Keeping a spread as 2 pages when downloading an interactive PDF when publishing online

[Jim-GG]

When we create an interactive spread in INDD and publish online as a PDF, it displays properly in the browser viewer; however, when a user downloads the PDF it reverts to a single-page display.  Is there anyway to force it to stay as a 2-page display?

[Laubender]

Hi Jim,

can you show some screenshots? What browser(s) are you using? What's the PDF viewer application your user or customer is actually using? Is this application capable of viewing spreads when the PDF contains single pages?

Finally: Do you select "Spread" or "Page" when you configure your settings for Publish Online?

What's the PDF export preset you are using for Publish Online?

Regards,
Uwe Laubender

( ACP )

[pszep]

I am selecting publishing Spreads in my Interactive Design, and it is publishing spreads, BUT the download button does not download spreads, instead its individual pages, is there a way to control the formatting of the pdf that downloads as Spreads?

[James Gifford—NitroPress]

PDF viewing is dependent on the PDF viewer used, and if it's anything but a current version of Acrobat or Reader, the results are going to vary. Most third-party readers, especially those built into browsers, are simplified, streamlined and interpret document settings as they choose. Always showing single pages, regardless of the doc Initial View etc. setting, is common.

There is basically nothing you can do about this unless you can force (or convince) users to use only Adobe readers.

You can export to spreads, but they become a single page and even compliant readers can no longer show them as separate pages.

(Yes... for something that should be mature, stable and compliant, the whole e-doc/e-book world is far too random and subjective.)