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I asked for the wrong question, like here. And I may not get a real possible answer.

Main problem: Should I say some answer was fine? I think sadly, not. I'm not sure to check on my answered question as ok because it seems that, unintentionally, I made a trick question: cause the answers are always going to be flawed.

That is, on the one hand, it's possible to get a scaled result as required, and it's also possible to not change the original pdf... However, on the other hand, to keep design proportions it'd be needed to eliminate too much white spaces in the margins (literally cutting with scissor/cutter the physical paper off). This was not intended as end result, but there was no awareness on my side that this w/could happen in the beginning.

Hence, if one wants an a6 paper printed in the end and asks how to add offset for a6 result (keeping proportions! Heck, we're in LaTeX here!) one of two bad things are bound to happen. Or either things get shrinked and out of proportion (yuck), or else the end result needs severe trimming (yikes) which was not contemplated before nor seems acceptable in the community either. How to give feedback on a paradox?

On another note, the post got some nice feedback that was and still is very useful to me. It's a topic that would do well if it can get some good canonical answers. This is why I didn't incline much to deleting the post.

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  • I'm not sure that 'the community' considers the trimming of the printed block not 'acceptable'. If they do, bollocks to the community ;). Surely this is an essential part of the process of book publication? Certainly as traditionally done, it is just a stage in the overall process. The paper always needs trimming because otherwise the edge of the book would be uneven. It could not possibly be otherwise.
    – cfr
    Commented Jun 19, 2016 at 3:42
  • I don't know what 'severe' trimming means. Maybe that's relevant. I assume it means a significant loss of paper. I can see why this would be objectionable on environmental grounds, perhaps cost grounds. But this site doesn't seem overly green or cost-conscious in other respects.
    – cfr
    Commented Jun 19, 2016 at 3:45
  • @cfr on trimming: if the page is scaled with 1 cm offset then the upper margin and lower have an excess of the same size. I've already printed and glued copies of my book by myself without need of cutting edges. Your tone is very friendly. Thanks much for that. Also I'd like to keep the a6 paper size cause it's awesome size for little poetry and stories book, as I've been doing :)
    – nilon
    Commented Jun 19, 2016 at 5:09
  • I just do some sanding to the inner side of the pages. While the outer section is blocked against a press. Perhaps there's another SE where I can share these book binding tricks?
    – nilon
    Commented Jun 19, 2016 at 5:15
  • I just meant: I can't see why it would be unacceptable generally. You might want to avoid it in particular cases, but that's different. Traditionally, books are sewn, of course, and you have to trim because the inner pages of a signature otherwise protrude further than the outer ones.
    – cfr
    Commented Jun 19, 2016 at 13:14
  • I'd like to \include only those files that do not \include themselves...
    – Seamus
    Commented Jun 19, 2016 at 14:50

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I would say fix your question based on the answers given such that they answer the right thing. So their effort don't get wasted. Then ask a new question with your additional specs and link back to it.

Then you would have the option to either answer your own question or have someone go at it. Maybe they'll have something else to say that would be more appropriate.

This is a vague social platform anyways. Come to chat or ask the answerers opinions via comments etc. Don't consider deletion that fast.

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  • just great! :) specially last point! Also, I tried to fix question until possible. So maybe just leave as is and check answer ok and then make other question perhaps
    – nilon
    Commented Jun 17, 2016 at 15:45

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