Help with perfect-bound booklet function?

[CitrusBookBindery]

Does anyone know of a plugin or other method that allows more signature options for the perfect bound booklet function?

Our book signatures are often 5 sheet (20), 6 sheet (24), or other unusual sheet counts besides 1, 2, 3, 4, or 8 - the only options InDesign gives out of the box.  In order to get around this I am having to print individual signatures to PDF using the saddle stitch option and then combine the sections into a single PDF for printing.  This works fine for the end product, but its extremely time consuming for large books with lots of sections.

I would really love a way to tell InDesign to export a perfect-bound book with creep using ANY signature number, even if it can only be ones divisible by 4.

[Derek Cross]

Why don't you export as individual pages (PDF/X-4) with crop marks ticked and Use Document Bleed Settings ticked (unless your printer gives you a different spec). It's the printer's job to undertake the imposition.

[CitrusBookBindery]

We print inhouse - everything start to finish.  I am running the completed files off an A3+ inkjet so it needs to go from InDesign to print ready all on my own system.

[rob day]

I am running the completed files off an A3+ inkjet so it needs to go from InDesign to print ready all on my own system.

Our book signatures are often 5 sheet (20),

Print Booklet is limited to 2-up spreads. You could output individual signatures via Saddle-Stitch by using a comma delimited Range. For example this would give the 2nd signature of 5 for a 20 page perfect bound. You would have to output each of the signatures one at a time—1,2,3,4, | 5,6,7,8 | 9,10,11,12 | 13,14,15,16 | 17,18,19,20

[CitrusBookBindery]

This is basically how I've been doing it up to now, which is why I was hoping to find a way to speed up the process.

[Luke Jennings · Accepted solution]

You might consider purchasing an imposition program, which would make your job much easier.

You might also consider using the Acrobat print to booklet feature, exporting your single InDesign pages in signature groups (e.g pages 1-24, 25-48, etc.) and using Acrobat to create printers spreads. Here is a link to a related thread:

Booklet and bleed 

I think you are going to need an imposition program to accurately and efficiently apply creep, if needed.

[CitrusBookBindery]

I came across a recommendation for "Quite Imposing" digging around in the forums last night, and I've been working with it today.  I think that is going to be a good solution for me as I can print the entire book to a single PDF and then use that Acrobat extension to set my creep and imposition in one go for any number I choose.  I was so fixated on fixing the problem in InDesign I hadnt actually thought of fixing it from Acrobat instead.