Master Pages

In Print sections, there are often elements that need to be repeated across pages, like headers, footers and logos. In addition, some elements should appear only on specific pages, such as only the first page, or the last page, or only on pages in-between. Examples are a different header on the first page, and a tear-off slip that shows up on the last page.

This is what Master Pages are used for. Master Pages can only be used in the Print context (see Print context).

Master Pages resemble Print sections, and they are edited in much the same way (see Editing a Master Page) but they contain a single page and do not have any text flow. Only one Master Page can be applied per page in printed output. Then a Print template is created, one master page is added to it automatically. You can add more Master Pages; see Adding a Master Page. Initially, the original Master Page will be applied to all pages, but different Master Pages can be applied to different pages; see Applying a Master Page to a page in a Print section.

Example

The following how-to demonstrates the use of Master Pages: Showing a Terms and Conditions on the back of the first page only.

Adding a Master Page

When a Print template is created, one master page is added to it automatically. Adding more Master Pages can be done as follows:

  • On the Resources pane, right-click the Master pages folder and click New Master Page.

  • Type a name for the master page.

  • Optionally, set the margin for the header and footer. See Adding a header and footer.

  • Click OK.

Initially, the master page that has been created together with the Print context will be applied to all pages in the Print section. After adding more Master Pages, different Master Pages can be applied to different pages; see Applying a Master Page to a page in a Print section.

Importing a Master Page

To import one or more Master Pages from another template, click File > Import Resources... in the menu. See: Import Resources dialog.

Editing a Master Page

Master Pages are edited just like sections, in the workspace. To open a Master Page, expand the Master pages folder on the Resources pane, and double-click the Master Page to open it.

The drop-downs at the top of the Workspace let you select a Section and a Media (front or back) that will serve as a background to your Master Page design.
screenshot MasterPage Editor
The blue box below the drop-downs shows which Master Page is being edited.

A Master Page can contain text, images and other elements (see Content elements), including variable data and dynamic images (see Personalizing content). All elements on a Master Page should have an absolute position or be inside an element that has an absolute position. It is good practice to position elements on a Master Page by placing them in a Positioned Box (see Content elements).

Keep in mind that a Master Page always remains a single page. Its content cannot overflow to a next page. Content that doesn't fit, will not be displayed.

Note: Editing the Master Page is optional. One Master Page must always exist in a Print template, but if you don't need it, you can leave it empty.

Adding a header and footer

Headers and footers are not designed as part of the contents of a Print section, but as part of a Master Page, which is then applied to a page in a print section.

To create a header and footer:

  1. First insert elements that form the header or footer, such as the company logo and address, on the Master Page; see Editing a Master Page.

  2. Next, define the margins for the header and footer. The margins for a header and footer are set in the Master Page properties. This does not change the content placement within the Master Page itself; in Master Pages, elements can go everywhere on the page. Instead, the header and footer of the Master Page limit the text flow on pages in the Print sections to which this Master Page is applied. Pages in a Print section that use this Master Page cannot display content in the space that is reserved by the Master Page for the header and footer, so that content in the Print section does not collide with the content of the header and footer. To set a margin for the header and/or footer:

    1. On the Resources pane, expand the Master pages folder, right-click the master page, and click Properties.

    2. Fill out the height of the header and/or the footer. The contents of a print section will not appear in the space reserved for the header and/or footer on the corresponding master page.

  3. Finally, apply the master page to a specific page in a print section. See Applying a Master Page to a page in a Print section.

Applying a Master Page to a page in a Print section

Every sheet in a Print section has a natural position: it can be the first, the last, one of the sheets in between ('middle'), or a single sheet. For each of these positions, you can set a different Master Page and Media (see Media). It can even have two master pages, if printing is done on both sides (called duplex printing).

To apply Master Pages to specific page positions in a Print section:

  1. On the Resources pane, expand the Print context; right-click the Print section, and click Sheet configuration.

  2. Optionally, check Duplex to enable content to be printed on the back of each sheet. Your printer must support duplex for this option to work. If Duplex is enabled, you can also check Tumble to duplex pages as in a calendar, and Facing pages to have the margins of the section switch alternately, so that pages are printed as if in a magazine or book.

  3. If the option Same for all positions is checked, the same Master Page will be applied to every page in the print section (and to both the front and the back side of the page if duplex printing is enabled). Uncheck this option.

  4. Decide which Master Page should be linked to which sheet (position): click the downward pointing arrow after Master Page Front and select a Master Page.
    If Duplex is enabled, you can also select a Master Page for the back of the sheet and consequently, check Omit Master Page Back in case of an empty back page to omit the specified Master Page on the last backside of a section if that page is empty. That page will then also be skipped from the page count unless the page numbers continue on the next section (see Configuring page numbers).
    Note that if the Omit empty back side for Last or Single sheet option (see General options) is checked as well, the empty backside will not appear in the output at all and will not be counted in any case.

  5. Optionally, decide which Media should be linked to each sheet.

  6. If output documents can be so long that they cannot fit in one envelope, you may check the Repeat sheet configuration option to have the sheet configuration repeat every n number of pages.

  7. Click OK to save the settings and close the dialog.

Note: Master Pages, Media and Duplex printing options can also be set in a Control Script (see Control Scripts and Control Script API). This is especially useful when you need identical sections with different settings.

Deleting a Master Page

To delete a Master Page, expand the Master pages folder on the Resources pane, right-click the master page, and click Delete.

Note that one Master Page as well as one Media must always exist in a Print template. Just leave it empty if you don't need it.