Create double-sided PDF for Book printing from print menu

[CarlosK]

Hi I have a  V E R Y  urgent issue:

I have to create a doublesided --book(let)-style pdf (that means imposed) but I can't create from the printing menu.

Obviusly this function should be located there, as bookprinting is featured as an option. However I cannot select virtual PDF printer.

 

I tried installing 4 different "virtual" pdf printers I found at cnet.com, but it didn't help.

 

Can you please help me with this!!

[Alfred]

Welcome to the Serif Affinity Forums, Carlos.

I see that you previously posted to a thread about the Windows version of Affinity Publisher beta. Are you actually on Windows, and are you using APub for your book(let)?

What PDF printer drivers have you tried, and happens when you try to select one? Perhaps a screenshot would help.

[CarlosK]

Hi and thanks for the reply. I have windows and want to use Apub for creating a PDF  with the Book or Booklet function (not sure what's the exact difference). InDesign (on Windows) this worked by using Print Booklet function. In APub I see there's the book(let) option in the print menu, but I cannot choose a pdf printing option (Print to file) nor pair this with double-sided orinting

As said I had the idea to try installing drivers for "printing to file". The printer driver`s / "virtual pdf printers" I installed (partially from https://download.cnet.com/s/pdf-printer/    ) were:

Bullzip PDF Printer Free, Virtual PDF Printer, PDF Printer for Windows, GreenCloud printer and WOndershare PDF Element.

Firstly using them didn't help for printing booklet from Apub's print menu. You can e. g. send single paged pdfs to the virutal printer, which then can be further exported from the driver's on UI. But that didn't work for several reasons: partially, because usage was restricted (freemium, trial version) or because double-sided "printing" didn't work either.

 

Sorry no screenshots: I uninstalled all drivers already, and have to find a solution ASAP.

[fde101]

3 hours ago, CarlosK said:

the Book or Booklet function (not sure what's the exact difference)

The booklet function creates pages that are all folded together and stapled (or equivalent).

The book function creates pages ("signatures") that are folded individually then glued or sewn together to create a book block that a cover is then attached to.

[MikeW]

5 minutes ago, fde101 said:

...

The book function creates pages ("signatures") ...

Really? I see no place to set the number of sheets for signatures.

[fde101]

1 minute ago, MikeW said:

Really? I see no place to set the number of sheets for signatures.

As far as I can tell it always produces single-sheet signatures right now.  An option to specify the number of sheets per signature is something I have also brought up as highly desirable.

[Alfred]

22 minutes ago, fde101 said:

As far as I can tell it always produces single-sheet signatures right now.  An option to specify the number of sheets per signature is something I have also brought up as highly desirable.

As far as I’m aware, the book/booklet distinction in Affinity Publisher is the same as in Serif PagePlus: ‘Book’ gives you four-page (i.e. single-sheet) signatures, and ‘Booklet’ gives you whole-document signatures. Something in between those two extremes would be very welcome for longer documents.

[MikeW]

1 hour ago, Alfred said:

As far as I’m aware, the book/booklet distinction in Affinity Publisher is the same as in Serif PagePlus: ‘Book’ gives you four-page (i.e. single-sheet) signatures, and ‘Booklet’ gives you whole-document signatures. Something in between those two extremes would be very welcome for longer documents.

Why yes it does.

Now, unless one is using thick construction paper, I cannot see the utility of 4-page signatures. But at least with 4 pages one doesn't have to account for creep...

[CarlosK]

Thanks for the replies. But have you got an idea how to create a doublesided, imposed PDF? Tha seems not to be working at all.

[v_kyr]

When in doubt, try PDF booklet or something like that, there are a bunch of such tools on the net. Use a search engine for finding related PDF tools.

[CarlosK]

Thanks v_kyr, that nearly worked for me. But the imposed PDFs have a strange white margin on some pages that come solely from its process not from Apub.

[fde101]

5 hours ago, CarlosK said:

But have you got an idea how to create a doublesided, imposed PDF? Tha seems not to be working at all.

There is no such thing as a "doublesided" PDF.  You would create a normal PDF with the imposition in place and the duplexing (double-sided printing) would need to be set when the PDF is later printed, as that is a setting of the printer, not the PDF.

 

If you are using Windows 10, there is actually a PDF printer that comes bundled with Windows that just needs to be enabled: https://www.cnet.com/how-to/print-to-pdf-in-windows-10/

On the Mac this is trivial as it is always already there - we can just set up the print dialog as if we were printing a booklet directly then do a "Save as PDF" from the print dialog.

[CarlosK]

Right! Stupid... I guess I was stressed and then confused. However the question about the missing pdf "printer" is still valid and the important one. I think there'll maybe a good one that you can find somewhere and download for free. However IMO it is mandatory that it comes out of the box!


Thanks