Configuring to use JDF job tickets

Before you can submit jobs with JDF tickets, you must configure the input devices that receive the jobs. You also must configure the workflows that the jobs are assigned to. Printers defined as Ricoh PDF printers can manage PDF jobs with JDF tickets better than printers defined as Passthrough or Custom PDF printers can.

If you have Kodak printers that accept PDF, you can send some JDF information to the printer in the KDK data stream recommended by the manufacturer. The Cut Sheet Support for Kodak feature is required.

If you have Xerox printers that accept PDF, you can send some JDF information in the XPIF or XRX data streams recommended by the manufacturer. The Cut Sheet Support for Xerox feature is required.

Before you begin this procedure, review the supplied workflows to see if any of them contain some or all the steps that you want to include. If you find a good workflow, you can copy it and modify it to meet your needs. The workflow must contain a step based on the SetJobPropsFromTextFile step template.

    Note:
  • This step template can use an optional jobID.overrides.jdf file to set more properties on the job.

In addition, determine whether you can use a hot folder input device that RICOH ProcessDirector provides or whether the installation requires a customized input device. RICOH ProcessDirector provides several hot folder input devices that you can use with only minor modifications or that you can copy to create a customized hot folder input device.

Finally, decide which batching method you want to use. The JDF, List, and Pattern batching methods are all suitable for jobs with JDF job tickets.

To configure to use JDF job tickets:
  1. Copy and modify a workflow that contains the processing steps that you want the jobs that are submitted with JDF job tickets to follow:
    1. Click the Workflow tab.
    2. Right-click the workflow that you want to copy and select Copy.
    3. Name the copy of the workflow, fill in or edit other values that you need, and click Continue.
    4. Right-click each step and select Properties. Modify the properties as necessary.
    5. Save and enable the workflow by changing , the Save & Enable/Disable switch, to the On position.
    6. Repeat these steps if you want to create more workflows.
  2. On the RICOH ProcessDirector system, configure an input device so that it assigns the correct workflow for JDF job tickets. We recommend that you copy and rename the supplied HotFolderJDF input device, then verify or update the settings described in the following steps.
    1. Click the Administration tab.
    2. In the left pane, click Devices ⇒ Input Devices.
    3. Right-click the HotFolderJDF input device and select Copy.
    4. In the left pane, click Show all to display all the properties for this input device.
    5. Verify or update the values for these properties:
      Workflow
      ParentNoPrint
      Child workflow
      The workflow that is appropriate for the data files in the job.
        Note:
      • If you use the List batching method, select a workflow that includes a step based on the WaitForGroup step template before the PrintJobs step. These steps ensure that the jobs print in order.
      • If you use overrides files, select a workflow that includes a step based on the SetJobPropsFromTextFile step template.
      Data patterns
      One or more pattern-matching strings. The strings define the characters in the name of the data file to match with the names of other files that arrive in the hot folder. If you specify more than one data pattern, the file is considered a match if it matches any pattern. The data pattern is a regular expression.

      If the value of the Create .zip file property is Yes, only files that match the data pattern are included in the .zip file.

      Submit step
      SubmitInputFiles
    6. Verify or update the values for these properties, depending on the batching method that you want to use:
      Property Value when the batching method is JDF Value when the batching method is List Value when the batching method is Pattern
      JDF patterns A pattern that matches some part of the name of your job tickets. For HotFolderJDF, the default value is the regular expression .*\jdf$.    
      List patterns   A pattern that matches some part of the file name of your list files. By default, this value is the regular expression .*lst$.  
      Overrides patterns A pattern that matches some part of the file name of your overrides files. For some supplied hot folder input devices, this value is the regular expression .*oth$. A pattern that matches some part of the file name of your overrides files. For some supplied hot folder input devices, this value is the regular expression .*oth$.  
      Create .zip file
      • Yes: all input files that match the value set in the Data patterns property are combined as a .zip file and submitted as a single job. If the job ticket specifies different settings for different input files and the Create .zip file property is set to Yes, the settings for the first input file name in the job ticket are used for all input files.
      • No: all input files are submitted as child jobs.
      • Yes: all input files that match the value set in the Data patterns property are combined as a .zip file and submitted as a single job. If the job ticket specifies different settings for different input files and the Create .zip file property is set to Yes, the settings for the first input file name in the job ticket are used for all input files.
      • No: all input files are submitted as child jobs.
      		 No
      File pattern (1 value for each type of input file)     A pattern-matching string that defines a particular type of input file, for example, .*jdf$ for a job ticket or .*pdf$ for a print file.
      Spool file usage (1 value for each type of input file)     A value that identifies what the input file is used for, for example, ticket for a job ticket or print for a print file.
      Spool file type (1 value for each type of input file)     The file extension for the input file.
      File pattern required (1 value for each type of input file)     Whether the job must contain this type of input file.
      File pattern sequence (1 value for each type of input file)     If two or more File pattern values are the same, or if two or more File pattern properties are associated with the same Spool file usage and Spool file type values, the order in which the set of values is applied.
  3. Make sure that the new input device is connected and enabled.
  4. Submit jobs to the new input device. If errors occur, correct the errors that messages from RICOH ProcessDirector or any application that it calls identify.

In this section:

  1. Locating files
    Applications that submit jobs with JDF job tickets can either send the files along with the job ticket, or leave the files in another location on the network. The job ticket is not required to list the files that the job contains. However, if the job ticket does list the files, it can use either relative path names or absolute path names.
  2. Using a mapping file to find input files
    If you use a Job Definition Format (JDF) job ticket to submit jobs to a Hot folder device, you do not have to copy all the input files to the Hot folder. When the job ticket is placed in the Hot folder, RICOH ProcessDirector reads it and searches for the input files that it lists.
  3. Setting job properties from the JDF job ticket
    RICOH ProcessDirector can use the values that it supports in the JDF job ticket to set job properties.
Parent topic: Preparing for job submission