Creating a PDF booklet for printing

Overview

Steps for creating a PDF file that can be used to take to the printer (print shop, not laserjet) and print out copies of a comic to be assembled into the final books.

InDesign

Document setup

This is assuming that the cover of the comic is included in the InDesign document.

• Create a section for the cover that's independent of the pages.
  • In the "Pages" pane, right click on the cover page > Numbering & Section Options
    • Start Page Numbering at: 1
    • Section Prefix: "cover-"
• Create a section for the pages.
  • Right click on the first page of the comic > Numbering & Section Options
    • Start Page Numbering at: 1
    • Section Prefix: "pg-"

Exporting Booklet as PostScript file

• File > Print Booklet
  • Setup tab
    • Print Settings...
      • Printer: PostScript
      • PPD: Adobe PDF
      • General tab
        • Print Blank Pages: checked <<< important!
      • Setup tab
        • Page Size: Letter
        • Page Orientation: landscape for 5.5 x 8.5" comics
        • Scale To Fit: unchecked
        • Page Position: centered
    • Pages: Range: "pg-1-pg-28"
      • (Where 28 is whatever the last page is.)
      • (The "pg-" prefix excludes the cover from the PDF.)
  • Preview tab - always check this to confirm
  • Click Print and save the .ps file

Convert PostScript file to PDF

• First open Acrobat Distiller (without opening any files)
• Select output settings
  • Default Settings: High Quality Print
  • (These settings can be defined in InDesign with File > Adobe PDF Presets.)
• Open the .ps file.
• The PDF conversion starts automatically.
• The PDF version is saved automatically in the same directory as the .ps file.
• Delete .ps file