print several layouts into one document

[tectic]

Hi!

I'm using 5.0v3 and have written a DB that takes the data and produces various outputs in several different layouts. I have written a script that produces discrete 'print' - at the moment up to 68(!)pages which is fine as long as it's to my local printer. Problem is my brief has now changed to output a .pdf file that can be printed as and when rather than at once. Is there a script step or something that'll let me print one document with separate pages from each of the relevent layouts?

thanks
tectic

 

[JeanW]

If your layouts has to be printed as is, script the printing something along these lines: (pseudo code)

Go to layout 1 - print
Go to layout 2 - print
etc...

after you made a sort on the records needed to be printed per layout.

HTH

 

[tectic]

Thanks Jean

Problem is, having reread my original post, I wasn't clear enough in explaining my problem! Your suggestion is in fact what I am doing at the moment. The problem is that it generates a separate print job each time - I really need to amalgamate all these separate jobs into one print file. Any further ideas?

 

[krullenbol]

Another option is, if I understand the problem right, is to merge the PDF's that are created while 'printing' the several layouts. There are freeware solutions for merging individual PDF's.

 

[greenbirdweb]

I'm interested in doing something similar, if anyone has any ideas...

I would like to take Layout A, Layout B, and Layout C and "staple" them all together and print a single document (paper) which has the pages numbered from 1-3, not "1, 1, 1"...

 

[JeanW]

Copy your layouts into 1 'printlayout', make a script to grab the last page number to have your page x from y and use that layout to print.

HTH

 

[greenbirdweb]

Sorry, Jean, I don't think I follow...

When I try to make a layout of more than one page, it prints twice, for some reason, even if you specify only one copy in the print dialog. Plus, each layout I have is for a different purpose, and therefore shows data from a different table. If you made everything one layout, you'd have to convert everything to portals, right? And if Page 1 of the print layout is for "Layout A", will FileMaker know to print that layout as many times as necessary for the number of records, then move to Page 2 of the print layout and print however many pages it needs from "Layout B", etc.? (Sorry if that didn't make sense... I'm confoozled here myself!)

Someone had suggested to me that I use the "Go To Layout" and "Print" script steps for each layout, entering the page number to begin numbering at for each section. Problem is, you have to do that manually, as there is no way to have your script enter data into a dialog box field for you. (Or is there, and I just don't know about it?)

I also thought about making a script that increments a global variable and inserts that as the page number, but then you'd have to print each page individually, I think...

 

[JeanW]

You can have your total pages number for each print section.

Make a global field Num Pages.

Make a script something along these lines:

Enter Preview Mode
Go to Page [Last]
Set Field [Numb Pages; Status(CurrentPageNumber)]
Go to Page [First]
Enter Browse Mode

And run this before each printscript.

On your layout put: Page ## from <<Numb Pages>>

 

[greenbirdweb]

How do you get the (automagic) ## from a field? I can't see any way to do this. Maybe it was removed in FM7?

 

[JeanW]

Put those signs in layout mode on your layout from your keyboard in the appropriate place for pagenumbering.

In browse mode it will show a " ? " and the page number in preview and the printout.

I don't think it will work from a field (although I never tried). It's something I always use directly in a layout.

And no, it's still there in FM7, it's still keyboard input...

 

[greenbirdweb]

Oh, I think I see what you're saying... the "from <<Numb Pages>>" confused me... I thought it would fill in the correct page number, pulling the data from the field. I think yours will print something like "Page 1 from 3" if Numb Pages contains 3. Is that correct?

 

[JeanW]

Yes, and NumbPages is a mergefield on the layout, not a 'regular field'....(Insert - Merge field)

That's why you have to go via preview first, to grab the value of the total pages, to populate the NumbPages field, before printing.