Generic application

Generic application is a default Switch app that functions as a stand-in for a third-party hot folder application.

The third-party application must be configured independently, and its input and output folders must refer to the backing folders of the corresponding flow elements preceding and following the generic application in the flow design.

Files are moved along the incoming and outgoing connections of a generic application under the control of the third-party application (not under the control of Switch). Still, designing the generic application flow element and its connections into the flow at the appropriate place has several key advantages:

• Switch ensures that the third-party application's output files receive the appropriate unique name prefix so that internal job ticket information (such as hierarchy info and email info) is preserved.
• Switch automatically cleans up files left in the input folder by the third-party application.
• If the third-party application runs on the same computer, Switch can launch the application when needed.
• Switch is able to gather its regular processing statistics for the third-party application.
• The third-party application's function is documented in context of the complete flow.

Because the incoming connection is under the control of the third-party tool, the incoming folder, the connection and the generic application tool itself behave different than regular Switch flow elements:

• the input folder has no properties to attach hierarchy info, e-mail addresses, e-mail body text or job state, set job priority or show in statistics.
• the input folder does have a special property to ignore sub folders.
• the input folder can only have one outgoing connection
• the connection cannot be set on hold.
• the generic application tool can only have one incoming connection.