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A
Al Ferrari
Known Participant
November 1, 2008
Question

Script to interleave two InDesign files of equal page counts

  • November 1, 2008
  • 14 replies
  • 9458 views
I need to merge two documents so that the new one has pages alternating one from each of the source documents. The source files have the same page dimensions and page counts. Or it could be done by inserting pages from one into the other to produce the interleaved merged document.

This could also work if the source files were sections in a book and a script would print pages alternating one from each section of the book. The script could print to Adobe pdf and produce an interleaved pdf.

Although my purpose is different, this would be needed by some one scanning documents with a non duplexing scanner to merge the scanned pages into one pdf. I have searched the forums with no results.

Does anyone know of any scripts to do this, or similar ones that can be modified to do it?

Thanks,

Al
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14 replies

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_Dave_Saunders_
Inspiring
November 1, 2008
If we're talking CS3 or later, another approach would be to create a third document and then place pages from the other two alternatively.

Dave
Loic.Aigon
Loic.Aigon
Legend
November 1, 2008
OK I think I have all I need.
I will have a look for the smartest approach, Acrobat or Indesign.
Right now, I would say Acrobat cause it doesn't take care of individual file formats and the native process may work faster. Will see.
Loic
A
Al FerrariAuthor
Known Participant
November 1, 2008
Hi Loic,

Thanks for the response.

I have no scripting experience, so starting from scratch is not an option for me.

I agree that the copy/paste is out of the question. My two source files (either ID or pdf) have 200+ pages each. So, either a javascript for InDesign or for Acrobat would work. A choose files dialog would be a nice enhancement, but an Acrobat script that would work with two open files to produce the interleaved merged file would work. Let me know if you need more information.

Thanks,

Al
Loic.Aigon
Loic.Aigon
Legend
November 1, 2008
Hi,
Maybe a smart way to get your goal without messing indesign files and dealing with document properties is to use your pdfs.

I mean,

1. either you wrote a javascript that you use into Acrobat for creating a new PDF file with the files that are opened or files that you may want to choose.

2. either you place the pdfs into a new indesign file (as all the page dimensions are the same) dealing with the disposition, then exporting to a new pdf. Obviously the safest way in my opinion.
Your pdf can be indesign generated pdf in the first part of the script or pdf that you call from a choos file dialog. Up to you.

3. You can of course create a mixed indesign file dealing with copy & paste but I think it's a lot of work for nothing.

Will try to write something for you.

Loic
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