Info Palette

Basic imposition parameters are set using this palette. It operates in three modes: 1. if there are no selected positions a sheet properties mode is enabled and settings affect the whole sheet. 2. if positions are selected a position properties mode is enabled and settings affect positions. 3. custom objects mode.

In Auto mode this palette only affects certain sheet properties – gaps between rows and columns. All other parameters are calculated automatically and are not displayed.

The palette expand button (bellow minimize button) must be enabled for displaying all options.

Sheet Properties Mode:

(No selected positions)

Marking the first checkbox Zero margins and spacing minimizes the palette, because it sets all parameters (except for position sizes) to zero. The next checkbox Auto margins enables automatic computation of minimal margin so that all marks and bleed fit in it. Auto Gaps can be set to three different states and determines whether spaces between rows and columns are calculated automatically depending on the bleed of current pages for imposition or independently on them (it locks or unlocks icons of these spaces when rulers are displayed). The third, indefinite state indicates that some locks are locked and some are not. Auto bleed calculates sheet bleed according to pages for imposition.

Force bleed control feature allows the user to create bleed even for files which do not contain it or cannot contain it (e.g. pictures). Activating this feature changes the behavior of trimbox and page bleed: It usually fits and aligns page trimbox to position trimbox – when this feature is active it fits and aligns page bleed to position bleed. If page bleed box is missing (e.g. in pictures), the program works with the whole image and it is aligned on bleed of position.

Therefore, if pages for imposition contain sufficient bleed the imposition is done without activating "Force bleed" and bleed is created according to pages. If these pages have a small or non-existent bleed, activate "Force bleed" and set the desired bleed (it cannot be calculated automatically because the pages do not have it; this bleed will be applied to all positions or you can set bleed of each position manually after selecting them). Pages will then be aligned and adjusted to position bleed. If you work with pictures it is recommended to set the desired height and width of positions and then selecting either "Fit" or "Fill" in the Scale Palette. Note: If both trimbox and bleed are set for pages, Montax Imposer respects the trimbox and will try to reduce cutting to minimum. "Automatic rotation" in the Pages for Imposition Menu can also be used to set the same page orientation throughout the imposition.

In next controls can also be set Imposition margins manually which de-activates "Auto margins". Size of positions determined by Row height and Column width is shared for all positions. If your sheet contains positions of different sizes this field will be left blank and the same applies for gaps between rows and columns (if there is only one row/column no value is displayed). The controls to the right above the column width can be used to enter the size of the positions by selecting from the pre-saved sizes – the left button to select the size, the right to save and edit. Gaps and Bleed can also be set manually in the last fields of the palette. If we set the bleed manually here, the value will be applied to all positions (if it does not interfere with gaps between columns and rows – if these gaps are set manually the gaps do not change). Bleed for selected positions can be set afterwards by selecting them.

Bleed of a sheet as well as of all positions can also be a negative value. A negative value creates a white border towards the inside of a position. This is useful while printing pictures containing a white border after trimming. If "Force bleed" is deactivated, the picture is trimmed. If it is activated, the picture will fill this "smaller" position.

Position Properties Mode:

(At least one position is selected)

The first control Auto bleed of position sets bleed of a selected position according to pages for imposition. Bleed can also be set manually (or the value can be set to be equal for all positions if no position is selected – it is possible to set the bleed of a sheet as well as bleed of all positions on the Info Palette).

The next control feature Page order determines which page will be placed on the selected position. If a page is unmarked for imposition it is not counted within this order. For example if a page with order 1 is set to be placed on a position and page no. 1 is unmarked for imposition page no. 2 (the next in row) will be placed on the position because unmarked pages are not counted towards the order. The order of pages placed on positions can therefore be selected independently on pages for imposition even in the case where no pages for imposition are actually loaded. These pages can be loaded later and the imposition can serve as a template for various pages. If you work with a single group of pages it is not necessary to name it. On the other hand while working with more pages (group name is shown in front of page a no. in the main work area) it is useful to input a name besides a number. For booklet impositions the switch From beginning/From end is active. It is because in this imposition type the first and the last page are placed on a sheet, the second and second to last on the second sheet etc. and the switch can be used to set whether you are dealing with a first page from the beginning (the first page) or from the end (the last page), second from the beginning (second) or second from the end (second to last) etc.

This palette also contains a Row height/Column width option but here these settings only affect selected positions. Bleed of position has already been described. The Align page to position feature lets you select where a page will be placed if its size differs from the size of the position.

The last group of options determines the Page shift direction for paper thickness correction (the arrow shows where the page will be shifted on the following sheet.) For all control features the rule that if multiple positions are selected and some of them have different settings the options with varying settings will be shown blank.

Variable Data, Numbering and Custom Objects Mode:

(After activating the mode by the "Edit Variable & Custom Objects / Edit Numberings and Objects" button on the Marks Palette, using Menu/Edit or Main Toolbar button; Variable option is only available when using Variable Data Printing Extension)

You can find more details regarding numbering and custom objects in the chapter Numbering & Custom Objects.