Managing Duplex and Single Page printing from the same file

[Boybart]

This may not be the correct place for this question, but I figured someone here may have tried to solve this before.

I have an application which uses OpenOffice to generate a PFD document containing multiple pages. When this document is printed I would like to print some pages as Duplex (i.e. print on the front and back of a single sheet of paper), others to print only on the front side of a single sheet and others still to print on paper from a specific tray (always the same) in the printer.

e.g. if I have 4 pages in my document/file. I would like page 1 to print on only the front side of a sheet of paper from tray 4. I would like pages 2 and 3 to print on a single sheet of paper (on front and back) also from tray 4. And finally I would like page 4 to print on the front side of a sheet of paper from tray 1. I do not have to view the file before printing so could send it directly to the printer as long as OpenOffice generated the file from values in my database.

To me it seems like these commands should be possible using a .prn file but I'm not getting anywhere with finding out how to do this - would appreciate any help in pointing me in the right direction.

[Bhikkhu Pesala]

It sounds like that should work fine.

• Create three files by printing to file 1.prn 2.prn 3.prn
  
• From a DOS box use the Dos Copy command to combine the files
  
• Copy 1.prn + 2.prn + 3.prn > job.prn
  
• Copy the prn file to the printer with a binary copy
  
• In the old days we used to do this with copy job.prn lpt1:/b — probably you need a different method with USB printers.

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[Boybart]

Thanks Bhikkhu Pesala! Will try it.

[David]