JDF Converter

6 minute read Last updated on July 22, 2021

JDF Converter Node

Note: This node works with Zip (JDF+PDF) files.

The JDF Converter Node is used to parse information from a JDF file then convert the parsed information into metadata. The node only accepts ZIP files that contain both a JDF and PDF file. Once a ZIP file is submitted, the JDF Converter Node unzips the file, performs the parsing operation, and then saves the job information as metadata. The parsed metadata information and PDF are then sent to the next node in the workflow.

It is recommended that the JDF submitted to the node be in AccurioPro Conductor’s JDF format. If the input JDF file is not in the recommended format, the JDF Converter Node converts the input file into the correct JDF format and parses the file.

Note: This Help file contains detailed information about supported Job Ticket Metadata and the JDF XPaths and Value Ranges. Refer to Job Ticket Metadata.

Currently, the JDF Converter Node supports the following third-party applications:

  • Agfa Apogee
  • Screen EQUIOS

Using the JDF Converter Node

Add the JDF Converter Node to the workflow by dragging the node’s icon onto the Workflow Builder canvas, and then double-clicking on the icon to open the JDF Converter Node’s window:

JDF Converter Node

  • Select the Enabled checkbox so that the process will run. When unchecked, this process is ignored. Documents pass through as if the node were not present (i.e., continue along the default or positive path). Note that a disabled node will not check for logic or error conditions.

  • In the Node Name field, enter a meaningful name for the JDF Converter Node.

  • In the Description field, enter a description for the JDF Converter Node. Although this is not required, it can be helpful to distinguish between multiple collection points. If the description is long, hover the mouse over the field to read its entire contents.

  • In the Collection options panel, check the Delete on Retrieve checkbox to delete the input files from the input location.

  • In the JDF Converter panel, the Choose an Input directory field displays the pathway to the ZIP files that will be submitted to the JDF Converter Node.

  • Click the ellipsis button (JDF Converter Node) to browse to and select an input location.

  • Click the Network Credentials button (JDF Converter Node) to add or clear the network credentials so that the Node can connect to the specified Input Directory.

  • Click the Save button to save the changes. If Cancel is selected and the window is closed, the changes are not saved.

  • Click the Help button to access online help.

JDF Converter Metadata

Once the JDF Converter Node is added to a workflow, an entry named Job Ticket is shown in the Metadata Browser.

The syntax for the Job Ticket is {job:name of job ticket attribute}. Use the Metadata Browser window (as show in the screen capture below) to choose a Job Ticket variable:

JDF Converter Node

Note: This Help file contains detailed information about supported Job Ticket Metadata and the JDF XPaths and Value Ranges. Refer to Job Ticket Metadata.

Sample of a JDF Converter Workflow

The purpose of this workflow is to parse the information in a JDF file, write the parsed information as metadata, and then send it to the Output Folder.

A detailed explanation of each node in the workflow below follows:

JDF Converter Node

JDF Converter Node: Configure the node to collect zip files that contain PDF and JDF files. If a collected ZIP file is invalid, the file is moved to the Error Folder. All collected ZIP files are deleted from the configured path when the Delete on Retrieve checkbox is selected:

JDF Converter Node

When a file is sent to the JDF Converter Node, the Author Name is mandatory and must be included in the input JDF file’s metadata.

Below is a sample JDF file that contains the Author Name. Use the following path to locate the JDF file:

  • /JDF/AuditPool/Created@AgentName XPath

.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
	<JDF Activation="Active" Category="DigitalPrinting"
	CommentURL="http://127.0.0.1" ICSVersions="IDP_L1-1.0 Base_L3-1.0"
	ID="n170802_114943875_000137" JobID="001"
	JobPartID="170802_114943875_000138" MaxVersion="1.3"
	SettingsPolicy="BestEffort" Status="Ready" Type="Combined"
	Types="LayoutPreparation Imposition Interpreting Rendering DigitalPrinting"
	Version="1.2" xmlns="http://www.CIP4.org/JDFSchema_1_1"
	xmlns:kmbs="http://www.konicaminolta.com/KMBS_JDFExtension_1_1"
	xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xsi:type="Combined">
	<Comment/>
  	<ResourcePool>
		<Media Class="Consumable" Dimension="612 792"
  			ID="r170802_114943875_000139" MediaColorName="Yellow" Status="Available">
  			<Location LocationName="AutoSelect"/>
		</Media>
		<LayoutPreparationParams Class="Parameter"
  			ID="r170802_114943875_000140" Sides="OneSidedFront" Status="Available"/>
		<RunList Class="Parameter" ID="r170802_114943876_000141" NPage="4" Status="Available">
  			<LayoutElement>
    			<FileSpec URL="Testfile.pdf"/>
  			</LayoutElement>
		</RunList>
		<InterpretingParams Class="Parameter" ID="r170802_114943876_000142"
  			PrintQuality="Normal" Status="Available"
		      kmbs:EnableStrokeAdjust="False" kmbs:UseCIEColor="False" kmbs:UseDeviceToneCurve="False">
  			<ObjectResolution NoOp="true"/>
		</InterpretingParams>
		<RenderingParams Class="Parameter" ID="r170802_114943876_000143" Status="Available"/>
		<DigitalPrintingParams Class="Parameter" Collate="Sheet"
  			ID="r170802_114943877_000144" OutputBin="SystemSpecified"
  			PageDelivery="SameOrderFaceDown" Status="Available"
 			 kmbs:ExternalFinisherInlineMode="false" kmbs:GlossMode="False">
  			<MediaRef rRef="r170802_114943875_000139"/>
		</DigitalPrintingParams>
		<Component Class="Quantity" ComponentType="FinalProduct"
  			ID="r170802_114943877_000145" Status="Unavailable"/>
		<kmbs:UserAuthentication kmbs:AuthenticationType="Public"/>
		<DensityMeasuringField Center="0 0" Class="Parameter" Density="0"
  			DescriptiveName="PGPrintDensity=Level6" Diameter="0" DotGain="0"
  			ID="r170802_114943880_000147" Percentage="0" Screen=""
  			Separation="" Status="Unavailable" ToleranceBlack="0 0"
  			ToleranceCyan="0 0" ToleranceDotGain="0 0" ToleranceMagenta="0 0" ToleranceYellow="0 0"/>
		<ColorantControl Class="Parameter" ID="r170802_114943880_000148"
  			ProcessColorModel="DeviceCMYK" Status="Available"/>
		<Component Class="Quantity" ComponentType="PartialProduct"
  			ID="r170802_114943880_000149" Status="Available"/>
		<kmbs:ImageQuality kmbs:ColorMode="BW"/>
	</ResourcePool>
	<ResourceLinkPool>
		<MediaLink CombinedProcessIndex="0" Usage="Input" rRef="r170802_114943875_000139"/>
		<LayoutPreparationParamsLink CombinedProcessIndex="0" Usage="Input" rRef="r170802_114943875_000140"/>
		<RunListLink CombinedProcessIndex="0 1" ProcessUsage="Document"
  			Usage="Input" rRef="r170802_114943876_000141"/>
		<InterpretingParamsLink CombinedProcessIndex="2" Usage="Input" rRef="r170802_114943876_000142"/>
		<RenderingParamsLink CombinedProcessIndex="3" Usage="Input" rRef="r170802_114943876_000143"/>
		<DigitalPrintingParamsLink CombinedProcessIndex="4" Usage="Input" rRef="r170802_114943877_000144"/>
		<ComponentLink Amount="3" CombinedProcessIndex="4" Usage="Output" rRef="r170802_114943877_000145"/>
		<DensityMeasuringFieldLink CombinedProcessIndex="2" Usage="Input" rRef="r170802_114943880_000147"/>
		<ColorantControlLink CombinedProcessIndex="4" Usage="Input" rRef="r170802_114943880_000148"/>
	</ResourceLinkPool>
	<AuditPool>
		<Created AgentName="AccurioPro Conductor" AgentVersion="1.0"
  			ID="a170802_114943878_000146" TimeStamp="2017-08-02T11:49:43-07:00"/>
	</AuditPool>
	<NodeInfo JobPriority="50" TargetRoute="" kmbs:DeviceIPAddress="Noset"
		kmbs:DeviceType="GENERIC" kmbs:DocRoute="" kmbs:EXPORT="true"/>
	<CustomerInfo BillingCode="" CustomerID="" CustomerJobName="Testfile.pdf">
		<Contact ContactTypes="Customer">
  			<Address City="" Country="" PostalCode="" Region="" Street=""/>
  			<Person FamilyName="" FirstName=""/>
  			<ComChannel ChannelType="Phone" Locator=""/>
  			<ComChannel ChannelType="Email" Locator=""/>
  			<ComChannel ChannelType="Fax" Locator=""/>
  			<Company OrganizationName=""/>
		</Contact>
	</CustomerInfo>
</JDF>

If the Author Name is not included, the node displays an error message in the Activity Log of the workflow and the file is moved to the Error Folder:

JDF Converter Node

Use this process to create a zip file to submit to the JDF Converter node:

  1. Using a text editor, copy the sample JDF file noted above.

  2. Update the input PDF file name and number of pages in the PDF file at the following XPaths:

    • /JDF/ResourcePool/RunList/LayoutElement/FileSpec/@URL -> PDF file Name
    • /JDF/ResourcePool/RunList/@NPage -> Number of pages in PDF file

  3. Save the file locally as jdf_converter.jdf.

  4. Zip together the saved JDF file and the test PDF file referenced in Step 3 above.

Metadata to File Node: This node extracts the configured metadata, saves it as an XML file, and then sends the file to the next node in the workflow. Follow these steps to configure the Metadata to File Node:

  1. Open the Metadata to File Node by double-clicking the node’s icon.
  2. Make sure the Enabled checkbox is selected.
  3. In the Output Settings panel, select the Output the original file checkbox, and then select XML (*.xml) from the Metadata file format drop-down.
  4. In the Metadata file extension panel, select the Output File extension plus metadata file extension radio button.
  5. In the Select metadata to extract panel, select the Job Ticket checkbox.
  6. Click Save to apply the changes.

JDF Converter Node

Output Folder Node: Once all workflow processes have been successfully applied, a job is routed to the folder path configured in the Output Folder Node.

The output metadata that follows is based upon the settings noted in the previous sections of this document:

<file size="19497" ctime="0" mtime="1501700034">
	<meta group="job" name="audit.agentname">
		<document>AccurioPro Conductor</document>
	</meta>
	<meta group="job" name="audit.agentversion">
		<document>1.0</document>
	</meta>
	<meta group="job" name="audit.timestamp">
		<document>2017-08-02T11:49:43-07:00</document>
	</meta>
	<meta group="job" name="collate">
		<document>ON</document>
	</meta>
	<meta group="job" name="colormode">
		<document>Color</document>
	</meta>
	<meta group="job" name="colormode.hq">
		<document>OFF</document>
	</meta>
	<meta group="job" name="copy">
		<document>3</document>
	</meta>
	<meta group="job" name="customer.commentURL">
		<document>http://127.0.0.1</document>
	</meta>
	<meta group="job" name="file.URL">
		<document>Testfile.pdf</document>
	</meta>
	<meta group="job" name="name">
		<document>Testfile.pdf</document>
	</meta>
	<meta group="job" name="offset">
		<document>OFF</document>
	</meta>
	<meta group="job" name="orientation">
		<document>Portrait</document>
	</meta>
	<meta group="job" name="paper.color">
		<document>Yellow</document>
	</meta>
	<meta group="job" name="paper.h">
		<document>792</document>
	</meta>
	<meta group="job" name="paper.holetype">
		<document>OFF</document>
	</meta>
	<meta group="job" name="paper.source">
		<document>Auto</document>
	</meta>
	<meta group="job" name="paper.w">
		<document>612</document>
	</meta>
	<meta group="job" name="pps">
		<document>OFF</document>
	</meta>
	<meta group="job" name="printtype">
		<document>One-Sided</document>
	</meta>
	<meta group="job" name="priority">
		<document>Normal</document>
	</meta>
	<meta group="job" name="ringbinding">
		<document>OFF</document>
	</meta>
	<meta group="job" name="ticket.file">
		<document>C:\ProgramData\Konica Minolta\conopsd\var\blox\node_2\tmp.d\0000Y_export_1501699783878_2.jdf</document>
	</meta>
</file>