OL Connect 2023.2

We’re happy to introduce OL Connect 2023.2, which incorporates numerous fixes, enhancements, and long-requested features. We’ll cover the details for this release below.

Hello OL Connect  

The core technology, OL Connect, was the foundation of PrintShop Mail Connect, PlanetPress Connect, and PReS Connect. Distinctions among these products primarily revolved around performance and specific feature variations. We felt the time was right to let go of our classic product names and transition them to unified editions under the OL Connect umbrella. Starting from the 2023.2 release, the application is rebranded as OL Connect, aligning PSM, PP, and PReS with the Desktop, Professional, and Enterprise editions, respectively.  

OL Connect Desktop  

Designed to complement the Professional and Enterprise editions, OL Connect Desktop is tailored to excel in the realm of printing variable data documents directly from a desktop machine. It’s important to note that this edition does not include the email and web functionalities found in the other editions, nor does it offer automation options. 

Streamlined user interface 

To emphasize the print functionality and address the absence of Email and Web context in this edition, we have simplified the user interface by removing related options. As part of this effort, we have streamlined the options in the Resources panel and other panels. For instance, in the Resources panel, you will now find a “Sections” folder at the root, which houses the print sections, instead of a “Context” folder with Print, Email, and Web options. 

Open last used data file 

OL Connect Desktop users can take advantage of the convenience of automatically opening the last-used data file when opening a template. This feature not only saves time but also reduces errors by reapplying the data import options from the previous session, ensuring a smoother workflow. 

Major features  

Background image clipping [Design]  

Included is a feature that allows you to clip an area of a section background image, including PDF Data Mapper backgrounds. This option enables you to either hide a part from view or display only a specific part as needed. Note that this feature only hides the area in the output, it doesn’t permanently remove it from the input files. 

Streamlined adding images and data fields [Design]  

The most common way to insert images and data fields is drag and drop. This places the image or data field at the cursor position (inline). 

However, holding down the Ctrl key while performing this action inserts them as positioned objects, a feature now extended to images. This behavior also applies when dropping these elements beyond the boundaries of the page margins.  

Expressions in email fields [Design] [Professional and Enterprise] 

In the past, the application depended on scripts to set the recipient’s address or to personalize the subject line. However, in version 2023.2, this functionality has evolved to employ text-based Handlebars expressions. This transformation allows for dragging and dropping data fields onto the relevant areas.

Better expression support for snippets [Design]  

The loadhtml() function has been improved to enable loading Handlebars snippets in addition to HTML snippets. This replaces the lengthier Handlebars.render() notation. During this process, expressions are automatically substituted, which also encompasses dynamic detail tables.  

{{today}} helper [Design]  

The {{today}} Handlebars helper provides the current date. Utilize date formatters to structure the date string accordingly. Some examples: 

{{date today}},  
{{dateShort today}},   
{{dateLong today "nl-NL"}} 
{{date today "MM/dd/yyyy"}} 

Other enhancements and changes  

Improved date formatter [Design]  

Date values provided via a date field of type String can be formatted using our date formatter. This assumes the provided string can produce a valid date. 

New output file name variables for Banner pages [Output]  

Several often-used variables for output filenames can now be used in the Additional Content feature of the Output Preset. This simplifies displaying filenames on banner pages. For example, ${template.name} and ${file.nr}. 

Two new variables, ${job.name} and ${job.owner}, can be used for the “Job Name” and “Job Owner Name” fields from the preset’s printer output options (available when using LPR or Windows printing). When separating output by segment, document set or document, these will also exist at that separation level. 

Preset enhancements  

Usability improvements: 

• The print dialog remembers the last preset used (instead of showing “Last used settings”). 
• Editing an existing preset no longer asks if it’s okay to overwrite the file. 
• Presets appear in the recent files lists (menu and Welcome screen).  

Other highlights  

Design  

• The currency formatter employs a non-breaking space between the currency symbol and the corresponding value (when applicable).  
• The sequence of email attachments has been modified, placing PDFs generated from the print context before other attachments.  
• Adding a field from a detail table to the main editor inserts an expression to the exact record and field of that detail table.  
  For example: {{detail[3].UnitPrice}}  
• The Show Edges option’s state is saved within the application, and when you open or create new templates, the application maintains the previously set state.  
• The height of main text flow is set to the bottom margin of the last page with content. This allows elements in the flow to be aligned to the bottom of that page using the following CSS properties: {position:absolute; bottom:0}. For example, a summary block of an invoice.  
  Important note! This does not work for Absolute Positioned objects which are anchored to the page.  

DataMapper [Professional and Enterprise] 

• Fixed PDF boundaries based on text with negative add/remove pages value.  
• Added new JSONPath functions like sum() and avg()  
• Various fixes for JSON data fields. 

Output  

• Problems with certain external fonts have been resolved, which substantially improves the capability to utilize external fonts for generating PDFs.