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Print your letterhead page from one printer
tray, and second and subsequent pages (or envelopes) from another
tray or slot
- How
WordPerfect "talks" to your printer's trays
- "Two-tray printing"
- To print all pages of the current document
from the manual feed slot, see below.
Related information:
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How WordPerfect "talks"
to your
printer's trays and manual feed slot
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Unlike with other software,
the printer tray (or manual feed slot) that a page is printed
from is specified in WordPerfect's Format, Page, Page Setup
dialog -- not in the printer's Properties dialog
(which you can get to via WordPerfect's File, Print dialog).
By way of further explanation, here is a quote
from Charles Rossiter, a Corel C_Tech (WPOffice2002-other newgroup,
06/02/03):
"WordPerfect
does not use the tray specified in the printer [Properties] settings; if it did, it would lose its ability to mix any
number of page size/types within a single document, as almost
all programs relying on the Windows printer driver are limited
to one or, at most two, paper size/types in a single print job.
To set paper selection in WordPerfect,
you have to use Format, Page Setup, switch to showing Printer
Page Types, and define a paper size/type for each paper source.
For example, if you have letterhead that pulls from tray 1 and
bond that pulls from tray 3, you would create two different paper
size/types such as 'Letter' and 'Bond', with almost-identical
definitions except for the paper source.
This means you can mix Letter, Bond, landscape
forms, A4, etc. etc. within a single document and not have to
set anything on the printer properties itself. [In fact, on those
printers having an 'NT Forms' tab in the printer properties,
HP specifically says to not use that feature with software
that is capable of pulling mixed forms, as it interferes with
the software working properly.]"
[Ed.: This also means you can use different
page definitions to select different printer trays for a single
type of paper for the entire document. The methods described
below do not require that two trays be used for any given document;
they merely illustrate how you can achieve this result.]
WordPerfect's Format, Page,
Page Setup produces these "page definitions" (or
"paper definitions") -- i.e., the physical paper sizes,
label types, printer trays to use, etc. -- for the currently
selected printer (in the File, Print dialog). These definitions
are then stored in the local computer's Windows Registry.
When you open a new, blank
document the document will make use of the page definition (e.g.,
"Letter" or "A4") specified in the template
on which the document is based (usually, this is the default template). You can create -- and employ --
as many new, custom page definitions as you need for different
purposes, as indicated above and also as demonstrated in the
example in the next section below.
New (i.e., non-default) page
definitions show up as [Paper Sz/Typ] format codes
when you (or a macro) insert one or more of them into the document,
such as when you choose legal size for your current task, or
open a sheet of labels, or append an envelope to the document.
These codes are most often found at the top of the document or
perhaps at the top of a specific page; but they could be placed
inside a [Delay] code where they would take effect
after the specified number of pages.
Wherever they are located,
it is worth emphasizing that they set the page dimensions
and the paper source (i.e., the printer tray or manual feed slot)
to use. Most often, this takes effect for all
pages from that point forward, but some page definitions might
be set to take effect for just the current page.
Notes
- To view the specific setup for your letters
(for example), click Format, Page,
Page Setup, and choose the standard Letter page definition. Next,
depending on your version of WordPerfect, either (a) click Edit,
or (b) click the Options button then click Edit, Both. When the
editing dialog opens, you will see a Source drop list. Normally
this is set to "Default" or "Normal," but
-- depending on your specific printer -- there will be other
options available, such as Upper Tray, Manual Feed, etc. This
list is where you tell WordPerfect which printer tray to use.
- For future reference, you can always make
a copy of the current page definition and modify it instead
of modifying the default page definition or creating a new one
from scratch (though the latter is very easy to do): Just use
the New or Options button to create a new page definition. Then
use the copy (click Format, Page, Page Setup) with any document
that requires printing to a specific tray. See the "Two-tray
printing" sections below for more information.
- WordPerfect "remembers"
the last printer used
(but just for the current session). Hence, if you have more than
one printer you might need to select another printer prior to
a new print job.
- WordPerfect communicates
page definitions and other information with the printer driver, which in turn communicates with the
physical printer. This is why you must have at least a printer
driver installed -- even if the printer is turned off -- before
WordPerfect can operate properly. WordPerfect makes heavier use
of the printer driver than most other programs, so that it produces
true screen rendering of your document ("WYSIWYG" --
what you see is what you get). [For some information about common
printer problems, see here.]
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"Two-tray
printing" - Print the first page from one printer tray and
the second and subsequent pages from another tray
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There are several methods you can use to accomplish
this from inside WordPerfect. The following two methods -- modify
your template or record a simple macro (including a user message)
-- seem to be the easiest.
Example:
Assume you want the a letterhead sheet to
print from your default tray and the letter's second and subsequent
sheets (if any) to print from another tray.
You first need to create a separate
page definition for the non-letterhead tray, if it does not
yet exist in WordPerfect. Then, to automate things, you can use
the definition in a template or a macro.
Here's how:
Step 1
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Create a new page definition for "second
pages". (If you already have a second page definition,
skip this step.)
- Be sure you have the desired printer selected
in the File, Print dialog. Then click Format, Page, Page Setup.
- Then, depending on your version of WordPerfect,
click
- New [WP8], or
- Options, New [WP9], or
- Add [WP10/11/12/X3]
- Give the page definition a new name (e.g.,
"Second pages"), and choose a Type and Size. (You can
also set a vertical and horizontal printing adjustment later,
by editing the definition.)
- Click in the Source field,
and select the second printer tray to use.
- [WP9 and later:] Set the "Show page
size" to Current printer only.
- Verify the other settings, then click OK
twice to return to the main WordPerfect document window.
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Step 2
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Decide whether to modify your default template
(or other template) so that it will automatically use the new
"second page" definition for all new documents
based on that template, or
use a macro to enter these defintions
whenever you need them. Then choose either Step 3 - Method A,
or Step 3 - Method B below. |
Step 3 - Method
A: MODIFY A TEMPLATE
- Click File, New..., and choose the template's
name from the list. (Note that the default template for all new
documents is listed under Custom WP Templates and is named "Create
a blank document.")
- Click the Options button and choose Edit
WP Template.
- The template opens for editing.
- Place the cursor at the top of the template.
- NOTES:
- If you wish to force the template to use
a particular ("explicit") page defintion for page 1
(which is required for merging multi-page documents),
you can click Format, Page, Page Setup and select the appropriate
definition for the first page. There is no harm in using an explicit
page definition for page 1 in normal documents as well as in
merge forms.
- If you wish to force page numbering to always
start with "1" in any document, even if the document
is appended to another document that also uses page numbers,
you can do so with a trick described here
in reference to merges. Since you cannot insert a page number
"1" code on page 1 of a document (WordPerfect will
ignored your attempts since you are already on page 1), you have
to first set the page numbers to another value inside the document's
initial style code. Then you can add a new page number value
code ("1") on page 1.
- Now you need to insert a delay code to tell
WordPerfect to start a new page definition on the next page (if
there is one).
- Click on Format, Page, Delay Codes. Accept
the number of pages to skip (i.e., delay) as "1," then
click OK. A new window entitled "Define Delay Codes"
opens. [For more information on using delay codes, see WordPerfect's
online Help (F1 key).]
- Click the Page Size button on the property
bar (or click Format, Page, Page Setup). Choose the new second
page definition that you created in Step 1 above. Click on
Apply, then OK.
- Back in the Define Delay Codes window, you
can make other formatting changes that will take effect on the
second and subsequent pages of a doument based on this template,
such as changing margins or changing or adding headers or footers.
(See the Note and
Tip below.)
- When finished, click Close to return to the
template.
- Click File, Close and answer "Yes"
to "Save changes...?" to close the template and return
to normal editing.
When you start a new letter based on
this template, the delay code will activate if you have two or
more pages in the document.
Later, if you want to modify the page settings
for the second page defintion, simply edit the template, open
Reveal Codes, and double-click the [Delay: 1] code to open the
Define Delay Codes window.
- Note
for users of WP10-WPX3: To set all
margins back to 1.0" in the Define Delay Codes window, set
at least one margin to some other value, then change the margins
back to 1.0". This is a workaround for a small bug in these
versions.
- Tip:
You can hide the [Delay] code inside the template's initial style.
This prevents it from being "pushed down" by a user
if the cursor is above the [Delay] code in the document -- something
that is easy to do if Reveal Codes is not used. See Footnote
1 below.
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Step 3 - Method B: RECORD
A MACRO
Recording the
basic macro:
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To record a macro to place the "second
page" definition code in the current document, open any
sample document to work in temporarily. (You may want to decide
if secondary pages will have different formatting, margin settings,
etc., and jot down the types of formatting to apply to them.)
- Click on Tools, Macro, Record. Give the new
macro a name (e.g., "Second Pages") and click Record.
- Begin by putting the cursor at the top of
the document.
- NOTE: If you wish to force the template to
use a particular ("explicit") page defintion for page
1 (which is required for merging multi-page documents), you can
click Format, Page, Page Setup and select the appropriate definition
for the first page. (Alternatively, you can edit the macro and
insert the appropriate PaperSizeSelect command in it immediately
after the PosDocTop command.) There is no harm in using an explicit
page definition for page 1 in normal documents as well as in
merge forms.
- Now you will need to insert a delay code
to tell WordPerfect to start a new page definition on the next
page (but only if there is a next page).
- Click on Format, Page, Delay Codes. Accept
the number of pages to skip (i.e., delay) as "1," then
click OK. A new window entitled "Define Delay Codes"
opens. [For more information on using delay codes, see WordPerfect's
online Help (F1 key).]
- Click the Page Size button on the property
bar (or click Format, Page, Page Setup). Choose the new second
page definition that you created in Step 1 above. You can choose
a new page orientation (Portrait or Landscape) if desired.
- Click on OK.
- Back in the Define Delay Codes window, you
can change margins or make other formatting changes that will
take effect on the second and subsequent pages of a doument based
on this template, such as changing margins or changing or adding
headers or footers. (See
the Note and Tip in Method A above, which also apply to this macro recording method.)
- Click the Close button on the property bar
to exit from the Define Delayed Codes window.
- OPTIONAL: If you want to always print two
copies, use File, Print and specify two copies, then Print the
document to record these commands in the macro. Close the Print
dialog after printing if it is still open.
- Click the "Stop macro..." button
( it has a solid black square icon or it may have an audiocassette
icon) at the left side of the Macro Toolbar.
The macro has been recorded and you can assign
it to a toolbar button or keystroke
for easy access. Close the sample document without saving any
changes, re-open it, and test the macro. It should insert a [Delay:
1] code at the top (and a [Paper Sz/Typ] code, if you chose to
set an explicit definition for page 1). If the sample document
has more than one page, the second and subsequent pages should
print to the other printer tray.
From now on, if you need to print an old
multi-page letter to different trays and it doesn't have these
codes in it, you can play the macro, print the letter, then remove
the Delay code if desired (or close the letter without saving
the Delay code). Playing the macro in a new document will,
of course, insert the Delay code, which can be saved along with
the new letter's contents.
At any later time, you can double-click the
[Delay] code in Reveal Codes to open the Define Delayed Codes
window and modify the second page formatting, such as adding
or changing headers or footers. (See the Note and Tip in Method A above, which also apply
to this macro recording method.) |
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Tweaking the
macro #1 - basic revisions:
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The recorded macro can be edited (like any
other WordPerfect document) and modified to add a defintion for
Page 1 to force a particular or "explicit" page definition
for the first page, add a Print command, and (optionally) undo
the insertion of the Delay code.
Here's an example
of such a recorded macro, but with -
- extraneous commands and command parameter
labels removed for clarity (later versions of WordPerfect add
some codes that may not be needed),
- a PaperSizeSelect code deliberately inserted
for page 1 (the "Letter1" size)
- an optional command to print 2 copies, and
- an optional command to Undo the codes that
were added to the document, in case you don't need or want them
in future print jobs.
Important: You will need to replace
"Letter1" and "Letter2" with the actual names of two page definitions
on your system as shown in Format, Page, Page Setup. Be sure
to retain the double quote marks.
// Macro begins -
// Start at top of
document:
PosDocTop
RevealCodes
(On!)
PaperSizeSelect ("Letter1")
// (for 1st page)
DelayCodes (1) // (skips a page)
PaperSizeSelect ("Letter2")
// (for p. 2+)
// Closes Define Delayed Codes
window:
SubstructureExit
PrintCopies
(2) // (<= OPTIONAL)
Print (FullDocument!)
Undo // (<=OPTIONAL: removes [Delay])
// Macro ends
See other tweaks you can make,
below.
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To copy the macro code above into WordPerfect,
select the text from beginning to end and copy (Ctrl+C) it to
the Windows clipboard. Open a blank document in WordPerfect and
click on Tools, Macro, Macro Toolbar. Press the right arrow key
once to move past the line numbering code, then click on Edit,
Paste Special, Unformatted Text to paste the macro code into
the WP document. Make any required changes. Save it with the
Save & Compile button on the Macro Toolbar. This will save
the macro to your default macros folder. |
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Tweaking the
macro #2 - asking the user for the number of copies at
print time:
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With the simple edition of a "code snippet"
(here, shown in dark red), you can now -
- add a page definition for page 1;
- add a page definition for page 2 (if there
is a page 2) and all following pages;
- pop a message that asks the user for the
number of documents to print (the message requires that the user
enter a number), and reminds them to add the proper paper to
each tray;
- prints the desired number of copies of the
full document; and
- optionally uses Edit, Undo to remove the
page definitions from the document (if you don't want this optional
step, simply remove the Undo command).
TIP:
You can even use such a macro in a template that automatically
plays the macro only at print time. The macro is then called
a template macro. See below.
// Macro begins -
PosDocTop
RevealCodes
(On!)
PaperSizeSelect ("Letter1")
DelayCodes (1)
PaperSizeSelect ("Letter2")
SubstructureExit
Display (On!)
OnCancel (End@)
HRt:=NToC(0F90Ah)
Label (Start@)
GetNumber (vCopies;
"Enter the number of
copies"+HRt+
"of this document to print."
+HRt+HRt+
"Be sure to load the trays"+HRt+
"with the proper paper." +HRt+HRt+
"Press Cancel to exit."; "Ready to
Print ...")
If (vCopies <
1) // If less than "1"
Messagebox (; "Error";
"You
must enter a whole number"+HRt+
"greater
than zero."; IconWarning!)
vCopies:=""
Go (Start@)
Endif
PrintCopies (vCopies)
Print (FullDocument!)
Undo // (OPTIONAL: removes [Delay] codes)
Label(End@)
// Macro
ends
Using
the macro in a template:
In
addition to using the above macro as a "stand alone"
(file) macro, you can associate it with the PRE PRINT template trigger
inside a template. Then, each time you go to print the document
(and as long as the template itself is still on your system),
the template macro will fire up and display the message, etc.
If you need help creating such template
macros or associating template macros with trigger events,
see "Automating WordPerfect
Templates" on the Tips page.
For more on template trigger events, see "'Trigger' a macro from inside a template
to play automatically at specific times."
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To copy the macro code above into WordPerfect,
select the text from beginning to end and copy (Ctrl+C) it to
the Windows clipboard. Open a blank document in WordPerfect and
click on Tools, Macro, Macro Toolbar. Press the right arrow key
once to move past the line numbering code, then click on Edit,
Paste Special, Unformatted Text to paste the macro code into
the WP document. Make any required changes. Save it with the
Save & Compile button on the Macro Toolbar. This will save
the macro to your default macros folder. |
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How some documents
might be affected by these macros:
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If you open an existing document
and immediately play one of these macros, it will insert page
definition and delay codes. This is by design.
However, even it you retain
the macro command to Undo these code insertions, as far as WordPerfect
is concerned the document will have been modified, albeit
harmlessly. You will see a standard message about saving changes
when you close the document -- even if you think you made no
changes. If you have really not made any other changes you can
close the document without saving it.
This is something to inform
all users about, so they know why the document was mysteriously
"modified." |
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REMINDER: WordPerfect "remembers" (just for the current
session) the last printer used. So you should either deliberately
select the desired printer before playing a macro such as those
above, or include macro commands that set the printer and (optionally)
return the selected printer to the user's preference. The macro
command, PrinterSelectByName, can be used for this (note
that the name must be exactly the same, including case, as shown
in the File, Printer dialog).
TIP:
Klaus Pfeiffer's macro, TempPrinter.wcm, does this trick. See
his post (and download the macro) on the WordPerfect Universe
Code Snippets forum, here.
Klaus uses the PrinterSelectByName command to first store
the name of the current printer (presumably, the user's preferred
printer), and then restores the printer selection to that printer
after the macro has printed something:
vCurrPrinter=PrinterSelectByName
//
... the macro executes other commands
// and then
select a new printer with PrtinterSelectByName
//
then it restores the original printer selection:
PrinterSelectByName
(PrinterName: vCurrPrinter)
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Print all pages
of the current document from the manual feed slot
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If you have a stack of blank paper in your
printer's default tray, and you try to feed an entire document
though the manual feed slot, page by page, you'll probably find
that you have to be quick about feeding paper into the manual
slot or else the printer will grab the next page from the default
tray.
To solve this minor problem, just create a
new page definition that tells your printer to use manual feed
for all pages. Then insert the new definition at the top of the
document with Format, Page, Page Setup (or use a macro such as
described above).
Here's how to create a page definition to
print all pages from the manual feed slot.
With your printer selected in File, Print
-
- Click on Format, Page, Page Setup.
- Select the normal definition (e.g., "Letter")
to make a copy of it.
- Click the "Add" button (or the
"New" button in WP8, or "Options, New" in
WP9).
- Give the new definition a name (e.g., Letter-Manual).
- Change the Type of paper stock, if necessary.
- In the Source list, select Manual Feed.
- Click OK.
Use this new page definition at the very top
of the document you want to print via the manual feed slot by
clicking Format, Page, Page Setup, choose "Letter-Manual"
and click OK. A new [Paper Sz/Typ] code will appear in Reveal Codes to control printing
for the current document.
Making copies of a page setup ("page
definition") is a handy way to select just those features
you need during a particular print run.
See also the top of this page for more information.
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Barry MacDonnell's