N-Up PDF Pages with pdfxup (with examples)

1: Create a 2-Up PDF

The following command will create a new PDF file that combines two input PDF pages onto one page:

pdfxup -o path/to/output.pdf path/to/input.pdf

• -o path/to/output.pdf specifies the path where the output PDF file will be saved.
• path/to/input.pdf is the path to the input PDF file.

Motivation: This command is useful when you want to reduce the number of pages in a PDF document while maintaining readability. By combining multiple pages onto one page, you can save paper when printing or make it easier to view multiple pages at once on a screen.

Example: If we have an input PDF file with 10 pages, running the above command will create a new output PDF file where each page combines two pages from the input file. The resulting output file will have 5 pages, with each page displaying two original pages.

2: Create a PDF with 3 Columns and 2 Lines per Page

To create a PDF with 3 columns and 2 lines per page, you can use the following command:

pdfxup -x 3 -y 2 -o path/to/output.pdf path/to/input.pdf

• -x 3 specifies the number of columns to be used per page.
• -y 2 specifies the number of lines to be used per page.

Motivation: This command is useful when you want to create a PDF layout that mimics a grid. By specifying the number of columns and lines, you can evenly distribute and align the pages on the output PDF file.

Example: If we have an input PDF file with 12 pages, running the above command will create a new output PDF file where each page contains a grid of 3 columns and 2 lines. The resulting output file will have 4 pages, with each page displaying 6 original pages.

3: Create a PDF in Booklet Mode

To create a PDF in booklet mode, where each page is 2-up and the pages are sorted to form a book when folded, you can use the following command:

pdfxup -b -o path/to/output.pdf path/to/input.pdf

• -b enables booklet mode, which arranges the pages in a way that when printed and folded, they form a booklet.
• -o path/to/output.pdf specifies the path where the output PDF file will be saved.
• path/to/input.pdf is the path to the input PDF file.

Motivation: This command is useful when you want to print a PDF document and have it conveniently folded into a booklet format. By enabling booklet mode, the pages will be arranged in a specific order so that when printed, folded, and stapled, the resulting booklet will have the correct page sequence.

Example: If we have an input PDF file with 16 pages, running the above command will create a new output PDF file where each page contains two original pages and is ordered in a way that when printed, folded, and stapled, it forms a booklet with the correct page sequence. The resulting output file will have 8 pages.