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PlotWorks User Guide • PFS Files • D-1
Appendix D
PFS Files
Understanding PFS Files
PlotWorks Flexible Submission (PFS) files are ASCII text files used as order 
forms (electronic job tickets) for print jobs. PFS files use a set of keywords to 
specify PlotWorks printing parameters. PFS files can be created using any 
program that can produce ASCII text. You can use an existing program, such as a 
spreadsheet or word processor, or you can create your own custom interface. See 
“Sample User Interfaces” on page D-44.
When PlotWorks is installed, a DEFAULT.PFS file is placed in the PlotWorks/
Param directory. Open this file in Windows Notepad to view it. It can be used as 
a template for creating custom PFS files.
PlotWorks Network Polling
PlotWorks accepts PFS files through Mode 3 of its Network Polling program. 
Network Polling also uses PFS files for setting directory-level default parameters 
in Modes 1 and 3. 
The Network Polling program is used to create a set of directories to receive jobs 
submitted over local or wide area networks (LANs or WANs). These directories, 
called “target directories,” can reside on the PlotWorks Print Server (Hub) or on 
any network drive. 
Network Polling polls target directories in four different modes. The following 
two modes use PFS files:
Mode 1 polls directories for individual image files. The images are printed 
according to the parameters contained in a directory-level PFS file.
Mode 3 polls directories for PFS files. These PFS files can contain all of the 
information needed to print a job. However, default PFS files can be used to 
fill in any information that is omitted from the incoming job, or to lock 
parameters against changes from the remote user (See “Locking Parameters” 
on page D-39
). The software also copies the original PFS file into the Job 
Queue as “Submitted.PFS”.