Can I use SetFld during GenPrint for banner page fields?

Question

I have a banner page form that has multiple variable fields on it to display information specific to the batch it's being included with (for out post-composition handling area). I currently set those fields' values by assigning variables of the same name (as the fields) within a DAL script called as my BachBannerBeginScript for that batch. The fields on the Banner page form/section have a rule of NOOPFUNC, so without that assign process happening during the DAL script, they inherently hold no value. This has worked fine so far.
Now I have a new banner page for a different process/batch, and it's purpose will be to be a "summary report" of sorts, detailing on the banner page high-level information about each document within that batch. I take information from the batch file (bch), read in an additional external file and aggregate the data in GVMs (to form an array, basically) during the BatchBannerBeginScript. The problem I now have is that I have a variable-sized array (based on the document-count within my batch file), yet my understanding is that I can't use functions available to me in GenData, so I have to basically pre-define as many instances of the section (if I do a report line per section) or field (if I do one section with all instances of the field on it) as I think are possible (max-case scenario, basically).
However, after I have my Section/Fields defined, I still need to use DAL scripting to populate those fields. I tried to use SetFld to populate them, but the values don't show up in my output, leading me to believe that function/rule doesn't work in GenPrint. Is there a better way to set all those fields than to explicitly assign each instance of a field? I'd rather have a short While loop that takes a GVM's instance and assigns it to a variable field name than have hundreds of assign statements where I explicitly assign each possible field.
Thanks,
Gregg

Answer 1

Aha. So you have an existing script that is executing somewhere to assign some other field during print. Depending upon what and when this script runs, you may be trying to set your banner fields too late. You see, as a default the banner page is temporary. Generally it is created, printed, then destroyed all before the first real page of your transaction prints. If you are not using the TransBannerBeginScript INI option as mentioned earlier, you might try to use that method to run your script which should be while the banner page is still alive.
There is another way that you could try to run your script on the given page using what is called a "print time" or "macro" field. This would involve creating one more field on your banner section and name it like this:
~DALRUN MyScript.DAL
Yes, you can name your script something other than MyScript.DAL.  The key is the ~DALRUN at the start, which will be interpreted at print time to mean that you want to run the DAL script and return a value. Now, of course you don't need a real value for this field, but there's nothing to stop the script from assigning data into the other fields at that time.
You do have to make sure that this field is the first in sequence on the section. Otherwise, some of your fields may print before it gets to the point to evaluate this "print time" request.
To make sure this is the first field in sequence will differ depending upon whether you are using DMStudio or the older Image Editor. Since you mentioned 11.5,  you could use either. In DMStudio, simply click on the "Objects" tab when the section is open and then click on the field to highlight it in the tree. Then use the button bar just above there to move the field to the top of the list.