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shaynal93460409
Participant
December 13, 2017
Question

InDesign Exporting Booklet Issue - Page size is too small

  • December 13, 2017
  • 2 replies
  • 4270 views

Hello,

This is my first time posting to the forums so let me know if I am missing anything. I have created a booklet in InDesign. The page size is 11" x 17" folded in half. I am using the export booklet function in InDesign. I have a 0.5" bleed around the page. When I try and export it, I get a warning that says the booklet doesn't fit the current page size. The page cuts off the bleed that I have added. Is there a way to included the bleed within the booklet size? I thought it would automatically adjust to fit within the page size, but it looks like I might be missing a step.

I have tried the scale to fit option, but I get a white border on both width sides.

Thank you in advance for any help! 

This topic has been closed for replies.

2 replies

hammer0909
Community Expert
Community Expert
December 13, 2017

Hi there!

I think the problem is that you did too much work ;-) You see the Print Booklet command in InDesign expects that you built your pages in "readers spreads" at the final trim size. You build your booklet at the printed spread size and now it doesn't know what to do with the pages. It's trying to put 2 11 X 17 pages onto a spread which it isn't able to do because you don't have a printer that big.

So… If you've built your document as "printers spreads" then you don't need to use the Print Booklet feature. For your reference "printers spreads" is when you build the pages how they need to be printed, not how they'll look after they are put together in the booklet. If you didn't build the pages as printers spreads, then you'll want to change the page size back to 8 1/2 x 11. You'll have some adjusting to do afterwards but when you're finished, the Print Booklet command should work as expected.

TdS
Participating Frequently
October 31, 2019

Hello,

I had this issue as well. But I did this correctly as you describe (I created page size at 8 1/2 by 11, to print 2 of those on each 11x17 sheet -- I think the writer above likely did this correctly as well). The issue was that when I had a bleed set (.125) I also got the same error message "The booklet doesn't fit the current paper size." And it chopped off that tiny amount around the outside edges. But if I removed the bleed, then it looks fine.

Can you not use the bleed if you are using the Print Booklet function?

rob day
Community Expert
Community Expert
October 31, 2019

8.5" x 11 with a .125" bleed would have a spread dimension of 17.25" x 11.25", so that obviously doesn't fit on an 17x11 sheet—you have to either work with a smaller page dimension or print to larger sheet. If you are saving a postscript file to generate a PDF, you need to install the Acrobat PDF 9.0 PPD, which will let you spec any sheet dimension in Print Settings.

 

 

Or you can use scale to fit:

Derek Cross
Community Expert
Community Expert
December 13, 2017

Welcome to the InDesign forum. When posting questions it's always worth including your version of InDesign and OS.

How many pages in all in your publication (that is how many "sides" size 11" x 8.5") and will this booklet ultimately be printed on a commercial press?

And why .5" Bleed?

Presumably you're trying to proof your publication on your desk top inkjet printer. What is the maximum size sheet it will print?