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 or Database Splitter) 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 and About data emulation).

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).

Example

This task is put into effect in the following example process:

Note that Capture can only be used with PlanetPress Suite.

Input

Any emulated 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.

Task properties

General Tab

  • Split 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.
    • Page(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.
  • Split 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.
    • Word change: Select if you want the data file to be split when the word found at a given location changes.
    • Get: Click to go to the Data Selector and select the location associated with the Word change option.
    • Specific 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.
    • From line: Enter a value corresponding to the first line on which the splitter must start searching for the word.
    • To line: Enter a value corresponding to the last line on which the splitter must start searching for the word.
    • From column: Enter a value corresponding to the first column in which the splitter must start searching for the word.
    • To column: Enter a value corresponding to the last column in which the splitter must start searching for the word.
    • Match 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”.
    • Trim 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.
    • Where 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.
      • Before: 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.
      • After: 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.
    • When 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.
  • CSV Emulation Group
    • Add header to each output file: This option should only be checked if you are using CSV emulation, 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.

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.