Process and system for mixed page imposition
View Patent ↗A process for formatting printable information orders selected data objects, document pages or images, to create a new document, where pages may be of uniform dimension and page orientation or varying in one or both of dimension and page orientation. Groups of pages are imposed on sheets so that the sequence of the printed pages matches the page sequence of the created document after post-printing processing. A method of imposing the differently shaped and sized printable pages on sheets divides an image of a sheet into separate slots and places a page into each slot by placing an image of the page in each slot. Alignment, offset and scaling settings are applied to individual slots, rows, columns or all slots. A variety of other layout and job options are set before printing. In a distributed system, the software, accessible from any workstation, is housed on a server.
1. A method of imposing a plurality of pages on a printable sheet, the plurality of pages including pages of varying size, the method comprising:
displaying on a display device a representation of the printable sheet;
dividing the printable sheet representation into a plurality of slots;
assigning each of the pages to a corresponding slot;
displaying on the display device a representation of the pages in their corresponding slots;
providing a user interface that allows a user to individually specify page alignment, offset and scaling settings for each of the slots; and
individually adjusting the page alignment, offset and scaling of each of the pages based on the user specifications.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the scaling settings include any of:
a ‘scale to fit’ mode;
a ‘custom’ mode;
a ‘fit width mode’; and
a ‘fit height’ mode.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the user interface further allows the user to specify page rotation settings on the printable sheet in ninety degree increments.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the user interface further allows the user to specify any of:
sheet size;
creep adjustment;
at least one of rows and columns;
printer's marks; and
finishing options.
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the user interface further allows the user to specify:
trim marks; and
fold marks.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein specifying trim marks comprises:
defining horizontal and vertical length;
defining line type;
defining line width; and
defining line color.
7. The method of claim 5 , wherein specifying fold marks comprises:
defining horizontal and vertical length;
defining line type;
defining line width; and
defining line color.
8. The method of claim 4 , wherein specifying finishing options comprises:
defining binding options; and
defining options for ganged print jobs.
9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising saving imposition attributes to a template.
10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising specifying imposition attributes by applying a template.
11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising previewing the printable sheet.
12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the user interface allows the user to:
edit any of the pages; and
set gutter size.
13. A computer program product for imposing a plurality of pages on a printable sheet, the plurality of pages including pages of varying size, the computer program product embodied on a computer-readable medium comprising computer readable code adapted to:
display on a display device a representation of the printable sheet;
divide the printable sheet representation into a plurality of slots;
assign each of the pages to a corresponding slot;
display on the display device a representation of the pages in their corresponding slots;
provide a user interface that allows a user to individually specify page alignment, offset and scaling settings for each of the slots; and
individually adjust the page alignment, offset and scaling of each of the pages based on the user specifications.
14. The computer program product of claim 13 , wherein the scaling settings include any of:
a ‘scale to fit’ mode;
a ‘custom’ mode;
a ‘fit width mode’; and
a ‘fit height’ mode.
15. The computer program product of claim 13 , wherein the user interface further allows the user to specify page rotation settings on the printable sheet in ninety degree increments.
16. The computer program product of claim 13 , wherein the user interface further allows the user to specify any of:
sheet size;
creep adjustment;
sheet orientation;
at least one of rows and columns;
printer's marks; and
finishing options.
17. The computer program product of claim 16 , wherein the user interface further allows the user to specify trim marks and fold marks.
18. The computer program product of claim 17 , wherein specifying trim marks comprises:
defining horizontal and vertical length;
defining line type;
defining line width; and
defining line color.
19. The computer program product of claim 17 , wherein specifying fold marks comprises:
defining horizontal and vertical length;
defining line type;
defining line width; and
defining line color.
20. The computer program product of claim 16 , wherein specifying finishing options comprises:
defining binding options; and
defining options for ganged print jobs.
21. The computer program product of claim 13 , wherein the computer readable code is further adapted to save imposition attributes to a template.
22. The computer program product of claim 13 , wherein the computer readable code is further adapted to specify imposition attributes by applying a template.
23. The computer program product of claim 13 , wherein the computer readable code is further adapted to preview the printable sheet.
24. The computer program product of claim 13 , wherein the user interface allows the user to:
edit any of the pages; and
set gutter size.