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Help creating a press ready pdf from an InDesign Book file (.indb)

Forum|Forum|5 months ago
October 6, 2025
4 replies
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My client has an InDesign book (.indb) designed by a different designer. It has 4 sections and is 72 pages long. My client wants a printable PDF in printer spreads with bleed and crop marks. How do I make that for her? I have done it a million times when the entire document was just a plain InDesign file (.ind), but I have spent hours trying to get it right with the .indb file and sections.

Correct answer BobLevine

Two things.

1. Why would you split a 72 page document up to create an INDB project? Really makes no sense to me.

2. Printer spreads are the responsibility of the printer. Have you or the client actually spoken to whoever is going to print this? I'll bet they don't want printer spreads and frankly, if they do, you're probably better off looking for someone else.

Dave Creamer of IDEAS

Community Expert

If by 4 sections, you mean 4 different files, create a single, "master" file. You can than use the Print Booklet menu.

I'm assuming at 72 pages, you are going to saddle-stitch and not perfect bound the book.

If using Windows, you can print to the Adobe PDF print driver.

If using Mac, you can create a PostScript file and run it through Distiller.

Edit: you can use the Move menu in the Pages panel to create a single file.

Edit 2: There are other issues involved with imposition other than putting the pages in printer spreads. Delivering a PDF/X-4 with continous, single pages to the printer is best. WHY does your client want printer spreads?

David Creamer: Community Expert (ACI and ACE 1995-2023)

Willi Adelberger

Community Expert

You can export printer pages from the book panel menu.

Imposing to create printer spreads is the task of the printer. Marks are not required in modern workflows.

Peter Spier

Community Expert

@Willi Adelberger Since when can you export PRINTERS spreads from the book panel?

READER spreads, sure, but that was not the request, and reader spreads would be useless for imposition.

Depending on the binding method, it might make sense to export a single-pages PDF and use Acrobat's booklet printing facility.

BobLevine

Community Expert

I think he meant single pages for a printer to impose.

Peter Spier

Community Expert

Why does the client want printers' spreads? Are they the printer?

BobLevine

Correct answer

Community Expert

Two things.

1. Why would you split a 72 page document up to create an INDB project? Really makes no sense to me.

2. Printer spreads are the responsibility of the printer. Have you or the client actually spoken to whoever is going to print this? I'll bet they don't want printer spreads and frankly, if they do, you're probably better off looking for someone else.

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