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shaun_z
Participating Frequently
November 14, 2017
Answered

How can I edit and arrange pages in a .indd or .pdf as shown below?

  • November 14, 2017
  • 2 replies
  • 1340 views

So basically, I have one 90+ page document (both PDF and the original InDesign file it was created with) where each page alternates front and back, designed to be printed double sided. I'd like to rearrange these to print 4 per page, and then cut them out so they'd be about 1/4 the original size. Please see picture for example:

The left side is what I currently have. The right side is what I'd like to have. As you can see, I'd like to have them arranged so that when I print double sided, I can cut them out and have the Front 1 and Back 1 on the same physical piece of paper.

How can I accomplish this and export to pdf this way? Or edit the current pdf with acrobat, either is fine by me..

Let me know if I didn't explain the best, I can try do better!

Thanks in advance.

    This topic has been closed for replies.
    Correct answer hammer0909

    Sure you could argue that it's the printer's job, but the question is how would you do it. It's a basic work & turn and easy to do in InDesign. The way I accomplish this is by creating a new InDesign document to the size of the finished 4 up work & turn you're trying to create. You may need to account for bleed if necessary. Create a graphic frame for each page and then choose File > Place. Select your original InDesign document and choose "show import options" in the Place dialog before you click OK. This will allow you to choose which page of the original document that you want to place each time. Place each page in the proper position to create your "imposition". Print out the pages at 25% of actual size and you'll have your finished product. You could of course build the original imposition at 25% of size as well but I think building at full size would be the easiest and then print out at 25%. Hope that helps!

    2 replies

    hammer0909
    Community Expert
    hammer0909Community ExpertCorrect answer
    Community Expert
    November 15, 2017

    Sure you could argue that it's the printer's job, but the question is how would you do it. It's a basic work & turn and easy to do in InDesign. The way I accomplish this is by creating a new InDesign document to the size of the finished 4 up work & turn you're trying to create. You may need to account for bleed if necessary. Create a graphic frame for each page and then choose File > Place. Select your original InDesign document and choose "show import options" in the Place dialog before you click OK. This will allow you to choose which page of the original document that you want to place each time. Place each page in the proper position to create your "imposition". Print out the pages at 25% of actual size and you'll have your finished product. You could of course build the original imposition at 25% of size as well but I think building at full size would be the easiest and then print out at 25%. Hope that helps!

      winterm
      winterm
      Legend
      November 15, 2017

      Chad, you really put me to shame

      I was just too lazy to type that much, and tried to fit what you said in one long and clumsy sentence (the last in my post). Thanks for expanding. Yes, from 90+ pages you'll get 24 'big' pages, most likely. Quite doable manually.

      winterm
      winterm
      Legend
      November 14, 2017

      That's an imposition, a printer's job. Or, are you going to print this on a desktop printer and cut pages manually? Then, creating new ID document, and manual placing multi-page PDF to placeholders, prepared in advance on a Master, with correct frame fitting options, still would be an easy part...

      S
      shaun_zAuthor
      Participating Frequently
      November 14, 2017

      Ah gotcha.. ideally I'd just print at home and manually cut out. I'm going to look into Quite Imposing Plus, and see if that'll get the job done as well.

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