Landscape Format PDFs

[Rifter]

Yes, we admitted tha tthe landscape POD for Three Arrows was an experiment, and it is one we won't do again except for the upcoming sadle-stitched edition of the Kid's Colouring Book.

It makes sense for a coloring book... but, for a source book it does not. I never really thought about it, until I got 3 arrows. For the screen, landscape looks good, if not preferable to portrait. I never thought about it, until I got that POD.

I think what it boils down to, is you really do need 2 PDFs with each book. One for printing and one for looking at on the screen.

 

[maransreth]

I prefer what Phil Reed did with Construct Mechanus - a landscape version full of graphics for reading onscreen and a portrait version for those to print.

I dont have Ambient's latest, but I had hoped it would be something similar.

But then again I do not know how hard it is for pdf publishers to give 2 versions for each product - a layout for those who like onscreen and a portait for those to print. And to save on printing costs make the portrait printer friendly.

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

Having just reviewed one of your landscape products, I have to say I think it's the greatest thing for PDFs since, well, PDFs!

You have the black-and-white portrait file for easy printing, and then the color landscape file for easy on-screen viewing. I found I could set my Adobe to full screen mode and see the entire pasge, without having to squint to read the text, and without having to scroll down, up, down over and over to read the columns between multiple pages.

Absolutely awesome. Other PDF publishers should take note -- this is THE way to release a product meant to be actually read on a computer (considering I don't print most PDFs if they are over about 20 pages, though I may print sections of them as I need to use them).

Great job!

 

[smetzger]

Yes, I did my d20 conversions of the A series in landscape format.

So, I'll vote for more landscape PDFs.

*:>Scott

 

[jmucchiello]

But then again I do not know how hard it is for pdf publishers to give 2 versions for each product - a layout for those who like onscreen and a portait for those to print.

Well, it takes exactly twice as long. I fiddled with landscape layout for some pages on my still late book and while it helped in some places, it made some of the images I bought misshaped for the pages.

But I will attempt the two layouts when I'm finished with the book.

 

[jmucchiello]

Question: What margins do you need in a "non-print PDF"? I was thinking about landscape mode for on-screen and portrait for print when I realized, I don't need 0.5-1 inches of margin on screen. Thoughts?

 

[HellHound]

For the actual text, I use 12mm margins with an 8mm gutter on average.

But my layout uses the full edges of the page design

 

[jmucchiello]

For the actual text, I use 12mm margins with an 8mm gutter on average.

But my layout uses the full edges of the page design

Well, 12 mm is nearly 1/2 an inch. My point was what is the point of having the text so far away from the Acrobat Reader window border. It's not like a printed page where the user might want to hole punch or otherwise bind the pages. The whole point behind border art is to make the border less boring. I'm asking if anyone's thought about removing the border entirely for their screen PDF?

 

[maransreth]

The only reason to have a border is if you wish to have an art page border or for neatness sake. In Construct Mechanus there is a border, no art border, and I found that this was easy on the eyes. I am not sure what it would be like if the text went all the way to the edge of the page, except decrease the number of pages.

 

[Nellisir]

Apparently I'm in the minority; I strongly dislike reading off a screen, and print nearly every pdf I buy. The only two landscape pdfs I have are Possessors and Three Arrows, and I've only printed Possessors. I'll probably print & read 3 Arrows in the future, but I'll otherwise avoid landscape format products for now. They're simply too inconvenient for me to work with.

Dual formats would be ducky.

Cheers,
Nell.