The following case study summarizes how a smart hot folder behaves when input files are dropped into it.
Background
Company ABC has a contract to publish magazines. Input files submitted to the prepress department for these publications follow this naming pattern: Publication_Date_PubPart.extension (for example, TeenZone_040404_InCovers.eps).
The prepress operator has determined that creating a smart hot folder to automatically create a new job and process the input files will save time and effort.
The smart hot folder
When creating the smart hot folder, the operator considers two factors: which input files to accept (the source file naming pattern) and what to name the job (the target job naming pattern).
- Source File Naming Pattern: To ensure that the magazine input files are accepted, the operator writes the following source file naming pattern in the smart hot folder:
[%Name][#Date:6][$PubPart].[%Ext]According to this source file naming pattern, only input files that include the name of the publication, a six-digit date, the publication part, and the file extension will be accepted by the smart hot folder.
- Target Job Naming Pattern: The operator wants the job named according to the publication name and date. The operator writes the following target job naming pattern in the smart hot folder:
[%Name]_[#Date]Although the input file includes the publication part and the extension, these do not become part of the job name, and all parts of the publication are processed in the same job [%Name]_[#Date].
The input files
The operator is given the following three input files:
YouthZone_040404_InCovers.epsYouthZone_040404_OutCovers.psYouthZone_040404_Pages.pdf
What happens
The operator drops the first input file (YouthZone_040404_InCovers.eps) into the smart hot folder. Since the input file name matches the source file naming pattern, the smart hot folder accepts the input file.
The smart hot folder then searches for the job YouthZone_040404. Because this is the first input file dropped for this edition, there is no existing job. The smart hot folder automatically creates a new job called YouthZone_040404 and processes the input file.
The next two input files (YouthZone_040404_OutCovers.ps and YouthZone_0404004_Pages.pdf) match the source file naming pattern and are accepted. The smart hot folder then searches for—and finds—a job named YouthZone_040404. The smart hot folder moves the input files into this job and automatically processes them.
Dropping additional input files
The operator drops an input file named YouthZone_Insert.pdf into the smart hot folder. Because the input file name does not match the source file naming pattern (it is missing the date), the smart hot folder rejects the input file and moves it to the Rejected folder.
The operator drops an input file named YouthZone_040418_Pages.pdf into the same smart hot folder. The input file name matches the source file naming pattern, but it does not match the existing job name YouthZone_040404 (the date is different). The smart hot folder, therefore, creates a new job called YouthZone_040418 and automatically processes the input file.