With InDesign CS4, switch from A3 to A4

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Gizmo80 Posted messages 13 Status Membre -  
 Menthalo -
Hello,

I created a document with InDesign CS4 that is several dozen pages long in A3. But I need to change it to A4.

Is there a way to convert it without having to redo everything in A4?

8 réponses

contrariness Posted messages 338 Registration date   Status Membre Last intervention   6 240
 
Depending on the situations...

Either export a PDF A3 that we then re-import into an A4 page

Or link all the objects on the page and reduce them homothetically, meaning holding down the Ctrl+Shift keys while resizing all the blocks with the mouse cursor.

One way or the other depending on whether there are bleed areas or objects that extend beyond the page or if the page is set up as a double page...
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Gizmo80 Posted messages 13 Status Membre 5
 
Each page is in A3.

I tried changing the format in File<Document Format. I ended up with everything bigger. Both the visuals and the template elements! It's normal but frustrating when you don't know which way to turn!

The best part is that my layout grid won't go away. So it's not helping with the changes!

I tried duplicating my document and using it to change everything back to A4. I find that having a backup is always useful when you're making complicated changes.

I've had to remove my grid (made with create guides) before, but this time it won’t budge. Everything has to be in the same places despite the format change. What a hassle!

I think I’m going to check with the printer to see what they think. I’ll see what they tell me.
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contrariness Posted messages 338 Registration date   Status Membre Last intervention   6 240
 
If you don't want to go through a PDF (which indeed makes it difficult for any future modifications), you need to use the assembly method.

It's easy..

For each page or each double page, you group all the objects (Ctrl+A - Ctrl+G) then you change the document format. Then for each page, you resize the objects (still grouped) while holding down the Ctrl+Shift keys at the same time as you resize all the blocks with the mouse cursor.

The images will be reduced, and the text body recalculated to maintain the layout..

The only slightly tricky thing is getting repositioned exactly the same as in A3 once reduced... In my opinion, it should be easier if you draw a frame corresponding to the A3 page format before reducing it.. This way, it will be easy to match it to the A4 format.. then you can ungroup and delete this frame

Of course, you need to stay in the same orientation: A3 portrait -> A4 portrait...
2
Menthalo
 
You're welcome!
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Gizmo80 Posted messages 13 Status Membre 5
 
My document has bleed because my layout principle means I have visuals that are at the edge of the page and overlap on the double pages.

It might be better to give the printer my A3 document in PDF than to redo everything. With the "fit to print area" option of the PDF, I'm starting to think that this might be the best solution. What do you think?
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contrariness Posted messages 338 Registration date   Status Membre Last intervention   6 240
 
Indeed, it's a possibility... if the printer is willing to do it! Because it seems to me that when we have bleed areas, the scaling includes the bleed and the crop marks... which might pose a slight problem...

We're talking about A3 double pages, right?

In this case, it would be the export to PDF with a fixed bleed at A3 size page by page, and a re-importation to A4 with crop marks corresponding to the correct value of those from A3 reduced to A4. (Some trials may be necessary to get it right)
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Gizmo80 Posted messages 13 Status Membre 5
 
I hadn't thought of associating the page elements and templates before changing the document's format. It took me a while, but Ctrl+G was a really good idea! Thank you, contrariness.

However, I have lines that appeared in my bleed next to the swallows... Strange! When I used the black frames as a guide to see the format change, I ended up with bits of frames left over when I made my PDF to send to the printer. I just wanted to know how to handle that! It's a funny phenomenon, the appearance of bits of lines!
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contrariness Posted messages 338 Registration date   Status Membre Last intervention   6 240
 
I don't really see what these lines could be... it doesn't ring a bell.

There were problems doing this manipulation with the very first versions of InDesign (the body info didn’t change), but that is not the case in CS4...
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Gizmo80 Posted messages 13 Status Membre 5
 
These lines are in the bleed area so we won't bother with them any longer. Once the document is finished, they won't be seen anymore...

Contrariness, thank you for your help.
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