By grouping them together like this, QuarkXPress also lets you share content among these layouts. For example, the colors and fonts can be consistent across those layouts, and you can even use QuarkXPress’s Synchronization features to ensure that if you change, say, an address or phone number on one layout, that address or phone number changes on all of them. (See Chapter 7 for more on synchronization.)
Because of this fantastic capability, every project has at least one layout. Each layout has its own name (similar to how documents in other applications have their own names), and you can add new layouts to the open project by choosing Layout ⇒ New.
Creating a new project
To create a new project, follow these steps:
1. Click Project in the Create panel of the Welcome screen that appears when no projects are open, or choose File ⇒ New ⇒ Project.
Either way, the dialog box shown in Figure 1-2 appears.
2. Enter a name for your layout in the Layout Name field.
As explained previously, a project can have multiple layouts, and each layout can have a different name. At the moment, you’re entering a name for the first layout in your project.
3. In the Layout Type drop-down menu, select the type of layout you want.
If you intend to print the layout you design, choose Print. If you intend your layout to be viewed onscreen, perhaps as a fixed-layout e-book or reflowing e-book, an HTML5 publication, or an app, choose Digital. (If in doubt, choose Print – you can always convert it to Digital later, as explained in Chapter 17.)
4. Select the Single Layout Mode check box if you think you won’t be adding any further layouts to this project.
Selecting this check box hides the layout’s name (Layout 1) from the project, which simplifies filenames if you export your layout as a PDF or other digital document. As you learn in Chapter 17, when you export your layout to PDF or other formats, the new file is named Project_Layout, using the project and layout names you assigned to them. (The project name is the same as the name of your file when you save it.) When in Single Layout Mode, the name of the exported file is simply the project name, which is the name of the QuarkXPress file on your computer.
5. In the Page box, type a width and height for your layout or choose a preset size from the Size pop-up menu.
6. For Orientation, select a button indicating whether you want your page to be Portrait (tall) or Landscape (wide).
7. In the Page Count field, enter how many pages you think you’ll need.
Don’t worry: You can add and remove pages later.
8. If your layout will have left and right pages (as in a magazine), select the Facing Pages check box.
This setting enables you to have different margins and Master Pages for the left- and right-facing pages. If you know that your layout will require having odd page numbers (1, 3, 5, and so on) on the left-facing pages, select the Allow Odd Pages on Left check box. Normally, you keep this unselected.
9. If you want QuarkXPress to be able to add new pages automatically as your text grows (for example, in a long document), select the Automatic Text Box check box.
This setting places a text box within the margins of the Master pages and applies that text box to every page based on that Master page. (You can learn all about Master pages in Chapter 5.)
10. Set the Margin Guides as needed.
These special guides indicate the “live” area of your layout, where your main content will be (text, pictures, and so forth). Items such as your page numbers, headers, and footers will normally be in the Margin area, so be sure to leave room for them if you plan to use them.
11. If your layout will have several columns, enter the number of columns in the Columns field under Column Guides.
The Gutter Width field determines the space between the columns. QuarkXPress then does the math for you and places guides within the Margins on each page, as necessary for the number of columns and gutter width you entered. If you enabled the Automatic Text Box check box (see Step 9), the text box will have these columns as well; otherwise you need to set the number of columns for each text box manually.
12. Click OK to create your new layout with these specifications.
FIGURE 1-2: The New Project dialog box.
To close an open project, choose File ⇒ Close Window or click the red button in the title bar of its window. If you’ve made changes to the project, or it hasn’t yet been saved, the Save dialog box opens. In the Save As field, enter a name for your file along with a location to save it, and click Save to save and close your project.
Conversely, if you know you haven’t yet saved your project and want to continue working on it, you can choose File ⇒ Save to open the Save dialog box. Give your project a name, choose a location in which to store it, and click Save. Your project remains open, yet it’s safely saved on your computer.