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How to print (PDF) for book-like binding?

This means, that pages should be reordered complex way and located on sheets appropriately, according to folding and gathering (into sections or quires)?

UPDATE

Standard imposition options do not allow what I need. Suppose I want to print 500 page book. I can't print just four pages per sheet as usual, because it is impossible to fold 500 sheets twice.

So, I need to split pages into several "sections" or "gatherings", like here

enter image description here

5
  • I would use Word then print the Word document to a PDF.
    – Ramhound
    Dec 18, 2013 at 11:58
  • 3
    There is a reasonable expectation here that the person asking a question has done some research, explains their progress and where they are stuck. What have you researched? I did a quick search which discovered many resources. What you are wanting to do is called imposition.
    – CharlieRB
    Dec 18, 2013 at 12:16
  • @CharlieRB yes probably I don't know a terminology. But I can't know it without asking. Imposition is insufficient term.
    – Dims
    Dec 18, 2013 at 12:36
  • 1
    Have you done an Internet search for "print for binding"? What I'm trying to get you to do is research for yourself. We are not here to do it for you. Frankly, book binding is off topic here. Take a look at How to Make, Print, and Bind Your Own Books for a number of printing resources on how to print for binding.
    – CharlieRB
    Dec 18, 2013 at 12:44
  • ClickBook (bluesquirrel.com/products/clickbook) is commercial software that works like a printer driver to take normal printer output in normal page sequence and converts it to the proper size and page sequence for book printing (among other things). I don't recall if it automatically breaks the job into foldable-sized sub-units or if you can specify the number of sheets in the sub-units. It has the option to output to PDF.
    – fixer1234
    Dec 16, 2014 at 17:33

6 Answers 6

11

Folding together 8 pages at once for binding in center of any group, means put 4 sheets containing 2 pages for any side (front / back) so to have a particular printing order

The first thing we need to know is the total number of pages needed as an integer multiple of the number of signatures we have chosen (8 in our case) ot the last signature will be not one in-octavo and this can cause problems in binding

So, instead of 500 pages we need 504 pages (504/8 is 63 signatures; each composed by 8 pages) that will be juxtaposed at 2 by two like in your diagram:

8 folding imposition

Now, the imposition order for 504 pages that you want fold in files of 8 pages, will be:

8 1 2 7 6 3 4 5
16 9 10 15 14 11 12 13
24 17 18 23 22 19 20 21
32 25 26 31 30 27 28 29
40 33 34 39 38 35 36 37
48 41 42 47 46 43 44 45
56 49 50 55 54 51 52 53
64 57 58 63 62 59 60 61
72 65 66 71 70 67 68 69
80 73 74 79 78 75 76 77
88 81 82 87 86 83 84 85
96 89 90 95 94 91 92 93
104 97 98 103 102 99 100 101
112 105 106 111 110 107 108 109
120 113 114 119 118 115 116 117
128 121 122 127 126 123 124 125
136 129 130 135 134 131 132 133
144 137 138 143 142 139 140 141
152 145 146 151 150 147 148 149
160 153 154 159 158 155 156 157
168 161 162 167 166 163 164 165
176 169 170 175 174 171 172 173
184 177 178 183 182 179 180 181
192 185 186 191 190 187 188 189
200 193 194 199 198 195 196 197
208 201 202 207 206 203 204 205
216 209 210 215 214 211 212 213
224 217 218 223 222 219 220 221
232 225 226 231 230 227 228 229
240 233 234 239 238 235 236 237
248 241 242 247 246 243 244 245
256 249 250 255 254 251 252 253
264 257 258 263 262 259 260 261
272 265 266 271 270 267 268 269
280 273 274 279 278 275 276 277
288 281 282 287 286 283 284 285
296 289 290 295 294 291 292 293
304 297 298 303 302 299 300 301
312 305 306 311 310 307 308 309
320 313 314 319 318 315 316 317
328 321 322 327 326 323 324 325
336 329 330 335 334 331 332 333
344 337 338 343 342 339 340 341
352 345 346 351 350 347 348 349
360 353 354 359 358 355 356 357
368 361 362 367 366 363 364 365
376 369 370 375 374 371 372 373
384 377 378 383 382 379 380 381
392 385 386 391 390 387 388 389
400 393 394 399 398 395 396 397
408 401 402 407 406 403 404 405
416 409 410 415 414 411 412 413
424 417 418 423 422 419 420 421
432 425 426 431 430 427 428 429
440 433 434 439 438 435 436 437
448 441 442 447 446 443 444 445
456 449 450 455 454 451 452 453
464 457 458 463 462 459 460 461
472 465 466 471 470 467 468 469
480 473 474 479 478 475 476 477
488 481 482 487 486 483 484 485
496 489 490 495 494 491 492 493
504 497 498 503 502 499 500 501

and you will have 63 files containing 8 pages (the first number designates the signature number)

 1  8 1 2 7 6 3 4 5
 2  16 9 10 15 14 11 12 13
 3  24 17 18 23 22 19 20 21
 4  32 25 26 31 30 27 28 29
 5  40 33 34 39 38 35 36 37
 6  48 41 42 47 46 43 44 45
 7  56 49 50 55 54 51 52 53
 8  64 57 58 63 62 59 60 61
 9  72 65 66 71 70 67 68 69
10  80 73 74 79 78 75 76 77
11  88 81 82 87 86 83 84 85
12  96 89 90 95 94 91 92 93
13  104 97 98 103 102 99 100 101
14  112 105 106 111 110 107 108 109
15  120 113 114 119 118 115 116 117
16  128 121 122 127 126 123 124 125
17  136 129 130 135 134 131 132 133
18  144 137 138 143 142 139 140 141
19  152 145 146 151 150 147 148 149
20  160 153 154 159 158 155 156 157
21  168 161 162 167 166 163 164 165
22  176 169 170 175 174 171 172 173
23  184 177 178 183 182 179 180 181
24  192 185 186 191 190 187 188 189
25  200 193 194 199 198 195 196 197
26  208 201 202 207 206 203 204 205
27  216 209 210 215 214 211 212 213
28  224 217 218 223 222 219 220 221
29  232 225 226 231 230 227 228 229
30  240 233 234 239 238 235 236 237
31  248 241 242 247 246 243 244 245
32  256 249 250 255 254 251 252 253
33  264 257 258 263 262 259 260 261
34  272 265 266 271 270 267 268 269
35  280 273 274 279 278 275 276 277
36  288 281 282 287 286 283 284 285
37  296 289 290 295 294 291 292 293
38  304 297 298 303 302 299 300 301
39  312 305 306 311 310 307 308 309
40  320 313 314 319 318 315 316 317
41  328 321 322 327 326 323 324 325
42  336 329 330 335 334 331 332 333
43  344 337 338 343 342 339 340 341
44  352 345 346 351 350 347 348 349
45  360 353 354 359 358 355 356 357
46  368 361 362 367 366 363 364 365
47  376 369 370 375 374 371 372 373
48  384 377 378 383 382 379 380 381
49  392 385 386 391 390 387 388 389
50  400 393 394 399 398 395 396 397
51  408 401 402 407 406 403 404 405
52  416 409 410 415 414 411 412 413
53  424 417 418 423 422 419 420 421
54  432 425 426 431 430 427 428 429
55  440 433 434 439 438 435 436 437
56  448 441 442 447 446 443 444 445
57  456 449 450 455 454 451 452 453
58  464 457 458 463 462 459 460 461
59  472 465 466 471 470 467 468 469
60  480 473 474 479 478 475 476 477
61  488 481 482 487 486 483 484 485
62  496 489 490 495 494 491 492 493
63  504 497 498 503 502 499 500 501

You don't need to manually add the convenient number of pages to your multipage PDF file in order to have an integer multiple of signatures you've chosen, you can automatically calculate and perform imposition with

Multivalent.jar (latest freeware version with tools inside)

https://rg.to/file/c6bd7f31bf8885bcaa69b50ffab7e355

java -cp /path...to/Multivalent.jar tool.pdf.Impose -dim 2x1 -paper 29.7x21cm -layout "8,1,2,7,6,3,4,5" file.pdf

the -paper switch is settled to 29.7x21cm assuming your page has size A5, you can easily change this value according your needs, by doubling the width of your page

For different folding you only need to write once the beginning of the imposition sequence that Multivalent will take as a model for other groups of pages. So, for folding 16 pages, you'll write:

java -cp /path...to/Multivalent.jar tool.pdf.Impose -dim 2x1 -paper 29.7x21cm -layout "16,1,2,15,14,3,4,13,12,5,6,11,10,7,8,9" file.pdf 
2
  • Your link is dead.
    – Geremia
    Jan 8 at 1:36
  • sorry, I updated post with a working link
    – Dingo
    Jan 12 at 23:17
5

You can use pdfbooklet. It's a free and open source app.

Start the app then file > open yourbook.pdf.

Press the Go button.

2

Adobe Reader allows booklet printing for any PDF file.

Print booklets using Acrobat or Reader

You can print a multipage document as a booklet. Acrobat or Reader lays out the pages two per sheet. When you collate, fold, and staple the double-sided sheets, the result is a single book with the correct page order.

Multipage PDF printed as a booklet

1

pdfrw comes with a tool called subset_booklets.py to do just this, though the output is on 11"x17" paper.

0

Use the following option of pdfbook2:

--signature=INT
        Define the signature for the booklet handed to pdfjam, needs to 
        be multiple of 4 (default: 4)
-1

I made a google spreadsheet to divide my document into signatures for me since I couldn't find it anywhere on the web. I decided to share it here because I saw so many people asking for this functionality on this and other forums. HAPPY book binding.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/e/2PACX-1vRCyv5ZStwBVdAxxOORiDzrslNh7u9AQ-A2vvFobl01LMitEB4s3Dvg6RAIGpu8qjAjKfNd3DgvFPb_/pubhtml

1
  • 3
    How does this help? Perhaps I am being dense. Mar 16, 2021 at 0:35

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