Headings across disconnected columns?

[gbergan52]

Hello,

I'm creating a newsletter template from scratch, and although I'm experienced with using Frame in autoconnect mode for manuals, etc., I'm new to newsletters and disconnected text frames. I have the basics of the template set up, but my client likes his major headings to go across all columns. Heading 1 has a heavy rule above it and it breaks up the articles into nice balanced chunks of information. Unfortunately, their article titles are LONG and they can wrap for several lines, which is unsightly.  I can't figure out a way to accomplish this with the disconnected text frames that are necessary in a newsletter. Going into the Para. Designer and choosing "Across All Columns" does nothing in this instance. Does anyone have a trick for me? Thanks in advance,

Gail

[Arnis_Gubins]

Keep in mind that text frames can be sub-divided into columns and that you can also make individual frames appear as columns as well as having those (manually) connected.

You might want to have a look through the older FM template series publications to get some more ideas, tips & tricks about newsletter layouts wih FM.

See this one for Newsletters:  http://www.adobe.com/support/downloads/detail.jsp?ftpID=268

[gbergan52]

I believe my situation is text frames that appear as 3 individual columns - and therein lies the problem. A bold rule above a Heading 1 stops short at the end of the first column, rather than going across all three. The tutorial I was following on the web said to avoid dividing text frames into columns (your first suggestion) because you wouldn't have the flexibility you need to control all the content. (This was not on an Adobe tutorial, but their Help file says basically the same thing.)

I will look at the link you suggested and see if I can find what I need. Thanks,

Gail

[Arnis_Gubins]

So why not just create a separate text frame for only the heading, that spans all three columns, and then connect it (flow wise) to the first column? There's always more than one way to do things in FM...

I was only illustrating behaviours that not everyone is clear on and made absolutely no suggestions. For a newsletter layout, you should use a background design grid and then create text frames as requried (size and shape) to hold your current content. You can then connect them (frames) up to flow your content from one page to which ever other page that you need it to end on (you could have many different pages in between before connecting the flows).

One tip for newsletters is to tag (name) your flows using an appropriate (abbreviation) term for each story.

[gbergan52]

Actually I had thought of that (the separate text frame just for the heading) but thought: "surely there's a more elegant way." But maybe not, it might be the simplest thing. To answer Matt, yes I usually use Frame for long technical docs and it's the layout program I'm most familiar with. I don't yet own InDesign but if I did, I would switch over to that for this project. I just don't do enough newsletters or similar projects right now to justify the expense.

Thanks guys,

Gail

[Matt S - Tech Comm Tools]

Few folks are more Rah-Rah FrameMaker than me, but I would absolutely 100% be looking at InDesign (which is used for major magazines and newspapers) for sophisticated, automated layout and typography.

FM rocks for structure, tech comm, referencing and numbering, but not for easy controllable layout features.

-Matt

@mattrsullivan