Basic N_UP Printing

You can specify the N_UP subcommand on either the FORMDEF or COPYGROUP commands in the form definition. Figure Subcommands for Basic N_UP Printing shows the subcommands and parameters enabled with basic N_UP printing.

[N_UP {1 | 2 | 3 | 4}[OVERLAY Subcommand…]] 
[INVOKE {SHEET | NEXT | FRONT | BACK}];

OVERLAY name [x-pos y-pos] [PARTITION] 
[OVROTATE {0 | 90 | 180 | 270}] [PFO]

[N_UP {1 | 2 | 3 | 4}[OVERLAY Subcommand…]] 
[INVOKE {SHEET | NEXT | FRONT | BACK}];

OVERLAY name [x-pos y-pos] [PARTITION] 
[OVROTATE {0 | 90 | 180 | 270}] [PFO]

The N_UP subcommand divides the medium into one, two, three, or four partitions, as described in N_UP Partitions and Partition Arrangement. The OVERLAY subcommand prints a page overlay in each partition at a specified offset from the page origin or the partition origin. For more information about page overlays, see Medium Overlays and Page Overlays.

The INVOKE subcommand controls the action that occurs if you invoke a new copy group. You can invoke copy groups using conditional processing in the page definition or by including an Invoke Medium Map (IMM) structured field in the print data. The default action is to eject to a new sheet. By specifying an INVOKE subcommand on a COPYGROUP command, you can instead eject to a new N_UP partition, which may be on the same sheet. If printing in duplex mode, you can specify whether to eject to a partition on the front or back side of the sheet.

You must use page overlays instead of medium overlays if you want to change overlays while ejecting to a new partition. PSF honors the NEXT, FRONT, and BACK values of the INVOKE subcommand only if the new copy group has the same medium modifications as the previous copy group. Medium modifications include duplexing, bin, page offset, N_UP values, presentation, direction, and medium overlays. If any of these modifications differ, PSF ejects to a new sheet when the copy group is invoked.

By combining INVOKE with the N_UP OVERLAY subcommand, you can place different page overlays in different partitions when you change copy groups. This is illustrated in Basic N_UP Example 1: Using INVOKE and OVERLAY.

The following examples show the use of basic N_UP. Because each example builds on the previous one, read them in sequential order to better understand basic N_UP. All the pages used in the examples are formatted in the ACROSS printing direction. Their orientation on the media is the result of using the available PRESENT and DIRECTION combinations in the FORMDEF command.