Category: Alfresco

SmartTransformer – FileConverterPro integrated with Alfresco ECM

SmartTransformer is an integration of FileConverterPro (FCpro) with Alfresco ECM / DMS. The SmartTransformer consists of an Alfresco extension, an own, lean server that knows the context of the Alfresco documents and handles the processing and updating as well as the FileConverterPro.

High-quality previews and better alfresco performance:

Why does viewing previews affect Alfresco performance? Alfresco automatically generates document thumbnails and previews from Office documents. This mechanism leads to complaints among the users, especially in larger environments. On the other hand, Alfresco becomes unstable and slow because it is busy with conversions or even waiting for stuck conversion jobs. On the other hand, the users are dissatisfied with the quality of the previews – the presentation mostly does not correspond to the one in MS-Office or its expression.

The Smart Transformer tackles the problem at its roots and store any office conversion to an independent, robust and scalable transformation of service that converts Office documents with MS Office libraries. The previews are as if the user had saved the document in Microsoft Office as PDF.

There is avoidance of multiple conversions, through intelligent caching in the SmartTransformer. In the same process, it is also a real relief to the Alfresco server (repository) by outsourcing all transformation tasks (text extraction, preview, thumbnail generation) to a standalone service / server. No CPU is loaded on the Alfresco server. Thus it is reliable and robust: conversion jobs are managed by the SmartTransformer of a database.

The SmartTransformer solves bottlenecks in the Alfresco architecture:

  • Transformation tasks that can be performed by FCPro are simulated in Alfresco by placeholder documents and are instead entered as a “job” in a persistent job queue and transferred to the FCPro. As soon as FCPro has completed the transformation, the placeholder is replaced by the real transformation. From the point of view of Alfresco no load is created by the transformation since the result is immediately returned by the placeholder. The job queue also reboots and possible problem documents can be easily identified. In the Alfresco standard, transformations are implemented by Java threads, which can lead to scaling problems on a regular basis.
  • Multiple transformations of the same binary object as the Alfresco Transformer are avoided because they are recognized by the SmartTransformer. In the same way, jobs are automatically deleted during fast updates on an Alfresco document, if they have not yet started, or the jobs are replaced by new ones.
  • Unlike the Alfresco standard implementation, the transformation is already proactive when creating or modifying a document, not just when Alfresco Share is accessed. In this case, identically configurable sets are created with only one transformation (thumbnail, preview, gallery-view, …) so that the Office document has to be opened only once.

In Alfresco, a JavaScript Api is also available for the SmartTransformer.

The SmartTransformer was developed by our Alfresco development partner ECM4u.

Inquiries about the product can be directed directly to:

ecm4u GmbH
Heiko Robert [heiko.robert@ecm4u.de]
http://www.ecm4u.de
Hölderlinplatz 2b
70193 Stuttgart

t: +49 (711) 912775-72
m: +49 (176) 347475-72
f: +49 (711) 912775-80

ifresco Tools – RepoWorker scripts – convert Alfresco documents to searchable PDF or PDF/A automatically

The module ifresco Tools offers the following functions for the Alfresco ECM / DMS:

  • ifresco-RepoWorker – enables time-controlled execution of a repository-JavaScript on a definable amount of documents.
  • ifresco-ScriptAction – enables the definition of share-actions which execute Repository-JavaScript on documents.

RepoWorker – scripts integrate AutoOCR and FileConverterPro:

With the RepoWorker we created an extension for the ifresco Transformer based on scripts. With that all existing and / or newly added documents of specific content- or MIME-types of an Alfresco server are converted to searchable PDF or PDF/A documents. The user doesn’t has to be concerned with it, the conversion takes place at the server automatically, indepent of how the documents are added into the ECM / DMS.

Functions:

  • time-controlled execution of JavaScript on a definable amount of documents
  • existing documents of a specific content- and MIME-type get converted to searchable PDF or PDF/A and replace the source-documents.
  • processed documents get marked with the “Transform” aspect to prevent a repeated processing.
  • singular or in definable time intervals repeated execution of scripts e.g. every 5 min
  • scripts can easily and quickly be adjusted to new conditions and requirements.
  • easy installation and configuration

Description – RepoWorker scripts for AutoOCR / FileConverterPro >>>

GitHub – RepoWorker scripts for AutoOCR / FileConverterPro >>>

Requirements:

  • Alfresco 4.x,
  • AutoOCR or FileConverterPro ,
  • ifresco Transformer (AMP).
  • ifresco Tools (AMP)

A demo installation can also be found on our ifresco / Alfresco testserver (admin / admin)

1_TIFF Datei in einen Alfresco Folder kopiert    2_TIFF Datei wird gefunden in ein durchsuchbares PDF konvertiert und ersetzt die Ursprungsdatei

ifresco Client for Alfresco DMS/ECM – New version in labor

We work on a new version of the ifresco Client for the Alfresco DMS/ECM OpenSource Software and there are already the first screenshots of the new version.

Some of the coming innovations:

  • The JavaScript programming is only based on ExtJS. Until now also jQuery was used.
  • The new version uses the recent version of the PHP framwork – Symfony
  • For the search and for the document- and treeview individual server side JavaScripts in the Alfresco repository get used.
  • Essentially improved and revised user interface for the administration and configuration.
  • Search and view of document libraries of the Alfresco sites is supported.
  • Direct search for folders to be able to quickly choose the folder in extensive folder structures.
  • Tag Manager – Creating and managing of the Alfresco tags.

Template Manager  Template Manager - Suchprofile  Suche nach Ordnern   Suche nach Sites  Site Dokumente  Tag Verwaltung

ifresco Profiler – Alfresco standard plugin available

For the ifresco Profiler there is now a free Alfresco standard plug-in available.

The standard plug-in allows the upload of documents through the ifresco Profiler into any Alfresco / ifresco repository. With that only the standard fields and the standard content type for documents of Alfresco is used. So it isn’t required to install an additional content model. The standard plug-in is free available and therefor “out of the box” usable with every Alfresco server. With it the ifresco Profiler functions can be tested together with Alfresco without additional outlay.

ifresco Profiler standard plugin - capturing mask

Supported fields / functions:

  • Filename / title (required) – The name of the document in Alfresco matches the title and not allowed fields get replaced with “_”.
  • Description (optional) – long text description of the document content
  • Alfresco destination-folder (required) – selection of the Alfresco destination folder in which the document should be stored.
  • Tags (optional) – Tags are keywords to classify a document and to directly list all documents marked with it later on. Existing tags can be chosen and new ones can be added.

Title – rules: The standard plug-in installs also the XML-file “titlerules_StandardPlugin.xml”. In this file dynamically createable fields get defined as well as rules to automatically generate the document title. The selection of the rule is done via “Type / Subtype”. A mask with fields – with the types: Text, date, version, year gets generated from it and shown at the profiling.

ifresco Profiler - Title rules via XML

Type-ahead searching for Alfresco folders – Through the search field existing folders can be found fast via the input of one or more search terms. A part string search of the with AND linked terms is done and the search results offered for selection as a list. The search term for the folder has to contain at least 3 characters.

ifresco Profiler - Standard Plugin - type ahead search for folders  ifresco Profiler - standard plugin - search for folders

Tags: Tags are keywords to classify a document and to directly list all documents marked with it later on. Existing tags can be chosen via type ahead search and new ones can be added.

ifresco Profiler - Standard Plugin Tags

Text stamp: At the upload information can be added to the PDF in form of text stamps. The option can be activated and configured through the checkbox “Show stamp settings tab”. The position, color, size and font style of the stamp is configured here. The text can be build from fixed parts or variables.

ifresco Profiler standard plugin - text-stamp  ifresco profiler - standard plugin text stempel

An overview of the general functions of the ifresco Profiler basic version can be found here >>>

Download – Detail description – ifresco Profiler inkl. Standard Plugin >>>
Download – ifresco Profiler basic version >>>
Download – ifresco Profiler Alfresco standard plugin >>>
Download – ifresco Profiler standard plugin sample files >>>

ifresco AutoOCR – Version 1.18 available

With the Version 1.18 of ifresco AutoOCR – the OCR server integration for Alfresco, there are new functions and extensions:

  • implementation of the new paging API for the Jobs-list of the AutoOCR server – page browsing (back/forth), deleting of all jobs, deleting older than x days, sort jobs, select jobs by date.
  • free configurable run-time transformer. File-, as well as Pipe-IO based commandline tools can be used to configure additional transformers.
  • Like the commandline based run-time transformators, also Transformer can be used through JavaScripts.
  • AutoOCR Content Model extension for the OCR status (aspect) gets installed to be able to deposit and request the OCR status of a file as metadata.
  • The optional ifresco Tools AMP – allows the background OCR processing in defined intervals for the primary processing of existing document collections or for the following processing of the newly added documents. The detection of the documents which should be processed, as well as the processing itself happens via JavaScripts, which are executed, on the server, batch oriented and timed in the background. Thereby also additional Alfresco Share – document actions can be configured and executed through JavaScript e.g. to convert the chosen PDF and image documents to searchable PDF(/A)’s through the AutoOCR server and automatically replace the input files with them. With the ifresco Tools there are, through JavaScripts, AutoOCR functions independend from the configured Alfresco transformer available, for the mass-batch- as well as the interactive single processing.

AMP of the version 1.18 are available for the following Alfresco versions: 4.0.1 EE, 4.0.2 EE, 4.0d CE, 4.1.1 EE, 4.1.2 EE, 4.1.3 EE, 4.1.4 EE, 4.2b CE, 4.2c CE
AMP of the ifresco Tools 1.1 for: 4.2c CE, 4.2d CE

ifresco AutoOCR - New Job functions  ifresco AutoOCR - Runmtime transformer  ifresco AutoOCR - Transformer configuration Content Model for ifresco-AutoOCR

Download – ifresco AutoOCR – Runtime Transformer description >>>
Download – ifresco AutoOCR – Transformer through JavaScript description>>>
Download – ifresco AutoOCR – Example JavaScript Transformer >>>

ifresco AutoOCR – JavaScript Binding for Alfresco

Alfresco and AutoOCR are, with the installation of the AMP’s, integrated through a REST web-service interface. Server-based JavaScript offers an easy, flexible and quickly implemented Possibility to expand and adjust Alfresco functions.

JavaScripts can be initiated timed as batch processes to e.g. process a bigger amount of documents in the background. But they also can be called by the client e.g. Alfresco Share, to be used as document-actions for single or multiple documents.

The JavaScript Binding  of the AutoOCR functions allows direct access to the AutoOCR service from Alfresco scripts. In Repository JavaScripts (WebScript-controller scripts, scripted actions) all functions of the AutoOCR API can be called. This API is completely independent from the integration of the AutoOCR-service as Alfresco-transformer. It gives the possibility of using OCR functions out of JavaScripts which, deposited in Alfresco, are executed directly on the server.

Download – Documentation JavaScript Binding for Alfresco >>>
Download – extensive demo script >>>

ifresco OpenSource Client for Alfresco available as already installed VM Appliance

To use our ifresco Client for Alfresco with minimal outlay and without the required installation and configuration, there now is a already installed VMWare Appliance.

After the installation only the IP and port of the Alfresco Server has to be inserted an the ifresco Client can already be used together with the Alfresco Server. With an optional update agreement you’ll get access to the constantly actualized versions directly from our SVN repository. With this variant the Alfresco Server is used seperatedly from ifresco. Alternativly we also offer a combined Alfresco Community Edition + ifresco Client Appliance – both Systems already installed, configured and optimized on an Ubuntu 64bit LINUX VM Server.

Pre installed ifresco Client VMWare Appliance

  • Debian LINUX 32bit
  • PHP 5
  • Apache 2.2
  • MySQL 5
  • Installed PHP Extensions – PDO, MB-String, XML, SOAP, Iconv
  • All necessary PHP settings done

Requirements: VMWare Workstation, Player, etc. – min. 2GB RAM, 10GB HD

Optional: SVN Update for users with SW-maintenance

Configurationquery at the first start: Alfresco Server IP, Port. After that, the IP Adresse uner which the ifresco Client is reachable in your browser (optimally: Google Chrome) is shown.

Priceinformations in our web-shop >>>

ifresco Profiler – splitting of documents – manual, per page, area-OCR, per barcode

The ifresco Profiler offers easily usable functions to split document stacks in various ways very fast. The following functions are available:

  • Manual split – The site / thumbnail where the document should be splitted gets selected – and by a key combination the document gets splitted at the current page, named automatically and afterwards the new document selected for further split actions.
  • Split by page numbers – With this function the whole document can be splitted by a page number in single documents with the same amount of pages.
  • Split with area OCR – an area gets selected in the preview and via area OCR the text gets recognized – the document gets splitted at this page and the recognized text is used as name.
  • Split by barcode – 1D barcodes get recognized and can be used to split the documents as well as for the file names. 18 different barcodes are supported, orientiation and position on the site doesn’t matter. Sites with barcode can be deleted, filtering by strings, lists and valuation is also supported.

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