tFLOW Documentation - 07a. Variables

This list contains the published variables used by the scripts used in the tFLOW Smartprep library.

The goal is to standardize the syntax and the variable names allowing an easy way to reference the variable and setting their values every time an external system (like a MIS) is connected to tFLOW using Automation Hub application.
 
 
 
The naming convention is following this rule:
%SCRIPT%_%ACTION%_%OBJECT%_%PROPERTY%

SCRIPT defines where the variable will be used. There are three options:
  • "tfpre" will go to preflight scripts,
  • "tffin" will go to finishing scripts
  • "tfall" will go to all scripts
  • "tfpro" will go to the proof

ACTION defines the wanted operation like: create, resize, convert, etc..

OBJECT defines the kind of object in tFLOW: job, order, client etc..
 
PROPERTY defines the object property to address like: name, resolution, size, etc..
 
 
 
In the following table each variable is listed together with:
  • the variable type (string, boolean, float..) and its default value.
  • the default (where applicable)
  • the allowed values (when accepted values are limited to a specific range)

 

The default values are using a special syntax including the value between percent signs '%'.
This format is referring to the so called substitution variables which  are replaced by actual values during processing.
Please find more information here.

 

System

Variable name

Description

Type

Default

tfall_workflow

Job Workflow. The variable could be passed using the numerical ID of the workflow or the workflow internal name:

One step Approval:

id = 2

name = workflow_one_step

 

One step approval + Autosend to production:

id = 4

name = workflow_one_step_auto_send

 

One-step approval without production:

id = 5

name = workflow_one_step_no_send

 

Two-step approval:

id = 8

name = workflow_two_step

 

Two-step approval + Autosend to production:

id = 9

name = workflow_two_step_auto_send

 

Two-step approval without production:

id = 10

name = workflow_two_step_no_send

 

No Approval + Autosend to production:

id = 20

name = workflow_no_approval_auto_send

 

No Approval:

id = 30

name = workflow_no_approval

String

The default is set in tFLOW UI

 

 

Order

Variable name

Description

Type

Default

tfall_order_name

Order name

String

%order.name%

tfall_order_description

Order description

String

%order.description%

tfall_order_notes

Order notes

String

%order.notes%

tfall_order_start_date

Order start date

String

%order.start_date%

tfall_order_ship_date

Order ship date

String

%order.ship_date%

tfall_order_product_type

Order product

String

%order.props.product_types%

tfall_order_createdby_name

Order created by

String

%order.createdBy.name%

tfall_order_createdby_email

Order created by (email)

String

%order.createdBy.email%

tfall_order_external_id

ID of the order in external system

String

%order.external_id%

tfall_order_source

ID of the source where the order came from

String

%order.source%

 

 

Job

Variable name

Description

Type

Default

tfall_job_name

Job name

String

%job.name%

tfall_job_description

Job description

String

%job.decription%

tfall_job_notes

Job notes

String

%job.notes%

tfall_job_start_date

Job start date

String

%job.start_date%

tfall_job_ship_date

Job ship date

String

%job.ship_date%

tfall_job_print_height

Print height

String

%job.scale_pages_orig_y%

tfall_job_print_width

Print width

String

%job.scale_pages_orig_x%

tfall_substrate

Substrate

String

%job.props.substrate%

tfall_job_product_type

Job product

String

%job.product.name%

tfall_job_product

Job product

String

%job.product.name%

tfall_job_quantity

Job quantity

String

%job.props.quantity%

tfall_mis_job_number

Mis job number

String

%job.props.mis_job_number%

job.external_id

ID of the job in external system

String

%job.external_id%

job.source

ID of the source where the job came from

String

%job.source%

job.product_id

ID of the product

String

%job.product_id%

 

 

Customer

Variable name

Description

Type

Default

tfall_job_shipping_address

Shipping address

String

%job.props.shipping_address%

tfall_email_contact

Job email contact

String

%job.props.email_contact%

tfall_mis_contact

Mis contact

String

%job.props.mis_contact%

tfall_phone_contact

Phone contact

String

%job.props.phone_contact%

tfall_pm_name

PM name

String

%job.props.pm_name%

tfall_rep_name

Rep name

String

%job.props.rep_name%

tfall_sales_rep

Sales rep

String

%job.props.sales_rep%

tfall_client_name

Client name

String

%client.name%

 

 

File handling

 

General

Variable name

Description

Type

Default

Range

tfall_measurement_unit

Measurement unit

PopUp

inch

inch

mm

tfall_scaling_factor

Scaling factor

PopUp

100%

1%

5%

10%

20%

25%

30%

50%

60%

75%

100%

 

 

Preflight        

 

Size and dimensions

 

Variable name

Description

Type

Default

Range

tfpre_check_size

Check Document Size

Boolean

1

0

1

tfpre_scaling_method

Scaling method?

PopUp

Fit from inside (scale page proportionally)

Fit from inside (add white space)

Fit from inside (scale page proportionally)

Fit from outside (add white space)

Fit from outside (scale page proportionally)

Stretch to fill

tfpre_resize_art

Resize artwork?

Boolean

0

0

1

 

Resolution

Variable name

Description

Type

Default

Range

tfpre_check_resolution

Check resolution?

Boolean

0

0

1

tfall_job_min_res

Job minimum resolution

String

%job.props.min_ppi%

 

 

Bleed (v.11 When adding bleed from Preflight script only)
 

Variable name

Description

Type

Default

Range

tfpre_create_bleed

Add bleed?

Boolean

1

0

1

tfpre_bleed_method

Bleed generation method

PopUp

Mirror as image (edges and corners)

Mirror as image (edges and corners)

Repeat last pixel as image (edges and corners)

tfpre_bleed_allsides

Bleed size (at full scale)

Float

0.125

 

 

Color Management

Variable name

Description

Type

Default

Range

tfpre_icc_profile

Destination color space

String

GRACoL2006_Coated1v2.icc

 

tfpre_colors

this needs a spcific job properties

String

%job.props.colors%

 

tfpre_convert_colors_cmyk

Convert colors to CMYK?

Boolean

1

0

1

tfpre_convert_spot

Convert spot color to CMYK?

Boolean

0

0

1

tfpre_check_max_ink_coverage

Check ink coverage?

Boolean

0

0

1

tfpre_max_ink_coverage_value

Maximum ink coverage (in %)

Float

300

 

 

Safety distance checks

 

Variable name

Description

Type

Default

Range

tfpre_type_safety

Type safety distance

Float

0

 

tfpre_check_type_safety

Check type safety distance?

Boolean

0

0

1

tfpre_image_safety

Image safety distance

Float

0

 

tfpre_check_image_safety

Check image safety distance?

Boolean

0

0

1

 

Text

Variable name

Description

Type

Default

Range

tfpre_outline_fonts

Outline fonts?

Boolean

1

0

1

tfpre_check_text_size

Check minimum font size?

Boolean

0

0

1

tfpre_min_text_size

Minimum text size (pt)

Float

7

 

 

Lines check

Variable name

Description

Type

Default

Range

tfpre_check_min_line_width

Check minumum line width?

Boolean

0

0

1

tfpre_min_line_with_value

Line width (pt)

Float

0.125

 

 

Misc

Variable name

Description

Type

Default

Range

tfpre_flattening

Flatten transparencies?

Boolean

0

0

1

tfpre_add_barcode

Add barcode?

Boolean

0

0

1

tfpre_check_font_embedded

Check if font is not embedded?

Boolean

1

0

1

tfpre_set_knockout

Set black to overprint and white text and vector to knowckout

Boolean

1

0

1

tfpre_remove_objects_trimbox

Remove Objects outside Trimbox?

Boolean

0

0

1

tfall_create_crop_marks

Add crop marks?

Boolean

0

0

1

tfall_page_count

this needs a spcific job properties

String

%job.props.page_count%

 

tfall_plex

this needs a spcific job properties

Float

%job.props.plex%

1

2

 

 

Finishing


Bleed

Variable name

Description

Type

Default

Range

tffin_create_bleed

Add bleed?

Boolean

1

0

1

tffin_bleed_method

Bleed generation method

PopUp

Mirror as image (edges and corners)

Mirror as image (edges and corners)

Repeat last pixel as image (edges and corners)

tffin_bleed_allsides

Bleed size (at full scale)

Float

0.125

 

tffin_create_bleed_bottom

Bleed bottom

Float

2

 

tffin_create_bleed_left

Bleed left

Float

2

 

tffin_create_bleed_right

Bleed right

Float

2

 

tffin_create_bleed_top

Bleed top

Float

2

 

 

White space

 

Variable name

Description

Type

Default

Range

tffin_create_white_space

White space (for sewing, hems and webbing)

Boolean

1

0

1

tffin_white_allsides

White space (for sewing, hems and webbing)

Float

1

 

tffin_create_white_bottom

White space bottom

Float

2

 

tffin_create_white_left

White space left

Float

2

 

tffin_create_white_right

White space right

Float

2

 

tffin_create_white_top

White space top

Float

2

 

  

Page boxes

Variable name

Description

Type

Default

Range

tffin_create_bleedbox_outline

Outline bleedbox?

Boolean

0

0             

1

tffin_create_trimbox_outline

Outline trimbox?

Boolean

0

0

1

 

Grommets

Variable name

Description

Type

Default

Range

tffin_grommet_placement_method

Place grommets by

PopUp

Grommets by Spacing

Grommets by Count

Grommets by Spacing

tffin_create_grommets_left

Grommets Left:

Boolean

1

0

1

tffin_create_grommets_right

Grommets Right:

Boolean

1

0

1

tffin_create_grommets_top

Grommets Top:

Boolean

1

0

1

tffin_create_grommets_bottom

Grommets Bottom:

Boolean

1

0

1

tffin_grommets_allsides

Grommets All Sides

Float

12

 

tffin_grommet_distance_from_trim

Distance from trimbox

Float

1

 

tffin_grommet_template

Grommet file

String

   

tffin_grommets_horizontal

Grommets (Spacing or Count - horizontal)

Float

12

 

tffin_grommets_vertical

Grommets (Spacing or Count - vertical)

Float

12

 

 

Cut Path

Variable name

Description

Type

Default

Range

tffin_create_cutpath

Add cutpath?

Boolean

0

0

1

tffin_cutpath_generation_method

Generate cutpath from

PopUp

Page box

Dynamic

Page box

tffin_cutpath_pagebox_creation

PageBox for cutpath

PopUp

TrimBox

CropBox

TrimBox

BleedBox

MediaBox

tffin_cutpath_layer_name

Cutpath layer name

String

Cutpath

 

tffin_cutpath_template

Cutpath file

String

   

tffin_cutpath_adjust_size

Adjust cutpath size:

Float

0

 

tffin_cutpath_rounded_corner

Round corners:

Float

0

 

tffin_cutpath_despeckle

Despeckle (min. number of contiguous pixels):

Integer

2

 

tffin_cutpath_ignore_transparency

Ignore areas with transparency above:

Float

0.99

decimal value

tffin_cutpath_smoothing

Smooth cutpath

Boolean

1

0

1

tffin_cutpath_merge_to_one_outline

Merge shapes to one outline

Boolean

0

0

1

tffin_cutpath_value_0c

Cut path color C (%)

Float

0

 

tffin_cutpath_value_1m

Cut path color M (%)

Float

100

 

tffin_cutpath_value_2y

Cut path color Y (%)

Float

0

 

tffin_cutpath_value_3k

Cut path color K (%)

Float

0

 

 

Fold Lines

Variable name

Description

Type

Default

Range

tffin_create_foldlines

Add fold lines?

Boolean

0

0

1

tffin_create_foldline_warning

Add fold warning

Boolean

1

0

1

tffin_foldlines_layer_name

Fold lines layer name

String

Foldline

 

tffin_foldlines_template_p(x)

Fold line file

String

foldlines_template

 

 

White Ink

Variable name

Description

Type

Default

Range

tffin_create_white_ink

Create white ink layer (fill)

Boolean

1

0

1

tffin_adjust_white_size

Adjust white size:

Float

0

 

 

Labels
 

Variable name

Description

Type

Default

Range

tffin_create_location_label

Add location label

Boolean

0

0

1

tffin_create_polepocket_info

Add pole pocket info

Boolean

0

0

1

tffin_create__position_marks

Add position marks

Boolean

0

0

1

tffin_create_thumbnails

Add thumbnails

Boolean

0

0

1

tfall_create_cut_marks

Add cut marks?

Boolean

0

0

1

 

Pole Pocket

Variable name

Description

Type

Default

Range

tffin_create_pole_pocket

Pole pocket height

Float

1