Overview of Main Features

The overview also describes functions that are only available in standard or expert mode, with the VDP extension and in the ProHot edition of the program.

Program mode

  • Auto (only basic features, simple imposition)
  • Standard (common use, more features)
  • Expert (all features are available)
  • Tabular Layout of positions
  • Free Layout allows arbitrary placement, orientation and size of positions

Imposition appearance settings

  • Types of imposition: N-UP from start, Booklet, Calendar
  • For all types of imposition, you can set Cut & Stack, or an automatic cutter
  • The size of the positions is determined automatically by the pages or you can set it manually
  • The filling of positions on the sheet is automatic (you can select the first position, set the order of filling the positions, Work & turn) or you can manually assign pages to positions (e.g. by dragging from the pages palette)
  • Pages larger than positions are cropped to the size of positions (can be turned off, then pages can overlap)
  • The orientation of positions in Booklet mode can be the same (top of positions are oriented in the same way, for cutting before further processing) or for a cross fold
  • You can also set the imposition margin, row and column gaps, bleed and bleed limit of imported pages
  • It is possible to rotate a sheet or position, rotate the back side of the position compared to the front by 180°, duplicate imposition or positions, delete a row, column, in Free layout the order of positions can be changed in the context menu
  • Sheet size can be automatic or set directly on the sheet palette, or you can use and modify the saved sizes, set the imposition alignment on the sheet
  • You can set the number of page repeats, fill all positions, repeat pages from the beginning or only the last page
  • Scale can be set in %, fit, fill, non-proportional fill
  • Uniform back side feature ensures that the back side is the same on all sheets
  • Correction of the paper thickness is realized by shifting the inner sides inwards, the outer sides outwards or by narrowing the inner sides
  • Sheets can be grouped into signatures, or several sheets can be folded at once
  • Printing plate is designed for CTP output, it sets the TrimBox to PDF size

Various Marks and crosses can be added to the sheet

  • Marks (trim, center, bleed), crosses (registration, inside sheet, around positions in free layout), color bar, gray bar, strip, lines between positions, sheet description, mark for automatic cutters, custom PDF
  • You can also adjust the sizes, distances and other details of marks

More impositions

  • The added imposition can be a copy of the current one or loaded from a template. Each imposition has separate settings
  • For multiple impositions, individual impositions can be separate (manually assigned pages to individual impositions by marking on the pages palette) or linked, and the assignment of pages to impositions is then controlled by limiting the number of sheets of individual impositions

Custom objects can be added to the sheet:

  • Numbering, text, PDF, sidelay mark, strip, barcode, cross, rectangle, line, ellipse
  • The object can be saved for repeated use
  • For objects, assignment to sheet, trimbox, selected or all positions, rotation of the object together with the sheet, arrangement of objects (forward/backward), show on front, back, on all sheets, on the first, on the last, on the group first sheet, on the group last sheet, on selected sheets, only on sheets on which the specified page is shown, alignment left, center, right, up, down, distance or move the object with the mouse, move the object on the next sheet or signature, fill and line color including overprint and line properties, object as unprintable, for objects assigned to the position and imposition type booklet alternative left/right alignment of even and odd sides, objects can be rotated by any angle, interactively (mouse) change location, angle and size
  • Numbering: ascending and descending, only until pages are exhausted or pages will be repeated
  • Text: insert symbols or data fields into the text, parts of the text can be formatted differently
  • PDF: both the file and the page number in the file can be static or a link from a data field
  • Barcode: static, data field or combination of static text, predefined symbols and data fields; many types and variants
  • There is a function to find the shortest, longest and incorrect objects
  • When using numbering or variable data, you can choose to repeat all or just the last page for imposition

When working with pages for impositions you can

  • When importing pages (PDF or images), replace current pages, add new pages to the end, insert them before the selected page, create a new group of pages
  • On the pages palette, set the size and type of page preview, display the list of pages and files
  • Mark pages for imposition, set automatic page rotation, delete and duplicate pages, insert blank page, reverse page order, open page in application, set repeat, scale, page rotation (all take precedence over imposition settings), change page trimbox and bleedbox
  • Edit a page placed in the selected position on the sheet, adjust the dimensions of the position according to the page
  • Create a new group of pages directly or when importing pages, rename or delete the group. Individual groups are imposed separately, groups are assigned to a sheet manually (e.g. by dragging from the page palette)

Other features

  • You can select an imposition from the predefined Imposition presets
  • You can add frequently used imposition layouts to the User Templates palette
  • The imposition can be saved, you can also save it as a template (ie without pages for imposition)
  • When using numbering or variable data, the static background and variable foreground can be exported separately
  • Export options allow you to rotate the sheet during export, reverse the order of sheets, split the output PDF by groups or individual sheets, correct the inaccuracy of the digital printer
  • Zoom can be changed using tools, keyboard shortcuts, and the mouse wheel
  • It is possible to display previews, lines, dimensions, change the colors displayed on the desktop
  • Rulers facilitate orientation in dimensions and also allow you to add guidelines, by double-clicking the value on the ruler you can change the size of individual positions and gaps
  • Guidelines can be created by dragging from rulers, you can set snap to guides, sheet, position, automatic guides (pages in free layout mode or custom objects)
  • You can also use the tool for Align and distribute of positions on the sheet (in free layout mode) or custom objects
  • Imposition check is available, it is possible to set the meaning of individual control items
  • Variable data import allows you to set field and record separator, ignore first record, empty records, field names can be in the first record
  • It is also possible to backup, restore and reset program settings
  • You can create Shortcuts for menu items and other functions
  • Watched folders (hotfolders) allow automatic template-based PDF generation. The template and other properties can be modified using the control XML

Starting the program

  • Montax Imposer – standalone application can be started with parameters defining the file for imposition or the template, e.g. when running from the command line, using a shortcut or script, see Workflow
  • Montax Imposer – plug-in must be run from Adobe Acrobat environment (Menu/Plug-Ins/Montax Imposer)