Edit hot folder properties and default job properties of an input hot folder

This section describes how to edit hot folder properties and the default job properties associated with an input source.

You can edit the default job properties of an input hot folder. This allows all the jobs entering through that input device to inherit those default job attributes.

To open the Input dialog, you can either right-click a hot folder row and select Properties or double-click a row in the Inputs list.

Input
The system displays the input name.
Name
You can edit the hot folder name.
Description
You can edit the hot folder short description.
State
You can click , the Enabled button, or , the Disabled button, to switch between the two states.
Input Type
Select the input type from the list. There are four possible values:
  • PDF/Postscript. The input hot folder can receive orders containing only files in PDF/PostScript format.
    Note: You can add a .zip file containing multiple files in PDF format to a PDF/Postscript input hot folder. The system creates an order containing a job for each .pdf file from the .zip package. The name of the .zip file is used as the order number.
  • XML/Control File. The input hot folder can receive orders containing both XML files and the print files referenced in the XML files. The XML file associated to an order contains one or more job references to print files present in that order.

    If one or more print files are not found in the received order, the missing jobs are set to Waiting for files state.

    If jobs that are not present at the location where the print file is specified, they are set to Waiting for files state.

    The order XML file can use http:// type file references. This file reference points to an URL on a web server.

    Important: The XML files received must have one of these extensions: .xml or .jdf. The .jdf file extension is processed by the TotalFlow BatchBuilder system as a standard XML file and must match the TotalFlow BatchBuilder internal schema.

    You must use a XSL mapping file to transform other XML type files to the TotalFlow BatchBuilder internal schema.

  • CSV. The input hot folder can receive CSV files containing one or multiple orders. You can configure the TotalFlow BatchBuilder system to convert the CSV files to XML files.
  • JMF over HTTP. The input folder can receive jobs into a specified URL as MIME packages. The MIME package contains a JMF message, a JDF file, and a PDF job file.
    Note: When the state of a job received from an JMF over HTTP type input hot folder is set to Printed, the TotalFlow BatchBuilder system send a status update notification to the Management Information System (MIS).
  • TotalFlow JMF over HTTP. The input folder can receive jobs via the URL, resulted by concatenating the system’s specific Target URL and the specified Target Device, as MIME packages. The MIME package contains a JMF message, a JDF file, and a PDF job file. The JDF file is converted into TotalFlow BatchBuilder job settings via Ricoh JTAPI library.

Click , the Expand button, to open the General section.

Keep orders together
Enable this option if you want all the jobs to be ready for batching when all the jobs/parts within the same order are complete.
Click Make jobs batchable only when all jobs/parts are complete to enable the Keep orders together option. If there are any jobs in a Waiting for Files state, all the other jobs containing print files are set to a Waiting for Files state. The jobs cannot be batched until all the jobs from the order are complete.
Default Due Time
Specify the number of days, hours and minutes to set the default due time for all the jobs received through the input hot folder.
Input Location (Directory Path)
You can edit the path or click Browse… to select the folder location. If the specified folder does not exist, a new folder is created.
Important: If you map a network drive with a read only root directory, make sure the specified folder location on the selected network drive has write access.
Mapping File
The XSL mapping file transforms the attributes of incoming orders and jobs into TotalFlow BatchBuilder order and job attributes. Using the XSL mapping file, the input hot folder is configured to transform received orders to the TotalFlow BatchBuilder internal schema. This option is available only when the input type is XML/Control File, JMF over HTTP, or CSV. The default mapping file is inputJDF.xsl when the input type is JMF over HTTP.
Target URL
Specifies the folder location where an Input System sends the MIME package containing a JMF message, JDF file, and PDF file. You must copy and paste the specified URL to your MIS system.
The Target URL is read-only and contains a Unique Input ID generated by the TotalFlow BatchBuilder system.

Click , the Expand button, to open the XML from CSV section.

Sample CSV File
Click Browse… and select a CSV file you want to upload.
Note: Click the First Row Contains Field Names checkbox if the specified CSV file contains field names.
Convert to XML
Click Generate to convert the CSV file to an XML file. To download the generated XML file, click the file name link.

When the input hot folder type is set to CSV, you can upload CSV files containing one or multiple orders and configure the TotalFlow BatchBuilder system to convert the CSV files to XML files.

Click , the Expand button, to open the File References - Inbound XML Files section.

When the incoming order XML or CSV file contains file references for job files that are located on another machine, you must provide a new file path.

To replace the file path:

  1. In the XML Order File Path field, type the file location provided in the received order XML or CSV file.
  2. Click Browse… and select the file location from a mapped network drive or another drive.
  3. Click OK.

Note: You can replace multiple file references from an order XML or CSV file.
  • Click , the Add button to add a new file reference.
  • Click , the Remove button to remove a file reference.
  • Click , the Move button to rearrange the file references.

Click , the Expand button, to open the Default Job Attributes section.

In the Default Job Attributes section, you can specify the default job properties for the input hot folder.

Important: The TotalFlow BatchBuilder system uses the following sources for the properties of the incoming jobs:
  1. The XML order file.
  2. The job properties specified in the Default Job Attributes section or in the default hot folder properties file.
  3. The job properties retrieved from the PDF job file.
If the information is not found in the first source, TotalFlow BatchBuilder uses the next available one.

Click , the Expand button, to open the Send Job Properties in Inbound File Names section.

When the input hot folder type is set to PDF/Postscript, you can configure TotalFlow BatchBuilder system to read specific job properties from the name of the job file received.

Click the Extract from Filenames checkbox to use the Send Job Properties in Inbound File Names option. The system extracts the values from the file name and adds them as job properties for each job.

To separate the values from the file name, you must select a separator type from the list. The available separator types are:

  • _ Underscore, the default value
  • - Hyphen
  • + Plus
  • = Equals
  • % Percent
  • $ Dollar sign
  • ~ Tilde

Each row specifies a segment from the file name and the job property represented. To add a new attribute, click , the Add button. To remove a attribute, click , the Remove button.

Click , the Expand button, to open the Preflight section.

In the Preflight section you can click to enable the Preflight process. The system performs PDF Preflight checks and fixes on the incoming jobs using the Profiles and Actions Lists.

Preflight Settings
Select the type of Preflight Settings you want to use. You can either use the Preflight Filters defined in Admin ⇒ Features ⇒ Preflight tab, or create and use Custom Preflight Settings.
Apply Profile
Click Browse… to open the Select Profile dialog. In the Select Profile dialog you can select a Preflight Profile from the list of Available Profiles. Click , the Refresh button to update the list of Preflight Profiles from the Preflight Database.
Click OK to save the changes and close the Select Profile dialog.
To clear the current selection, click , the Clear button.
Action Lists
From the menu, select the Action List you want to apply to incoming jobs. Click to open the Select Action Lists window.
In the Select Action Lists window you can edit an existing Action List or create a new one. Click , the Refresh button to update the list of Available Action Lists from the Preflight Database.
You can specify a unique Name for the new set of Action Lists, if the name is not specified.
Click OK to save the changes and close the Select Action Lists dialog.
To delete the selected action list, click , the Clear button.
Note: To run a Preflight process, you must specify a Preflight Profile and/or a Preflight Action List.

To save the changed properties, click OK. If you want to close the Input dialog and discard the changes, click Cancel.

To delete the hot folder, click Delete. For more information, see Delete one or more hot folders.

PitStop Server Folder
When switching from internal to external Preflight, you can reconfigure your input Preflight settings.
Select a Preflight hot folder from the list. All incoming jobs are sent to the selected Preflight hot folder for the external Preflight process.

Note: If inputs with Preflight are currently setup in TotalFlow BatchBuilder, they become disabled if you run the script to switch to or from internal TotalFlow BatchBuilder Preflight to an external PitStop Server.

For the first switch from internal TotalFlow BatchBuilder Preflight to an external PitStop Server, you must enable again the Preflight in the Admin section and adjust setup and filters.

To enable the input again, you must change the Preflight settings.

Parent topic: Managing Objects