Basic N_UP Example 1: Using INVOKE and OVERLAY

Form Definition for Basic N_UP Example 1

  FORMDEF TWOUPS ;
 
  COPYGROUP A
     N_UP 2
       OVERLAY A
     INVOKE NEXT ;
 
  COPYGROUP B
     N_UP 2
       OVERLAY B
     INVOKE NEXT ;

Figure Basic N_UP Example 1: Using INVOKE and OVERLAY shows the INVOKE and OVERLAY functions of basic N_UP printing. Specifying INVOKE NEXT on the COPYGROUP command ensures that when the copy group is invoked by an Invoke Medium Map (IMM) structured field with conditional processing, the next page is placed in the next partition of the N_UP form.

The OVERLAY subcommand specifies a page overlay, which can be positioned relative to the page origin or relative to the partition origin. In basic N_UP, the OVERLAY subcommand prints the overlay with the page data in every partition on the sheet. However, as shown in this example, using INVOKE NEXT allows the application to use different overlays in different partitions.

Example 1 has been defined as N_UP 2 simplex with the default PORTRAIT ACROSS presentation, which results in the partitions illustrated in Figure Basic N_UP Example 1: Using INVOKE and OVERLAY. The application uses different page formats on different application pages. With N_UP, changing page formats ejects to the next partition, just as it ejects to a new page in applications without N_UP.

The application also needs different overlays on different pages. Because the overlays are specified on N_UP in the COPYGROUP subcommand, the application accomplishes this by changing copy groups. Without the INVOKE subcommand, changing the copy group forces an eject to a new physical sheet. However, because INVOKE NEXT is specified, the eject is to the next partition. Changing to copy group B after page 1 is written places page 2 in partition 2 of the same physical sheet. If the change is made after a page is placed in partition 2, the eject to the next partition is to partition 1 of the next sheet. The page is printed with the overlay specified in the new copy group.