When cataloging and accessing assets, Cumulus uses different modules: Asset Storage, Asset Processor, Metadata and Filter modules.
• Asset Storage modules manage the asset’s storage (the access to its location), whereas a Filter module analyzes the asset’s contents. For example, if you catalog a file from the file system of your computer, the Asset Storage module manages the access to the file system of your computer, and the employed filter reads the file’s content.
• Asset Processor and Metadata modules are special modules for special tasks, e.g. to handle DCS (Desktop Color Separation) files and OPI (Open Prepress Interface).
• Cumulus Filters extract file-type specific metadata from assets. This information can include color mode, resolution, file type, font names, etc., depending on the type of asset. Users who are allowed to define Asset Handling Sets can create their own Filter format options for specific file types (see “Extending Generic Filter Options” ), and Canto is always updating existing Filters and creating new ones.
Cumulus makes it possible for you to determine precisely what sort of information should be kept on the assets. This can be defined differently for each catalog as each catalog has its own properties. It is the catalog properties that determine what information is stored on the assets in the record fields. (For further information, see “Catalog Settings” .) Linking metadata fields to record fields “feeds” the record with asset metadata during cataloging. The link can work in both directions—if supported by the corresponding Filter or Asset Storage Module—meaning that you can also write modified record field contents back to asset fields. To find out how, see “Administering Field Linking” . By default, all Cumulus-supported record fields are linked to the matching asset fields. This also applies to fields that are included with Cumulus but not activated by default in every catalog. When you set up a catalog for your workgroup, you can define how these asset fields (from both Asset Storage modules and Filters) should be linked to the catalog’s record fields. You can also define how to link the custom fields you define to asset metadata.
If you want to learn more about Cumulus’ various modules, what they do and how they are configured to customize Cumulus to your specific workflow, then please continue reading the following sections that describe these modules.