperties...:Displays the properties, which lets you set a default value for the
global variable.
lConnect Resources:Displays a list of PlanetPress Design resources that can be used
in processes. Different resources are divided into subfolders:
lData Mapping Configurations:Displays a list of data mapping configurations used
with the Execute Data Mapping task. Each of the templates have been sent from
PlanetPress Connect using the Send to Workflow tool. For each template in the
list, the following two items appear within them:
lData Model:Displays the data model used in the data mapping configuration.
Double-click on the data model to view it in your default XMLviewer
(generally, Internet Explorer).
lSample Data File(s):Displays a list of sample files that are included in the
data mapping configuration. Double-click on a file to use it as a sample data
file for the active process.
lDocument Templates:Displays a list of templates that can be used in content
creation tasks:Create Email Content Set,Create Web Content and Create Print
Content.
lJob Presets:Displays a list of Job Presets that can be used in the "Create Job" on
page567 task.
lOutput Presets:Displays a list of Output Presets that can be used in the Create
Output task.
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lPPS/PSM Documents: Displays a list of PlanetPress Connect and PrintShop Mail
Design document that have been imported into PlanetPress Workflow. Right-click on a
document to access a drop-down menu that offers these choices:
lInsert Resident Document:Inserts a new Resident Document, which is a
placeholder for a PlanetPress Design document that resides exclusively on the
printer.
lCut, Copy, Paste:Controls the clipboard.
lDelete: Deletes the document from the configuration, as well as the Workflow Tools
Working Folders.
lRefresh:Regenerates a PostScript Cache from the original document's PTKfile.
lGroup, Ungroup: Triggers grouping functionality.
lProperties...:Displays the properties, which lets you see the form information and
select its default printing behaviors.
lPrinter Queues:Displays a list of printer queues in your configuration. Right-Click on a
printer queue to access a drop-down menu that offers these choices:
lInsert Printer Queue: Creates a new printer queue in your configuration.
lReplace Printer Queue By:Replaces the currently selected printer queue with a
new one.
lCut, Copy, Paste:Controls the clipboard.
lDelete: Deletes the printer queue from the configuration.
lRename: Renames the printer queue.
lGroup, Ungroup: Triggers grouping functionality.
lPSTest Page: Prints a test page in PostScript format. Useful for validating whether
the printer supports PostScript.
lText Test Page:Prints a text-only test page on the printer.
lProperties...:Displays the printer queue properties.
Note
Deleting a component that is currently used by a process will cause this process to stop
working and trigger an error, until the task that causes the error is removed, or changed to
point to another existing component.
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Processes and Subprocesses
The Processes component displays a list of processes in your configuration while the
Subprocessescomponent displays a list of subprocesses.
Process Properties
To have access to the properties of a process or subprocess:
lRight-Click on the Process in the Configuration Components Area.
lSelect Properties.
You can also double-click on the process to show its options.
Note
Subprocesses do not have the "General Tab" which is only used for scheduling, but they
do have the Information Tab.
Options
General tab
lActive: Select to make the process active. Clear to prevent this process from running
when you send the configuration to PlanetPress Workflow.
lStartup process: Select to make this process a startup process.
lSelf-Replicating Process:Check this if you want the process to replicate itself in the
background when multiple input files are received simultaneously. When this is checked,
the input task polls its source once, determines the number of files to process, then
replicates itself up to the maximum allowed and treats the files simultaneously. The initial
process runs again once it has completed itself and replicates again as necessary, until
all files have been processed.
lMax percentage of threading (%):Determines how many processes you may have
running at the same time. This is a percentage of the maximum number of threads
specified in the "Messenger plugin preferences" on page752. For example if the
maximum number of thread is 10 and you specify 50%here, a maximum of 5 replications
will occur (the original process +4 copies).
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lAs soon as possible: Select to have the process run continuously. Clear to enable the
Time Grid to fine-tune the schedule of the process.
lDay(s) to keep backup: Indicate the number of days to keep backups of jobs processed
by input tasks. Note that backups will only be kept for those input tasks that have the
Keep backup file option selected and that they are required to resubmit input files.
lPolling interval: Enter the frequency (in seconds)at which the process should verify if
there are new jobs to process. The polling interval also applies to scheduled tasks that
only run on certain times. For example, if your process polls every 30 seconds on a task
that's only scheduled to run one hour per week, it will capture the input 120 times during
that period. Note that the polling interval is ignored when multiple files are present in the
input and will be used only when there are no longer any files to process.
lMonth: Select the month of the year when the process should be run or select All months
to have the process run all year long. This option is disabled when "As soon as
possible"is checked.
lWeek of month / by date: Select the desired option for the time grid. Note that any
selection you make in this box will be interpreted based on the selection made in the
Month box. If you chose All months in the Month box and Last in the Week of month / by
date box, then the process will run on the last week of every month. If you chose January
in the Month box and First in the Week of month / by date box, then the process will run
only on the first week of January.
lSelect Date to display dates on the grid’s top ruler.
lSelect any of the other options to display days on the top ruler.
lSelect All weeks to have the process run every week.
lSelect First, Second, Third or Fourth to have the process run on the first, second,
third or fourth week.
lSelect Last to have the process run only on the last week.
lTime division: Select the duration of each daily segment in the time grid. If you select
00:15, each segment will represent only 15 minutes and each day will be made up of 96
blocks (4 blocks per hour times 24 hours). If you select 24:00, each segment will
represent an entire day.
lPoll once per activity period: Select to perform this process’ initial input task no more
than once for each set of contiguous blocks (blocks that are on the top of one another).
Choosing this option overrides the polling interval option. By default since the Time Grid
blocks are divided by hours, this option will make your polling happen once every hour.
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The Time Grid
The PlanetPress Workflow Process Options dialog box includes a time grid that lets you set
exactly when you want a process to run. The grid is composed of blocks that represent time
periods on a given day. To activate the Time Grid, the "As soon as possible"option must be
unchecked.
In the Time Grid, a blue block will indicate that the process is active within that time block.
While blocks mean the process will not be active.
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lClick on any block to select / deselect it.
lClick and drag from one block to another to toggle all blocks between the two.
lShift-click on any block to toggle all blocks from the top-left corner of the grid to the block
you click.
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lTo select all of the time segments for a given day or date, click the day or date on the top
grid ruler. To deselect all of the time segments for a given day or date, CTRL+click the
day or date on the top grid ruler.
lTo select all the days or dates for a given time segment, click the time segment on the left
grid ruler. To deselect all the days or dates for a given time segment, CTRL+click the time
segment on the left grid ruler.
lTo select the entire grid, use the Select All button located below the grid. To deselect the
entire grid, use the Clear All button located below the grid.
Note
"Toggle" means turn on when it's off and vice-versa, when selecting multiple blocks in
one command. This means if you select a certain number of blocks in the Time Grid and
then use the shift+click or drag method, blocks that are on will turn off.
Technical
Changes made to the system time can have adverse effects on the processes managed
by PlanetPress Workflow. When changing from daylight saving time to standard time, for
example, if PlanetPress Workflow starts a given process at 2:00 AM, and if the system
time is then taken back to 1:00AM, the application will start a new instance of the same
process when the system time reaches 2:00 AM for a second time. So, when you
manually change the system time, be aware that it may have an effect on PlanetPress
Workflow and its processes. And for those cases when you know the system time will
change automatically, you may consider creating special schedules.
Information Tab
The Information tab lets you enter information that is not critical to your process but may help
others (or yourself in the future)to understand what the process does. It offers two boxes:
lDescription: Aone-line box to give a title or short description to your process.
lComments:A multi-line box to give more detailed information, for example the file format
expected, explanation of the system in general.
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Create a New Process
You can create a new process in a two different ways:
lIn the Ribbon, go to the Home tab and click the Process button in the Processes group.
lIn the Configuration Components pane, right-click on any process or the Processes
folder and select Insert Process.
Regardless of the method, a new process is created with a default name (Process1, Process2,
etc), Input Task and Output Task. The defaults are configurable in the "Default Configuration
behavior preferences" on page734 screen. The same methods can be used to create a new
Startup process.
To add a PlanetPress Workflow startup process:
lIn the Ribbon, go to the Home tab and click the Startup Process button in the
Processes group.
lIn the Configuration Components pane, right-click on any process or the Processes
folder and select Insert Startup Process.
Note
You can only have one Startup Process in any given configuration and cannot add more.
Considerations
lWhile your configuration is limited to a maximum of 512 processes, any given process
can have as many tasks as necessary.
lA given process may include output tasks that generate files used by input tasks from
other processes.
lWhen you send a configuration to your PlanetPress Workflow service, all its active
processes are applied.
lEach process’ schedule determines when its initial input task can be performed.
lOther tasks included in the process are performed regardless of schedule, granted that
the previous task was performed.
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Manipulate Local Variables
Note
For information about Global Variables see Global Variables.
Local Variables are set at the level of the Process and are not shared with any other process or
instance of that process. Local variables can be used anywhere that accepts variables by using
it's namee, surrounded by curly brackets and preceded by a percent sign (for example:%
{myLocalVariable}).
When the process ends, the local variable forgets whatever value was given to it by the process
and goes back to its default value. Local variables are generally used to keep information that
is useful for the process itself but not to any other process or instance of the process. For
example, you could store the current order IDfor the process, a name or an email. You can
have as many local variables as you want in any given process.
To add a local variable, you can use one of two methods:
lSelect the process where you want to add the variable.
lClick on the Home tab of the PlanetPress Workflow Ribbon, then click Local Variable
in the Variables group.
lRight-click on the process in the Configuration Components area, then click on Insert
Local Variable.
Shared tasks
These procedures can be used on both local and global variables.
To delete a variable
lRight-click on the variable name in the Configuration Components Area and click
Delete.
To rename a variable:
lRight-click on the variable name in the Configuration Components Area.
lClick Rename
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lType in the new name of the variable, then press Enter on your keyboard.
While renaming a variable will correctly rename all references to it in task properties or
wherever else it is used in a task, it will not change the references in any script within a Run
Script task. Deleting a variable, on the other hand, does not delete any reference to it. In both
the case where a script refers to a variable and it is renamed, or in the case of deleting a
variable, any task or script that refers to it will cease to function and will generate an error.
You can set the value of a variable within your process in two ways:
lUse the Set Job Info and Variable action task. See "Set Job Infos and Variables" on
page350.
lYou can use Scripts. See the chapter "Using Scripts" on page91.
Variables may be used as variable properties in variable property boxes (see Variable
Properties).
Activate or Deactivate a Process
All processes are Active by default, but you may make any PlanetPress Workflow process
Inactive as required. Because making a process active or inactive is a change in the
configuration, to make the change effective you will have to send the edited configuration to
your PlanetPress Workflow service (See "Send your Configuration" on page17).
To activate or deactivate a process:
1. Right-click the process in question in the Configuration Components pane
2. Click Active to disable or enable the process.
3. Send your configuration.
Note
If you try to send a configuration that contains only inactive processes, the PlanetPress
Workflow Configuration program will ask you to confirm the operation (this can be
changed in the Notification User Options).
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Convert a Branch to a Subprocess
To allow for maximum flexibility and backward compatibility with the subprocess feature, the
Convert to subprocess option lets users transform existing processes easily. This option is
available whenever a Branch task is selected; right-clicking on it will display the contextual
menu, which holds the Convert to subprocess option.
Selecting this option automatically creates a new subprocess, takes the branch and all of its
children tasks and inserts it in the new subprocess, including the branch task itself. In the main
process, the branch is removed and replaced with a GoSub action task referring to the newly
created subprocess.
Note
The Branch tasks options Backup job file, Backup job information and Backup emulation, are
also automatically passed to the subprocess, which means that, if the subprocess needs to use a
different emulation than the calling process, a Change Emulation task is required.
If any task converted into a subprocess was previously using local variables, these variables
must be removed or transferred to global variables or job information to be usable in the newly
created subprocess.
Update Printer Information
To have update the printer information of a process or subprocess:
1. Right-Click on the Process in the Configuration Components Area.
2. Select Update Printer Information.
Manipulate Global Variables
Note
For information about Local Variables see Local Variables.
Global Variables are set at the level of the configuration file and are shared between all
processes and tasks. Global variables can be used anywhere that accepts variables by using
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it's name preceded by "global."and surrounded by curly brackets (for example:%
{global.myGlobalVariable}).
Global variables are generally used to keep information that applies to multiple locations but
need to be changed easily. For example, a lot of uses use them to set a server's IP, a printer
name, or folder location that is used by multiple processes. This is useful when moving the
configuration file to another installation of the Workflow Tools where this information is different,
or to quickly modify specific information if something changes on the server. You can have as
many global variable as you want in any given configuration.
To add a global variable from the Configuration Components pane:
1. Right-Click on Global Variables.
2. Click Insert, then Insert Global Variable.
The new variable will appear as GlobalVar or GlobalVarX (the name is automatically
incremented).
To add a global variable from the Ribbon:
1. Click on the Home tab of the PlanetPress Workflow Ribbon.
2. Click Global Variable in the Variables group.
The new variable will appear as GlobalVar or GlobalVarX (the name is automatically
incremented).
To set the value of a global variable from the Configuration Components pane:
1. Double-click on the global variable in the Configuration Components pane.
(Right-clicking then clicking Properties also works)
2. Enter the new value for your global variable.
3. Click OK to save the new value.
Shared tasks
These procedures can be used on both local and global variables.
To delete a variable
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lRight-click on the variable name in the Configuration Components Area and click
Delete.
To rename a variable:
lRight-click on the variable name in the Configuration Components Area.
lClick Rename
lType in the new name of the variable, then press Enter on your keyboard.
While renaming a variable will correctly rename all references to it in task properties or
wherever else it is used in a task, it will not change the references in any script within a Run
Script task. Deleting a variable, on the other hand, does not delete any reference to it. In both
the case where a script refers to a variable and it is renamed, or in the case of deleting a
variable, any task or script that refers to it will cease to function and will generate an error.
You can set the value of a variable within your process in two ways:
lUse the Set Job Info and Variable action task. See "Set Job Infos and Variables" on
page350.
lYou can use Scripts. See the chapter "Using Scripts" on page91.
Variables may be used as variable properties in variable property boxes (see Variable
Properties).
Connect Resources
Connect resources are visible in The Configuration Components pane and are added by
using the Send to Workflow option from the PlanetPress 's File menu.
Available Resources
lData Mapping Configurations:Displays a list of data mapping configurations used with
the Execute Data Mapping task. Each of the templates have been sent from PlanetPress
Connect using the Send to Workflow tool. For each template in the list, the following two
items appear within them:
lData Model:Displays the data model used in the data mapping configuration.
Double-click on the data model to view it in your default XMLviewer (generally,
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Internet Explorer).
lSample Data File(s):Displays a list of sample files that are included in the data
mapping configuration. Double-click on a file to use it as a sample data file for the
active process.
lDocument Templates:Displays a list of templates that can be used in content creation
tasks:"Create Email Content" on page562, "Create Web Content" on page587 and
"Create Print Content" on page582.
lJob Presets:Displays a list of Job Presets that can be used in the "Create Job" on
page567 task.
lOutput Presets:Displays a list of Output Presets that can be used in the "Create Output"
on page570 task.
Resource Save Location
Any resource sent to PlanetPress Workflow from PlanetPress Connect is saved locally at the
following location: %PROGRAMDATA%\Objectif Lune\PlanetPress Workflow 8\PlanetPress
Watch\OLConnect
Resources are saved in their appropriate folder:
lDataMapper contains the data mapping configurations (.OL-datamapper)
lJobCreation contains the Job Presets(.OL-jobpreset)
lOutputCreation contains the Output Presets (.OL-outputpreset)
lTemplate contains the templates (.OL-template)
Note
Package Files are not saved anywhere. The individual resources contained within the
package are extracted and placed in the folders noted above.
Resource Archives
From version 8.2, PlanetPress Workflow maintains an archive of previous versions of
resources, in the following location:%PROGRAMDATA%\Objectif Lune\PlanetPress Workflow
8\PlanetPress Watch\OLConnect\Archive , each in their own folder:
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ldatamapper contains archives of the data mapping configurations (.OL-datamapper)
ljobcreation contains archives of the Job Presets(.OL-jobpreset)
loutputcreation contains archives of the Output Presets (.OL-outputpreset)
ltemplate contains archives of the templates (.OL-template)
lworkflow contains archives of Workflow configurations received by the server.
The archives are saved using the template named followed by a timestamp. A maximum of 30
of each instance of a resource is kept (meaning if you have 10 different templates, a maximum
of 300 files will be present in the archive\template folder). Older archives are deleted
automatically as new archives are created.
PPS/PSM Documents
PPS/PSM Documents displays a list of PlanetPress Design and PrintShop Mail Design
document that have been imported into PlanetPress Workflow.
View Document Properties
PlanetPress Workflow Configuration programs let you view a number of the properties
associated with the PlanetPress Design documents you use, but most of those properties are
set in PlanetPress Design and cannot be edited using PlanetPress Workflow Configuration
program.
The Document name of printer-resident documents can be changed using PlanetPress
Workflow Configuration program simply because it is initially set using that program.
The properties available via the Printer Settings tab define how documents are printed. They
are also set using PlanetPress Workflow Configuration program and are retained when
documents are assigned to printer queues. They can be edited by selecting documents within
the Documents category, which changes the document’s default printer settings, or within the
Printer Queues category, which changes the document properties on the selected queue .
To view the properties of a document, do one of the following:
lClick any document to display its properties in the Object Inspector.
lDouble-click any document to display its properties in the PlanetPress Design
Document Options dialog box.
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Document Properties Options
Identification Tab
The information here is read-only and gives you information on the document.
lDocument: The file name of the document, as entered in PlanetPress Design. This is the
name of the file saved in PlanetPress Design, or the name you give it when you add a
printer-resident document in your PlanetPress Workflow Configuration. It may have a PTK
extension (if it has been sent to PlanetPress Workflow from PlanetPress Design), or a PS
extension (if it is printer-resident).
lVersion: The version of PlanetPress Workflow in which the document was originally
created. Printer-resident documents are identified as such.
lDocument name: The name of the document as entered in PlanetPress Design. You can
enter a name for printer-resident document here; the name does not have to match the
name given it in PlanetPress Design. Since this property is used in the trigger to identify
the document when PlanetPress Workflow sends a job to be merged on a printer, the
document name must exactly match the name of the document installed on the printer.
lDescription: The description of the document as entered in PlanetPress Design.
lLast modified:The date and time the document was last uploaded to PlanetPress
Workflow.
Printer Settings Tab
lTrigger Type:Select whether you want a normal trigger configuration to be used, or a
custom trigger that you manually enter.
lCustom Trigger Box (appears only when Custom Trigger is selected in Trigger
type):Lets you enter the exact trigger you want to use. This trigger must absolutely be in
standard postscript language.
lRun mode group
lPrinter centric: Select to send the document along with the trigger and data to the
component that generates fax documents.
lOptimized PostScript Stream: Select to merge the selected document with the
data received by this task before sending it to the component that generates fax
documents. Some PlanetPress Design features, such as the Time and Date
PlanetPress Talk functions, require that this option be selected.
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lDocument location group (enabled only when using Printer-Centric mode)
lPlanetPress Workflow-based:Select if the PlanetPress Design document is in
PlanetPress Workflow. This option should be selected if your document is updated
often and you are sending it to the Workflow Tools instead of the printer directly.
lOn printer hard disk:Select if the PlanetPress Design document is on the printer's
hard drive.
lIn printer flash memory:Select if the PlanetPress Design document is on the
printer's flash memory.
lRAM:Select if the PlanetPress Design document is on the printer's RAM (Random
AccessMemory).
lDocument Update group (enabled only when using printer-centric mode and the
document is on the printer)
lAutomatically update:PlanetPress Workflow will send a new version of the
document to the printer automatically if the document has been changed since it
was last used. If unchecked, you will have to manually update the document on the
printer from the Update Instances button or by sending the document to the printer
from PlanetPress Design.
lConfirm Update:Check if you want a confirmation page to be printed stating the
document has been updated, when it happens. This options is disabled if
Automatically update is not selected.
lUpdate Instances:Clicking this button brings up a dialog box that lets you
manually update any document on any printer.
lPrinter-Specific folder:This option lets you enter a manual location where the
documents should reside in the printer's memory. This option is only available if the
document is Printer Centric, and the Document location is either On printer hard disk
or In printer flash memory.
Use Data and Metadata Files Attached to PlanetPress Design Documents
Note
This feature was introduced in PlanetPress Workflow 7.3.
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Data Files
When sending a PlanetPress Design Document from PlanetPress Design to PlanetPress
Workflow, all data files used in the document are automatically sent to PlanetPress Workflow
along with the Design Document. These data files appear under the Documents section of the
Configuration Components.
To set an attached data file as a sample data file in a process:
1. Make sure the Documents section is visible by clicking the button if it appears.
2. Expand the document (name.ptk) by clicking the button.
3. Right-click on the data file, then click Set as sample data file.
To view an attached data file:
1. Make sure the Documents section is visible by clicking the button if it appears.
2. Expand the document (name.ptk) by clicking the button.
3. Double-click on the data file to open the data selector.
Note
Double-clicking on the data file does the same thing as right-clicking on it an then
selecting Set as sample data file. Clicking Cancel instead of OK after viewing will
prevent this action from being taken.
To save an attached data file to disk:
1. Make sure the Documents section is visible by clicking the button if it appears.
2. Expand the document (name.ptk) by clicking the button.
3. Right-click on the data file, then click Save sample data file.
Metadata
When a Design Document uses Metadata, it can also be attached with the document. One
Metadata file is generated for each data file attached to the Design Document. Metadata does
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not appear in the Configuration Components but it follows the data file and can be viewed from
the Metadata tab whenever the data file is viewed through the Data Selector.
Use Attached Document Preview
When sending a PlanetPress Design Document from PlanetPress Design to PlanetPress
Workflow, a PDFPreview of the job's output is automatically sent to PlanetPress Workflow
along with the Design Document. This preview appears under the Documents section of the
Configuration Components.
The PDFcontains the result of a preview with the active data file (for all data pages) run as an
Optimized PostScript Stream.
To view the Document Preview:
1. Make sure the Documents section is visible by clicking the button if it appears.
2. Expand the document (name.ptk) by clicking the button. The Document Preview has
the same name as the document but with a PDFextension.
3. Right-click on the Document Preview, then click Open in PDFViewer.
To save the Document Preview to disk:
1. Make sure the Documents section is visible by clicking the button if it appears.
2. Expand the document (name.ptk) by clicking the button. The Document Preview has
the same name as the document but with a PDFextension.
3. Right-click on the Document Preview, then click Save PDFFile.
Add Resident Documents in the Configuration Components Pane
By default, the Documents group displayed in Configuration Components pane of the
PlanetPress Workflow Configuration program includes all those documents that are available
on your local PlanetPress Workflow server. Those documents that are not available on your
localPlanetPress Workflow server, but that are either available on printers or on other
PlanetPress Workflow servers must added to the list, otherwise you will not be able to use them
in your PlanetPress Workflow configuration.
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To add a resident document in the Configuration Components pane:
1. In the PlanetPress Workflow Configuration Components pane, click the Documents
button and choose Insert | Resident Document. The Add Resident Document dialog
box is displayed.
2. Enter the document’s name. Note that the name you enter must exactly match the actual
document name or PlanetPress Workflow will not be able to use it on the printer or
remotePlanetPress Workflow server.
3. Click OK.
Associate Documents and PlanetPress Printer Queues
One of the basic information stored in a PlanetPress Workflow printer queue is the list of
documents associated with the printer queue. Also stored in the printer queue are the
properties of each document associated with the queue.
To assign documents to PlanetPress Workflow printer queues:
1. In the Documents group of the Configuration Components pane, select either a single
document or a group of documents.
2. Drag the selected documents over a PlanetPress Workflow printer queue. The selected
document or the group of documents is associated with the printer queue. Each document
keeps its default properties.
To break the association between a document and a given printer queue:
lSelect the document as displayed under the printer queue in question and press Delete.
To break the association between a document and multiple printer queues:
1. Select the document as displayed under one of the printer queues in question and from
the right-click menu choose Delete Instances.
The Delete Document Instances dialog box appears.
2. In the Printer Queue list, select all those printer queues for which you want the printer
queue—document association to be broken.
3. Click OK.
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To modify the settings of a document assigned to a printer queue:
The settings available in this window are the same as the Printer Settings dialog of a
document properties in the Documents list of the Configuration Components Area, but they
are specifically for this document on this printer queue. See " View Document Properties" on
page689 for more details.
lDouble-click on the document located within a printer queue. The Document Properties
dialog appears.
Using the Clipboard and Drag & Drop
Moving configuration components in the Configuration Components pane is very easy and
can either be done with the mouse (drag & drop), the Ribbon menus (clipboard buttons)or the
keyboard (clipboard keyboard shortcuts).
If you simply wish to change the order in which objects appear in a category or group of the
Configuration Components, refer to " Reorder Objects in the Configuration Components
Pane" on page698.
As you drag a configuration component, your mouse cursor will change to indicate the action
you are performing, as well as whether the location where the cursor is can accept the
configuration component you are dragging. If you try to drag a configuration component in a
location that is not accepted, the cursor changes to a "prohibited"icon. If you are moving a
configuration component to a valid location, the mouse cursor displays the normal cursor along
with a small dotted box. If you are copying a configuration component to a valid location, the
mouse cursor displays the normal cursor along with a small dotted box and a plus (+)sign.
Mouse cursor
Normal Mouse Pointer
Move Mouse Pointer
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Copy Mouse Pointer
Prohibited Mouse Pointer
Moving Configuration Components
Using Drag & Drop:
lClick on the component and hold the mouse button.
lMove the component to the location where you want to drop it.
lLet go of the mouse button.
Using the clipboard buttons:
lClick on the component you want to move.
lGo to the Home tab of the ribbon.
lClick the Cut button in the Clipboard group.
lClick on the new location where you want the component.
lClick the Paste button in the Clipboard group.
Using the mouse contextual menu:
lRight-click on the component you want to move.
lClick on Cut in the contextual menu.
lRight-click on the new location where you want the component.
lClick on Cut in the contextual menu.
Using the keyboard shortcuts:
lClick on the component you want to move.
lDo CTRL+X(cut)on your keyboard.
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lClick on the new location where you want the component.
lDo CTRL+V(paste)on your keyboard.
Copying components
You can make a copy of any component in the Configuration Components pane, with the
only exception being Documents (of which you can only have one copy). Copying
components is done using the same methods as moving them, with the following differences:
lTo move components using the clipboard buttons and contextual menu, replace "Cut"by
"Copy". Otherwise the methods are the same.
lTo move components using the keyboard shortcuts, replace "CTRL+X"by "CTRL+C".
Otherwise the method is the same.
Moving and Copying Details:
lWhen moving configuration components, a horizontal line appears where the component
will be dropped if the location is valid. At the end of this line will be small "dents". If
thesedents are on top of the line, the component will be placed at the same level
(group)as the component before it. If the dents are at the bottom, the component will be
placed at the same level (group)as the component after it.
lIf you move an object in the Configuration Components pane on top of a group, the
group name turns maroon (in the default color scheme)to indicate the object will be
moved in the group after all the existing objects currently in that group.
lMoving a configuration component does not change the order in which the components
are used. However they can affect your process if, for example, you move a local variable
from one process to another and the local variable is still used in the first process.
lYou can also copy multiple components by selecting more than one then using the
methods described above. However, you can only select multiple components from within
the same folder. You cannot, for example, select a subprocess along with a Process and
move them together. Also, you cannot select multiple components if they are not in the
same group or if one is in a group and the other is not.
lYou can also copy and move groups that have been created in the Configuration
Components pane.
lDropping documents onto printer queues does not move the documents, but rather
assigns them to these queues (see "PlanetPress Workflow Printer Queues" on page69).
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Rename Objects in the Configuration Components Pane
You can rename processes, groups, and printer queues in the Configuration Components
pane. PlanetPress Design Documents (ptk/ptz files) are different and cannot be renamed or
modified using PlanetPress Workflow. You can, on the other hand, change the name of printer-
resident documents.
Note
Names cannot begin with a number. They can only contain the following ASCII characters:
underscore, upper and lower case letters of the alphabet, all digits 0 through 9. If you enter an
invalid name, you will be prompted to correct it (unless if the corresponding option has been turned
off).
To rename a process, printer queue or group in the Configuration Components pane:
1. In the Configuration Components pane, right-click the name of an object or group and
choose Rename from the pop-up menu. The name of the object or group is highlighted
and ready to be edited.
2. Type the new name over the existing name and press ENTER. PlanetPress Workflow
Configuration renames the object or group.
To rename a resident document:
1. In the Documents section of the Configuration Components pane, double-click a
printer-resident document.
The PlanetPress Design Document Options dialog box is opened.
2. In the Document name box, enter the new document name and click OK. PlanetPress
Workflow Tools rename the resident document.
Reorder Objects in the Configuration Components Pane
There are multiple ways you can reorder objects in the Configuration Components pane.
Commands available from the right-click menu let you reorder selected objects, as well as
alphabetically reorder objects listed directly under a category or appearing within a group. You
can also use the clipboard controls and drag &drop methods described in " Using the
Clipboard and Drag & Drop" on page695 to copy and move objects and tasks.
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To reorder selected objects in the Configuration Components pane:
1. Click an object or group.
2. In the PlanetPress Workflow ribbon, go to the View tab then click Order in the Arrange
group, then select one of the following:
lUp One Level to move the item one level up in the hierarchy. If the item is already
the top object in the category, or within a group, this command has no effect.
lDown One Level to move the item one level down in the hierarchy. If the item is
already the bottom object in the category, or within a group, this command has no
effect.
lTo Top Level to move the item to the top level in the hierarchy. This moves the item
to the top of the category or to the top of the group. If the item is already the top
object in the category, or within a group, this command has no effect.
lTo Bottom Level to move the item to the bottom level in the hierarchy.
To alphabetically reorder objects in the Configuration Components pane:
lClick the either a category (Processes, Global Variables, Documents, or Printer Queues)
or a group
lIn the PlanetPress Workflow ribbon, go to the View tab.
lIn the Arrange group, select Sort by Name.
Grouping Configuration Components
Groups help you organize processes, documents, and printer queues. For example, you may
create the Invoices, Checks and Reports groups in the Processes section and associate
individual processes with each one of these groups.
You group items only within their own category. Thus you can only group processes with other
processes, documents with other documents, and printer queues with other printer queues. In
the documents category, you can only group documents with others of the same version and
type. For example, you can only group documents from PlanetPress Design (files with a PTK
extension) with other PTK files, not with printer-resident documents.
You can also use groups to quickly assign multiple documents to multiple printer queues. By
dragging a group of documents to a printer queue, you assign all the documents in the group to
that queue.
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To add a group in the Configuration Components pane:
lIn the Configuration Components pane, click a category and choose View | Arrange |
Group. A new group is added at the end of the category.
To add objects to an existing group:
lDrag-and-drop the objects onto the group. The objects are added as the last objects in the
group.
To remove objects from a group:
lDrag-and-drop the objects out of the group. The objects are removed from the group. If the
group becomes empty, you are prompted to confirm the deletion of the group.
To add selected objects to a new group:
1. Select multiple objects that are not part of a group. Press CTRL+G. A new group is added
and the selected items are moved to that new group.
To ungroup selected objects:
1. Select objects in a group.
2. Press CTRL+U.
Expand and Collapse Categories and Groups in the
Configuration Components Pane
You can expand and collapse the Processes, Global Variables, Documents and Printers
Queues categories, and groups, in the Configuration Components pane.
To expand or collapse categories or groups in the Configuration Components pane:
lClick the Expand / Collapse button to the left of the item.
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Delete Objects and Groups from the Configuration
Components Pane
To delete a process, document, or printer queue:
lClick a process, document, or printer queue, then press DELETE.
In the case of processes and printer queues, the object is deleted. If there is only one process in
the configuration, you cannot delete it; there must be at least one process in the configuration. If
you delete the last configured process, a process with two unknown tasks remains.
In the case of documents, you are first prompted to confirm the deletion. You can turn off this
prompt in the Notification Messages User Options.
To delete a group of processes, documents, or printer queues:
lClick a process group, documents group, or printer queue group, then press the DELETE
key.
In the case of process groups and printer queue groups, the group and all its members are
deleted. In the case of documents, you are first prompted to confirm the deletion of each
member of the group. You can turn off this prompt in the Notification Messages User Options.
Other Dialogs
These dialogs are either accessible from the preferences or from different parts of PlanetPress
Workflow.
Activate Your Printers
The Activate a Printer dialog lists the existing activated printers on the system and lets you
add new activations.
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Note
Printer activations are normally given to you by the activations department electronically,
including a file that will automatically add all your printers in this dialog.
To display the Activate a Printer dialog, click the button from the Help menu.
The printer list displays the following information
lLicense Number:Reference number of the activation, linked to your customer account.
lMagic Number:The magic number generated by the printer. If the magic number is
incorrect, your jobs will output with a watermark on that printer.
lActivation Code:The activation code generated by your license number and magic
number. If the activation code is incorrect, your jobs will output with a watermark on that
printer.
lPrinter Name (Optional):Name and/or model of the printer.
lComments (Optional):Comments about the printer.
The following buttons are available in this dialog:
lAdd:Brings up the Printer Activation dialog. This dialog lets you enter the information
for the printer (see previous section), then click OKto save the new activation.
lDelete:Removes the currently selected activation from the list.
lWeb Activation:Click to access the online activation manager on our website.
lOK:Save changes and exit.
lCancel:Exit without saving changes.
You can also double-click on any existing activation to edit it.
Workflow Services
To be able to run and to have access to local files as well as to files available on other
computers in your network, PlanetPress Workflow applications and services must identify
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themselves using a local or network account.
The first time you start the PlanetPress Workflow Configuration program, the application
automatically asks you to choose an account (see procedure below).
You can also manually start this procedure from the PlanetPressWorkflow Tools by following
this procedure:
1. Click on the Tools tab in PlanetPress Workflow Ribbon, then click Configure Services.
2. Set the PlanetPress Workflow applications permissions as required:
lLocal System account: Select to run all the PlanetPress Workflow Services
(including PlanetPress Workflow, PlanetPress Fax, and PlanetPress Image) under
the Local System account. The Local System account is distinct from the
Administrator account. It requires no user name or password, and its privileges may
exceed those of the user currently logged in. Running under this account rather than
a user account prevents problems that may arise if the user lacks a permission the
service requires. If a configuration relies on any resources mapped to a particular
user, such as mapped network drives or shared printers, they are unavailable. It is
recommended that you create a configuration for a particular user. Clear the Local
System account checkbox to run all the PlanetPress Workflow Services under the
account you specify. Use the options that become available when you clear Local
System account to enter the account information—you must enter a valid user name
and password to use Microsoft Outlook as your email client for Email input and
Send email output tasks.
lDisplay network domains and user names: Select to have PlanetPress Workflow
Configuration search for existing domains and display the domains it find in the
Domain box, and the user names in those domains in the Username box. Although
this is useful if you do not know the domain name and user name of the account you
want to specify, it can also be very time-consuming if there are many domains.
lDomain: Select the domain in which the user account resides, or enter the name of
the domain manually.
lThis Account: Provide a domain, user name and password to use instead of the
Local System Account.
lBrowse: Opens the default Windows dialog for selecting users/groups/etc.
from a domain.
lUser: Enter the name of the user account.
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lPassword: Enter the password for the user account you specified in the user
name box.
lConfirm password: Enter the password you entered in the Password box.
lServices start automatically: Select to start the required PlanetPress Workflow
automatically.
3. Click OK.
PlanetPress Workflow applies the user account information to all the services (PlanetPress
Workflow, PlanetPress Fax, PlanetPress Image, LPD input, Serial input, Telnet input, FTP
output, LPR output), that run on this computer (with the exception of PlanetPress Messenger,
which always runs under the Local System account).
The PlanetPress Workflow Configuration program does not test user names and passwords,
but merely associates them with the services that require them. If you enter a bad user name or
password, these services will be denied access to the selected account.
The account you choose will be used by PlanetPress Workflow and all its services, as well as
by PlanetPress Fax and PlanetPress Image (only PlanetPress Messenger is not affected, since
it always uses the Local System account). If you install PlanetPress Fax or PlanetPress Image
on the same computer after performing this procedure, you will have to perform it once again,
so as to choose the same account for all the installed applications.
Process Properties
To have access to the properties of a process or subprocess:
lRight-Click on the Process in the Configuration Components Area.
lSelect Properties.
You can also double-click on the process to show its options.
Note
Subprocesses do not have the "General Tab" which is only used for scheduling, but they
do have the Information Tab.
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Options
General tab
lActive: Select to make the process active. Clear to prevent this process from running
when you send the configuration to PlanetPress Workflow.
lStartup process: Select to make this process a startup process.
lSelf-Replicating Process:Check this if you want the process to replicate itself in the
background when multiple input files are received simultaneously. When this is checked,
the input task polls its source once, determines the number of files to process, then
replicates itself up to the maximum allowed and treats the files simultaneously. The initial
process runs again once it has completed itself and replicates again as necessary, until
all files have been processed.
lMax percentage of threading (%):Determines how many processes you may have
running at the same time. This is a percentage of the maximum number of threads
specified in the "Messenger plugin preferences" on page752. For example if the
maximum number of thread is 10 and you specify 50%here, a maximum of 5 replications
will occur (the original process +4 copies).
lAs soon as possible: Select to have the process run continuously. Clear to enable the
Time Grid to fine-tune the schedule of the process.
lDay(s) to keep backup: Indicate the number of days to keep backups of jobs processed
by input tasks. Note that backups will only be kept for those input tasks that have the
Keep backup file option selected and that they are required to resubmit input files.
lPolling interval: Enter the frequency (in seconds)at which the process should verify if
there are new jobs to process. The polling interval also applies to scheduled tasks that
only run on certain times. For example, if your process polls every 30 seconds on a task
that's only scheduled to run one hour per week, it will capture the input 120 times during
that period. Note that the polling interval is ignored when multiple files are present in the
input and will be used only when there are no longer any files to process.
lMonth: Select the month of the year when the process should be run or select All months
to have the process run all year long. This option is disabled when "As soon as
possible"is checked.
lWeek of month / by date: Select the desired option for the time grid. Note that any
selection you make in this box will be interpreted based on the selection made in the
Month box. If you chose All months in the Month box and Last in the Week of month / by
date box, then the process will run on the last week of every month. If you chose January
in the Month box and First in the Week of month / by date box, then the process will run
only on the first week of January.
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lSelect Date to display dates on the grid’s top ruler.
lSelect any of the other options to display days on the top ruler.
lSelect All weeks to have the process run every week.
lSelect First, Second, Third or Fourth to have the process run on the first, second,
third or fourth week.
lSelect Last to have the process run only on the last week.
lTime division: Select the duration of each daily segment in the time grid. If you select
00:15, each segment will represent only 15 minutes and each day will be made up of 96
blocks (4 blocks per hour times 24 hours). If you select 24:00, each segment will
represent an entire day.
lPoll once per activity period: Select to perform this process’ initial input task no more
than once for each set of contiguous blocks (blocks that are on the top of one another).
Choosing this option overrides the polling interval option. By default since the Time Grid
blocks are divided by hours, this option will make your polling happen once every hour.
The Time Grid
The PlanetPress Workflow Process Options dialog box includes a time grid that lets you set
exactly when you want a process to run. The grid is composed of blocks that represent time
periods on a given day. To activate the Time Grid, the "As soon as possible"option must be
unchecked.
In the Time Grid, a blue block will indicate that the process is active within that time block.
While blocks mean the process will not be active.
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lClick on any block to select / deselect it.
lClick and drag from one block to another to toggle all blocks between the two.
lShift-click on any block to toggle all blocks from the top-left corner of the grid to the block
you click.
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lTo select all of the time segments for a given day or date, click the day or date on the top
grid ruler. To deselect all of the time segments for a given day or date, CTRL+click the
day or date on the top grid ruler.
lTo select all the days or dates for a given time segment, click the time segment on the left
grid ruler. To deselect all the days or dates for a given time segment, CTRL+click the time
segment on the left grid ruler.
lTo select the entire grid, use the Select All button located below the grid. To deselect the
entire grid, use the Clear All button located below the grid.
Note
"Toggle" means turn on when it's off and vice-versa, when selecting multiple blocks in
one command. This means if you select a certain number of blocks in the Time Grid and
then use the shift+click or drag method, blocks that are on will turn off.
Technical
Changes made to the system time can have adverse effects on the processes managed
by PlanetPress Workflow. When changing from daylight saving time to standard time, for
example, if PlanetPress Workflow starts a given process at 2:00 AM, and if the system
time is then taken back to 1:00AM, the application will start a new instance of the same
process when the system time reaches 2:00 AM for a second time. So, when you
manually change the system time, be aware that it may have an effect on PlanetPress
Workflow and its processes. And for those cases when you know the system time will
change automatically, you may consider creating special schedules.
Information Tab
The Information tab lets you enter information that is not critical to your process but may help
others (or yourself in the future)to understand what the process does. It offers two boxes:
lDescription: Aone-line box to give a title or short description to your process.
lComments:A multi-line box to give more detailed information, for example the file format
expected, explanation of the system in general.
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Advanced SQL Statement Dialog
The AdvancedSQLStatement dialog is available by clicking the Edit SQLbutton from the
Database Query action task. You can enter a custom SQLquery in this dialog, using the
language supported by the database you select in the Database Query action task.
The dialog is separated in two parts:
lThe left part displays the available tables in your database. Click the Show Tables button
to display them.
lThe right part displays a default SQLstatement which you can modify at your leisure.
lThe bottom part displays the following options:
lAlternate syntax:Select to prevent automatically enclosing the names of any
database tables and fields that appear in the SQL query in square brackets when it
exits the Advanced SQL Statement dialog box. The alternate syntax may be
required for some database types.
lClient-side Cursor:When this option is enabled, the complete result set is
downloaded before processing starts, and changing records is done by
PlanetPress. This is generally faster for queries returning a small number of results ;
otherwise the start of the record processing can be delayed since the whole record
set must be downloaded.
Note
MySQL, using ODBC 5.0, must be set to use a client-side cursor.
Microsoft Access will always work better when using a Server-Side cursor.
lExpect record set:Check if you are expecting a result from the database after
executing the SQLquery. If the query is expecting a record set in return and does
not return one, the task will trigger an error.
lTest SQLbutton:Verify the SQLstatement's validity.
Access Manager
The Access Manager controls what rights are granted to other machines (clients and
servers)on the same network. It grants access to functions such as sending documents and
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jobs to the server.
Technical
Messenger communications (between different part of the PlanetPress Workflow)is
limited to within the same Class Csubnet. This means that PlanetPress Workflow on
192.168.1.23 cannot send a job to a PlanetPress Image on 192.168.100.54. This
limitation has been removed in PlanetPress Workflow 7.3 and higher.
To open the Access Manager
1. Open PlanetPress Design.
2. In the Ribbon, go in Tools | Managers | Access Manager.
The Access Manager dialog box is displayed. It lists all IPand IPranges that have
PlanetPress Design, PlanetPress Workflow, PlanetPress Fax or PlanetPress Image installed in
the same network.
Page 710
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To manually add a new entry in the list
lOpen the Access Manager
lMake sure you are in the Messenger tab.
lIn the IPaddress box, enter the IPaddress of the remote machine.
lClick on the button.
lAdd the necessary permissions
lClick OK
lRestart the Messenger service.
Technical
The format of the IP address must be one of the following:
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l127.0.0.1: The local computer. Typically this IP should have all the accesses
checked.
l255.255.255.255: Everyone on the same subnet. This is equivalent to hard-coding
the current subnet, such as 192.168.1.255 or 10.0.0.255.
l192.168.0.42 : A single IP address. This can be any valid address on the same
subnet.
l10.0.255.255:Any IPin the 10.0.X.X range.
To automatically detect machines on the network and add them
1. Make sure the machine you want to detect is turned on and the Messenger service is
started
2. Click on the Refresh button under the list
3. Add the necessary permissions to the detected machines
4. Click OK
5. Restart the Messenger service.
To remove an entry in the list
1. Remove all checkmarks from the entry
2. Click OK
3. Restart the Messenger service
Warning
The following considerations are to be understood when using the Access Manager to
configure IPlimitations:
lEach permission type (column)is evaluated from top to bottom (column per
column)in the order they are visible in the Access Manager window. This means
that wide ranges should always be at the top to increase performance. For example,
if you accept HTTPconnections from any IP, the first entry should be
255.255.255.255 with the Allow checkmark in the HTTPInput box. PlanetPress
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does not continue processing after it has found an "Allow" checkmark. There is no
concept of "Deny", meaning if any "Allow"permission is given, there is no way to
later remove it for certain IPs or IPranges.
lThe configuration of the Access Manager is saved in a file on the hard drive which
can be edited manually.See Access Manager hosts.allow File.
lHTTP, FTPand SOAPcommunication is not limited to the local subnet on any
version where these plugins appear.
lAny change to the Access Manager requires a restart of the Messenger server
which can be done in The PlanetPress Workflow Service Console.
To modify permissions
Permissions are given simply by adding and removing options in the permission grid. Access to
the services installed on this computer is granted or denied by checking the corresponding
boxes next to the listed IP ranges. For each IPrange, the following information is displayed:
lHost name: The name of those computers on which PlanetPress Workflow software are
currently installed or which have been manually added.
lIP address: The IPaddress or IPaddress range to give permission to.
lPermissions
lHTTP Input: Grants access to send HTTP Requests to this server.
lLPD Input: Grants access to send LPD Queue jobs to this server.
lSend Job: Grants access to the selected computer or server to send jobs to
PlanetPress Fax and PlanetPress Image installed on this server.
lSend Document: Grants access to the remote computer to send new or updated
PlanetPress Design Documents to this server.
lSend Config:Grants access to the remote computer to overwrite the configuration
on the local PlanetPress Workflow service
Note
In order for the changes made here to be effective, you will need to restart the
PlanetPress Messenger service. This can be done via the PlanetPress Workflow Service
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Console.
SOAPAccess
The SOAPtab of the Access Manager controls access from SOAP clients to local processes
and SOAPprocesses. Each user name entered in this dialog can have access to one or more
processes.
To add a new SOAPuser
1. Click on the button.
2. Enter the following information under the Username column for the new entry that was
created:
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lUser name:An alphanumerical user name for the user.
lPassword:A password to protect the user. Note that the password will always
revert to ********(8 stars)when clicking outside of this box - that is normal and is
meant to protect the length of the password as much as its contents.
lAdministrator:Choose the permission type
lUser:Can access none, some, or all of the processes, selected individually in
the Permissions section.
lAdmin: Has access to all processes and features. When this option is
selected, the Permissions section is grayed out an all options are selected in
it.
lDisabled:Has access to nothing. The result is the same as not having this
user defined at all, but has the advantage that a disabled user can be
reactivated with a simple click.
3. Define the permissions for the user (see below).
4. Click OKto save the changes.
To define or change the permissions for a SOAP User
The Permissions section of the SOAPtab displays all of the processes that are available in
the live configuration (the one that the PlanetPress service uses). To change or define the
permissions:
1. In the top Username section, click on the user name of which to modify permissions.
2. Place a checkmark in each process that the user should have access to.
3. Check Monitoring(read) to give permission to the GetProcessList and
GetProcessTaskList actions for SOAP.
4. Monitoring(write) is currently not implemented.
5. Click OKto save the changes.
Note
In order for the changes made here to be effective, you will need to restart the
PlanetPress Messenger service. This can be done via the PlanetPress Workflow Service
Console.
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PDF Viewer
The PDFViewer, introduced in PlanetPress Tools 7.3 in some areas and expanded for use
throughout the configuration tool, displays any PDFused in the configuration or process.
Because this PDFviewer is integrated with the suite, it is not necessary to have any third-party
tools such as Adobe Acrobat installed on the operating system.
Technical
The PDFViewer is not currently standalone and cannot be used to display PDFs outside
of PlanetPress Workflow.
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The PDFViewer
To open the PDFViewer:In the Documents section of theConfiguration Components pane,
expand a document present in the list. Then, right-click on the document's Preview, and click
Open in PDFViewer.
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The PDFViewer is accessible through one of the following methods:
lIn the Documents section of theConfiguration Components pane, expand a document
present in the list. Then, right-click on the document's Preview, and click Open in
PDFViewer.
lClick View as PDFin the Debug toolbar. This will show the current data file in the viewer
(assuming it is a PDF). If the viewer is opened during debugging, the current state of the
PDF will be displayed (instead of the original data file).
lIn the PlanetPressCapture Document Manager dialog, select at least one document
from the database and click on View Documents.
The top area of the PDFViewer displays the PDF, while the bottom area contains a few
controls:
lOpen: Click to browse for a PDFto open in the PDFViewer. Note that this will not
change the data file used in the process.
lSave:Click to browse for a location and name to save the currently active PDFin the
viewer.
lRight Arrow:Click to view the next page of the PDF.
lLeft Arrow: Click to view the previous page of the PDF.
lPage Selection:Type a page number and hit Enter on your keyboard to jump to that
page.
lZoom: Click to view a drop-down list of pre-set zoom percentage, or automatic zoom fit
options. Or, type in a zoom percentage and hig Enter on your keyboard to set the zoom
level. Note that you can also use CTRL+Scroll Wheel (on your mouse)to zoom in and
out, SHIFT+Scroll Wheel to scroll left and right, and Scroll Wheel to scroll up and down.
The PlanetPress Workflow Service Console
The PlanetPress Workflow Services Console lets you view the logging information generated
by PlanetPress Workflow as well as the services used by PlanetPress Workflow. When the
number of displayed messages reaches 2000, the first 1000 are removed from the display (this
has no effect on the actual log files).
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To open the PlanetPress Workflow Service Console via the PlanetPress Workflow
Configuration program:
lChoose Tools | Service Console.
A) The PlanetPress Workflow services monitored by the PlanetPress Workflow Service
Console.
B) The run-time information provided by the console.
Note
The log window only displays the 1000 most recent lines. Older lines are hidden as new
ones appear to replace them.
To view the log messages generated by a service:
lClick the service in question in Services pane, on the left hand side.
A line appears to separate each log, and information from the newly selected service is
displayed.
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To clear the Messages area of the PlanetPress Workflow Service Console:
lClick in the Messages area of the Service Console, and from the right-click menu choose
Clear.
To save the information from the Messages area of the PlanetPress Workflow Service
Console:
1. Click in the Messages area of the Service Console, and from the right-click menu choose
Save to file. The Save As dialog box appears.
2. Navigate to a location, enter a file name, then click OK. The complete content of the
Messages area is saved.
Update document
The Update Document dialog lets you update your PlanetPress Design documents on your
printers where those documents are used in Printer-Centric mode. It displays the following
information in the list of installed printer documents:
lPrinter Queue:Displays in which printer queue the document is present
lPrinter Group:If available, displays in which printer group the document is located.
lDocument:Displays the name of the document
lLocation:Displays the location (printer or workflow)of the document
Select any document in the list (use CTRL+Click or SHIFT+Click to select multiple document or
use the Select All button) and click OK to update these documents.
To add any document to this list, you need to assign them to a printer queue. See " Associate
Documents and PlanetPress Printer Queues" on page694.
Data Repository Manager
The Data Repository Manager is an interface that manages the PlanetPress Workflow "Data
Repository" on page51. This feature, introduced in version 8.5, is a persistent data store used
to save any sort of textual data in a table format.
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Accessing the Data Repository Manager
To access the Data Repository Manager:
lOpen PlanetPress Workflow
lGo to the Tools tab.
lClick the Data Repository Manager button in the Managers group.
Warning
Any change made within the Date Repository Manager is Immediate, and Irreversible.
Deleting data from this interface may impact running processes if such processes access
the data saved in the repository. This includes clearing a group, or clearing the repository.
Toolbar Buttons
lGroup section
lAdd Group:Click to create a new group. Enter the group name and click OK.
Three keys will be added to the group automatically: ID, DateC and DateM . These
keys cannot be removed or edited.
lID is a unique number that identifies a Key Set in the Data repository.
lDateC is the creation date of the Key Set.
lDateM is the date at which the Key Set was last modified.
lDelete Group:Click to delete the currently selected group. Warning:This action
cannot be undone.
lKey section
lAdd Key:Click to add a key to the currently selected group. Enter a key name and
click OK. If adding a key to a group with existing data, the key will be empty for all
existing KeyGroups.
lDelete Key:Click to remove the currently selected key in the group. This will
remove the key and all the data for this key in each existing KeySet. Warning:This
action cannot be undone.
lKeySet section
lAdd KeySet:Click to add a newKeySet to the currently selected group. Displays a
dialog with all the Keys in the group, asking for a value for each of the keys. Enter
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the values then click OK. The KeySet will display in the right part of the repository
manager.
lDelete KeySet:Click to delete the currently selected KeySet in the Group.
Warning:This action cannot be undone.
lUpdate section
lEdit KeySet:Click to edit the currently selected KeySet. Opens a dialog which each
key and their value, which can be edited. Double-clicking a row has the same effect
as clicking the Edit KeySet button.
lRefresh:Click to load any changes made to the repository since it was last opened
or refreshed.
lManagement section
lCheck Repository:Click to verify the integrity of the database, as well as reclaim
any disk space from
lClear Group Data: Click to delete all the KeySets in the currently selected group,
leaving the key definitions intact. Warning:This action cannot be undone.
lClear All Data: Click to delete every KeySet of every group in the Repository.
Warning:This action deletes all your data and cannot be undone.
lClear Repository:Click to delete every group in the repository, including all their
data. Warning:This action deletes all your data and cannot be undone.
lShow/HideSystem Keys:Click to show or hide the ID, DateC (creation date) and DateM
(modification date) keys. The creation date and modification date fields both contain a full
time stamp in the form of YYYY-MM-DDThh:mm:ss.sZ, where
lYYYY = four-digit year
lMM = two-digit month (01=January, etc.)
lDD = two-digit day of month (01 through 31)
lT = literal constant separating date from time
lhh = two digits of hour (00 through 23) (am/pm NOT allowed)
lmm = two digits of minute (00 through 59)
lss = two digits of second (00 through 59)
ls = one or more digits representing a decimal fraction of a second
lZ = literal constant representing the UTC time zone designator.
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Repository Structure Pane
This section of the Data Repository display a tree view of all groups in the data repository as
well as all the keys under each of those groups.
Group KeySets Pane
This section of the Data Repository displays the current KeySets in the group. Each horizontal
row is a KeySet, and each vertical row is a key defined in the group.
lTo edit a KeySet, double-click on it.
lTo delete a KeySet, press the Del key.
lTo add a new KeySet, press CTRL+N.
Navigating with the Keyboard
Though of course the mouse is the easiest way to navigate through the Data Repository, the
keyboard can be used also.
lPress Tab to switch between the Repository Structure,Group Key Sets,Lookup
Function Syntax and the Close and Help buttons.
lPress CTRL+Nto add a new item:
lIf a group is selected, will create a new group.
lIf a key is selected, will create a new key within the selected group.
lIf in the Group Key Sets, will create a new keyset.
lPress F2 to rename a group or a key
lPress Delete to remove Group or Key from the Repository, or a KeySet.
Tip
You can look up those shortcuts by right-clicking the item you want to interact with, and
looking at the contextual menu.
Virtual Drive Manager
When you use the Send images to printer action in a given process, you have the option of, at
the same time, sending the images to the virtual drive (a local storage folder used by
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PlanetPress Workflow applications) of any computer included in your network. You need to do
this, for instance, if you plan to run documents that contain dynamic images on those computers
(using the Optimized PostScript Stream option). You can then use the Virtual Drive Manager to
see the images that were downloaded to your computer as well as to delete them from your
virtual drive.
To add images to the virtual drive, use either of the following methods:
lSend a single resource file to the printer:see "Download to Printer" on page318.
lSend one or more images to the printer:see "Send Images to Printer" on page343.
lUse PlanetPress Design:see the PlanetPress Design User Guide.
To delete images from your virtual drive:
1. In the PlanetPress Workflow Ribbon, Go to the Tools tab, then click on Virtual Drive
Manager.
The Virtual Drive Manager dialog box is displayed. It lists all the images currently stored
in your computer’s virtual drive.
2. Select the images you want to delete.
3. Press the Delete key.
The Debug Information Pane
The Debug Information pane displays the current values of variables and other information
useful in debugging processes (see "Debugging and Error Handling" on page55). It is divided
in 4 sections:
lJob Information: Displays the Job Info variables, as well as the job's file name, size, last
edit date and presence of metadata(see "Job Info Variables" on page645).
lLocal Variables:Displays all the variables local to this process (see "Manipulate Local
Variables" on page683).
lGlobal Variables: Displays all the variables global to this configuration (see "Manipulate
Local Variables" on page683).
lEvaluate Expression:Lets you enter a custom expression and displays its value at run-
time.
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You can use the Evaluate Expression section to see the result of any combination of variable
properties (see Variable Properties). To add a new expression, simply right-click in the window
and select Add Expression.
Click in the box on the left to edit the expression and add any variable properties or static text
you want, and click outside of the box to save it. Once saved, the Value column displays the
expression's result.
The contextual (right-click)menu displays the following items when at least one expression is
present:
lCopy Value (only when right-clicking an existing expression):Places the resulting value
of the expression in your clipboard.
lRevalue all: Refreshes the value of all the expressions.
lAdd Expression:Creates a new expression.
lDelete Expression (only when right-clicking an existing expression):Remove the
selected expression.
lClear Expression List: Removes all expressions.
Warning
Deleting an expression or clearing the expression list cannot be undone!
The Message Area Pane
The Messages area is used in Debug mode to indicate the status of your PlanetPress
Workflow process as the sample data file is processed and used to generate output. When your
PlanetPress Workflow runs in Debug mode, the Messages area displays useful processing and
error information.
Messages are displayed in different colors (debug levels)in the Message area.
lMessages in Red are critical and are normally critical errors in the plugin.
lMessages in Orange are warnings.
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lMessages in Gray are job info and variable changes.
lMessages in Black are debug information and processing information.
There are various actions you can execute in the Message area. Here they are:
lClick any line to select it.
lWhile a line is selected, press Delete on your keyboard or right-click on the line and
select Delete to delete the line.
lWhile a line is selected, press CTRL+Xon your keyboard or right-click on the line and
select Cut to place the line in the clipboard.
lPress CTRL+C on your keyboard or right-click on the line and select Copy to place a
copy of the line in the clipboard.
lPress CTRL+A on your keyboard or right-click on any line and select Select All to select
all the lines in the Message Area.
lRight-click anywhere in the Message Area and select Clear Messages to clear the
contents of the Message Area.
lRight-click anywhere in the Message Area and select Save to File to display a dialog
box that lets you save a copy of the MessageArea content to a text file.
The Message Area will only display information while running in Debug mode. It does not
display information from other running services, and will not display the log of any process
running in a live configuration (submitted to PlanetPress Workflow Service).
To learn more about debugging a process, refer to "Debugging and Error Handling" on
page55.
The Object Inspector Pane
The Object Inspector displays the properties of the object selected in the Configuration
Components pane (not the Process Area, however). You can edit some of these properties
directly from the Object Inspector, simply by clicking on the property.
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To edit properties of processes, documents, and printers in the Object Inspector:
lIn the Configuration Components pane, select a process, a document (either a
document in the Documents category or a document assigned to a printer queue) or a
printer queue. The selected object’s properties appear in the Object Inspector.
lIn the Object Inspector, click an editable property.
lDepending on the values that can be entered for the selected property, edit the value by
typing a one or by selecting a new one from the drop-down list.
Note
If you select multiple objects in the Configuration Components window, some properties
that are shared between those objects can be changed in the Object Inspector. Changing
a property changes it for all the selected objects.
The Object Inspector also displays information about the Job File while it is being processed in
Debug mode. Seeing how files change as they travel down a process can provide valuable
debugging information. You can even change some of the job information from the Object
Inspector (such as Job Infos)while in debugging.
Note
When you select a group (folder), no information is displayed in the Object Inspector, because what
is really selected is the group heading and not the items included in the group.
The Plug-in Bar
PlanetPress Workflow offers a constantly increasing number of plugins, while always allowing
third party plugins to be installed and set up to be used by PlanetPress Workflow. The
PlanetPress Workflow Plug-in Bar lists all plugins available in PlanetPress Workflow, and is
divided into categories, which users can customize at will.
Most of the PlanetPress plugins are installed by default, but other plugins may be added.
Because the plugins are always expected to execute some sort of task, they are always
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referred to, in this documentation, as tasks, except in the specific case of importing a new
plugin or customizing the Plug-in Bar.
Categories
The default categories list plugins according to what type of task they achieve. When first
starting your PlanetPress Workflow program, the following categories are used:
lInputs
lActions
lData splitters
lProcess logic
lConnectors
lPlanetPress Capture
lMetadata Related
lOL Connect Send
lOL Connect
lOutputs
Note
An Uncategorized category is dynamically created if your PlanetPress Workflow finds any plugin
that would not be part of the existing Plug-in Bar. User-defined plugins and third party application
plugins falls into such a category.
Settings & Customization
The Plug-in Bar can be customized according to your needs and the plugins you most
frequently used.
You can use the horizontal dark blue bar separating the plugin area and the list of categories to
change how many plugin categories are displayed as the full-width bar with the title, and how
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much are displayed as icon only. Move the bar up to display more full-width categories, or
down to display them more as icons.
Furthermore, the Plug-in Bar can be customized using the popup indicator control ( ).
Customizing the Plug-in Bar is mostly used for third party or legacy plugins.
Using the contextual menu displayed by the popup indicator, you can:
lInsert, delete and rename custom categories.
lMove categories up or down.
lImport third party or legacy plugins.
lMove plugins from one custom category to another (that you cannot move default plugins
from the default categories, you can only copy them)
lCopy plugins from one custom category to another by holding the CTRL key.
lDelete plugins from any custom category by using the Delete key.
lRevert to the default Plug-in Bar by selecting Reset to default.
To import a plugin:
1. Click on the popup control ( ).
2. Click on Import Plugin.
3. Browse to the location of the plugin DLLfile.
4. Click on Open.
5. New plugins appear in the Uncategorized category.
Preferences
PlanetPress Workflow Configuration program lets you configure a variety of options, from how
the application itself looks or behaves, to plugin specific options.
Most of PlanetPress Workflow preferences are located in the PlanetPress Workflow
Preferences window, accessible through the Preferences button in the PlanetPress Workflow
button. Those preferences are:
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lAppearance:
l"General appearance preferences" on the next page
l"Object Inspector appearance preferences" on page733
l"Configuration Components Pane appearance preferences" on page733
lBehavior:
l"Default Configuration behavior preferences" on page734
l"Notification Messages behavior preferences" on page735
l"Sample Data behavior preferences" on page737
l"Network behavior preferences" on page738
l"PlanetPress Capture preferences" on page739
l"OL Connect preferences" on page748
l"PDF Text Extraction Tolerance Factors" on page749
lPlug-in:
l"General and logging preferences" on page751
l"Messenger plugin preferences" on page752
l"HTTP Server Input 1 plugin preferences" on page753
l"HTTPServer Input 2 plugin preferences" on page756
l"LPD Input plugin preferences" on page757
l"Serial Input plugin preferences" on page758
lSMTP Input
l"Telnet Input plugin preferences" on page759
l"PlanetPress Fax plugin preferences" on page759
l"FTP Output Service preferences" on page763
l"PlanetPress Image preferences" on page764
l"LPR Output preferences" on page767
l"PrintShop Web Connect Service preferences" on page768
Note
Preferences are saved automatically and applied immediately.
Page 731
Other Preferences and Settings
lThe PlanetPress Workflow Services dialog lets you select the account that PlanetPress
Workflow Service uses to communicate on the server and the network. See "Workflow
Services" on page702.
lYou can change the appearance of the RunScript and XSLTEditor through the Editor
Options dialog.
General appearance preferences
Ribbon Color Scheme
lBlue:Sets the general interface color scheme to a blue color.
lSilver:Sets the general interface color scheme to a silver (gray)color.
lBlack:Sets the general interface color scheme to a black (coal)color.
Colors
lVariable properties: Select a color for the labels identifying variable property boxes.
lDebug: Select the color applied to the PlanetPress Workflow Process area background
when in debug mode.
lHighlighted tasks and branches: Select the background color for highlighted tasks and
branches in the Process Area’s invisible grid.
lDisabled tasks and branches: Select the background color for disabled tasks and
branches in the Process Area’s invisible grid.
Inactive process
lColor: Select the color to use to identify inactive processes in the Configuration
Components pane.
lBold: Select to use a bold font to display inactive processes.
lUnderline: Select to use an underlined font to display inactive processes.
lItalic: Select to use an italic font to display inactive processes.
lStrikethrough: Select to use a strikethrough font to display inactive processes.
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Object Inspector appearance preferences
Colors
This window lets you set the color of individual Object Inspector elements. To change the color
of a given element, select it in the list box above and then choose a color from the drop-down
list below.
Options
lVertical line 3D: Select to display the vertical line between property names and their
values using a 3-dimensional effect.
lUse groups: Select to organize the display of properties into groups. Clear the selection
to display properties in alphabetical order. When the Object Inspector displays properties
in groups, it displays an expand/collapse button to the left of the name of the group for
expanding or collapsing the group.
lSunken active property: Select to use a recessed effect to display the currently selected
property.
lBorder active property: Select to display a border around the currently selected
property.
lShow lines: Select to display lines between elements.
lLine style: Select a style for the lines.
lReset to default button: Click to reset all the Object Inspector options to their default
values.
Configuration Components Pane appearance preferences
Colors
This window lets you set the color of individual Configuration Components pane elements.
To change the color of a given element, select it in the list box above and then choose a color
from the drop-down list below.
Options
lLine Style: Select the style (dotted or solid)of the line that connects the different objects
in the Configuration Components pane.
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lSelection rectangle:Select whether your selection rectangle (used to select multiple
objects by dragging a rectangle around multiple objects)will be displayed as a dotted line
rectangle, or a blended rectangle (normally a blue rectangle with darker blue border).
lButton Style: Select whether to show the expansion links as either an arrow (points right
for a closed tree, down for an open tree)or a square (shows a minus symbol for an open
tree, plus symbol for a closed tree).
lShow Tree Lines:Check to choose whether or not to display the lines that connect the
different objects in the Configuration Components pane.
lShow Grid Lines:Check to choose whether or not to display grid lines between each
object in the Configuration Components pane.
lHot track:Check to choose whether or not to display the object in the Configuration
Components pane under the mouse cursor as being underlined.
lReset To Defaults button:Click to reset all the Configuration Components pane
appearance options to their default values.
Default Configuration behavior preferences
lUse default configuration:Check to use default input and output tasks when you create
a new process. If this group is not selected, each new process you will add will begin and
end with unknown tasks.
lDefault input task: Select an input task to use as the default input task when you
add a new process. Click the Configure button located to the right of this box to set
the properties of the selected input task.
lDefault output task: Select an output task to use as the default output task when
you add a new process. Click the Configure button located to the right of this box to
set the properties of the selected output task.
lEnable Undo/Redo functionality: Select this option to enable or disable the Undo
functionality. Disabling the Undo/Redo functionality frees up a lot of memory and may
thus speed up your system. The maximum number of steps performed is set in the box
below.
lAuto Save every: Select to enable the Auto Save functionality. The auto save delay is
set in the box below (in minutes).
lEnable printer information validation when opening a Watch configuration file: If one
of the processes in the configuration file contains a Print using a Windows printer driver
plugin, the printer information (printer name, driver size and version) will be checked and
the update process will be performed as required.
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Notification Messages behavior preferences
Notification Messages behavior preferences control the display of certain messages and
prompts within PlanetPress Workflow.
Preferences
lUser mismatch: Select to have PlanetPress Workflow display a prompt when a different
user opens the application.
lTask deletion: Select to prompt for confirmation when deleting a task.
lDocument deletion: Select to have PlanetPress Workflow prompt for confirmation when
deleting a document.
lPrompt on Document deletion when service is running:
lGroup of documents deletion: Select to have PlanetPress Workflow prompt for
confirmation when deleting a group of documents from the Configuration Components
pane.
lEmpty group deletion: Select to have PlanetPress Workflow prompt for confirmation to
delete a group when you remove the last of its member objects. If you clear this option,
groups are automatically deleted when their last members are removed.
lInvalid name: Select to have PlanetPress Workflow warn you when you try to rename an
object in the Configuration Components incorrectly. Names can include letters, numbers,
and underscores; the first character of a name cannot be a number.
lPrinter queues update: Select to have PlanetPress Workflow prompt you when adding a
document to a group under the Documents category in the Configuration Components
pane. You are only prompted if the group of documents is assigned to one or more printer
queues. PlanetPress Workflow can add the new document to all assigned groups under
the Printer Queues category automatically.
lConfiguration save with wrong user: Select to have PlanetPress Workflow prompt for
confirmation when you are saving a configuration while logged onto the computer as a
user other than the one associated with the PlanetPress Workflow service.
lConfiguration save: Select to have PlanetPress Workflow prompt to save the current
configuration when exiting the software or before opening another configuration file.
lConfiguration send: Select to have PlanetPress Workflow prompt to send the current
configuration to run in the PlanetPress Workflow service when exiting software or before
opening another configuration file.
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lNothing to configure: Select to have PlanetPress Workflow notify you when you try to
set properties for a task that does not have any properties. For example, the Error Bin
input has no properties because it only inputs jobs sent to it through On Error properties of
tasks in other processes. When you attempt to edit its properties, it displays the "nothing
to configure" message when this option is selected.
lNo registry: Select to have PlanetPress Workflow notify you if it cannot find an install
location in the registry. In such cases, the path of the currently running software
executable is used as the install path.
lPlanetPress Watch 3 documents and job commands transfer: Select to have
PlanetPress Workflow display a prompt when you import a configuration from
PlanetPress Watch 3 that allows you to transfer documents and job commands.
lPlugin not found: Select to have PlanetPress Workflow display a prompt when you
import a configuration, and one or more of the plugins used in the configuration are not
found on the computer running the software.
lPrompt on configuration overwrite: Select to have PlanetPress Workflow prompt for
confirmation when a configuration is about to overwrite a file with the same name.
lPrompt on no active process to send: Select to have PlanetPress Workflow prompt for
confirmation when attempting to send a configuration although no processes are active.
lPrompt on overwrite of a document: Select to have PlanetPress Workflow prompt for
confirmation when a document that is being imported using File | Import Document is
about to overwrite an existing document.
lPrompt on Document overwrite when service is running: Select to have PlanetPress
Workflow prompt for confirmation when a document that is being imported using File |
Import Document is about to overwrite an existing document. The only difference between
this option and the previous one is that this option will warn the user that the document
about to be overwritten may currently be used by the PlanetPress Watch service.
lPrompt on Importing a non PlanetPress Document: Select to have PlanetPress
Workflow prompt for confirmation when a document that is not a valid PlanetPress
Connect document is about to be imported. This may occur if a non-PlanetPress Connect
document will inadvertently have a PPX or PSI file extension.
lPrompt on Resetting Document Attributes: Select to have PlanetPress Workflow
prompt for confirmation when importing a hidden or read-only document using the File |
Import document command. By confirming the import, you allow PlanetPress Workflowto
reset the document’s attributes to ’Visible’ and ’Read and Write’.
lPrompt on Document Instance Deletion:
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lPrompt on Emulation Change:Select to have PlanetPress Workflow prompt when the
default process emulation is being changed. The last emulation selected when
debugging a process is the one the process begins with.
lPrompt on Form Refresh:Select to have PlanetPress Workflow prompt for confirmation
when recompiling the PostScript (PSx)version of a PlanetPress Connect Document.
Refreshing PlanetPress Connect Documents that are currently in use can lead to
unexpected results.
lPrompt on Saving with Unknown Task:Select to have PlanetPress Workflow prompt
for confirmation when saving a configuration file or sending the configuration to the
PlanetPress Watch service, when any process contains Unknown Tasks. If an Unknown
Task is present, such as when a process was created with a PlanetPress Workflow
license that is not the same as the current one, the settings for this task will be lost when
saving or sending to the service.
lDisplay Generic Splitter Found Message:Select to have PlanetPress Workflow prompt
when a Generic Splitter task is found in any of the configuration's processes. The
Generic Splitter task is maintained because of its historical purpose but should no longer
be used since it can almost always be replaced by more specialized and efficient
splitters.
lWarn on Component Rename:Select to have PlanetPress Workflow prompt for action
when configuration components, such as processes, are imported from an external
configuration file. Imported components can overwrite existing components, or be
renamed automatically with unique names.
Sample Data behavior preferences
Sample Data behavior preferences control the way theData Selectordisplays the sample data
file.
Preferences
lSelect Font button: Click to access the Font dialog box to select the font in which the
Data Selector displays the sample data file.
lDefault text editor: Contains the complete path and name of the executable file of the
application used as the default text editor. For Windows Notepad, only the executable
name (Notepad.exe) is required.
lBrowse button:Click the Browse button to navigate to your executable instead of typing
the path and executable name, then click OK.
Page 737
Network behavior preferences
Network behavior preferences let you configure NetWare® Login user options, so that
PlanetPress Workflow can access your Novell® NetWare network. The following procedure
also lets you choose the Universal Naming Convention (UNC), which removes inconsistencies
when accessing paths on Novell and other networks.
Preferences
lNetWare Login: Check to enable the options PlanetPress Workflow requires to access
NetWare resources. When you select this option, you must enter values in the Username
and Password fields, and in the NDS options group (these properties are optional) below
to properly log in to NetWare.
lUsername: Enter your NetWare user name. This is the user the PlanetPress
Workflow service uses to log in to NetWare at run-time. The service accesses
resources as configured for this user.
lPassword: Enter the NetWare password corresponding to the user name you
entered in the previous text box.
lTree: Enter the NetWare Directory Services (NDS) tree where the user resides. This
is the user you entered in the user name text box. Click Trees to navigate to the
desired tree. You must enter a value for the Tree text box.
lContext: Enter the context on the NDS tree where the user you enter in the user
name text box resides.
lServer: Enter the server where the NDS tree you entered in the Tree text box
resides. You do not have to specify a server if there is only a single configured
server on your network. Click Servers to navigate to the desired server on which the
NDS tree containing the user resides.
Expand folder paths in UNC (Universal Naming Convention) format: Select to expand all
paths used in the configuration to UNC. This converts map drives such as “f:\, to absolute paths
referenced from a server in the format “\\server-name\shared-resource-pathname”. When you
select this option, the next time you configure a task after editing properties and clicking OK in
its properties dialog box, entered paths are expanded to UNC format.
Page 738
Note
You can leave the Context box empty if there is a single root context on your NDS tree, if
you can perform a context-free log in, or if you enter a server name in the Server box.
PlanetPress Workflow and PlanetPress Image use the same security context when
connected to a NetWare server and they each use one connection. Also note that using
erroneous Tree or Context information may cause PlanetPress Workflow and its services
to crash.
PlanetPress Capture preferences
PlanetPress Capture behavior settings lets you change the PlanetPress Capture options
relative to your Workflow server. This is where you set up your server and database and where
you manage pens, documents and licenses.
The available PlanetPress Capture user options are:
lMode: Choose between Server and Client mode. Client and Server mode are used for
multi-server architectures. See PlanetPress Capture Server/Client.
lPort: Select the port used to connect two servers together. The default value is 5864.
lDocument and Pattern Database group
lStatus:Displays the status of the database.
lUse ODBCDatabase:Check to ignore the default location for the Microsoft Access
database (MDB) and use an ODBCconnection to your own database location
instead.
lODBCSettings: Click to open the "PlanetPress Capture ODBC Settings" on
page742 dialog.
lTest Connection:Click to verify the connection to the ODBCDatabase.
lReset Database:Click to reset the database to its original status.
lManage Documents...:Click to open the " PlanetPress Document Manager" on the
next page.
lPen Database group
lRegister pens on first use:Check if you want any new pen that sends a PGC to be
added to the pen database. Newly registered pens will not have any Pattern
Sequence or owner information.
Page 739
lManage Pens...:Click to open the "PlanetPress Capture Pen Management Tool"
on page745 dialog.
lLicense Manager...: Click to open the "PlanetPress Capture License Management"
on page747 dialog.
PlanetPress Capture Server/Client
PlanetPress Capture can be set to be either in Server or Client mode from the PlanetPress
Capture User Options.
In Server mode, all pen licenses are stored locally. Other clients can connect to this server to
validate pens. This allows all pen licenses to be managed locally.
In client mode, no pen license information is stored locally. All pens are therefore validated
against the server specified in the Host address field displayed when the Client option is
selected. Note that this validation occurs for every ink file (i.e. PGC file) the local system
processes, which may cause a slight delay for the operation depending on the connection
speed and latency between the two systems.
Note
The Server/Client mode is only used for managing pen licenses and has no impact on the Capture
Database itself. The database can be stored locally or remotely, regardless of the Server/Client mode
specified.
PlanetPress Document Manager
The PlanetPress Capture Document Manager dialog is used to manage all the documents
present in the PlanetPress Capture database that are currently open.
Options and Controls
Documents Lookup Group
ll Filter by:Select what information you want to look for in the documents database.
lDocument ID:Search using the Document ID, a unique and automatic identifier
attributed to each document by the Capture Field Generator task.
Page 740
lDocument Title:Search in document title as specified in the Capture Field
Generator task.
lProduction date (YYYY-DD-MM):Search using the date at which the document
was generated using the Capture Field Generator task.
lPen user (by description):Search using the description field in the Pen Database.
lPen user (by serial number):Search using the pen's serial number in the Pen
Database.
lPattern Sequence:Search using the Pattern Sequence in the Document
Database.
lTemplate Name:The name of the document, corresponding to the name entered in
the PlanetPress Design document properties.
lPatternID:Search using the pattern's identification number. This can be printed on
each document next to the Anoto Statement (see PlanetPress Design User Guide).
lContent Status:Search using the status of the document, whether it is Open,
Closed, Complete, Partial or in Error.
lOperator:Select how to do the comparison
lEqual:The mask and database information are exactly the same.
lNot equal:The mask and database information are different.
lLess than:If the mask and database information are both numbers, the mask will
be a smaller number.
lGreater than:If the mask and database information are both numbers, the mask will
be a larger number.
lLess than or equal to:If the mask and database information are both numbers, the
mask will either be smaller or equal to the database information.
lGreater than or equal to:If the mask and database information are both numbers,
the mask will either be larger or equal to the database information.
lContains:The mask is contained within the database information, at any location
within the information.
lDoes not contain:The mask is not contained within the database information.
lMask:Enter the text or number to compare with the database information.
lSearch:Click to start the search.
Page 741
Manage Documents Group
ll Document list:Displays the results from the search in 3 columns:
lDocument Title:Displays the title of the document as specified in the Capture
Field Generator task
lProduction date:Displays the date and time on which the document was added to
the Capture Database.
lMore info:Avariable column that displays additional information about the search
results, such as the Pen ID or Pattern ID.
lSelect all:Click to select all the documents in the list.
lSelect none:Click to deselect all of the documents in the list.
lView documents:Click to view all the documents along with any ink already present on
them. Each PDFis opened, in sequence, in the "PDF Viewer.
lClose documents:Click to close the document and release the pattern it uses.
Warning
This will prevent the document to be further updated, may cause errors when
docking any pen that signed the printed version of the document. This cannot be
undone.
PlanetPress Capture ODBC Settings
This dialog is used to set up the connection to a PlanetPress Capture Database through an
ODBCconnection.
To access this dialog, See "PlanetPress Capture preferences" on page739.
Page 742
Settings
lName:Click to displays and choose from a drop-down of each DSN(Data Source
Name)available on the system, along with it's source (User DSNor System DSN) and
the driver it uses (database type).
lType:Click to display a drop-down of supported database types. This must correspond to
the database type of the DSNchosen in the previous option.
luser name:If the database is secured with a user name and password, enter the user
name here.
lPassword:If the database is secured with a user name and password, enter the
password here.
Note
In order for the database connection to be functional, you must ensure that the database
Type correspond exactly to the one used by the DSN, and is part of the supported
database types.
Page 743
Database Considerations (ODBC)
Technical
On 64-bit operating systems, the ODBCData Sources created by the Data Source
(ODBC)icon in the Administrative Tools will not appear here, as PlanetPress Suite is 32-
bit and cannot access the 64-bit data sources. In order to create an ODBCconnection
visible by PlanetPress, you will need to access the 32-bit version of the ODBCmanager,
available in C:\Windows\SysWOW64\odbcad32.exe .
The following considerations should be kept in mind while working with ODBCDatabases in
PlanetPress Suite.
lAll databases
lUser Rights:During normal operation, Read/Write to tables should be sufficient.
However, during the initial setup, the Create/Drop tables rights is necessary.
lMinimum 100MBof database size is required as a minimum, but the space
requirement depends on the implementation. The more active documents in the
database, the more space is used - note that this progression is rather linear.
lRegular database maintenance is required, such as database compacting, is
required by a system administrator.
lIt is recommended to create an ITprocess that backs up the database regularly.
lThe recommended ideal setup is a dedicated SQLServer PC, accessed by
PlanetPress Workflow through an ODBCconnection on the local network.
lMicrosoft Access
lDatabase file (mdb)must be local to the PlanetPress Workflow computer. It cannot
be located on a network drive or another server.
lTotal database size is limited to 4GBof data.
lTotal size of a single table is 2GB.
lMay be unstable in large implementations.
lMySQL
lDatabase can be in any location, but performance will depend on the speed of the
connection between PlanetPress and the MySQLserver.
Page 744
lMySQL's performance has been slower than SQLServer and SQLServer Express
during our tests.
lBy default, MySQLis configured not to allow any SQLrequest larger than 16 megs.
lIn the event where 2 requests are made simultaneously on the same record,
MySQLwill queue one of the requests and execute it once the first one is done. In
extremely rare cases this may cause a timeout on very large requests.
lMSSQL(Microsoft SQLServer)
lAll versions of the SQLServer are supported, including all Express versions.
lDatabase can be in any location, but performance will depend on the speed of the
connection between PlanetPress Production and the SQLserver.
lIn the event where 2 requests are made simultaneously on the same record,
SQLServer will drop the most complex request. Resubmitting the PGCfor
processing should resolve this issue. This, however, should happen only rarely.
lWhen configuring the ODBCconnection, your must use the Microsoft version of the
driver, and not the Native SQLversion of the driver. This is due to a technical
limitation of the native driver that interferes with the PlanetPress Suite database
requests.
PlanetPress Capture Pen Management Tool
The Pen Management Tool screen is used to manage the pens that are registered in the
PlanetPress Capture Database. The number of Anoto Digital Pens you may register on this
screen depends on the licenses available within your PlanetPress Capture License.
Options and Controls
Top Toolbar
ll Read PGCFile:Click to display a File Open dialog. Browse to an existing PGCfile, and
open it. PlanetPress Capture will read the serial number from the PGCfile and register
the pen.
lPrint Pen Activation File:Click to print a page containing a special pattern. Any pen that
writes on this pattern and is then docked will be registered in the database.
lSave Pen Data into Database:Once all your pens are entered in this window, click to
save the list of pens in the database.
Page 745
Pen Data List: Displays a list of registered pens and those pens you just added.
ll Pen ID:The serial number of pen, as written on the Anoto Digital Pen. You can double-
click this area to edit the Pen ID if necessary.
lPattern Sequence:The pattern sequence the pen is assigned to. You can double-click
this area and edit the pattern sequence as required.
lUserID:The name of the user assigned to this pen. You can double-click this area to edit
the user ID. This can also be custom information.
Bottom Toolbar
ll Button:Click to add a new line in the Pen Data List, then edit the information on this
new line.
lButton:Place a checkmark on the line of any pen you wish to remove from the
database, then click this button.
lSearch in column Pen ID: Enter a search term for a Pen ID, then click the Search button.
The Pen Data List will highlight any pen containing your search term.
To register a new pen manually
1. Click on the icon
2. Enter the Pen ID (located on the pen after the word "Serial:")
3. If necessary, enter an optional pattern sequence and User ID(identifier of who will use
the pen).
To register a pen using the registration pattern
1. Click on the Print pen activation file button in the top toolbar of this dialog.
2. Use the Windows Print dialog to print to the desired printer.
3. Write or make a line on the printed pattern.
4. Dock the pen in its cradle.
5. Click on the Read PGCFile button in the top toolbar of this dialog.
6. If necessary, enter an optional pattern sequence and User ID for each pen.
Page 746
Multiple pens can be registered at once simply by writing on the registration pattern and then
docking each pen before clicking the Read PGCFile button.
If the pen that is being registered already exists in the pen database, the Replace User ID
(Description) dialog appears, with the following options:
lPen ID:Displays the Pen ID (serial number)to identify the pen
lOld desc.:Displays the content of the User ID field for the pen as it is now.
lNew desc.:Type the new description to identify the pen
lReplace:Click to save the modification to the description
lNo Change:Click to save the registration without modifying the description.
lModify:Click to enable edits in the Old desc. field. The current information can then be
modified. After modifications, click Apply to save the changes and exit the dialog.
lCancel:Click to cancel any modifications to the pen registration.
PlanetPress Capture License Management
The PlanetPress Capture License Management window is used to manage the pen pack
available in the installation of PlanetPress Capture. Each Pen Pack contains a limited number
of pens that can be registered in the Capture Database. When the number of pens have been
reached, new pens can no longer be registered.
If no pen pack is available, PlanetPress Capture functions in Demo Mode. In Demo mode, only
one (1)pen can be registered in the pen management window. Also, the "Capture Fields
Generator" on page482 will be unable to produce more than 8 documents with a pattern
instead of the full 20,000 patterns.
Technical
To add a pen pack, PlanetPress must be activated using a PlanetPress Production
license. if PlanetPress Production is in trial mode, no pen pack can be added because
the Pen Pack uses the serial number.
Page 747
Options and Controls
PlanetPress Capture Pen Licenses Group
ll Import License...:Click to open the Import License dialog. Browse to a PPLIC
(PlanetPress License) file on your computer and open it to import the license. The
PPLICoverwrites your current license, however it may contain more than one Pen Pack
(your previous one and one you just purchased)and will display them individually.
lLicense List: Displays the licenses that have been added to this system.
lPen License:The identification of the Pen Pack.
lQuantity Of Pens:The number of pens that can be registered with this pack.
PlanetPress Production Group
ll Server Type: The type of server installed, normally PlanetPress Production Server.
lTotal pens:The total number of available pens on this server, each Pen Pack being
added together.
OL Connect preferences
These options control some of the features in the OL Connect Tasks. This is valid both for
PlanetPress® Connect and PReS®Connect.
Warning
OLConnect User Options are not applied immediately. In order for these changes to be
applied, the Workflow Configuration must be submitted to the Workflow Service.
Otherwise, these options will not be accounted for in Debug mode.
The available OLConnect user options define the default behavior of OLConnect tasks'
OLConnect Proxy tab. These values are used unless they are overwritten in a task's
properties:
lServer Connect Settings
lConnect Proxy Address: Enter the machine name or IPAddress where the
OLConnectServer resides.
Page 748
lPort: Enter the port to use to communicate with the OLConnect Server.
Default:9340
lUser name:Enter the user name expected by the OLConnect Server.
lPassword:Enter the password expected by the OLConnect Server for the above
user name.
Warning
The password cannot contain any special character that is normally present in
a URL, for example @, :, /, =, +.
lEmail Creation Settings
lMail Host:Enter the default SMTPServer host or IPAddress.
lSender address:Enter the default email address used as the sender
(FROM)address.
lUser name:Enter the default user name for the SMTPServer if it requires it.
lPassword:Enter the password for the above user name.
PDF Text Extraction Tolerance Factors
When extracting text from a PDF(for example, through a data selection), a lot more happens in
the background than what can be seen on the surface. Reading a PDFfile for text will generally
return text fragments, separated by a certain amount of space. Sometimes the text will be
shifted up or down, spacing will be different, etc. In some cases, every letter is considered to be
a different fragment.
Text formatting features such as kerning, bold, exponential, etc, may cause these fragments to
be considered as separate even if, to the naked eye, they obviously belong together.
The PDFText Extraction Tolerance Factors is used to modify the behavior of data selections
made from PDFdata files from within PlanetPress Workflow. Each factor available in this
window will determine if two fragments of text in the PDFshould be part of the same data
selection or not.
Page 749
Warning
The default values are generally correct for the greatest majority of PDF data files. Only
change these values if you understand what they are for.
Delta Width
Defines the tolerance for the distance between two text fragments, either positive (space
between fragments)or negative (kerning text where letters overlap). When this value is at 0, the
two fragments will need to be exactly one beside the other with no space or overlap between
them.
When this value is at 1, a very large space or overlap will be accepted. This may case "false
positives" and separate words and text blocks may be considered as a single word if the value
is too high.
Accepted values range from 0to 1. The default value is 0.3, recommended values are between
0.05 and 0.30.
Delta Height
Defines the tolerance for the height and position difference between two target fragments. The
higher the number, the more difference between the fragment's height(the tallest font
character's height)will be accepted and the more vertical distance between fragments are
accepted. Exponents, for example, are higher and lower.
When this value is 0, no vertical shift is accepted between two fragments. When the value is 1,
the second text fragment can be shifted by as much as the height of the first fragment.
Accepted values range from 0to 1. The default value is 0.15, recommended values are
between 0.00 and 0.50.
Font Delta Height
Defines the tolerance for the difference in average height of fonts in the two target fragments.
The higher the number, the more difference in average font heights will be accepted. The
average font height is bigger in text written in uppercase than text written in lowercase.
Page 750
At 0, the font size must be exactly the same between two fragments. At 1, a greater variance in
font size is accepted.
Accepted values range from 0to 1. The default value is 0.65, recommended values are
between 0.60 and 1.00.
Gap
Defines how spaces between two fragments are processed. If the space between two
fragments is too small, the text extraction will sometimes eliminate that space and count the two
fragments as a single word. To resolve this, the Gap setting can be changed. The lower this
value, the higher the chance of a space being added between two characters. A value too low
may add spaces where they do not belong.
Accepted values range from 0to 0.5. The default value is 0.3, recommended values are
between 0.25 and 0.40.
General and logging preferences
General plugin preferences control the level of detail added to the PlanetPress Workflow log
file. Since log files cover 24 hours of operation, choosing to log every task performed by
PlanetPress Workflow may result in the creation of excessively large files.
Changing the plugin preferences also affects the logs displayed in the PlanetPress Workflow
Service Console.
lLog level group
lStartup and shutdown: Select to only track when the PlanetPress Workflow
service is started and stopped.
lTask failure: Select to only track when tasks in the processes running in a
PlanetPress Workflow configuration fail.
lTask success and failure with details: Select to track when the tasks in processes
running in PlanetPress Workflow succeed and fail, with details. Details can include
why tasks fail and how successful tasks are executed.
lAll events with details: Select to log everything that happens in PlanetPress
Workflow. This includes when it starts and stops, the success and failure of tasks,
and details on the success and failure of tasks.
Page 751
lAdd time stamp to all processes events: Adds a time stamp to each log entry for a
process event.
lDelete log files after: Select how many days log files are kept before being deleted.
lMaximum numbers of replicated processes: Set the maximum number of times a
process may be replicated.
Messenger plugin preferences
Apart from enabling communication between the various parts of PlanetPress Workflow, the
PlanetPress Workflow Messenger also manages local instances of the PlanetPress Workflow
Alambic.
Preferences
lPlanetPress Alambic options group
lLet me set up how many instances to run: Select this option if you want to limit
the number of instances of the Alambic that PlanetPress Workflow can run. Then
enter the number of instances, a value ranging from 1 to 32, in the box below. When
this option is not selected, PlanetPress Workflow starts a minimum of three
instances and a maximum of eight, based on the number of CPUs available on the
server. Note that this does affects self-replicating processes. Self-replicating
processes will create threads in PlanetPress Workflow service, while Alambic
threads are under the PlanetPress Messenger service.
lClose inactive instances after: If you want the PlanetPress Workflow Messenger
to close inactive instances of the Alambic after a given number of minutes, enter a
value in this box. Enter a value of ”0” if you do not want the Messenger to terminate
idle instances of the Alambic.
lLogging options group
lDelete log files after: Enter the number of days after which to delete the Messenger
service logs. Each log covers a 24-hour period and is kept in the Log folder, which
is located in the installation folder.
lVerbose log: Select this option if you want the log to contain a maximum amount of
information.
Page 752
HTTP Server Input 1 plugin preferences
HTTP server input 1 plugin preferences control the server protocol aspects of the PlanetPress
WorkflowHTTP Server Input tasks. This is where you enable and configure secure
communication for the HTTP Server.
Technical
By default, the request XMLalso contains a CDATAsection which contains the raw input
data, effectively doubling the size of the incoming file. Due to technical restrictions, the
incoming XMLfile cannot be more than 400MB, which because of CDATA is reduced to
around 200MB. To help in this situation, you may elect to omit CDATA from the
attachment in this dialog. Please note that this limitation also affects incoming binary files
(sent through file upload in a form), regardless of CDATA settings.
Preferences
lPort: Select the TCP port to use. The default port is 8080, the official HTTP alternate port,
so as not to interfere with the standard HTTP port (80). To block any regular HTTPtraffic
(for example if only using HTTPSconnections) the port can be set to 0.
lTime out: Set the timeout period in seconds. The default value is 120 seconds.
lEnable server for SSLrequests:Check this option to enable secure data exchange
over the Web. This enables the boxes below and lets you specify your secure
communication settings.
lRoot certificate: Enter the absolute path to the Root Certificate. The file generally
ends with a .crt extension and is obtained from a Certificate Provider such as
Thawte or Verisign. If the Root Certificate and Certificate file are identical, this is
considered a self-signed certificate, which is considered unsecured by most
browsers.
lCertificate: Enter the absolute path to the site Certificate. The file generally ends
with a .crt extension and is provided by a certificate provider, or through the use of
certificate generators such as openssl or makecert.com.
lKey: Enter the absolute path to the Private Key File. This file generally ends with a
.key extension.
Page 753
lPassword: Enter the password (or passkey) for the Private Key File. Please note
that this password is encrypted within PlanetPress Workflow server and is not
saved in plain text.
lEncryption protocol: Choose your cryptographic protocol (SSLor TSL). This is
determined by the software that generated the keys.
Note
When SSL is enabled and a user sends a query prefixed with https://, then this
specific communication will be sent through port 443, which cannot be changed in
Workflow. However, http:// requests will still be received on the port specified in
http server preferences.
Note
SSL is used to accept secured, encrypted requests from web clients and requires a
certificate delivered by an approved authority. SSLcan also be called HTTPS,
though that is a misnomer. For more information on SSLand how to purchase a
certificate, please see Q10694 on SSL.com.
lDisable SOAPServer:Check to disable all SOAPServer functionality.
lVerbose log: Select to enable to keep a verbose log. Note that a communication log is
generated whether or not this option is selected. If you use a secure connection, the log
will contain extra information.
lUse PHPArrays:Select to process incoming POSTrequest with input arrays correctly. In
the source HTML, input elements with names such as name="chat[input][name]" or
name="items[][partnum]" will be correctly split as a single XMLnode along with each part
of the array as children.
lOmit attachments as CDATAnode in the XMLenvelope:Select to remove any
attachments from the actual XMLdata file. Generally the attachments are both saved on
disk and included within the XMLenvelope. This option removes them from the envelope,
but they remain accessible through their direct path. This option has no incidence on any
other option of this task.
Page 754
Technical
PHPArrays
This is an example of the new "Use PHPArrays"option introduced in Workflow 8.5.
HTMLExample:
<input type="hidden" name="user_account"
value="email@example.com">
<input type="text" name="name" value="Peter Parker">
<input type="text" name="company" value="Objectif Lune">
<input type="text" name="pinElm1[pin_0][left]" value="122">
<input type="text" name="pinElm1[pin_0][top]" value="253">
<input type="text" name="pinElm1[pin_0][type]" value="dent">
<input type="text" name="pinElm1[pin_1][left]" value="361">
<input type="text" name="pinElm1[pin_1][top]" value="341">
<input type="text" name="pinElm1[pin_1][type]" value="dent">
Resulting XMLStructure in HTTPRequest Envelope
<values count="4">
<user_account>email@example.com</user_account>
<name>Peter Parker</name>
<company>Objectif Lune</company>
<pinElm1>
<pin_0>
<left>122</left>
<top>253</top>
<type>dent</type>
</pin_0>
<pin_1>
<left>361</left>
<top>341</top>
<type>dent</type>
</pin_1>
</pinElm1>
</values>
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HTTPServer Input 2 plugin preferences
The HTTPServer Input 2 plugin preferences are used to enable serving static
HTTPresources, as part of an HTTPServer workflow. These resources are referred to within
the HTMLresponse file and do not pass through a process to get served so the process is very
quick. Static resources are especially useful for additional formatting of HTMLfiles such as JS
(JavaScript) scripts, CSSfiles and images, since they are not dynamic and generally shared
between multiple dynamic files.
The available HTTP Server Input 2 preferences are as follows:
lServe HTTPresource:Check to activate static resource serving.
lResource action name: Enter a name that will be simulated as a folder in your
HTTPstructure. For example, if you enter images in this box, you would refer to any
files in this folder as href="images/file.ext" .
lResource folder:Type the path of the folder where your resources are located, or
click the Browse button and choose the folder in the browse dialog.
Note
Subfolders are accepted in the structure, so if your resource folder contains a folder
called faces, you could refer to a file in this folder as
href="images/faces/johnsmith.jpg".
lCapture OnTheGo group
lAuthentication Key:Enter the authentication key for the COTGrepository. This key
can be found in the Settingssection of the COTGWeb Administration Panel.
lCross-Origin Resource Sharing (CORS)
lAllowed Origins:Enter an origin (everything in a URL before the path, e.g.
http://www.example.com). The Workflow server will add this value to the Access-
Control-Allow-Origin header, which signals to the browser that it is allowed
to make the request. This enables cross-origin resource requests, such as AJAX
requests.
The default setting "*" is a wildcard that allows all cross-origin resource requests.
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LPD Input plugin preferences
LPD input plugin preferences control certain functions of the PlanetPress Workflow LPD Server
service, which in turn has an impact on LDP input tasks performed by PlanetPress Workflow
on a given computer. The LPD Server service receives jobs using TCP/IP from LPD servers.
For information on the preferences set in individual LDP input tasks, refer to LPD Input Task
Properties.
Preferences
lProtocol options group
lLog all Winsock and network messages: Select to have PlanetPress Workflow
keep a log of all Winsock and other network messages that occur through the LPD
service. These are messages related to jobs being sent from other systems through
LPR, and being received by PlanetPress Workflow via LPD. Since these messages
can accumulate, you have the option of not logging them. Log files are kept in the
Log folder, which is located in the PlanetPress Workflow installation folder. They
are named lpddate.log, where date is the current date in the yyyymmdd numerical
format. Note that changing this option also affects the log displayed in the
PlanetPress Workflow Service Console.
lNo source port range restriction: Select to remove any restrictions on the port of
the LPR client computer that PlanetPress Workflow accepts data files from. Clear to
have PlanetPress Workflow only accept data files sent from ports ranging between
721 and 731 on the LPR client computer.
lStrict RFC 1179 control file: Select to disable control file extensions the LPD
service implements for some flavors of UNIX and LPR. This enforces the basic Line
Printer Daemon protocol.
lEnable BSD compatibility mode: Select to have the LPD service emulate a BSD
UNIX server. Although RFC 1179 is supposed to describe the BSD LPD/LPR
protocol, and the LPD input in PlanetPress Workflow is RFC1179-compliant, there
are some incompatibilities between the RFC and the BSD implementation. This
option compensates for some of these incompatibilities. If you are not sure about the
source of your output, clear this option.
lLDP settings group
lTime-out (sec): Set the time in seconds the process waits for the transfer of bytes in
the data file before ending the transfer of this file. The default value for the Time-out
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property is 7200 seconds (2 hours). On a time-out, partially received data files are
not passed to the rest of the process; the LPD input resets and is ready to receive
further data files. Log messages include the time-out duration.
Serial Input plugin preferences
Serial input plugin preferences control certain functions of the PlanetPress Serial Capture
service, which in turn has a direct impact on all Serial input tasks performed by PlanetPress
Workflow on a given computer.
Preferences
lSerial settings group
lSerial port: Select the port of the computer where the Serial input is connected to
(COM1 through COM8).
lBaud rate: Select the baud rate of the Serial input. The baud rate is the number of
bits transferred per second. The transferred bits include the start bit, the data bits,
the parity bit (if defined), and the stop bits.
lData bits: Select the number of data bits defining the incoming data file on this
serial port. The data bits transferred through a serial port represent the data content.
This excludes the start, parity, and stop bits: these are bits defining the beginning
and end of each unit of transferred data, as well as error detection provided by the
parity bit. The majority of serial ports use between five and eight data bits. Binary
data is typically transmitted as eight bits. Text-based data is transmitted as seven
bits or eight bits. If the data is based on the ASCII character set, a minimum of seven
bits is required. If an eighth bit is used, it must have a value of 0. If the data is based
on the extended ASCII character set, eight bits must be used.
lParity: Select the type of parity used for error detection. The parity transfers through
the serial connection as a single bit. It is used to verify that each set of data bits
transfers correctly. It is then stripped away before the data file passes through the
rest of the PlanetPress Workflow process. Select None to ignore all parity bits; no
error detection occurs.
lStop bits: Since most serial ports operate asynchronously, the transmitted byte
must be identified by start and stop bits. The start bit indicates when the data byte is
about to begin and the stop bit(s) indicates when the data byte was transferred. The
start bit is always 0 to mark the beginning of the byte, but the stop bit can be a single
1, or two bits each with a value of 1.
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lTime-out: Set the time in seconds the PlanetPress Workflow process waits for the
transfer of bytes in the data file before ending the transfer of this file. On a time-out,
partially received data files are not passed to the rest of the process; the Serial input
resets, ready to receive further data files.
lJob delimiters: Enter the strings that tell PlanetPress Workflow the data file being
retrieved through the Serial input is complete. Each line in the Job delimiters text box is a
different delimiter. You can enter as many delimiters as you want, one per line. The three
default delimiters that appear are three of the most commonly recognized end of a file
delimiters.
lLog (verbose): Select to keep a log of errors and other information related to the Serial
input. Since these messages can accumulate, you have the option of not logging them.
Telnet Input plugin preferences
The Telnet input plugin preferences control the log of the PlanetPress Workflow Telnet Capture
service. Since PlanetPress Workflow lets you monitor multiple Telnet inputs simultaneously,
the port setting for all Telnet input tasks cannot be set in the Preferences.
Preferences
lLog all Winsock and network messages (very verbose): Select to have PlanetPress
Workflow keep a log of all Winsock and other network messages that occur from the
Telnet input. These messages are related to files sent from other systems using a telnet
connection. Since these messages can accumulate, you have the option of not logging
them.
lUse Job Delimiters:Check this option if your Telnet input is a single stream that can
contain multiple jobs. The box lets you enter one or more possible delimiters (separated
by a line return), either a direct string(such as %%EOJOB)or an ASCII character (\001).
For a list of ASCII characters, see http://www.asciitable.com/.
PlanetPress Fax plugin preferences
PlanetPress Workflow Fax plugin preferences control certain functions of the PlanetPress Fax
service, which in turn has a direct impact on all PlanetPress Workflow Fax output tasks
performed on a given computer. Bear in mind that PlanetPress Workflow Fax output tasks
included in a given PlanetPress Workflow configuration can be performed by a PlanetPress
Fax installation running on a different computer, typically one that runs only PlanetPress Fax
and the faxing application that actually sends the fax. When you change the user options on a
Page 759
given computer, only that computer is affected. So you should consider changing the
PlanetPress Fax user options on the computer that actually performs the PlanetPress
Workflow Fax output tasks.
The changes you make to the PlanetPress Workflow Fax plugin preferences are stored in the
PlanetPress Fax configuration file. They will be applied when PlanetPress Fax is started.
Preferences
lDelete log after: Enter the number of days after which to delete the PlanetPress Fax
service log. Each log covers a 24-hour period and is kept in the Log folder, which is
located in the PlanetPress Workflow installation folder (on the computer that actually
performs the PlanetPress Fax output tasks).
lFax service: Select the faxing program to which PlanetPress Fax sends its documents for
faxing. Each faxing program has its own options and changing this option also changes
the options below to reflect the following:
lWinFax Pro
ll Dialing format: Select how you want PlanetPress Fax to read the fax number
in the data selection and send it to WinFax PRO. The dialing format you select
here must be identical to the one you set in WinFax PRO; a discrepancy
between the two may result in WinFax PRO dialing incorrect fax numbers.
Select Default to have PlanetPress Fax set the dial prefix, long distance prefix,
area code, and fax number according to the content of the data selection, and
send the result to WinFax PRO. WinFax PRO sets the dial prefix, long
distance, prefix, and area code, and fax number to the ones it receives from
PlanetPress Fax. If any of the values it receives from PlanetPress Fax are
empty, it uses its own default values. For example, if the data selection did not
contain a dialing prefix, WinFax PRO uses its default dialing prefix. Select
Dial as entered to limit PlanetPress Fax to removing any spaces or
parentheses that appear in the data selection, and sending the result to
WinFax PRO. WinFax PRO dials the result exactly as it receives it from
PlanetPress Fax.
Note
WinFax Pro scales fax pages with the following minimum settings:
- Raster width: 1728 dpi
- Raster height: 2158 dpi
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- Raster resolution: 196 dpi
lWindows Fax Service
lReport Failures: Select to have PlanetPress Fax generate a report whenever
the maximum number of retries for a single fax is exceeded. The error
generated by the Windows Fax Service is also logged in the report. Note that
when PlanetPress Fax is unable to send a fax because an empty fax number
is used as the only recipient for a document, a failure will not be reported but
an error will be logged.
lReport Successes: Select to have PlanetPress Fax generate a report
whenever one of the faxes in the PlanetPress Fax Job reaches its destination
successfully or at least as far as the Windows Fax service is concerned.
lFolder: Enter or select the location of the report file. PlanetPress Fax
generates report file names automatically with the file name extension PFX.
The report file is copied to the specified Report folder only after all fax
transmissions in a PlanetPress Fax job are completed or have exceeded the
maximum number of retries. This folder can then be used as an input for a
PlanetPress Workflow process for monitoring the status of PlanetPress Fax
jobs. The postscript (PS) file for the job is also copied with the report file and
can be printed, sent by e-mail, or archived as specified by the PlanetPress
Workflow process.
lExpand folder paths in UNC (Universal Naming Conventions) format:
Select to have PlanetPress Fax use complete network server path names
(\\servername\sharename\path\filename). This naming convention works well
with Windows operating systems, Novell NetWare, and other operating
systems when using a local naming system (such as the DOS naming system
in Windows) would result in “File not found” error messages.
lDialing options button: Click to set the appropriate options as required. Since
these options are specific to the faxing program, refer to the faxing program’s
documentation for more information.
lCaptaris RightFax
lReport Failures: Select to have PlanetPress Fax generate a report whenever
the maximum number of retries for a single fax is exceeded. The error
generated by the Windows Fax Service is also logged in the report. Note that
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when PlanetPress Fax is unable to send a fax because an empty fax number
is used as the only recipient for a document, a failure will not be reported but
an error will be logged.
lReport Successes: Select to have PlanetPress Fax generate a report
whenever one of the faxes in the PlanetPress Fax Job reaches its destination
successfully or at least as far as the Windows Fax service is concerned.
lFolder: Enter or select the location of the report file. PlanetPress Fax
generates report file names automatically with the file name extension PFX.
The report file is copied to the specified Report folder only after all fax
transmissions in a PlanetPress Fax job are completed or have exceeded the
maximum number of retries. This folder can then be used as an input for a
PlanetPress Workflow process for monitoring the status of PlanetPress Fax
jobs. The postscript (PS) file for the job is also copied with the report file and
can be printed, sent by e-mail, or archived as specified by the PlanetPress
Workflow process.
lExpand folder paths in UNC (Universal Naming Conventions) format:
Select to have PlanetPress Fax use complete network server path names
(\\servername\sharename\path\filename). This naming convention works well
with Windows operating systems, Novell NetWare, and other operating
systems when using a local naming system (such as the DOS naming system
in Windows) would result in “File not found” error messages.
lDialing options button: Click to set the appropriate options as required. Since
these options are specific to the faxing program, refer to the faxing program’s
documentation for more information.
Captaris RightFax options
lRightFax Printer: Select a RightFax printer. A RightFax printer is a fax driver that makes
it possible to send faxes automatically. This printer will output faxes without prompting the
user for fax addressing information. For more information, refer to Captaris RightFax
documentation.
lActivation: Click to enter activation codes for the PlanetPress Image service installed on
the same computer as PlanetPress Workflow. If you have already activated the
PlanetPress Image service from its Control Panel applet, this is reflected when you open
the Activation dialog box by clicking this button.
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lCheck for updates: Click to access the Objectif Lune website to search for updates to
PlanetPress Image. You are guided through the updating process with the PlanetPress
Workflow Update Service wizard.
lAbout: Click to display an About dialog box for PlanetPress Fax. This dialog box
contains information such as the version number, whether the software is activated or the
number of days remaining in the trial.
lSelect Language: Click to select a different interface language for the PlanetPress Fax
Configuration applet. Note that this button is not displayed if you edit the PlanetPress Fax
options directly (not via PlanetPress Workflow Configuration program).
FTP Output Service preferences
FTP output user options control certain functions of the FTP Client service, which in turn has a
direct impact on all FTP output tasks performed by PlanetPress Workflow on a given computer.
Options
lProtocol Options Group
lLog all Winsock and network messages: Select to have PlanetPress Workflow
keep a log of all Winsock and other network messages that occur through the FTP
output. These messages are related to jobs sent from PlanetPress Workflow to a
server via an FTP output, which in turn uses the FTP output service. Log files are
kept in the Log folder, which is located in the PlanetPress Workflow installation
folder. They are named ftpdate.log, where date is the current date in yyyymmdd
numerical format. Note that changing this option also affects the log displayed in the
PlanetPress Workflow Service Console.
lInterval: Select the interval (in seconds) at which the FTP service is to dispatch jobs
from the ftpPut folder to the FTP sites.
lBack up job on error: Select to move the job file to a local folder ftpPut\error if an
error occurs while sending a job via the FTP output. This folder is relative to your
install folder.
lFTP Port: Select the port number that you want PlanetPress Workflow to use for all
FTP output tasks. The recommended port is 21 (the default setting).
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PlanetPress Image preferences
PlanetPress Image user options control certain functions of the PlanetPress Image service,
which in turn has a direct impact on all PlanetPress Image output tasks performed on a given
computer. These include error and logging options, PlanetPress Search database options, as
well as networking and email options.
Bear in mind that PlanetPress Image output tasks included in a given PlanetPress Workflow
configuration can be performed by a PlanetPress Image installation running on a different
computer, typically one that runs only PlanetPress Image. When you change the user options
on a given computer, only that computer is affected. So you should consider changing the
PlanetPress Image user options on the computer that actually performs the PlanetPress
Image output tasks.
The changes you make to the PlanetPress Image user options are stored in the PlanetPress
Image configuration file (ppimage.cfg). They will be applied when PlanetPress Image is
started.
The available PlanetPress Image user options are separated in four different sections:
PlanetPress Image 1 or logging tab
lAdministrator’s address(es): Enter one or more system administrator email addresses
to which error and other messages related to the creation of PDFs/images by
PlanetPress Image are sent. Separate multiple email addresses with semi-colons (;).
lSend to the administrator group
lDaily log: Select to send an email to the administrator every day at midnight
(according to the local system clock) reporting the daily activity of PlanetPress
Image. The log is sent to all addresses you enter in the Administrator’s address(es)
text box.
lError Log: Select to send an email that includes the current error log to the
administrator when an error occurs. The error log is sent to all addresses you enter
in the Administrator’s address(es) text box.
lError file: When enabled, sends an e-mail with an attachment of the offending file
when an error occurs in the PlanetPress Image output task. Additionally, a backup
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of the job is created in the Error folder, which is located in the PlanetPress Workflow
installation folder.
lName or address not resolved: Select to send an email to the administrator when a
name or address in the document selected to be used in PlanetPress Image cannot be
resolved.
lDelete log after: Enter the number of days to wait before deleting the log of the generated
PlanetPress Image output. Each log file covers a single 24-hour period and is kept in the
Log folder, which is located in the PlanetPress Workflow installation folder. This log may
be on the local computer running PlanetPress Workflow or on another computer on your
network.
lActivation: Click to enter activation codes for the PlanetPress Image service installed on
the same computer as PlanetPress Workflow. If you have already activated the
PlanetPress Image service from its Control Panel applet, this is reflected when you open
the Activation dialog box by clicking this button.
lCheck for updates: Click to access the Objectif Lune website to search for updates to
PlanetPress Image. You are guided through the updating process with the PlanetPress
Workflow Update Service wizard.
lAbout: Click to display an About dialog box for PlanetPress Image. This dialog box
contains information such as the version number, whether the software is activated or the
number of days remaining in the trial.
lSelect Language: Click to select a different interface language for the PlanetPress
Image Configuration applet. Note that this button is not displayed if you edit the
PlanetPress Image options directly (not via PlanetPress Workflow Configuration
program).
PlanetPress Image 2 or database tab
Add PDF to PlanetPress Search database group:Select to populate a PlanetPress Search
database using the documents created by PlanetPress Image and to activate the related
options. Refer to the PlanetPress Search User Guide for more information on this PlanetPress
Workflow software.
lDatabase type: Select the type of the database in which you want to create a table
(Access, or SQL Server).
lConnection time-out: Enter the time, in seconds, that the connection to the database is
maintained while no action is taking place before the connection is severed.
Page 765
lDatabase directory: Enter the path of the directory in which the Access database is
located, or use the Browse button to navigate to, and select, the directory. This option is
available only when you select Access database in the Database type box.
lData source name: Enter the name of the computer on which the database runs. This
option is available only when you select SQL Server database or Oracle database in the
Database type box.
lUse default database: Select to use the default database associated with your user
profile on that SQL Server or Oracle database. Clear to enter the name of the database in
the box that appears.
lUse Windows NT Integrated security: Select to use your Windows user name and
password to log onto the SQL database.
lUser ID: Enter the user id required to access the database to which you are adding new
PDI files from the generated PDF files. If you are using an SQL database, enter the login
name you chose when you configured the SQL database (refer to the “Using
PlanetPressSearch with an SQL Server Database” section of the PlanetPress Search
User Guide).
lPassword: Enter the password required to access the database.
lTest Connection: Click to verify that PlanetPressImage can connect to the specified
database.
lEnforce global table creation: Select this option, as it ensures that all database users
are granted access to the database. This option is available only when you select SQL
database in the Database type box.
PlanetPress Image 3 or network tab
The options in this section are identical to the ones in the Network User Options section.
However, they determine how PlanetPress Image will interact with your Novell NetWare
system, not PlanetPress Workflow Service.
PlanetPress Image 4 or login tab
lUse Microsoft Outlook: Select to use Microsoft Outlook on the host computer running
PlanetPress Image to send the error messages to the administrators. The host computer
must be running Outlook, and PlanetPress Workflow must have access to Outlook.
Outgoing emails appear in the outbox of Outlook, and is sent whenever Outlook is set to
send email.
Page 766
lUse SMTP mail group:Check to activate this group’s options and to use Simple Mail
Transfer Protocol (SMTP) to send the error messages to the administrators. Note that if
you select this option, you will be required to enter information in the Name, Email
address and Outgoing mail (SMTP) boxes.
lName: Enter the name of the user sending the error messages to the administrators.
lOrganization: Enter the name of the organization of the user sending the error
messages to the administrators.
lEmail address: Enter the email address of the user sending the error messages to
the administrators.
lReply address: Enter the reply address that recipients use to reply to the error
messages.
lOutgoing mail (SMTP): Enter the IP address of the server that PlanetPress
Workflow uses to send the emails via SMTP.
lServer requires authentication: Select if the outgoing server used to send the
emails via SMTP requires authentication. Note that if you select this option, you will
be required to enter information in the Account name and Password boxes below.
lAccount name: Enter the account name of the user on the server to be able to
send emails via SMTP. You must select Server requires authentication to
enable this field.
lPassword: Enter the password corresponding to the Account name of the
user on the server to be able to send email via SMTP. You must select Server
requires authentication to enable this field.
LPR Output preferences
LPR output user options control certain functions of the LPR Client service, which in turn has a
direct impact on all LPR output tasks performed by PlanetPress Workflow on a given
computer.
Options
lProtocol options group
lLog all Winsock and network messages: Select to have PlanetPress Workflow
keep a log of all Winsock and other network messages that occur through the LPR
output. These messages are related to jobs being sent from PlanetPress Workflow
to an LPD or LPD-compatible printer. Logs are kept in a Log folder relative to your
install folder. They are named lprdate.log, where date is the current date in
Page 767
yyyymmdd numerical format. Note that changing this option also affects the log
displayed in the PlanetPress Workflow Service Console.
lPrint banner pages between jobs: Select to print banner pages between each job
processed and output from the LPR output. The banner page includes details of the
job being printed, including the job file name and the user name on the host
computer running the LPR output client.
lNo source port range restriction: Select to remove any restrictions on the port
PlanetPress Workflow uses to send the job file via the LPR/LPD protocol. Clear to
restrict the port used to send the job to one in the range between 721 and 731.
lPrint up to: Select the maximum number of files that can be simultaneously sent to
print by the LPR output service.
lError handling group
lMax. retry period: Select the maximum time period, in hours, within which
PlanetPress Workflow attempts to dispatch the job using the LPR output before
giving up. Note that entering a maximum retry period of 0 hours disables retries
altogether.
lRetry interval: Select the interval, in seconds, at which time PlanetPress Workflow
attempts to dispatch the job using the LPR output. This takes place only within the
Max. retry period, after which the attempt ends.
lKeep a backup when error occurs: Select to move the job file to a local folder
relative to your install folder called pplpr\error in the case of an error.
lLPR settings group
lTime-out: Set the time in seconds the PlanetPress Workflow process waits when it
sends jobs using the LPR protocol. The default value for the Time-out property is
7200 seconds (2 hours). On a time-out, partially sent data files are not passed to the
rest of the process; the LPR output resets and is ready to send further data files. Log
messages include the time-out duration.
lPolling interval (seconds): Select the period of time—the default is 4 seconds—for
which PlanetPress Workflow is to wait when it finishes dispatching jobs to the LPR
printer queues before polling the LPR output folder again.
PrintShop Web Connect Service preferences
PrintShop Web Connect service preferences control the credentials to log into the PrintShop
Web server.
Page 768
The available preferences are as follows:
lUser name: Enter the user name of a valid PrintShop Web user, mostly operators.
lPassword: Enter the password associated with the user name on the PrintShop Web
server.
Note
It is also mandatory to send your configuration to your PlanetPress Workflow service
since the PrintShop Web credentials are included in the *.cfg file (See "Send your
Configuration" on page17), which is updated every time the configuration is sent to the
service via the Send Configuration button.
Editor Options
The Script Editor is used to edit scripts used in Run Script and the XSLT Editor is used to edit
scripts used in Open XSLT action tasks. Most of the options listed below are valid for both
editors. Those options which are only valid for a specific editor are identified as such.
The available Script Editor and XSLT Editor options are as follows:
lEditor
lAuto indent mode: Select to automatically position the insertion pointer under the
first non-blank character of the preceding line when you press ENTER.
lInsert mode: Select to use Insert mode and clear to use Overwrite mode. In Insert
mode, when you enter text, existing text shifts to accommodate it. In Overwrite
mode, text you enter overwrites existing text. You can also press INSERT to toggle
between the two modes.
lUse tab character: Select to use the tab character instead of spaces to represent
tabs in the program file. Clear to use spaces to represent tabs. You must clear the
Smart tab option to use this option.
lSmart tab: Select to use smart tabs. A smart tab advances with reference to the
preceding line. It advances to align with the first non-blank character it encounters
on the preceding line, from its current position forward. You must clear the Use tab
character option to use Smart tabs.
Page 769
lOptimal fill: Select to optimize the indent of every auto-indented line by minimizing
the number of space and/or tab characters it uses. You must select both Auto indent
mode and use tab character to use this option.
lBackspace unindents: Select to move the insertion pointer to the previous
indentation level when you press BACKSPACE. This is useful when you enter a
block of code such as a for loop; you enter the for statement, advance one
indentation level to enter the body of the for loop, then press BACKSPACE to enter
the end for statement. You must select Auto indent mode to use this option.
lCursor through tabs: Select to move one by one through the spaces of tabs using
the left or right arrow keys. Clear to have the arrow keys treat the tab as a single
character. You must select Use tab character to use this option.
lGroup undo: Select to set the undo feature of the Editor to undo the last group of
editing commands entered. An editing command is defined as a mouse click, a
press on ENTER, or a press on any other key. A group of editing commands is a
sequence of a single type of editing command. Clear to set the undo feature to undo
only the last command entered.
lCursor beyond EOF: Select to make it possible to position the pointer beyond the
end of the program file. Clear to prevent this. If you clear Insert mode and select
Cursor beyond EOF, you can only overwrite the existing lines of the program; you
cannot add lines to it.
lCursor beyond EOL: Select to make it possible to position the pointer beyond the
end of the line. Clear to prevent this.
lKeep trailing blanks: Select to preserve any blank spaces occurring at the end of a
line. Clear to remove those blank spaces.
lPersistent blocks: Select to have any text you enter immediately after selecting a
block of code appended to that block of code as part of the selection. When you
select this option, you can also use the arrow keys to move within the code without
affecting the selected code. You must select the Enable selection option to use the
Persistent blocks option.
lOverwrite blocks: Select to have any text you enter immediately after selecting a
block of code replace that block of code. You must clear Persistent blocks and
select Enable selection for this option to have an effect.
lEnable selection: Select to permit the creation of selections in the Code area. If
selected, you can create a selection by clicking and dragging the pointer over a
Page 770
portion of code, or by double-clicking to highlight the word or line under the pointer
(the Double click line option determines whether a word or line highlights). You can
cut, copy, paste, and print selections. If you also select Enable dragging, you can
drag selections to reposition them in the code.
lEnable dragging: Select to permit dragging and dropping a selection to reposition
it in the program. This option works only if you also select Enable selection.
lEnable search highlight: Select to highlight the search term match found in the
code when you perform a search. Clear to prevent the highlighting. In both cases,
the pointer appears after the last character of the search term match.
lDouble click line: Select to highlight the complete line of code when you double-
click that line. Clear to highlight only the word under the pointer.
lFind text at cursor: Use to set the behavior of the Find dialog box. Select to
automatically copy the word under the pointer into the Text to find box when you
open the Find dialog box. Clear to prevent the copy. If no previous search terms
appear in the Text to find drop-down list, the Editor performs the copy regardless of
whether this option is selected or cleared.
lBlock indent: Enter the number of spaces to jump for each block indent. The
default is 2 and the maximum is 16. The Block indent typically should agree with the
tab stops in the Tab stops option. Perform a block indent by selecting a region of
code and pressing CTRL+SHIFT+I (to indent the code to the right) or
CTRL+SHIFT+U (to move the code to the left).
lTab stops: Use to set the number of spaces to advance when you enter a tab
character or to set a series of tab stops. Enter a single integer to set the number of
spaces to advance with each tab. Enter a sequence of two or more integers, each
separated by a space, to specify tab stops. The sequence must be in ascending
order. Tab stops are measured in number of space characters. For example, a value
of 20 places the tab stop at the 20th space character. You can also use the drop-
down list to select a previously entered value.
lDisplay
lDisplay Options Group
lEditor font: Use to select the font the Editor uses to display the program code.
Select the Use monospace fonts only option to restrict the fonts available to
fixed width fonts. A preview of the selected font, at the selected Size, appears
in the Sample box.
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lSize: Use to select the font size the Editor uses to display the program code. A
preview of the selected font, at the selected size, appears in the Sample box.
lUse monospace fonts only: Select to display only fixed width fonts in the
Editor font drop-down list. Every character in a fixed width font occupies the
same amount of space.
lSample: Displays a preview of the font selected in the Editor font option, at the
size selected in the Size option.
lMargin and Gutter Group
lRight margin: Select to display a vertical gray bar as a right margin indicator.
Use the Right margin position drop-down list to set the position of this
indicator. This indicator is an on-screen visual reference only. It does not print,
and does not enforce word wrap on lines that exceed the number of characters
set for it. It can be useful to indicate the right margin of the printed page,
making it easy to determine whether a line of code extends beyond the
printable area of the page.
lRight margin position: Enter the position of the right margin indicator, in
number of characters, relative to the left margin. For example, if you enter 80,
the distance from the left margin to the right margin indicator is 80 characters.
Use the drop-down list to select a previously-entered margin position.
lGutter: Select to have the Editor display a gutter between the Commands and
Code areas. Use the Gutter width option to set the width of the gutter. Select
the Line numbers on gutter option to display line numbers in this area.
lGutter width: Enter the width, in pixels, of the gutter. Use the drop-down list to
select a previously-entered gutter width.
lLine numbers on page: Select to display code line numbers at the left edge
of the Code area. If you clear both this and the Line numbers on gutter option,
no line numbers appear alongside the lines of code.
lLine numbers on gutter: Select to display code line numbers in the gutter
between the Commands and Code areas. Selecting this option has effect only
if you selected the Gutter option. If you clear both this and the Line numbers on
gutter option, no line numbers appear alongside the lines of code.
lColor
lMapping: Select a mapping for the content of the script in the script editor—the
mapping is used as well when the script appears in the text box of the Run Script
Actions Properties dialog. Each mapping (Default, Classic, Ocean, Twilight)
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includes pre-set color values and attributes for each script element as listed in the
Elements list box. After selecting a mapping, you can edit individual elements to
change their pre-sets by selecting them in the Element list box and editing their
values.
lElement list box: Select a script element in the Element list box, then edit the
background and foreground color with which it is displayed, and/or its formatting
attributes. Each element recognized for each scripting language, for example, a
URL in a JavaScript script, is displayed with the properties you set.
lForeground: Select the color that the element highlighted in the Element list box is
displayed with in the Script Editor.
lBackground: Select the background color that the element highlighted in the
Element list box is displayed with in the Script Editor. The color is used to highlight
the element as if it was selected with the cursor.
lAttributes Group
lBold: Select to bold the element highlighted in the Element list box when it is
displayed in the Script Editor.
lItalic: Select to italicize the element highlighted in the Element list box when it
is displayed in the Script Editor.
lUnderline: Select to underline the element highlighted in the Element list box
when it is displayed in the Script Editor.
The Process Area
The Process area, which is always available and visible, holds all the tasks, branches,
conditions and comments that make up the selected process. The Process area is built like an
invisible grid divided by rows (horizontal)and columns (vertical). When adding a new Action
task, a new row is added. When adding a Branch or Condition, a new column appears (unless
there is already a column at that level).
The first task of any process, also called the initial input task, always appears in the first box in
the upper left corner. When you create a new process, this first task is always followed by the
default output task in the following box. You will find below the list of operations you can
perform in the Process Area:
l" Zoom In or Out within Process Area" on the next page
l" Adding Tasks" on the next page
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l" Adding Branches" on the facing page
l" Edit a Task" on the facing page
l" Replacing Tasks, Conditions or Branches" on page776
l" Remove Tasks or Branches" on page776
l" Task Properties Dialog" on page777
l" Cutting, Copying and Pasting Tasks and Branches" on page778
l" Moving a Task or Branch Using Drag-and-Drop" on page781
l" Ignoring Tasks and Branches" on page782
l" Resize Rows and Columns of the Process Area" on page782
l" Selecting Documents in Tasks Links" on page783
l" Highlight a Task or Branch" on page784
l" Undo a Command" on page784
l" Redo a Command" on page784
Zoom In or Out within Process Area
You can do a zoom out in the PlanetPress Workflow Process area to see more tasks at the
same time. In zoom out mode, you can perform the exact same functions as in normal view
mode.
To zoom in or out on the PlanetPress Workflow Process Area:
1. Click on the View tab of the Ribbon.
2. Click on Zoom Out in the Navigate group to zoom out, and Zoom In to zoom in.
Adding Tasks
You can add as many tasks as you want to your process by using the Plug-in Bar in
PlanetPress Workflow program.
To insert a task:
1. Open the Plug-in Bar by clicking on its tab. If you can't see the Plug-in Bar tab, click on
the View tab in the Ribbon and make sure the Plug-in Bar is highlighted in the
Show/Hide section.
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2. Locate the task you want to add to your process. You can navigate between the different
task categories by clicking the icons at the bottom of the Plug-in Bar.
3. Using your mouse, click and drag the task in your process at the place you want to insert
it.
4. Depending on where you place your mouse, you may see that you can replace or insert
existing tasks, or not place it at that location at all.
5. When you drop the task in the desired location, a dialog box containing the available task
properties is displayed.
6. Set the task properties as required and click OK to close the dialog box.
There are a few things to keep in mind when dropping tasks:
lYou can insert input tasks anywhere in the process except in output task locations.
lWhen you add an output task, a new branch leading to that new task is added above the
selected task or branch, except when replacing an existing output task.
lDropping a task on top of another one replaces it.
lDropping a task between two tasks will insert it at that location.
lYou cannot add a task above the initial input task of a process, since new tasks are
always added above a selected task or branch.
Adding Branches
The PlanetPress Workflow Configuration program offers two different commands when it
comes to adding new branches to a process:
You can add a new branch, by dragging and dropping a branch, from the Process Logic
category of the Plug-in Bar, into your process. Branches can be added using the Adding Tasks
method.
You can add a new branch that contains all of the tasks below the point where you insert the
branch. To do this, right-click on the first task that you want to include in the branch, and select
Branch From Here.... An unknown task will be created as an output below the branch.
Edit a Task
To edit a task, you simply need to access and change its properties. You may even do it while
your process is in Debug mode (See About the Debug Mode).
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To edit a task:
1. In the PlanetPress Workflow Process area, double-click the Task icon. A dialog box
containing the available task properties is displayed.
2. Edit the task properties as required. Click specific tabs to see all the properties associated
with the task.
3. Click OK to close the dialog box and save the new properties.
Replacing Tasks, Conditions or Branches
You can replace existing tasks either by dropping a new task on it, or by pasting another task
over it.
To replace an existing task with a new task, see Adding Tasks.
To replace an existing task with another existing task or its properties, see Cutting, Copying
and Pasting Tasks and Branches.
Note
You cannot replace a task by a branch or a condition. Trying to paste or drop a branch or
condition over a task will insert it before the task instead. The contrary is also true, you
cannot replace a branch or condition with a task.
Warning
When you replace a task, you lose all the properties you set in this task.
Remove Tasks or Branches
To remove any task or branch (except input and output tasks), use one of the following
methods:
lClick on the task or branch you want to delete, go to the Home tab of PlanetPress
Workflow Ribbon and click on the Delete button in the Clipboard group.
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lClick on the task or branch you want to delete, and press the Delete (or "Del")key on your
keyboard.
lRight-click on the task or branch you want to delete, and select Delete from the menu.
When you remove a branch, all the tasks located in that branch are also deleted. When you
delete a task, only that task is deleted.
Note
You cannot use the Delete option to remove an input or output task, but you can right-
click on them and click Cut instead. This replaces the task with an unknown task(see
Unknown Tasks)
To delete the path below a branch crossing (instead of the path to the right of the branch):
lPress Shift+CTRL+Delete.
lFrom the right-click menu, choose Edit | Delete| Delete Below the Branch.
Task Properties Dialog
Any task you add to your PlanetPress Workflow process must be configured using its
Properties dialog box. Each task's Properties Dialog will give you the options to configure that
specific, individual task. Properties of one task do not directly affect the properties of another
task, however there are some software preferences that may affect tasks in one way or another
(see "Preferences" on page730).
lEach task has its own set of tabs available, though some tabs are common to most tasks.
lMost tasks have the Generaltab which lets you configure the main task properties for that
specific task.
lAll tasks except for the InputErrorBin,Run Script,Open XLSTand Comment tasks
have an On Error tab that lets you manage errors generated by the task.
lAll initial Input tasks have the Othertab which lists job infos and lets you back up the job
file.
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The "On Error"tab that is common to almost all tasks contain the following options:
lSend to Process: Check this option to send the job file to an error management process.
lError Process drop-down:Enabled only when the Send to Process option is checked.
Lists any process of which the initial input task is the Input Error Bin task.
lAction Group:This group is disabled in the initial input tasks and defaults to Stop
Process. In all other tasks where the On Error tab is present, the following options are
available:
lIgnore:The task is ignored as if it did not exist, and the job file is passed on to the
next task in the process.
lStop Branch:If the task is in a branch of the process, the branch is stopped and the
job file is returned to the process after the branch. The branch will not produce any
output.
lStop Process:The process is stopped and no more processing is done. No further
output is produced.
lLog Message:Check this option to enable logging a custom error message in
PlanetPress Workflow' log file.
lMessage:Enabled only when the Log Message option is checked. Enter a message that
will be logged in the PlanetPress Workflow' log file. You can use any variables available
in PlanetPress Workflow to customize the message.
lID:Select the error IDyou want to attribute to the error log.
lReset to defaults:Resets all options in this tab to their default values.
The error management system(the On errortab and the Error Bin Inputtask), however, are
only triggered when there is an error within the task functionality - that is, a plugin error. These
kinds of errors are triggers if the plugin cannot communicate with a service, another task, if the
plugin crashes, etc.
Cutting, Copying and Pasting Tasks and Branches
Using cut and paste, and copy and paste, you can move as well as duplicate tasks and
branches within a given process as well as between different processes.
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To cut and paste tasks or branches:
1. In PlanetPress Workflow Process area, select the task or branch you want to cut and
paste.
2. From the Home tab in the Ribbon, choose Cut (or right-click and select Cut from the
drop-down menu).
3. To paste the task or branch to a different process, select that process.
4. Select the task or branch crossing above which you want the task or branch to be pasted.
5. From the Home tab in the Ribbon, choose Paste (or right-click and select Paste from the
drop-down menu).
To copy and paste tasks or branches:
1. In PlanetPress Workflow Process area, select the task or branch you want to copy and
paste.
2. From the Home tab in the Ribbon, choose Copy (or right-click and select Copy from the
drop-down menu).
3. To paste the task or branch to a different process, select that process.
4. Select the task or branch crossing above which you want the task or branch to be pasted.
5. From the Home tab in the Ribbon, choose Paste (or right-click and select Paste from the
drop-down menu).
There are a few things to keep in mind when pasting tasks:
lWhen you cut a task or branch, it disappears from the Process Area but is kept in your
clipboard until it is pasted somewhere else.
lYou can cut or copy a task or branch from one process and paste it in another process or
subprocess.
lWhen you cut an input or output task, it is replaced with an Unknown Task, that you will
need to replace with another task for the process to be functional.
lIf you cut one task or branch, then cut another one, the first one is lost and replaced by the
second. Remember however that you can always undo the command to retrieve it (see
Undo a Command).
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lTasks and branches will always appear on top (in other words, before)the task or branch
where you paste it. The only exceptions are input and output tasks which can only be
pasted on top of Unknown Task.
Note
Instead of pasting the actual task or branch, you can simply paste the properties of the task or
branch.
To copy and paste Properties of a task or branch:
1. Copy or Cut a task or branch of which you want to have the properties.
2. Select the task or branch where you want to paste the properties
3. From the Home tab in the Ribbon, choose Paste Properties (or right-click and select
Paste Properties from the drop-down menu).
Note
You can only paste the properties of an input task on the initial input task of your process.
Similarly you can only paste the properties of an output task on another output task.Also,
you cannot paste the properties of a task on a branch and vice-versa.
Note
You can paste only the properties of the On Errortab of any task or branch on another one.
To copy and paste the On Error properties of a task or branch:
1. Copy or cut a task or branch from which you want the On Error properties.
2. Select the task or branch where you want to paste the On Error properties.
3. From the Home tab in the Ribbon, choose Paste On Error (or right-click and select Paste
On Error from the drop-down menu).
Page 780
Moving a Task or Branch Using Drag-and-Drop
When you want to move a given task or branch, the simplest way is to use drag-and-drop.
Using the mouse, you can drag and drop tasks and branches only within a given process. To
move tasks and branches between different processes, see Cutting, Copying and Pasting
Tasks and Branches.
When you move a task or branch using drag and drop, it typically moves from its original
location to a position immediately preceding the target onto which you dropped it. But if you
drop an input task over an unknown input task, the moved task will replace the unknown task.
The same will happen if you drag an output task over an unknown output task. Note that it is
impossible to drag-and-drop any task over a configured initial input or output task.
To move a task or branch using drag and drop:
1. In PlanetPress Workflow Process area, click the icon of the task or branch you want to
move.
2. While holding down the mouse button, drag the icon task or branch over another task or
branch.
3. Release the mouse button to drop the dragged item. The dropped task or branch is
moved above the item over which it was dropped.
To duplicate a task or branch, the same method applies but with a slight difference:
1. In PlanetPress Workflow Process area, click the icon of the task or branch you want to
duplicate.
2. While holding down the mouse button, press and hold down the CTRLkey and drag the
icon task or branch over another task or branch.
3. Release the mouse button to drop the dragged item and release the CTRLkey. The
dropped task or branch is copied above the item over which it was dropped.
When you move a branch, all its tasks are also moved. When you move a conditional branch,
all the tasks appearing on the True side of the condition are also moved.
Note
You cannot drag a task or branch over an initial input task. Any input task that is dragged and
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dropped over an unknown initial input task will replace it. The same is true of an output task that is
dragged and dropped over an unknown output task.
Ignoring Tasks and Branches
PlanetPress Workflow lets you ignore individual tasks, branches or conditions.
lWhen a task is disabled, it is not executed when the process is run in debug mode (see
About the Debug Mode) or by PlanetPress Workflow Service.
lWhen a branch is disabled, the whole branch including the tasks inside that branch are
ignored and not executed. In the case of conditional branches, this means that the tasks
appearing on the True side are not executed.
A task, branch or condition that was previously disabled out can be re-enabled at any time.
To disable or enable a task or branch:
1. In the PlanetPress Workflow Process area, click the icon of a task or branch.
2. From the Debug tab in the Ribbon, click Ignore. If the task or branch was enabled, it is
now disabled, and vice versa.
Resize Rows and Columns of the Process Area
Resize the rows and columns of PlanetPress Workflow Process area in which tasks are located
to better visualize the organization of your process.
To resize rows and columns of the PlanetPress Workflow Tools Process area:
1. In the PlanetPress Workflow Tools Process area, place your cursor over the separator
line dividing each section of row or column rulers.
2. When the cursor changes appearance, click and drag up or down to resize rows, or left or
right to resize columns.
A dashed line appears as you drag indicating the new separation. The row or column, with all
its tasks, moves accordingly.
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Selecting Documents in Tasks Links
The Properties dialog box of some action and output tasks let you select documents.
Depending on where the document selection list appears you will have access to all the
documents or only the documents installed on a printer queue.
In most cases, you have three options:
lYou can choose not to use any document (only in certain cases). This means no
document is merged with the data and the job file is sent as is.
lYou can choose a specific document from the list of installed documents. The document
is merged with the data to generate output.
lYou can choose a variable document (see below)
Variable Document Name
The Variable Document feature is used to dynamically determine which document is merged
with the data in your output. The document name can come from any of the variable properties
(see Variable Properties).
Note
If the data contains an extension, it will be replaced by .ptk.
To use a variable document:
1. Click on the %o entry in the document list
2. Type the variable properties or use the right-click menu to insert the correct variable
properties.
3. Click OKon the dialog.
At run-time, if PlanetPress Workflow cannot find the document name generated by those
variables, the task will fail.
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Highlight a Task or Branch
The Highlight command lets you toggle the background color of selected tasks and branches.
Note that the highlight color may be changed via the PlanetPress Workflow Configuration
preferences.
To highlight a Process Area square:
lUse the mouse pointer to select a given square.
lIn the PlanetPress Workflow button, click the View tab.
lSelect Highlight from the Navigate group.
To remove the highlight,repeat the procedure.
Undo a Command
The undo command lets you undo most commands performed with the PlanetPress Workflow
Configuration program.
To undo a command:
lFrom the Quick Access Toolbar, choose Undo.
Redo a Command
The Redo command can be used to redo commands that were just undone using the Undo
command. For example, if you used the Undo command three times in a row and immediately
thereafter decided to redo those commands, you could use the Redo command three times in a
row to redo those commands. Note that all commands in PlanetPress Workflow Configuration
can be redone.
To redo a command:
lFrom the Quick Access Toolbar, choose Redo.
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The Quick Access Toolbar
PlanetPress Workflow Quick Access Toolbar is displayed, by default, on the right side of the
PlanetPress Workflow button and provides one-click shortcuts to commonly used functions
and features. You can add as many buttons as you want to the Quick Access Toolbar and
remove them at will.
To add a new button to the Quick Access Toolbar:
1. Locate the button you want to add in one of the tabs of the Ribbon.
2. Right-Click on the button.
3. Select Add to Quick Access toolbar.
To remove a button from the Quick Access Toolbar:
1. Locate the button you want to remove in the Quick Access Toolbar.
2. Right-click on the button.
3. Select Remove From Quick Access toolbar.
To move the Quick Access Toolbar below or above the Ribbon:
1. Right-click on the Quick Access Toolbar, or click on the downwards arrow at the rightmost
end of the Quick Access Toolbar.
2. Click on Show Quick Access Toolbar Below the Ribbon or Show Quick Access
Toolbar Above the Ribbon, depending on where you want it.
Note
The Quick Access Toolbar buttons cannot be moved or re-ordered. If you wish to re-
order them, you will need to remove all the buttons and re-add them in the desired order.
Page 785
The PlanetPress Workflow Ribbon
The PlanetPress Workflow Ribbon centralizes commands, organizing them into a set of Tabs,
each tab containing groups of controls. Each tab on the Ribbon displays the commands that are
most relevant to a given feature set. The built-in Ribbon and Quick Access Toolbar contain
commands that are frequently used and convenient to keep close at hand. You can minimize
the Ribbon, and choose the position of the Quick Access Toolbar, as well as the commands it
displays.
lYou can minimize the Ribbon by right-clicking on it and selecting Minimize the Ribbon.
lYou can also customize the Ribbon's color scheme in the Preferences window.
The PlanetPress Workflow Ribbon has five tabs: the Home tab, the View tab, the Debug tab,
the Tools tab and the Help tab. Each one of these tabs contains a series of groups, each group
holding a number of controls.
lThe Home tab includes the Clipboard, Processes, Variables, Documents and Printer
Queues groups.
lThe Clipboard group contains the typical Windows-based editing controls: Cut,
Copy, Paste, Select All, Delete.
lThe Processes group contains workflow controls, allowing to insert new processes
of any type as well as controls to converts, activate or branches processes.
lThe Variables group contains two controls to insert either a Global variables
available throughout the entire configuration, or Local variables available to the
current process only.
lThe Documents group contains the document controls, used to insert, refresh,
update or delete documents and document instances.
lThe Printer Queues group contains controls to set up printer queues of any type, as
well as replace any existing queues.
lThe View tab includes the Arrange,Navigate and Show/Hide groups.
lThe Arrange group contains the Group/Ungroup,Sort by Name and Order
controls, allowing to reorder objects in the Configuration Components pane. It
also includes the Undo/Redo controls, as well as a Rename control, to modify a
given component's name.
Page 786
lThe Navigate group contains a Processes control to select any existing process of
the currently loaded configuration, as well as a Highlight control to mark a given
node, a Zoom Out for a quick overview of the currently selected process, and Go to
Child/Go to Parent to move around a given process logical nodes (branches or
conditions).
lThe Show/Hide group contains four controls to display or hide any of the four
panes; the Configuration Components pane, the Object Inspector pane, the
Message pane, the Debug Info pane and the Plug-in Bar.
lThe Debug tab includes the Data,Debug and Debug Messages groups.
lThe Data group allows to associate a sample data file to the currently selected
process, as well as update or replace it, and display it in its text/PDF or
Hexadecimal format.
lThe Debug group contains the debugger's controls, allowing to execute a process
step by step, skipping over or ignoring certain tasks, as well as setting up
breakpoints and resetting variables values. This group also includes the Send
Configuration button, necessary to push the current configuration to PlanetPress
Workflow service.
lThe Debug Messages group contains two controls to either clear or save the
contents of the Messages pane.
lThe Tools tab includes the Managers,Services and Test Page groups.
lThe Managers group contains:
lThe Install PostScript Font control allows to install a PostScript font into your
PlanetPress Workflow installation.
lThe Virtual Drive Manager control loads the Virtual Drive Manager.
lThe Access Manager control loads the Access Manager, allowing to
grant/remove permissions to hosts.
lThe Check for updates control, used to update the current PlanetPress
Workflow version.
lThe Launch Upgrade Wizard control, used when migrating from a previous
PlanetPress Workflow version.
lThe Services group contains:
lThe Services Status control allows to start, pause and stop PlanetPress
Workflow service.
Page 787
lThe Configure Services control loads the PlanetPress Workflow Services
dialog to configure the user account PlanetPress Workflow should use.
lThe Service Console button opens the The PlanetPress Workflow Service
Console, allowing to monitor real-time information on the configuration
execution.
lThe PlanetPress Capture group contains:
lThe Document Manager button opens the PlanetPress Capture Document
Manager.
lThe Pen Manager button opens the PlanetPress Capture Pen Management
Tool.
lThe Test Page group contains:
lThe PS Test Page control allows to print a Status Page for the selected
Printer Queue. Note that if no printer queue is selected in the Configuration
Components pane, the control is disabled.
lThe Text Test Page control allows to print a raw text test page for the selected
Printer Queue. Note that if no printer queue is selected in the Configuration
Components pane, the control is disabled.
lThe Help tab includes the Help,Activation and License groups.
lThe Help group contains the User Guide, the Reference Guide and the About
controls, used to access online documentation and version information.
lThe Activation group contains the Software Activation and Printer Activation
controls, used to enter activation codes for either the software or a given device.
lThe License group contains a link to the "PlanetPress Capture License
Management" on page747.
The Task Comments Pane
The Task Comments pane displays comments relevant to the currently selected items, such
as the contents of the Comments tab of any task in the currently selected process.
The Task Comments pane cannot be used to edit the comments themselves - only to see
them. to edit the comments, the properties of the task must be opened, and the comments
changed in the Comments tab.
Page 788
Additional Information
You can find additional information that complement the user manual about PlanetPress
Workflow in the knowledge base.
Page 789
Copyright Information
Copyright © 1994-2018 Objectif Lune Inc. All Rights Reserved.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, transmitted, transcribed, stored in a retrieval
system, or translated into any other language or computer language in whole or in part, in any
form or by any means, whether it be electronic, mechanical, magnetic, optical, manual or
otherwise, without prior written consent of Objectif Lune Inc.
Objectif Lune Inc.disclaims all warranties as to this software, whether expressed or implied,
including without limitation any implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular
purpose, functionality, data integrity or protection.
PlanetPress, PReS and PrintShop Mail are registered trademarks of Objectif Lune Inc.
Page 790
Legal Notices and
Acknowledgements
PlanetPress Workflow, Copyright © 2018, Objectif Lune Inc. All rights reserved.
The license agreements for the associated open source third party components can be
downloaded here.
This application uses the following third party components:
lAdobe PDF Library which is either a registered trademark or trademark of Adobe
Systems Incorporated in the United States and\or other countries.
lAdobe XMP Core Copyright © 1999 - 2010, Adobe Systems Incorporated. All rights
reserved.
lEclipse Persistence Services Project (EclipseLink), Copyright © 2007, Eclipse
Foundation, Inc. and its licensors. All rights reserved. This is distributed under the terms
of the Eclipse Public License Version 1.0 and Eclipse Distribution License Version 1.0.
lFugue Icons by Yusuke Kamiyamane which are distributed under the terms of the
Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
lGecko which is distributed under the terms of the Mozilla Public License Version 2.0.
Information on obtaining Gecko can be found on the following page:
https://wiki.mozilla.org/Gecko:Getting_Started
lGlassfish Java Mail which is licensed under the terms of the Common Development and
Distribution License (CDDL) Version 1.0. Information on how to download the Glassfish
source can be obtained from here:
https://wikis.oracle.com/display/GlassFish/Java+EE+7+Maven+Coordinates
lHamcrest Matchers Copyright © 2000-2006, www.hamcrest.org. All rights reserved.
lHyperSQL, Copyright © 2001-2010, The HSQL Development Group. All rights reserved.
lICU4J 4.4.2 Copyright © 1995-2013 International Business Machines Corporation and
others. All rights reserved.
lJ2V8 which is distributed under the terms of the Eclipse Public License Version 1.0. The
source code for J2V8 can be obtained from the following location:
https://github.com/eclipsesource/j2v8
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lJacob Java Com Bridge which is licensed under the terms of the GNU Lesser General
Public License Version 2. The source code for this can be obtained from the following
location: http://sourceforge.net/projects/jacob-project/files/jacob-project/
lJavaCraft JSch Copyright © 2002 - 2012 Atsuhiko Yamanaka, JCraft Inc. All rights
reserved.
lJavaSysMon Copyright © 2009 ThoughtWorks, Inc. All rights reserved.
lJavaX Mail which is distributed under the terms of the Common Development and
Distribution License (CDDL) Version 1.1. The source code for this can be obtained from
the following location: https://java.net/projects/javamail/downloads/directory/source
lJersey which is distributed under the terms of the Common Development and Distribution
License (CDDL) Version 1.1. Information on how to obtain the source code can be found
at the following location: http://repo1.maven.org/maven2/org/glassfish/jersey/jersey-bom
ljersey-json-1.13 which is licensed under the terms of the Common Development and
Distribution License (CDDL) Version 1.1. Information on how to obtain the source code
can be found at the following location:
http://mvnrepository.com/artifact/com.sun.jersey/jersey-json/1.13-b01
lJersey Multipart which is distributed under the terms of the Common Development and
Distribution License (CDDL) Version 1.1. Information on how to obtain the source code
can be found at the following location:
http://repo1.maven.org/maven2/org/glassfish/jersey/jersey-bom
lJGoodies Forms, JGoodies Binding and JGoodies Looks, Copyright © 2002-2013
JGoodies Software GmbH. All rights reserved.
lJNA Version 3.5.1 which is distributed under the terms of the GNU Lesser General
Public License Version 2.1. The source code for this can be obtained from the following
location: https://github.com/twall/jna/releases
lJunit which is distributed under the terms of the Eclipse Public License Version 1.0. The
source code for Junit can be obtained from the following location: https://github.com/junit-
team/junit/tree/master/src
lMimepull which is distributed under the terms of the Common Development and
Distribution License (CDDL) Version 1.1. The source code for this can be obtained from
the following location:
https://maven.java.net/content/repositories/releases/org/jvnet/mimepull/mimepull/
lObjectweb ASM, Copyright © 2000-2011 INRIA, France Telecom. All rights reserved.
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lRelique CSV Driver which is licensed under the terms of the Lesser General Public
License Version 2.0. This can be obtained from the following location:
http://sourceforge.net/p/csvjdbc/code/ci/master/tree/
lRhino 1.6R7 and 1.7R2 which are licensed under the terms of the Mozilla License
Version 1.1. The source code for this can be obtained from the following location:
https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/RhinoDownload?redirect=no
lSaxon which is distributed under the terms of the Mozilla Public License Version 2.0. The
source code for this can be obtained from the following location:
http://sourceforge.net/projects/saxon/files/Saxon-HE/9.6/
lServlet API developed by Sun as part of the Glassfish project and licensed under the
terms of the Common Development and Distribution License (CDDL) Version 1.0.
Information on how to download the Glassfish source (as part of Java EE platform) can be
obtained from here:
https://wikis.oracle.com/display/GlassFish/Java+EE+7+Maven+Coordinates
lSpring Framework which is distributed under the terms of the Apache Software License
Version 2.0. This product includes subcomponents with separate copyright notices and
license terms.
lSpringsource JavaX Mail which is distributed under the terms of the Common
Development and Distribution License (CDDL) Version 1.0. The source code for this can
be obtained from the following location:
http://ebr.springsource.com/repository/app/bundle/version/detail?name=com.springsourc
e.javax.mail&version=1.4.5&searchType=bundlesByName&searchQuery=mail
lSpringsource SLF4J 1.6.1, Copyright © 2004-2008 QOS.ch. All rights reserved.
lWeb Services Description Language for Java which is distributed under the terms of
the Common Public License v 1.0. The source code for this can be obtained from the
following location: http://wsdl4j.cvs.sourceforge.net/viewvc/wsdl4j/
lXULRunner which is distributed under the terms of the Mozilla Public License Version
2.0. The source code for this can be obtained from the following location:
http://ftp.mozilla.org/pub/mozilla.org/xulrunner/releases/latest/source/
lzziplib which is licensed under the terms of the Mozilla License Version 1.1. The source
code for this can be obtained from the following location:
http://sourceforge.net/projects/zziplib/files/zziplib13/
l7-Zip SFX which is licensed under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public License
Version 2.1. The source code for this can be obtained from the following location:
http://www.7zsfx.info/files/7zsd_src_160_2712.7z
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Portions of certain libraries included in this application which are distributed under the terms of
the Mozilla Public License have been modified. To obtain copies of the modified libraries
please contact your local Objective Lune Support team.
This application also uses the following components which are distributed under the terms of
the Apache Software License Version 2.0:
lApache Ant
lApache Axis
lApache CFX
lApache Commons Beanutils
lApache Commons CLI
lApache Commons Codec
lApache Commons Collections
lApache Commons Configuration
lApache Commons DBCP
lApache Commons Digester
lApache Commons Discovery
lApache Commons FileUpload
lApache Commons Imaging
lApache Commons IO
lApache Commons Lang
lApache Commons Logging
lApache Commons Net
lApache Commons Pool
lApache Commons Validator
lApache Commons VFS
lApache Derby
lApache Felix and dependencies
lApache Geronimo
lApache Jakarta HttpClient
lApache Log4j
lApache Neethi
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lApache OpenCMIS
lApache POI
lApache ServiceMix
lApache Tomcat
lApache WSS4J
lApache Xalan
lApache Xerces2 Java Parser
lApache XMLGraphics
lApache XML-RPC
lBarcode4j
lGoogle Collections
lGoogle GSON
lJetty
lLMAX Disruptor
lOPS4J Pax Web
lorg.json.simple
lSpring Dynamic Modules
lStAX
lXMLBeans
Eclipse Technology:
This Software includes unmodified Eclipse redistributables, which are available at
www.eclipse.org. The Eclipse redistributables are distributed under the terms of the Eclipse
Public License - v 1.0 that can be found at https://www.eclipse.org/legal/epl-v10.html.
VSS Java FreeMarker:
This product includes software developed by the Visigoth Software Society
(http://www.visigoths.org/).
This includes the following subcomponents that are licensed by the Apache Software
Foundation under the Apache License, Version 2.0:
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lfreemarker/ext/jsp/web-app_2_2.dtd
lfreemarker/ext/jsp/web-app_2_3.dtd
lfreemarker/ext/jsp/web-app_2_4.xsd
lfreemarker/ext/jsp/web-app_2_5.xsd
lfreemarker/ext/jsp/web-jsptaglibrary_1_1.dtd
lfreemarker/ext/jsp/web-jsptaglibrary_1_2.dtd
lfreemarker/ext/jsp/web-jsptaglibrary_2_0.xsd
lfreemarker/ext/jsp/web-jsptaglibrary_2_1.xsd
Java SE framework and platform:
This application uses the Java SE framework and platform which is distributed under the terms
of the Oracle Binary Code License Agreement for the Java SE Platform Products and Java FX.
Copyright 2013, Oracle America ,Inc. All rights reserved.
Use is subject to license terms. ORACLE and JAVA trademarks and all ORACLE- and JAVA-
related trademarks, service marks, logos and other brand designations are trademarks or
registered trademarks of Oracle in the U.S. and other countries.
Use of the Commercial Features for any commercial or production purpose requires a separate
license from Oracle. “Commercial Features” means those features identified Table 1-1
(Commercial Features In Java SE Product Editions) of the Java SE documentation accessible
at http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/java/javase/documentation/index.html.Java Advanced
Imaging:
Further Components:
lThis product includes software developed by the JDOM Project (http://www.jdom.org/).
lPortions of this software are copyright © 2010 The FreeType Project (www.freetype.org).
All rights reserved.
lThis product includes software developed by JSON.org
(http://www.json.org/java/index.html).
Click to download the EULA as PDF
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