Simple imposition - how to use

What is called simple imposition in pdfToolbox, are those imposition capabilities for which no imposition configuration needs to be made. These types of imposition can be used by providing some relatively simple pieces of information. Examples are "Step and repeat", "Fill page", "Booklet imposition"...

The actual imposition methods (the details for what is available for "Step and repeat" and so on) are described in the next article; this article details where you find this functionality and what the different ways are you can use it manually and automatically.

Using the Switchboard

All simple imposition functionality is available on the Switchboard. To get to it:

  1. Click the "Tools" menu, and then "Switchboard",
  2. Click the "Switchboard" quick access button in the left-hand side bar.
  3. If the Switchboard doesn't look like the screengrab below, click on the "Home" button (the second one from the left).
  4. Click on the "Arrange" button.
A pdfToolbox screengrab highlighting where to find the "Arrange" functionality on the Switchboard

On the "Arrange" pane are all quick imposition capabilities pdfToolbox has. Each of them is described in more detail in the next article.

Using actions

To automate the simple imposition functionality, create a new action:

  1. Click on the "Tools", and then "Fixups" menu item, or click directly on the "Fixups" quick access button in the left-hand side bar.
  2. In the fixups window that opens, click on the "Hamburger" button in the top right corner.
  3. This opens up a menu, in which you can choose "Create Action...".
A pdfToolbox screengrab highlighting where to create an action.

After that, the "New Action" dialog window opens up. There is a list of all available action types. Click that, and in this list, you'll find all simple imposition functionality.

The pdfToolbox Desktop action editor showing the Step & Repeat action in the list of action types

After configuring the action exactly how you want it, click on "OK" and it will appear in your fixups list. You can now either export it directly to a kfpx file, or you can add it into a process plan.

Using the CLI

All simple imposition functionality is available as CLI commands directly. Of course you can embed the functionality in a process plan, and then run the process plan from the command-line, but with these CLI commands, you can also do it directly. In order to know what is available, check the chapter on pdfToolbox CLI.

Using the SDK

All simple imposition functionality is available as direct calls in the SDK. Of course you can embed the functionality in a process plan, and then run the process plan from the command-line, but with the SDK, you can also do it directly. In order to know what is available, check the chapter on pdfToolbox SDK.