Multiple Input and Output

[Deejtko]

Hello,

 

I hope I can write this out in a manner that will be easy to understand. I have certificates that I do each month for one of our clients. Each certificate is numbered differently. Some maybe be 0001-0250, or 0001-0500, 0001-0750. All start at 1 to a certain quantity. Currently I have a data file that is 0001 to 9999 to cover all potential number requirements.

 

To generate the certificates I change my graphic resource to the specific pdf for the one I am working on and then compose the certificate with the numbers needed. I should state all of the certificates are the same size and the number is in the same location.

 

This project was easy when it was one or two, but the past few months I am getting closer to 50 a month. Anticipating this project will continue to grow I need to find a solution that will automate this further.

 

My idea is to somehow have a text file that will have the pdf name, quantity needed, and Output file name. Then have fusion pro compose the certificates. Am I asking for too much? I feel like this should be possible I am just now sure how to do it. Much more advanced from the if,then statements I currently know how to do.

 

Thanks in advance for any help or ideas you can provide.

 

TKO

[ThomasLewis]

You might look at using the built in sequential numbering rule instead of the list of numbers. If you convert the rule to JavaScript you can do quite a bit of customization. There's a section in the User Guide (page 69 in ver 7, page 71 in ver 8) on how to do this, you don't even need a data file.

 

Also check out this thread on setting up output file names: http://forums.pti.com/showthread.php?p=9091

[Dan Korn]

My idea is to somehow have a text file that will have the pdf name, quantity needed, and Output file name. Then have fusion pro compose the certificates.

This is really easy with FusionPro 8, which introduces a new feature called "arbitrary chunking," or manually breaking up output files into arbitrary numbers of records. All you need are a few lines like this in OnRecordStart:

FusionPro.Composition.repeatRecordCount = Int(Field("Quantity"));
if (FusionPro.Composition.repeatRecordNumber == 1)
   FusionPro.Composition.OpenNewOutputFile(Field("OutputFileName"));

There's also a FusionPro.Composition.outputFormatExtension property you can use to ensure that each output file has the appropriate file extension for the output format to which you're composing. You could use it like so:

FusionPro.Composition.repeatRecordCount = Int(Field("Quantity"));
if (FusionPro.Composition.repeatRecordNumber == 1)
   FusionPro.Composition.OpenNewOutputFile(Field("OutputFileName") +
       "." + FusionPro.Composition.outputFormatExtension);

[Deejtko]

Thanks Dan and Thomas,

 

I guess until I can convince the company I need an upgrade my current solution is as follows:

 

I create a text file that has Quantity and Image fields

 

Quantity Image

250 North

750 South

1500 East

500 West

 

I then have an Auto Number rule:

 

return FormatNumber("00000", CurrentRecordNumber())

Next I have an OnRecordStart rule:

 

FusionPro.Composition.repeatRecordCount = Field("QUANTITY");

Then I have a Insert Picture rule which I direct to my images folder searching for PDFs.

 

Finally I have and OnNewOutputFile rule:

 

FusionPro.Composition.outputFileName = Field("Image") + ".pdf";

If anyone sees a way I can improve this please let me know. Also I talked to my printer operator about running similar quantities in a single run. My only problem is my Auto Numbering rule continues to count up when I need it to restart at 1 when the next record is called.

 

So for now, until I am using Version 8, I just compose record 1 of 1, then 2 of 2, etc. Drastic improvement upon what I was previously doing. This has me thinking of ways I can improve other projects as well.

 

Thanks again,

 

TKO

[ThomasLewis]

I had a similar job come up and this got me thinking about using the Arbitrary Chunking method. I ended up setting it up as an external data file so the info could be parsed into arrays OnJobStart.

 

I'm not sure how useful this will be to you not being on FP8, but you might be able to adapt some of it. Anyways, attached is an example.

FP8_Numbering_Multiple_Output.zip

[Deejtko]

Finally getting back to this after recently upgrading to FP8. Works great if I don't impose it six up on a page like I need it. Working with the iGen software to impose the sheet there. This has already saved me hours of time though. Thanks again for everyone's help.

[Dan Korn]

Finally getting back to this after recently upgrading to FP8. Works great if I don't impose it six up on a page like I need it.

Try adding this to OnJobStart:

FusionPro.Composition.chunksBreakStacks = true;