Defining parameters for multiple instances of the PDF Engine

You can invoke multiple instances of the WorkZone PDF Engine, each with its own set of pre-defined parameters by using the Target PDF Engine custom parameter in the web.config file for the PDF Engine.

For example, the PDF Engine invoked to process PDFs from the WorkZone SmartPost module could be invoked with its own set of parameters while another instance of the WorkZone PDF Engine could be invoked with parameters defined for that instance only.

Each instance of the WorkZone PDF Engine and WorkZone PDF Crawler can therefore be defined with its own set of parameters.

Create parameter settings for PDF Engine instances

Since WorkZone PDF Engine and WorkZone PDF Crawler custom parameter settings are stored in the WZPDF_CONFIGURATION table, you should first create the parameter settings in the WZPDF_CONFIGURATION table for each instance you expect to use.

Creating the parameter settings first will give you a list of valid PDF Engine instances as well as their unique names, making it easier to specify which instance to invoke in the PDF Engine web.config file later.

Entries in the WZPDF_CONFIGURATION table can be made by using an SQL productivity tool such as Oracle’s SQL Developer or ScanSql, both of which are included in a standard WorkZone installation and available on the WorkZone server.

Unique instance names

You must uniquely name each instance you expect to use in the Target field of the WZPDF_CONFIGURATION table. Any custom parameters specified for that instance will be applied when the instance is invoked from the web.config file using the Target engine custom parameter.

Default instances

The WZPDF_CONFIGURATION table contains one named instance with the default value: PDFENGINE. You can specify as many instances in the WZPDF_CONFIGURATION table as you need.

Specify the PDF Engine instance in the web.config file

Once you have created the PDF Engine instances you want to use and defined the custom parameters for each individual instance, you can update the PDF Engine web.config file, using the Target PDF engine custom parameter to specify which instance you want to invoke.

Any custom parameters specified in the WZPDF_CONFIGURATION table will be applied to the invoked instance.

Incorrect Target parameter

If the Target PDF Engine custom parameter is incorrect - either because it is misspelled or because the instance named in the Target parameter does not correspond to the instance named in the Target field of the WZPDF_CONFIGURATION table, the request will fail with a 404 Not Found error and the error message: The configuration for target"..." is not found..

Custom Parameters not in the database

For custom parameters that are only specified in the request API or web.config files, you must include the custom parameters in the request since they will not be available from the WZPDF_CONFIGURATION table.