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Table Of Contents

Description: A simple text field to document a subprocess in order to keep track of what tasks it is

performing.

Comments: A memo field allowing to comment a subprocess, again in an informational purpose.

Convert an existing process to a subprocess

To allow for maximum flexibitliy and backward compatibility with the subprocess feature, the Convert to

subprocess option lets users transform existing processes easily. This option is available whenever a Branch

task is selected; right-clicking on it will display the contextual menu, which holds the Convert to subprocess

option.

Selecting this option automatically creates a new subprocess, takes the branch and all of its children tasks and

inserts it in the new subprocess, including the branch task itself. In the main process, the branch is removed

and replaced with a GoSub action task referring to the newly created subprocess.

Note: The Branch tasks options Backup job file, Backup job information and Backup emulation, are

also automatically passed to the Subprocess, which means that, if the subprocess needs to use a different

emulation than the calling process, a Change Emulation task is required.

If any task converted into a subprocess was previously using local variables, these variables must be removed

or transferred to global variables or job information to be usable in the newly created subprocess.

A Note on BeginSub and EndSub

Every subprocess starts with a BeginSub input task and ends with a EndSub output task, both of which have

nothing to configure and cannot be replaced or deleted. The simply represents entry and exit points for the

subprocess.

2.1.5 More on PlanetPress Suite Workflow Tools and How They Work

How does PlanetPress Suite Workflow Tools actually work and what can they do?

PlanetPress Suite Workflow Tools offer a great deal of possibilities when it comes to receiving, processing and

outputting data. As service applications, they run constantly on their host computer and continuously perform

the tasks included in their respective configuration.

It is important to bear in mind that every task included in every process is automatically accomplished by the

PlanetPress Suite Workflow Tools, granted of course that the conditions required for each task to be initiated

are true. If a process is inactive or not on schedule (see Scheduling PlanetPress Watch Processes (Page 0)),

for instance, its initial input task will not be performed and every other task included in that same process will

thus not be initiated.

You could visualize a PlanetPress Suite Workflow Tool process as a set of dominoes arranged to fall over one

another. Each set begins with a single initial domino, but may then branch out in various ways. The first

domino to fall can only be the initial domino. When it does fall, it knocks over the second domino and starts a

reaction that may knock over all or only some of the other dominoes in the set. If the process includes

conditional branches, for example, then those dominoes standing on one side of the branch will stay up.

Input tasks can get data from a number of sources. For example, a task might retrieve data from a database

using an SQL query, or from a print job received from a UNIX or AS/400 computer using the LPR/LPD

protocol.

Action tasks can manipulate the data in many ways. For example, a task can strip the data of its printer

control characters, since those are unnecessary when printing to PostScript devices, or add a line of data that

indicates the current date. You may use an action task to split a data file containing information on all

customers into smaller files that only contain information on individual clients.

Understanding PlanetPress Suite Workflow Tools - Key Concepts