Print processes with OL Connect tasks

Generating print output from a template via an automated process requires you to design a print process in the PReS Workflow configuration tool.
This topic explains which tasks and files are used in a print process.

Tip: An easy way to setup a print project in OL Connect, including the print process and the files that it needs, is to use a Sample Project. There are two Sample Projects that create a sample print project. See Sample Projects.

There is also a Walkthrough sample that helps you build a Print process for Connect documents in the Workflow Configuration tool by yourself, step-by-step: Creating a Print process in Workflow.

The structure of a print process

In its simplest form, such a process may consist of only two plugins: an Input task and the All In One plugin.

The All In One task combines the following four OL Connect tasks:

  • The Execute Data Mapping task, or the Retrieve Items task.
    The Execute Data Mapping task extracts data from the job data file and puts them in a record set. This task works according to the instructions in a data mapping configuration, made with the DataMapper (see Data mapping configurations).
    The Retrieve Items task can be used to retrieve records from the OL Connect database.

  • The Create Print Content task. This task merges data with a template, resulting in Print Content Items. Templates are made with the Designer (see Templates).

    Note: Content creation can be skipped completely if there is no need to merge the extracted data with a template, and if the input data is paginated (e.g. a PDF). Both the All in One task and the Execute Data Mapping task have an option to bypass content creation.

  • The Create Job task. This task turns a set of Print Content Items into a print job. Any settings are passed on to Workflow via a Job Preset.

  • The Create Output task. This task creates the actual output file(s). Any settings are passed on to Workflow via an Output Preset.

The All In One task is the fastest and most efficient way to create print output. The task exchanges less data with the server than the separate plugins do and it has multi-threading support: it can produce the data set and content items in parallel.

Nevertheless, the separate plugins would be used in the following situations:

  • The record set, created by the Execute Data Mapping task, is also needed to create another kind of output in the same process.

  • The input is JSON data, which can be used directly. In this case there is no need to use the Execute Data Mapping task or Retrieve Items task.

  • If the input data is paginated (e.g. a PDF) and doesn't need to be merged with a template, the Execute Data Mapping task can create Print Content Items as well. This makes it possible to omit the Create Print Content task.

  • The necessary Print Content Items have already been created, whether in the same or in another Workflow process. Print Content Items can be retrieved from the OL Connect database using the Retrieve Items task. Subsequently, the Create Job and Create Output tasks can generate print output from them.
    Note that at the time the Print Content Items are created, their ID or the Print Content Set ID needs to be stored somewhere where the print process can access them, in order to retrieve the Print Content Items.

The tasks mentioned here can all be found on the OL Connect tab of the Plug-In Bar in Workflow. For a description of each task, see OL Connect tasks.

Files used in a print process

Before creating the print process in the Workflow configuration tool, you will need to create:

In addition, the process may use:

  • A data mapping configuration, or a data model at the very least, if the documents should contain variable data. (See Creating a new data mapping configuration.)

  • A Job Preset (see Job Presets). A Job Preset defines where the output goes and makes it possible to filter and sort records, group documents, and add metadata.

  • An Output Preset (see Output Presets). An Output Preset can split a print job into smaller print jobs, and set printing options such as binding, OMR markings and the like.

All of these files are made with the Designer and need to be sent to PReS Workflow before they can be used in the Workflow process (see Sending files to Workflow.

When the necessary files have been created and sent to Workflow, the next step is to create a process in PReS Workflow that generates Print output, using these files (see Print processes with OL Connect tasks).

Tip: For more information about how to create a process in Workflow, please refer to the Online Help of Workflow.