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Re: What is the best free software for creating & editing PDFs nowadays

From Zaidy036 <Zaidy036@air.isp.spam>
Newsgroups alt.comp.os.windows-11, comp.editors, comp.text.pdf, alt.comp.os.windows-10
Subject Re: What is the best free software for creating & editing PDFs nowadays
Date 2025-03-05 16:50 -0500
Organization A noiseless patient Spider
Message-ID <vqagua$2aaf2$1@dont-email.me> (permalink)
References <vpt55o$2p5o$1@nnrp.usenet.blueworldhosting.com> <20250304191333.f90739d2d79fb5db23232350@g{oogle}mail.com> <286ccb7380f5aebd0c2c7ff49cb4e07eb5af8848@i2pn2.org> <20250305125000.7a7017a8f665078ec94c1407@g{oogle}mail.com>

Cross-posted to 4 groups.

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On 3/5/2025 4:50 AM, Anton Shepelev wrote:
> Marion:
> 
>>> I believe LaTeX has packages for that.  I have produced
>>> PDF booklets from Postscrpt, with psbook and psnup.  The
>>> incoming PostScipt was mine, from either LaTeX or GNU
>>> Troff.
>>
>> Thanks for that suggestion as, in the past, I printed
>> booklets.
>>
>> Printing a booklet requires arranging both sides of the
>> pages in a specific order so that when the 8.5x11-inch
>> printed sheets are folded in half, the pages appear in the
>> correct sequence as if they were in a booklet..  [...]
>> However, back to the printing of booklets, that's one
>> thing I had trouble finding free (as in no cost) software
>> as printing a booklet from folded 8.5x11-inch paper is
>> more complex than standard printing, especially when
>> dealing with double-sided printing and odd numbers of
>> pages & title pages.
> 
> That's exactly what I did with psbook and psnup from
> psutils.  I produced an A4 booklet from an A5 document with
> sequential pages.  I printed my booklent by with a normal
> single-sided printer, in two runs, without reordering the
> sheaf in between.  All the rearrangement was taken care of
> during the generation of the PDF.
> 
> Before *roff and *tex, I used to print such booklets in
> whatever software I had at hand, including MS Word '97 and
> Adobe PageMaker.  For Word, I had a simple Pascal program
> that would generate two comma-spearated lists of page
> numbers, ready to paste in into the Print window, for
> printing the even and odd pages of the booklet.
> 
> The alrorithm is rather simple, IIRC.  After you append
> empty pages to make the total a multiple of four, the
> following invariant holds true for each side of any quatro:
> 
>            page_left + page_right = page_total + 1
> 
> For example, a twelve-page booklet will be printed on three
> (12/4) sheets thusly:
> 
>                        even       odd
>                        12 1 verso 2 11
>                        10 3 verso 4  9
>                         8 5 verso 6  7
> 
> So, you first print the odd pages in increasing order, and
> then odd ones in decreasing order, to end up with a set of
> sheats ready to fold (IIRC).  I still seem to have the ugly
> ancient program in Pascal that I wrote in late school or
> early University to perfrom that task:
> 
>    https://paste.sr.ht/~shepton/4d8374ec6e2c543fa8caad43709596b1cae5cd94
> 
> It should compile in FreePascal compiler.
> 
>> As noted, LaTeX has sophisticated built-in features to
>> analyze the content of the PDF to more intelligently
>> handle page breaks to avoid splitting images or creating
>> an awkward text flow.
> 
> No, LaTeX and Troff are tools to author and typeset new
> documents, rather than modify existing PDFs.
> 
>> Since the expensive cost of free (no cost) software is in
>> the trials and tribulations to find the best ones that
>> work,
> 
> Which is why I prefer to use time-honoured classics.
> 
>> does anyone have experience with any of the distributions
>> above for creating the booklet style PDFs?
> 
> I have used this one a long time ago:
> 
>    https://ctan.org/pkg/booklet
> 
> And I have used psutils (with psbook and psnup) no so long
> time ago:
> 
>    https://github.com/rrthomas/psutils
> 
> Generally, I have found *roff much easier than LaTeX.  I
> have written several Groff macros myself, including those to
> wrap text around images as shown in this newsletter:
> 
>    https://corewar.co.uk/coreops/coreops02.txt
> 
> Both Groff and LaTeX have great and helpful communities.
> 
https://www.bookletcreator.com/how-it-works/

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Thread

What is the best free software for creating & editing PDFs nowadays Marion <marion@facts.com> - 2025-02-28 20:09 +0000
  Re: What is the best free software for creating & editing PDFs nowadays Lawrence D'Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> - 2025-02-28 21:00 +0000
    Re: What is the best free software for creating & editing PDFs nowadays Marion <marion@facts.com> - 2025-02-28 23:56 +0000
      Re: What is the best free software for creating & editing PDFs nowadays Marion <marion@facts.com> - 2025-03-01 00:21 +0000
      Re: What is the best free software for creating & editing PDFs nowadays Lawrence D'Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> - 2025-03-01 02:53 +0000
        Re: What is the best free software for creating & editing PDFs nowadays Marion <marion@facts.com> - 2025-03-01 06:24 +0000
          Re: What is the best free software for creating & editing PDFs nowadays Marion <marion@facts.com> - 2025-03-01 06:49 +0000
            Re: What is the best free software for creating & editing PDFs nowadays Marion <marion@facts.com> - 2025-03-01 07:21 +0000
              Re: What is the best free software for creating & editing PDFs nowadays Lawrence D'Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> - 2025-03-01 20:23 +0000
                Re: What is the best free software for creating & editing PDFs nowadays Marion <marion@facts.com> - 2025-03-02 03:18 +0000
                Re: What is the best free software for creating & editing PDFs nowadays Peter Flynn <peter@silmaril.ie> - 2025-03-03 21:38 +0000
                Re: What is the best free software for creating & editing PDFs nowadays Lawrence D'Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> - 2025-03-03 23:35 +0000
                Re: What is the best free software for creating & editing PDFs nowadays Marion <marion@facts.com> - 2025-03-04 02:35 +0000
                Re: What is the best free software for creating & editing PDFs nowadays Lawrence D'Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> - 2025-03-04 03:13 +0000
                Re: What is the best free software for creating & editing PDFs nowadays Marion <marion@facts.com> - 2025-03-04 03:31 +0000
                Re: What is the best free software for creating & editing PDFs nowadays "Carlos E.R." <robin_listas@es.invalid> - 2025-03-04 20:18 +0100
                Re: What is the best free software for creating & editing PDFs nowadays Peter Flynn <peter@silmaril.ie> - 2025-03-04 22:32 +0000
                Re: What is the best free software for creating & editing PDFs nowadays Lawrence D'Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> - 2025-03-04 23:32 +0000
                Re: What is the best free software for creating & editing PDFs nowadays Peter Flynn <peter@silmaril.ie> - 2025-03-05 22:08 +0000
          Re: What is the best free software for creating & editing PDFs nowadays Lawrence D'Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> - 2025-03-01 20:17 +0000
            Re: What is the best free software for creating & editing PDFs nowadays Marion <marion@facts.com> - 2025-03-02 03:02 +0000
          Re: What is the best free software for creating & editing PDFs nowadays Lawrence D'Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> - 2025-03-02 22:03 +0000
            Re: What is the best free software for creating & editing PDFs nowadays Marion <marion@facts.com> - 2025-03-03 03:17 +0000
              Re: What is the best free software for creating & editing PDFs nowadays G <g@nowhere.invalid> - 2025-03-03 09:19 +0000
                Re: What is the best free software for creating & editing PDFs nowadays Marion <marion@facts.com> - 2025-03-03 17:01 +0000
                Re: What is the best free software for creating & editing PDFs nowadays G <g@nowhere.invalid> - 2025-03-03 19:08 +0000
                Re: What is the best free software for creating & editing PDFs nowadays Marion <marion@facts.com> - 2025-03-04 03:52 +0000
                Re: What is the best free software for creating & editing PDFs nowadays Lawrence D'Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> - 2025-03-04 04:41 +0000
                Re: What is the best free software for creating & editing PDFs nowadays Tim Slattery <TimSlattery@utexas.edu> - 2025-03-04 10:23 -0500
                Re: What is the best free software for creating & editing PDFs nowadays Peter Flynn <peter@silmaril.ie> - 2025-03-04 22:39 +0000
                Re: What is the best free software for creating & editing PDFs nowadays Don_from_AZ <djatechNOSPAM@comcast.net.invalid> - 2025-03-04 21:28 -0700
                Re: What is the best free software for creating & editing PDFs nowadays Paul <nospam@needed.invalid> - 2025-03-05 01:39 -0500
                Re: What is the best free software for creating & editing PDFs nowadays Daniel70 <daniel47@eternal-september.org> - 2025-03-05 20:48 +1100
                Re: What is the best free software for creating & editing PDFs nowadays Lawrence D'Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> - 2025-03-06 02:18 +0000
                Re: What is the best free software for creating & editing PDFs nowadays Daniel70 <daniel47@eternal-september.org> - 2025-03-06 18:12 +1100
                Re: What is the best free software for creating & editing PDFs nowadays Philip Herlihy <nothing@invalid.com> - 2025-03-06 12:22 +0000
                Re: What is the best free software for creating & editing PDFs nowadays Frank Slootweg <this@ddress.is.invalid> - 2025-03-06 10:45 +0000
                Re: What is the best free software for creating & editing PDFs nowadays "Carlos E.R." <robin_listas@es.invalid> - 2025-03-06 12:50 +0100
                Re: What is the best free software for creating & editing PDFs nowadays Peter Flynn <peter@silmaril.ie> - 2025-03-07 22:36 +0000
                Re: What is the best free software for creating & editing PDFs nowadays Lawrence D'Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> - 2025-03-08 01:04 +0000
                Re: What is the best free software for creating & editing PDFs nowadays "Carlos E.R." <robin_listas@es.invalid> - 2025-03-05 13:26 +0100
                Re: What is the best free software for creating & editing PDFs nowadays Paul <nospam@needed.invalid> - 2025-03-05 09:04 -0500
                Re: What is the best free software for creating & editing PDFs nowadays Paul <nospam@needed.invalid> - 2025-03-05 09:33 -0500
                Re: What is the best free software for creating & editing PDFs nowadays "Carlos E.R." <robin_listas@es.invalid> - 2025-03-05 21:11 +0100
                Re: What is the best free software for creating & editing PDFs nowadays Frank Slootweg <this@ddress.is.invalid> - 2025-03-05 14:39 +0000
                Re: What is the best free software for creating & editing PDFs nowadays Paul <nospam@needed.invalid> - 2025-03-05 14:59 -0500
                Re: What is the best free software for creating & editing PDFs nowadays Marion <marion@facts.com> - 2025-03-05 21:24 +0000
                Re: What is the best free software for creating & editing PDFs nowadays Paul <nospam@needed.invalid> - 2025-03-06 00:45 -0500
                Re: What is the best free software for creating & editing PDFs nowadays Frank Slootweg <this@ddress.is.invalid> - 2025-03-06 10:54 +0000
                Re: What is the best free software for creating & editing PDFs nowadays "Carlos E.R." <robin_listas@es.invalid> - 2025-03-05 21:12 +0100
  Re: What is the best free software for creating & editing PDFs nowadays Anton Shepelev <anton.txt@g{oogle}mail.com> - 2025-03-04 19:13 +0300
    Re: What is the best free software for creating & editing PDFs nowadays Peter Flynn <peter@silmaril.ie> - 2025-03-04 22:43 +0000
      Re: What is the best free software for creating & editing PDFs nowadays Lawrence D'Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> - 2025-03-04 23:34 +0000
    Re: What is the best free software for creating & editing PDFs nowadays Marion <marion@facts.com> - 2025-03-04 23:58 +0000
      Re: What is the best free software for creating & editing PDFs nowadays Wolf Greenblatt <wolf@greenblatt.net> - 2025-03-04 19:11 -0500
      Re: What is the best free software for creating & editing PDFs nowadays Anton Shepelev <anton.txt@g{oogle}mail.com> - 2025-03-05 12:50 +0300
        Re: What is the best free software for creating & editing PDFs nowadays Zaidy036 <Zaidy036@air.isp.spam> - 2025-03-05 16:50 -0500
    Re: What is the best free software for creating & editing PDFs nowadays Marion <marion@facts.com> - 2025-03-04 23:24 +0000
      Re: What is the best free software for creating & editing PDFs nowadays Peter Flynn <peter@silmaril.ie> - 2025-03-05 22:39 +0000
        Re: What is the best free software for creating & editing PDFs nowadays Philip Herlihy <nothing@invalid.com> - 2025-03-06 12:17 +0000
          Re: What is the best free software for creating & editing PDFs nowadays "Carlos E.R." <robin_listas@es.invalid> - 2025-03-06 13:33 +0100
          Re: What is the best free software for creating & editing PDFs nowadays Peter Flynn <peter@silmaril.ie> - 2025-03-07 22:43 +0000
    Re: What is the best free software for creating & editing PDFs nowadays Marion <marion@facts.com> - 2025-03-04 23:53 +0000

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