How can I print two copies of a document in Word, one on each side of a single page?

I have a document I would like to print twice, once on each side of a single piece of paper. Currently, this is done with a two-page document set up to print two pages per sheet, and it is printed once and then re-fed into the printer upside down and printed again. The net result of this manual duplexing process is that when the paper is cut in half, page 1 shows up on one side of each half, and page two shows up on the other side.

I recently acquired a printer which is capable of automatic duplexing, so I figured it should be easier to use a one-page document with two columns, and then use the automatic duplexing feature to print two copies, one per side. It turns out that this is no easy feat. Word starts each "copy" on a new sheet of paper, for reasons that are quite obvious when you're talking about, for example, a three-page document.

How can I cause (or force, or trick, or ...) Word to print the second copy on the other side of the page without resorting to manual duplexing?

Mark

Posted 2013-01-06T23:46:07.177

Reputation: 286

In this case, 'manually duplexing' means re-inserting the paper and re-printing the document. If there was some way to automatically clone page 1 as page 2 (macro?), that would be much easier. – Mark – 2013-05-07T20:40:48.757

Answers

I realise this is rather cumbersome, but you could copy/paste the page onto a second page of the same document (use Control+Enter to insert a page break).

Graham Wager

Posted 2013-01-06T23:46:07.177

Reputation: 10 589

At least as cumbersome as manually duplexing it. This is a document that is only ever printed once before being changed. – Mark – 2013-01-07T01:56:08.083

If you have Adobe Professional (or equivalent PDF-related tools) you could print your Word document to a PDF document, and then use your PDF editor to make a new PDF by concatenating two copies of the one.

Scott

Posted 2013-01-06T23:46:07.177

Reputation: 17 653

That would be even harder than manually duplexing it... – Mark – 2013-01-07T01:55:20.470

Well, that’s relative –– it depends partly on how far the printer is from the computer (i.e., with your current practice, you make two trips; with mine, you make one). Also, my solution (and also @Graham’s) might be scriptable.

– Scott – 2013-01-07T02:06:12.743

Another solution: buy a robot to do the paper feeding for you. I believe that they don’t cost much more than a car. :-) – Scott – 2013-01-07T02:07:14.943

Now THAT is a solution I like :) – Mark – 2013-01-07T05:27:09.503

The following works for me (at least as far as print preview!):

Sub Macro1()
  Selection.WholeStory
  Selection.Copy
  ActiveWindow.ActivePane.VerticalPercentScrolled = 0
  Selection.PasteAndFormat (wdPasteDefault)
  Selection.Paste
  Selection.TypeBackspace
End Sub

to produce the result below from the the left half below:

SU529084 example

Might combine this with interception of the print command for this document (see @Adam's code for that).

But maybe should 'add delete last page' at the beginning, or this could grow and grow!

pnuts

Posted 2013-01-06T23:46:07.177

Reputation: 5 716

I think Print&Share has everything you need for this. Configure it once in a profile and use it always when you need it.

Here is an example that gets you started on how to triplicate. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ja7PLjXTAHw&list=PLDF2C2AD95B2B2FC2&index=9
If you just insert a document (or the same document) on the even side by using the [Insert Pages] button, you are ready.

juFo

Posted 2013-01-06T23:46:07.177

Reputation: 318