Pages 3.0.2: Creating a Booklet larger than 4 pages

Howdy. Having used Pages for our Seminary newsletter, I have discovered it is better to make a template for each use. Thus, for you it might be a lot initially to set up a template for each size booklet, in the long run it will save you time.

This may actually turn out to be really easy. At least, if you have a HP printer installed... Just go ahead and use a normal document, normal page order.

In the Print menu, select "Finishing" from the drop down menu, and then look at "Booklet Printing" options. I remember trying it once, and it seemed to work. I remember being impressed.

I don't know whether you get these options from non-HP printers. I cannot test that right now, but maybe it is possible to simply install one, and then save the print output as a pdf?

There are a few ways to do this. The first two involve setting your Pages document in File > Page Setup… to landscape orientation. I originally wrote this for Pages 2. In Pages 3, use the page layout mode for #s 1a & 1b.

1a - Use linked text boxes. This is easier done with the layout showing. First you need to add a page break to have two pages. Click in the body area & then Insert > Page Break. Now click outside the layout area to enter object mode & click the "T" in the tool bar or Insert > Text to create a text box & type something in it. This is to keep the box from disappearing if you click elsewhere & the text can be replaced later. If you already have some text to paste in you can just paste while in object mode & a text box containing your text will be created. You will now need to click outside the layout again & drag the cursor toward the text box to select it. You can now position the first text box in the lower right of your 2-page document. It is easier to see where it goes if you have the document set up with 2 columns. Click on the blue-outlined tab at the lower right of the text box to create a new of the same size & move the box to the upper left. Repeat for a box for the upper right & again for the lower right. You will now have 4 linked text boxes.

1b - Start as in 1a creating a 2-page document with 2 columns in landscape orientation. For this one you will use the body text area. Just type or paste your text in as normal, starting in the upper left. When you have your text done, cut all of the text in the first column (upper left), insert a column break after the last character on the now lower left column & paste the cut text after it in the now lower right column.

Neither one of these will let you automatically use page numbers because Pages "sees" each page & you actually have 2 pages per page.

2 - Use Cocoa Booklet to create a booklet with any number of pages (best in a multiple of 4). Start with your Pages document in Legal size & larger than normal font size. Export the Pages document to a PDF & then drag the PDF to the icon of Cocoa Booklet. It will create a new PDF in booklet form.

I have two suggestions for you....
1) Go to the online Apple support forums. There is one dedicated specifically for Pages, with a group of very knowledgeable people. Do a search first (if you don't do a search first, they will let you know that a 'search' should have been your first step). I have solved several problems I was having with iWork at that forum.
2) There is at least one free/cheap PDF booklet creation add-on. I don't have it, so I'm working from memory.... but IIRC it adds something like "create PDF booklet" selection to the PDF options in the printing dialogue. Again, IIRC, it does all the sorting into the page order automatically.

Google something like "PDF Booklet Mac" and I'll bet you will get some results...

Good Luck

edit: See! I'm sure Peggy is one of the Apple Forum regulars. They're so good, they come to you! And she has the PDF booklet name at hand too. They're good, at that forum, eh?

snberk103 said:

edit: See! I'm sure Peggy is one of the Apple Forum regulars. They're so good, they come to you! And she has the PDF booklet name at hand too. They're good, at that forum, eh?

Click to expand...

Yes, I am.

Mary H said:

I downloaded CocoaBooklet but can't figure out how to do it.

I pulled my pdf file to CocoaBooklet but it just kept trying to convert it but nothing actually happened.

Click to expand...

Simple question, not meant to be too basic, but did you double-click the .dmg file to mount it & then drag the CocoaBooklet application to your hard drive (Applications folder) first? Then, double-click CocoaBooklet & select preferences from the application menu. In Paper Size set the Paper Format to the size of the paper you'll be using for the booklet. Leave the default margins. In the Destination preference, select Yes for Add a suffix? to avoid overwriting your original PDF & click Save. The choices in the Options preferences are all left unchecked unless your printer does duplex printing & prints the second side upside down. Then drag the PDF to the icon of Cocoa Booklet to will create a new PDF in booklet form.

Also, did you export your Pages document as a PDF?

cheap imposter

the thread is a bit outdated, but i thought i should comment that cocoa booklet is broken on snow leopard.

there's a free program out there called cheap imposter.

you may want to register to get extra features. i paid 35 dollars, and it was worth it for me. saved me time without getting add'l equipment.

http://www.cheapimpostor.com/

Actually, I would recommend this free add-on. I had the same problem as you, and found "Create Booklet for Mac" on Cnet. Once you install it, you will be able to instantly format as a booklet from the print screen, with a PDF preview so you can check it before printing. It's AWESOME!!! Please share if you know others with the same problem.

http://download.cnet.com/Create-Booklet/3000-2088_4-86349.html