Examples

These are some examples showing how to get a poster as you want.

pdfposter -mA3 -pA0 a4.pdf out.pdf:
 Prints an A4 input file on 8 A3 pages, forming an A0 poster.
pdfposter -p3x3Let a4.pdf out.pdf:
 Prints an inputfile on a poster of 3x3 Letter pages.
pdfposter -mA0 input.pdf out.pdf:
 Enlarges an inputfile to print on a large-media A0 capable device.
pdfposter -s4 input.pdf out.pdf:
 Enlarge an inputfile exactly 4 times, print on the default A4 media, and let pdfposter determine the number of pages required.
pdfposter -m10x10cm -pa0 a4.pdf out.pdf:
 Just to show how efficient pdfposter is: This will create a file containing 192 pages, but only 15 times as big as the single page. With a4.pdf being a quite empty page, this ratio should be even better for filled pages.

Examples for automatic scaling

  • For printing 2 portrait A4 pages high (approx. 58cm) and let pdfposter determine how many portrait pages wide, specify a large number of vertical pages. eg:

    pdfposter -p999x2a4 testpage-wide.pdf out.pdf:
     
  • For printing 2 landscape A4 pages high (approx. 20cm) and let pdfposter determine how many landscape pages wide, specify a large number of horizontal pages. eg:

    pdfposter -p2x999a4 testpage-wide.pdf out.pdf:
     

For these examples we use two input pages:

..

The tall example input page (5.0 cm x 27.9 cm)

..

The wide example input page (27.9 cm x 5.0 cm).

These are intentionally uncommon formats so the effects of running pdfposter will be more demonstrative.

Working With Portrait Images

Portrait images are higher than wide.

Tall test-page as poster: Two portrait pages wide and one portrait page high.

Example 1:

pdfposter -p 2x1a4 testpage-tall.pdf out.pdf

This are two a4 pages put together at the long side: Two portrait pages wide and one portrait page high.

Tall test-page as poster: One portrait page wide and two portrait pages high.

Example 2:

pdfposter -p 1x2a4 testpage-tall.pdf out.pdf

This are two a4 pages put together at the small side: One portrait page wide and two portrait pages high.

Working With Landscape Images

Landscape images are wider than height.

Wide test-page as poster: Two portrait pages wide and one portrait page high.

Example 1:

pdfposter -p 2x1a4 testpage-wide.pdf out.pdf

This are two a4 pages put together at the long side: Two portrait pages wide and one portrait page high.

Wide test-page as poster: One portrait page wide and two portrait pages high.

Example 2:

pdfposter -p 1x2a4 testpage-wide.pdf out.pdf

This are two a4 pages put together at the small side: One portrait page wide and two portrait pages high.