InDesign "facing pages" confusion

[millerb7]

Anybody care to explain this feature?

I need a booklet that is 8.5" tall and 7" wide. So I set up a document in inDesign that has pages that are 8.5" tall and 14" wide. I split them in half and make the first one my front and back cover (when it's folded), the next one my inside of that so lets say page 1 & 6. Then the 3rd one is pages 3 & 4 on the front and the 4th one is pages 2 & 5 (which is the back of pages 3 & 4).

It's kind of confusing. I imagine doing "facing pages" will fix this? But when I set up the page sizes I would set them up as actually 8.5" tall by 7" wide NOT the 8.5" tall by 14" wide.... and I would number the pages. Then printer would then organize the PDF to make it work for double sided printing? Because if they are "facing pages" the layout in inDesign is actually the pages in order front cover, page 1, 2, etc...., back cover. Does the printer organize them how they are needed to be in order to double-side print them?

I hope this makes any sense at all... I'm a web guy and this is confusing as hell to me

 

[tobefirst ⚽️]

Yes, set up your page size as 8.5x7 and design the booklet as you would view it. These are called Reader Spreads. When you go to print the document, if you're using a reputable printer, they will be able to convert it into Printer Spreads, which is what you spend the first half of your post talking about.

Design in Reader Spreads so you can get an idea of how two pages flow with each other. Later on, if necessary, you can move the pages around yourself, use a plugin to do it for you, or, as I said, if you're using a good printer, they will do that for you.

Make more sense?

 

[millerb7]

Yes, set up your page size as 8.5x7 and design the booklet as you would view it. These are called Reader Spreads. When you go to print the document, if you're using a reputable printer, they will be able to convert it into Printer Spreads, which is what you spend the first half of your post talking about.

Design in Reader Spreads so you can get an idea of how two pages flow with each other. Later on, if necessary, you can move the pages around yourself, use a plugin to do it for you, or, as I said, if you're using a good printer, they will do that for you.

Make more sense?

You sir, are a savior. God the print world SUCKS compared to the web world

So, I actually make them 8.5x7 in the "reader spread" and the two pages touched each other is actually where the fold would be at then?

That makes more sense and is WAY easier to design the pages than trying to make it where one page is pages 1&6, 3&4, 2&5... was just getting to confusing.

So the "reader spreads" is the ACTUAL page sizes, the fold takes place where the two pages touch basically... and the "printer spreads" are the actual total page size that you actually have to split yourself then?

Makes much more sense.

 

[Designer Dale]

"Printer spread" is this process called imposition - the printer imposes his will on a stack of paper turning it into a neat booklet or other multi page document. Take the staples out of a magazine and seperate the pages and you see what comes off the press (kinda). The page numbering makes no sense to people who don't have experience with the printing process. In the creation of a document, you don't need to pay much attention to this. It's the domain of the prepress people with your printer.

Here is a link on that.

Dale

 

[MechaSpanky]

I would say that most printers would recommend that you use Reader Spreads when laying out your documents because when they go to paginate the pages, it is usually easier if they are built in Readers Spreads (but it depends on what kind of a system they are using). Also, some designers don't really understand imposition and depending on how it is to be printed, the pagination can be different. For example using "work and turn" or "work and tumble". It is always a good idea to check with your printer to see what they recommend.

In the end, it is usually easier for everyone if the designer builds the document in Readers Spreads.

 

[Jim Campbell]

God the print world SUCKS compared to the web world

I'm afraid if you think pagination is the worst thing you'll confront designing for print, you'll be in for a number of unpleasant surprises in the not-too-distant future…

Cheers

Jim