All In One

The All In One task extracts data from the job file, merges the data with a Connect Designer template, and creates print output. (See also: OL Connect print jobs.)

This task is a combination of the 4 different OL Connect tasks that are normally used in conjunction to generate Print output: Execute Data Mapping, Create Print Content, Create Job, and Create Output. Combining them in a single task makes creating Print content easier and faster, as the task is optimized for this specific purpose. 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 4 tabs that represent the main steps of the creation of a Print Output: Data Mapping, Content Creation, Job Creation and Output Creation.

This task can be added as an Action task (see Action tasks) or as an Output task (see Output tasks). 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.

Task properties

Data Mapper Tab

The Data Mapper step 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.

  • Source: Indicates the source of the Record Set Metadata:

    • Data Mapping Configuration: Executes data mapping on the appropriate source. Select the appropriate data mapping configuration in the list:

      • "None": Select to execute default, basic data mapping on the input PDV/VT file.

      • "%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. Right-click it to open the contextual menu that allows to select variables, data and lookup functions (see Data selections).

      • Configuration 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).

      • No 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.

        This option is unchecked by default.

        Note: Since with this setting the data is not written to the database, it isn't possible to use a Job Creation Preset (see the Job Creation tab, below). There is also 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.

      • Runtime Parameters: The runtime parameters defined in the selected template are displayed and their values can be set here. (See Runtime parameters in the Online Help of OL Connect.)
        Right-click the field to open the contextual menu that allows to select variables, data and lookup functions (see Data selections).
        If the template name is dynamic, you must enter the name (or select a variable that contains the name) and set the value of all runtime parameters that may occur in the template.
        If a runtime parameter is defined in a template, but not set in the task properties, an error will be raised.

        Note that it is not possible to change a parameter's type here; that can only be set in the template itself.
        At runtime, Workflow passes the parameter values as strings, and the type defined in the template will be used to try and parse the input parameter value. In order to make this work:
        • Boolean values need to be entered as a non-empty string (including, counter-intuitively, the string "false") for "true", or an empty string for "false", as dictated by the JavaScript truthy/falsy type system.
        • Numeric string values need to be parseable as a number (either a whole integer or decimal value).
        • Dates should be in an ISO8601 compatible format (e.g. 2019-10-15) or use the current Windows Locale date settings options. The latter is not recommended as it requires all computers in the cluster have the same locale data format.

        Note: Backslashes (\) and double quotes (") in a JSON string must be escaped with a backslash (\\, \") if the JSON string is passed via a global, local, or Job Info variable.
        If the JSON is entered directly in the runtime parameter field, the plugin adds the necessary backslashes.

    • Filter: Retrieves records from the Connect Database. This is identical to using the Retrieve Items task.

      • Filter type: Determines at which level to retrieve the records:

        • Record: Retrieves one or more Records, whether or not they are part of a Record Set. Output similar to the Execute Data Mapping task.

        • Record Set: Retrieves one or more Record Sets, including all their records. Output similar to the Execute Data Mapping task.

      • Filter:

        • Add a condition: Click to add a new condition line. This adds the line to the current condition level, by default with an AND operator.

        • Switch conditions: Click to swap two conditions on the same level, or two groups of conditions.

        • Delete the selected condition: Click to delete the currently selected conditions in the list.

        • Clear the rule: Click to delete all rules in the list. Note: This cannot be undone.

        • Import a rule: Click to open the Browse dialog and load a Rules file. This will load its rules into the list.

        • Export the rule: Click to open a Save dialog and save the Rules file to disk.

      • Rule Viewer: Displays a text-based view of the condition using operators and parentheses.

      • Sort contents: Defines how records are sorted.

        • Sort 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.

    • Metadata: Uses existing Metadata, generally the output of a Execute Data Mapping or a Retrieve Items task set to retrieve Records or Record Sets. This source has no options as it expects valid Metadata.

    • PDF/VT with Content Creation: Expects a PDF/VT file 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 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 step generates Content Items either by merging a Record Set with a Template, or by processing a PDF/VT file into individual content items.

  • Template: Select the appropriate template or option to execute it:

    • "None": Select to bypass Content Creation. This will make the task create a Print Content Set as well a Record Set, so that content creation can be skipped completely if there is no need to merge the extracted data with a template.

    • "%o": Select to use a dynamic template name. Click on %o to change the expression that determines the name of the template to use.

    • Template Names: Select the appropriate template name from the list. Adding templates is done from the Send to Workflow option in the Designer Module.

  • Runtime Parameters: The runtime parameters defined in the selected template are displayed and their values can be set here. (See Runtime parameters in the Online Help of OL Connect.)
    Right-click the field to open the contextual menu that allows to select variables, data and lookup functions (see Data selections).
    If the template name is dynamic, you must enter the name (or select a variable that contains the name) and set the value of all runtime parameters that may occur in the template.
    If a runtime parameter is defined in a template, but not set in the task properties, an error will be raised.

    Note that it is not possible to change a parameter's type here; that can only be set in the template itself.
    At runtime, Workflow passes the parameter values as strings, and the type defined in the template will be used to try and parse the input parameter value. In order to make this work:

  • Preview: 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).

Job Creation Tab

The Job Creation step 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.

Note: You can only use a Job Creation Preset if the option "No saving or post-processing of the data records (faster)" is disabled in the Data Mapper tab.

  • Job Preset file: Select which Job Preset to use to generate the job.

    • Default: The IDs in the Metadata are used instead of a job preset file.

    • None: Select this option to prevent the execution of Job Creation and Output Creation. In this case you also have to select 'None' on the Output Creation tab as well.

    • "%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.

    • Preset Names: Select the appropriate Job Preset file. Listed are the Job Presets that are present in the Connect Resources (see OL Connect resources).

  • Runtime Parameters: The Runtime Parameters defined in the selected Job Creation Preset are displayed and their values can be edited here. Right-click the field to open the contextual menu that allows to select variables, data and lookup functions (see Data selections).

    Note that it is not possible to change a parameter's type here; that can only be set in the Job Creation Preset itself.
    At runtime, Workflow passes the parameter values as strings, and the type defined in the Job Creation Preset will be used to try and parse the input parameter value. In order to make this work:

    • Boolean values need to be entered as either “true” or “false”. (When the comparison actually occurs, it will be a full Boolean comparison. Thus it can compare this runtime parameter with Boolean data values that are stored as 0/1 in data fields.)

    • Numeric string values need to be parseable as a number (either a whole integer or decimal value).

    • Dates should be in an ISO8601 compatible format (e.g. 2019-10-15) or use the current Windows Locale date settings options.The latter is not recommended as it requires all computers in the cluster have the same locale data format.

    The order of the parameters doesn't affect the way they are handled at runtime.

    Note: Backslashes (\) and double quotes (") in a JSON string must be escaped with a backslash (\\, \") if the JSON string is passed via a global, local, or Job Info variable.
    If the JSON is entered directly in the runtime parameter field, the plugin adds the necessary backslashes.

Output Creation Tab

The Output Creation step generates the output for the current job, using the selected Output Creation Preset. Note that the Job Creation task normally necessary when using the individual tasks is implicitly executed before output creation.

  • Output Preset: Select the appropriate Output Creation Preset to use:

    • "None": Select to prevent the execution of Output Creation.

      Note: The All In One task only outputs a Job Set ID, not the full Job Metadata structure, if output creation is skipped (with Output Preset set to 'None'). If you want to use the All In One task in combination with the Create Output task, place a Retrieve Items task in between. The Retrieve Items task can retrieve the items (and thus the metadata) using the Job Set ID.

    • "%o": Select to use a dynamic Output Preset name. Click on %o to change the expression that determines the name of the Preset to use.

    • Preset Name: Select the appropriate Output Preset to create output with. Listed are the Output Presets that are present in the Connect Resources (see OL Connect resources).

  • Output Management group:

    • As defined by Output Preset: Select to send the output of the job to the location set in the Print Preset (file, printer, etc).

    • Through 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\template_0002.pdf,…”).

  • Wait for completion: Check this option to make Workflow wait for confirmation that the output creation task was processed, either successfully or unsuccessfully. Otherwise Workflow will only wait for the confirmation that the job was submitted correctly to the Output Engine.
    When Output Management is set to "Through Workflow", Workflow always waits for completion of the output creation task.

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 preferences.

Note: Defaults are not used unless the configuration is sent to the Workflow service.

  • OL Connect Proxy Address: Enter the machine name or IP Address where the OL Connect Server resides.

  • Port: Enter the port to use to communicate with the OL Connect Server. Default: 9340

  • User name: Enter the user name expected by the OL Connect Server.

  • Password: Enter the password expected by the OL Connect Server for the above user name.

On Error Tab

For a description of the options on the On Error tab see Using the On Error tab.

Miscellaneous Tab

The Miscellaneous 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 OK button 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.

The tab also provides an option to highlight the task in The Process area with the default color, set in the Preferences (see Colors), or the color selected or defined under Highlight color on this tab.
To revert the selected highlight color to the default color, open this tab, turn the Highlight option off and close the dialog with the OK button; then turn highlighting back on.
Highlighting can also be turned on and off via the task's contextual menu and with the Highlight button on the View ribbon.