--- title: "Starting print file rendering | Customer's Canvas Hub" canonical: "https://customerscanvas.com/docs/hub/dev-center/scenarios/direct-mail/starting-print-file-rendering/" --- # Starting print file rendering > After you have [created a design](https://customerscanvas.com/docs/hub/dev-center/scenarios/direct-mail/pre-designing-variable-templates.md) and prepared and [saved VDP data to the design](https://customerscanvas.com/docs/hub/dev-center/scenarios/direct-mail/adding-a-dataset.md), you can apply this data while rendering print files. This guide explains how to render designs with variable data using Customers Canvas. You'll learn how to configure a pipeline with the `render-vdp-hires` task, run a project via the **Storefront API**, and manage the resulting artifacts. ## Step 1: Configure the pipeline To render high-resolution print files, create a pipeline in your Customer's Canvas account first. The pipeline must include the [render-vdp-hires](https://customerscanvas.com/docs/hub/printer-guide/pipelines/tasks/render-vdp-hires.md) task to apply data samples stored in the rendered designs. Below is an example configuration: ```json { "tasks": [ { "description": "Extract design from project", "name": "extract", "type": "extract-project-design", "parameters": {}, "outputArtifacts": [ "design" ] }, { "description": "Render multipage print file", "name": "render-vdp-hires", "type": "render-vdp-hires", "inputArtifacts": [ "design" ], "parameters": { "hiResOutputDpi": 300, "hiResOutputFileFormat": "pdf", "hiResOutputColorSpace": "cmyk", "hiResOutputRgbColorProfileName": "", "hiResOutputCmykColorProfileName": "", "hiResOutputGrayscaleColorProfileName": "", "hiResOutputToSeparateFiles": false, "hiResOutputChannelContainersToSeparateFiles": false, "hiResOutputChannelContainersRenderEmptyPage": true, "hiResOutputBackgroundColor": "White", "hiResOutputCompression": "Jpeg", "hiResOutputJpegCompressionQuality": 90, "hiResOutputFlipMode": "None", "hiResOutputRotateMode": "None", "hiResOutputPdfTextMode": "Text", "hiResOutputPdfAuthor": "", "hiResOutputPdfCreator": "", "hiResOutputPdfKeywords": "", "hiResOutputPdfSubject": "", "hiResOutputPdfTitle": "", "hiResOutputInStringPlaceholderHintsEnabled": false, "hiResOutputArchiveType": "None", "hiResOutputArchiveCompressionType": "LZMA" }, "outputArtifacts": [ "printFile" ] }, { "description": "Finalize", "name": "finalize", "type": "finalize", "finalArtifacts": [ "printFile" ] } ] } ``` ## Step 2: Create a project via API First, choose the right endpoint. Customer's Canvas provides two endpoints for creating projects for processing VDP data: 1. [`POST /api/storefront/v1/projects/with-single-item`](https://customerscanvas.com/docs/hub/dev-center/api/storefront.md#tag/projects/CreateWithSingleItem) Use this endpoint when your PIM products are linked via a product reference (e.g., an online store product ID). _Example: You have a product in your e-commerce system, and you want to personalize it with VDP data._ 2. [`POST /api/storefront/v1/projects/by-scenario/specific-pipeline`](https://customerscanvas.com/docs/hub/dev-center/api/storefront.md#tag/projects/CreateBySpecificPipelineScenario) Use this endpoint when you haven't linked products by product reference, need to process multiple line items in an order, or only render design files. _Example: You want to render multiple designs in a single project without direct product references._ Once a project is created, the system will automatically run the pipeline linked to the product or specified in the request parameters. ### Option 1: Using /projects/with-single-item This endpoint is used when your products are linked via a product reference in your online store. **cURL** ```bash curl -X POST "https://api.customerscanvashub.com/api/storefront/v1/projects/with-single-item?storefrontId=12" \ -H "accept: text/plain" \ -H "Content-Type: application/json" \ -H "Authorization: Bearer " \ -d '{ "ownerId": "6527afc635b52bfadd355226", "item": { "productReference": "invitation", "designIds": ["642e793dc46d098d64514607"] } }' ``` **HTTP** ```http POST https://api.customerscanvashub.com/api/storefront/v1/projects/with-single-item?storefrontId=12 Content-Type: application/json { "ownerId": "6527afc635b52bfadd355226", "item": { "productReference": "invitation", "designIds": ["642e793dc46d098d64514607"] } } ``` **C#** ```cs // Set a real storefront ID var storefrontId = 12; // Set a product reference, order ID, and design IDs var body = """ { "orderId": 1004, "item": { "productReference": "invitation", "designIds": ["642e793dc46d098d64514607"] } } """; var project = await projectsApiClient.CreateWithSingleItemAsync(storefrontId, null, body); ``` **TS** ```ts // Set a real storefront ID var storefrontId = 12; // Set a product reference, order ID, and design IDs var body = ` { "orderId": 1004, "item": { "productReference": "invitation", "designIds": ["642e793dc46d098d64514607"] } }`; var project = _projectsApiClient.createWithSingleItem(storefrontId, null, body); ``` **PHP** ```php // Set a real storefront ID $storefrontId = 12; // Set a product reference, order ID, and design IDs $body = ' { "orderId": 1004, "item": { "productReference": "invitation", "designIds": ["642e793dc46d098d64514607"] } }'; $project = $projectsApiClient->projectsCreate($storefrontId, null, $body); ``` ### Option 2: Using /projects/by-scenario/specific-pipeline This endpoint is ideal for processing multiple line items in an order when products are not linked by a product reference. **cURL** ```bash curl -X POST \ "https://api.customerscanvashub.com/api/storefront/v1/projects/by-scenario/specific-pipeline?storefrontId=12" \ -H "accept: text/plain" \ -H "Content-Type: application/json" \ -H "Authorization: Bearer " \ -d '{ "orderDetails": {"orderId": "1004"}, "ownerId": "6527afc635b52bfadd355226", "items": [{ "designIds": ["62da200abb25c5477797d9cb"] }], "scenario": {"pipelineId": 247} }' ``` **HTTP** ```http POST https://api.customerscanvashub.com/api/storefront/v1/projects/by-scenario/specific-pipeline?storefrontId=12 Content-Type: application/json Authorization: Bearer { "orderDetails": {"orderId": "1004"}, "ownerId": "6527afc635b52bfadd355226", "items": [{ "designIds": ["62da200abb25c5477797d9cb"] }], "scenario": {"pipelineId": 247} } ``` **C#** ```csharp var storefrontId = 12; var body = """ { "orderDetails": {"orderId": "1004"}, "ownerId": "6527afc635b52bfadd355226", "items": [{ "designIds": ["62da200abb25c5477797d9cb"] }], "scenario": {"pipelineId": 247} } """; var project = await projectsApiClient.CreateBySpecificPipelineScenarioAsync(storefrontId, null, body); ``` **TS** ```typescript var storefrontId = 12; var body = { "orderDetails": {"orderId": "1004"}, "ownerId": "6527afc635b52bfadd355226", "items": [{ "designIds": ["62da200abb25c5477797d9cb"] }], "scenario": {"pipelineId": 247} }; var project = _projectsApiClient.createBySpecificPipelineScenario(storefrontId, null, JSON.stringify(body)); ``` **PHP** ```php // Set a real storefront ID $storefrontId = 12; // Set a product reference, order ID, and design IDs $body = ' { "orderDetails": {"orderId": "1004"}, "ownerId": "6527afc635b52bfadd355226", "items": [{ "designIds": ["62da200abb25c5477797d9cb"] }], "scenario": {"pipelineId": 247} }'; $project = $projectsApiClient->projectsCreateBySpecificPipelineScenario($storefrontId, null, $body); ``` ## Step 3: Retrieve rendered files You can find artifact links through the BackOffice UI or implement sending the results outside of Customer's Canvas: - Use the **artifact links** provided in the project results. - For **push strategies**, add tasks like [upload-to-ftp](https://customerscanvas.com/docs/hub/printer-guide/pipelines/tasks/upload-to-ftp.md), [invoke-url](https://customerscanvas.com/docs/hub/printer-guide/pipelines/tasks/invoke-url.md), or [export-to-ecommerce](https://customerscanvas.com/docs/hub/printer-guide/pipelines/tasks/export-to-ecommerce.md) to your pipeline. To access artifacts, you can log in to your Customer's Canvas account and find the artifact links in the **Projects** section: click your projects and then click the **Results** tab. To automatically deliver rendered files, extend your pipeline with tasks like: ```json { "tasks": [ { "description": "Upload to FTP", "name": "upload-to-ftp", "type": "upload-to-ftp", "inputArtifacts": ["printFile"], "parameters": { "ftpHost": "ftp.example.com", "ftpUser": "user", "ftpPassword": "password", "ftpPath": "/output/" } } ] } ``` ## Related Topics - [VDP preview pipeline example](https://customerscanvas.com/docs/hub/printer-guide/pipelines/examples/render-vdp-preview.md) - [Delivering pipeline results](https://customerscanvas.com/docs/hub/printer-guide/pipelines/tasks.md#4-delivering-results) - [Working with Project API](https://customerscanvas.com/docs/hub/dev-center/api/storefront/working-with-projects.md)