Multiple Page Resource.

[Fletch]

I accidentally asked this question in the Producer area, I apologize.

I have a variable job that has the 1st page that has a letter with some variable fields. Starting with the second page I need to place a 3-page PDF, which will become pages 2-4, for a total of a 4-page document. The filenames are in a field in the data file. I have created a resource for the 3-page PDF files. Then I created a rule for each of the pages. I've attached all the files for what I did. It's a test sample, instead of loading all 300 records. Still, when I validate the rule I get an error that my resource doesn't exist, when it clearly does. I tried another method I found on the forum and it was crazy confusing. Please Help!

Test.zip

[Susan]

I edited your rules a little and it seems to work. I added a "Insert Picture Rule" with the path to the pdfs and altered your page rules slightly to this:

 

var r = Rule("Insert Picture Rule");

r.pagenumber = 1; // or 1 here

return r;

 

I've attached the revised pdf with the new rules.

VD-TEST_MAILING COVER FLYER_Fc Revised.pdf

[Dan Korn]

The resource exists, but not in the same folder as the template, so FusionPro doesn't know where to find it.

 

You can add a rule with the search path to the graphic, as Susan suggests.

 

But there's a much simpler solution: Go into the Composition Settings dialog, on the Advanced tab, and enter the path to the graphics in the Search Path box there. This can be a path relative to the template, so all I had to do to get it to work was simply type the folder name "fc pdf files" (without quotes) in that Search Path box, and the graphics are found.

[Fletch]

Thank you both very much. Working perfectly now.

[Fletch]

I have a question related to this job. When I choose to use the Fusionpro Producer, the images on pages 2-4 do not show up. Are they not being sent over with the job because they are not Resources? If so, how do I get producer to include them?

[Dan Korn]

I have a question related to this job. When I choose to use the Fusionpro Producer, the images on pages 2-4 do not show up. Are they not being sent over with the job because they are not Resources? If so, how do I get producer to include them?

So, you could add every graphic used by the template as a resource, and they will all get collected up and uploaded to Producer.

 

But these will all get uploaded every time you compose, which will make each submission take longer, and will fill up the drive on the Producer machine more quickly.

 

The best practice for Producer jobs is to put the graphics on the network, so that both local previews and Producer compositions can access them from a common location. On Windows, you will access the files via UNC paths, which start with two backslashes, something like "\\server\share\folder\filename.jpg". You can enter the path to the graphics (\\server\share\folder\) in the same Search Path location, on the Advanced tab of the Composition Settings, that you used for the relative path. If you have more than one location where graphics are located, you can specify multiple paths delimited with semicolons ; in that Search Path box.

 

Another option is to set a global search path for all jobs submitted to the queue, in the Producer Configuration app, but this is more complicated and requires the graphics to be found differently in local previews than in Producer compositions.

[Fletch]

Thank you, Dan. I actually found one of your posts late yesterday, with the same solution. But, it just isn't working. I'm very familiar with UNC paths so the solution made perfect sense. I've even placed the path in the Producer Configuration. No luck. I've checked all permissions for Sharing on my PC and the PC that Producer is running on and it all checks out. I don't get any errors, I just get blank pages where those images are supposed to be. I'll keep Hammering away at it.