MS Word: Getting two A5 posters from a A4 document

Irish Stones · 11-12-2015 8:54am #1

Hi all,
I would like to prepare some small posters in A5 size out from a standard A4 document.
I set the layout in landscape so that I can cut the paper in two and get two A5 posters.
What I'd need is a way to split the document in two and have Word to write on the second half the same thing I'm writing in the first half. Is it also possible to set the margins on the first half and have them echoed on the second half?
Thanks a million!

Alanstrainor · 11-12-2015 11:00am

Do you have MS publisher? Word isn't really meant for this purpose...

Irish Stones · 11-12-2015 12:27pm

Probably I don't, I should check at home, now I'm at work. I haven't it on this PC.
Are you saying that Publisher has this function?

mordeith · 11-12-2015 12:41pm

Irish Stones wrote: »

Probably I don't, I should check at home, now I'm at work. I haven't it on this PC.
Are you saying that Publisher has this function?

If you design the poster as a full a4, you should be able to go to print options and select multiple sheets per page. That should allow you print two on the a4 (so two a5s). Can't guarantee that will work but it is possible in some cases

Irish Stones · 11-12-2015 1:03pm

mordeith wrote: »

If you design the poster as a full a4, you should be able to go to print options and select multiple sheets per page. That should allow you print two on the a4 (so two a5s). Can't guarantee that will work but it is possible in some cases

I have just tried at work with the print preview, but it seems that the printer we have here doesn't support this function. And neither does CutePDF...

Irish Stones · 11-12-2015 9:08pm

My copy of MS Office doesn't include Publisher because the evaluation period has expired. I am left with the basic Home and Students package.

FanadMan · 12-12-2015 3:29am

Irish Stones wrote: »

My copy of MS Office doesn't include Publisher because the evaluation period has expired. I am left with the basic Home and Students package.

You could try Libre Office (or Open Office) for free. Is a free alternative to MS Office.

Irish Stones · 12-12-2015 3:51pm

FanadMan wrote: »

You could try Libre Office (or Open Office) for free. Is a free alternative to MS Office.

Once I used to have OpenOffice, but didn't like it. Mainly because there was little compatibility between the files created with a system and opened with the other one (Open Office and MS Office), at least for my purposes.
Does it have anything like Publisher? I can't remember...

Kenny Logins · 12-12-2015 4:07pm

If you don't have publisher, try Scribus http://www.scribus.net/ (free).

It's not too difficult to pick up, and will be much easier than Word for this purpose (you can do it in Word, but it's a bit messy).

alias no.9 · 12-12-2015 4:12pm

Set your page to landscape and format it to two columns

mordeith · 12-12-2015 4:24pm

Irish Stones wrote: »

I have just tried at work with the print preview, but it seems that the printer we have here doesn't support this function. And neither does CutePDF...

You said you tried that in Print Preview but it doesn't show up there. You need to go into the Print dialog. (you may have done this too do apologies if so)

Irish Stones · 14-12-2015 12:45pm

mordeith wrote: »

You said you tried that in Print Preview but it doesn't show up there. You need to go into the Print dialog. (you may have done this too do apologies if so)

My fault, I haven't used the proper words

Yes, the Print Dialog doesn't show any option for what I'd need. The printer is a Xerox.

Irish Stones · 14-12-2015 12:48pm

alias no.9 wrote: »

Set your page to landscape and format it to two columns

I don't think it's the same thing. With two columns I am able to continue writing the same document over two columns, when I want to write on a side and have the same thing echoed on the other half.

GrumpyMe · 14-12-2015 12:50pm

Would setting up your page at A5 size (portrait), designing your poster, opening a new Word doc and set it as A4 size Landscape and two column, go back to first version (A5) select, copy then go to A4 doc and paste+paste work?

(It does work)
A5 http://i64.tinypic.com/bdtu9f.jpg
A4 http://i68.tinypic.com/8xoeph.jpg

Images are a bit big so links only!

Irish Stones · 14-12-2015 12:50pm

Kenny Logins wrote: »

If you don't have publisher, try Scribus http://www.scribus.net/ (free).

It's not too difficult to pick up, and will be much easier than Word for this purpose (you can do it in Word, but it's a bit messy).

Thanks, I'll have a try

alias no.9 · 14-12-2015 10:24pm

Irish Stones wrote: »

I don't think it's the same thing. With two columns I am able to continue writing the same document over two columns, when I want to write on a side and have the same thing echoed on the other half.

Finish one side, copy and paste

Irish Stones · 15-12-2015 7:51am

alias no.9 wrote: »

Finish one side, copy and paste

Yes, it's what I have done so far, but if I change something in the first side (text, pictures size, colour, etc.) I have to copy and paste again, while I'd like something more automatic

GrumpyMe · 16-12-2015 8:58am

Irish Stones wrote: »

Yes, it's what I have done so far, but if I change something in the first side (text, pictures size, colour, etc.) I have to copy and paste again, while I'd like something more automatic

Not quite fully automatic but...
Create your poster in a Word doc with page size A5, portrait. Save document.
Open new Word doc, Insert, Object, Text from File, browse to A5 file, Insert as Link.
Format second document as A4 size, Landscape, Columns 2. (this is how to in Word 2007 - not sure of other versions...)
You should have the "poster" taking up half the page. Click in column 2 and do Insert, Object, Text from File, browse to A5 file, Insert as Link again.
Save A4 doc.
Now you have two linked documents.
Changes in A5 document can be updated in A4 document by opening document, selecting all (Ctrl+A) then F9.
HTH

Irish Stones · 16-12-2015 4:03pm

GrumpyMe wrote: »

Not quite fully automatic but...
Create your poster in a Word doc with page size A5, portrait. Save document.
Open new Word doc, Insert, Object, Text from File, browse to A5 file, Insert as Link.
Format second document as A4 size, Landscape, Columns 2. (this is how to in Word 2007 - not sure of other versions...)
You should have the "poster" taking up half the page. Click in column 2 and do Insert, Object, Text from File, browse to A5 file, Insert as Link again.
Save A4 doc.
Now you have two linked documents.
Changes in A5 document can be updated in A4 document by opening document, selecting all (Ctrl+A) then F9.
HTH

It worked partially.
I prepared a simple document in A5 size, portrait, I inserted some random words for two thirds of the page and saved it as "test", then I opened a new document in A4 size, inserted the previous file as a link, I formatted the document in landscape and two columns, but now the text from the previous file takes one and a half column (twice as much) and if I insert a second Text from file it becomes a two pages document.
But it works fine when I edit the A5 document and then I select all and press F9 on the second document.

GrumpyMe · 16-12-2015 4:12pm

Not sure why it would do that!
Maybe change formatting of margins of both A5 and A4 to match - easy way to match would be to format all, top, bottom, left and right to 1cm.
A bit of formatting trial and error will get it to work and educate you on what doesn't!

Irish Stones · 16-12-2015 4:16pm

I'll try it later, when I'm a bit more relaxed

, and let you know.
Thanks!

mordeith · 16-12-2015 4:36pm

Irish Stones wrote: »

I'll try it later, when I'm a bit more relaxed , and let you know.
Thanks!

Not to be a smart arse, but if it's only a poster then I imagine there can't be too many changes to make, so would it not be easier to just make the changes in both (in your original setup)

Kenny Logins · 16-12-2015 4:36pm

The other option is to set the document up from an A5 label template set to repeat.

Irish Stones · 17-12-2015 8:47am

mordeith wrote: »

Not to be a smart arse, but if it's only a poster then I imagine there can't be too many changes to make, so would it not be easier to just make the changes in both (in your original setup)

Oh yes, it would be easier

But the posters I want to make are for pets adoptions. I have a template and I change it often, depending on how often I have pets to rehome

So the images and the description have to be adapted to the moment.

Irish Stones · 17-12-2015 8:48am

Kenny Logins wrote: »

The other option is to set the document up from an A5 label template set to repeat.

Could you please be more precise?

Kenny Logins · 17-12-2015 1:32pm

Irish Stones wrote: »

Could you please be more precise?

Sure. You use a label template that will give one box to enter all of the information, and it will repeat it for however many times the sheet is set up for.
https://support.office.com/en-us/article/Make-a-label-or-a-sheet-of-the-same-labels-82086c07-2afa-4982-9d7d-9c9141d5035b

Not sure if this Avery template is setup properly, but looks like it might be.

http://www.avery.co.uk/avery/en_gb/Templates-%26-Software/Templates/Blank-Templates/Labels/Shipping-Labels/Shipping-Labels-2-per-page-_-PORTRAIT_Microsoft-Word.htm?N=4294967183&refchannel=d85e13f6c345d110VgnVCM1000002118140aRCRD

Irish Stones · 18-12-2015 7:54am

Kenny Logins wrote: »

Sure. You use a label template that will give one box to enter all of the information, and it will repeat it for however many times the sheet is set up for.
https://support.office.com/en-us/article/Make-a-label-or-a-sheet-of-the-same-labels-82086c07-2afa-4982-9d7d-9c9141d5035b

I like this!
I will look into it later. Thank you.

MS Word: Getting two A5 posters from a A4 document

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