Variable Text in an Action

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MichaelG
Newbie
Posts: 10
Joined: Wed Nov 15, 2017 2:37 pm

Variable Text in an Action

Post by MichaelG »

I'm trying to use variable text on a group of PDF files and I want to take a portion of the file name and place it at the footer of each page. But so far I can only get the entire file name including the extension to be placed. Is there any way to choose a section of a variable instead of the whole variable? In this case, I am using %Current Document Name% as my variable.
freddyp
Advanced member
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Joined: Thu Feb 09, 2012 3:53 pm

Re: Variable Text in an Action

Post by freddyp »

Pro or Server?

In Pro that is not possible although you could use a text variable that the user can fill in.

In Server you can define a piece of private data that contains the part of the file name you need and use that private data to fill in the variable.
MichaelG
Newbie
Posts: 10
Joined: Wed Nov 15, 2017 2:37 pm

Re: Variable Text in an Action

Post by MichaelG »

We will use a Pitstop Server Action, which will be used in a Switch Flow.

But would it be possible, to use a Variable set that pulls from the PDF's filename?
I would think you need to have the variable set completed ahead of time to pull from it.
I've never used variable sets before, so they are new to me.
freddyp
Advanced member
Posts: 1129
Joined: Thu Feb 09, 2012 3:53 pm

Re: Variable Text in an Action

Post by freddyp »

It is as you say that the variables of the Variable Set are evaluated by Switch before running the PitStop Server app, which means "ahead of time". As the variables are evaluated by Switch you have access to ALL variables available in Switch, also to the file name.

In case you say, I have PitStop Server, not Switch, then realize that PitStop Server comes with a scaled-down version of Switch, so the basic principles are the same.

For more information on how to work with variables in the context of PitStop Server/Switch go to the Learn section of our web site - All courses and search for Smart Preflight.
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