SPC - School Publications Company

1.888.543.1000
This PDF file contains the SPC Newspaper Layout information. For best viewing, maximize this window
so it encompasses the entire screen. Next set the view properties of Adobe Acrobat to view the entire
page; click View near the top of this window, then Fit Page or Fit In Window from the drop down menu.
You can then hit the Page Up and Page Down keys on your keyboard to scroll through this document.
Rev. 1.4
2
Table of Contents
Meet Your Tech Rep........................................ 3
Introduction ..................................................... 4
Getting Started ................................................ 5
Fonts ............................................................... 6
Master Pages ............................................... 7-8
Styles .............................................................. 9
Creating A Style ............................................ 10
Placing Photos .............................................. 11
Taking Your Pictures...................................... 12
Tinted Boxes ................................................. 13
Dos And Donts ............................................ 14
Double Truck Centerfold............................... 15
Calculating Your Centerfold........................... 16
3
Meet Your Tech Rep
If you have a question or problem connecting to our Bulletin Board
... would like tips regarding the Internet ... have a page layout or photo
editing problem ... a question about the program you're using ... or just
need some helpful advice, don't hesitate to call.
Jenn has been with SPC for over a decade and is familiar with
our entire system. She is very versed in both page layout and photo
editing programs and can help you with nearly any problem that arises.
Jenn and our staff are ready to get you going and are certain that,
together with your staff, we can make this year's newspaper the best
that your school has ever published. Jenn and our staff are trained to
assist you in every phase of newspaper production. Our motto is "You
Can't Go Wrong ... We Won't Let You", and our intention is to make
your job easier and your newspaper better.
Toll FreeTelephone 888.543.1000 email [email protected]
fax 800.336.6996 www.SchoolPub.com
Jenn G.
4
Introduction
Thank you for choosing SPC to publish your school newspaper. By utilizing PageMaker to layout your
pages and our internet Bulletin Board to send your documents, you are using the easiest, fastest, most
modern way to publish your school newspaper.
This manuscript is written for the PageMaker program, however it is not designed to teach you how to
use the program; there are many books, tapes, and tutorials to cover that task. The intent of this
manuscript is to help you prepare your PageMaker document efficiently and in such a way that it will work
properly with SPCs system.
If you are using another program to layout your pages such as Quark Xpress or Microsoft Publisher,
this manuscript still serves as an excellent reference for your document preparation. Although the actual
steps and dialog boxes may vary, all other technical information and instruction will still hold true. If you
are not certain whether your program is compatible, call our toll free phone or send an email and our staff
will gladly assist you.
Once you have completed your document, there are several ways to send it to SPC. We have our
own Bulletin Board (BBS) which is online 24 hours a day, seven days a week; this is the fastest, most
efficient way to send your files. If you are unable to connect to the BBS you can send your document on a
floppy diskette, ZIP disk, Syquest drive, or as an attachment to an email.
Again, this manuscript was written to help you. While it may answer many questions, it is certain to
raise a few more. As part of the SPC family, you are invited to ask all the questions you like. Call or email
as often as you like and we will get you going.
This document is constantly changing as new questions are answered. While SPC does update this
printed copy on a regular basis, the latest changes can always be found at our web site.
5
Getting Started
There are several ways to get started with your PageMaker document.
The quickest, easiest, and safest is to begin with one of SPCs Newspaper
Templates. You can download one of these templates from our web page
and use it as a starting point. If you cannot download files from the internet,
call or send an email and we will send the template you need.
You can also open the last issue of your school newspaper, delete all
articles and photos not needed, and save it with a new name; you MUST be
certain that it is formatted correctly or you run the risk of delays and extra
charges. Below I have listed the proper formatting for your document.
Page Size: SPC supports the two most common page sizes used in
publishing school papers: newsletter size (8 1/2 x 11) and tabloid (11 x 17).
Both sizes are standard in PageMaker. If you desire a different size, contact our office to see if your size is
compatible and if extra charges occur.
NOTE: SPCs maximum page size is tabloid (11 x 17). Any pages larger than this will be reduced to
fit, and an additional cost will occur.
To set your page size click File > Document Setup and choose tabloid or letter from the list. If you are
going to use a different size, choose custom and enter the width and length for your page setup.
Margins: An even margin around your pages will give your paper a clean professional appearance. I
suggest you set all margins to 1/2 inch. Setting your margins to less than 1/2 inch may result in improper
printing of your pages and extra costs. To set your margins, click File > Document Setup - and enter the
values for your margins.
I also suggest you set you document for Double-sided and Facing pages by clicking in the appropriate
boxes in the Document Setup dialog box.
6
Fonts
SPC has a vast library of fonts available for both the windows and MacIntosh environment. However,
there are thousands of fonts available on the market from many different manufacturers, some of these
are compatible with SPCs system and some are not.
The most common problem we encounter with school newspapers is font compatibilities. To minimize
this problem, SPC has made fonts which are compatible with our system available to you via our web
page. We suggest you download and use these fonts to avoid conflicts, problems, and extra charges.
If you choose to use fonts other than those supplied by SPC, be certain to send a copy of each font
file along with your paper. Again, since many fonts are not compatible, the files you send may or may not
work and can cause delays and possible extra charges (see price list).
7
Master Pages
When you create your document, PageMaker displays small numbered icons of your pages at the
bottom left of your screen. You can click on any one of these numbered icons to quickly navigate
throughout your document. At the far left you will also see icons for the master pages, marked with an L
and R for left and right masters.
NOTE: If you see only an R your document is not set for double sided, facing pages.
Use these master pages for items that will automatically appear on all pages, such as page numbers,
ruling line across top of page, folio lines, etc. These master items can be turned off on individual pages in
your document if necessary. The master items you create will be automatically placed on each page in
the same position.
DO NOT PLACE ARTICLES AND PHOTOS ON THE MASTER PAGES. These must always be
placed on the individual pages.
The master templates available from SPCs web page come complete with folio lines and page
numbers. You must edit these folio lines for your paper. Click on the left or right master pages and edit
these folio lines the same way you would edit and format any other type in PageMaker. When you are
finished, your changes will automatically appear on every page.
Automatic Page Numbering: You can have PageMaker automatically place the correct page
number on each page for you. This has already been done if you started from our master pages. If you
are using an old issue or are starting from scratch, follow the directions below.
8
First go to your master pages and select the text tool. On one of the pages, click on the page and type
CTRL-SHIFT-3 (for Windows users) or COMMAND+OPTION+P (MAC users). This will place a LM or RM
on the page (LM on left page, RM on right page). This symbol represents your automatic page
numbering.
Next, format your automatic page number the same as you would format any other text (select the
font, size, etc.) and place it exactly where you want it to appear on each page. Once you have formatted
your page number, simply copy it and paste it to your other master page. Position this second page
number exactly where it should appear. You now have automatic page numbering on both the left and
right pages which are formatted identically the same.
Turning Off Master Items: Once youve created your master pages, the master items will appear on
each page automatically. There will be instances when you will not want these items to appear on one or
more pages (you certainly will not want a page number on page one!!) PageMaker allows you to easily
turn off your master items on individual pages.
To turn off the master items on a particular page, you must have that page displayed on your screen.
Simply click Layout > Display Master Items, and the master items are no longer displayed on that page. If
you later decide you want the master items to show on that page, simply clicking Layout > Display Master
Items again will turn them back on.
9
Styles
PageMaker has a powerful formatting tool that allows you to quickly format text and keep a uniform,
professional look throughout your paper; this tool is the style palette. We have found that many schools
are not using this powerful tool. Using a style palette for your document will not only make your paper
look better, it will make the layout of your articles much easier and faster. Let
me give you an example on how the style palette will make your life easier.
Suppose you want all the by-lines in your paper to be centered, 12 pt.
Arial bold, and have a thin rule above and below them. Rather than make all
these formatting changes to the by-line for every article, you would set a style
called by-line that contained all the proper formatting. Then you simply type
the by-line for a given article, click on the style, and your formatting is
automatically applied.
The SPC Newspaper Templates contain several useful styles. If you use
one of the templates to start your paper, you will have these styles available
to you. You then can edit them to suit your needs if necessary and make
additional styles as you see fit. Once you start using the style palette youll
never layout a document without it again.
If you do not see the style palette available to you, simply click Window >
Styles to display the style palette.
10
Creating A Style
This section was taken from the PageMaker help document.
PageMaker makes it easy to create and edit styles for your publication. Create new styles and edit
existing ones using the Edit Style dialog box, which you can open by clicking Type > Define Styles, and
then click New or Edit.
To define a new style from scratch: Choose Type > Define Styles - Click New - Select No Style for
Based On - Specify formatting as follows: Click Type to open the Type Specifications dialog box, and
then choose the attributes you want. Click Para to open the Paragraph Specifications dialog box, and
then choose the attributes you want. Click Tabs to open the Indents/Tabs dialog box, and then set up the
tabs and indents you want. Click Hyph to open the Hyphenation dialog box, and then define how the
paragraphs should hyphenate.
To define a new style based on an existing style: Choose Type > Define Styles - Click New -
Select a style with similar attributes for Based On - Specify formatting as follows: Click Type to open the
Type Specifications dialog box, and then choose the attributes you want. Click Para to open the
Paragraph Specifications dialog box, and then choose the attributes you want. Click Tabs to open the
Indents/Tabs dialog box, and then set up the tabs and indents you want. Click Hyph to open the
Hyphenation dialog box, and then define how the paragraphs should hyphenate.
To edit a previously defined style: Choose Type > Define Styles - Click Edit - Select the style you
want to edit and change the attributes to suit your needs.
11
Placing Photos
PageMaker allows you to use many different photo formats while placing photos on your pages. Many
of these formats are not compatible with SPCs system. USE ONLY TIF, JPEG or JPG photo formats for
all photos and artwork. Even though other formats will work with PageMaker, they will not print properly
with SPCs system. Using formats other than TIF, JPEG and JPG will cause DELAYS AND EXTRA
CHARGES. In extreme cases they may cause your paper not to print at all!!
If you have clipart or photos that you wish to use but they are in a different format, open them in your
photo editing software and save a copy of them in either the TIF, JPEG or JPG format.
We strongly suggest that you edit and crop your photos to their proper size and shape before placing
them into PageMaker to avoid distorting them. If you do resize in PageMaker, hold the shift key while
resizing to retain the proper height to width proportion. This will keep you from stretching or squashing
your subjects.
If PageMaker asks you if you would like to place a complete copy of your photo into your document
click on YES. If you click NO you will have to send SPC the original file for each photo placed.
SPECIAL NOTE TO MAC USERS: DO NOT use any images in the PICT format, as these will not
work with SPCs automated system. Although PageMaker will allow you to place PICT images on your
pages, using these images will cause delays and extra charges. Be extra careful of clip art that you
receive on disk, as these are often PICT images. Always convert these images to the TIF format, and
use the TIF image on your page.
12
Taking Better Pictures
Here are some helpful hints that will make the photos in your school newspaper look more
professional. I will not go into the technical aspects of how to properly prepare your photos for printing in
this section, but rather how to compose them so they will make a better presence on your pages. For
instruction and technical help on how to prepare your digital images for optimum printing, visit one of the
Correcting Scanned Images links found on our web page.
Make certain you crop subjects as closely as possible to remove any extraneous background. It is
better to crop closely when taking the picture, rather than when editing the picture.
When shooting portrait or group shots with a flash, dont position your subjects in front of windows,
glass, or other shiny backgrounds that will reflect the flash.
When shooting portraits, pick a neutral background for best
results. A busy background will detract from the subject of your
picture
When composing your pages make sure the space you leave
for your photos is the same shape as the photo, or cropped portion
of the photo. If the space is not the correct shape, you will have
extra white space in your layout, or you will have to distort the photo
to fit. For portraits, be certain to leave a square or vertically shaped
space. Leaving a space that is wider than it is tall will make your
pictures look less professional. Conversely when shooting group
shots, such as sports team photos, make sure you leave a
horizontal space on your page.
13
Tinted and Ruled Boxes
It is very common for schools to accent an article by placing it in a box with a black line around it, a
grey background behind it, or both. This is a relatively easy process, but there are a few guidelines to
follow to assure professional results. To adjust the tint and/or weight of the ruling line; first make sure you
have the box selected, then click Element > Fill and Stroke.
Tint Darkness - Perhaps the most typical mistake
made when using tinted boxes is making them too dark.
While they may not look too dark on your monitor, dark
tints make your stories hard to read. For best results
make your tints 10-20% black. Use the settings Fill =
Solid, color = Black, Tint = 10%. DO NOT use any of the
patterned fills that come with PageMaker.
Ruling Line Weight - When using rules around boxes
(either articles or photos), choose a thin rule for a more
professional look. Choose ruling line weights from 1/2 point to 2 points.
Boxing an Article - when placing a ruling line around an article, be certain the article is slightly
narrower than the box so the letters of your article do not touch the ruling lines.
14
DOs and DONTs
Layout
DONT leave items on the Pasteboard (the blank area around your pages) when you have finished layout.
Delete all extraneous items not placed on pages.
DO keep all items placed on pages inside your margins.
DO make all margins one half inch.
DONT place articles and photos on master pages.
DO set up your document for double sided, facing pages.
DONT use screen tints greater than 20% black.
Photos
DONT use formats other than TIF, JPG, JPEG.
DONT use color photos - convert to grayscale first.
DONT resize photos in Pagemaker without holding the shift key to restrain their proportion..
DO properly prepare your photos following SPCs guidelines.
Type
DONT use fonts other than those offered by SPC unless completely necessary.
DO send SPC a copy of all other fonts you may use.
DO set up a style sheet to easily format type and paragraphs.
Creating Double Truck
Many schools like to use the centerfold of their paper to display a central theme that goes across both
pages (including the margins in the middle). This is often called a double truck, and is only available
across the center two pages.
Creating a double truck is very easy with PageMaker. First make certain your document setup is
double-sided and facing pages. To do this, click File > Document Setup. Place a check mark in the
double-sided box, then another in the facing pages box, then click OK. Your document is now ready for
your double truck centerfold.
To create your centerfold, simply go the center pages of your document (see chart below). You will
notice they appear together, as do all other facing pages. You now simply place your stories and photos
on these pages as you want them to appear. Feel free to go across the margins in the center of the
pages, but not into the top, bottom, or outside margins.
If you print copies of your pages to your laser printer, chances are the material in the center gutter will
not print; not to worry. When SPC outputs your paper directly to film, all items placed properly on your
centerfold will print properly in your finished paper.
NOTE: If your paper has a total number of pages that is not divisible by 4; you can still have a double
truck; these papers have a single sheet with 2 pages inserted in the paper. If you wish to have a double
truck on these formats, you can insert the single sheet after the center, and leave the center free for your
double truck. You dont have to do anything special in PageMaker, other than selecting the 2 proper
pages for your centerfold. The only exception to this is a six page paper; you cannot have a double truck
with a six page paper. Use the chart below to determine which pages are available for a double truck for
your particular layout.
See Next Page for Double Truck Placement Chart
16
Total Pages Center Pages Single Sheet pages
4 2-3
6 none 3 & 4
8 4-5
10 4-5 7 & 8
12 6-7
14 6-7 9 & 10
16 8-9
18 8-9 11 & 12
Calculating Your Centerfold Pages
Total Pages Center Pages Single Sheet pages
20 10-11
22 10-11 13 & 14
24 12-13
26 12-13 15 & 16
28 14-15
30 14-15 17 & 18
32 16-17
34 16-17 19 & 20