Page Layout and Typography
- Align Command
- The align command is used to adjust the position of two or
more elements in relation to each other. Elements can be aligned
along any edge (top, bottom, left, right) or on their horizontal
or vertical centers.
- Color Palette
- A list of colors to be used in a particular publication. Once
defined from a master list of all colors a color appears on the
color palette so that it may be easily used to color elements of
the publication.
- Control Palette
- A palette within Adobe PageMaker that gives the user rapid
control over the size and position of elements in a publication.
- Cropping a Graphic
- The act of hiding unwanted detail around the edge of a
picture. Cropping with page layout software (as opposed to
cropping the actual picture in the image editing software) is not
recommended since the cropped detail is still part of the layout
and is still Ripped by the output device. Using oversized pictures
and cropping them can lead to long output times.
- Em
- An em is a typographers unit of measurement that is
proportioned to the width of a capital letter "M." It will vary
from font to font and will also vary with the point size of the
font.
- En
- An en is a typographers unit of measurement that is
proportioned to the width of a capital letter "N." It will vary
from font to font and will also vary with the point size of the
font.
- En Dash or Em Dash
- A dash (hyphen) that will have its width equal to either the
width of a capital letter "N" or "M."
- En Space or Em Space
- A space (between words) that will have its width equal to
either the width of a capital letter "N" or "M."
- Facing Pages
- A term that means the software will display reader spreads to
the user as a pair of pages viewed side by side. This allows the
user to layout pages with elements crossing over the gutter. (A
crossover)
- Fixed Space
- A special type of space used between words that will insure
there will be no line breaks between those words. Often used when
it is desired for two words (like the company name Binary
Graphics) to never be split between two lines of body copy.
- Font Usage Command
- A function under the utility menu of Quark XPress that allows
the user to see what fonts have been used in the creation of a
particular layout. This function is valuable while preparing a
digital mechanical to be sent away for film output.
- Format Text
- A function available in all page layout software that allows
the user to change the font and point size of all copy elements.
Formatting text is an important part of the page layout process
and is where raw typed copy is given the proper typographic
appearance.
- Frame Based Page Layout
- A term to describe the function of the Quark XPress page
layout program. A frame is a box. The user must first position
boxes onto the page and then fill those boxes with text or
graphics.
- Get Picture Command
- A command within Quark XPress that allows the user to import a
graphic file into a picture frame.
- Get Text Command
- A command within Quark XPress that allows the user to import a
text file into a text frame.
- Hard Return
- A carriage return. This keystroke is what separates one
paragraph from another.
- Kerned Pairs
- Within a font, certain letter pairs are defined with special
Letter Spacing. For instance, in the word To, the lower case
letter o is set closer to the capital letter T. A font may have
hundreds of Kerned Pairs defined within it. Users with the right
software can edit them or expand the number of them within a given
font.
- Kerning
- A typographic term referring to making small manual
adjustments between two letters to achieve an enhanced visual
appearance. It is common to perform some kerning on headlines.
- Leading
- Leading is a typographic term referring to the vertical space
between two lines of copy. Leading is measured from the baseline
of one line of type up to the baseline of type above. Leading is
expressed in points.
- Letter Spacing
- Letter spacing is a typographic term referring to the relative
space between individual letters.
- Linking Graphics
- An important concept in page layout software that refers to
the fact that page layout files do not actually contain graphics
files within them. Even though the user positions graphics on the
pages of the page layout file, there is only a pointer stored
internally in the page layout file referring to the original hard
disk location where the graphics file resides. It is an important
note to make that while the user may see the graphic images on the
page layout file pages, it is necessary to send the original
graphic files along for film output.
- Links Command
- A command within Aldus PageMaker that allows the user to view
and manage the linked graphics within a document. Links have
various status'. They can be "OK", "missing", "modified". It is
important that all links be OK before sending the files away for
output. A status of missing (PageMaker uses a question mark
symbol) means that the page layout software cannot find the linked
graphic. A status of modified (PageMaker uses a diamond symbol)
means that the graphics file has been changed since placement in
the layout.
- Margin Guides
- Non-printing guide lines that appear in page layout software
at the dimensions specified by the user. Typically used to
identify body copy area, elements positioned both within and
outside of these guides will show in the hard copy.
- Margins
- Settings in page layout software used to identify the part of
the page to be used for body text.
- Master Page
- A feature found within page layout software that allows the
user to create quick consistent page layouts. Any printing element
or non-printing guide will appear on all pages of the document. It
is considered wise to position any repeating elements (like page
numbers) once on master pages instead of over and over again on
each individual page of the publication.
- Measurement Palette
- A palette within Quark XPress that gives the user rapid
control over the size and position of elements in a publication.
- Non-printing Guides
- A term for alignment aids within page layout software. These
ruler and margin guides are positioned by the user to facilitate a
layout where things line-up properly.
- Page Layout
- A term referring to the act of creating blank pages in page
layout software and positioning text and graphics elements onto
those pages. It is the equivalent of mechanical paste-up and is
what most people think of when they think of desktop publishing.
- Page Size
- A setting for a publication that affects the trim size of the
publication. The page size setting will determine the size of the
page and determines the placement of the automatic crop marks in
relation to the artwork on the pages. It is important to consult
with your printer about the exact page size necessary for a
particular publication.
- Paste Board
- A term used for the area around a page in a page layout
program. This area is, like a traditional drafting table,
available as a temporary holding area for elements to be used as
part of a page layout. It is important to remove any extra or
unwanted elements from the paste board before sending the page
layout away for output. Modern page layout software is said to use
a "paste board metaphor"
- Picture Box
- A common term for a frame within the Quark XPress page layout
program. A picture box is a holder for a picture. In use, the user
must first position a picture box on the page and then import a
picture into it. The image can be scaled within the and box can be
used to crop the picture or support a printing border around the
picture.
- Picture Usage Command
- A command within Quark XPress that allows the user to view and
manage the linked graphics within a document. Links have various
status'. They can be "OK", "missing", "modified". It is important
that all links be OK before sending the files away for output. A
status of missing means that the page layout software cannot find
the linked graphic. A status of modified means that the graphics
file has been changed since placement in the layout.
- Place Command
- An important command in Aldus PageMaker that is used to import
text and graphics files stored on the users hard disk. Once
placed, text can be formatted and graphics can be sized, cropped
and positioned.
- Plug-in
- (Originally called Additions and renamed by Adobe in PageMaker
6.0.) A term for additional software to expand the capabilities of
PageMaker. Plug-ins are available from Adobe and other sources to
perform many specialized tasks.
- Reader Spread
- A term used in page layout software to describe the pairing of
pages on the computer display. Pages are grouped in numerical
order as a reader would encounter them while reading: 2 paired
with 3, 4 paired with 5, etc. This is contrasted to printer
spreads which describe the pairings as they may occur on a
printing press before the binding of the book.
- Rotating a Graphic
- A function available within page layout software that allows
graphics to by oriented to any desired angle. This function should
be avoided for scanned images since it can compromise reproduction
quality and slow output times. If rotation of scanned images is
necessary, it should either be done with image editing software or
the image should be re-scanned at the desired rotational
orientation.
- Ruler Guides
- Alignment aids found in page layout software. These guides are
called ruler guides because they are pulled out of the display
rulers with the mouse and positioned on the layout page.
- Rulers
- Measurement aids found along two edges of the layout display
window. The rulers have a zero point that can be repositioned to
any point on the screen for convenient measurement.
- Scaling a Graphic
- A function available within page layout software that allows
graphics to by sized to any desired scale. This function should be
avoided for scanned graphics since it can compromise reproduction
quality. If scaling of scanned images is necessary, it should
either be done with image editing software or the image should be
re-scanned at the desired size.
- Soft Return
- Similar to a carriage return but different: Activated in page
layout software and in most word processors by holding the shift
key and then hitting return. This will create a break in the copy
forcing the keystrokes that follow to go to the next line but it
will NOT define a new paragraph. This is most often used when a
line break is desired but when proper formatting requires both
lines to be in one paragraph.
- Story
- A term for a set of copy that was imported into page layout
software as one file. The story may appear in one place in one
text block (PageMaker term) or in one text box (XPress term,) or
it may be "chained" across multiple boxes that may reside on
multiple pages of a document. A "story" is the largest piece of
text that can be "highlighted" (selected in preparation for
formatting) at one time. Stories must be highlighted individually.
- Style Sheet
- An important term for a productivity enhancing feature found
in page layout and word processing software. Used to speed text
formatting and assure more consistent text formatting in a
publication. The user can define a set of text formatting options
(font, point size, leading, spacing, etc.) and name that set of
formatting commands. Names such as "headline", "body copy",
"caption" indicate the anticipated uses. Once defined, a style
sheet can be applied to copy and that copy will instantly take on
all attributes of that style sheet. Additional productivity gains
are achieved since the user can redefine a style sheet after it
has been applied to copy and the copy can be instantly modified
throughout the publication. It takes just a moment to redefine a
caption style, for example and modify 200 captions.
- Text Block
- A term used in the PageMaker page layout program. A text block
is an element on a page containing headline or body copy. A text
block can be moved independently of any other text block on the
page and can be adjusted in width and depth to change the copy
flow. Text can be caused to flow from one text block to another
allowing a multi-column layout or allowing an article to begin in
the front, and continue in the back of a publication.
- Text Box
- A term used in the Quark XPress page layout program. A text
box is an element on a page containing headline or body copy. A
text box can be moved independently of any other text box on the
page and can be adjusted in width and depth to change the copy
flow. Text can be caused to flow from one text box to another
allowing a multi-column layout or allowing an article to begin in
the front, and continue in the back of a publication.
- Text Box Chaining Tool
- A tool in the Quark XPress page layout program. This tool is
used to allow copy to flow from one text box to another. See also
Text Box.
- Text Chain
- A term used in the PageMaker page layout program that refers
to the copy flow from one text block to another that may take
place.
- Text Wrap
- A term used in page layout software that refers to the way
lines of text can be shaped to follow the edge of a graphic.
- Tracking
- A typographic term that refers to letter spacing of a range of
text. Tracking adjustment will allow overall tightness or
looseness of copy to be quickly adjusted to help achieve a
particular visual effect or to help fit copy onto a page.
- XTension
- A term for additional software to expand the capabilities of
the Quark XPress page layout program. XTensions are available to
perform many specialized tasks from table of content generators
for a book to XTensions that enhance the color separation and
output capabilities of XPress.