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Create blank pages on field value

This How-To will show you how to create any number of blank pages in your output, using a number found in a field value.

Method 1: Using an object with a forced page break

The first method is a little simple, but has the disadvantage of printing pages without contents but still using the Master Page for the section.

The Script

To execute this method, simply create a new Script in the Scripts Pane set to the body selector, and copy the contents below:

var pageCount = record.fields["blank_pages"];

for (i = 0; i < pageCount; i++) { 
    results.append('<div style="page-break-before: always;">&nbsp;</div>');
}

How it works

Overflow in Connect works in a simple way: it creates as many pages as necessary to output all the contents located within the section, however many pages that takes. And, since Connect uses a simple pagination system (*simple* being a relative term) based on HTML and CSS, we can “trick” it into thinking it has new contents. The <div> element added by the script has a CSS property called page-break-before which forces, you guessed it, a page break before. And even if there is no other contents between two of these elements, each of them will for a new page.

For more information on page-break-before, see the Mozilla Developer Network – page-break-before.

Method 2: With a separate section

In order to get truly blank pages (without the master page of the main section being used), we need to create a new section and a new master page, then apply the same trick to it.

This is only available in version 1.3 and higher of Connect, which lets us run scripts conditionally.

Step 1: Preparing the master page and section

The first step is to prepare the resources necessary. These resources can be added to any existing template.

Create a new Master Page and ensure that it is completely empty. Call it Blank
Create a new Section also called Blank and delete any contents within.
In the Sheet Configuration dialog for the new section, check Same for all positions, and select Blank as a Master Page.

Step 2: Creating the script

The script used here will be identical to Method 1, but there is in fact one difference: we need to make sure this script is only run on the blank section.

Create the same script as above on the body selector, with the same code sample
Create a new Folder in the Scripts Pane, call it Blank Page, and drag the new script to this folder.
Right-click on the folder, go into Properties and uncheck all sections except for Blank.