Using embedded metadata and file information

Switch allows you to use job information that is embedded inside a job, as part of the file, for example within XMP metadata, EXIF or IPTC tags. You can use this information to sort jobs, or use it as a reference in e-mail messages.

Note: Switch also supports metadata datasets stored as external files associated with the job. If this is XML, XMP or JDF metadata, then Switch offers convenient access to the metadata file content. For other file types (TXT etc.), script expressions can be used to access the file content.

Some examples of embedded metadata

Number of pages
Author
Creation date
Paper type
...

Example use cases

To decide whether or not a job must be sent to an ink optimizer, you can use the information about the paper type (coated versus uncoated) embedded inside the job; to sort jobs based on quantity, you can use the information about the number of copies...

If you want to send an e-mail notification to the customer, you can either manually enter the customer's e-mail address, or you can extract the customer's e-mail address from the job. You can also refer to the customer's reference number, or other relevant metadata.

Note: If the job was submitted via e-mail, the sender's e-mail address is automatically stored in the metadata dataset, associated with the job. So you can later extract this address to send e-mail notifications.

Variables

In Switch, metadata can be accessed by means of variables.

There are two types of variables:

Switch variables, which are not related to a particular job, such as [Swich.FlowName], [Switch.Language], [Switch.ServerName] ...
Job-related variables, such as [Job.Size], [Job.EmailAddress]...

When jobs are being processed, these variables are replaced with actual values. To see these variable values, you should run a "sample" or trial job. Refer to About sample jobs.

How to use embedded metadata in Switch

If you want to use metadata to sort jobs, you must select a Connection flow element and exclude or include jobs using Conditions with variables.

Defining a condition with variables
If you want to use metadata in e-mail notifications, you must select a flow element that supports attaching e-mail notifications to the job (e.g. Folder element) and select Define multi-line or single-line text with variables. The attached e-mail information (addresses, body text) can later be used by the Mail send tool to send the e-mail notifications.

Defining text with variables