Branch

A Branch 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.

Branch properties are as follows:

Backup Tab

Backup 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 not receive any job file. If the secondary branch includes a Splitter action 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.
Backup 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.
Backup 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.
Backup 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.

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

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.

Send to Process: Check this option to send the job file to an error management process.
Error 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.
Action 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:
- Ignore: The task is ignored as if it did not exist, and the job file is passed on to the next task in the process.
- Stop 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.
- Stop Process: The process is stopped and no more processing is done. No further output is produced.
Log Message: Check this option to enable logging a custom error message in the PlanetPress Suite Workflow Tools' log file.
Message: Enabled only when the Log Message option is checked. Enter a message that will be logged in the PlanetPress Suite Workflow Tools' log file. You can use any variables available in PlanetPress Workflow to customize the message.
Store the message in variable: Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you want to store the message content.
ID: Enter an error ID. This ID will be visible in the Windows Event Viewer. However, the ID is not visible in the PlanetPress Suite Workflow Tools' log file.
Store the ID in variable: Select in which jobinfo, local or global variable you want to store the error ID.
Reset to defaults: Resets all options in this tab to their default values.

If storing the message or ID, if they are store in a jobinfo they will be available in any error handling process where errors are being forwarded. In all cases, if your process continues after the error, the contents of the variables selected in this window will be available for the rest of your process, or whenever they are 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, added in PlanetPress Suite 7.5, is common to all tasks. It contains a single 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.