[Solved] Brochure/Booklet help

[WarBeer]

Everything I've found so far appears to be rather old. Has this (rather simple and common) task not been improved yet? I've read (in other posts) to use the "mirror" setup (which seems more complicated than needed) and I've also read that you can adjust the setup so that "brochure" mode doesn't change the font size. I've not been able to get these results. No mater what I've doen, brochure mode messes up my layout and font size. Any guidance here would be most appreciated:)

Scott

[RoryOF]

This works as is. Perhaps you misunderstand just how and what it should do?

Brochure mode is a printing mode: all it does is reduce the pages to fit on "brochure" sized paper (by brochure-sized I mean half US Letter or A5 which is- half A4 paper) and it rearranges the page order when printing so that the page sequence is correct when the booklet is printed and folded, but without you needing to worry about such printing sequence when writing/laying out (i.e., you write your text in logical order).

If you do not wish your layout and font sizes altered, you must work on a page size which matches the output size. So if you are using A sized paper (almost all the world) you set your layout page sizes to A5 in /Format /Page /Page : Format dropdown (or if multiple page styles in use, adjust each page style in /Format /Styles and formatting). For US formats do the same but set the Format dropdown to User and the dimensions to 5.75 inches x 8.5 inches. You will need to adjust your font sizes to sit nicely on the page. As a guide, body text on the target brochure pages should typically be 9-10.5 pt size rather than the default 12 pt. One can indeed layout on A4/US Letter size, but remember that when printed as brochure your typefaces will all reduce to about 70%, so in my view it is better to work to the direct size.

It may be good to choose Mirrored from the Layout settings on the same page - this is a personal choice. The reason: if you want a larger inner margin (to allow for the few extra millimetres consumed by the staple and the inner gutter), this setting allows that. It also allows for page numbers to be positioned left and right on the pages (using the Header or Footer), rather than centred.

If I am working on an extended work = anything longer than one binding signature (max of say 32 A5 pages) I normally work on an A5 page and when finished I /File /Export as PDF. I then print the finished PDF file using the booklet print mode of Adobe Reader, as I can easily specify the page groupings to print binding signatures. I can also do this using OO's Brochure print mode, but as I need a PDF for distribution to certain electronic readers this method is simpler for me.

[Roger_that!]

you can allways print a4 to a5 with help of a pdf printer.

[WarBeer]

In reply to what "RoryOF" stated...I'm using standard US Letter...I'm just wanting to print out a folded booklet that I can saddle-stitch/staple. I have it set up in Writer in a way that looks great. I have a 1" margin in the middle and the writing where I want and at the size I want. So, what is my best course of action? You stated that if I want to keep everything unaltered, I need to work with the same output size. So, does that mean for the 2-column brochure setting, I'm going to need to consider my output 5.5"x8.5" in order for the setting to not reduce my layout?

Let me clarify my layout, in case my approach is my problem. Looking at the document in Writer....I've got, what I perceive will be two pages, on one side of 8.5"x11". Back Cover on Left side....Front Cover on Right Side.....page 1 L, page 2 right, etc.

[RoryOF]

You should compose your text on a page of 5.5 x 8.5". This will then print in the exact size using the Brochure setting in /File /Print : Page Layout tab.

If you have already set your text in two columns on a US Letter page, you can quickly reformat this. Use /File /Page : Page tab to set User page style to 5.5 x 8.5. Set to use mirrored page style, inner margin to be 0.5" (Outer, top, bottom margins to be what you wish) /File /Page :Column tab to be set to 1 column. Your type should position as it was in the columns. Probably best to work on a copy of the file until you get it laying out just as you wish.

Edit: My understanding is that you have laid your document out on a horizontal US Letter page, in two columns, with a 1" centre gap, so that your sheet looks like the ope of a booklet. My instructions above are based on this understanding. You should set the left, top and bottom margins as they were on the horizontal sheet.

[WarBeer]

I really appreciate the help Rory!

[WarBeer]

Ok...still having some trouble. I've done what RoryOF suggested. Everything looks good in the Document. However, when I go to print...it looks wrong. Writer displays the pages on an 8.5x11...shifted and reduced. Yes, my "page" data has my dimensions at 5.5x8.5. When I go to page preview...looks great. When I export to PDF creator...looks great (although won't print for beans there either) But the pre print display on the print screen shows it of. I tried reducing the paper size here as well (5.5x8.5) and that didn't work either.

I know I'm SOOOO close...lol....what am I doing incorrectly?

Thanks:)

[RoryOF]

I'll look at this later this morning and work a sample file when I have got early meetings finished. Usually the problem is forgetting to set Paper size/orientation in /File /Print : properties.

[keme]

Writer's brochure print option is meant for printing directly to paper.If you go by way of PDF creator virtual printer, do not use Writer's brochure print option but rather the PDF viewer's brochure printing. That way, you get a PDF file that can be read on screen without much hassle, and print options are logical. If you perform the page rearrange (for brochure printing) twice, you are sure to end up with a mess.

If you must, it is possible to print a PDF created with Writer "Brochure print" to PDF creator. In such case, in the PDF reader you probably need to select binding on short edge, and not brochure printing.

[RoryOF]

Try these.

Using the .odt file you need to set /File /Print : Properties to flip on the short side of the paper

Edit: Start by printing a selection - pages 1-4. If the second side is inverted relative to the first side, change /File /Print : Properties to flip on the other edge. On my printer this prints brochure correctly when set to short edge.

[WarBeer]

When I print, the orientation is always correct. It lays out fine. I just can't get it to print "as shown". BTW...I haven't been using "brochure mode"...I stopped and switched things around per/RoryOF's suggestion. I can get it to run and even prompt for "switch/flip"...but I can't seem to get it at 100% font size.(even though I'm not in Brochure) No offense to anyone, but this should be easier...I've been printing stuff since the 80's...lol...this isn't new to me. This seems like an feature that OO might consider touching up:)

[RoryOF]

When you say you "can't get it at 100% font size" do you mean that onscreen dimensions don't match the dimensions of the printed output?

Onscreen dimensions never do match because the program cannot know the size of the display monitor. Monitors range from tiny to gigantic. Suppose you use your standard monitor and you adjust your screen parameters so that all dimensions on monitor match exactly those of printed output (possible, but I'm not going to say how to do it!). Good; you are happy. I come to stay and I hook up a projector in place of your monitor. What now happens to those dimensions? Should OpenOffice change the scaling to keep everything the same size on the projector as on your monitor? As far as OO is concerned, they are both monitors. Which is correct? The image onscreen shows the relative proportions of the components of the documents - one has to earn to interpret these.

The file I attached should print correctly on US Letter, ready to fold to Brochure - that is what it was formatted for.

[ROW]

I've been fighting with this for the last 2 years and no one seems to be able to understand the problem.
I'm trying to print brochures that fit on 8 1/2 X 11 paper folded in half. I want the outer margins to be .5" and the inner margins to be .75" on the printed paper. I want the printed font size to be 12 pt.
I have the OO page format set to User / 5.5" X 8.5" / portrait / mirrored. But I have 2 problems when I try to print.
1. If I try to print directly from OO, the "Suggested paper size comes out as "Legal" with no way to change it.
Presets show "Legal", but there is no way to correct that either.
2. If I export as a PDF, the brochure prints with reduced font size, enlarged and non-mirrored page borders.
In other words, output from the printer is not at all what is designed in the document.
The really strange thing about all of this is that my old Mac computer printed brochures just fine with the settings described above from an older version of OO.
Something has gone backwards.

[RoryOF]

Have you set /File /Print /Properties to US letter? Have you tried the test file I uploaded earlier in this hhread?

[ROW]

The Print menu I have doesn't have that option.

[RoryOF]

I cannot answer for a Mac, but on Windows and linux on the /File /Print screen, General tab, the Properties button is just to the right below the printer selection window.

[robleyd]

And looks (on Linux) like this:

File | Print dialog on Linux

[ROW]

Mine looks like this...

[acknak]

A different approach that I've used successfully is to produce the document in OO as a standard single-page document, then use other software to manage putting the (pdf or Postscript) pages into brochure format.

[ROW]

My only option up to this point has been to create the brochure in OO, then export it as a PDF, then print it with Adobe Reader as a brochure.
But the question is, why does OO offer a "Brochure" option that doesn't work??

[acknak]

OO Writer's brochure mode works for me, it just isn't as flexible.

As I understand it, printing experience & results can be quite different on the three platforms supported by OO, although this was addressed (partially) with the upgraded printing dialog/component in OO v4; at any rate, YMMV.

[ROW]

Being able to change the preset from Suggested paper size: Legal to Letter would help a lot.

[MrProgrammer]

Mine looks like this.. {picture of Mac OS X print dialog}

OpenOffice → Preferences → OpenOffice → General → Print dialogs → ✓ Use OpenOffice dialogs

If this solved your problem please go to your first post use the Edit button and add [Solved] to the start of the title. You can select the green checkmark icon at the same time.

[ROW]

What a rotten suggestion !!!
IT WORKED !!!
Now I have to print my brochures all over again.
THANK YOU.

[ROW]

Now, another question...
How do I select a 2-page spread to print a single sheet out of the middle of a brochure?