Scheduler Trigger

To learn more about triggers in general, see section Understanding Triggers.

Scheduler trigger works as a timer that starts the execution of actions in your configuration after a time period. Use the scheduler trigger to set up repetitive automated execution of time-dependent actions.

Scheduler trigger is an active trigger. This means that it does not wait for an event change, but starts executing the assigned actions as soon as the defined time interval ends.

Example

Typical usage: An ERP system produces 6000 packaging label files daily. Automation prints the labels, and stores the used label files in a dedicated directory. Due to a large number used label files, the company needs to set up automated purging of files that are older than 48 hours. Automation uses the scheduler trigger to delete the obsolete label files.

Scheduler trigger automatically takes daylight saving time (DST) clock changes into account. The trigger always takes current system time as a reference:

  • On the DST starting date (summer), the trigger executes at the first hour that is past the hour of the missing defined time.

    Example

    Scheduler trigger time is set for 2.30 h. Clock jumps from 2.00 h to 3.00 h. The trigger executes at 3.00 h summer time.

  • On the DST ending date (winter), the trigger executes only at the first occurrence of the defined time.

    Example

    Scheduler trigger time is set for 2.30 h. Clock jumps from 3.00 h to 2.00 h. The trigger has already executed. It does not activate the actions again when the clock is 2.30 h winter time.

General

This section allows you to configure the most important trigger settings.

  • Name: Specifies the unique name of the trigger. The names helps you distinguish between different triggers when you configure them in Automation Builder, and later when you run them in Automation Manager.

  • Description: Allows you to describe the role of this trigger. Help the users with a short explanation about what the trigger does.

Recurrences

Use recurrences to define how often should the scheduler trigger event repeat.

  • Execute trigger: sets the trigger repetition time interval.

    • Every (X) seconds/minutes/hours sets the trigger event repetition time in the available time units. Define the interval length under Seconds/Minutes/Hours (X).

    • Daily repeats the trigger event every day at the selected time. Define the time of daily repetition under Time:.

    • On specific days repeats the trigger at the defined time of the selected day(s). Set the repetition using Time: and days.

    Note

    Define the time values in 24-hour format.

Other

Options in the Feedback from the Print Engine section specify communication parameters that allow you to receive print engine feedback.

  • Supervised printing: Activates synchronous printing mode. Use it whenever you want to send the print job status back to the third party application. For more information, see section Synchronous Print Mode.

Options in the Data Processing section specify if you want to trim the data so that it fits into a variable, or ignore the missing label variables. By default, reports errors and breaks the printing process if you try to save values that are too long in label variables, or try to set values for non-existing label variables.

  • Ignore excessive variable contents: truncates data values that exceed the length of the variable as defined in the label designer to make them fit. This option is in effect if you are setting variable values in filters, from command files, and when you are setting values of trigger variables to label variables of the same name.

    Example

    Label variable accepts 5 characters at maximum. With this option enabled, any value longer than 5 characters is truncated to the first 5 characters. If the value is 1234567 ignores digits 6 and 7.

  • Ignore missing label variables: When printing with command files (such as JOB file), the printing process ignores all variables that are:

    Similar happens if you define assignment area in a filter to extract all name-value pairs, but your label contains fewer variables.

    When setting values of non-existing label variables, reports an error. If this option is enabled, the printing continues.

Options in Scripting section specify scripting possibilities.

  • Scripting language: Selects scripting language for the trigger. All Execute script actions that you use within a single trigger use the selected scripting language.

Options in the Save Received Data section specify the available commands for data that the trigger receives.

  • Save data received by the trigger to file: Enable this option to save the data received by the trigger. The option Variable enables variable file name. Select a variable that contains path and file name.

  • On error save data received by the trigger to file: Enable this option to save the data into the trigger only if an error occurs during the action execution. You might want to enable this option to keep the data that caused the issue ready for troubleshooting.

    Note

    Make sure you enable the Supervised printing support. If not, cannot detect errors during the execution. For more information, see section Synchronous Print Mode.

    Note

    Loftware Automation saves the received data into a temporary file. This temporary file is deleted right after the trigger execution completes. The internal variable DataFileName points to that file name. For more information, see Internal Variables.

Security

  • Lock and encrypt trigger: Enables trigger protection. If you enable it, the trigger becomes locked and you cannot edit it any longer. This encrypts the actions. Only users with password can unlock the trigger and modify it.