Support: PDF Imposition

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Common questions

How do I print a PDF as a booklet?

Open the PDF here, leave Booklet selected and Twice the page size as the sheet, and download. The pages are paired in printer order and padded to a multiple of four. Print the result double-sided, flipping on the edge the preview names, fold the stack down the middle and staple on the fold. The booklet then reads from page one to the end.

Which edge do I flip on for double-sided printing?

It depends on which way the sheet is turned. The preview says so: on a landscape sheet with the two pages side by side, flip on the short edge; on a portrait sheet, flip on the long edge. Getting this wrong puts every other page upside down, so do a one-sheet test first.

Why are there blank pages at the end of my booklet?

A saddle-stitched booklet is made of folded sheets, each giving four pages, so the page count has to be a multiple of four. If your document has 14 pages, two blank pages are added at the end. To avoid them, add or remove pages in the document before imposing it.

How many business cards fit on a sheet?

At the usual 85 × 55 mm, ten fit on A4 with a 3 mm gap, and twenty-one on SRA3. At 3.5 × 2 inches, ten fit on Letter. Choose Repeat and the preview counts them for you; the gap and margin fields change how many fit.

Does 2-up shrink my pages?

With Shrink to fit, each page is scaled down only as far as needed to fit its cell, and never enlarged; two A4 pages on an A4 sheet become A5. With Actual size they stay at 100%, and if they do not fit the preview says so. Choose a larger sheet or Twice the page size to keep them at full size.

Can I add bleed and crop marks to the pages first?

Yes, and for cards and flyers you should. Run the pages through Add Bleed and Crop Marks to PDF first, then impose the result with a gap of zero, so the bleed of one card meets the bleed of the next and the marks at the sheet edge show every cut.

Does it keep my links and form fields?

No. Links, form fields and comments are left out, because they mean nothing on a press. Text, pictures and vector artwork are placed as they are and stay sharp at any size.

Is my PDF uploaded?

No. The file is opened, laid out and saved on your own device. Nothing is sent anywhere.