JDF Pickup and XSLT Transform

PatBuckley · Post by **PatBuckley** » Sun Oct 20, 2013 11:25 pm

Hi,

My mission is to take a JDF from a client's FTP server, pick up the location of the PDF file from the metadata in the JDF. The next thing I need to do is be able to print out and email some components of the JDF for a factory instruction sheet and to be used as a cover sheet for the ordered books.

I don't understand how to get the URL address from the JDF pickup tool in the "Metadata refers to asset" mode, I can't get to the external data of a test JDF when I hold the exit connection. How do I do this?

I also want to be able to pull some information from the JDF to print an instructional job ticket for the print staff and also email the order information to the production manager. I have been trying to use XSLT transform but have no success with writing a stylesheet to do this. Where do I start?

Regards

Pat Buckley

Evan · Post by **Evan** » Mon Oct 21, 2013 4:25 pm

To get the external data of a JDF you should write the path URL in the Asset path field. If you want to browse your JDF to have an URL, I suggest you to change the JDF pickup tool to "Metadata is asset" then hold your JDF into a folder inside a flow.

When turning back you JDF pickup tool to "Metadata refers to asset" you will able to browse your JDF to get the "Asset path" variable using metadata-->text-->Path-->Build location path...

I have tried to get access to a file using an ftp address and it seems to work only with local path.

You may try the JDF pickup tool with "Metadata is asset" and then using the "Inject Job" configurator to get your file.

For creating document I suggest you to write text file using your JDF value instead of using XSLT transformaiton file which I don't know about a lot. To write text file, read my post "Write to file configurator using multi-lines with variable" at http://www.crossroads-world.com/en/Home ... posts&t=32.

Hope it will help you,

Evan

freddyp · Post by **freddyp** » Mon Oct 28, 2013 8:43 am

Pat,

were you successful in getting this to work? I am interested in seeing the line(s) of the JDF file that refer to the PDF.

Freddy

PatBuckley · Post by **PatBuckley** » Mon Oct 28, 2013 9:05 pm

Hi Freddy,

Yes it did work, ( Thanks Evan for helping me with this!) changing modes to be able to pickup the data out of a held file seems to work fine. I copied all the paths required to notepad to speed things up.

[Metadata.Text:Path="/jdf:JDF/jdf:ResourcePool[1]/jdf:RunList[1]/@NPage",Dataset="Jdf",Model="JDF"]

[Metadata.Text:Path="/jdf:JDF/jdf:ResourceLinkPool[1]/jdf:ComponentLink[1]/@Amount",Dataset="Jdf",Model="JDF"]

[Metadata.Text:Path="/jdf:JDF/jdf:ResourcePool[1]/jdf:Media[1]/@Dimension",Dataset="Jdf",Model="JDF"]

[Metadata.Text:Path="/jdf:JDF/jdf:ResourcePool[1]/jdf:LayoutPreparationParams[1]/@Sides",Dataset="Jdf",Model="JDF"]

[Metadata.Text:Path="/jdf:JDF/jdf:NodeInfo[1]/jdf:JMF[1]/jdf:Query/jdf:StatusQuParams[1]/@JobID",Dataset="Jdf",Model="JDF"]

[Metadata.Text:Path="/jdf:JDF/@JobPartID",Dataset="Jdf",Model=JDF]

[Metadata.Text:Path="/jdf:JDF/@DescriptiveName",Dataset="Jdf",Model=JDF]

[Metadata.Text:Path="/jdf:JDF/jdf:AuditPool[1]/jdf:Created/@TimeStamp",Dataset="Jdf",Model="JDF"]

[Metadata.Text:Path="/jdf:JDF/jdf:ResourcePool[1]/jdf:ColorantControl[1]/@ProcessColorModel",Dataset="Jdf",Model="JDF"]

[Metadata.Text:Path="/jdf:JDF/jdf:ResourcePool[1]/jdf:Media[1]/@DescriptiveName",Dataset="Jdf",Model="JDF"]

I found a not so brilliant way of creating a printed job ticket without the drama of XSLT template but it works:

Create a template pdf and inject as a job (make sure you don't delete this as you will need it for other jobs), merge with the job PDF as p1 so that it associates the JDF data with the injected page, use rename function to rename the pdf to one of the JDF fields, use Pitstop to stamp the PDF file name in the required position, repeat the process for as many times as necessary. A bit dirty but it works!

Regards

Pat Buckley

freddyp · Post by **freddyp** » Tue Oct 29, 2013 3:39 pm

Hi Pat,

There is a much more efficient method. It is not in the league of a true VDP application, but for some simple stuff I find it useful.

Create a variable set in Switch and create as many variables as you need text fields and name them adequately. The type of variable is "Text" and it is set by "Text with variables". For the value of the variables you use the correct [Metdata.Text:Path etc.] as you have done (just copy&paste them).

Then create an Action List in PitStop Pro with as many "Add object" actions as you have variables. Change them to "text", enable the use of variable names and for each one use the corresponding variable from the variable set you made. Make sure the fill property and the positioning are correct.

You still need a template PDF that you are going to inject and that contains the non-variable part.

With the above method you only need 1 instance of PitStop Server running 1 action list.

To do more complex stuff, check out Apago PDF Enhancer (there is a configurator for it).

Freddy

PatBuckley · Post by **PatBuckley** » Tue Oct 29, 2013 10:27 pm

Hi Freddy,

Thanks for that I will give it a shot, way more efficient.

Regards

Pat

PatBuckley · Post by **PatBuckley** » Wed Oct 30, 2013 4:19 am

Hi Freddie,

I've attempted your suggestion but I must have something wrong. I cant understand what part of Switch I "create a variable set" in. Is it a connection? or through the Pitstop configurator?

Regards

Pat

dkelly · Post by **dkelly** » Thu Oct 31, 2013 2:33 pm

You create variable sets in the Pitstop Server configurator

freddyp · Post by **freddyp** » Mon Nov 04, 2013 2:45 pm

In the PitStop Server configurator you have a function "Select variable set" for the "Variable set" property, but this is somewhat misleading. You use it to select the variable set alright, but you also use it to create new ones, import/export, etc. "Select and manage a variable set" would have been a better string.

Freddy