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Table Of Contents

Inputs are watchedlocations, typically folders, ports, IP addresses, email addresses, etc. Locations are polled

periodically based on the polling interval defined for each process.

Let us imagine a process that has a polling interval of 120 seconds:

• When the process becomes on schedule, PlanetPress Watch/Server performs its initial input task and

polls the input location.

▪ If it doesn’t find any data files, it waits 120 seconds and tries again.

▪ If it finds data files, it removes them from the input location and processes them. Once it has

finished processing those files, it polls the input location a second time. If it finds new data files, it

removes them from the input location and processes them. Once it has finished processing that

second batch of files, it polls the input location a third time. If it finds still new data files, it

removes them from the input location and processes them. The cycle goes on until PlanetPress

Watch/Server polls the input location and finds no new files. When this is the case, PlanetPress

Watch/Server waits 120 seconds and tries again.

• When the process becomes off schedule, if PlanetPress Watch/Server is currently polling an input

location, it will keep polling it until it can’t find any new files in it. When this is the case, the process’

initial input task will stop being performed, but any other task included in the process will keep being

performed until all the data in the pipeline has been processed.

Two input tasks do not follow the convention of pulling in data from outside sources:

• Create File input tasks generate job files regardless of the presence or absence of data files, since they

have no input location. They are therefore performed like clockwork at every polling interval and

consistently generate new job files.

• Error Bin input tasks, which are used for error management, are only present at the beginning of error

processes. They pull in jobs that failed to be correctly generated by tasks included in other processes.

As you know, all processes begin with a primary input task, which typically brings in the data that will be used

throughout the process. To add flexibility, PlanetPress Watch/Server lets you add multiple input tasks to your

processes, to bring in new data as required. Any input task that is not the initial input task is referred to as a

secondary input task.

Note that when a secondary input task is present on a given branch, be it the main branch or any other

branch, it replaces the data travelling down that branch with new data (see Initial and Secondary Input Tasks

(Page 0)).

For more information on inputs, see About Input Tasks (Page 0) and Available Input Tasks (Page 0).

Adding Outputs

Outputs are delivery locations, typically printers, folders, FTP locations, email addresses, etc. Jobs sent to a

given location may include additional elements, such as other files, attachments or job information variables.

Output tasks can generate print jobs, but also PDF files, faxes, image files, etc.

Since the data travelling down a given process may be split (using Splitter action tasks), copied (using

branches), or routed one way or another (using conditions), one process may include many outputs.

Adding Actions

Actions comprise a variety of tasks mostly performed on the data or using the data. If the action tasks

provided by PlanetPress Watch do not perform the exact actions you need, you can use Script or External

Program action tasks to create additional actions using any compatible scripting or programming

language.

PlanetPress Watch processes can include the following action tasks:

• Splitter

• Add Document

Understanding PlanetPress Suite Workflow Tools - Key Concepts