PRO WorkFLow Connector

Automate free cross platform flow of data, resources & job info and initiate jobs

The PRO WorkFlow Connector, a key component of the PRO WorkFlow product family, is a high performance automated solution for distributed, multi-step processing of print data streams and resources in heterogeneous environments where the software tools do not all exist on the same, or even compatible, processing platforms.

The PRO WorkFlow Connector provides two key capabilities that make the PRO WorkFlow product family a single vendor solution allowing customers to automate their document development, testing, production, mail processing, distribution and archiving processes. The PRO WorkFlow Connector:

Frees data files, resources, job tickets, other metadata and related production processes from any dependence on computing platform(s) over the document's life cycle processes
Delivers the ability to spin off jobs based on user provided template files that can be dynamically customized in the workflow

The PRO WorkFlow Connector brings significant improvements to many areas of network file transfer:

PRO WorkFlow Connector can automatically perform various data stream conversions needed to manage the platform and data format specific differences that exist between multiple tool environments. Examples include AFP reblocking, record delimiter transformations (like CR/LF delimited workstation files to z/OS variable blocked datasets), printer control character (PCC) insertion, conversion or deletion and code page translation.

PRO WorkFlow Connector automates and manages the transfer of print resources, job information and other metadata as well as the print data stream itself. Any metadata that can be described with keyword=value pairs can be transferred and utilized on the receiving end. A simple example would be the movement of AFP resource characteristics (pagedef and formdef names, form and character set specifications, etc.) from a print stream creating z/OS system to a printer owning AIX system. The range of metadata keywords and values is not predefined and can be arbitrarily extended by the user.

PRO WorkFlow Connector goes well beyond the simple transfer of data between environments. PRO WorkFlow Connector continues the workflow by using the associated metadata to customize user provided template files (such as tool parameter files) and/or tool invocation parameters, and then initiates the tool or tools used to perform additional processing. These tools could be the CrawfordTech's transform or document enhancement products or other in-house or third-party processes. Tools can be initiated via direct program execution, script invocation or (on z/OS) batch job submission.

The capabilities of the PRO WorkFlow Connector will be of particular interest to customers who need to interchange files and metadata of various types between applications running in the Widows environment and those running in the mainframe environment, as this part of the workflow market is considerably underserved with tools capable of handling the unique needs of these transactional document related applications.

The PRO WorkFlow Connector consists of separate client and server programs, which can be executed on z/OS, Windows, AIX, Solaris, HP-UX and Linux platforms allowing the users to install the software where they need it. The design goal has been to maintain a maximum degree of compatibility between versions while still offering exploitation of platform-specific capabilities (see the diagram in Fig. 1 below).

Figure 1. PRO WorkFlow Connector frees data files, resources, job tickets, other metadata and related production processes from any dependence on computing platform(s) over the document's life cycle processes

The PRO WorkFlow Connector utilizes the industry standard "Line Printer Protocol" (RFC 1179) as a network transmission protocol and can therefore interoperate with third party clients and servers, which implement the same standard. Interoperability includes support for the metadata extensions utilized by Infoprint Manager, when used in the LPD mode. The full range of enhanced capabilities is only available when both elements of PRO WorkFlow Connector are utilized in tandem. Figure 2 below presents a single instance of the PRO WorkFLow Connector.

Figure 2. PRO WorkFlow Connector spins off internal and/or external processes based on user provided template files, dynamically customized in the workflow

The power of the PRO WorkFLow Connector can be applied to the widest range of inputs and/or outputs in the industry, including Xerox LCDS/Metacode, PostScript, PDF, AFP, PCL, HTML, TIFF, Flat files, Line data, ASCII, EBCDIC and SCS.