Automated Publishing with Arbortext Layout Developer > PTC ALD in PTC Arbortext Publishing Engine
  
PTC ALD in PTC Arbortext Publishing Engine
Job Processing
The process to carry out an automated publishing process using PTC Arbortext Layout Developer (PTC ALD) under PTC Arbortext Publishing Engine (PE) is summarized below.
1. You provide the content and the activation files for PE:
a. Create a folder in a location accessible by the PE server, and include all resources required for the job:
▪ PTC ALD template (.3f file)
▪ Content file
▪ Graphics files
b. Supply an XML activation file that conforms to the structure described in PTC ALD Activation File. The activation file is used to start the job in PTC ALD and must contain all required information.
2. You make a request to PE, as described in Making a Request to PTC Arbortext Publishing Engine.
3. PE carries out these tasks in response to the request:
a. PE’s Request Manager checks for an available sub-process
If a sub-process is not available, PE starts a new one (if permitted)
b. The sub-process sets some job-related variables in the ALD DLL
The variables provide information such as the location of the activation file and the target location of the expected response file
c. The sub-process executes a macro in PTC ALD to invoke the PTC ALD process
For more information, see these topics in the Programmer's Guide to PTC Arbortext Publishing Engine:
◦ The Arbortext PE Request Manager
◦ The Arbortext PE Sub-process
4. The ALD DLL carries out some tasks to process the request:
a. Parses the activation file
b. Checks for the files listed in the input section of the activation file
If any of these files are not found, the job fails and the status of the files is logged.
c. Runs each script described in the activation file in turn
The start and end times of the each script are logged.
d. Checks for the files listed in the output section of the activation file
If any of the files is not found, the job fails and the status of the files is logged.
e. Generates a response file (HTML) in the specified target location
The file is then returned to PE’s Request Manager.
5. Depending on configuration, the PE Request Manager may restart the sub-process.
The restart happens by default and invokes a new PTC ALD session for the next job.
6. The PE Request Manager returns the HTML response file.