Exception Fields dialog box

Use this dialog box to select the exception fields for an ad hoc merge package rule.

Exceptions fields are applicable only if the documents that you are merging have job tickets specifying a baseline for how each page should print or have rules or input configuration overrides that set specific document properties (print preferences) AND you want to preserve some of these attributes on a per-page basis in the resultant merged document.

Use this dialog box to specify which document properties to preserve on a per-page basis in the merged document. The document properties will be analyzed to determine the baseline and the exceptions (page overrides). For instance, you have multiple documents you want to merge that each have document property values specified for media type, media color, and duplex. All three of these are important in the final merged document, such that it will specify a baseline that is most common for media type, media color, and duplex, and will contain exceptions for each sequence of pages that does not conform to the baseline.

If you do not select these document properties as exceptions, they will not be considered in the merge, and no exceptions will be generated for any differing value of document properties not specified. For example, if you did not select any exceptions document properties, then the merged document will contain a baseline without any exceptions based solely on the model document. (The model document is determined when you choose if you want to use the first or last document properties in the Merge Package dialog box.) Assuming the model document was the first document, is a cover page, and is single-sided and green, the merged document will thus print with all pages single-sided and green. By specifying duplex and media color as exception fields, the merged document will instead specify each page accordingly as to whether it should print single-sided or double-sided, and on green or white paper.

Let's say you want media type and media color to be preserved from the constituent documents into the merged document, but you want the whole job to print single-sided regardless of whether a constituent document specifies itself to be double-sided or not. In this case, you would only select media type and media color as exception fields and you would not select duplex. You would also have to insure that your model document is single sided, or add a Set Document Properties action to your rule to set this property on the merged document.

Properties grid

Lists the document properties that can be selected as exception fields. Exception fields specify which document properties to preserve on a per-page basis in the merged document. The document properties will be analyzed to determine the baseline and the exceptions (page overrides).

The properties are grouped into the following categories: Basic options, Media selection, Document, Image adjustments, Finishing, and Other properties. To expand a category, click the down arrow next to a category name. To collapse a category, click the up arrow.