How can we get Adobe to add a pdf export option as "printer spreads"?

This was testing script for me and did what I think you want it to do - no idea how I got there, I’m script cobbler so I found a way eventually - pretty sure I had 90% of a similar script already so just had to wangle some other scripts I had to do what I wanted.

It’s not the best but the best I could come up with. 

 

// Intentionally no #target directive: run in the InDesign version that launched this script.

var PRESET_LABEL_KEY = "printerSpreadsPdf.lastPreset";
var VIEW_PDF_LABEL_KEY = "printerSpreadsPdf.viewPdf";
var CROP_MARKS_LABEL_KEY = "printerSpreadsPdf.cropMarks";
var USE_BLEED_LABEL_KEY = "printerSpreadsPdf.useDocumentBleed";

function main() {
    if (app.documents.length === 0) {
        alert("Open a document before running this script.");
        return;
    }

    var doc = app.activeDocument;
    var pageCount = doc.pages.length;

    if (pageCount === 0) {
        alert("This document has no pages to export.");
        return;
    }

    if (pageCount % 4 !== 0) {
        alert("Printer spread export needs a page count that is a multiple of 4.\r\rCurrent page count: " + pageCount);
        return;
    }

    var printerSpreadOrder = buildPrinterSpreadOrder(pageCount);
    var printerSpreadPairs = describePrinterSpreadPairs(doc, printerSpreadOrder);
    var exportOptions = chooseExportOptions(printerSpreadPairs);
    if (!exportOptions) {
        return;
    }

    var pdfFile = choosePdfFile(doc);
    if (!pdfFile) {
        return;
    }

    try {
        exportPrinterSpreadPdf(doc, pdfFile, exportOptions, printerSpreadOrder);
    } catch (e) {
        alert("Printer spread PDF export failed:\r" + e);
        return;
    }

    alert("Printer spread PDF exported:\r" + pdfFile.fsName);
}

function buildPrinterSpreadOrder(pageCount) {
    var order = [];
    var low = 0;
    var high = pageCount - 1;

    while (low < high) {
        order.push(high);
        order.push(low);
        low++;
        high--;

        order.push(low);
        order.push(high);
        low++;
        high--;
    }

    return order;
}

function describePrinterSpreadPairs(doc, order) {
    var pairs = [];
    for (var i = 0; i < order.length; i += 2) {
        pairs.push(doc.pages[order[i]].name + " + " + doc.pages[order[i + 1]].name);
    }
    return pairs.join("\r");
}

function chooseExportOptions(printerSpreadPairs) {
    if (app.pdfExportPresets.length === 0) {
        alert("No PDF export presets are available.");
        return null;
    }

    var dialog = new Window("dialog", "Export PDF Printer Spreads");
    dialog.orientation = "column";
    dialog.alignChildren = "fill";
    dialog.margins = 18;
    dialog.spacing = 10;

    var presetGroup = dialog.add("group");
    presetGroup.add("statictext", undefined, "PDF preset:");
    var presetOptions = getPresetOptions();
    var presetDropdown = presetGroup.add("dropdownlist", undefined, presetOptions.names);
    presetDropdown.selection = presetOptions.defaultIndex;

    var pairsPanel = dialog.add("panel", undefined, "Printer spread pairs");
    pairsPanel.orientation = "column";
    pairsPanel.alignChildren = "fill";
    pairsPanel.margins = 12;
    var pairsField = pairsPanel.add("edittext", undefined, printerSpreadPairs, { multiline: true, readonly: true });
    pairsField.characters = 35;
    pairsField.preferredSize.height = 120;

    var viewPdfCheckbox = dialog.add("checkbox", undefined, "View PDF after exporting");
    viewPdfCheckbox.value = app.extractLabel(VIEW_PDF_LABEL_KEY) === "true";

    var marksPanel = dialog.add("panel", undefined, "Marks and bleed");
    marksPanel.orientation = "column";
    marksPanel.alignChildren = "left";
    marksPanel.margins = 12;

    var cropMarksCheckbox = marksPanel.add("checkbox", undefined, "Crop marks");
    cropMarksCheckbox.value = app.extractLabel(CROP_MARKS_LABEL_KEY) === "true";

    var useBleedCheckbox = marksPanel.add("checkbox", undefined, "Use document bleed settings");
    useBleedCheckbox.value = app.extractLabel(USE_BLEED_LABEL_KEY) === "true";

    var buttons = dialog.add("group");
    buttons.alignment = "right";
    buttons.add("button", undefined, "Cancel", { name: "cancel" });
    buttons.add("button", undefined, "Export", { name: "ok" });

    if (dialog.show() !== 1) {
        return null;
    }

    if (!presetDropdown.selection || presetDropdown.selection.index === 0) {
        alert("Choose a PDF preset before exporting.");
        return chooseExportOptions(printerSpreadPairs);
    }

    app.insertLabel(PRESET_LABEL_KEY, presetDropdown.selection.text);
    app.insertLabel(VIEW_PDF_LABEL_KEY, viewPdfCheckbox.value ? "true" : "false");
    app.insertLabel(CROP_MARKS_LABEL_KEY, cropMarksCheckbox.value ? "true" : "false");
    app.insertLabel(USE_BLEED_LABEL_KEY, useBleedCheckbox.value ? "true" : "false");

    return {
        preset: app.pdfExportPresets.itemByName(presetDropdown.selection.text),
        viewPdf: viewPdfCheckbox.value,
        cropMarks: cropMarksCheckbox.value,
        useDocumentBleed: useBleedCheckbox.value
    };
}

function getPresetOptions() {
    var names = ["Please Select PDF Setting"];
    var lastPreset = app.extractLabel(PRESET_LABEL_KEY);
    var defaultIndex = 0;

    for (var i = 0; i < app.pdfExportPresets.length; i++) {
        var presetName = app.pdfExportPresets[i].name;
        names.push(presetName);
        if (presetName === lastPreset) {
            defaultIndex = i + 1;
        }
    }

    return {
        names: names,
        defaultIndex: defaultIndex
    };
}

function choosePdfFile(doc) {
    var defaultName = getDefaultPdfName(doc);
    var defaultFile = null;

    try {
        if (doc.saved) {
            defaultFile = File(doc.fullName.parent.fsName + "/" + defaultName);
        }
    } catch (e) {
        defaultFile = null;
    }

    var chosen = defaultFile
        ? defaultFile.saveDlg("Export printer spread PDF as", "PDF:*.pdf")
        : File.saveDialog("Export printer spread PDF as", "PDF:*.pdf");
    if (!chosen) {
        return null;
    }

    if (!/\.pdf$/i.test(chosen.name)) {
        chosen = File(chosen.fsName + ".pdf");
    }

    return chosen;
}

function getDefaultPdfName(doc) {
    var baseName = "Printer Spreads";

    try {
        if (doc.saved) {
            baseName = stripExtension(doc.fullName.name);
        } else if (doc.name) {
            baseName = stripExtension(doc.name);
        }
    } catch (e) {}

    return baseName + "_printer_spreads.pdf";
}

function stripExtension(fileName) {
    return String(fileName).replace(/\.[^\.]+$/, "");
}

function exportPrinterSpreadPdf(doc, pdfFile, exportOptions, printerSpreadOrder) {
    var originalPreferences = app.pdfExportPreferences.properties;
    var originalMeasurementUnit = app.scriptPreferences.measurementUnit;
    var originalPdfPageNumber = app.pdfPlacePreferences.pageNumber;
    var originalPdfCrop = app.pdfPlacePreferences.pdfCrop;
    var imposedDoc = null;
    var sourcePdf = null;

    try {
        app.scriptPreferences.measurementUnit = MeasurementUnits.POINTS;

        var pageSize = getPageSize(doc.pages[0]);
        var bleed = getDocumentBleed(doc, exportOptions.useDocumentBleed);
        sourcePdf = createTemporarySourcePdf(doc, exportOptions.preset, exportOptions.useDocumentBleed);
        imposedDoc = createImposedDocument(pageSize, bleed, printerSpreadOrder.length / 2);
        placePrinterSpreadPages(imposedDoc, sourcePdf, printerSpreadOrder, pageSize, bleed);

        app.pdfExportPreferences.properties = exportOptions.preset.properties;
        app.pdfExportPreferences.pageRange = PageRange.ALL_PAGES;
        app.pdfExportPreferences.exportReaderSpreads = false;
        app.pdfExportPreferences.viewPDF = exportOptions.viewPdf;
        applyMarksAndBleedOptions(exportOptions);

        imposedDoc.exportFile(ExportFormat.PDF_TYPE, pdfFile, false);
    } finally {
        app.pdfExportPreferences.properties = originalPreferences;
        app.pdfPlacePreferences.pageNumber = originalPdfPageNumber;
        app.pdfPlacePreferences.pdfCrop = originalPdfCrop;
        app.scriptPreferences.measurementUnit = originalMeasurementUnit;
        if (imposedDoc && imposedDoc.isValid) {
            imposedDoc.close(SaveOptions.NO);
        }
        if (sourcePdf && sourcePdf.exists) {
            sourcePdf.remove();
        }
    }
}

function createTemporarySourcePdf(doc, preset, useDocumentBleed) {
    var sourcePdf = File(Folder.temp.fsName + "/" + stripExtension(doc.name) + "_printer_spreads_source_" + new Date().getTime() + ".pdf");

    app.pdfExportPreferences.properties = preset.properties;
    app.pdfExportPreferences.pageRange = PageRange.ALL_PAGES;
    app.pdfExportPreferences.exportReaderSpreads = false;
    app.pdfExportPreferences.viewPDF = false;
    app.pdfExportPreferences.cropMarks = false;
    app.pdfExportPreferences.bleedMarks = false;
    app.pdfExportPreferences.registrationMarks = false;
    app.pdfExportPreferences.colorBars = false;
    app.pdfExportPreferences.pageInformationMarks = false;
    app.pdfExportPreferences.useDocumentBleedWithPDF = useDocumentBleed;

    doc.exportFile(ExportFormat.PDF_TYPE, sourcePdf, false);
    if (!sourcePdf.exists) {
        throw new Error("Could not create the temporary single-page PDF.");
    }

    return sourcePdf;
}

function getPageSize(page) {
    var bounds = page.bounds;
    return {
        width: Number(bounds[3]) - Number(bounds[1]),
        height: Number(bounds[2]) - Number(bounds[0])
    };
}

function getDocumentBleed(doc, enabled) {
    if (!enabled) {
        return { top: 0, bottom: 0, inside: 0, outside: 0 };
    }

    var prefs = doc.documentPreferences;
    return {
        top: Number(prefs.documentBleedTopOffset) || 0,
        bottom: Number(prefs.documentBleedBottomOffset) || 0,
        inside: Number(prefs.documentBleedInsideOrLeftOffset) || 0,
        outside: Number(prefs.documentBleedOutsideOrRightOffset) || 0
    };
}

function createImposedDocument(pageSize, bleed, sheetCount) {
    var doc = app.documents.add(false);

    try {
        doc.viewPreferences.rulerOrigin = RulerOrigin.PAGE_ORIGIN;
    } catch (e) {}

    doc.documentPreferences.facingPages = false;
    doc.documentPreferences.pageWidth = pageSize.width * 2;
    doc.documentPreferences.pageHeight = pageSize.height;
    doc.documentPreferences.documentBleedTopOffset = bleed.top;
    doc.documentPreferences.documentBleedBottomOffset = bleed.bottom;
    doc.documentPreferences.documentBleedInsideOrLeftOffset = bleed.outside;
    doc.documentPreferences.documentBleedOutsideOrRightOffset = bleed.outside;

    while (doc.pages.length < sheetCount) {
        doc.pages.add(LocationOptions.AT_END);
    }

    while (doc.pages.length > sheetCount) {
        doc.pages[doc.pages.length - 1].remove();
    }

    return doc;
}

function placePrinterSpreadPages(doc, sourcePdf, order, pageSize, bleed) {
    app.pdfPlacePreferences.pdfCrop = bleed.top || bleed.bottom || bleed.inside || bleed.outside
        ? PDFCrop.cropBleed
        : PDFCrop.cropTrim;

    for (var i = 0; i < order.length; i += 2) {
        var sheetPage = doc.pages[i / 2];
        placePdfPage(sheetPage, sourcePdf, order[i] + 1, [
            -bleed.top,
            -bleed.outside,
            pageSize.height + bleed.bottom,
            pageSize.width + bleed.inside
        ]);
        placePdfPage(sheetPage, sourcePdf, order[i + 1] + 1, [
            -bleed.top,
            pageSize.width - bleed.inside,
            pageSize.height + bleed.bottom,
            pageSize.width * 2 + bleed.outside
        ]);
    }
}

function placePdfPage(sheetPage, sourcePdf, sourcePageNumber, bounds) {
    app.pdfPlacePreferences.pageNumber = sourcePageNumber;

    var frame = sheetPage.rectangles.add();
    frame.geometricBounds = bounds;
    frame.strokeWeight = 0;
    frame.place(sourcePdf);
    frame.fit(FitOptions.PROPORTIONALLY);
    frame.fit(FitOptions.CENTER_CONTENT);
}

function applyMarksAndBleedOptions(exportOptions) {
    app.pdfExportPreferences.cropMarks = exportOptions.cropMarks;
    app.pdfExportPreferences.bleedMarks = false;
    app.pdfExportPreferences.registrationMarks = false;
    app.pdfExportPreferences.colorBars = false;
    app.pdfExportPreferences.pageInformationMarks = false;
    app.pdfExportPreferences.useDocumentBleedWithPDF = exportOptions.useDocumentBleed;
}

main();

Print designers need a way, when print shops request it,

I would question the competence of a printer who can‘t handle imposition. It’s similar to trapping, which is also a printer task. InDesign lets you set trapping rules, which may be applied when printing separations, but are not applied to the document pages or a PDF export.

I have a couple of PDF export scripts hanging around and I was testing the logic in a script and it works for a very basic case. But is failing for more robust scenarios. 

If your goal is a PDF that you can print as Printer Spreads then the advice is Acrobat and Print Booklet - as you’re looking to make a PDF anyway - so you can make a normal PDF and acrobat can print the booklet. 
I see no hangups here in workflows. 

However, if you give me the weekend I’ll keep working the script and finding other scripts to see how they work and see if I can get something together. 

There’s probably imposition scripts already out there - but if nothing is working - happy to put something together and see if it works.

 

The best advice I can give you is to give up the idea that imposition is part of a pagelayout application. It’s not. If you need in house booklets, export to PDF properly and use Acrobat’s booklet printing feature. Postscript is dead.

I know it’s not what you want to hear, but it is what it is. 

I guess it’s an alternative version of the feature request you already made yesterday… Did you get a chance to try the virtual PDF printer approach I suggested? 

Export to PDF then print from Acrobat which has the booklet option. 

That’s generally the best way.