2020.1

originates from many different sources (as many as the input tasks support), parts of it can be
stored in variables, and it is always accessible by the task that currently handles it.
Data is referred to in tasks using data selections; see "Data selections" on page53. Data
selections let you use data in file names, for example, or store them in a variable or in the Data
Repository for use later on.
While creating a process, you will need a sample data file to make data selections from it and to
debug the process with it. For more information about sample data files see "Sample Data" on
page70.
Note
Null characters present in the data may not be displayed properly when using the PReS
Workflow Configuration tool, and they may also be printed differently by different printers.
To ensure consistency, you should consider filtering out such characters.
About documents and variable data
"Variable data" is data that is meant to be merged with a document or template.
In PReS Connect, variable data is usually retrieved from a data file (the job file) using the
OLConnect Execute Data Mapping task. This task uses a data mapping configuration file,
created with the DataMapper, to produce a record set. A data mapping configuration contains a
data model. Any Connect template constructed using the same data model can be merged with
the resulting record set by an OLConnect Create Content task.
In PlanetPress Suite, Design documents are typically associated with an Output task. PReS
Workflow dispatches captured data (the job file) to PlanetPress Design documents directly. It is
therefore critical that a process and a document use the same emulation (see "About data
emulation" on page59). PlanetPress Suite users are advised to review the PlanetPress Design
User Guide, especially the Selecting an Emulation section.
Job file
Whichever source it may come from, a serial port, an e-mail message, or an LPR request, for
instance, and whatever its format, data entering a PReS Workflow process via an Input task is
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