When data is transferred from an MIS to the PLA software, the MIS generates job information in XML format that is specific to the MIS, and then a custom Extensible Stylesheet Language Transformation (XSLT) file changes the MIS XML files into XML files that PLA can accept.
XML generated by the MIS
The MIS must generate job information in XML format—one XML file per layout.
The format of the XML is flexible. Each MIS may have its own custom format. Typically, the format is defined in a schema written in an XML schema definition (.xsd) file. The schema defines the names, types, and relationships of each piece of information. A schema is helpful but not required.
XML required by PLA
The PLA software must receive data in XML files that conform to a specific XML schema.
For example, the PLA schema requires the XML file to identify marks with the name MarksList. The marks that you want to add must be identified with the name AddList, and they must be inside the MarksList.
The schema is installed on the server when you install PLA. It is called TargetXML.xsd and is located in the ...\Program Files (x86)\Kodak\LayoutAutomation\RBA\XML folder.
For descriptions of the elements and attributes in the schema, see the annotations embedded in the schema file.
Comparing the MIS and the PLA XML
The MIS schema usually differs from the PLA schema.
For example, the XML file from your MIS may identify all artwork with the name Artworks, while the PLA software requires you to identify artwork with the name ArtworkList.
To resolve this problem, software developers have the following options:
- Modify the MIS so that it generates XML files that conform to the PLA schema. This solution is appropriate if software developers are modifying the MIS for other reasons—for example, to make the MIS generate XML files instead of using another file format.
- Write an XSLT file that changes the XML file from the MIS into an XML file that conforms to the PLA schema.
Modifying XML with XSLT
XSLT is a programming language that can change one type of XML into another type.
Use XSLT to change the XML files that the MIS generates into XML files of a format that the PLA software supports. Each time that the MIS produces an XML file, the XSLT file reads the XML file and creates a new XML file with a different structure but the same data.
For example, an XSLT file can change the name Artworks in an MISgenerated XML file to ArtworkList in the XML file used by the PLA software.
You can create the XSLT file in a text editor, or you can use XSLT editing software.