User profile for user: hannahlala
hannahlala Author
User level: Level 1
9 points

How to print multiple small pages on 1 sheet of paper without changing size

I have a document 85x110mm which I want to print *at exactly that size* 4 times on a sheet of A4 paper. I have duplicated the pages in the document (so there are 4 of them) and in print -> layout I can choose that they all go onto one sheet. BUT they get resized. In print -> paper handling there is an option 'destination paper size' (sounds hopeful...) where I can choose 'document paper size: letter' or 'scale to fit paper size: my custom 85x110 page'. The paper size isn't letter; it's 85x110mm; and my default paper size is A4. The first option seems to lay out the pages to letter, but resizes them anyway, and the second option lays them out to A4, but resizes them. Where's the missing function which lets me *keep everything at the correct size*?

Possible workaround: if I can lay out the 4 pages on one A4 page that would do - but I need to specify their exact layout in centimetres. I tried modifying a business card layout, but it seemed to want me to set the positions of every element in every card manually. I can't do that precisely enough.

Mac OS X (10.4.11)

Posted on May 3, 2008 12:34 PM

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10 replies
User profile for user: Jerrold Green1
Jerrold Green1
User level: Level 7
30,274 points

May 5, 2008 10:18 AM in response to KOENIG Yvan

Yvan and WWJD,

I don't think that the Pages Print option for printing multiple pages per sheet will fit the needs of the OP. He doesn't want to shrink the content, which I believe will happen if one uses this option from the Print menu.

There seems to be only one place to select paper size, and in this case the OP needs one size for the composition and another size for the printing.

Jerry
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User profile for user: KOENIG Yvan
KOENIG Yvan
User level: Level 8
41,819 points

May 6, 2008 2:17 AM in response to hannahlala

hannahlala wrote:
I tried modifying a business card layout, but it seemed to want me to set the positions of every element in every card manually. I can't do that precisely enough.


If you check the box pointed here and set the ruler unit to "point", you will be able to define the objects position precisely.

User uploaded file

When I want to do what you ask for, I build the document with a width and a height twice the wanted size then I print to standard paper asking for 4 pages by sheet.

Of course we must take care of the physical margins fixed by the printer.

Yvan KOENIG (from FRANCE mardi 6 mai 2008 11:17:15)
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User profile for user: KOENIG Yvan
KOENIG Yvan
User level: Level 8
41,819 points

May 6, 2008 7:12 AM in response to Jerrold Green1

Jerrold Green1 wrote:
Also, I believe that your second plan, creating the four-up layout on one page and printing in the normal fashion is the way to go.


I apologize but I disagree. Putting four copies of the same small document on a single page is a very good way to make errors.
One day, to morrow or the next year, you will make a change in the first occurence and will fail to make it in the other ones.

The tool displayed in my late message is safer, at least if you use it as I do: never save the four pages document.
Save only the "one page" one. So when you will make a change, you will have to duplicate the modified document before printing.

This "old_ape" tip prove to be useful.

Yvan KOENIG (from FRANCE mardi 6 mai 2008 16:12:33)
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User profile for user: Jerrold Green1
Jerrold Green1
User level: Level 7
30,274 points

May 6, 2008 7:53 AM in response to KOENIG Yvan

Yvan,

I respect your opinion on these matters. What troubles me though is that Pages doesn't allow scale control when printing multiple pages per sheet. I don't understand why this must be so, but apparently one must allow uncontrolled (automatic) scaling whenever the physical paper is to be a different size than the document, even in a case where such scaling would not be necessary. I also discovered that if I attempt to print 4 copies of a 1-page document, 4 to a page, the action fails, giving only one copy, scaled-up, with no error messages.

These inconsistencies are why I recommend keeping the document size and physical paper size equal.

Jerry
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User profile for user: KOENIG Yvan
KOENIG Yvan
User level: Level 8
41,819 points

May 6, 2008 8:24 AM in response to Jerrold Green1

Hello

I know that Pages is using its own algorithm to resize pages when it put several of them on a single sheet.

This is why I use this tip.

I draw a rectangle whose size is supposed to be the final one.
I give it a white background and a black border whose thickness is set to one point.
For the tests I just insert three page breaks so that the document is a four pages one.
I print it as is.
Doing that, I may measure the printed rectangle.
Of course, at first attempt it doesn't match the required size.
It's easy to compute the required adjustments.
When the correct factor is reached, it is easy to build the complete document so that it prints the correct size.

Doing that I never got odd results but maybe it's because I am a lucky guy.

Of course, disagreeing with one advice doesn't mean that I don't respect it.
I respect your opinion, _on other matters too_ 😉

Yvan KOENIG (from FRANCE mardi 6 mai 2008 17:24:09)
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How to print multiple small pages on 1 sheet of paper without changing size

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