Digital Action

Digital Action Action tasks generate the same types of documents as generated by PlanetPress Image output tasks (see PlanetPress Image). Since Digital Action tasks are not Output tasks, the documents they create are typically passed on to the following task. The image files they generate are always saved, along with their index files (if any), to an archive folder.

Note: The Digital Action task requires a PlanetPress Image license to be present on the same IP Subnet as Connect Workflow, either on the same server or a different one with PlanetPress Image installed and activated.

Differences between Digital Action and Image tasks

  • Digital Action is an Action task and cannot be the last task in a branch or process. Image is an Output task, and has to be placed at the end of a process or branch.
  • Digital Action can accept PDF/VT and PostScript (.ps) files as an input, even if they are not generated by any Connect Workflow tools.

Task properties

General Tab

  • Host: Select the IP address of the PlanetPress Image host to which you want the request to be sent.
  • Refresh: Click to update the list of IP addresses displayed in the Host drop-down list box.
  • Documents: Select None (Do not use a document (passthrough) in order to generate an image with a PDF/VT or PostScript file in passthrough mode.

    Note: For an explanation of how to generate specific tags and indexes for the Image and Digital Action tasks, in a PDF/VT file created with Connect, see the Connect Online Help: Generating tags for Image output.

    Alternatively, select a PlanetPress Design document if you want all the jobs to be generated with that document. To use a document chosen at run-time for each job, enter a dynamic document name using a combination of text, variables and data selections. To enable the dynamic document name box, click inside it. To disable it, press Enter. Note that in the latter case, you must be certain that the documents that will be chosen at run-time will in fact be available locally or at the selected host.
  • List only documents using VDX compilation: Check to ensure that only documents that are compatible with the VDX compilation method are shown in the list, if producing VDX output.
  • Run mode group
    • Printer centric: Select to send the document along with the trigger and data to PlanetPress Image.
    • Optimized PostScript Stream: Select to merge the selected document with the data received by this task before sending it to PlanetPress Image. Note that some features, such as the Time and Date require that this option be selected.
  • Add job information to the document: Select to add the available job info variables in the “header” of the generated output file.
  • Output type: Select the output file type that you want.
    • PDF: The output will be a PDF file. If you select PDF, the DPI and Color Depth options (see below) are disabled and the options available in the PDF tab are enabled.
    • JPEG: The output will be a JPEG file. JPEG is a lossy compression image format that creates small files, compressing continuous tone images (such as scanned photographs) well.
    • TIFF: The output will be a TIFF file. TIFF is a higher quality format that is one of the standards for document exchange, useful for eventual printing or archiving. You have a choice of the following compressed TIFF formats: TIFF Group 3, TIFF Group 4, and TIFF Packed bits. You can also use the uncompressed TIFF format, which produces the largest files with the highest quality. TIFF is a versatile and platform-independent format. It is used in many digitizing projects as the format of choice for the digital masters. The TIFF Group 3 and Group 4 formats are efficient for document storage.
    • The AutoStore, DocAccel and KYOcapture formats also generate TIFF files along with special XML that are meant for these specialized systems.
    • VDX: The output will be a VDX file, which is a PDF file with some PPML code inside of it to enhance performance by doing caching/image reusing. The output can only be used on devices that support the VDX technology.
  • DPI: Enter the dots per inch (dpi) resolution of the output image. This property is enabled for all output types except PDF.
  • Color depth: Enter the color depth of the output image in bits per pixel (bpp). The color depth is measured in bits, because each pixel of the output image can be described with a varied number of bits. A higher bit number allows for more colors. It also increases the image file size. A 1-bit color depth produces monochrome images. 8-bits produce grayscale images (in PlanetPress Design you can have 8-bit color images, but these are reduced to grayscale if you select 8-bit here), while 24-bits produce full color images. For JPEG output, you cannot select a monochrome (1 bpp) color depth. For TIFF G3 and TIFF G4, monochrome (1 bpp) is the only Color depth option you can select. This property is enabled for all output types except PDF.
  • Multi-page: Select to generate a single file containing multiple pages. When this option is not selected, PlanetPress Image creates a file for each page included in the output file. This property is enabled for all output types except PDF and JPEG.
    Add page number: Select to put a page number on each page included in the output file. This option goes with the Multiple TIFF option and is only visible if either the AutoStore, DocAccel or KYOcapture format is selected.
  • Data Stream group: Determines what is output by the Digital Action task:
    • Use Digital as new data stream: Use the file generated by the task for the rest of the process.
    • Use original data stream (without document): Use the same data file as what was input to this task.
    • Use original data stream (with document): Uses the PostScript data generated before image is created.
  • Save a copy: Optional when the "Use Digital as the new data stream" option is checked, otherwise is always checked. Keeps a copy of the digital output onto the specified folder.
  • Folder and filename: Enter the path of the folder to which output files generated by this task are to be archived. PDF index files (PDI and XML) are also put in this folder. This edit box is enabled when the Save a copy option is selected. To prevent each new file from overwriting the previous one, you should use variable names. As with any variable property box, you can use any combination of text, variables and data selections. When multiple files are generated for a single job (such as for multiple TIFFs), each file name includes a sequence number, such as in Invoice0, Invoice1, Invoice2. If you use file name masks that include dots, such as Statement.%y.@(1,1,1,1,25,KeepCase,Trim) or Job.%f, for example, you must add quotation marks at the beginning and end of the file name (“Statement.%y.%m.@(1,1,1,1,25,KeepCase,Trim)” or ”Job.%f”). Otherwise, when the file is saved, anything appearing after the last dot is replaced by the file’s extension characters (and the file name thus becomes Statement.2005.pdf instead of Statement.2005.255842.pdf, or Job.tif instead of Job.544872.tif). Failing to add the quotation marks may result in files being overwritten.
  • Automatically Add Extension: Check if you want the correct extension for the image type to be appended to the filename automatically, rather than having to add it in the Filename box. The Output Type determines the extension to be used.
  • Add PDF to PlanetPress Search database: Check to update the PlanetPress Search database with each new PDF generated.
  • Index group: This group lets you specify which type of index must be created for each document generated by this task. PDI files are used by PlanetPress Search as indexing information.
    • None: Select if you do not want this task to add an index file to the generated document.
    • PDI: Select if you want this task to add a PDI index file to the generated document.
    • XML and PDI: Select if you want this task to add both an XML and a PDI index file to the generated document.
  • Use Title as FormName for PDF/VT document: Check to use the Title (defined on the Job Options tab) as the PDF's FormName in the PDI, instead of the incoming PDF/VT document's dc.title meta data tag. If the Title is empty, a warning is logged and the FormName is not changed.

Job Options Tab

If you chose PDF as the output type in the General tab, use this tab to choose the appropriate PDF options. Note that all the options available in this tab are only used with PDF files.

  • Job options: Select the PDF output option that best describes your needs. This loads all the standard settings for the selected usage scenario. These settings can be changed as required. Note that if you make changes and then select a different output option, your changes will be lost. PlanetPress Image supports numerous PDF standards: Standard, High Quality, Custom, and a variety of PDF/VT, PDF/A and PDF/X formats.

    Note: PDF/A output created from a template that uses CMYK colors will be much bigger than PDF/A output created from a template that uses RGB colors, because PDF/A needs to contain a color profile and the CMYK color profile is rather big compared to a RGB color profile. If the output size matters it is recommended to avoid using CMYK colors.

  • General group
    • ASCII format: Select to create the PDF file using ASCII characters (instead of the usual 8-bit binary format). This option produces a file suitable for transmission over a 7-bit ASCII link. This option is useful if the PDFs need to be opened in a text editor, sent across networks, or sent via email using a program that does not support binary files. This option also generates smaller files.
    • Compress text and line art: Select to compress the text and line work in the file using the Flate compression filter. Flate is a compression method that works well on elements with large areas of single colors or repeating patterns, as well as on black-and-white elements that contain repeating patterns.
    • Auto-rotate pages: Select to automatically rotate pages based on the orientation of the text or DSC comments.
    • Optimize for fast web view: Select to minimize file size and facilitate page downloading.
    • Title: Enter a title for the document. If you leave this box empty, the document’s name will be used as the document’s title. Since this is a variable property box, you may use variables and data selections and let Connect Workflow interpret this information at run-time.
    • Author: You may enter the name of the author of the document. Since this is a variable property box, you may use variables and data selections and let Connect Workflow interpret this information at run-time.
    • Subject: You may enter the subject of the document. Since this is a variable property box, you may use variables and data selections and let Connect Workflow interpret this information at run-time. Note that if you use a data selection in this box, you must be sure that the data that will be selected at run-time will not contain any parentheses, as this would cause the task to fail. If you suspect that the data may contain parentheses, you should use a Run script action task (see Run Script Action Task Property) with a Strip() function to strip them out.
    • Keywords: You may enter keywords for the document. Since this is a variable property box, you may use variables and data selections and let Connect Workflow interpret this information at run-time.
  • Monochrome images group
    • Monochrome compression: Select the compression to use for the monochrome images. Flate compression is lossless, so no data is lost during compression. Flate Mono works well on images with large areas of solid shades or repeating patterns, such as screen shots and simple images created with paint or drawing programs. CCITT typically yields the best compression of monochrome images. It is the compression method developed for fax transmissions. Note that configurations that were created with an earlier version of Connect Workflow and that included tasks set not to use any compression will by default be set to use the Flat compression method.
    • Monochrome resolution: Select the resolution to use for monochrome images.
  • Grayscale images group
    • Grayscale compression: Select the compression to use for the grayscale images. Flate is a lossless compression method, so no data is lost in the process. It works well on images with large areas of single shades or repeating patterns, such as screen shots and simple images created with paint or drawing programs. JPEG removes image data and may reduce image quality, but may be suitable for continuous-tone photographs containing more detail than can be reproduced onscreen or in print. Since JPEG eliminates data, it can achieve much smaller file sizes than Flate compression. Select Auto to let the application choose the best compression method automatically. Note that configurations that were created with an earlier version of Connect Workflow and that included tasks set not to use any compression will by default be set to use the Flate compression method.
    • Grayscale down sampling: Select the down sampling option. down sampling reduces image size by breaking images down into small areas in which multiple pixels are replaced by single pixels. The Grayscale resolution you enter in the following box is used to control the down sampling process. Select None to prevent grayscale down sampling . Select Average to average pixel shades in each sample area and to replace the entire area with a pixel of the average shade. Select Subsample to use a pixel in the center of the sample area and replace the entire area with that pixel value. This method is significantly faster, but results in images that are less smooth. Select Bicubic to use a weighted average to determine pixel shades. This method is the slowest but most precise and results in the smoothest tonal gradations.
    • Grayscale resolution: Select the resolution to use for grayscale images. Note that this setting has an impact on the grayscale down sampling process.
  • Color images group
    • Color compression: Select the compression to use for the color images. Flate is a lossless compression method, so no data is lost in the process. It works well on images with large areas of single shades or repeating patterns, such as screen shots and simple images created with paint or drawing programs. JPEG removes image data and may reduce image quality, but may be suitable for continuous-tone photographs containing more detail than can be reproduced onscreen or in print. Since JPEG eliminates data, it can achieve much smaller file sizes than Flate compression. Select Auto to let the application choose the best compression method automatically. Note that configurations that were created with an earlier version of Connect Workflow and that included tasks set not to use any compression will by default be set to use the Flate compression method.
    • Color down sampling: Select the down sampling option. down sampling reduces image size by breaking images down into small areas in which multiple pixels are replaced by single pixels. The Color resolution you enter in the following box is used to control the down sampling process. Select None to prevent grayscale down sampling. Select Average to average pixel color in each sample area and to replace the entire area with a pixel of the average color. Select Subsample to use a pixel in the center of the sample area and replace the entire area with that pixel value. This method is significantly faster, but results in images that are less smooth. Select Bicubic to use a weighted average to determine pixel shades. This method is the slowest but most precise and results in the smoothest tonal gradations.
    • Color resolution: Select the resolution to use for color images. Note that this setting has an impact on the color down sampling process.
  • Security group
    • Set document permissions: Select to enter the Permissions password.
      • Permissions password: Enter a password in this box only if you want to prevent users who does not have this password from changing the security options of the generated PDF files.
    • Allow printing: Select to let users print the generated PDF files.
    • Allow changing the document: Select to let users edit the generated PDF files.
    • Allow content copying: Select to let users copy content from the generated PDF files.
    • Allow form filling: Select to let users enter information in the form fields included in the generated PDF files.
    • PDF open password: Enter a password in this box only if you want to prevent users who does not have this password from opening the generated PDF files.
    • Security Level: The password protection for PDF can be encrypted using one of the available encryption methods (RC4, AES-256 and AES-128). It gives the task the ability to take an existing PDF in input and apply the selected password to the PDF without any change to the quality level of the original PDF.
  • Font group
    • Embed all: Select to embed the entire font of all fonts used in the variable content document within the generated PDFs. Using this option may result in large PDFs, especially if many fonts are used. Note that those fonts installed by default with the Adobe Acrobat and Adobe Reader are never embedded. If a font is not embedded in your PDF, opening it on another computer or printing it may cause it to be substituted by another default font.
    • Subset: Select to embed only a subset of the Type 1 and TrueType fonts used in the document. A font subset is in fact composed of only those characters that are actually used in the document. This option can only be used if the Embed all fonts option is selected. Note that if more than 35% of the characters included in a font are used in the document, the entire font is embedded. This option often produces smaller PDF files and ensures proper PDF display.
  • Initial view group
    • Zoom factor: Select the magnification at which you want Adobe Acrobat or Adobe Reader (or other PDF viewer) to open the generated PDF. Choose the Fit in window option to display the entire page using the available screen space, or choose a percentage of the actual document size.
    • Show: Select the information you want Adobe Acrobat or Adobe Reader (or other PDF viewer) to display with the generated PDF. Select Page only to leave the tabs area to the left of the PDF pages empty. Select Bookmarks and page to display the contents of the Bookmarks tab (you use data selection objects to create bookmarks in PlanetPress) alongside the PDF pages. Select Page tab and Page to display the content of the Pages tab (thumbnails of each PDF pages) alongside the PDF pages. Select Full screen to hide all screen contents except the PDF page, and expand the PDF page to the maximum size it can occupy onscreen.
  • Font group
    • Embed all: Select to embed the entire font of all fonts used in the variable content document within the generated PDFs. Using this option may result in large PDFs, especially if many fonts are used. Note that those fonts installed by default with the Adobe Acrobat and Adobe Reader are never embedded. If a font is not embedded in your PDF, opening it on another computer or printing it may cause it to be substituted by another default font.
    • Subset: Select to embed only a subset of the Type 1 and TrueType fonts used in the document. A font subset is in fact composed of only those characters that are actually used in the document. This option can only be used if the Embed all fonts option is selected. Note that if more than 35% of the characters included in a font are used in the document, the entire font is embedded. This option often produces smaller PDF files and ensures proper PDF display.
  • Initial view group
    • Zoom factor: Select the magnification at which you want Adobe Acrobat or Adobe Reader (or other PDF viewer) to open the generated PDF. Choose the Fit in window option to display the entire page using the available screen space, or choose a percentage of the actual document size.
    • Show: Select the information you want Adobe Acrobat or Adobe Reader (or other PDF viewer) to display with the generated PDF. Select Page only to leave the tabs area to the left of the PDF pages empty. Select Bookmarks and page to display the contents of the Bookmarks tab (you use data selection objects to create bookmarks in PlanetPress) alongside the PDF pages. Select Page tab and Page to display the content of the Pages tab (thumbnails of each PDF pages) alongside the PDF pages. Select Full screen to hide all screen contents except the PDF page, and expand the PDF page to the maximum size it can occupy onscreen.

PlanetPress Search Database Tab

If Connect Workflow is configured to automatically update a PlanetPress Search database (See PlanetPress Image preferences), this tab can be used to override the global settings so that the task updates a different database than the one set in that global configuration. In order for the settings to work, the Add PDF to PlanetPress Search database must be checked. However, you can override which database will be updating using the option in this window, Override global PlanetPress Search Database settings. The database options then activate.

  • Database type: Select the type of the database in which you want to create a table (Access, or SQL Server).
  • Connection time-out: Enter the time, in seconds, that the connection to the database is maintained while no action is taking place before the connection is severed.
  • Database directory: Enter the path of the directory in which the Access database is located, or use the Browse button to navigate to, and select, the directory. This option is available only when you select Access database in the Database type box.
  • Data source name: Enter the name of the computer on which the database runs. This option is available only when you select SQL Server database or Oracle database in the Database type box.
  • Use default database: Select to use the default database associated with your user profile on that SQL Server or Oracle database. Clear to enter the name of the database in the box that appears.
  • Use Windows NT Integrated security: Select to use your Windows user name and password to log onto the SQL database.
  • User ID: Enter the user id required to access the database to which you are adding new PDI files from the generated PDF files. If you are using an SQL database, enter the login name you chose when you configured the SQL database (refer to the “Using PlanetPressSearch with an SQL Server Database” section of the PlanetPress Search User Guide).
  • Password: Enter the password required to access the database.
  • Test Connection: Click to verify that PlanetPressImage can connect to the specified database.
  • Enforce global table creation: Select this option, as it ensures that all database users are granted access to the database. This option is available only when you select SQL database in the Database type box.