Connect settings

Specify the location of a third-party application script or hot folder that applies an action to a PDF in a Fiery JobFlow workflow.

For example, you may want to use a third-party application to enhance an image, or to convert a document created in another application, such as CorelDraw, to PDF.

Note: Scripting assumes that the user has a certain skill and knowledge level. The Connect module is intended for those users who are familiar with the basics of scripting and understand concepts such as arguments. We do not assume any responsibility for any errors that might result from a poorly written script. Fiery JobFlow does provide logs in the case of any errors so the skilled user can troubleshoot the issue.

Fiery JobFlow provides a sample of a simple script, and provides arguments, but does not provide information on how to write scripts. To view the sample, see http://resources.efi.com/jobflow/library for location of samples. Also see http://resources.efi.com/JobFlow/ConnectCookbook.

Note: You can specify either a script location or hot folder locations in a workflow. You cannot specify both in the same workflow. You can specify default settings for Connect in Admin > Module settings, but these can be edited for any workflow.

Hot Folder settings

The first use of the Connect module is through hot folders. Select the Hot Folder radio button, and specify the location of the input hot folder (where to move the job) and the output hot folder (where the result is placed). You can also specify a limit for the processing time, to prevent Fiery JobFlow from waiting endlessly for a job to show up. The input and output locations are relative to the Fiery JobFlow server. Fiery JobFlow copies the job to the specified input folder. After the action is applied, the job is placed in the specified output folder.

In the following example, the input and output locations are hot folders on the Fiery JobFlow server:

c:\hotfolders\input

c:\hotfolders\output

Network locations are supported by using the standard Windows notation for network locations:

\\server\hotfolders\input

\\server\hotfolders\output

Note: The Hot Folder in the Connect module is not a Fiery Hot Folder.

Script settings

Select the Script radio button, and enter the location of the script you want to use.

To support user-defined scripts, Fiery JobFlow provides all the necessary information required to process a job using a script. Fiery JobFlow provides the following arguments:

Input Location: a temporary location where Fiery JobFlow will makes the file available for processing.
Output Location: temporary location where Fiery JobFlow waits for the processed file to be copied.
Job Name: the job name as shown in Fiery JobFlow.
Workflow Name: the name of the workflow where the script was initiated.
Preflight Name: location of the last preflight report generated in that workflow.

Arguments do not have names and you must tell the script in what order to interpret the arguments.

If there is an error executing a script on a job, Fiery JobFlow provides a link to an error log in the Error Jobs pane of the Jobs tab. Fiery JobFlow does not provide information on how to correct the script. The skilled user should be able to use the information provided in the log to correct the script.