Methods of imposing readers spread PDF?

[qpgraphics2]

Our prepress department frequently receives PDFs in reader spreads that need to be converted to printer spreads. (Because of our tight turnaround timeframes, we don't ask for different files.) You've seen them; first page is say 8.5x11, followed by 11x17 pages in spreads, closed with a final single 8.5x11.

What methods have people used to reliably accomplish this?

We typically do something like: Import the PDF into an InDesign document set up in reader spreads with the number of panels in the book, with each page of the PDF spanning two InDesign pages. Then, print as booklet to produce a printer spread PDF.

I'm looking for a more automated method. Thanks ahead of time for any help!

[oxburger]

If this is something you do on a regular basis with the same page counts, I'd make an InDesign template as you indicated above and just do a "relink all" to the new pdf each time it comes in. If it is something you do repeatedly that requires different page counts, I'd request single page pdfs going forward. You'll be saving alot of headaches by doing so.....

[oxburger]

It takes the customer no longer to output a single page pdf than it does for them to output a spread pdf.....

[mattbeals]

You can use OX's idea, that would work. If you're looking to end up with a PDF of single pages then you should try Callas pdfToolbox. In it's imposition features you can "de-impose" reader spreads. I suppose you could even do this with Quite Imposing.

[Al Ferrari]

Why de-impose at all? In Preps you can use the first and last page as is. Then for each of the other spreads have two of each following each other in the run list, and modify the second of the two for each pair to have a minus single-page-width shift so that only the right half of the two page spread gets used as a single page (i.e. the left half gets cropped off). Note that the same happens to the first one of the pair without the need of any shift.

Or make the special template that has a double wide independent page where there would normally be two normal imposed pages.

Al

EDIT: The double wide independent pages template I mentioned earlier will not work . Somehow I lost sight of the fact that these are reader spreads, which in no way can be used as spreads. But the shifted run-list pages method remains valid.

[qpgraphics2]

Thanks for the replies. I will check these out, especially the Preps method. We have preps, but only use it to create templates to place in ApogeePrepress. We haven't used it much on its own. Thanks again.

[Al Ferrari]

Please note my edit to my post where I acknowledge that the double wide independent pages template I mentioned earlier will not work . Somehow I lost sight of the fact that these are reader spreads, which in no way can be used as spreads. But the shifted run-list pages method remains valid.

Al

[DCurry]

Thanks for the replies. I will check these out, especially the Preps method. We have preps, but only use it to create templates to place in ApogeePrepress. We haven't used it much on its own. Thanks again.

You can still use this method in Apogee. Just apply the offsets as Page Adjustments in your Apogee run list. Same theory, just different location.