PAGEMAKER Basics

Launch Pagemaker and open new document (File>New). Define page size, number of pages, margin widths, etc. in Document Setup dialog box. Select “Facing Pages” for newsletter.

Familiarize yourself with the Toolbox Palette (Help Topics>Toolbox Palette>Display), Control Palette, and the Pasteboard.

Set up master pages. Click master page icon (“LR” at bottom left of screen).

Select number of columns (Layout>Column Guides) and lock guides (View>Lock Guides).

Create continuous page numbers. Choose the Text tool (the letter “T” on the Toolbox) and click where you want the left hand page number. Press Ctrl+Shift+3. Do the same for the right master page. Highlight the markers and apply any desired formatting using the Type menu. Be sure to designate “align-right” for page numbers on the right side of a master page (Type>Alignment>Align Right) Drag “guides” out of the top and side rulers to help you line up the left and right page numbers.

Save your document. (File>Save) (Save to the hard drive on your computer. At the end of the session be sure to back it up on to one (or more) floppies.)

A sample newsletter page:

Set up document as above, specifying eight pages with a 3-column grid.

Make a nameplate. Choose Text tool. Click near the top left corner of the first page. Specify font, size, alignment, etc. (Type>Type Specs) or Control palette (Window>Show Control Palette). Type newsletter name.

Put a rule under it (Type>Paragraph>Rules). Specify position above or below paragraph (Rules>Options) and thickness of line.

Create a 2-column headline in right two columns. Drag out a text block by selecting the Text Tool. Then position the insertion point where you want the upper left hand corner of the text block. Drag the text block to the size you want (in this case two columns wide). Before clicking the mouse again, type your headline. Then, using Type specs or the Control Palette, format it the way you want.

Define a headline style. Highlight headline. Choose Define Styles on the Type menu. Give it a name. Now you can use this format again for headlines. Alternative: Use the Control Palette. Click ¶ box. Type in new style name and dialog box will ask if you want to add it.

Paste in some text. (This is one way to insert text from another application.) Open a document in a word processor. Highlight and copy desired text. Define a text block in Pagemaker (see above) and paste it in. A red arrow at the bottom of the block indicates that not all the text could fit. Click once on the arrow, define a text block on another page and click to insert. Take a moment to define a style for your body text.

Add jump line. (Utilities>Pagemaker Plug-ins>Add Cont’d Line). Then move to continued block and place the appropriate continuation line there. Consider defining a continuation line style.

Import an image. Choose “Place” from the File menu, locate the image file, and click OK. Position the Pointer (Tool Box) where you want the image to appear and click. Click the graphic anywhere but on a sizing handle and move into position. Use sizing handles to rescale. Hold down shift key while dragging a corner handle to resize proportionally. (Another way to import images is simply to copy and paste them. Some image sources, like Microsoft Word Clip Art, can only be imported this way.)