Script Printing with Dynamic # of Copies

[neilticktin]

Good Evening.

After several hours of web searching, and not finding the answer ... it's time for an email list post.

Background:

I have a database called "centers" with about 50-100 records.

One of the fields is called "numcopies"

One layout is called "cover letter"

One layout is called "flyer"

The two layouts are personalized for each record.

Task:

I'd like to run a script that goes through each of the records in the database. For each record, I would like to print one copy of the cover letter (the layout called "cover letter"). After that one page is printed for a record, I want to print the flyer for each record ... but I want to print the number of copies specified by "numcopies" for that record.

Simple Example:

Let's say that we have two centers: LA and NY. LA needs 50 copies of the flyer, and NY needs 25 copies of the flyer. Remember, the flyers for each location are different not only by quantity, but that they are "personalized" (e.g., one flyer prints with LA on it, and the other with NY on it).

I want to have a resulting stack of paper that looks like this:

Single page cover letter to LA

50 copies of the flyer personalized to LA

Single page cover letter to NY

25 copies of the flyer personalized to NY

The problem:

I'm happy for this to be in either ScriptMaker or AppleScript, but I've been unable to find a good solution.

Clearly, I can print with ScriptMaker, but I cannot dynamically specify the copies.

It's probably possible with AppleScript, but since I generally find AppleScript to be a "read only" language , I could certainly use some examples to pilfer from. :

Thanks!

Neil

[Vaughan]

"Clearly, I can print with ScriptMaker, but I cannot dynamically specify the copies."

Sure you can.

Set the Print step to print one copy without dialog. Then call it the necessary number of times.

[sbg2]

Hmmmm, we have a rather expensive label program that operates similarly. The program sends each copy that needs to be printed seperately. There is about a half second delay between the printing of each label. When we need 100 or more copies of the same label this is painfully innefficient. Luckily we have a rather cheap (read free) program that can send 1 request for 1000 copies rather than 1000 requests for 1 copy.

Long story short... If the "call the script that prints 1 copy" option is slow you might setup a few scripts that print a number of copies (1,5,10,25,50,100 etc.). Place holders would be needed for the number of times you would need to call each script.

[Vaughan]

"you might setup a few scripts that print a number of copies"

That'd be interesting... it could be like giving change: to print 8 copies you run the 5 copy script the 2 copy script and the 1 copy script. To print 25 copies run the 20 copy script and the 5 copy script.