PlanetPress Workflow printer queues
The printer queues displayed in the Configuration Components pane of the PlanetPress Workflow Configuration program are not to be confused with Windows printer queues. When you start building a PlanetPress Workflow configuration it contains no printer queues. If you want Workflow to dispatch spool files to printer queues, you have to create queues in Workflow and set each one’s properties.
Printer Queue types
The PlanetPress Workflow Configuration program lets you create four types of printer queues:
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Windows Output printer queues are used to send print jobs to local or network printers. See Windows Output printer queue.
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LPR Output printer queues are used to send print jobs to printers via the LPR/LPD protocol. See LPR Output Printer Queue.
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FTP Output printer queues are typically used to send print jobs to FTP sites. See FTP Output Printer Queue.
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Send to Folder printer queues are typically used to send print jobs to local or network folders. See Send to Folder printer queue.
The properties associated with each queue will differ depending on the queue type. In the case of an FTP Output printer queue, for example, the properties include the IP address of the FTP server. In the case of a Windows Output printer queue, on the other hand, you will specify the name of a local or shared Windows printer queue.
Using Printer Queues
To send print jobs to any of those PlanetPress Workflow printer queues, you must use a Printer Queue Output task. Note that with a single task, you can send print jobs to multiple Workflow printer queues simultaneously, regardless of queue types.
Workflow printer queues have a number of unique features that make it possible to design very flexible Workflow printing solutions. A few examples:
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You could send big output files to a production printer and smaller files to the office printer, using a Condition in the print process, for example.
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These printer queues offer various automatic load balancing options; see Load balancing.
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Printer-specific commands can be added after the output has been created, to be executed before or after printing.