Page Imposition Converting Publisher Booklet To PDF 1

[yortw]

Hi All,

I am using Publisher 2003 to create a 'booklet' magazine for my car club. I'd like to be able to convert the magazine to PDF and host it on our website so some members can download it instead of receiving it in the post.

The problem I have is that printing to the PDF driver prints the same way as it would to the printer, i.e page 1 on the left page 30 on the right of a double page spread. This is fine for physical printing, but for the PDF I want consecutive pages.

Is there any easy way to turn of the page impositioning in publisher temporarily and then re-enable it ?

Thanks in advance.

 

[algraff]

I publish a 4 page church bulletin that's in a similar format and post it on our church website. To convert it, I start by saving the Publisher document. Then I lock everything on each page together as a group. One by one I move each group that is in the wrong sequence into the gray area, go to the correct page and move the group back onto the page there. Once everything is in the right sequence, I then print to PDF Writer. Once the PDF file is created, I close the Publisher document without saving it...so it reverts to the original format.

I'm sure working with 4 pages is a lot simpler than 30, but the concept would be the same. There's probably an easier way to do it, but I've not found one yet.

http://www.algraff.com

:

http://www.sunshine-church.org

http://www.stanleysauctions.com

http://www.bv.k12.oh.us

 

[yortw]

Thanks Algraff. I'm sure that will work, but it's a bit painful for thirty pages.

Does anyone know of a better way ?

 

[dawna3]

algraff:

I am learning MS Publisher 97 (yes, I'm a bit behind the times) and I am trying to do a church bulletin as well.

What I can't figure out is which template to use to get the page orders working. It's basically a little booklet we're printing so you'd like page 1 on the left and 4 on the right and 2 & three on the flipside of a double-page spread. I've tried the catologe template but it doesn't keep track of the pages properly (it just puts them sequentially). I never got a manual and the help isn't helping me with this.

TYIA

Tracee

 

[algraff]

Here's how I do ours...I use Publisher 2000, but I think the process would be basically the same. I'd be glad to send you an old copy of our bulletin to use as a template if you like...however I'm not sure if Publisher 97 would be able to read the file.

We print on 8.5" x 14" paper folded over...pages 1 and 4 on one side, 2 and 3 on the other.

The Publisher page is setup as 8.5" x 14" in landscape mode with 2 pages. Layout grid is set for 4 columns so I get 2 columns per "page."

After printing the paper copies, I convert to PDF for a copy to go on the web. Here's how I do that:

I add 2 blank pages to the end of the document. Lock everything on the right side of page 1 (page 4) together as a group and drag it into the gray area. I go to the last (blank) page and drag the group back to the center of the blank page.
I return to the first page, lock everything else together and drag it to the center of the page. I repeat the process with the right hand side of page 2 going to the blank page 3 and centering both pages. I then go to page setup and reduce the paper size to 8.5 x 7.5 (note I add a half-inch...it gives a little extra margin to work with in the PDF file). I then print to PDFwriter, making sure to make page size adjustments to fit the document.

To see the final results visit

http://www.sunshine-church.org

and click on "BULLETIN"

If there's anything else I can do to help, just holler

http://www.algraff.com

:

http://www.sunshine-church.org

http://www.stanleysauctions.com

http://www.bv.k12.oh.us

 

[dawna3]

algraff, thank you for the reply. Thanks for pointing out the possibilitiy of using columns, I hadn't thought of that. However, I don't understand how the columns keep track of which position in the layout the text goes. Page 1 should carry on to page 2 (the flip side of page 1) and page 3 is to the right of page 2 and page 4 is the flipside of page 3.

I hate trying to explain this in text but I don't know anyone around here who jnows this stuff.

Thanks if you can help me further (I donht need to know the PDF stuff, but it may benefit another reader.)

 

[algraff]

I've done a couple of screen shots of Publisher that might help understand my layout. You should be able to see the grid lines, etc. They're a little over 70K each.

http://www.algraff.com/samples/samplepg1.gif

http://www.algraff.com/samples/samplepg2.gif

When folded over, the first page becomes the front and back (1 & 4) while page 2 becomes the inside (2 & 3). Of course I have to run it thru the copier after printing out to get them on opposite sides of the same sheet of paper.

http://www.algraff.com

:

http://www.sunshine-church.org

http://www.stanleysauctions.com

http://www.bv.k12.oh.us

 

[Stroppy]

In answer to Tracee3, you want a booklet? It may be a 4, 8, 12, 16 etc page booklet...ie, multiples of 4. There are a number of ways to do it.....

One way: 1. Open Publisher, choose "Blank Presentation". (for eg, cos I usually do my own layout etc).

2. Go to "Page Setup"....choose "Special Fold" (near the top of the dialogue box)... "Booklet Fold" (Just below)

3. You'll probably be after "Landscape" which will eventually print an A5 size booklet - which is half of A4 (letter size in the US, I think).

4. When you click "OK", a dialogue pops up saying, basically "Publisher will automatically add 3 pages as booklets print in multiples of 4"...say yes BUT

5. At Point 4 above, it also says "Press F1 now for more information". It brings up help with the whole thing explained.

6. So, you treat the 4 pages exactly as page 1 2 3 4 of the booklet...then print out. Page 1 and 4 are side by side, and page 2 and 3 become the middle pages. Fold it, and page 1 is at front and 4 at back.

7. Just try it! Go through the motions, put a 1 2 3 and 4 on each page and print.

The hard thing is remembering which way to put it in the printer to print the second page, unless you have a double sided printer. By the way, with the middle pages of your newsletter, you can do a 2 page spread with no break in the middle.

Also, to add more pages, click on "Insert" "Page"....Pub assumes you want to add 4 pages....very easy really...

Bit long winded...it's late!

M

 

[Stroppy]

...and another method....much more simple...

Choose "Bookfold" in "Blank Publication" when the catalogue opens....go to "Page Setup" to change paper size. Take care what size you choose because that's it with Publisher ... once chosen, forget about simple resizing to fit another page size. It's easier to enlarge an original on a photocopier than downsize from A3 paper

M

 

[dawna3]

Thank you both for your very helpful replies. I think all that valuable info should be turned into a FAQ, instead of losing it in the posting archives.

I have been playing with Publisher and it is coming along and finally making some sense. I realise I am missing some features with the 97 version but so far nothing too drastic.

Now onto this week's bulletin..........

 

[yortw]

Just to let you all know, I sorted my own problem out. Basically if I turn off the booklet feature and select a custom paper size it all works fine when printed but doesn't change the appearance on screen (which is what initially confused me).

Thanks for all your help.

 

[Stroppy]

Actually, I like Publisher 97 & 2000. Later versions lose that nice simple look. Think of Publisher as an expanded Word Drawing toolbar and Picture formatting toolbar. Don't forget "Help", there are so many helpful mini tutorials there...and, I really don't know about making PDF files, webpages, html etc...that seems to be Algraf's forte...I know that when viewing the code for a Publisher webpage, there's a heap more code than for web pages made with other products.

M

 

[Achilles2k]

yortw
- glad you fixed your problem -but don't actually follow what you mean by "basically turn off the booklet feature". I have exactly the same problem as you describe - only the booklet is 40 pages long.

Could be a bit more definitive in your response please!

Thanks

 

[david1946]

Algraff's Reply: I am struggling with an A4 Church Newsletter and I wondered if ALGRAFF's offer to send an old template to get me started is still on offer?!

 

[writer1]

You want to create you publication as sequential pages and then use software to convert it to booklet. I generate sequential files and my print service returns a proof to me in the booklet format before printing. If my printer will give me the name of their software I'll pass it on to you.

 

[writer1]

Writer 1 again. The software my printer uses to convert sequential files to booklets is Acrobat with a plugin called Quite Imposing.