Identify range of records on cover page by chunk

[DaveYeag]

Hello.  I have a data file with one column of sequential numbers which we are being merged in a data matrix barcode and human readable on a single page.  Usually about 100,000 numbers per run.  We impose these in 4-up cut stacks of 100 each.  So for example stack one has 1 - 100, 101 - 200, 201 - 300, and 301 - 400.  Each stack is currently being printed with a blank cardstock cover front and back before being cut and bound, but by customer would like for the front covers to have some static text and the range of numbers in that book.

So my question is two-fold:

How do I create a variable data field that will look like [Value of record #1] thru [Value of record #1 + 100] and then repeat in ascending order?

If I can make that work is there a way to include that cover page in the composition with the numbered pages so I would yield a cover followed by 100 numbered pages, then another cover page followed by the next 100 pages all imposed in 4-up stacks?

I can sort of do this with a little VBA creating a new data file from the first and then doing a separate merge and combine the two composed files in Quite Imposing.  But I'd like to make it an all in one process which any operator could do in my absence.

Thanks for any suggestions.

[Dan Korn]

I'm having trouble understanding the requirements.  A picture or mockup of the desired output might be helpful.

That said, maybe what you want is a slip sheet, which can be set up on the Imposition tab of the Composition Settings.

[DaveYeag]

Hi Dan, 

I've attached the output file I used as a demo when I first tested the job.  As you can see there 4 stacks of 50 numbers and would be quartered and stapled as 4 separate booklets.  I just merged a list of numbers and used imposer to output the 4 up stacks creating a new file after 200 records to get 4 50-page books per file.  (We've since bumped it up to 100-page books.)  Our printer is inserting blank cover pages when they print.

What I need is a cover page in Fusion Pro that would only appear at the start of each chunk with the start and end numbers.  For example CI100321101 - CI10032150 at the start, then again after the first 50 records for CI100321151 - CI10032200, etc.

I can't compose onto a slip sheet, right?  I was thinking an overflow page but I don't have any practical experience with them since I've never had a job that needed one.  I'd need to go back to the user guide and read up.

Appreciate the help, thanks.

CIF Numbers-Output.pdf

[Dan Korn]

On 7/7/2023 at 3:16 PM, DaveYeag said:

I can't compose onto a slip sheet, right?

Sure you can.  It's a page of type Template, which is usually used for a repeatable component, but it can still have variable frames when used as a slip sheet.  You'll need a rule that calculates what the start and end record numbers from the chunk will be, but that's not too hard to do, then you can use that rule in a text frame on the slip sheet page.