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Description
Automation Engine 12.2 introduced "Step & Repeat Tabular (Dynamic)" and "Step & Repeat Template based (Dynamic)" tasks.
These tasks are able to handle multiple input files at once and assign them to individual step and repeat grids. Input files are paired with grids based on a simple rule: the first grid is filled by the first input file, the second grid is filled by the second input file and so on.
This rule works fine for the majority of use cases but cannot handle the following cases:
- Use multiple files to fill single step and repeat grid
- Specify page range for multi-page input file to be used in your job
- Specify how many times you want to repeat the pages
The XML input file format was specified in order to address issues mentioned above. The XML file format allows specifying a run list which will be used for one step and repeat grid. The XML file will be paired with the grid using the simple rule described above.
It is possible to specify the following:
- Point to multiple single or multi-page files
- Page range for each file
- Number of repeats for each file
XML File Format Specification
| Code Block | ||
|---|---|---|
| ||
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" ?>
<RunList version="1.0">
<RunListItem>
<FileName>file://aeserver/ExampleJobContainer/ExampleJob/multi-page.pdf</FileName>
<FirstPage>1</FirstPage>
<LastPage>100</LastPage>
<Repeats>1</Repeats>
</RunListItem>
<RunListItem>
...
</RunListItem>
</RunList> |
| Note | ||
|---|---|---|
| ||
The path to the files must be provided as an URL. All non-ASCII characters must be hex-encoded. It is also important to mention that the referenced files must be stored on an Automation Engine container. |
| Note | ||
|---|---|---|
| ||
Special values e.g. "-1" can be used in case the referenced file points to a single page file. The step and repeat grid will be filled completely by content of the single page file when using this special value. There is no need to specify an exact amount of repeats. |
Examples
Fill the grid with single page files
The step and repeat grid will be filled completely by referenced single page PDF files.
| Code Block |
|---|
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" ?>
<RunList version="1.0">
<RunListItem>
<FileName>file://aeserver/ExampleJobContainer/ExampleJob/single-page.pdf</FileName>
<FirstPage>1</FirstPage>
<LastPage>1</LastPage>
<Repeats>-1</Repeats>
</RunListItem>
</RunList> |
Use page range from multi-page files
Use pages from 1 to 333 from a multi-page PDF file.
| Code Block |
|---|
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" ?>
<RunList version="1.0">
<RunListItem>
<FileName>file://aeserver/ExampleJobContainer/ExampleJob/multi-page.pdf.pdf</FileName>
<FirstPage>1</FirstPage>
<LastPage>333</LastPage>
<Repeats>1</Repeats>
</RunListItem>
</RunList> |
Links to multiple input files
Repeat the content of single page file 100 times and then print pages 1 to 333 from a multi-page file.
| Code Block |
|---|
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" ?>
<RunList version="1.0">
<RunListItem>
<FileName>file://aeserver/ExampleJobContainer/ExampleJob/single-page.pdf</FileName>
<FirstPage>1</FirstPage>
<LastPage>1</LastPage>
<Repeats>100</Repeats>
</RunListItem>
<RunListItem>
<FileName>file://aeserver/ExampleJobContainer/ExampleJob/multi-page.pdf.pdf</FileName>
<FirstPage>1</FirstPage>
<LastPage>333</LastPage>
<Repeats>1</Repeats>
</RunListItem>
</RunList> |
| Article information | |
|---|---|
| Applies to | Automation Engine 12.2 and newer |
| Created | 27-Mar-14 |
| Last revised | |
| Author | DAKO |
| CW Number | |
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