Hints and Suggestions

The following provides a number of hints and suggestions when using the Prescription Layout Tool.

• Place background images at the top of the object list, so that it is first in the rendering order.
   

• Use Drag-and-Drop to move prescription objects at first, but then use the keyboard commands, Ctrl-I, Ctrl-J, Ctrl-K, and Ctrl-M, for fine-tuning the position of the object.
   

• During the fine-tuning process, consider adjusting the page offsets if all of your objects are generally off by the same distance.
  
  To raise each object, decrease the layout’s Page Top Offset. Negative numbers are allowed.
  
  To lower each object, increase the layout’s Page Top Offset.
  
  To move each object to the left, decrease the layout’s Page Left Offset. Negative numbers are allowed.
  
  To move each object to the right, increase the layout’s Page Left Offset.
  

• If you increase the font size (from the default size of 10) of any field objects, such as the RX field, consider testing it with a prescription name that contains some descenders (lower-case g, y, p, j) to verify that the field height is tall enough.
   

• For fields that are traditionally hand-written (“brand necessary” or “DAW”) consider using italics for that field.
   

• Test-print a prescription with each possible field in use. For example, use a test patient that has a full address filled out (two lines of address plus a city, state and zip), a valid age, a phone number, and a full name including middle initial. Also, use a prescription with each field filled out, including both units fields, and add a multi-line sig to make sure all fields print correctly.  
   

• When test-printing prescriptions with boolean objects, verify both the True and False conditions of each boolean to make sure they print correctly.
   

• Keep in mind, that if you print the exact same prescription twice, you may not get the same results. Due to the mechanical tolerances of the prescription printer, all objects can be shifted left or right or up or down up to 1/16th of an inch. Usually when this happens, all objects will be off in the same direction for the same distance. In other words, get your fine-tuning close, but don’t expect it to be perfect.