Formatting master pages

When you generate or preview a layout, border and shading properties of the master pages override border and shading properties of topics. If the properties do not conflict, they are applied independently. For example, if you set border properties for a master page, and background color for a topic, the final output topic has both applied to it.

Edit a master page

1)Do one of the following:

•Right-click a master page in the Output Setup pod and select Edit.

•Double click a Master Page in the Output Setup pod.

2)Make the desired changes.

Change the CSS associated with a master page

1)Right-click in a master page and select Properties.

2)Click the Appearance tab.

3)Select a style sheet from the list of style sheets available in a project.

4)Click OK.

note: Select the Used In tab in the Master Page Properties dialog box to see a report of the topics associated with the master page.

Insert a placeholder

You can insert placeholders for topic TOCs, breadcrumbs, and topics in master pages. By default, a body placeholder is inserted in a new master page.

1)Place the cursor below or after the body placeholder.

2)Select Insert > Page Design > Topic TOC or Breadcrumbs.

note: You cannot insert a placeholder inside a paragraph as inline text or in headers or footers.

Format and edit placeholders

You can format styles in placeholders using the Format Placeholders option from the context menu. Open a master page in Design view and do one of the following:

•Right-click a placeholder. Select Format Placeholder.

•Select a placeholder and click the Format Placeholder button in the Design Editor toolbar.

•Double-click in the placeholder.

Notes:

•If a body placeholder is deleted from the master page or does not appear, the resultant topic has its headers appear first (if at all), followed by the HTML content of the master page, the topic content, and the footer (if present).

•You cannot apply DHTML effects on the placeholders. The content inside the body placeholder is normal HTML content, so you can apply DHTML effects to it.

•You can preview the master pages to see how the placeholder content is displayed in the final output. If the associated master page has topic TOC and breadcrumbs placeholders, the topic TOC and breadcrumbs are generated at the time of preview or layout generation.