Submitting a batch of input files manually

You can group two or more input files that are in an input device directory together and process them together, either as a single job or a collection of jobs.
If the Batching method property is set to Batch, you must always submit jobs manually. If the Batching method is set to a value such as Time or Number of pages, use this procedure to submit files as a job before the requirements for batching are met.

For example, an input device usually waits to receive 1000 PDF pages before it submits a job. At the end of the day, there are only 650 PDF pages in the input device. You want to start processing those pages before you leave, so you use this procedure to submit those pages manually.

    Note:
  • You can submit all the input files in an input device with the Batch all action on the input device as long as the Batching method is not JDF or Pattern. The Batch all action does not wait for the Polling interval to be reached before creating the jobs.

To manually submit a group of input files:
  1. In the Input Devices portlet, right-click the input device whose input files you want to batch together and select Show Files.
    You see a list of all input files for the selected input device.
  2. Select two or more files whose status is not Error.
    If the Batching method is Number of sets, Pages in sets, or Sets by time, select all the files for each set.
  3. Click Make Batch.
  4. Click OK.
  5. Click CLOSE.
The files are submitted to a workflow based on the batching settings for the input device. If the Batching method is Number of sets, Pages in sets, or Sets by time, only complete sets are submitted. The completed sets are combined and submitted as a single job.

If the Create .zip file property is set to No, a child job is created for each input file you selected. A parent job is submitted to keep the child jobs together as a group. If the Create .zip file property is set to Yes, the files are combined in a ZIP file and submitted as a group.