The Connect Workflow Ribbon

The Connect Workflow Ribbon centralizes commands, organizing them into a set of Tabs, each tab containing groups of controls. Each tab on the Ribbon displays the commands that are most relevant to a given feature set. The built-in Ribbon and Quick Access Toolbar contain commands that are frequently used and convenient to keep close at hand. You can minimize the Ribbon, and choose the position of the Quick Access Toolbar, as well as the commands it displays.

  • You can minimize the Ribbon by right-clicking on it and selecting Minimize the Ribbon.
  • You can also customize the Ribbon's color scheme in the Preferences window.

The Connect Workflow Ribbon has five tabs: the Home tab, the View tab, the Debug tab, the Tools tab and the Help tab. Each one of these tabs contains a series of groups, each group holding a number of controls.

  • The Home tab includes the Clipboard, Processes, Variables, (PPS) Documents and Printer Queues groups.
    • The Clipboard group contains the typical Windows-based editing controls: Cut, Copy, Paste, Select All, Delete.
    • The Processes group contains controls allowing to insert new processes of any type as well as controls to converts, activate or branches processes (see About processes and subprocesses).
    • The Variables group contains two controls to insert either Global variables available throughout the entire configuration, or Local variables available to the current process only (see About variables).
    • The Documents group contains the controls used to insert, refresh, update or delete PlanetPress Design documents and document instances (see PlanetPress Design documents).
    • The Printer Queues group contains controls to set up printer queues of any type, as well as replace any existing queues (see Connect Workflow printer queues).
  • The View tab includes the Arrange, Navigate and Show/Hide groups.
    • The Arrange group contains the Group/Ungroup, Sort by Name and Order controls, allowing to reorder objects in the Configuration Components pane. It also includes the Undo/Redo controls, as well as a Rename control, to modify a given component's name.
    • The Navigate group contains a Processes control to select any existing process of the currently loaded configuration, as well as a Highlight control to mark a given node, a Zoom Out for a quick overview of the currently selected process, a Go to Child/Go to Parent to move around a given process logical nodes (branches or conditions) and a Collapse/Expand, Collapse All and Expand all to collapse or expand branches and conditions in a process.
    • The Show/Hide group contains four controls to display or hide any of the four panes; the Configuration Components pane, the Object Inspector pane, the Message pane, the Debug Info pane and the Plug-in Bar.
  • The Debug tab includes the Data, Debug and Debug Messages groups.
    • The Data group allows to associate a sample data file to the currently selected process, as well as update or replace it, and display it in its text/PDF or Hexadecimal format.
    • The Debug group contains the debugger's controls, allowing to execute a process step by step, skipping over or ignoring certain tasks, as well as setting up breakpoints and resetting variables values. This group also includes the Send Configuration button, necessary to push the current configuration to the Connect Workflow service.
    • The Debug Messages group contains two controls to either clear or save the contents of the Messages pane.
  • The Tools tab includes the Managers, Services and Test Page groups.
    • The Managers group:
      • The Install PostScript Font control allows to install a PostScript font into your Connect Workflow installation. This feature is specific to PlanetPress Suite.
      • The Virtual Drive Manager control loads the Virtual Drive Manager. This feature is specific to PlanetPress Suite.
      • The Access Manager control loads the Access Manager, allowing to grant/remove permissions to hosts.
      • The Check for updates control, used to update the current Connect Workflow version.
      • The Launch Upgrade Wizard control, used when migrating from a previous Connect Workflow version.
    • The Services group:
      • The Services Status control allows to start, pause and stop Connect Workflow service.
      • The Configure Services control loads the Connect Workflow Services dialog to configure the user account Connect Workflow should use.
      • The Service Console button opens the The Connect Workflow Service Console, allowing to monitor real-time information on the configuration execution.
    • The PlanetPress Capture group contains:
    • The Test Page group:
      • The PS Test Page control allows to print a Status Page for the selected printer queue. Note that if no printer queue is selected in the Configuration Components pane, the control is disabled.
      • The Text Test Page control allows to print a raw text test page for the selected printer queue. If no printer queue is selected in the Configuration Components pane, the control is disabled.
  • The Help tab includes the Help, Activation and License groups.
    • The Help group contains the User Guide, the Reference Guide and the About controls, used to access online documentation and version information.
    • The Activation group contains the Software Activation and Printer Activation controls, used to enter activation codes for either the software (all users) or a given device (PlanetPress Suite users)
    • The License group contains a link to the PlanetPress Capture License Management.