iWork '09: The Missing Manual

Creating a Page-Layout Document

You’ve blocked out some rough layouts on paper, you’ve created an inventory of design elements, and you’ve gathered your raw materials. Hallelujah, you’re finally ready to start building your design in Pages. Start by creating a new page-layout document: Go to File → “New from Template Chooser” and select a template to use. Since you’re building a new document from scratch, the Blank Canvas page-layout template is a good place to start (you’ll find it in the Blank category under Page Layout in the Template Chooser).

Fine-Tuning Your Document Settings

Before taking this baby out for a spin, check your cockpit controls. Run through some of the basics of document setup to ensure that your end product comes out the way you want. What paper size will you print on? Will it be a vertical (portrait) or horizontal (landscape) layout? Will the document be folded, printed on both sides of the sheet, or bound? Is it going to require page numbers, sections, or a table of contents? Keep these requirements in mind as you make adjustments using Page Setup, the Document Inspector, and the Layout Inspector before you begin entering text and inserting pictures.

If you plan to share your Pages document electronically with others who don’t have Pages—by saving in Microsoft Word format and emailing, for example—you should be aware of some of the pitfalls you may encounter during the file translation process. See Chapter 9 to help prepare for the best possible transfer.

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