Desktop publishing

01. Introduction

02. Creating a publication 1

03. Creating a publication 2

04. Creating a publication 3

05. Inserting a picture 1

06. Inserting a picture 2

07. Inserting text

08. Resizing text/picture boxes

09. Moving text/picture boxes

10. Copying text/picture boxes

11. Cutting text/picture boxes

12. Pasting text/picture boxes

13. Using layout features

14. Layout – text boxes

15. Layout – pictures

16. Layout – tables

17. Layout – drawing

18. Layout – master pages

19. Layout – gridlines & guidelines

20. Printing a publication

01. Introduction

Desktop publishing (DTP) programs allow you to have more control over a page layout than when using a word processor.

Example DTP layout

02. Creating a publication 1

There are many different desktop publishing programs – for example, QuarkXPress, Adobe Pagemaker, Microsoft Publisher – and methods will vary from program to program. They all have the basic functions of allowing you to add text and pictures and arrange them on the page how you want. Most of them also include simple drawing tools for creating boxes and lines. Some of them allow you to add tables and some even allow you to add sound files and animation to create simple electronic presentations. Most of them also include a facility to save as HTML/as a web page.

To create a new publication/document

1. Launch your desktop publishing program (either by double-clicking on its shortcut icon on the desktop, or by clicking ‘Start’ on the Windows task bar and then selecting ‘Programs’ and then clicking on the name of your desktop publishing program).

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03. Creating a publication 2

2.

Some programs will open up with a blank page on screen and you can immediately begin adding text and pictures. Some programs open up to a wizard or catalogue, where you can choose various templates to start off with. If you select a blank page, then you will be able to start adding text and pictures. If you select one of the templates, then you will open up a page (or pages) that already contain text and possibly images and you can then move these round and change the text to suit your purposes. Some programs open up to a dialogue box where you can choose the size of page you want and also set up margins and columns. Some may also give you the option of choosing how many pages you want. When you have selected all the options you need, the first page will be displayed on screen and you can start adding text and images. continued

04. Creating a publication 3

3.	It is a good idea to save the file before you start adding any text or images. This way, you will not risk losing your work if the computer crashes or there is a power cut. You should also keep saving your work regularly as you add more text and images.

Look at the help pages or manual for your desktop publishing program to find out more about these functions.

You are now ready to start adding pictures and text to your publication/document.

05. Inserting a picture 1

In some desktop publishing programs, pictures (e.g. clip art, photographs, etc.) can only be inserted into a picture frame or box.

In others, when you insert a picture, the program automatically creates a picture box of the correct size to enclose the picture.

Check the help files or manual for your desktop publishing program to find out the correct steps for inserting pictures.

1. If necessary in your desktop publishing program, create a picture box/frame (by clicking on the ‘Picture’ or ‘Image’ button on the toolbar and then clicking and dragging on the page to draw the picture box/frame).

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06. Inserting a picture 2

2	Either: Select ‘File’ and then ‘Insert Picture’ or ‘Get Picture’ from the menu bar. Or: Select ‘Insert’ and then ‘Picture’ or ‘Image’ from the menu bar. (These instructions will vary between programs, so check the help files to find out the correct method for your program.)
3	Some programs may ask you to select a picture type (e.g. clip art, from file) before you can navigate to your picture. Others will go straight to a dialogue box for navigating. You may also need to select the file type of the picture (e.g. .bmp, .jpg, .gif) before you can select the picture. Make any necessary selections and then navigate to where your picture is stored and double-click on it.
4	Your picture should now appear within the picture box/frame and you can move it, resize it – or make other changes that are available in your desktop publishing program – as necessary.

07. Inserting text

In most desktop publishing programs you need to create a text box/frame before you can enter any text.

1. Create a text box/frame (by clicking on the ‘Text’ button – often shown by an ‘A’ or ‘T’ – on the toolbar and then clicking and dragging on the page to draw the text box/frame).
2. Click inside the box so that an insertion cursor appears (this usually looks like a capital letter ‘I’ or a flashing vertical line).
3. Either: Type your text in.
   Or: Insert text from a text file or word-processing file (by selecting ‘File’ and then ‘Insert Text’/‘Get Text’ from the menu bar or selecting ‘Insert’ and then ‘Text’/‘File’ from the menu bar – check the program’s help files to find out exactly how to do this in your desktop publishing program).
4. Your text will now be inside the text box and you can make any alterations (e.g. change the font style, size and colour) that you want to and that are possible in your desktop publishing program – check the help files of your program to find what changes you can make and how to do so.

08. Resizing text/picture boxes

In desktop publishing programs you can resize text and picture boxes/frames. If you find that your box/frame is not big enough to fit all of the text or picture, for example, then you can enlarge the box, or you might want to reduce the box/frame so that the text or picture fits exactly.

1. Click the box/frame to select it. Usually, some handles will appear at the corners and in the centre of each side of the box to show that the box has been selected. These may look like little black or white squares or sometimes triangles or arrows.

2. Click one of the handles and drag inwards (to reduce/squash the box/frame) or outwards (to enlarge/stretch the box/frame). With many programs, if you hold down the ‘Shift’ key at the same time as doing this, the box/frame will be resized in proportion, which means that the height and width will both be changed so that the contents do not look distorted (squashed or stretched). In some programs, simply dragging one of the corner handles has the same effect.

09. Moving text/picture boxes

Desktop publishing programs allow you to move text and picture boxes/frames around the page to create your own layout. For example, you can put the text and pictures on the page, then resize and move them around, trying out different layouts, until you have created the effect you want.

1. Click on the box you want to move. (You may need to click in a specific place, e.g. on the edge or at the centre of the box – check the help files of your program to find this out.)
2. Hold down the mouse button and drag the box to where you want it.
3. Release the mouse button.

Some desktop publishing programs also allow you to use the cursor keys (on the keyboard) to move boxes a tiny bit at a time.

1. Click on the box you want to move to select it.
2. Press the cursor keys (up, left, down and right arrows) on the keyboard to move the box a little bit in the direction you want until it is in the correct place.

10. Copying text/picture boxes

Desktop publishing programs allow you to copy text and picture boxes/frames so that you can paste them on another page or in another place on the same page.

To copy a box/frame:

1. Click on the box you want to copy to select it.

2. Either:
   Hold down the ‘Ctrl’ key at the bottom left of your keyboard. Keeping it pressed down, press the ‘C’ key.
   Or:
   a) Select ‘Edit’ from the menu bar.
   b) Select ‘Copy’ from the drop-down menu.

3. Your box has been copied to the ‘Clipboard’ and you can now paste it somewhere else.

11. Cutting text/picture boxes

Desktop publishing programs allow you to cut text and picture boxes/frames. This deletes the box and then allows you to paste it on another page or in another place on the same page.

To cut a box/frame:

1. Click on the box you want to cut to select it.

2. Either:
   Hold down the ‘Ctrl’ key at the bottom left of your keyboard. Keeping it pressed down, press the ‘X’ key.
   Or:
   a) Select ‘Edit’ from the menu bar.
   b) Select ‘Cut’ from the drop-down menu.

3. Your box has been deleted from the page and copied to the ‘Clipboard’ and you can now paste it somewhere else.

12. Pasting text/picture boxes

Desktop publishing programs allow you to paste text and picture boxes/frames. You will need to have previously copied or cut a text/picture box in order to paste it.

To paste a box/frame:

1. Move the cursor to where you want the box to appear.
2. Click the mouse.
3. Either:
   Hold down the ‘Ctrl’ key at the bottom left of your keyboard. Keeping it pressed down, press the ‘V’ key.
   Or:
   a) Select ‘Edit’ from the menu bar.
   b) Select ‘Paste’ from the drop-down menu.
4. Your box will then appear in the place where you have selected. (In some desktop publishing programs you cannot specify where a box will be pasted: it will appear in the same place regardless of where you click, so you will then have to move it to where you want it.)

13. Using layout features

There are many layout features available to you in a desktop publishing program.

Using templates

Many desktop publishing programs, such as Microsoft Publisher, automatically show you a selection of templates every time you launch the program or create a new publication/document. These templates already contain layout features that you can change to suit your needs. You should choose a template that is similar to the layout style you want to use. Use the ‘wizard’ and then change the finished template to suit your own requirements.

14. Layout — text boxes

You can use text boxes on your page to create interesting layouts. Experiment with the various tools – for example, changing font style, colours, borders and alignment.

15. Layout — pictures

You can place pictures on your page to create attractive layouts. These pictures might be essential to your document (e.g. graphs and charts or other images that provide information) or they might be just for decorative purposes (e.g. decorative borders, background images).

Many desktop publishing programs have special tools for using with pictures. In most programs, you can access these tools when a picture box is selected, either throught the menu bar, through special toolbars or by clicking the right mouse button. Examples of tools that may be available for using with pictures include text wrapping, adding coloured borders and changing the colour, brightness and contrast of pictures.

Look at the help files or manual for your desktop publishing program to find out what tools are available for using with pictures and how to use them.

16. Layout — tables

Some desktop publishing programs, for example, Microsoft Publisher, allow you to add tables to your page.

Tables are useful for displaying certain types of information, such as timetables and price lists.

You can also use tables with invisible borders to help you arrange your text and images neatly on the page.

They are also very helpful if you are saving a page as a web page, as they can give you a lot of control over the way the web page will appear on screen.

Look at the help pages or manual for your desktop publishing program to find out whether it allows you to add tables and how to go about doing so.

17. Layout — drawing

All desktop publishing programs contain basic drawing features that allow you to add lines and shapes to your publication. You can use these features when you are creating the layout of your document.

Some programs will even allow you to convert different shapes into text boxes, to create interesting effects with text. These could be useful, for example, when creating shape poems.

Help
Look at the help files or manual for your desktop publishing program to find out more about using the drawing tools that are available and to find out whether you can convert shapes into text boxes.

18. Layout — master pages

Most desktop publishing programs allow you to create master pages (these might also be called backgrounds or possibly layers). You use master pages to put elements on that you want to appear on each page of your document. They can include all the same things as ordinary pages (e.g. text, pictures, boxes and other shapes).

Master pages are useful if you are creating a multi-page document, where you have text or other elements that you want to appear on every page. For example, you might write a story where you want your name and the title of the story to appear on every page, or you might write up some research you did about the environment and want the title of your document as well as a small picture of the world to appear on every page.

It is much easier to put these elements on the master page than to copy and paste them onto every page and then try to position them in exactly the same place.

Look at the help pages or manual for your desktop publishing program to find out how to use master pages.

19. Layout gridlines & guidelines

Most desktop publishing programs allow you to place guidelines on the page to help you align the different elements in your documents. Some programs also have automatic gridlines (with lines set at specific intervals, such as every 1 cm) that you can choose to display. These guidelines and gridlines do not print out on the finished document, but are used on screen to help you line things up.

Sometimes you can only set up guidelines/gridlines for the whole document (and you may do this on the master page). In other programs you can also drag individual guidelines onto the page as and when you need them.

If you make use of the gridlines and/or guidelines, then you will be able to produce a more professional-looking document (because your work will look neater – just like using a ruler when producing handwritten work).

20. Printing a publication

These instructions will work for most desktop publishing programs. However, to be certain, you should check the help files or manual for your program.

1. Make sure your printer is switched on and connected.

2. Make sure you have saved your work before printing.

3. Select ‘File’ from the menu bar.

4. Select ‘Print’ from the drop-down menu.

5. Follow the on-screen instructions for your printer.