Inspiring

Question

Separate or space facing pages

Forum|Forum|10 months ago
April 21, 2025
5 replies
5198 views

Hi everyone... here I am with another strange request.

When I work on a project with a few pages, I create it with single pages and then I place them side by side leaving 1 cm of space between them, so I can see the result at a glance.
But if I have a complex project with many pages, I create it using the side by side pages option. But there is a problem, when I export for printing, the page elements on the edges overlap and create problems.

My question is this: can a document with side by side pages be dismantled and the pages separated, but leaving them on the same plane? The separation must only move the right and left pages away from each other along the horizontal axis.
I leave an example image.

I tried some scripts but they don't work

rob day

Community Expert

Hi @Alex32252670s8p0 , Sorry if I missed it, but how is your book being bound?

Robert at ID-Tasker

Legend

Hi @Alex32252670s8p0 , Sorry if I missed it, but how is your book being bound?

By @rob day

There is an image attached to the opening post - so your example is correct.

rob day

Community Expert

I can see how @Alex32252670s8p0 wants to set up the pages, but I’m wondering what the binding method will be? Saddle Stitch, Perfect binding, Wire-O, etc.?

Most binding wethods are folded and gathered no inside bleed. If an inside bleed is provided it gets removed when the pages are imposed.

L

Laubender

Community Expert

Hi @Alex32252670s8p0 ,

you asked:

[1] My question is this: can a document with side by side pages be dismantled and the pages separated, but leaving them on the same plane?

[2] The separation must only move the right and left pages away from each other along the horizontal axis.

My answers:

[1] Yes. Even with facing-pages documents without unchecking the facing pages option.

[2] Well, in a way, also yes with a facing-pages document.

For [1] without [2] just select the Page Tool and then head to the Pages panel and select all pages of one side of the spine.

Then use the Transform Tool to move all selected pages in the document up or down a bit more than the height of a single page. Important! To make that work you have to change the minimum distance to a spread's edge roughly by the double value of a page height + some extra millimeters. The move (vertical) mechanism of the Transform Panel needs some extra space with pages before executed.

When you aim at [1] and also [2] in one go, you could use the Page Tool; you have to select all the pages in the document with the keyboard shortcut for Select All. Then use the Transform Tool to skew all selected pages to an specific angle so that the spine will not be touched by both pages o the same spot in one spread. Still, even in that adventurous setup, PDF export will export the pages unskewed!

For all the methods outlined above:

Be aware, that objects should not cross the spine!

Regards,
Uwe Laubender
( Adobe Community Expert )

L

Laubender

Community Expert

Please download the attached file to view this post

15284705.doc

Robert at ID-Tasker

Legend

@Alex32252670s8p0

If you work on Windows, I can give you access to the full version of my ID-Tasker tool for free for a few days.

~~It will move pages and contents accordingly.~~ (Looks like this part is no longer a problem - but the rest remains valid)

It can also "expand" frames of the objects to go into the bleed area. It won't add "information" - generative fill - but if the image is cropped - this extra part will be automatically shown.

rob day

Community Expert

The separation must only move the right and left pages away from each other along the horizontal axis.
I leave an example image.

Hi @Alex32252670s8p0 , A document can be set up with Facing Pages unchecked in Document Setup, and then you can create Master Spreads as facing pages with any amount of space between the pages. This would be usefull for binding methods where the inside edge is trimmed and visable (e.i., Wire-O). You would not want to do it for bindings where the inside edge is folded and not trimmed (e.i., Saddle Stitch) because the printer would remove any bleed you provide during the page imposition before going to press. See attached.

Wire-o_example.zip

Peter Spier

Community Expert

@rob day that's an interesting file, but Page 1 seems to be a left instead of a right.

Also, not sure how you set up the divided spread master. Did you use the Page Toll to separate them?

Robert at ID-Tasker

Legend

@rob day

OK, scratch the part that it "works" in your file 😉

It works on the other pages:

but only because those objects - are on the Master - what I've suspected earlier, when replied to @Peter Spier.

@rob day

Even if I don't use mouse - I can't because of the overriden graphic covering the page:

- and use Control panel:

it still moves only page - graphic remains in place:

Peter Spier

Community Expert

Sounds like you've specified an inside bleed, whci on a facing pages file is normally the edge of the opposite page at the gutter. You can split apart a facing spread by deselecting Allow Selected Spread to Shuggle in the Pages Panel menu and dragging one page away from its parner until you see a vertical line.

You can also do this for the entire document if you need to using a script (one of which can be downloaded from https://gilbertconsulting.com/scripts/indesign/separate_spreads.zip).

You might also find some useful information at https://community.adobe.com/t5/indesign-discussions/script-for-splitting-spreads-for-bleed-or-other-technique/td-p/12735345

A

Alex32252670s8p0Author

Inspiring

Thanks Peter...that's exactly what I was looking for too. The script seems to do a great job

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