Simple Layouts from a Hot Folder

The basic hot folder capability included in Wasatch SoftRIP can be configured to print rows whenever enough files have been received to fill the width of the media. (This is called "Single Row Nesting" on the user interface.) This has a number of limitations. On many devices, a certain amount of media is forced out after each row is printed and on some there can be a long delay after each print. On others, a cutoff cannot be disabled, even though it may not be needed. In other situations, there may be issues with finishing marks for Fotoba or other devices.

The script below uses Automation Option to create a customized hot folder, which will group pages of a fixed size into layouts of a fixed number of columns and rows. All the embedded numbers are clearly marked and easy to edit for a variety of situations.

Arriving files are output in these layouts, or after the expiration of a "time out", to ensure everything is output even if it doesn't fit neatly into the requested layouts. Another fairly-simple edit could print test strips, or identifying information, at the top and or bottom of every layout. Other edits can make this script useful in common light manufacturing scenarios such as this:

Python 3 Source Code

# Customized hot folder to generate simple layouts in Python 3
#
# This script will place items of constant size into rows and columns for output in a single layout.
#
# Output in a single layout can have manu
#
# A layout will be printed when either enough items have arrived, or a timeout expires.
#
# All dimensions, gaps, times, columns, and timeouts, are at the top of this script and easy to edit.
#
# The sample numbers below group 8.5X11 inch pages into layouts of two columns by five rows
#
import os
from os import listdir
from os.path import isfile, join
import urllib.request
import time

wasatchSoftRIP = '127.0.0.1:80'  # localhost - edit this to address your Wasatch SoftRIP

# all three folders must exist and be accessible - name them whatever you like
hotFolder = "/00temp/incoming" # this is the hot folder
suspenseFolder = "/00temp/layout" # this folder holds files for printing
layoutFolder = "/00temp/finalLayout"  # layouts are assembled here

frequency = 10 # seconds - check hot and suspense folder every 'frequency' seconds

printTimeout = 600 # seconds - if there is something in suspence, and nothing has printed in this many seconds, push out the print

itemsPerLayout = 10  # print layout every time this many items are accumulated
columns = 2 # lay out items in this many columns

printUnit = 1
copiesToPrint = 1

# layout dimensions
leftMargin = 0
topMargin = 0
pageWidth = 8.5
pageHeight = 11.0
horizontalGap = 0.25
verticalGap = 0.5

# end of the magic numbers that control dimensions, gaps, times, columns, and timeouts

def printLayout():
    url = 'http://' + wasatchSoftRIP + '/xmlSubmission.dyn?'
    data = '<WASATCH ACTION=JOB><PRINTUNIT>' + str(printUnit) + '</PRINTUNIT>'
    data += '<LAYOUT NOTES="From Hot Folder">'
    data += '<Copies>' + str(copiesToPrint) + '</Copies>'
    x = leftMargin
    y = topMargin
    count = 0
    for f in listdir(suspenseFolder):
        try:
            os.rename(join(suspenseFolder, f), join(layoutFolder, f)) # move (don't copy) the file from suspense to layout folder
        except:
            print("Did not process " + join(hotFolder, f));
        
        data += '<PAGE XPOSITION=' + str(x) +' YPOSITION=' + str(y) + '>'
        data += '<FILENAME>' + join(layoutFolder, f) + '</FILENAME>'
        data += '<DELETEAFTERRIP source=true /> <DELETEAFTERPRINT />'
        data += '<Copies>0</Copies></PAGE>'
        x += pageWidth + horizontalGap
        count = count + 1
        if(count >= columns): # return to left margin, and advance vertically
            x = leftMargin
            y += pageHeight + verticalGap
            count = 0
    
    data += '<DELETEAFTERPRINT /></LAYOUT></WASATCH>'
    url += urllib.parse.quote_plus(data)  # escape all special characters in data
    try:
        p = urllib.request.urlopen(url)
        mybytes = p.read()
        p.close()
        print("Success")
    except:
        print("Failure")

def checkHotFolder():
    for f in listdir(hotFolder):
        if isfile(join(hotFolder, f)):
            try:
                os.rename(join(hotFolder, f), join(suspenseFolder, f)) # move (don't copy) the file from hot to suspense folder
            except:
                print("Did not process " + join(hotFolder, f));

lastPrintAction = int(time.time())  # initialize timeout

def checkSuspenseFolder():
    count = 0
    for f in listdir(suspenseFolder):
        count = count + 1
    global lastPrintAction
    if count >= itemsPerLayout or ( count > 0 and int(time.time()) - lastPrintAction > printTimeout):
        printLayout()
        lastPrintAction = int(time.time())

#
# loop forever, checking for jobs every 'frequency' seconds
#

while True:
    checkHotFolder()
    checkSuspenseFolder()
    time.sleep(frequency)  # wait this many seconds before checking again