8.18.32016-03-14

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 used in multiple tasks.

Input

The task requires no input file, but any input information such as metadata, job information or 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 return metadata 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).

Properties

The Retrieve Items Action Task properties are as follows:

General Tab

• Entity to retrieve: Use the drop-down to select which items to retrieve.
  • Record: Retrieves one or more Records, whether or not they are part of a Record Set. Output similar to the Create Record Set task.
  • Record Set: Retrieves one or more Record Sets, including all their records. Output similar to the Create Record Set task.
  • Content Item: Retrieves one or more Content Items, whether or not they are part of a Content Set. Output similar to the Create Print Content or Create HTML Content Set tasks.
  • Content Set: Retrieves one or more Content Sets, including all their content items. Output similar to the Create Print Content task.
  • Job: Retrieves one or more Jobs, including all their content items ready to be printed. Output similar to the Create Job task.
• Conditions: 
  • 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.
• Output Type group:
  • Output IDs in Metadata: Select to only output minimal metadata containing the entity IDs.
  • Output records in Metadata: Select to output IDs as well as record details in the metadata, useful for further sorting and filtering of the metadata.

Commingling/Batching Tab

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.

• Document contents: Defines the Document ("Mail Piece") level and how they are built.
  • Pick 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.
  • Sort items based on: Use the [...] to open the Sort Parameters dialog and define how Content Items are sorted within the mail piece.
• Group contents: Define the Group level (for example, a Mail Route), or how to group mail pieces together in groups.
  • Pick 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.
  • Sort items based on: Use the [...] to open the Sort Parameters dialog and define how Documents are sorted within the Group, for example by ZipCode.

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

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.