Adobe® PageMaker® 7.0 includes a powerful Layers tool with countless applications—we’ll show you three in this tip: 1. Multiple versions 2. Quick arrangement of layers from top to bottom 3. Layered communication—”stick-on” notes

Create a document that you want to publish in multiple versions. Create multiple layers and assign each layer a descriptive name. Make a new layer by clicking the Stationary icon in the Layer palette, or by clicking the Options arrow and selecting the New Layer command.

Build your pages with all the art and master elements in place, using whichever version of the body copy is longer.

On the layer for the alternate version of your copy, flow in the text and adjust the text columns to fit.

When you’re ready to output the document, hide the layer with the alternate version of your text to output the first version; then hide the first version and output the second version.

Set the top-to-bottom arrangement of objects on a page. You can assign objects to layers and arrange the top-to-bottom arrangement with the Layers palette.

Create the layers you expect to use in the Layers palette. As you place objects on the page, they will be assigned to the currently selected layer. You can place the text on your “text” layer, and so forth. Move the layers as you like so that the top-to-bottom arrangement is correct by clicking and dragging the layers in the Layer palette.

This is much faster than sending each layer to the back of the page in the correct order.

 

Add nonprinting notes to your PageMaker documents. Create multiple layers and assign the content objects as described previously, including a layer called “notes.” (Hint: If you make a Paragraph Style for your note text and assign the note text the color “Registration,” your notes will print on every page when you print separations. Be sure to turn the “notes” layer off when you do the final printout.) As you review your publication, write your digital stick-on notes and assign them to the “notes” layer. If you set up a master element, such as a frame with a colorful border to outline the note, you can enable the Option arrow > Paste Remembers Layers command in the Layers palette. When you Copy and Paste the master note, the object will automatically be placed on the “notes” layer.