Participant

Question

Imposed PDF with InDesign CC

Forum|Forum|12 years ago
August 23, 2013
5 replies
57406 views

Hi there. Im using InDesign CC on Mac OS 10.8.4.

I'm trying to do something pretty simple, create an imposed pdf using the "Print Booklet" option. Before in InDesign CS6, i would:

1. Go to File >Print Booklet

2. Click on "Print Settings"

3. Adobe PDF would have been selected as the default printer

4. I would add cropmarks and bleed

5. hit ok

6. Select "Preview" to confirm everything looks good to go and hit print.

now, the tricky part in InDesign CC is step 3, since apparently some technical changes to Mac OS since version 10.6, don't allow Adobe PDF printers to be created. My Question is how do i create an imposed pdf to send to the press? Thanks a lot for your help.

This topic has been closed for replies.

J

Jeffrey15D5

Participant

Here's a free online tool that will let you turn any PDF file into a booklet:

https://pdfsnake.app/

T

Test Screen Name

Legend

Since these messages are read for years to come... "This is an early, limited-time preview. "

A

asonl4470884

Participant

I been using OS X EI Capitan-version 10.11.1 with Indesign CC 2015 & Acrobat Pro DC.

I try the way you guy given, but can't print using Acrobat PPD..

Is there any other way? Thanks.

S

scott_olling

Participating Frequently

I am trying to make imposed PS from InDesign and keep getting a paper position fail. The file is generated, but the paper is either the wrong size or the wrong orientation.

I'm trying to use 12x18 as a sheet size. Any help would be appreciated - however, I note that this appears to be a dead issue, with Adobe dropping the question and Apple complicit.

As a general criticism, Adobe seems to be going in retrograde on their Print dialog capabilities as well as on their manipulation of PS. Oh well, as my students used to say, there's still time to sign up for Cosmetology.

rob day

Community Expert

As a general criticism, Adobe seems to be going in retrograde on their Print dialog capabilities as well as on their manipulation of PS.

I can think of a number of formats and features that are basically dead but Adobe keeps so older workflows don't completely break. Not much has changed with distilling .ps other than it is discouraged and for good reason. The AcrobatPPD still works you just have to install it. It's like EPS or DCS 1.0! or Photoshop's Custom CMYK—if you really want or have to use those formats and features you can, but they are never going to be a best practice again.

R

rcleonard

Participant

There a many reasons why the print menus are helpful with creating pdfs. I can not begin to argue all of the valuable reasons it as a good thing to be able to print a pdf rather than export a pdf. There is an easy argument or a workaround for every problem I can think of--- that does not excuse in any way Adobe's rresponsibility to their client base.The page size issue. or if there are tab pages in a document that need extra bleed, or if there are any needs to edit an imposed pdf for many reasons an inexperienced printer may not be able to wrap their mind around. By eliminating existing tool that were once available, Adobe is beginning to remind me of the reasons I completely turned my back on the Quark Express Dinosaur train after the introduction of Mac OSX and indesigns blossoming from Pagefaker early in the millennium.

Adobe needs to realize that some printers are also creative artist and that by eliminating tools as they chose, Adobe is eroding tools from an arsenal that has made Adobe the choice of almost all creative digital artists in the world today

BobLevine

Community Expert

g234joseph wrote:

There a many reasons why the print menus are helpful with creating pdfs.

Then you need to make a strong case for it and file it as a feature request. But in the meantime, I'd be curious to hear those many reasons.

Dov Isaacs

Legend

At Adobe, we would most strongly recommend that you don't use the internal Print Booklet facility at all. Why? Creating PDF in that manner (including the suggestion of “Was DYP”) results in a very poor quality PDF file with no color management and flattened transparency.

The correct way to deal with making booklets or imposition in general is to directly export PDF from InDesign in logical page number order, preferably using the PDF/X-4 settings with any necessary bleed areas specified.

For commercial printing, it is the responsibility of the print service provider to do the imposition of the PDF file in a manner appropriate for the printed piece and for the equipment being used. (For example, often it is much more economical to print multiple pages and spreads per single sheet, requiring more complex imposition that would ever be possible with InDesign's Print Booklet facility!) That is part of the service that you should expect from your print service provider!!!

For your own personal printing on a less sophisticated laser or inkjet printer, for example, you have other choices. For simple booklet printing, let's say two 8.5"x11" pages on an 11"x17" sheet or even two 5.5"x8.5" pages on an 8.5"x11" sheet, you can accomplish this via the booklet printing capability in the Adobe Reader or Acrobat print dialogue. Works perfectly and costs you nothing extra. If you need more complex imposition, there are a number of third party Acrobat plug-ins that do a very professional job of imposition while maintaining color management, live transparency, and even the PDF file's PDF/X status. One such set of Acrobat plug-in products are Quite Imposing and Quite Imposting Plus (available for both MacOS and Windows) from Quite Software http://www.quite.com. Another similar product is PDF Snake (Windows only) available from http://www.pdfsnake.com.

- Dov

- Dov Isaacs, former Adobe Principal Scientist (April 30, 1990 - May 30, 2021)

Sherry @ Lacy & Par

Known Participant

I realize this thread is a few years old... but as it's still labeled NOT ANSWERED... I have something to bring up.

You said:

"For commercial printing, it is the responsibility of the print service provider to do the imposition of the PDF file in a manner appropriate for the printed piece and for the equipment being used."

And if you ARE the commercial printer... what are you supposed to use?

Ever since InDesign lost it's ability to do simple imposition from within the program (When Quark bought the plug in out from under Adobe) small commercial printers have been in a perpetual limbo. We either have to shell out a few more thousand dollars (in addition to Creative Suite) for a complicated imposition package that is five times more intricate than it needs to be for our use... or we are stuck setting up templates and creating our own.

A few years ago I found INPLATE by Croptima and it did an admirable job of filling in the gaping hole left by Adobe. It imposed, cutstacked, and bookleted just about everything I needed for a very reasonable 70 dollars. Unfortunately, the individual who created the program is no longer servicing it and it is now available free online for as long as it continues to work with InDesign's Creative Cloud.

We are still in need. We have a professional program, used in a professional environment that fails us on EVERY level when it comes to actually getting these files to press. We have needed this since it was taken away from us and rather than tell us something completely useless like "it is the responsibility of the print service provider"... how about Adobe provides a solution to the print service provider's needs?

Sherry Baker