Defining inserter controller objects

Inserter controller objects are the RICOH ProcessDirector objects that represent the inserter controllers in your installation. The inserter controller runs on another computer (for example, a Windows computer) and can manage one or more inserter devices.
You define at least one inserter controller object for each inserter controller. To specify different inserter controller properties, you create more than one inserter controller object to represent one inserter controller. After you create an inserter controller object, you associate the appropriate inserter controller object with jobs.

RICOH ProcessDirector provides sample inserter controller objects for several inserter manufacturers. You copy the supplied inserter controller object for your inserter manufacturer and modify its properties. If a different inserter manufacturer makes the inserters in your installation, you create a new inserter controller object.

To modify the properties of the inserter controller object for your environment, or to create a new inserter controller object, you need information about the inserter controller:
  • What reprint method does the inserter controller support: open-loop or closed-loop?
  • If the inserter controller uses a control file to control insertion:
    • What is the format of the inserter control file: fixed-length record (FLR), comma-delimited (DEL), or XML? For FLR format, what encoding is used (ASCII or UTF-8)?
    • Does the inserter control file require a header record?
    • Which script should RICOH ProcessDirector use to send the inserter control files to the inserter controller?
    • What are the full path names of the rules file (or files) that you have created to write inserter control files?
  • If the inserter controller writes results files after inserting jobs:
    • Does the inserter controller write a job-specific results file (that is, one results file for each job)?
    • What is the format of the inserter results file: fixed-length record (FLR) or comma-delimited (DEL)?
    • Which script should RICOH ProcessDirector use to transfer inserter results file (or files) to RICOH ProcessDirector?
    • What are the full path names of the rules files that you have created to interpret results files?

In this section:

  1. Using supplied inserter controller objects
    RICOH ProcessDirector provides inserter controller objects for several inserter manufacturers. You copy the sample inserter controller object for your inserters and modify its properties.
  2. Creating inserter controllers
    If RICOH ProcessDirector does not supply an inserter controller object for your inserter controllers, you can create one.
  3. Associating inserter controller objects with jobs
    You can associate an inserter controller object with jobs. Each job can have one associated inserter controller object.

Related information:

Inserter controller objects
Supplied inserter controller objects
Inserter control files
Inserter results files
Inserter reprint methods
Using scripts to send inserter control files and receive results files
Parent topic: Configuring the system to use inserters