AccurioPro Conductor Connector

The AccurioPro Conductor Connector Node is no longer actively supported, but current licenses remain fully-functional.

The AccurioPro Conductor Connector Node is used to submit the job (JDF+PDF) to an AccurioPro Conductor Hot Folder. Documents are sent to an AccurioPro Conductor Hot Folder via an automated workflow then submitted to AccurioPro Conductor via the Hot Folder.

This node handles input in one of two ways. If the JDF file path is specified in the metadata of the input file, then the JDF file is submitted. If the file path for the job ticket file is NOT specified in the metadata or if the job ticket is in some other format other than JDF (e.g. JSON/XML), a JDF file is created applying the JDF default values. Once the JDF is created, it is updated with the metadata job information and then submitted.

Note: This Help file contains detailed information about supported Job Ticket Metadata and the JDF XPaths and Value Ranges. Refer to Job Ticket Metadata. When launched, the Metadata Browser window displays the pre-defined Job Ticket Metadata, the system-defined variables (such as Date, File, System and User info), and the metadata values from the active node.

Using the AccurioPro Conductor Connector Node

Note: To configure the AccurioPro Conductor Connector Node, a Hot Folder must be created using the AccurioPro Conductor before configuring this node. For complete details about this, see the Hot Folders chapter of the AccurioPro Conductor help file which can be launched when the APC application is open.

Add the AccurioPro Conductor Connector 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 AccurioPro Conductor Connector Node’s window:

Specify the AccurioPro Conductor Connector’s Hot Folder details in this window.

• 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 AccurioPro Conductor Connector Node.

• In the Description field, enter a description for the AccurioPro Conductor Connector Node. This is not required, but can be helpful with multiple collection points. If the description is long, hover the mouse over the field to read its entire contents.

• In the AccurioPro Conductor Connector panel, enter the following information to access the AccurioPro Conductor Hot Folder:

  • Host Name/IP Address: Enter either the host name (i.e., mysubdomain.domain.com) or the IP address (i.e., 10.10.220.110) of the AccurioPro Conductor Server.

  • APC Hot Folder Name: The Hot Folder is stored on the AccurioPro Conductor server. Enter the name of the Hot Folder to which the zip files need to be uploaded.

  • APC Hot Folder User Name: Enter the login credentials for AccurioPro Conductor Server. The default user name displays as smbuser.

  • APC Hot Folder Password: Enter the password used to access the user account of the AccurioPro Conductor Server.

• When finished, select the Test Connection button to make sure the connection to the AccurioPro Conductor Server functions as expected.

• 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.

Sample of an AccurioPro Conductor Connector Workflow

The purpose of this workflow is to extract job ticket information from the Job Ticket file and submit it to AccurioPro Conductor.

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

Input Folder Node: Configure the Input Folder to collect XML job tickets and forward them to the Job Ticket Parser: XML Node. The forwarded XML job ticket files contain the job ticket attribute information. Below is a sample job ticket that contains the chapter information:

<Ticket>
	<Name>Sample XML Job</Name>
	<Quantity>5</Quantity>
	<Media>
		<Color>Yellow</Color>
	</Media>
	<Src>C:\Temp\Testfile.pdf</Src>
	<File>file</File>
	<PageException>
		<PerPageSetting>
  			<PageRange>1-5</PageRange>
  			<Media>
    			<PaperName>A4</PaperName>
  			</Media>
		</PerPageSetting>
	</PageException>
</Ticket>

Job Ticket Parser: XML Node: If the document is formatted as XML, the XML information is converted to job ticket metadata and sent forward in the workflow. If a document is not formatted as XML, that document is moved to the Error Folder.

Use this process to map an XML job ticket:

1. Open a text editor then copy the sample XML code noted is the sample job ticket above.

2. The Source Path <Src> noted in the sample job ticket needs to be changed so that the path is valid.

3. Save locally as XML_Apcc_Connector.XML.

4. Double-click on the Job Ticket Parser: XML Node. The settings screen opens.

5. In the left panel, set the following values:

   • Enabled checkbox: Select to enable the node to accept jobs
   • Node Name: Assign a name value to the node in the text field
   • Measurement unit: Select the radio button that corresponds to the measurement unit required for the node.

6. In the Job Ticket Reference panel (far-right), locate the Open icon:

   

7. Click the icon. On the screen that opens, navigate to and select the file saved in Step 3 above (XML_Apcc_Connector.XML).

8. When the file opens, its contents (or XPaths) display in the Job Ticket Reference panel (far-right).

9. In the Category panel (far-left), click on Job Settings. The Parameter Name, Metadata Keys, and Job Ticket Paths columns display in the main panel:

   

10. Values from the Job Ticket Reference panel need to be moved to the Job Tickets Paths column, to the open cell that corresponds to the value’s Parameter Name.

11. Drag-and-drop /Ticket/Name to the Job Ticket Paths cell of the Job Name row.

12. In the Category panel (far-left), click on Basic Settings. The Parameter Name, Metadata Keys, and Job Ticket Paths columns display in the main panel:

    

13. Values from the Job Ticket Reference panel need to be moved to the Job Tickets Paths column, to the open cell that corresponds to the value’s Parameter Name.

14. Drag-and-drop /Ticket/Quantity to the Job Ticket Paths cell of the Copies row.

15. Drag-and-drop /Ticket/Media/Color to the Job Ticket Paths cell of the Paper Color row.

16. In the Category panel (far-left), click on Inter Sheet Settings. The Parameter Name, Metadata Keys, and Job Ticket Paths columns display in the main panel:

    

17. Drag-and-drop /Ticket/PageException/PerPageSetting/PageRange to the Page Range Path 1 cell.

18. A value from the Job Ticket Reference panel needs to be moved to the Job Tickets Paths column, to the open cell that corresponds to the value’s Parameter Name.

19. Drag-and-drop /Ticket/PageException/PerPageSetting/Media/PaperName to the Job Ticket Paths cell of the PPS Paper Name row.

20. Drag-and-drop /Ticket/Media/Color to the Job Ticket Paths cell of the Paper Color row.

21. In the Category panel (far-left), click the Job Download option. The Documentation Source and Job Ticket Path: File Type fields and the Retrieve Print File Option checkboxes display in the main panel:

    

22. In the Retrieve from File Option column, select the checkboxes of all three options: Retrieve from Local Path, Download from URL, and Retrieve Encoded base64 from Job Ticket.

23. From the Job Ticket Reference panel, drag-and-drop /Ticket/Src to the Documentation Source field.

24. From the Job Ticket Reference panel, drag-and-drop /Ticket/File to the Job Ticket Path: File Type field.

25. Once these actions are completed, the screen will appear as shown in the image above.

26. Click Save to apply the changes to the node.

AccurioPro Conductor Connector Node: The AccurioPro Conductor Connector Node generates the job ticket, and then sends the PDF and job ticket info to AccurioPro Conductor. From there, the documents may be printed. If any of the metadata values noted below are invalid, then the PDF file is moved to the Error Folder 2.

• Copies > job:copy
• Offset Copies > job:offset.copy
• Offset Pages > job:offset.pages
• Paper Weight > job:paper.weight
• PPS Paper Weight > job:paper.weight[]
• PPS Number of Inserts > job:paper.copies[]

If any metadata value not noted in the list above is invalid, an error message is sent to the Activity log. The job, however, continues moving forward. A job ticket is generated and it and its PDF file are moved to AccurioPro Conductor.