[Solved] Page numbering for 2-up print of document

[rholme]

I am making a recipe book. The paper size of final is 5.5x8.5 inches.
I am using landscape mode with 2 columns on 8.5x11 paper and will cut the two columns apart after to create 2 pages.

Is there any way to auto number the page numbers with this document using Writer.
The goal is for the first physical page - column 1 is page 1, column 2 is page 2, page 2 physical columns become page 3 and 4 respectively, .....
Hand numbering (using Writer or a pen - neither is a great choice).

[JeJe]

They won't be page numbers, but you can use a numbering range field.

https://wiki.openoffice.org/wiki/Docume ... _sequences

Can't you do it without columns and print 2 pages per sheet instead though?

[MrProgrammer]

The paper size of final is 5.5x8.5 inches.

Use Format → Page → Page → Paper Format to set Writer's page size to 5.5 by 8.5 inches. Number the pages as in any other document.
[Tutorial] Page numbering

I am using landscape mode with 2 columns on 8.5x11 paper and will cut the two columns apart after to create 2 pages.

Putting two Writer pages on one sheet of paper is a job for your printer driver. Writer has nothing to do with the process. I don't run Linux and we don't know your printer model so I can't give you specific instructions, but check the manual for your printer to determine where to find the setting which prints multiple pages per sheet. For my printer, it's Layout → Pages per sheet. The sheet view in the print dialog shows how the sheets of paper will appear.

202402011949.gif (121.41 KiB) Viewed 1313 times

If this solved your problem please go to your first post use the Edit ☐ button and add [Solved] to the start of the Subject field. Select the green checkmark icon at the same time.

[RoryOF]

Printing two pages per sheet, in this case two 5.5 x 8,5 in pages on a US letter page, more frequently two A5 pages on on A4 sheet, is done by the Page Layout Tab in the /File /Print menu. Choose Brochure layout on that tab; this will automatically change the printing paper orientation to horizontal, and position two pages side by side on the printer paper. It may be that for an ordinary printing job you will need subsequently to uncheck the Brochure setting - I cannot recollect if it is persistent across jobs.

In setting up your book, deal with each page as a single page, either as US Letter (or A4) or set your Page size (/Format /Page : Page tab_ to 5.5 x 8.5 (A5). The Brochure printing selection will automatically scale your designed pages to fit on the reduced output size. Until one masters the complexities of scaling for the finished paper size it is often better to work on the 5,5 x 8,5 (A5) page size, where one's type is printed in exact size, not scaled down.

With regard to page numbering, simply insert /Field /Page Number on the header or footer of each layout page.

If you are printing Duplex (i.e. both sides of paper), and the back side image is inverted (try first on a 4 page sample), you need to change the duplex options in the Properties button on /File /Print menu. for duplex as above, this is usually to flip/tumble on short side, but can vary from printer make to printer make.

For your printing, make a four page test file and get that printing correctly - keep notes - otherwise you will waste much paper. Keep that file - you will need to come back to it for future page layout print jobs.

[rholme]

Thanik you all. In conclusion - it appears I need to do two things
1) set the page size (easy)
2) somehow tell the printer to do two pages per document (not as sure here, but will try to find the file/print menu)
Again thanks ALL.
PS - using Linux should make no difference, but the printer is an HP_OfficeJet_Pro_8025e All-in-One Printer

[keme]

...
2) somehow tell the printer to do two pages per document (not as sure here, but will try to find the file/print menu)
...

The "somehow" here is in the brochure layout setting that RoryOF explained. This tells Writer to combine four pages to each sheet in an orderly sequence and send to the printer.

The less intuitive part is where you tell the printer to "fold/turn over short edge". Your center fold will be the long edge of your pages, but the print turning will be over the short edge of the sheet, because each page is on half of the sheet. Get this wrong and half your pages will be upside down and out of sequence.

Another pitfall is that the printer driver may also provide a brochure option (perhaps named differently). With this, you usually specify "turn over long edge", but not always. Use either the print driver setting or the Writer option, but not both.

Either way, heed RoryOF's advice about test document before you send your 32 page document to print in 100 copies

[RoryOF]

Attached are two screenshots, both from OpenOffice running on Linux (Xubuntu)

One shows the Page Layout tab on /File /Print window. Observe that the Brochure setting is checked and the preview image shows that the paper has automatically been changed to landscape layout and two pages placed on it.

Brochure screen.png (78.68 KiB) Viewed 1119 times

The next picture is the /File /Print screen; observe the Properties button on the mid right. When that is pressed one gets the low level selection screen on the left (normally on top of the /File /Print scree, but pulled left so both can be seen). In this you can see the Duplex or Tumble settings (wording depends on printer driver). If your page back sides are upside down, you need to change this, hence the urging to use a four page test file.

Duplex screen.jpg (78.23 KiB) Viewed 1119 times

[rholme]

I would have inserted an image from the file/print menu page, but I could not figure out how to add to my post. Sorry.

[rholme]

Many, many thanks - perhaps I am looking at a slightly different (newer/older???) version of Writer under Linux.

Anyway, YES make the pages 5.5 x 8.5 (wide, height), add page numbers to document
THEN, when printing (file -> print), choose to have "2 pages per sheet"
This worked great - thanks all.

[RoryOF]

If I remember correctly, a HP_OfficeJet_Pro_8025e All-in-One Printer will do automatic double sided (duplex) printing, if it is told to do so (setting on /File /Print : Properties button) .

When one then prints a page range using the Brochure setting, typically 1 -32. 33 - 64 etc, each group of pages will be correctly ordered so that the 8 sheets that compose that group can be folded in half and sewn. If one does not specify a page range (as above), the printer will print the entire book as if it was to be folded and sewn/stapled as one unit. In that case, the stack can just be cut down the middle and ring or perfect (glue) bound.