You can select one or more parent objects and generate a single merged PDF of all related files for each selected parent object. The merged PDF might contain related markup layers, watermarks, and labels if the individual PDFs were configured to include these.
Since generating a merged PDF file is a time-consuming process, it must run asynchronously as a scheduled task, MergedRendTask-[Name of the object]. The scheduler will initiate individual PDF generation tasks for files with no related PDFs. The scheduler will merge the individual PDFs and will relate the merged PDF to the parent object. If any of the individual PDF generation tasks fail, merged PDF generation also fails.
Create a Generate Merged Rendition command
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Log on to the Desktop Client on the SmartPlant Foundation application server.
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Create and configure a method for generating merged PDF files using the GenerateMergedRendition client API.
For more information, see GenerateMergedRendition client API.
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Relate the method to the ISPFMergedRenditionComposition interface definition.
The class definitions of parent objects must realize the ISPFMergedRenditionComposition interface definition. For example, SPFCExternalTransmittal must realize ISPFMergedRenditionComposition and ISPFCExternalTransmittal must imply ISPFMergedRenditionComposition for merged PDF generation on external transmittal objects.
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Configure method access using the Manage Access Groups command.
For more information, see Configure method access.
View Merged Rendition command
The View Merged Rendition command is delivered with the software. The method, ViewMergedRendition, is configured on the ViewBatchRenditionLog client API. This method is related to the ISPFMergedRenditionComposition interface definition and to the VIEWONLY access group. For more information, see ViewBatchRenditionLog client API.