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DirectSmile Support Team

DirectSmile GmbH

How to Demonstrate the Integration Work

of DirectSmile Integration Server and GMC

PrintNet T Designer

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How to Demonstrate the Integration Work of DirectSmile Integration Server and GMC PrintNet T

Designer ................................................................................................................................................... 1Basic knowledge of GMC PrintNet T Designer ........................................................................................ 3

Necessary modules to create output data in GMC ............................................................................. 4

Connect each module .......................................................................................................................... 5Input database file to Data Input module........................................................................................ 5How to create page layout .................................................................................................................. 6How to insert the image in the layout................................................................................................. 8Set the Output module ........................................................................................................................ 9Generate the output file ................................................................................................................... 10Integration work with DSMI .............................................................................................................. 13Create Linked field in the database for DirectSmile...................................................................... 14Link to DSMI, Select the DSM-Set ..................................................................................................... 16Output ............................................................................................................................................... 18

Advanced Usage of GMC and DSMI ...................................................................................................... 19How to add a parameter in the request stream image URL ............................................................. 19How to request a Picture in Picture Set ............................................................................................ 23

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GMC PrintNet T Designer is a desktop application that only uses DSMI for rendering personalized

images. In this application, an image generation request will be made to DSMI via an http request

and image data will then be sent back from DSMI. The GMC PrintNet T Designer will then create

the output data. These two applications are completely separate products. Therefore, you do not

need to worry about configuring both products, because GMC comes with a great installation guide

and DSMI will be installed by the DSM Support Team.

Basic knowledge of GMC PrintNet T Designer

This is the first screen that you will see when you start the PrintNet T Designer.

At first, you will only see the menu list (on the left side) and the workflow design area (named New

Workflow). In the PrintNet T Designer, you can configure the workflow from scratch. This is

possible because of the amount of functions that are available, which allows you to create a

desirable workflow to fit your needs. As an example, I would like to describe a simple workflow in

which a postcard is created and outputted as a PDF.

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Necessary modules to create output data in GMC

There are 3 necessary modules in order to create the output data from the variable document:

Data Input

In this module you can reference the database file.

(It has similar functions as the DSM-job window)

Layout

To design the page layout, you need to use this module. You can import a document design that was

created using another application (i.e. Adobe InDesign, Microsoft Word, .rtf, etc)

Output

To create an output, it is necessary to have one of the output modules in the workflow. This module

defines the sheet size of the output, and the format you will use for the output file.

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Connect each module

After you have dropped all 3 necessary modules, you need to connect them all by dragging and

dropping them along the connection line between each of the modules.

Input database file to Data Inputmodule

By double-clicking the module icon, the data input menu will be displayed. You can then select a

database file by clicking on the 3-dot reference button.

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How to create page layout

By double-clicking on the Layouticon, the screen will change to the layout editor screen.

There you can design the layout of the document. (Similar to Adobe InDesign)

What you can do is

Define number of the document pages

Define page size

Design the layout

Assign variable text, image, etc

In this area, you can define the document size.

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In order to place the text frame, you first need to select Flow area toolfrom the left side of the tool

menu. You can then adjust the flow area to your desired size.

You can type static text in the flow area. To place variable text, you need to extend the Datatree,

and double-click on the database column located there. The variable text will automatically be

inserted into the flow area (text frame) and highlighted in green.

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How to insert the image in the layout

Select Insert Image from the Images menu content in the layout tree. Then select the image file

that you would like to place on the layout.

Once your image file is listed in the layout tree (under Images), you can drag & drop it to display it

in the layout.

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Set the Output module

Last but not least, the Output module must be configured. As with the other module, you can open

the window by double-clicking on the icon. Here you can define which output engine you want to use

and the sheet size of the output file. To define the sheet size, you must first click on the New

button on the bottom left-hand side. You can select the sheet thereafter.

Select the default output engine.

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Generate the output file

Go back to the workflow screen and start the production. You can start the production by opening

the Run Productionmenu in the workflow, or just press the F5 key.

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After the production setting window has appeared, you can determine which output directory should

be used for the output file. The file name is registered with %n.%eas part of the default settings.

This is a special code which means the following:

%n : Workflow name without extension

%e : Default extension

Click the Startbutton to begin generating.

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The output file will then appear in the target directory.

Working with the DirectSmile Integration Server

Integration work with DSMI

In order to work with DSMI, it is necessary to use the Data Transformermodule. The first step is

to drag & drop the data transformer into the workflow. Place it between the Data Input and

Layout module icons, and afterwards reconnect them.

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Create Linked fieldin the database for DirectSmile

As with the

other modules, open the window by double-clicking on the icon. The database tree, which you

assigned to the Data Input module, will then be displayed.

Here you need to create a Linked fieldfor the personalized image. First, you select a database

column that you would like to use for the personalized image. Then, click on the Creates a linked

fieldbutton at the bottom.

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You now have a new field at the bottom which shares the same name as your selected database

column. The Field Converter setting must be changed. DirectSmile is available at the bottom

of the drop-down menu. Please select it.

To link it with DSMI, please click on the 3-dot button.

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Link to DSMI, Select the DSM-Set

This is the configuration window for DSMI. You need to register your DSMIs URL, user name, and

password. After the correct login credentials have been entered, DSMI will automatically retrieve

all of this users available DSM-Sets and display them as thumbnails in the drop-down menu. You

can select any one of them from the set list.

Place the DSM-Set on the layout design

Now go back to the Layoutmodule. As with placing the static image on the design, the Image

content menu must be opened from the layout tree. Next, please select Insert Variable Image.

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After you have clicked Insert Variable Image, the images detail setting will be displayed in the

layout properties area.

Change the Variablefield to the database column that we created in the Data Transformer

module. This image will now be able to get contents from the database, which also means that it

can get the image from DSMI.

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Drag & drop the image item from the layout tree. And transform the image frame.

By pressing the F6key, you can see the document proof. The personalized image that was

created by DSMI will also be displayed.

Output

This step has the same process as the previous section. Just press the F5 key to run the

production. You only need to determine the output directory, and in which format you would like

to generate the output file.

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Advanced Usage of GMC and DSMI

How to add a parameter in the request stream image URL

It is possible to add any additional parameters to the request URL by using Data Transformer.

This way you can specify the pixel width, or a watermark, etc

Use Stack FCVsfor the Field Converter

The first step is to select Stack FCVsinstead of DirectSmilein the Field Converter menu. If you

select Stack FCVs, then you can set a chain of multiple data transformations for one column. Now,

click on the 3-dots icon next to the Field Converter selection menu.

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Create Input

Click Add a convertericon!

We need to select DirectSmile as the first transformation. After you have done so, you can select

which DSM-set you would like to use (as previously mentioned in this manual. For more

information please see page 16).

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Click on the Add a convertericon again, and select String manipulationas the second

transformation.

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Once you have created the 2nd

transformer, you can click on the 3-dots icon. Select Concatenation

in the field Type,and by doing so be able to add any parameter in the Suffix field.

These values are automatically added to the request URL later.

In this example, we added a pixel width specification and placed a watermark on the personalized

image.

Now click OK, and close the data transformer module.

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Proof

As you can see above, this personalized image has a watermark.

Lets see the URL that was sent to DSMI.

The sub-menu Data, located in the Proof menu (F6), contains the requested URL into which the

additional parameter has been written. You can also separately find the additional parameter in

the requested URL as well.

So you are free to add any parameter!

How to request a Picture in Picture Set

Of course, we can use a Picture in Picture Set with the GMC Print Net T Designer. The URL is

automatically encoded if you have specified the URL of the image file that you would like to display in

a Picture in Picture Set. That means you dont have to worry about it. Just select the column with

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the correct image file URL or UNC file path, DirectSmile as the field converter, and then the Picture

in Picture Set.

In the example below, you will see how to set up an image request that includes text for an image

frame, and the URL of an image file for a Picture in Picture frame in one http request.

Stack FCVs

First, you need to create a Linked fieldfor any column that you would like to use. Then, select

Stack FCVsas the Field Converter.

Now, click on the 3-dots icon next to drop-down menu.

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Create a new transformation with String manipulation.

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Advanced Concatenations

Very Important!!

You need to select Advanced concatenationas the type.

Click on the add a concatenationicon at the bottom. This will automatically add a new row in the

window, and select the top of the database column as the default.

With this function, you can merge multiple database columns into one. You can add the Next frame

command in the Suffixfield in order to merge multiple columns, which is suitable for requesting a

Picture in Picture Set or a set that has multiple frames.

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To edit the Suffixfield and or the Prefixfield, you can press the F2 button. Afterwards, you can

enter any text into the two fields.

The next step is adding a new concatenation and selecting the database column containing the URL

of the image file that we want to display in a Picture in Picture Set.

After you have done so, click OK and close the window.

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Go back to the Stack FCVswindow and click on the Adds a convertericon to add a converter for

DirectSmile.

Select DirectSmilefrom the drop-down menu.

Please keep in mind the order in which you put DirectSmile. If you added it last, all of the strings

above it will be used as text information for the DSM-Set. Any strings added after DirectSmile will

be used as information and added to the request URL.

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Enter your DSMI user credentials, and select the DSM-Set (in this example, we of course select the

DSM-Set that has the Picture in Picture frame)

After you selected the DSM-Set, you have reached the final step. Now, go to the Layoutmodule,

place the image frame as a variable, and check the proof of this template!

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Proof

Here you are.

As you can see, the image file is displayed as a set with text as well.

The URL of the image file was encoded as above in the request URL.

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I hope that this information will be a helpful guide for everyone who is demonstrating GMC and

DSMI


26/09/2012 updated in Berlin.

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