Booklet function in InDesign

[smokeycat]

I am just migrating from Pagemaker 7 to CS3, and am having difficulty with the booklet facility. In Pagemaker I would use the Utilities/build booklet function to get my imposed pages for printing, and would save that file under a different name, from which I would create a pdf. I can see the "print to booklet" option, but cannot see how to save that file. I need to be able to create pdfs from the imposed pages. Can anyone help?
Smokey

 

[smokeycat]

Potential helpers!
Please ignore the preceding question as I think I have found the answer myself - I just change the print setting to Adobe pdf and away it goes!
I would still like to know if there's a way to save the imposed pages as an indd file though - anyone?

 

[jmgalvin]

Don't know if they changed it with 3, but Adobe was including Inbooklet-se with ID. It's at the bottom of the file menu in earlier additons. I don't remember if it was an extra on the cd that did not install by default.

When you get teh first inbooklet screen, there's an option to save a new, imposed ID file.

You might try searching Help for inbooklet, or look at teh cd for any extras folder.

Using OSX 10.3.9 on a G4

 

[jimoblak]

CS3 explicitly states 'print booklet' so there is no native option to make a new, imposed INDD file as there was in CS2.

I understand CS2 had issues with building new, imposed INDD files anyway.

Adobe may have left out the option to create a new imposed document simply because there is not a practical need for it. Imposition is a final step.

 

[smokeycat]

jimoblak,
I take your point about imposition being a final step, but I need to save files as pdfs because the network printer I use sometimes doesn't print Pagemaker files accurately, but seems happy with pdfs. I use these "intermediate" hard copies to return to clients for proofing. (Of course that printer problem may not exist with InDesign - I'll have to test it.)
jmgalvin,
I have been searching on "booklet", so now I'll try "inbooklet"
Thanks both!

 

[jimoblak]

As you have found, you can print to PDF as a final step. Maintaining any document in an imposed form is often a recipe for disaster.

InBooklet was created by ALAP.com, which was bought by Quark a year or so ago. At that time, they killed off the InBooklet product. There is no InBooklet available for CS3.

 

[jmgalvin]

I just looked around (Google, etc) and it seems that almost all imposition products, including the real expensive ones, are going towards imposing pdfs rather than working with creator formats like ID, Xpress, etc.





Using OSX 10.3.9 on a G4

 

[eugenetyson]

Can I can chime in with an "impose it yourself idea". I know you shouldn't have to. But if you can PDF you files and make an imposition sheet suitable for your own printer then you can have an InDesign Imposed file to print out that is automatically updated every time you make a new PDF.

If it's 32 page saddle stitched, it's not that hard to do. Page 1 starts on the right and 32 on the left.

32/1
2/31
30/3
4/29
28/5

and so on.

The page pairs should always end up as 1 more than your page count. As you can see above, 32+1 = 33, 2+31=33, 30+3 = 33, 4+29 = 33 and so on

It's very very easy to impose. If it's bound then you can work in 16's or 32's, but only impose the first 16 or 32, then start at 17 or 33 for you next batch.

But remember this will only be for your own printing purposes, a printing company would prefer single reader pairs, not printer pairs. So always supply files to a printers as 1,2,3,4,5,6 etc. not 32,1,2,31,3,30,29,4 etc.

You'll save yourself a lot of time with this

 

[smokeycat]

Eugene,
That sounds like a lot of hard work to me, and what about linked text? Would I not have to split it all up to fit the imposed pages? Maybe I'm missing something - please enlighten me!

 

[eugenetyson]

I did say to make a PDF of your file. All you have to do is setup a page that is the same as your output paper.

Keep it simple for now. A4

Your booklet is a5

Setup your new document as an A4 Landscape

Place two boxes down on the page, 148.5mm x 210 mm

Place page 32 of the PDF into the box on the left and Page 1 on the right.

Insert a page on your ID document. Then place page 2 and 31.

Or if you want to, if using CS3, which if I understand you are.

Add 32 pages into your document with two boxes on each page as specified. Don't have facing pages.

When you place the PDF, select the Show Import Options. Select all pages. Your Cursor is now loaded with all the pages.

Now zoom out. Place the first page on the right hand side of the page in the right box, then the next page, on the left, then right, then left, until you get to the bottom. Then zig zag back up the page to the top.

You're done.

If you're working off an A3 size and your finished size is A4, the above applies.

If it's A3 paper and you're finished size is A5 then you need to set up 4 boxes on your page, where the heads meet. You can look up impositions online to get the one that you want.

Oh and seen as you are working in CS3 for this you can setup a new file as above and you can import whole InDesign files into a ID file. So the information remains linked. Any changes made to your Indesign file will automatically be included in your Imposion File that you've created.

No need for the PDF stage at ALL. It's just a matter of loading the cursor and placing the files in the correct position.

If you're not sure how it should look on your screen, get a A4 or A3 or A2 or whatever size your working on, fold it the way it should be folded, with a pen write the numbers on each page and unfold it.

Now you have a template that you draw on your computer right in front of your eyes. You can click around the boxes on the screen in the order that's necessary by looking at your template that you just made.

That is really the best way to get started with manual impostions. Do it by hand first by folding the paper. Write them in. Then when you're used to the way it looks, start with a blank piece of paper. Draw out the grid on the page in front of you. Fill in the page numbers and fold the paper to see if it all works.

Once you can do it on paper you can do it on the computer.

It may take a while to get the hang of it, but once you have you get it it is very easy to do.

The only reason I suggest this is because you're looking for a way to save the impositon in CS3, which you can't unfortunately. So the only way to do it is to do it manually.

 

[smokeycat]

Eugene,
You made that sound so simple I thought I'd try it with a simple 4 x A4 layout (i.e. 1 x double-sided A3 finished size). What I don't understand is that a pdf is "uneditable", so once I've placed it as per your instructions, how can any future changes to the InDesign file be automatically included? Again, I think I may be missing something.
Smokey

 

[jimoblak]

Making a PDF and then manually imposing is no different than using a free script that does this already.

http://products.carlsenenterprises.com

how can any future changes to the InDesign file be automatically included?

Considering future changes is why it is not practical to maintain an imposed document. Think of the headaches if you want to add or remove pages in a future edit. This is why imposition is a final step. Keep your document in readers spreads.

 

[smokeycat]

I think that's what I'll do in future and just print booklet pdfs for proofing.
It's all about getting used to new software and trying to forget what may have been available before, however useful it may have been!
Thanks all for your help.
Smokey

 

[eugenetyson]

Eugene,
You made that sound so simple I thought I'd try it with a simple 4 x A4 layout (i.e. 1 x double-sided A3 finished size). What I don't understand is that a pdf is "uneditable", so once I've placed it as per your instructions, how can any future changes to the InDesign file be automatically included? Again, I think I may be missing something.

Well of course you'd have to make a new pdf for any changes and save over the old pdf using the same name. The link to the file is in the Links Panel, it will have yellow triangle beside it if it hasn't been updated.

Since you are using CS3 there is no need to do this, as you can place an InDesign file into another. That way when you edit and save the file, the link to the InDesign document in the imposition file is updated.

If you go to Windows>Links to view all the links in your document.

If using CS3 I recommend placing the CS3 files into your new document. Less hassle.

You can use a script if you wish, but how is anyone going to learn impositions by clicking a button.

 

[eugenetyson]

Agreed it would be a headache for imposing a file that has an added pages to it.

So, you can have 4 page templates, 8 page templates, 12 page templates, 16 page templates, 20 page templates, 24 page templates, 28 page templates, 32 page templates and so on.

The easiest concepts to grasp are the 4, 8, 16, 32, 64 etc page templates.

So if you know this document is a 32 pager then go put the pages into your template. With Cs3 it couldn't be easier. Just place your actual ID file in the template. If they say it's going to be reduced, then delete the Imposed 32 page or put it to one side.

When I'm using Preps this is what I have. I have over 200 templates. Each for speciality jobs, simple jobs, perfect bound, wirobound etc, different sizes, creep etc.

What we have here is someone looking for a file that is imposed. You can't do that without a plug in. But you can with a little know how. And I've specified how to do it.

 

[smokeycat]

OK, I think I've got it now - just tried again with my simple 4-page layout, placed InDesign file page by page into imposed template file. It worked fine, and I can see how any changes made to original would still be linked.

 

[eugenetyson]

Wahoooooooo