Download to Printer

Download to Printer Action tasks are used to warn printers that the files that will be sent to them are to be stored to a specific location rather than printed. Note that each Download to Printer Action task must be followed by a Printer Queue Output task set to "pass-through", in order for it to be sent to the printer and not merged with a PlanetPress Design document.

You can use Download to Printer action tasks to send various types of files, such as attachments, documents and fonts that are used in PlanetPress Design documents that are executed directly on the printers (see PlanetPress Design documents and About printing).

For images you should rather use Send Images to Printer action tasks (See Send Images to Printer), as they provide image quality and conversion options.

Input

Any file that you wish to upload to the printer. Note that this task does not attempt to verify that the type of file being sent is compatible with the printer, or is in a supported file format.

Processing

The currently active data file is converted into PostScript.

Output

A PostScript file containing the necessary code to save the data file on the hard drive.

Task properties

General Tab

• Hard disk name and path (as required): Enter the name and path of the hard disk to which the file is to be saved (enter “%disk0%/PPFiles/Resources”, for example, to save the file to the folder [ROOT]/PPFiles/Resources located on a hard disk identified internally as “disk0”). Leave blank to save the printer’s default hard disk and path.
• File name: Enter the name under which you want the file to be saved. By default, this property is set to “%o”, so the file is saved under its original name (this is often the best choice, for items such as font files, for instance).
• File name case:
  • Do not modify: keeps the character casing of the file name as is.
  • All uppercase: changes all characters to upper case (README.TXT, for example).
  • All lower case: changes all characters to lowercase (readme.txt, for example).
• Keep file extension: Select to use extensions when saving files. When this option is selected, if the task receives a file with the “txt” extension, for example, it will keep this extension even if it renames the file (as specified in the File name box).
• Print confirmation page: Select to print the Variable content document download confirmation page when the download is successful.

On Error Tab

For a description of the options on the On Error tab see Using the On Error tab.

Miscellaneous Tab

The Miscellaneous tab is common to all tasks.

It contains a text area (Task comments) that lets you write comments about the task. These comments are saved when the dialog is closed with the OK button and are displayed in The Task Comments Pane.

Check the option Use as step description to display the text next to the icon of the plugin in the Process area.

The tab also provides an option to highlight the task in The Process area with the default color, set in the Preferences (see Colors), or the color selected or defined under Highlight color on this tab.
To revert the selected highlight color to the default color, open this tab, turn the Highlight option off and close the dialog with the OK button; then turn highlighting back on.
Highlighting can also be turned on and off via the task's contextual menu and with the Highlight button on the View ribbon.