This video is a demonstration on how to navigate the Docmosis Tornado console and generating documents with the help of an example template.
Watch the Video (4 min).
Explore the Tornado Console (00:05)
The Tornado Console provides a convenient test bed for rapid template creation, generating sample data, testing documents.
Tornado comes bundles with Welcome Template that can be used to explore the Console and understand the document generation workflow.
Generate Sample Data (00:20)
The Templates panel displays the templates available to Tornado.
Opening the Welcome Template shows a simple example containing Docmosis fields for a date and a message. These fields demonstrate how template placeholders are used to insert data into generated documents.
The Data panel allows Tornado to analyse the selected template and generate sample XML or JSON that matches the docmosis fields in the template. This provides a quick starting point for testing document generation.
The Output panel controls the document format to generate.
Update Templates (01:34)
Templates can be edited using Microsoft Word or LibreOffice while Tornado is running. After making formatting changes and saving the template, a new document can be generated immediately.
Tornado automatically detects updated templates, allowing changes to be tested without restarting the server. This rapid feedback cycle makes it easy to refine document layouts and formatting during template development.
Tornado Working Area and Logs (01:56)
Tornado creates additional directories in the working area.
Applications should not modify files within this location, as they are managed by Tornado.
The working area also contains log files that may be requested by the Docmosis Support team when troubleshooting or diagnosing issues.
Document Generation (02:22)
To explore a more complex example, create a new folder named example templates within the templates directory and download one of the example templates from the Docmosis Resources website.
The Business Letter example includes an example template, a generated document, and sample data packaged in a ZIP file. Copy the template into the new folder and refresh the Templates panel in the Tornado Console. The new template will then be available for testing.
Selecting the Business Letter template allows Tornado to generate sample XML or JSON based on the template fields. Alternatively, the sample business data supplied with the download can be pasted directly into the Data panel.
Generating a document using this data demonstrates how templates and data work together to generate documents.
