Enhanced N_UP Example 3: Asymmetric Pages

Enhanced N_UP Example 3: Asymmetric Pages

Enhanced N_UP Example 3: Asymmetric Pages

The previous figure shows the flexibility and power of enhanced N_UP printing. With enhanced N_UP printing, you can place pages relative to any partition on the sheet, front or back, in any sequence. Pages are not limited by partition boundaries. The only limitations are that pages must not print outside the physical form boundaries, and you cannot place more pages on a sheet than the number specified in the N_UP subcommand. For an N_UP 4 duplex page, the limit is eight pages total on front and back sides combined. For N_UP 3 duplex, the limit is six pages on the front and back combined.

Note: In the duplex examples shown in the previous figure, all of the pages can be on one side, with the other side blank.

Form Definition for Enhanced N_UP Example 3

   FORMDEF ASYMET DUPLEX NORMAL ;
 
   COPYGROUP FIRST
     PRESENT LANDSCAPE DIRECTION ACROSS
     N_UP 4
  /* Constant*/   PLACE 1 BACK  OFFSET  4  0  CONSTANT OVERLAY B
  /* Page  1 */   PLACE 1 FRONT OFFSET  0  0  Overlay A
  /* Page  2 */   PLACE 1 FRONT OFFSET 12  0
  /* Page  3 */   PLACE 1 BACK  OFFSET  0  0
  /* Page  4 */   PLACE 1 FRONT OFFSET 12  4
  /* Page  5 */   PLACE 1 BACK  OFFSET  0  4
  /* Page  6 */   PLACE 1 FRONT OFFSET 12  8
  /* Page  7 */   PLACE 1 BACK  OFFSET  0  8 ;
 
   COPYGROUP SECOND
     PRESENT PORTRAIT DIRECTION ACROSS
     N_UP 3
  /* Constant*/   PLACE 1 BACK  OFFSET  0  0  CONSTANT OVERLAY C
  /* Page  8 */   PLACE 1 FRONT OFFSET  0  0
  /* Page  9 */   PLACE 1 FRONT OFFSET  0  4
  /* Page 10 */   PLACE 1 FRONT OFFSET  6  0
  /* Page 11 */   PLACE 1 FRONT OFFSET  6  4
  /* 6th place */ PLACE 1 BACK  OFFSET  0  0  CONSTANT ;

To achieve the asymmetrical page placement shown in this example, place all the pages relative to the origin of partition 1 on the front or the back side of the sheet. You can place the pages relative to the origin of any of the partitions, but using partition 1 simplifies the calculations for page positions.

With N_UP 4, the default PORTRAIT presentation and ACROSS direction place the origin at the top right of the partition on wide, continuous-form paper. In this example, specifying LANDSCAPE ACROSS sets the origin at the top-left corner, to achieve the correct page arrangement.

The coding of the form definition for example 3 is shown in the previous figure. Copy group FIRST specifies N_UP 4, which requires eight PLACE subcommands for the duplex page. Observe that the constant overlay B on the back of the sheet represents one of the eight PLACE subcommands. COPYGROUP SECOND used for the second sheet specifies N_UP 3. You must use six PLACE subcommands. Four pages are placed on the front side, and a constant overlay is placed on the back, using five of the six PLACE subcommands. A CONSTANT page is specified without an overlay to fill the sixth PLACE subcommand. Nothing is printed with this PLACE subcommand, but it is required to ensure a correct internal page count for recovery and restart.

Note: In each copy group, the PLACE subcommand for the constant overlay is placed in front of all the PLACE subcommands for page data. This placement ensures that the constant overlay prints if any pages are printed on the sheet. Otherwise, if you change copy groups or run out of pages before the PLACE command for the constant overlay, the overlay does not print.
Parent topic: Enhanced N_UP Printing