turn reader spread into single pages

JoeyB

Member
I seem to recall seeing an applescript or something to do this, but I've been given some quark files setup in reader spreads and I need to turn each page into a single quark document for the printer. I'd prefer not to have to do this by hand for 80 pages.

Does anyone have something to automagically give me the 80 individual quark files I need from the single quark file?

this is in quark 6

thanks
 
Re: turn reader spread into single pages

Your printer wants 80 single-page Quark documents? That sounds fishy - are you sure they don't just mean they want your 80-page document set up as single pages? That means that you still have just one document, but 80 single pages instead of 40 spreads.
 
Re: turn reader spread into single pages

I wasn't sure either so I double checked before even posting the original question and that's what I was told: 80 single pages. I was messing around in Quark and I see I can drag the pages around so they end up in a single column instead of facing pages. Then I can just drag the thumbnails from one document to a new one, then save the new one (and adjust the page number). It's about an hour of extra work to make the single page documents, maybe less, so it's not so bad. I'll have to double check for the next time I guess... no time to waste on this job.
 
Re: turn reader spread into single pages

Wow, that's crazy. Hope you don't have any linked text boxes that cross pages!

After all is said and done, you might press the printer to defend why they need 80 different single-page documents - it certainly is not standard practice, unless there is some strange circumstance of which we're not aware.
 
Re: turn reader spread into single pages

I can't imagine a scenario where you would want individual quark docs. When I get a doc that is setup as readers spreads, I just produce a PDF that is single pages, drop it into preps and get on with my day.

If they need it in 80 different quark docs because of a limitation on their end, I would suggest they figure out a way to do it.
 
Re: turn reader spread into single pages

no linked text boxes. The only thing I need to watch out for is the page numbers changing at the bottom because it's set to autonumber or something. I'm not quark expert, I was just told to watch out because they'll change when I put the page into a new document.

It's quite possible the person I spoke to didn't understand my question about the single pages or maybe I didn't understand the answer so I'll suffer for this one time and that's that. Boss wants this at the printers on monday so when we go to drop everything off, I'll try and find out exactly what they wanted for the next time.

Would the binding method change the imposition and hence the request for single pages? Originally I wanted saddle stitched but we quoted on perfect bind because this is 76 pages + cover and I'm afraid that their machines to saddle stitch might not be able to get the spine flat and the book will have a tendency to want to pop open or not lay very flat. I've seen good results on an older catalogue of the same size that was saddle stitched and I've also seen things only 20 pages which want to pop open. I've asked to see samples of both methods so I know if they have one of the good machines or one of the not so good ones.

thanks
 
Re: turn reader spread into single pages

Cory, how do you produce a the single page pdf? Is there anything special to do or just export to PDF (or prints to postscript and then distill?) Is there some setting I would need to adjust in quark or acrobat?

thanks
 
Re: turn reader spread into single pages

you should be able to export as pdf and uncheck the spread option, this will produce a single page pdf file.
 
Re: turn reader spread into single pages

"I wasn't sure either so I double checked before even posting the original question and that's what I was told: 80 single pages."

If what you typed above is correct, they are asking for 80 single pages in the same document, not 80 individual documents.

And I can see a reason for this if the page size is not ordinary for them. Quark has a rounding error, so for my customer who sends in reader spreads at 8.268"x12.693" (built for Europe sizes, but printed here in U.S.), after the signature (built in Preps 4.2) is printed, there are times I have gotten color or white lines in the gutter. To fix these jobs, I have had to make bleed to the right side of the left page of the reader spread and send the left page to the rip, then bleed the left side of the right page of the reader spread and send the right page to the rip (so each page had bleed on all four sides). If they were built as single pages and each had bleed on all four sides, I wouldn't have this problem. Just FYI a reason why they might want it.

Don
 
Re: turn reader spread into single pages

I was thinking the reason would be to allow each page to bleed into the grindoff area, since it was changed to perfect-bound.
 
Re: turn reader spread into single pages

It certainly sounds like and imposition issue on the printer end, but very odd. Whether it's bleed, creep, or (seems inappropriate) 4-up signatures; you'd think that they'd want one 80 single page document to start with to assure correct page order.

curiouser and curiouser...

inez
 
Re: turn reader spread into single pages

Poor wording on my part... I meant to say 80 single files with one page per file.

I spoke to the guy again and it seems like I did hear correctly (80 single files) but I was having a little trouble doing it because of how the file was setup (and all the little last minute changes weren't helping either)

Anyway, I told the printer I was having troubles and that I asked for help and I told him I wasn't doing this because of what I was told me. Using Cory's wonderful tip, I told the printer I'm giving the files as is and he can turn it all into a single page PDF and let acrobat split each page into its own file if he really needs it.

If I get to talk to prepress or put the file on a computer there, maybe I'lll figure out why they wanted the files like as 80 ind. files but at this point, I don't care anymore because they'll do what Cory said and everyone will be happy :)

Thanks for everyone's help and patience
 

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