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Samantha25433863mrvu
Participant
May 5, 2024
Question

Is it possible to print several spreads with crop marks onto a larger roll of paper?

  • May 5, 2024
  • 2 replies
  • 983 views

So typically I export all of my spreads in a PDF, and then use File > Place to place them on a larger canvas in Indesign, placing crop marks around each spread individually which can take a really long time, but I want the sizes to be approximately 100% while using the least amount of paper possible. 

 

Recently, I find that the InkJet printer I use (it is the most efficient, using a roll of paper 24 inches wide) prints text fuzzy and way too bold, while a crappy laser printer prints at exactly the weight I want. I have a suspicion that maybe its because I end up exporting my spreads to another document, and THEN print them that somehow the text messes up. If this is the case, I want to print directly from InDesign which I usually dont do, but maybe this will help the text print normally?

 

Sorry this is kind of two issues in one, but basically can I format several spreads with crop marks to print on a larger roll of paper from the InDesign print menu? And does anyone know why text would print way too bold and fuzzy on a supposedly really nice inkjet printer?

 

For extra clarification, I typically export spreads as PDF, place each of the spreads back into a document to place crop marks, email that file as a PDF back to myself, and then print from the downloads folder on a Mac once I download it from my email. That sounds convoluted but its because I am a student using the computer lab at my college, so I need to access my file from a school computer.

 

Please help, thank you.

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2 replies

Peter Spier
Community Expert
Peter SpierCommunity Expert
Community Expert
May 5, 2024

Just curious why you don't export the PDFs with the crop marks included in the PDF?

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Samantha25433863mrvuAuthor
Participant
May 5, 2024

I think the way I usually do it is to make boxes of the correct size in Indesign and then drop the images in so I know they are the correct size, and the crop marks add to the size of the image. I'm sure that is just me overthinking it, and I am worried that some how either adjusting the boxes or something will make the size just slightly off.

Scott Falkner
Community Expert
Scott FalknerCommunity Expert
Community Expert
May 5, 2024

In that case why use PDF? You can import native InDesign files which will retain full resolution because they in turn link to the original images.

James Gifford—NitroPress
James Gifford—NitroPress
Legend
May 5, 2024

I am both trying to sort out this extremely complicated workflow, and figure out why you think it is necessary/useful. (I am especially baffled as to why you would have to mail yourself a copy of a document.)

 

Let's start with a simple end point: what is your goal? A stack of printed, trimmed 2-page spreads? Of what page size and on what size print sheet?

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    Samantha25433863mrvuAuthor
    Participant
    May 5, 2024

    Yes sorry i knew it would probably sound convoluted, but I email it to myself because I do all of my work on my laptop, but as a student I have to log into a Mac computer on campus to use good printers, and I haven't been using the cloud as it takes the same amount of time to log into adobe on the Mac computer as it does to just email it to myself. 

     

    And my end goal (i hope i explain this ok) is to somehow have all of my 8in x 10in spreads on a 24 inch long document with crop marks on each spread, so that I can print them as close as possible on my 24 inch roll of paper so I dont waste any paper

    James Gifford—NitroPress
    James Gifford—NitroPress
    Legend
    May 5, 2024

    There are several print-control features in InDesign and Acrobat Pro that allow things like multi-page printing and booklet imposition/printing, but unless the driver/menu has some fancy "many-up" feature, I can't think of a simple way to do this.

     

    The only thing that comes to mind is:

    • Export all of your spreads to individual PDF, with crop marks turned on;
    • Create a 24-inch by XXX inch document.
    • Create a graphic frame for each exported PDF, at EXACTLY the final document size (will probably be an odd value, to accommodate the extra space to hold the crops).
    • Drop one PDF into each frame and verify it's at the exact print size you want.

     

    Send this mother-document, probably as an export to PDF itself, to print.

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