X-Ray Magazine v4n5 Creating Printer's Spreads

Pardon the Imposition

With a wide range of imposing software on the market it is hard to make the right choice the first time to meet the needs of converting your reader’s spread documents to printer’s spread documents on the first try. Imposing programs can range from software that makes a simple booklet to a fully customizable printing application that can handle large flats. So, is it necessary to have all the features of the expensive programs? Yes and no.

As in nearly all industries and even dialects, words may mean different things to different persons or can take on a different meaning in different regions. We’ve tried to define these words as used within the context of the article and in the context as used by the manufacturer of the product. When you see a word in bold within the text, refer to the glossary definition in the sidebar.

Of course, you don’t want to pay a huge price for an application with features you will never use, but if you require imposition that changes with every project and have custom-printing needs, you will be happy to have all the features in the long run. It may also cost you the same amount to have a patchwork of applications than to just make the investment up front to meet the majority of your needs. In the end you should look at your specific imposition and printing requirements. Perhaps customization of your flats is a high priority. Do you have projects coming across your desk, all with different needs? Maybe you only work with a basic two-up or four-up flat. I think the following reviews will help you narrow down your decision and choose what imposition software is the right one for you.

Either in home or corporate, you will find an output device of reasonable size and quality connected to nearly every desktop — and lots of laptop — computers. The wide selection and lower prices mean that most designers, printers, production staff, and casual users are not only able to print fairly accurate proofs, but that the affordability and capacity for larger sheet sizes enables users of all skill levels to print small quantities of books, newsletters, or mini-magazines right at their desk. What’s lacking at this point is the know how to create a document that — when folded — becomes a book format, with pages in the correct order. That’s where imposition — printer's spreads — software comes in.

Bookletizer


Bookletizer	Bookletizer

Let’s start looking at imposing software with a basic XTensions module. If two-up impositions are your main requirement, Bookletizer should work just fine. Before you start using the XTensions software make sure that you are using a QuarkXPress project with facing pages. Bookletizer will not work with single-page layouts. The XTensions module only consists of one dialog box that lets you define the amount of creep for your book. Setting the creep amount will shift the pages on each spread out or in to compensate for page folds and paper thickness. Bookletizer does the rest. Your document will be converted into two-up printer’s spreads.

The nice part about Bookletizer is that it allows you to view your imposed document right in the QuarkXPress layout. It is possible to make edits in this imposed view, but not advised. It is best to unbookletize the document and make edits in QuarkXPress’ reader’s spread layout. While using the XTensions module, keep in mind these three things: your total number of pages must be divisible by four, there must be an even number of spreads, and each spread can have only two pages.

Despite the limitations of Bookletizer, it is a good XTensions software module for the price when all you need is a two-up imposition. At well under US$100, if you’re working with simple spreads that require a saddle stitch this XTensions application is perfect. Vision’s Edge, the manufacturer, also provides a fully functional demo of Bookletizer to try before you buy. However, the basic functionality of Bookletizer may not work for many imposition demands. Let’s look at other XTensions that deal with larger documents.

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Glossary of Impositioning Terms

Reader’s Spread: A view of document pages sequentially ordered. This is the default view of most page-layout applications.

Imposed/Imposing/Imposition: Arranging pages in a document to ensure proper ordering after the printed sheet has been folded and trimmed.

Printer’s Spreads: A set of pages (as few as two) that have been reordered to become sequentially ordered once a binding process has been completed.

Flat: The assembled composite of negatives or positives ready to make a plate. Many of the programs discussed in this article will use plate or spread interchangeably with this term to indicate the sheet of imposed pages.

Two-Up, Four-Up, and Eight-Up: Plate styles each corresponding to the number of document pages on a single plate.

Facing Pages: (See Reader’s Spread)

Creep: The measured amount an image must shift to compensate for page folds and paper thickness when nesting signatures for binding

Unbookletize: In Bookletizer, reverts the layout view from printer’s spreads to reader’s spreads (facing pages).

Saddle Stitch: A typical binding type where the signatures are folded, and in the case of more than one signature, nested, and stapled through the spine.

Ralph Eberhard comes from a background in fine arts and photography from the University of Colorado at Boulder. Initially he began working with digital imaging and color applications for film restoration. Entering the design world, Eberhard worked with many companies creating web site designs with Flash, HTML, and CSS layouts. While continuing with web-site creation, Eberhard has recently focused on print projects from logo creation to commercial layouts.