Create Output

The Create Output Action Task generates Print output in a format specified by a Connect Print Preset and sends this output to the appropriate target location.

Input

The task requires a valid Job Metadata file, normally output from a Create Job or Merge Jobs task.

Processing

The job is sent to the OL Connect Server for processing.

Output

Depending on the options set, either a simple metadate file with information about processing is returned, or the actual output file created by the server.

Properties

The Create Output Action Task properties are as follows:

General Tab

Output 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.
- "%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 preset to generate output.
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.

Connect Proxy Tab

This tab is common to all OL Connect tasks and defines where to process the jobs send through these tasks. When these fields are empty, they use the defaults set in the OL Connect User Options page of the preferences. Note that defaults are not used unless the configuration is sent to the Workflow service.

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
Username: Enter the username expected by the OL Connect Server.
Password: Enter the password expected by the OL Connect Server for the above username.

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.