Changing Logical Page Print Direction

Logical pages can have four different print directions: ACROSS, DOWN, BACK, and UP. This example shows that all four directions can be specified in relation to one offset specification: 

		FORMDEF ABCD
        		OFFSET (1) (2) ;
		PAGEDEF DEFG  ;
		FONT GS12 GS12;
  		PAGEFORMAT DEFG1
             		WIDTH (3)
             		HEIGHT (4)
             		DIRECTION ACROSS ;
    		LAYOUT 'abc'  ;
  		PAGEFORMAT DEFG2
             		WIDTH (3)
             		HEIGHT (4)
             		DIRECTION DOWN ;
    		LAYOUT 'def'  ;
  		PAGEFORMAT DEFG3
             		WIDTH (3)
             		HEIGHT (4)
             		DIRECTION BACK ;
    		LAYOUT 'ghi'  ;
  		PAGEFORMAT DEFG4
             		WIDTH (3)
             		HEIGHT (4)
             		DIRECTION UP ;
    		LAYOUT 'jki'  ;
Note: The parenthetical numbers represent dimensions. Figure Logical Page Dimensions shows how these dimensions relate to the logical page.

One page definition is used to simplify the example, yet four logical pages are specified. The PAGEFORMAT commands create subsets of page definitions for each logical page.

Note: The page formats in this example require an Invoke Data Map structured field at the place in the data file where you want to change page formats. The LAYOUT commands are required but are not relevant in the example.

The DIRECTION subcommand with one of its four direction parameters ACROSS, DOWN, UP, or BACK specifies the print direction of the logical page.

Figure Logical Page Print Directions in Relation to Origin shows the format of each of the logical pages specified in the page definition with the direction specification of each. The pages with the ACROSS and BACK directions are in portrait presentation. The pages with the DOWN and UP directions are in landscape presentation.

Logical Page Print Directions in Relation to Origin

Logical Page Print Directions in Relation to Origin

The media origins and logical page origins do not change with the presentation of the data on the page. The OFFSET subcommand of the form definition need not change. However, the width and height dimensions do change; that is, the WIDTH subcommand always governs the horizontal (inline) dimension as you view the page, and the HEIGHT subcommand always governs the vertical (baseline) dimension whether the page is in portrait or in landscape presentation. Ensure that these specifications do not cause the logical page to cross the edge of the physical page.

However, if the DOWN direction is specified for use with an continuous forms printer, the PRESENT and DIRECTION subcommands may need to be specified in the form definition. See Specifying Page Presentation on Continuous-Forms Printers for more information.

Parent topic: Positioning the Data