Question only to be sure in D&P

[sinus]

Hi Mario
This is only a question, where I think, I know the answer, but I want to be sure, that I do not miss something. 

I refer to you help-page (https://www.photools.com/help/imatch/impexp_print_dyn.htm).

You have some groupes (see attachement).

I know, if I am in a group in D&P, say Group 3, I can use variables to display the name of the group, the index, the amount of files and so on.

But I cannot be in Group 1 (in your example Fruit Baskets) and let display the name of another group?

I ask, because it this would be possible, I could create an first page, a table of contents of the book, like in your example:

page 1:
This pdf contains image to the themes

Fruit Baskets
Green Fruit
Orange Fruit
Red Fruit

I hope, you understand, what I mean, and I think, this is not possible, but I am really not sure.

[Mario]

Group variables only exist in the scope of the current group. They are created and set while the group is being processed.
They just don't exist in the header or footer or outside the actual group.

[sinus]

Group variables only exist in the scope of the current group. They are created and set while the group is being processed.
They just don't exist in the header or footer or outside the actual group.

Thanks, Mario!
It would have been too bad if that was possible and I just didn't find it.

Now I don't have to rack my brains and can find other ways, I am sure, I will find a solution, what is fine enough.

[Mario]

I don't recall the details anymore at the moment, but it would be theoretically possible to create a new variable File.Print.Groups, in form of an array with all group names.
This could then be accessed via an index variable, there would be a length like with other variables etc.
Even having that, it would be a big step and a lot of fiddling to somehow convert this info an "automatic" table of contents of sorts. Design & Print has no concept for this. D & P is not Word or PageMaker.

But, looking at how many users use D&P and guessing how many of these users will ever have a need for that (or for any of the other File.Print variables), I doubt that it would make sense spending a a few hours or day on this.
Feel free to add a feature request so we can see if and how many other users would see a use for this.

[sinus]

I don't recall the details anymore at the moment, but it would be theoretically possible to create a new variable File.Print.Groups, in form of an array with all group names.
This could then be accessed via an index variable, there would be a length like with other variables etc.
Even having that, it would be a big step and a lot of fiddling to somehow convert this info an "automatic" table of contents of sorts. Design & Print has no concept for this. D & P is not Word or PageMaker.

But, looking at how many users use D&P and guessing how many of these users will ever have a need for that (or for any of the other File.Print variables), I doubt that it would make sense spending a a few hours or day on this.
Feel free to add a feature request so we can see if and how many other users would see a use for this.

Mario, this is very kind of you.
But I agree, this will interest only a very small part of your users.
And I am really astonished, how many things I (we) can do with D&P, specially in combination with variables.

I use really complicated templates, but the results for me are outstanding.
For example I can hide pages, images or background-colors, depending on how many files I have.
If a file is a private, it will get a colored border, what was hidden before. And text and rectangle comes now on screen and such things.

And not to forget: I have full access to all metadata and can there again create phantastic things.

Some times we can use also "tricks". I want to have also the amount of groups (categories) in D&P, but this is not possible, I know.
To get around this, I take simply a metadata field, put the number of groups (categories) in a field of the first file and can thus immediately access this number in D&P.
This is a good way to get around it from time to time.

I am thinking about whether I should simply do this for the names of the groups (categories) as well, then the problem would also be solved.

Because I don't want you to invest valuable time in something that, as I said, only a few users would use.

Thanks again for your thoughts!

[Mario]

When you use groups based on categories, you should be able to use category variables for your table of contents?

[sinus]

When you use groups based on categories, you should be able to use category variables for your table of contents?

I tried this, but I am afraid, my categories are nested more then once  and I can have access to other categories, but not on these.
Mario, thanks for your thoughts, but I will check this with categories again.
And finally: it is really not that important.