Creating say a presrciption pad

[dreimer]

So I want to be able to make a two sided ************ pad of say 50 sheets per record in my data. I will need a order identifier sheet on top as well as a **** description sheet on the bottom. So right now I have a 104 page FP template. Pages 1 and 2 are for the identifie, pages 3-102 are my repeat sheets and pages 103 and 104 are the **** description page. The pages are pulled in as PDF's based on the data. My main question is there a way to simplify my template to make the 100 pages 2 pages and duplicate them 50 times somehow? TIA Edited January 22, 2013 by dreimer

[Dan Korn]

I would use a combination of record repeating (set FusionPro.Composition.repeatRecordCount in OnRecordStart) and page usage (call FusionPro.Composition.SetBodyPageUsage in OnRecordStart). The OnRecordStart rule would be something like this:

FusionPro.Composition.repeatRecordCount = 50;
FusionPro.Composition.SetBodyPageUsage("Identifier 1", FusionPro.Composition.repeatRecordNumber == 1);
FusionPro.Composition.SetBodyPageUsage("Identifier 2", FusionPro.Composition.repeatRecordNumber == 1);
FusionPro.Composition.SetBodyPageUsage("Description 1", FusionPro.Composition.repeatRecordNumber == 50);
FusionPro.Composition.SetBodyPageUsage("Description 2", FusionPro.Composition.repeatRecordNumber == 50);

Then you could do something based on FusionPro.Composition.repeatRecordNumber, likely in another rule, to bring in the data for each repeat of the two main pages.

[dreimer]

I will give that suggestion a shot. Would a template frame be used here? I have never used a template frame and don't really understand their usage.

[dreimer]

I have no idea how that worked, but it did. Thank you!!!

[dreimer]

Spoke too soon, works great for one-up composition, but using the imposer messed it all up.

[Dan Korn]

Spoke too soon, works great for one-up composition, but using the imposer messed it all up.

Messed it all up how exactly?

[dreimer]

I will try collecting tomorrow and posting along with an example of how it should look imposed by doing it with the number of pages and not the repeat rules in the template. Thanks.

[dreimer]

I don't really want to post this art since it is sensitive material. The six page template works correctly without imposing, but when I impose it I get an error for every record and every repeat of the record. Below is the rule I am using for the repeat in on Record Start. The job changed to 30 per pad.

 

FusionPro.Composition.repeatRecordCount = 30;
FusionPro.Composition.SetBodyPageUsage("HeaderFront", FusionPro.Composition.repeatRecordNumber == 1);
FusionPro.Composition.SetBodyPageUsage("HeaderBack", FusionPro.Composition.repeatRecordNumber == 1);
FusionPro.Composition.SetBodyPageUsage("PIFront", FusionPro.Composition.repeatRecordNumber == 30);
FusionPro.Composition.SetBodyPageUsage("PIBack", FusionPro.Composition.repeatRecordNumber == 30);

 

Here is the error I get using the imposition that I don't get when I compose one up:

 

I have tried changing the stack on the imposition file to get it to work with no luck.

Edited January 23, 2013 by dreimer

[dreimer]

Couldn't get the message to upload in the previous post. Here is a portion of it. Also the Template and Def file attached.

RepeatableTest_ProofImposed.txt

RepeatableTest_FP.def

RepeatableTest_FP.pdf

[step]

I'd venture to guess that the problem with the imposition stems from the fact that for repeatRecordNumber 1 & 30, the template outputs 4 pages rather than the expected 2. I think you would have to set all of your pages to "unused" and rework the code to be something like:

 

FusionPro.Composition.repeatRecordCount = 32; // 2 extra for the front and back sheets
switch (FusionPro.Composition.repeatRecordNumber) {
  case 1:
     FusionPro.Composition.SetBodyPageUsage("HeaderFront",true);
     FusionPro.Composition.SetBodyPageUsage("HeaderBack",true);
  break;
  case 32:
     FusionPro.Composition.SetBodyPageUsage("PIFront",true);
     FusionPro.Composition.SetBodyPageUsage("PIBack",true);
  break;
  default:
     FusionPro.Composition.SetBodyPageUsage("OrderFront",true);
     FusionPro.Composition.SetBodyPageUsage("OrderBack",true);
  break;
}

 

Please note that I haven't tried to validate this code myself, so you may have to tinker with it to make it work the way you want but I think that's a starting point to get that worked out.

[dreimer]

Step, thanks, that worked well for the one-up, but the imposition still doesn't come out correct. Your rule at least doesn't give me errors when doing the imposed composition. There must be something I am doing wrong in the imposition file.

[step]

What are you trying to do with the imposition?

[dreimer]

So our rules create a 64 page pdf per record. I want each record to go down the stack. So with an eight record file and an 8-up imposition I would end up with 64 pages with in the imposed PDF with each record taking one of the 8-up spots on the impo. It would be what is considered cut and stack. Each 64 pages would be 8 records and make 8 pads. Does that make sense? I would post the finished product but it is sensitive material. I could email you the final product if you wanted to see and had time to take a look. Thanks again.

[dreimer]

OK, I think I got it, was a problem with my stack in the imposition file.

 

Thanks for your help, your rule works correctly for imposition!!! Much appreciated!!

[dreimer]

Spoke to soon again. Works great for 8 records but if I try 9 in messes the imposition all up again.

[step]

Are you doing an infinite stack? Could you do a set stack count of 64?

[Dan Korn]

Ste is correct that you need to make sure you're outputting the correct number of pages, and the same number of pages, for each output record.

 

But I don't know exactly what that correct number is without the FPI file.

So our rules create a 64 page pdf per record. I want each record to go down the stack. So with an eight record file and an 8-up imposition I would end up with 64 pages with in the imposed PDF with each record taking one of the 8-up spots on the impo. It would be what is considered cut and stack. Each 64 pages would be 8 records and make 8 pads. Does that make sense? I would post the finished product but it is sensitive material. I could email you the final product if you wanted to see and had time to take a look. Thanks again.

The problem might be that you're not actually outputting 64 pages in a single output record; you're actually outputting 32 records, each with two pages. Whether the imposition should or will work that way is hard to say without having the FPI file.

 

Anyway, all the explanation is fine, but it's hard to visualize. Can you "dummy up" the data so that the job has the same general layout, but not the sensitive information?

 

Even if you could just post the FPI file, that would be immensely helpful so that we what your imposition settings are. (If you can't post an attachment, you can just open the FPI file in a text editor and copy-and-paste the contents here.) With that FPI file, a dummy data file, and the template PDF you already posted, one of us should be able to reproduce what you're seeing.

Edited January 23, 2013 by Dan Korn
same number of pages, not records, per output record

[dreimer]

I do have the fpi file set to 64 in the stack and that works great for 8 reocrds but when it goes to more than 8 it gets messed up. I have attached the impo file

5.5X4.25_Repeatable.fpi

[dreimer]

Tried everything I can think of on the impo file. Must be something with the repeatRecordNumber that messes up the imposition after the first 8 records.

[step]

I'm not sure why but it seems FPI uses "infinite stack" regardless of setting a stack height. Not sure if that's a FPI issue or if it's because of the records being repeated.

 

I think the easiest solution would be to add "FPO" or "dummy" records to the end of your data file forcing your total record count to be divisible by 8. So that every position on the sheet is filled forcing FPI to generate 64 pages for every 8 records rather than evenly distributing them across the sheet when there aren't enough records to fill the imposition.

[dreimer]

Thanks for taking alook into this Step. I think I will just run it as a 64 page FP template, that works.