“pdfxup” is a command-line utility that allows you to combine multiple pages from a Portable Document Format (PDF) file into a single page. This process is referred to as “n-upping” and involves scaling and rotating the pages so that they fit into a grid on a single page.
The output of “pdfxup” is a new PDF file that contains the same content as the original, but with multiple pages combined into a smaller number of larger pages. This can be useful in a variety of situations, such as when you need to print a large document on a small number of pages to save paper, or when you want to create a compact version of a document for easier reading.
“pdfxup” provides a range of options for controlling the n-upping process, such as specifying the number of pages to be combined onto each output page, the size and orientation of the output pages, and the scaling and rotation of the individual pages. Additionally, “pdfxup” provides the ability to control the layout and placement of the pages on the output pages, allowing you to create custom layouts that meet your specific needs.
pdfxup Command Examples
1. Create a 2-up PDF:
# pdfxup -o path/to/output.pdf path/to/input.pdf
2. Create a PDF with 3 columns and 2 lines per page:
# pdfxup -x 3 -y 2 -o path/to/output.pdf path/to/input.pdf
3. Create a PDF in booklet mode (2-up, and pages are sorted to form a book when folded):
# pdfxup -b -o path/to/output.pdf path/to/input.pdf