Page number offset

[rivet]

A client just asked for an odd request.

They would like to have the ablity to offset the page numbering.

So they have found their set of records and before they print a script would prompt them 'what number would you like to give the first page?' (from there there the follow pages would go in sequence)

There situation is that the FMP data is only in various sections in a number of binders.

[-Queue-]

Create an ustored calculation of Get(PageNumber) + globalnumber - 1, where globalnumber is the field in which they enter the desired first page number. Use this calc field instead of the normal ## page number symbol.

[RalphL]

There is a Number pages from box in the print dialog box.

[-Queue-]

I think the problem is that the first page should be the Nth page, not that they want to start printing from the Nth page. But, of course, I could be in error.

[Steve Henning]

There is a "Number pages from" box in the printer setup settings. I used it with great success and stated number my pages from 8. Now I need to start numbering my pages from 1. Everytime I put a 1 in the "Number pages from" box and print it starts numbering the pages from 8 and when I go back, the box I put a "1" in now has an "8" in it. I have tried everything and nothing works.

My work around was to replace the page number field with a manual number and print each page seperately inserting a number for the next page and just printing that page. It take a while and is a pain, but it works.

Any ideas on how I can reset the "Number pages from" box??

Thanks, Steve Henning

[RalphL]

Are you using a script to do the printing? The script may be going back to what you used when you created it.

[Steve Henning]

No, I am not using a script to do the printing. I do have scripts to select the records, and select my layout, but then it stops. The script does include Print Setup, but after I run the script I manually change the Print Setup. Then I went back in and saved the script with the new Print Setup and changed to the new Print Setup, but the Print Set up had never accepted my change to the "Number pages from".

[-Queue-]

That must be a Mac thing. No such option on a Windows print dialog, at least not on any printers I've ever seen.

If you can't get it to save your new settings, I'd just use my suggestion above and set the global in the script.

[Steve Henning]

OK Queue, that would save a lot of trouble. I haven't tried it, but in my case I guess I could use:

Get(PageNumber) - 7

Since my "Number pages from" is stuck at 8 for this file.

Thanks,

[Steve Henning]

Get(PageNumber) doesn't seem to mean anything in FM 5.5 There is a script function

Status(CurrentPageNumber) but I don't see how it can be used to print a number on a page.

Any ideas?

[-Queue-]

Status(CurrentPageNumber) is the equivalent of Get(PageNumber) in versions below 7. You can create an unstored calculation field, as described above, and put it on your layout as a field or merge field.

[Steve Henning]

Queue -- Thanks much. The unstored part is what I was missing. As soon as I made it unstored, it worked like a champ. My page number field is:

Page(calculated,unstored) = Status(CurrentPageNumber) - 7

since my "Number pages from" is stuck at 8 for some unknown reason.

Thanks much,

[Brian C]

Just wanted to make a comment on the issue with saving the page setup on the mac side in a script.

This works fine as long as you are dealing with the files locally on your own machine. If you are attempting to make changes to files that are served from another workstation or on a FileMaker server, you encounter this issue.

The work-around is to simply remove the Page Setup step from the script entirely and save the script without it. Then you just go back into the script and re-add the page setup step and it will force it to use the Page Setup settings from the local machine.