Dictionary style layout in Frame

[Combs, Richard]

Tina Ricks wrote:
 
> I am laying out a print book with a reference section at the 
> end, which includes the transcripts of 12,000 sequentially 
> numbered PowerPoint slides (yes, that's 12,000, it will be 
> several hundred pages). I'd like to do a dictionary style layout.
> 
> I've got it in two columns, with running heads at the top of 
> each page like a dictionary, showing the first and last entry 
> on each page. Works great.
> 
> What I can't figure out is the dictionary style separator 
> between parts. I'd like to do a separator between each 1000 
> slides. I have two dictionaries and a thesaurus here that 
> show this. When I go from G to H in a dictionary, for 
> example, there is a horizontal separator across both columns 
> and a great big letter H, and then the H words start. I can't 
> do this with master pages, because the separator needs to 
> "flow" with the text. Does that make any sense? If this was 
> Word, I'd think of it like a floating section break. But it 
> needs to go across two columns. 

I'm confused. Are you arbitrarily going to put a separator every 1000
slides? Why? What purpose would that serve? 

Or are you going to separate alphabetically by title or whatever, like
the dictionary example you cite?

Either way, I'd share Art and Kenneth's concern about putting all 12,000
in one file, so you may want to consider some plan -- arbitrary, alpha,
or ... -- for dividing this monster up into multiple FM files. 

That said, I believe you should be able to do the horizontal separators
you describe with little trouble (admittedly, I'm speculating; I rarely
use multiple columns and never with the kind of separator you envision).


Presumably, all the pgf tags used for the slide text have Pagination
Format set to In Column. To hold your separator
letters/headings/whatever, you need a pgf format with Pagination Format
set to Across All Columns. Wherever you insert it into the flow, the
entries preceding it will flow across both columns above it, and the
entries that follow will flow across both columns below it. 

If you want a ruling line or some graphic above the
letter/heading/whatever pgf, use the Frame Above Pgf setting (Advanced
tab) to specify a graphic frame that you've created on a ref page and
put the appropriate line/whatever into. See the manual or help regarding
the frame above setting. 

HTH, and happy weekend!
Richard


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Richard G. Combs
Senior Technical Writer
Polycom, Inc.
richardDOTcombs AT polycomDOTcom
303-223-5111
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rgcombs AT gmailDOTcom
303-777-0436
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