The Hotfolder Module in CalderaRIP automates file processing by organizing and managing incoming files. This article outlines how the module works and how to configure it for efficient file and job management.
How does it work?
The Hotfolder Module functions as an automated file manager, automatically importing files from a local directory into the ImageBar, just as you would manually through the FileManager module.
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It is important to note that a hotfolder is a temporary entity, meaning that all files within it will eventually be automatically deleted. Therefore, it is strongly recommended not to store any valuable data in the hotfolder to avoid potential data loss.
The default hotfolder in the software is "caldera", but you can create different hotfolders to either:
- Load automatically the files added to a directory into a Tab in the Image Bar.
- Send automatically files added to a directory to a Workflow.
- Access to Hotfolders reports.
Module history
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CalderaRIP V18.2:
- Only CalderaCare subscribers. We have improved the hotfolder import/export feature introduced in version 18.1, providing a more user-friendly interface and enabling the import or export of multiple hotfolders at the same time.
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CalderaRIP V18.1:
- Only CalderaCare subscribers. It is now possible to import and export HotFolders. The new button to do so, located at the bottom of the Configuration tab (V18 or later), allows users to easily share HotFolders settings across all workstations, including name, directory, filter, timeout, and processing order.
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CalderaRIP V18:
- This release includes a significant makeover of the graphical user interface of the module, with an optimized layout and improved navigation for a more efficient hotfolder management.
- Now, even when the software is restarted, the data in the Status column of the Reports section is preserved (see the Interface chapter for more info).
- The "Processing order" menu is now available to all users.
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CalderaRIP V17.3:
- Only CalderaCare subscribers. The "Processing order" checkbox, introduced in the previous version, is now a drop-down list where you can choose between different name-based sorting algorithms. Learn more in the chapter Interface > Configuration tab.
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CalderaRIP V17.2:
- Only CalderaCare subscribers: A new "Processing order: Preserve input order" checkbox was added. This setting allows you to force the HotFolders algorithm to preserve the input order, even if a processing error occurs or one or more files are skipped. This new setting is also useful to avoid having an inverted job order, since by checking the box, the jobs are shown as follows: (1) Executing and (2) Incoming.
- All users: A new algorithm for cut/barcode ID generation was implemented to avoid duplicates when many files are being processed. In this way, the user is less likely to see different jobs under the same cut/barcode ID (as each job will have its own ID).
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CalderaRIP V17 (or later):
- The "Dup.." button is now available to all users.
- Improved the menu on the top bar of the main CalderaRIP interface to display the software information better. Now the hotfolders module is accessible via:
- Application Bar >
SpecialConfiguration menu > HotFolder.
- Application Bar >
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CalderaRIP V16.2 to V16.3.1:
- Only CalderaCare subscribers: A new "Dup.." button has been integrated to duplicate an existing HotFolder with the same printing parameters but a different folder path.
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CalderaRIP V14.0:
- Implementation of the HotFolders module (including the parallelization algorithm that was marketed as “Smart hotfolders” at the time).
Access to the module
Application Bar > Configuration menu (or Special menu in older versions) > HotFolder.
Interface
For users of CalderaRIP V18 (or later).
The configuration of the Hotfolder module can be done in a simple pop-up window that allows you to manage your hotfolder settings easily. It consists of two main tabs: Queue and Configuration:
In the Queue tab, you'll find everything you need to monitor and manage your hotfolder activities:
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Hotfolder Filter: In this field, you can select the hotfolder to view reports linked only to this folder, or enter a custom text.
The report list will display all items coming from a hotfolder whose name contains the specified text or items whose file name contains the specified text, allowing you to search for specific files or filter multiple hotfolders with the same name (e.g., filter all hotfolders whose name contains “textile”). -
Reports: This table displays essential information about the files in your hotfolder, including:
- File: The name of the file.
- Status: Current status of the file (e.g., detected, executing, done).
- Error: Any errors encountered during processing.
- Date: The date (and hour) the file was added to the hotfolder.
- Hotfolder: The specific hotfolder associated with the file.
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Action Buttons: Four buttons at the bottom make it easy to manage your queue:
- Execute: Start processing the file selected in the queue.
- Delete: Remove the selected file from the queue.
- Workflow Reports: Quick access to workflow reports, to keep checking the status of your files after they have been processed by the hotfolder (if you have assigned a Workflow to the hotfolder).
- Quit: Exit the configuration of the hotfolder module.
Considerations about the reports
When the software is restarted, the data in the Status column of the Reports table is preserved. However:
- Unprocessed jobs are automatically detected when the software is restarted and appear in the list in case you need to filter and/or re-launch them.
- Jobs that had already been processed, but with the “Preserve after processing” option, are retrieved with the corresponding “Done” status.
- Jobs that have been deleted (manually with the button or automatically after processing) will still not appear in the list after a restart (as in previous versions).
The Configuration tab provides a comprehensive set of tools for setting up and customizing your hotfolder:
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Current Hotfolder Display: At the top, you’ll see the hotfolder you are currently editing. You can also select another hotfolder from a dropdown menu.
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Action Buttons: This tab features four key buttons for managing your hotfolder:
- New: Create a new hotfolder configuration.
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Dup (Duplicate): Duplicates an existing hotfolder with the same printing parameters but a different folder path.
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When you create or duplicate a hotfolder, it is deactivated by default until you configure it. Don't forget to activate it with the corresponding checkbox at the bottom of this tab, before configuring and saving it.
The Duplicate button was introduced in V16.2 for CalderaCare subscribers but has been available for all users since V17.
- Delete: Remove the selected hotfolder configuration.
- Reset: Cancel all changes that have been made but not yet saved by clicking the Save button.
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Configuration Options: Here, you can set several important parameters:
- Name: Enter a unique name for the hotfolder.
- Send To: Choose to which Workflow (and printer(s) of that Workflow) to send the processed files from a dropdown menu. You can also click on the ellipsis button ( ) to access a more detailed Workflow explorer.
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Tab: Select a specific tab to send the job. If available, you can select your desired tab. Alternatively, you can leave the space empty to send the processed files to the Default tab, or you can enter the name of a new tab, which will be created once the job is processed.
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Users can choose to have specific tabs and workflows for each hotfolder, which may be beneficial for those with large production needs. For more information, please refer to the dedicated article.
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Post-Processing: Select whether to delete files (from the hotfolder directory) or to preserve them, after printing.
The third option ("Use workflow settings") can be used to maintain compatibility with older versions of CalderaRIP, where this option was a property of the Workflows, and not of the hotfolders.
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You may be interested in reading: Automatic file deletion in Workflow and/or Hotfolders.
- Directory: Specify the directory where the print queue is sent. You can also click on the ellipsis button ( ) to open the file browser for easy navigation.
- Filter: Utilize regular expressions to create custom filters for your files. In the example screenshot above, we use *.tiff to process only .tiff images.
- Time-Out: Set a time-out period (in seconds) that a file must not exceed to be considered finished. You can also use the special entry “default” to assign 30 seconds.
- Activation Checkbox: Activate or deactivate the hotfolder and its file processing as needed.
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Processing Order: Now available to all users, this feature allows you to select the algorithm for processing your files:
- Fastest (FIFO): First copy finished first.
- Preserve input order: Date of beginning of copy to the HotFolder.
- Numeric: Based on the number sequence at the beginning of the job. Examples:
- Ascending: 2-job.pdf is processed before 10-job.tif
- Descending: 10-job.tif is processed before 2-job.pdf
- Alphanumeric: Based on the name of the job. Examples:
- Ascending: 10A-job.tif is processed before 1A-job.tif
- Descending: 1A-job.tif is processed before 10A-job.tif
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FileMan Parameters... button: This button opens the File Manager module (FileMan). Modifications within this module are optional; if no changes are made, file import will proceed using the default settings, which are typically sufficient for basic files.
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For processing multiple copies of a multi-page PDF, see this article.
For processing files with spot colors, see this other article. -
Final Action Buttons: Similar to the Queue tab, you have:
- Workflow Reports: Quick access to workflow reports, to keep checking the status of your files after they have been processed by the hotfolder (if you have assigned a Workflow to the hotfolder).
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Import/Export: Introduced in V18.1, this button allows CalderaCare subscribers to easily share HotFolders settings across all workstations, including name, directory, filter, timeout, and processing order.
Info
The "Send to..." setting is not included in the import/export.
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Save: Save any changes made in the configuration.
Warning
Remember to save your changes because they won't be effective until you click the Save button!
- Quit: Exit the configuration module.
Previous versions
Interface
For users of CalderaRIP V17.3.1 (or earlier).
The hotfolders interface consists of a single window divided into two:
- In the upper part, you can see the current hotfolders (and buttons to create, delete, or edit them),
- And in the lower part, their reports (and buttons to execute/re-execute or delete the hotfolder):
Limitations
Hotfolders reports are not kept after restarting CalderaRIP.
Useful links
- General Automation section
- Combined modules (HotFolders, Workflows, QuickPrints, tabs...)
- How to process a multi-page PDF with FileMan or HotFolders?