Re: Generating Multipart Document Forms (like carbon paper) [Hard]

Hi Adrien,

I don't think this is possible with XSL-FO, because you would
need control over the flow/page relationship. I suggest you
process the document four times with the different parameters
and merge the results appropriately. You could use a PDF tool
for this or if your XSL-FO processor provides access to the
area tree, in an XML vocabulary for example, prior to being
sent to a backend, you might consider that solution. It is likely
to be simpler.

Best regards,

Werner.

Adrien Guillon wrote:
>    I have hit a wall with XSL-FO, and would like to ask the community for 
> suggestions, or a general hint in direction.  Please bear with me, as I 
> attempt to give a precise definition of my problem.
> 
>    I am generating multi-part forms in XSL-FO, and need something that prints 
> 4 copies of each page of the generated form.  Each copy will have some 
> slightly different content, for instance a message indicating "give this copy 
> to so-and-so".  Previously, this document was fed through a dot-matrix 
> printer with 4-part carbon paper, and these special messages were pre-printed 
> on the paper parts.
> 
>    Overall, the actual body of the document should be the same, and any 
> special information can appear as static content.
> 
>    The printer that will process the resultant document, is loaded with 4-part 
> carbonless copy paper.  It consists of pages of different colours, loaded in 
> an alternating sequence.  Example, colors A,B,C,D are loaded such that they 
> repeat in the sequence {A,B,C,D}, {A,B,C,D}...
> 
>    Assume I need messages W,X,Y,Z to print, which will correspond to the 
> proper colours.  And imagine I'm printing pages from 1,2,3..N.  I have no 
> idea how many generated pages there will be.
> 
>    Basically, my desired result is:
> 
> A-1-W
> B-1-X
> C-1-Y
> D-1-Z
> 
> A-2-W
> B-2-X
> C-2-Y
> D-2-Z
> 
> A-3-W
> B-3-X
> C-3-Y
> D-3-Z
> 
>    I am completely lost as to how to implement this in XSL-FO.  I could copy 
> the result of a single transformation stage into a temporary tree (I'm using 
> XSLT 2.0), and then do some further processing.  However, I have no idea how 
> many pages I'm generating because of the document flow.  Unless I calculate 
> the page area myself, and use single-page documents, I'm lost.
> 
>    It seems the only solution would be to manipulate the PDF file directly 
> some how, but I'd like to appeal for help first.  I am using FOP.
> 
>    Thank you for any suggestions.
> 
>    AJ
> 
> 
> 

-- 
Werner Donné  --  Re
Engelbeekstraat 8
B-3300 Tienen
tel: (+32) 486 425803	e-mail: werner.donne@re.be

Received on Saturday, 13 May 2006 08:22:27 UTC