Publishing Engine Programmer's Guide > The Arbortext Publishing Engine Request Manager > Predefined Dynamic Components > Predefined Request Functions > The f=app Request
  
The f=app Request
This request function is mapped to the Java class com.arbortext.e3.FunctionApp. It allocates an Arbortext PE sub-process and allow users of Arbortext Publishing Engine to use an HTTP request to pass a job file containing a list of PTC Advanced Print Publisher (PTC APP) commands for execution by the PTC APP sub-process.
The f=app request takes two parameters.
file=<path> — An absolute path and file name of an PTC APP activation file on the Arbortext PE server. If a value is omitted, Arbortext Publishing Engine will return an HTML error page stating the path is missing. The path to the activation file must be listed in the Arbortext Publishing Engine allowed functions list. If the path is not listed there, Arbortext Publishing Engine will return an HTML error page stating that the request cannot be executed. The entry in the table must specify a pattern of type “app”.
destroy — (Optional.) When set to yes (the default), specifies that the Arbortext PE sub-process that executes the f=app request be terminated at the end of the operation. Doing so will prevent the Arbortext PE sub-process from being left in a state that may produce unexpected results for a subsequent application. Setting destroy to no allows the Arbortext PE sub-process to remain running.
A GET request is accompanied by only parameters. A POST request may include a data (body) file.  The Arbortext PE Request Manager will store the body file and pass its its location to the PTC APP sub-process. Any other parameters on an f=app request will be ignored with the following exceptions.
Some parameters, such as queue=yes to direct that a request be queued, are used by the Arbortext PE Request Manager.
All parameters will be listed in the request data file passed to the PTC APP sub-process.
The f=app request will always return a response containing an HTML web page with content-type of "text/html". This page may be generated by the PTC APP sub-process or by Arbortext Publishing Engine if an error occurs.
Refer to Automated Publishing with PTC APP and Arbortext Publishing Engine in the Reference Documents area of support.ptc.com and in the PTC Advanced Print Publisher online help for details on configuring and using PTC APP to publish with Arbortext Publishing Engine.