Barcode email PDF creation from Plex John Leadbetter

Barcode, email, PDF creation from Plex John Leadbetter Soft Design Copenhagen, Denmark Session 3 L

Session Abstract Soft Design has developed a web application that allows users to create a product catalogue with pictures, barcodes etc. based on selected products, which is then emailed to the user. The solution demonstrates how to connect a lot of 3 rd party products, such as word, emailing, PDF-creation, barcode printing etc. with Plex.

Overview § Shop (www. sanistaal. dk) - 120. 000 items on stock (and in web-shop) - Tools, steel, sanitary items - $ 600 million turnover § Objective is self service - Customer selects from web-shop - Catalog/labels are mailed as a pdf document - 24/7 availability - Moving a substantial amount of business to e-trade

Infrastructure § Web-shop is developed using Plex/Websydian - RPG implemented - WAS/Domino as webserver environment - Administrator interface as a Plex Windows GUI § Following screenshots show the end product

Technical challenges (1) § i. Series is not the best choice for barcodes, grafics, e -mail, pdf. . . - I am sure it can be done, but I was on a fixed budget § i. Series is “end tier” in a Plex environment - RPG logic cannot call any other environments

Technical challenges (2) § Choice to move the catalog processes to a Win 2000 server § In order to initiate a process on the Win 2 K server, a data queue is used. - A process on the Win 2 K server waits for requests on the data queue

Chain of events 1. Shop adds a request on a dataque 2. Win 2 K server reads the request 3. An XML document is created 4. Word is loaded 5. XML document is parsed 6. VBA script sets data into the layout of. dot 7. Word prints to a pdf print driver 8. Jmail component is used to send e-mail

Shop adds a request on a data queue § Structure modelled as Entities § Abstract write & read function

Win 2 K server reads the request § Win 2 K server acts as a Win. C client § From Message. Type determines what read function to call § Mainline act as dispatcher

An XML document is created § Websydian XMLFile. Generator(s) are used § Tree structure from the point selected by the user i traversed § Win. C handles recursion

Word is loaded § Plex loads word and initiates script

XML document is parsed § VBA loads up XML parser

VBA script sets data into the layout of. dot § Data from XML is output to document § Trick: - Record macro and modify code created.

Word prints to a pdf print driver § Word prints to PDF driver - And waits until PDF file completed

Jmail component is used to send e-mail § Control is back to the Plex process

Conclusion (1) § 3 external components - Jmail, e. Doc. Printer PDF, EAN barcode - Less than $ 300 in component costs § i. Series as middle tier using data queues - If Win 2 K service is not running requests it just waits until the service starts

Conclusion (2) § Timeconsuming issues - Size of word document – needs to save and “do events” - Differences between development server and production server. (language, fix level, Word version). - Images by http just does not work in Word - Print layout ALWAYS takes time …. § Currently looking at - Style. Vision from Altova, Dynamic. PDF from ce. Te Software

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