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aplaceintime
aplaceintime
Participating Frequently
August 18, 2016
Question

Different Column Widths (Template)

  • August 18, 2016
  • 1 reply
  • 1472 views

Hello,

I am trying to setup a template where the first page is in a 2 column format but the columns are a different width (Left -> 18 pica / Right -> 16 Pica).

When I try to do this in Format -> Page Layout -> Column Layout it moves the left margin in instead of changing the left columns width.

Does anyone know how I can achieve the layout I need?

Thank you for your help!

Framemaker 13.0.1

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1 reply

Barb Binder
Community Expert
Barb BinderCommunity Expert
Community Expert
August 19, 2016

In Format > Page Layout > Column Layout, when you specify the number of columns, FrameMaker divides the template frame into equal columns. That can't be changed. To get the look you are after:

  1. View > Master pages
  2. Select the left template frame with the Object Selection tool
  3. Use Graphics > Object Properties to set the width to 18 pc
  4. Alt drag the frame to the right: make sure the template frame is set to Flow A (or your primary flow tag)
  5. This message confirms that the duplicate frame is connected to the first one. Click OK.
  6. Set up the width (16 pc) and position (same top offset) with Graphics > Object Properties.
  7. Still using the Object Selection tool, select the template frame on the right page and delete it.
  8. Copy the two frames from the left page, click on the right page and Edit > Paste
  9. Confirm positions and width with Graphics > Object Properties.
  10. View > Body Pages and test the flow.
~Barb at Rocky Mountain Training
Bob_Niland
Community Expert
Bob_NilandCommunity Expert
Community Expert
August 19, 2016

10. View > Body Pages and test the flow.

Indeed. Anyone using this work-around needs to realize that you have to start with a single-column layout, and that FM thinks the resulting connected-columns document is still single-column. Paragraph property Across-All-Columns, for example, won't work.

Before using the user-defined layout dodge, make sure that Side Heads won't do the job.

There are other hacks for unbalanced columns, but they are much uglier than Barb's.

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