Document Setup

When creating a document in PageMaker the Document Setup screen will appear first. This allows for selecting the page size, orientation, setting the margins, setting the number of pages and starting page number. Clicking on the Numbers button opens another window allowing the choice of how the pages will be numbered -- Arabic, upper or lower Roman numerals, or upper and lower alphabet letters. On the Document Setup screen there are options to select double-sided, facing pages, adjusting the layout and renumbering pages. Output resolutions of 72 to 4800 can be selected here as well as the printer that will be used. Whatever is selected here, can always be changed later if needed. Once the document setup is completed the master pages can then be setup.

Master Page(s) Setup

Located at the lower left-hand corner of your document screen are the icons for the master page(s) marked “R” or “L” or both depending on whether a single or double sided document is being setup. Next to the master page icon there is also a numbered icon for each page of the document. Clicking on the master page icon will bring it up on the screen.

Headers, Footers and Page Numbers

Headers, footers and page numbers can be set for single pages or double-sided facing pages. For instance, if a document is double-sided with facing pages, the name of the document could be placed on the top of the left side page and the writer’s name on the right. Page numbers could be positioned at the outside margins at the bottom with the date or filename of the document at the opposite side. A line or other graphical element could be added to separate the header and footer from the main text of the document. When placing repeating items on the master page be sure to put them above or below the margins for the document, and there should be some space also so that the header/footer are separate from the text. For facing pages, page numbers have to be set for each page -- Control/Shift/3 is the code for setting page numbers. They will show up on the master page as “LM” and/or “RM”. On the document the page numbers will show as the type of numbering chosen when setting up the document.

Setting Column Guides

If the document is going to have columns, here is where they would be setup. Select Layout at the top and then Column Guides from the drop down menu. This will open the Column Guides box where the number of columns and the amount of space between the columns can be set. The column guides will appear on the master page as well as the document pages. If columns are to be different widths, one narrower than the other(s), changing them can be done by using the Select tool and pointing it on the guideline of the column while holding the mouse button, and sliding the column guide back and forth to the desired width. This can also be done on individual pages, so if only the first page was to have uneven columns, change it on that page only, not on the master page(s).

After setting up your master page(s) you can preview by clicking on any page icon to view the page. If adjustments need to be made just click back to the master pages and make any changes that need to be made. There is the option to turn off the master page elements on individual pages within the document if needed. Once setup, remember to save the document. Sometimes one can get caught up working on their document that saving it periodically can slip their mind -- at least I know that happens to me!