We need to take single PDF files of varying number of pages and for different print runs and each PDF contains just one letter. These need to be sorted based upon the filename and the combined so all letters of 1 type go into a merged PDF with many letters in for printing and inserting. Each page of these need a 2D bar code for the inserting machine containing the information when to insert the pages into the envelope.
We have been doing this by using Datamapper, create print content(based upon pdf), create job and finally create output with the 2D barcode in place and doing this for every PDF. These finished PDF’s are then merged. This is very slow and we need to do many about 10,000 in a couple of hours and we need a faster method.
I was thinking that we could just create the Metadata from the filename as a combination of Create Meta then scripts and job info to get the metadata and then use this on the Create Job, create output but it is not working as I get various errors with the metadata - it is obviously not intended to work this way.
Is it possible to just create the required metadata and apply an output to create the barcode without using the rest of the designer plug ins?
Is there a better way to do this?
Thanks
NIgel
You will have to pass through the basic steps in the normal order (Execute Data Mapping, Create Print Content, Create Job, Create Output) but you might be able to optimize your workflow a little by only running the final three steps once per set, rather than once per file.
So you’d perform your Data Mapping on all of the individual files to get the information into the database. Then run Set Properties to tag all of the records as a set. Since you’re sorting on the PDF filename as well, you might consider leaving a blank Filename entry in your datamapping and using Set Properties to insert the filename directly into the data. You’ll be able to sort on this later in your Create Job preset.
When all of your records are in and ready to be used, you’d call the Retrieve Items plugin to get all of the records with your tag in one batch. You’d then be able process the entire run into a single PDF, rather than generating thousands of PDFs that you then need to merge into a single document.
More info about the Set Properties plugin: PlanetPress Workflow Workflow 8.6.1 User Guide
and the Retrieve Items plugin: PlanetPress Workflow Workflow 8.6.1 User Guide
Hello
Thanks for your pointers on this but I could still do with some more help please.
I am setting 2 fields for the Record Set - RS_Filename and RS_Letter so I can sort on letter type. This is in a workflow that just consists of an Input folder, datamapper and the Set properties - there is no loop of folder listing so I assume the data is stored allowing me to search on the Retrieve Items plug in. However I don’t seem to get anything returned below are the screen shots of the Set and Retrieve.
Any help much appreciated.
Nigel
Check your condition, it should look something like this to retrieve records based on the property you set:
Name: RS_Letter
Type: Property
Operator: Equal
Value: Type1
