Create a Print-to-PDF Device Connection - File Storage

You can configure Loftware Enterprise SP to send output to a PDF file and store the PDFs on the file system of a server.

Note: PDFs created through a Loftware Enterprise SP PDF device driver are read-only and cannot be edited in other applications.

Note: In a multi-site deployment A configuration of a Loftware environment that includes Loftware instances located at different sites within the same WAN. In a multi-site deployment, each Loftware instance acts as either a headquarters or a facility. of Loftware Enterprise SP, device connections can be created only at headquarters. They can be replicated to facilities by using synchronization, and they can be changed at facilities if allowed by the configuration. Remote Sites can be created at both headquarters and facilities to enable the use of a Loftware NiceLabel driver. For more information, see Using a Loftware NiceLabel Driver at a Facility.

To create a device connection to allow you to print to a PDF file, use this procedure.

1. In Devices , in the ribbon click > Device to create a new device.
2. In the Device Model dialog box, do the following.
   1. For Family, select Family Driver.
   2. For Model, select PDF.
   3. Click OK.
3. In the Connection tab, for the Connection Type select File. For more information, see File Connection Type (Print to PDF, Image, or XML).
4. Select File System as the Storage Type for the PDFs.
5. Change the File Path to the location on the server where you want the PDF files stored.

   Best Practice

   Use a UNC path such as \\Server\SharedFolder. Mapped drives are not supported.

6. Change the File Name Pattern to set how PDFs will be named.

7. Select Create Directory to have Loftware Enterprise SP create a storage folder if it does not exist.

8. Enter a Job Retry Timeout to set the time between attempts to write the file.

9. In the Options tab, configure device options. For more information, see Options for PDF Devices.
   • Select Include Label as Image to include the label in the PDF file as a single image rather than as individual components
   • In Text Box Overrun Mode, select how Loftware Enterprise SP should respond if the amount of data received for a Text Box field is more than can fit.

10. In the Advanced tab, configure the options. For more information, see Advanced Options for PDF Devices.

    • Select Image All Text Fields to have generated PDFs be WYSIWYG.

    • Enable Advanced Troubleshooting to display print stream scripting options.

11. In the Properties pane, enter a Description of the device.
12. In the ribbon, click Save and then enter a Device Name in the Save dialog box.
    Characters permitted in names

    The following characters are permitted in the name: letters, numbers, parentheses, square brackets, ampersands, plus signs, commas, semi-colons, and tildes. Additionally, the following characters are permitted but cannot begin or end the name: spaces, double quotation marks, single quotation marks, hyphens, underscores, periods, and grave accents. For letters, the case that you specify is displayed, but case is ignored when Loftware Enterprise SP interprets a name. If you will be installing the Loftware Enterprise SP application on a computer running Windows Server, and transferring data between Loftware Enterprise SP instances, see the "Transferring Data in a Compressed File" section of the Loftware Enterprise SP Data Transfer Guide.

13. If you will be sending multiple jobs in quick succession through this device connection, you should create or update the following system property:

    • Namespace: deviceManagement
    • Key: force.dedicated
    • Value: true

    For more information, see View and Update System Properties

Important! Whenever you add a new device, data service, integration, or facility, you must ensure that the service is activated on all Loftware Application Servers on which it should be available to run and started on at least one. In an environment with only one Loftware Application Server, these types of services are automatically activated and started when they are created. For more information, see High Availability with Distributed Services.