8.5

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Data bits: Select the number of data bits defining the incoming data file on this serial port. The
data bits transferred through a serial port represent the data content. This excludes the start,
parity, and stop bits: these are bits defining the beginning and end of each unit of transferred
data, as well as error detection provided by the parity bit. The majority of serial ports use
between five and eight data bits. Binary data is typically transmitted as eight bits. Text-based
data is transmitted as seven bits or eight bits. If the data is based on the ASCII character set, a
minimum of seven bits is required. If an eighth bit is used, it must have a value of 0. If the data is
based on the extended ASCII character set, eight bits must be used.
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Parity: Select the type of parity used for error detection. The parity transfers through the serial
connection as a single bit. It is used to verify that each set of data bits transfers correctly. It is then
stripped away before the data file passes through the rest of the PlanetPress Workflow process.
Select None to ignore all parity bits; no error detection occurs.
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Stop bits: Since most serial ports operate asynchronously, the transmitted byte must be
identified by start and stop bits. The start bit indicates when the data byte is about to begin and
the stop bit(s) indicates when the data byte was transferred. The start bit is always 0 to mark the
beginning of the byte, but the stop bit can be a single 1, or two bits each with a value of 1.
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Time-out: Set the time in seconds the PlanetPress Workflow process waits for the transfer of
bytes in the data file before ending the transfer of this file. On a time-out, partially received data
files are not passed to the rest of the process; the Serial input resets, ready to receive further data
files.
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Job delimiters: Enter the strings that tell PlanetPress Workflow the data file being retrieved through
the Serial input is complete. Each line in the Job delimiters text box is a different delimiter. You can
enter as many delimiters as you want, one per line. The three default delimiters that appear are three
of the most commonly recognized end of a file delimiters.
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Log (verbose): Select to keep a log of errors and other information related to the Serial input. Since
these messages can accumulate, you have the option of not logging them.
Telnet Input Plug-In Preferences
The Telnet input plug-in preferences controls the log of the PlanetPress Workflow Telnet Capture service.
Since PlanetPress Workflow lets you monitor multiple Telnet inputs simultaneously, the port setting for all
Telnet input tasks cannot be set in the Preferences.