Accessing XML files from your job ticket workflow

If you decided to use a set of XML files as input to an ApplyXSLTransform step, this procedure explains how to access the files. The XML files store the information required to process each item ordered at your MarcomCentral store.

To create the XML files, follow the instructions in the related task for planning how to process orders from your MarcomCental store. That task includes a sample XML file with the information required to print a brochure.

The sample MarcomProcessJobTicket workflow uses a set of two XML files as input to the ApplyXSLTransform2 step in the Receive phase.

  • Each XML file contains the processing information for an item. The MarcomCentral SKU ID identifies each of the two items and associates each item with the XML file that contains its processing information. The name of each XML file includes the value of the SKU ID for the item: SKU13933967.xml or SKU15302443.xml.
  • The job ticket for each item contains the SKU ID, which the jobticketToOverrides.xslt style sheet maps to the Custom 4 ( Job.Info.Attr4) job property. The Custom 4 job property is a symbol in the value of the Input file property for the ApplyXSLTransform2 step: SKU${Job.Info.Attr4}.xml. The step resolves the symbol when it runs. For example, if the SKU ID for an item is 13933967, the step resolves the file name to SKU13933967.xml.
  • The ApplyXSLTransform2 step uses the skuToOverrides.xslt XSLT style sheet to convert element values in the input XML file into job property values. The steps in the workflow use the job property values to process the job for the item.

This procedure modifies your job ticket workflow to access your set of XML files.

To access XML files from your job ticket workflow:
  1. Click the Workflow tab.
  2. Click the name of the workflow for processing job tickets.
  3. Optional: Disable the workflow by clicking the switch to the left of the workflow name.
    If you do not disable the workflow while you edit it, jobs that use this workflow continue to move through steps. When you save, the workflow is momentarily disabled then enabled again. Jobs that are processing in the workflow could move into error.
  4. For the ApplyXSLTransform2 step in the Receive phase:
    1. Set the Input file property to the full directory path and the symbolic name that RICOH ProcessDirector resolves to the name of one of your XML files.
      For example:
      • You name each XML file with the prefix Item followed by the SKU ID and the XML extension. Example: Item10000001.xml.
      • You map the SKU ID element in the job ticket for the item to the Custom 4 ( Job.Info.Attr4) job property.
      • Set the Input file property to <directory_path>Item${Job.Info.Attr4}.xml. If you created a MarcomItemProperties directory in the testfiles directory, set the property to /aiw/aiw1/testfiles/MarcomItemProperties/Item${Job.Info.Attr4}.xml (Unix) or C:\aiw\aiw1\testfiles\MarcomItemProperties\Item${Job.Info.Attr4}.xml (Windows).
      • When the ApplyXSLTransform2 step runs, it uses the value of the Custom 4 job property to resolve Item${Job.Info.Attr4}.xml to Item10000001.xml. The step then retrieves the Item10000001.xml file.
    2. Set the XSLT file property to the directory path and name of the XSLT file that converts elements that contain item processing information into job properties.
        Note:
      • This file was created in the procedure for planning how to process orders from your MarcomCentral store.
  5. Right-click the (1) No SKU Details connector and select Properties.

    This connector sends jobs for items that do not require processing information directly to the ContinueToNextStep step. The connector identifies those jobs by checking the Custom 4 job property. If the property does not equal any of the SKU IDs specified by the conditions for the rule, the connector sends the job to the ContinueToNextStep step.

      Note:
    • If all your items require processing information, you can delete the (1) No SKU Details connector and send all jobs to the ApplyXSLTransform2 step.

    1. If you do not use SKU IDs to access item processing information, rename the rule to something that indicates that the branch bypasses item processing information.
      For example, you can rename the rule to No Matching Item Details.
    2. Delete the two existing conditions: Custom 4 != 15302443 and Custom 4 != 13933967.
    3. Add a condition that specifies each XML file that you created.
      For example, you use the SKU ID to access the information required to process MarcomCentral items. You created four XML files. The SKU IDs that identify the files are 10000001, 10000002, 10000003, and 10000004.

      Add four conditions:

      Custom 4 != 10000001 Custom 4 != 10000002 Custom 4 != 10000003 Custom 4 != 10000004

      Apply all the conditions.

  6. If you use something other than SKU ID to access item processing information:
    1. Right-click the (2) SKU Details connector and select Properties.
    2. Rename the rule to something that indicates that the branch accesses item processing information.
      For example, you can rename the rule to Item Details.
  7. Save and enable the workflow.
Now you are ready to define a SOAP web service notification to send status to your MarcomCentral store.

Related information:

MarcomProcessJobTicket
Running the sample workflows for processing orders retrieved from MarcomCentral
Parent topic: Adding information required to process items to your job ticket workflow