Merge external files will perform an automated import of image files generated elsewhere.
A typical application of this function would be a scenario where several large format scans (e.g. of size A2, individually scanned) need to be automatically inserted into a much larger batch created from regular documents (e.g. of size A4).
This is achieved by inserting placeholder sheets (each containing a unique bar code identifier) at all desired locations before the regular document pile is scanned.
At runtime, Merge external files will replace these placeholders with corresponding image files. This is achieved by searching for image files with the same filename as the barcode on the placeholder sheet. For example, if the bar code value on the placeholder sheet reads PH4711, then Merge external files will attempt to import an image file called PH4711.png, PH4711.jpg or similar.
Filter:
Processing on page
Perform this function on ...
Ignore monochrome pages, Ignore gray scale pages, Ignore color pages
Specifically applies to multistream mode. If any of these filters are set to On, then Merge external files is turned off (remains inactive) for the respective page type. Please note that combining all options Ignore monochrome pages, Ignore gray scale pages, Ignore color pages will effectively turn off execution all together, since there are no image types left to process.
Ignore blank pages
Turns Merge external files off for all blank pages.
Ignore first document page
Causes this function to skip the first page of every document (which usually is the page triggering document separation).
Ignore cover pages
Turns this function off, for cover pages.
Merge external files:
Source path
Specifies where (from which directory) to import image files from.
Extension filter
Either specify one certain image format to import (e.g. .jpg only) or allow any common image format (.*).
Please note: When using .*, only one image file may be present during merge, so e.g. either PH4711.png or PH4711.jpg, but not a choice of files.Bar code filter
Apply further filtering to the bar codes returned by the bar code area specified below.
Bar code area
Choose the Barcode definition and search area used to trigger the merge function.
Remove merged bar codes
Removes all bar codes triggering the merge function, from batch metadata (on, default). If this option is turned off, imported images will continue to be flagged with a bar code symbol.
Remove merged files
Delete images files after they have been successfully merged.
Output:
Switched on
Switches this module on or off. Turning this function off will preserve all settings, for later use (as opposed to removing the function). Useful when developing or troubleshooting project templates.
Image processing on server (CROSSCAP Enterprise only)
Image processing requires substantial amounts of CPU capacity. In order to relieve CROSSCAP Scan-Clients from this task and speed up all other processing, image processing functions may be selectively transferred to the CROSSCAP Enterprise server.
If this option is activated (On), execution of this function will be deferred and processed by the CROSSCAP Enterprise server, later on. Deferred image processing will occur during the pre-process workflow step (see chapter Enterprise Server, section System workflow Enterprise).