pdfToolbox Server integration in automation systems

Instead of using pdfToolbox Server in hot folder mode, it can also be used integrated in automation systems such as Enfocus Switch. This article provides an introduction to how pdfToolbox can be used in such tools.

Enfocus Switch

Switch from Enfocus is a modular automation solution that can automate manual tasks; it includes both built-in tools (for FTP, renaming, grouping and ungrouping...) and connects to third-party tools. From the start, Switch has had a number of pdfToolbox configurators (the Switch name for the plug-ins that create a connection to a third-party tool).

  1. The list of flows (the Switch terminology for a workflow that automates a series of tasks).
  2. The list of built-in tools and configurators; at the top in the favorites section, three of the pdfToolbox configurators.
  3. A workflow featuring two pdfToolbox configurators to automatically merge PDF files into a single file and subsequently impose them using the imposition engine built into pdfToolbox.

pdfToolbox provides the following configurators for Switch:

  • Actions: runs one of the pdfToolbox actions (roughly equivalent to the functionality available in the Switchboard).
  • Profiles: runs a pdfToolbox profile or process plan.
  • Compare: compares two incoming PDF files and determines whether they are visually the same or different.
  • Impose: runs the pdfToolbox imposition engine.
  • ConvertColors: runs a color conversion using pdfToolbox.

Steps to integrate callas pdfToolbox with Enfocus Switch

Open Enfocus Switch

Go to “Help” => Manage configurators…:    

Open “Web” and search for callas:

Select the configurators you want and install them (there will be different versions of the configurators; select the ones for the callas application(s) you are using:  

Finally restart Switch:

Using the optional extension “Distributed processing” of callas pdfToolbox, jobs can be processed on other machines (Satellites). The distribution of jobs is handled by the Dispatcher. This allows to distribute the load to selected machines.

For an optimal distribution of jobs within Enfocus Switch it has become figured out, that some additional settings should be done. The “Number of slots” in the pdfToolbox Configurator is important.

First “Allow advanced performance tuning” in the properties Flow should be set to “Yes”.

Additionally the “Number of slots” in the pdfToolbox Configurator should be set to “0”. This setting gives the Dispatcher the exklusive control of the distribution ob jobs in the network and the distribution normally done by Enfocus Switch will not take place.