Headers, footers, and other background text

Set up headers, footers and background text. Create and modify background text frames, Resize or move a background text frame in Adobe FrameMaker.

In this topic

Introduction

You set up headers and footers by displaying master pages and typing text in background text frames. The contents of background text frames appear on body pages, but you can only edit them on master pages. The headers and footers might include the page number, date, chapter number and title, section number and title, author, revision number, and draft release (such as preliminary and final).

Figure 1. Header and footer text frames on master page
Settingupheaderandfootertextinthemasterpage

You create and edit header and footer text as you do any other paragraph text. You can apply paragraph and character styles, add and move tab stops, and add graphics such as a line above or below the text. In addition, you can add system variables for information such as the page number or the current date, and you can change the size and placement of the header and footer text frames. When you modify these text frames on a master page, FrameMaker automatically updates any body pages that use that master page.

You can also add other background text on master pages.

Creating and modifying background text frames

When you create a new, blank document, FrameMaker creates background text frames for headers and footers on the left and right master pages. To make it easy to add centered and right-aligned information in headers and footers, FrameMaker automatically adds center and right tab stops at the center of the text frame and at the right margin. You can draw background text frames for additional header and footer information or for other background text.

Note: You can create single lines of background text by using the Text Line tool, but you can’t apply paragraph styles to the text or insert variables in it.

To add a background text frame on a master page do the following:

  1. Draw the text frame by using the Text Frame tool.

  2. In the Add New Text Frame dialog box, click Background Text and click Add. The new text frame, like all text frames for background text on master pages, is untagged.

  3. Double-click in the text frame to place the insertion point, and then insert the header, footer, or other background text.

To resize or move a background text frame to the following:

  1. Select the text frame by ctrl-clicking the text frame.

  2. Do any of the following:

    • To resize the text frame, drag a handle.

    • To move the text frame, drag its border (not a handle).