A hot folder is a shared folder on the PRISMAsync Print Server. You can create a maximum of 250 hot folders on PRISMAsync. A maximum of 10 hot folders can be active simultaneously. All users with the correct login credentials have access to the hot folders. Users can simply drag & drop PDF files into a hot folder to print the files automatically.
When you enable printing via hot folders, you have to enable WebDAV or SMB for the hot folders. Then, you have to select an Automated Workflow. The Automated Workflow defines how each job must be printed. Optionally, you can create a JDF ticket for each hot folder. The ticket can also define how each job must be printed.
NOTE
Print options can be defined in both the ticket and in the Automated Workflow. It is recommended that each print option is available only in the ticket or only in the Automated Workflow.
First, the system administrator has to configure the hot folders. The system administrator has to:
Enable hot folder printing in the Settings Editor.
Enable WebDAV, SMB or both for the hot folder.
NOTE
The VarioPrint i-Series only supports WebDAV.
Define the username and password. The username and password combination is valid for all hot folders.
When the hot folders are configured, the system administrator has to create a hot folder in the Settings Editor. Each hot folder requires an Automated Workflow. The default Automated Workflow can be used, or a new Automated Workflow can be created. In the Automated Workflow, you can define print options for the jobs.
The system administrator has to define a name for the hot folder. The entire UNC path to the hot folder (for SMB) as well as the entire HTTP URL (for WebDAV) are displayed in the Settings Editor.
NOTE
The name of the hot folder is case-insensitive. The name of the Automated Workflow is case-sensitive.
You can create a ticket for a hot folder when you require complex operations like page programming that cannot be achieved through Automated Workflows. The ticket can define how each job must be printed in addition to the Automated Workflows. You can create a ticket in three ways:
Generate a ticket with a printer driver of a PRISMAsync based printer.
NOTE
No printer driver is available for the VarioPrint i-Series. However, you can use the printer driver of another PRISMAsync based printer.
Use the ticket editor of the PRISMAsync Print Server to generate a ticket.
Create the ticket manually.
The name of the ticket must be "default_ticket.jdf". You have to save the ticket "default_ticket.jdf" in the hot folder on the print server. The ticket itself is never printed.
The ticket contains the defined print options except the MIME type which indicates the PDL type of the job data. The ticket must not contain the PDL type. The Automated Workflow settings or an automatic PDL type sensing will detect the PDL type.
NOTE
Print options can be defined in both the ticket and in the Automated Workflow. It is recommended that each print option is available only in the ticket or in the Automated Workflow.
Users can connect to a hot folder by mapping the UNC-path or the HTTP URL.
The user can drop print files in the hot folder. The print server prints the files according to the ticket settings. The print files are deleted from the hot folder after printing. The ticket remains in the hot folder. When there are multiple jobs in the hot folder, the jobs are printed either in alphabetical order or based on arrival time. The system administrator configures this in the Settings Editor.
When a print file is dropped in a hot folder and the ticket "default_ticket.jdf" is available in the hot folder, the print file and ticket are processed by the Automated Workflow of the hot folder. Any ticket, which is present in the print job is ignored.
When a print file is dropped in a hot folder and no ticket is available in the hot folder, only the print file is processed by the Automated Workflow of the hot folder.
The user can create a new ticket. Save the ticket as "default_ticket.jdf" in the hot folder on the print server to overwrite the existing ticket.
The system administrator can change the Automated Workflow of the hot folder in the Settings Editor. The system administrator can also assign another Automated Workflow to the hot folder.
Hot folder cannot be reached
Check if the correct path to the hot folder is used. The path to the hot folder is visible in 'Workflow - Hotfolders' in the Settings Editor.
Check if the correct username and password for the hot folder are used. The username and password can be defined in the Settings Editor.
Corrupt print file
A corrupt print file is deleted from the hot folder. The file is not printed.
A ticket is ignored and deleted from the hot folder when it cannot be processed.
Streaming
Hot folder printing does not support streaming jobs.
Connection lost during file transfer
The incomplete print file is not printed and is deleted from the hot folder.
File remains in the hot folder and is not printed
The print server needs exclusive access to the file. If an application on the host keeps the file open, the file will not be printed before the application closes the file.
Solution: Do not save files directly to the hot folder from an application.
HTTPS and WebDAV
HTTPS is not yet supported for WebDAV.
Slow response working with WebDAV resources on Windows Vista or Windows 7
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/2445570
Connection problem when adding a network connection to a WebDAV folder in Windows 7 or Windows Server 2008 R2