Two Pages Per Sheet

Question

Good Morning! I am a teacher, trying to save on paper and ink. I have a design I need to print which is perfectly fine sized at half a standard 8.5x11, I just want to print and then cut them in half. I used to have to copy+paste a second page in word in order to have it actually print two of them on one page, which was annoying. Then when I edited it I'd have to remember to edit both copies, which was even more annoying.

I got InDesign hoping to be able to do things like this automatically, but I can't seem to figure out how. I googled it, obviously, but every help page I found was for something way more complicated. Maybe it's just so simple most people don't need a tutorial?

I have a design that's set to half page. I want to print it, and have two copies come out on one page, rather than one copy come out and the other half of the page be blank. I'd prefer to not have to trick InDesign into doing it by making a two page document like I had to do in word, but I guess if I have to I have to. Can anyone help me out?

Answer 1

Most end use printers have an option in the print dialog window — specifically the Printer button in the Indesign Print Dialog Window — to print 2 up....

If your printer has such an option, that would be the easiest.. merely set this and then print 2 copies.

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In InDesign..

If the desire is to print one page from the printer, which split in half, has the same thing on each half, here's what I would do. I find a 2-file workflow easiest for stuff like this with InDesign — one file "at size" and one file for output which contains multiple iterations of the first file.

• Create a New Document which is the size of half a sheet (8.5x5.5" perhaps).
• Layout your document on this page.
• Save

• Create another new document the size of a full page (8.5x11" perhaps)
• Use File > Place and then select the first document that is half-page size.

• Position the placed file correctly.
• Copy the placed file, and Paste so you have a duplicate
• Position the duplicate correctly

• Print.

You can "place" one Indesign Document into another.

When you need to make changes... Open the half-page file and make your changes and save.

Then open the full page document - you may be asked if you want to update links. Click Yes and the file should update to reflect your changes in both sections.

If you aren't asked to update, merely select the main link in the Links Panel and then from the panel menu choose Update all links

The file should update.

Save and Print.

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if you wish to manually set up 2 pages of the same content...

• Place all your artwork/text/etc on a Parent Page
• Apply that Parent Page to 2 document pages.
• Make any edits to the Parent Page. Those edits will be reflected on all document pages which have that Parent applied to them.

Document pages are what prints. Parent Pages don't actually print, they are there as a way to position items which will be common across multiple Document pages.

_{(Adobe changed the name from "Master Pages" to "Parent Pages". If you see references to "Master pages" in InDesign, it's the exact same thing as "Parent Pages".)}

Answer 2

If I didn't have software to impose multi-page prints, then I might do the following.

Option 1

I would make a page that is 8.5" W x 11" H and place a guide at the half way point. When I was done with the design, I would just copy the bottom design and drag it to the other side of the design.

Option 2

Design the graphic at 8.5" W x 5.5" H and export as a PDF. Then import the PDF 2-up on a letter size InDesign Document and then export that design.