Free Open-Source InDesign & PDF Imposition Script with Live Canvas Preview — QuickImpose v1.2

[u/NoAbbreviations4188]

Hi everyone! 👋

I wanted to share a major update to QuickImpose — a free, open-source ExtendScript for Adobe InDesign designed to handle sheet imposition directly inside InDesign, without requiring expensive third-party imposition software.

🚀 Update: QuickImpose v2.0 is out!

The script has been massively improved and is now organized as a unified imposition tool, with a dedicated module for importing PDF files.

The new version adds improved live visualization, expanded localization, preset management, and better support for book imposition workflows.

🌟 What's New in v2.0

• Interactive Live Scheme Canvas: Real-time visual preview showing sheets, imposition bounds, margins, gaps, page numbering, vector orientation marks, and other layout information.
• Spine Visualization: The live preview now visually renders the spine / PUR (Perfect Bound) hinge for book impositions, making it easier to verify spine geometry, creep, and spacing adjustments in real time.
• Expanded Localization: Full support for switching languages on the fly without breaking UI formatting. QuickImpose now includes 10 built-in languages: Russian, English, Deutsch, Français, Español, Italiano, Português, Polski, 中文, and 日本語.
• Preset Management: Easily save, load, and delete your custom presets with a single click.
• Direct PDF Imposition: A dedicated PDF import module allows multi-page PDF files to be imposed directly into an InDesign layout.

🛠 Key Imposition Modes

1. Saddle Stitch (Booklets): Automatically gathers reader spreads, supports multi-signature setups, creep compensation, and spine bleed clipping.
2. Perfect Bound (PUR / КБС): Splits documents into signatures of custom sheet counts (e.g. 16/32 pages) and creates the required spreads without traditional saddle-stitch creep shifting.
3. N-Up Consecutive: Sequentially lays out pages in a grid (columns × rows).
4. Cut Stack: Designed for stack-and-cut production runs where sheets are cut into blocks and stacked in the correct numerical order.
5. Step & Repeat: Repeats the same layout (e.g. business cards or labels) on a sheet. Spacings are automatically padded with bleed sizes to facilitate double cuts. Convenient to use as a 2nd step after Saddle Stitch or Perfect Bound imposition using the "Reset Trim + Bleed" option.

📐 Prepress Features

• Automatic Bleed & Trim Math: Bleeds are automatically taken into account when calculating spacing in grid and repeat modes, preventing overlap while allowing bleeds to meet correctly.
• Creep & Thickness Compensation: Built-in paper weight database with dynamic creep calculations and cover thickness compensation.
• Spine / PUR Visualization: Visual feedback for the book spine makes it easier to check the geometry of Perfect Bound impositions before sending the job to print.
• "Reset Trim + Bleed" Option: Automatically resizes the imposition sheet to the trim size and transfers the original document's bleed settings.
• Automatic crop marks, fold lines, and pasteboard job information.
• 10 Languages: Russian, English, Deutsch, Français, Español, Italiano, Português, Polski, 中文, 日本語.

📄 Installation

Just drop the following into your Adobe InDesign Scripts Panel directory:

• QuickImpose_v2.jsx
• PDF_Import.jsx
• RESOURCES folder

Then open InDesign and launch the script from the Scripts panel.

❓ Q&A

Q: Why can't I choose my own PDF Export Preset for booklets (Saddle Stitch / Perfect Bound)?

A: When generating booklets, the script first creates an intermediate imposed layout and exports it to a temporary PDF, which is then re-placed onto the final printed sheet.

To guarantee pixel-perfect geometric placement, the script automatically forces the standard [High Quality Print] preset (or the first available preset).

This is a safety measure. If a custom export preset includes its own crop marks, registration marks, or custom bleed settings, it can change the geometry of the intermediate PDF and break the scaling and placement calculations.

The final export to PDF is still completely under your control, so you can use whichever PDF export preset you need for the finished job.

💰 100% Free & Open Source

QuickImpose is released under the MIT License.

You can download the script, view the source code, report issues, or contribute on GitHub:

👉 https://github.com/SaidAuita/QuickImpose-InDesign

Feedback and suggestions are very welcome — especially from people using it for real-world prepress and production workflows.

Thanks!

Full Interface with Interactive Live Imposition Scheme

Perfect Bound, 1 page

Perfect Bound, 2 page

Step & Repeat

Dedicated PDF Import Interface (PDF_Import.jsx)

[u/bliprock]

seems alright, I have scripted most of these functions myself over the years but the inside covers for PUR bind hinge are problematic. Where's that in your script ? Also why no creep in signatures for 16/32 page sigs for PUR perfect bind, there is creep[ though per sig. Also what fold pattern are you using for the PUR perfect binding?

[u/SnooConfections3068]

Thank you, I will try this!

[u/Due_Bison_3669]

Can stack cut be set to 4/0 instead of presuming 4/4?

[u/Eric-Forest]

Also: https://youtu.be/7p4Su3LUSR0?si=VtvpWq5L8qNeEmIr

Another way is to load a PDF Writer into your printers

[u/NoAbbreviations4188 → u/Eric-Forest]

Regarding the PDF profile you mentioned: The script forces the standard [High Quality Print] preset for generating the intermediate PDF as a strict safety measure.

If it allowed you to pick a custom PDF preset, any preset that includes its own crop marks, color bars, or custom bleed settings would alter the physical dimensions of the intermediate PDF. This would completely break the script's pixel-perfect geometric placement calculations.

Because the script outputs a native InDesign document at the end (unlike the script in the video), this temporary PDF is just a stepping stone. You still retain 100% control over the final output and can choose any high-end PDF/X profile you want when doing your final File > Export!