Converting a PDF to one with multiple pages per sheet through the command line

to perform an IMPOSITION, nothing is better than Multivalent.jar (latest free version with tools inside, latest Multivalent build currently hosted on sourceforge - 2009 - has no more pdf tools)

you can download the Multivalent.jar build with tools from:

  • http://www.ziddu.com/download/1794145/Multivalent.tar.gz.html
  • http://ge.tt/#!/21OPDHX/v/4
  • http://dingodog.minus.com/mjhNX8Eiu

online man - http://multivalent.sourceforge.net/Tools/pdf/Impose.html

use:

java -cp path...to/Multivalent.jar tool.pdf.Impose -dim (rowsxcols) -paper (paper sizes where pages will be imposed) file.pdf

You can also use pdfnup:

pdfnup --nup 2x2 --no-landscape file.pdf

where 2x2 refers to 2 rows by 2 columns (or the reverse--I'm not sure). See man pdfnup for more options.