XPost: alt.comp.os.windows-11, comp.text.pdf, alt.comp.os.windows-10   
   From: peter@silmaril.ie   
      
   On 04/03/2025 23:24, Marion wrote:   
   [...]   
   > Printing a booklet requires arranging both sides of the pages in a   
   > specific order so that when the 8.5x11-inch printed sheets are   
   > folded in half, the pages appear in the correct sequence as if they   
   > were in a booklet.   
      
   This is called "imposition". Printing a book means arranging the pages   
   (usually) 16 (possibly 32) per side of a very large sheet (and therefore   
   16 the other side) making a "signature", laid out so that when folded   
   and folded and folded etc and trimmed, page 1 has page 2 on the back of   
   it; then repeat for the next 32 (or 64) pages, and repeat, etc until all   
   X00 pages are accounted for. Printed off a reel of paper (confusingly   
   called a web) nowadays, and slit to sheets before folding. Then stacked   
   together, the spines abraded and glued (or sewn with thread for fancy   
   books), then draw on the cover (printed separately on board), glue it,   
   and give it a final trim.   
      
   > However, back to the printing of booklets, that's one thing I had trouble   
   > finding free (as in no cost) software as printing a booklet from folded   
   > 8.5x11-inch paper is more complex than standard printing, especially when   
   > dealing with double-sided printing and odd numbers of pages & title pages.   
      
   And, domestically, having it all set up and running, and then the   
   cheapass paper-handling mechanism in the printer feeds two sheets   
   instead of one, and messes it all up.   
      
   > I'm aware of "pdfbook", but, alas, that requires Python (aurgh!, again!)   
   > on Windows, but luckily, pdfbook should be easier to use on Linux & Mac.   
      
   I don't think anyone doing this seriously would consider Windows at all.   
   There is a massive collection of free text-manipulation tools known   
   collectively as "the Unix text tools" which work on Linux (including Mac   
   OSX) but which cause endless compilation trouble on Windows.   
      
   > Digging a bit into LaTeX (which I've never used myself), MiKTeX & TeX Live   
   > seem to be free (no cost) Windows, Linux & Mac "modern" TeX distributions.   
      
   Correct. The canonical location is the TeX Users Group site (tug.org)   
      
   > Also TeXstudio or TeXworks appear to be free (no cost) LaTeX editors.   
      
   Both are excellent but there are lots of others, including (of course)   
   Emacs. https://latex.silmaril.ie/formattinginformation/editdis.html   
      
   > Since the expensive cost of free (no cost) software is in the trials and   
   > tribulations to find the best ones that work, does anyone have experience   
   > with any of the distributions above for creating booklet style PDFs?   
      
   My typesetting business has used LaTeX and the Unix text tools for the   
   last 30 years (mainly for books) without significant problems¹. There   
   are some technical aspects, such as ensuring that the L–R adjustment of   
   the text area on one page will correctly occupy the exact same space on   
   the back of the next page when printed and bound, but this really only   
   affects very large signatures where the thickness of the paper has to be   
   taken into account when folder 3–4 times; this is not really relevant   
   for booklets. Otherwise it's just a matter of using the right imposition   
   scheme and the right page-rearrangement software to implement it.   
      
   Peter   
      
   ----------   
   ¹ The real problems are in the copyediting and proofreading of the text,   
   and that's common to all systems. Maybe marginally easier in LaTeX   
   because the master source is plain text, but the real difficulties come   
   in dealing with semi-literate authors and technically ill-informed editors.   
      
   --- SoupGate-DOS v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)