One thing that InDesign does well is Booklet Printing.
"Books or booklets generally consist of folded or bound sheets of media, typically double sided and paginated."
Here we will deal with the simplest booklet form, which is saddle stitched, folded in half sheets which are stapled or bound together. There are other types of binding which provide solutions to issues with binding and folding multiple sheets in this way.
Why do "Saddle Stitched Booklets" have to be divisible by four?
When you fold any sheet of paper in half, you effectively form 4 pages consisting of 2 spreads.
If you have a number of pages which aren't divisible by four such as 18 pages, you'd have to add 2 blank pages to make 20 or remove 2, making 16. Both divisible by four. This is a critical consideration when designing any booklet.
So how do I print a booklet?
1. Print Booklet
Assuming you're ready to go and your pages are divisible by four, within InDesign choose File>Print Booklet.
The Print Booklet window has two key windows - Setup and Preview.
2. Setup Saddle Stitch
Setup allows you to set the type of booklet and its features.
Ensure 2-up Saddle Stitch is selected.
3. Preview
Now choose the Preview window on the left.
The preview window shows Spreads and how the imposition works. Imposition is reordering the pages to form a booklet.
This is where you can preview your booklet once you've set the print options.
4. Print Settings - General
To set the printer settings, select Print Settings.
Here we can set up with specific settings we need to print. In the General settings, ensure that print blank pages is checked.
5. Printer Settings Setup
Next choose Setup.
Make sure the Paper size is correct. Working down, select the correct orientation (typically landscape). Ensure the Page Position is set to Centred.
6. Page Setup
Moving to the bottom left of the window, select Page Setup.
Check you have the correct printer and paper size.
Click OK when checked.
If you need to save your booklet as a PDF with it's imposed form (pages ordered to print), then follow this link. Otherwise, if you are just printing normally carry on ...
7. Print Options - Double Sided
Next, setup the printer and paper settings. Choose "Printer..."
Ensure you can see all the details.
Whilst the layout options are selected, select the Two Sided box and set the Two-sided drop down to Short Edge.
This is important - if you fold or turn your page, typically it will be on the shorter edge. If you leave it on Long Edge, your second side will be upside down.
8. Print Options -Paper Feed
Clicking on the Layout drop down menu, select Paper Feed.
(This drop down menu is how we will select other printing options)
If you intend to use your own paper, such as black paper. Here is where you would tell the printer where the paper is loaded.
Using your own paper you would select Tray 1 (Manual). Otherwise leave Auto Select enabled.
9. Print Options - Paper/Quality
You also need to tell the printer what the paper is. To do this click on the drop down again, selecting Paper/Options.
Note: On certain laser printer models, this setting maybe under Finishing instead of Paper/Options.
Now choose the type of paper you're loading. If the paper is anything different to white, such as coloured or black, select "coloured".
10. Print Options - Colour or Mono settings
Lastly in this section, if you're printing in Mono (Black) without colour. Turn the colour off, using the drop down and selecting Colour. Check Print Colour as Gray.
This is useful if you need to preview the booklet and reprint the final in colour. Remember to switch back to colour mode when reprinting.
11. Check Preview and Page Range
With your settings changed, now go back to the initial Setup and Preview windows.
Check the preview. Ensure the page orientation is correct.
If you need to print a selection of pages, for instance if you're using different stocks, in the setup window, overtype 'All Pages' a Page Range. Use commas to separate the values.
For example you've a 24 page booklet and the cover is on a different stock, you would print pages 1,2,23 and 24. Enter them in numerical order with commas to separate 1,2,23,24
When you print the remainder, you would enter a page range of 3-22. Here, you can use a dash to define the range.
Finally click print.
12. Locating the Manual Feed Tray
Load your paper in the manual feed tray on the printer (long edge first) and release/accept your print job.
The manual feed tray is located on the right hand side on most laser printers.
The HP printers will print on the underside of the stock. So put your paper in face down especially if it's pre-printed.