• Global community
    • Language:
      • Deutsch
      • English
      • Español
      • Français
      • Português
  • 日本語コミュニティ
    Dedicated community for Japanese speakers
  • 한국 커뮤니티
    Dedicated community for Korean speakers
Exit
18

Placing a multiple page PDF into InDesign

Guest
Mar 22, 2012 Mar 22, 2012

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

I have CS5.  I'm working on a multipage document in InDesign and I want to bring in a multipage PDF document into that InDesign document.  For some reason, when I do File>Place, it brings in the first page of the PDF (with perfect formatting) but the other pages do not come in.  Is there some other setting that I'm missing to capture all pages of the PDF to transfer into the same number of pages in my InDesign document?

TOPICS
How to , Scripting

Views

571.2K

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines

correct answers 1 Correct answer

Adobe Employee , Apr 30, 2021 Apr 30, 2021

Hi all,

 

See  (https://community.adobe.com/t5/indesign/place-a-multipage-pdf-in-indesign/td-p/11343293 )  for a consolidated list of scripts and solutions to place multipage PDF in InDesign. Try the solutions and let us know if you still need assistance.  

 

Regards,

Srishti

Votes

Translate

Translate
New Here ,
Mar 21, 2016 Mar 21, 2016

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

Perfect! I owe you an hour of my life that this would have taken me to do manually.

Votes

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
Community Expert ,
Mar 21, 2016 Mar 21, 2016

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

Zanelli's script is light-years better than the one that ships in the samples. Used it myself two days ago to do a 4-up layout of a quarter-page format directory.

Votes

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
Enthusiast ,
Sep 09, 2016 Sep 09, 2016

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

<Removed by Moderator>worte:

To place multiple pages in Indesign effortlessly

Step 1: Go to file>>New>>Document, Fill in the number of pages and first page.

Good one but Creating a New Document and fill pages this is ridiculous. Just open up the Script dialog box (Press Ctrl+Alt+F11) and choose "PlaceMultiPagesPDF"  and double click on it with no document open, no creating a new document.

Thanks

Votes

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
Explorer ,
Dec 07, 2016 Dec 07, 2016

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

Brilliant! Worked perfectly on a 136 page document.

Votes

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
Community Beginner ,
Dec 12, 2016 Dec 12, 2016

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

After placing the document in Indesign, using the script in Indesign, one can move a document in a page by pressing the mouse on the page and moving the mouse up, down, to the right or to the left. This action is especially useful when centering the document in the page, since after using the script not all the documents would be properly centered.

A. A. Frempong

Votes

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
Community Beginner ,
Dec 14, 2016 Dec 14, 2016

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

From above, if on press-moving the mouse, the blank page and the placed material move together, you can do the following: 1. Click the selection tool (the white arrow) before press-moving the mouse in the page;

or  2. On the Mac, you can simultaneously press the command key while press-moving the mouse in the page (this option is more work)

AAF

Votes

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
Community Beginner ,
May 01, 2018 May 01, 2018

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

That's freaking awesome. It even appended new pages to the end of the document so each page from the PDF would fit on a new page. Some minor moving about for layout, but that's merely because I didn't set the PDF pages to a specific scale first. Huge time saver.

Votes

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
Explorer ,
Apr 30, 2019 Apr 30, 2019

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

You the real MVP!

Votes

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
New Here ,
Aug 05, 2019 Aug 05, 2019

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

Is it  way to import the PDF so that it is editable within inDesign?

Votes

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
Guru ,
Aug 05, 2019 Aug 05, 2019

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

johnj59072975  wrote

Is it  way to import the PDF so that it is editable within inDesign?

No, it's impossible to edit placed PDFs. However, a PDF can be converted to indd-file: e.g. with PDF2ID plug-in.

Votes

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
Engaged ,
Aug 05, 2019 Aug 05, 2019

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

Yes, with Markzware PDF2DTP. Costs extra though, but will import multi-page PDF's and create new totally editable InDesign layouts.

Votes

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
New Here ,
Mar 25, 2016 Mar 25, 2016

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

I'm using Indesign CC 2015 and I'm unable to load the script. Am I missing something? Does it not work with CC?

Votes

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
Community Expert ,
Mar 25, 2016 Mar 25, 2016

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

Zanelli's script should work fine, as far as I know, but if there's a problem you could put it into a subfolder named "Version 7.0 Scripts" (case sensitive, but without the quotes).

Votes

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
Community Expert ,
Mar 25, 2016 Mar 25, 2016

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

FYI it works fine on ID version 11.3.0.34 on a mac running El Capitan 10.11.3.

I know it doesn't work on every PDF though, and the PDF that is being imported is usually to blame - anything from media boxes not set correctly, to inherent errors with the PDF when it was created (e.g. if it was created from a source other than a CC application).

If the answer wasn't in my post, perhaps it might be on my blog at colecandoo!

Votes

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
New Here ,
Apr 20, 2016 Apr 20, 2016

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

Hello Guys,

I've read this thread. The Zanelli's solution is quiet good for a document that have several pages, and for the user who want all this pages joined in a new indesign document and in separate pages. Furthermore, i've got a problem :

I’m under Indesign CS6. I’ve a made an indesign document called Master_file.ind composed of 50 blank pages. Each page contains 5 empty image blocs. I want to load a bunch of 500 .indd files (each file has just 1 page) in these 5 blocs in each page until all is done.
Do you know if there’s a script for that ? The Zanelli's script doesn't work for that.

Help welcome !
E’

Votes

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
Enthusiast ,
Sep 09, 2016 Sep 09, 2016

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

This script works fine for me

//PlaceMultipagePDF.jsx

//An InDesign JavaScript

/* 

@@@BUILDINFO@@@ "PlaceMultipagePDF.jsx" 3.0.0 15 December 2009

*/

//Places all of the pages of a multi-page PDF.

//

main();

function main(){

  //Make certain that user interaction (display of dialogs, etc.) is turned on.

  app.scriptPreferences.userInteractionLevel = UserInteractionLevels.interactWithAll;

  //Display a standard Open File dialog box.

  var myPDFFile = File.openDialog("Choose a PDF File");

  if((myPDFFile != "")&&(myPDFFile != null)){

  var myDocument, myPage;

  if(app.documents.length != 0){

  var myTemp = myChooseDocument();

  myDocument = myTemp[0];

  myNewDocument = myTemp[1];

  }

  else{

  myDocument = app.documents.add();

  myNewDocument = false;

  }

  alert(myDocument.constructor.name);

  if(myNewDocument == false){

  myPage = myChoosePage(myDocument);

  }

  else{

  myPage = myDocument.pages.item(0);

  }

  myPlacePDF(myDocument, myPage, myPDFFile);

  }

}

function myChooseDocument(){

    var myDocumentNames = new Array;

    myDocumentNames.push("New Document");

    //Get the names of the documents

    for(var myDocumentCounter = 0;myDocumentCounter < app.documents.length; myDocumentCounter++){

        myDocumentNames.push(app.documents.item(myDocumentCounter).name);

    }

    var myChooseDocumentDialog = app.dialogs.add({name:"Choose a Document", canCancel:false});

    with(myChooseDocumentDialog.dialogColumns.add()){

        with(dialogRows.add()){

            with(dialogColumns.add()){

                staticTexts.add({staticLabel:"Place PDF in:"});

            }

            with(dialogColumns.add()){

                var myChooseDocumentDropdown = dropdowns.add({stringList:myDocumentNames, selectedIndex:0});

            }

        }

    }

  var myResult = myChooseDocumentDialog.show();

  if(myResult == true){

  if(myChooseDocumentDropdown.selectedIndex == 0){

  myDocument = app.documents.add();

  myNewDocument = true;

  }

  else{

  myDocument = app.documents.item(myChooseDocumentDropdown.selectedIndex-1);

  myNewDocument = false;

  }

  myChooseDocumentDialog.destroy();

  }

  else{

  myDocument = "";

  myNewDocument = "";

  myChooseDocumentDialog.destroy();

  }

    return [myDocument, myNewDocument];

}

function myChoosePage(myDocument){

  alert(myDocument.name);

    var myPageNames = new Array;

    //Get the names of the pages in the document

    for(var myCounter = 0; myCounter < myDocument.pages.length;myCounter++){

        myPageNames.push(myDocument.pages.item(myCounter).name);

    }

    var myChoosePageDialog = app.dialogs.add({name:"Choose a Page", canCancel:false});

    with(myChoosePageDialog.dialogColumns.add()){

        with(dialogRows.add()){

            with(dialogColumns.add()){

                staticTexts.add({staticLabel:"Place PDF on:"});

            }

            with(dialogColumns.add()){

                var myChoosePageDropdown = dropdowns.add({stringList:myPageNames, selectedIndex:0});

            }

        }

    }

    myChoosePageDialog.show();

    var myPage = myDocument.pages.item(myChoosePageDropdown.selectedIndex);

    myChoosePageDialog.destroy();

    return myPage;

}

function myPlacePDF(myDocument, myPage, myPDFFile){

  var myPDFPage;

  app.pdfPlacePreferences.pdfCrop = PDFCrop.cropMedia;

  var myCounter = 1;

  var myBreak = false;

  while(myBreak == false){

  if(myCounter > 1){

  myPage = myDocument.pages.add(LocationOptions.after, myPage);

  }

  app.pdfPlacePreferences.pageNumber = myCounter;

  myPDFPage = myPage.place(File(myPDFFile), [0,0])[0];

  if(myCounter == 1){

  var myFirstPage = myPDFPage.pdfAttributes.pageNumber;

  }

  else{

  if(myPDFPage.pdfAttributes.pageNumber == myFirstPage){

  myPage.remove();

  myBreak = true;

  }

  }

  myCounter = myCounter + 1;

  }

}

Votes

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
New Here ,
Feb 21, 2017 Feb 21, 2017

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

This was AWESOME advice!!
Thank you!!
Jouna

Votes

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
New Here ,
Mar 09, 2017 Mar 09, 2017

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

Works! Awesome advice GArshamA ! ©Adobe should notice your help ! I'm happy google ranked you high ! Tomer

Votes

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
New Here ,
Mar 28, 2017 Mar 28, 2017

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

Thank you soooo much !!! best explanation EVER

Votes

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
Explorer ,
Mar 30, 2017 Mar 30, 2017

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

Hi all,

I've had the same issue and have been using Zanelli's script in general which has been a lifesaver. Zanelli's script will place one PDF page per Indesign page. However I recently had a need to place a multiple paged PDF into a grid of pre-existing image frames. I want to do this sometimes when I'm putting an existing document into a "presentation" document for review. Placing PDFs is much faster than placing Indesign files by the way.

So I wrote an AppleScript that does this and I'd love to share it with you all for review. I also improved it by giving the option to place not just a multiple paged PDF into existing image frames but also a whole folder of images (which may also contain PDFs). If there aren't enough picture frames selected on the page to hold all the PDF pages or images in the folder, there is the option to let the script duplicate the original page and continue filling the boxes until all images or pages have been placed.

Try it out and let me know what you think!

Place multiple paged PDF into existing image frames – Dr Scripto

Regards,

David

Votes

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
New Here ,
Jul 18, 2017 Jul 18, 2017

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

How do I place the pdf with format Trimbox or whatever box, can I change this in the JavaScript?

Votes

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
New Here ,
Jul 18, 2017 Jul 18, 2017

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

The advice about placing multiple pages at once seems sound:

"

To place multiple pages in Indesign effortlessly

Step 1: Go to file>>New>>Document, Fill in the number of pages and first page. (Do not mix up the number 

              of pages and the first page boxes). Also if you want single pages, uncheck the facing pages and   

               check the single page (make sure only one of these is checked)

Step 2: From Window (on the Tools Bar) go to Utilities>>Scripts

Step 3: In the appearing panel,Click Applications> then scripts>>then javascripts.

Step 4: Under javascripts scroll down to "placemultiplePDFpages and double-click it.,

etc.

But what if I see n scripts under Utilities>>Scripts? How do I add Javascripts and Utilities>>Scripts to InDesign?

Votes

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
New Here ,
Jul 18, 2017 Jul 18, 2017

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

". . . no scripts" was omitted in previous note: What if I see no scripts . . .?

Votes

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
New Here ,
Feb 28, 2018 Feb 28, 2018

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

Thank You

Votes

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
New Here ,
Aug 14, 2017 Aug 14, 2017

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

I wish I had known this script earlier ! A pity it's not integrated into the "Fiule -> import" menu.

But I have another request.

Instead of simply import a "page by page" PDF file, I would like IDD to be able to import, 6 x A6 format PDF pages into a single IDD page.

I have a huge PDF file (almost text) of 2646 page that I have already split into 1323 recto and 1323 verso pages.

So I need to place into IDD, page1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 from my PDF file onto a SRA3 IDD page.

In total I would have a file of 166 IDD pages for my recto and another 166 IDD pages for my verso.

The idea is to be able to print the recto and then the verso on S3A3 paper size.

Any suggestion ?

Thank you so much !

Pablo

Votes

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines