Creating a Design Page

WYSIWYG and Compile Methods

There are two ways of writing on your PC – WYSIWYG and Compile methods.

WYSIWYG method

In this method, the current look of your writing on the screen is same as the printed material. It is very easy to control the overall styles such as fonts and font colors, and the layout such as the location of a specific element on the page and etc. Word processors such as MS word and Apple Page, or Desktop Publishing Tool such as Adobe Indesign/Framemaker and QuarkXPress are such examples.

Compile method

In this method, less attention is paid to how it will look while the author is writing it. Instead, after preparing the contents that meets the structural rules, user will build it to obtain deliverables. Document Typesetting Systems that support LaTeX, DocBook, and DITA are such examples.

Each of these two methods has its own advantages and disadvantages. Depending on the type of document and the situation, a user may select one or the other. In terms of utilization, the WYSIWYG method is better when there is a small number of authors who write a short document whereas the compile method is better when there are many writes who write relatively long document.

By using the WYSIWYG method, you can create a variety of documents. On the contrary, using the compile method, it is very hard to create a complex document with beautiful styles and layouts.

Creating a Copyright or Dedication Page

3Rabbitz Book has adopted the compile method. By the way, when you write a book, very often, you will run into a situation where you have to place specific contents in a specific location. They are mostly contents inserted in to the front matter rather than the text. For instance, the copyright or dedication pages are such examples.

Copyright Page

This page presents the basic book information and the information on the copyrights and the publishing rights and usually it is located on page ii.

Dedication

This page presents an author or publisher’s dedications to others and usually it is located on page v.

To resolve this problem, 3Rabbitz Book provides the Design Page function.

You can add design pages in the following order.

  1. In your editor, open up a chapter where you want to add a design page.

  2. Using the upper toolbar, move an object() to the location where you want to add a design page.

  3. Select “Design Page” as an object type.

  4. If necessary, enter the description in the “description” field to specify the purpose of design page.

  5. Save the element.

  6. After saving it, click on the <Edit> link to launch a new window where you can compose the design page.

If you have not build a PDF version of the book you are working on, then before the design editing screen appears, another screen will appear where you can select your own PDF Page Layout.

Choosing a PDF Page Layout

For more details on how to edit your design page, refer to PDF Page Layout. Except for selecting a page size and type, the same methods for use will be used.

Creating Half Title Pages

By using a design page, you can enhance the Half Title page as well as the copyright and dedication pages compared to as they are set in the PDF Page Layout.

  1. In your editor, open up the Title chapter.

  2. Delete the layout page(Half Title Page) element.

  3. After adding the design page to the location, edit the content.

Title Chapter

The same method can be used to enhance the look of your “Title” page.

If you want to use the original Half Title page that the PDF Page Layout provides, then proceed as follows.

  1. In your editor, open up the “Title” chapter.

  2. Delete the design page element used for organizing the “Half Title” page.

  3. Add an object at the beginning of your document.

  4. Select “Layout Page” as an object type.

  5. Select “Half Title Page” as the layout page.

  6. Save the element.

Cautions

You need to pay attention to the following issues, when creating a design page.