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

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

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 yes probably I don't know a terminology. But I can't know it without asking. Imposition is insufficient term.

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.

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.

6 Answers 6

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:

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)

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