Page arrangement when exporting to PDF

Question

Whenever I layout pamphlets that will be printed on 8.5x11 paper, I set up 5.5x8.5 facing pages, and then do each page so that they go back and forth down the line until i get to the centerfold, where they then go back up the line back and forth filling in empty pages. Does that make sense? So, I do this all the time, and when I export to PDF, the PDF always shows each pair of facing pages as a single page to be printed on one side of a sheet of 8.5x11 paper. But for some unknown reason (I haven't updated any of my programs, as my computer is too old to do that) when I exported to PDF, both Reader and Acrobat open the PDF up with each individual page by itself, one above the other, until I go into "View" and select Page Display, and then Two-up. But I wanna know why it's displaying it differently, and if there's a way I can make it always display the way it used to instead of this new way.

Answer 1

You might find this a lot easier if you set up as 5.5 x 8.5 facing pages and worked in reader's spreads (consecutive order). That way you get to look at the layout as your readers will be seeing it, and there's less chance of making an imposition mistake. The first and last pages will be by themselves and the others will appear as spreads, just as they will in the booklet.
When you are ready to print, use File > Print Booklet... to set up the imposition. Your tags indicate CS3, though you don't mention the OS, so I don't know if the Adobe PDF virtual printer is available to you, but if you are printing in-house on a laser printer with duplexing capabiliies it isn't required as you can print directly to the device. Printing to PDF is a convenience that will allow you to manually duplex. If you need the PDF, and cannot print to the virtual printer, there are some scripts you can use to impose the booklet instead of Print Booklet, so let us know.