Templates in Quark 6.5

[Patricia Gibson]

Does anyone out there know if there is a way in Quark 6.5 to create a master file with master pages but also various ready-made page configurations to choose from in addition? A sort of second layer of templating?

We used to deal with one master file, but someone convinced the person that produces our daily ad layouts that she needed files already set up (two 10-page sections, for example, or four 8-page sections) and master pages already placed (World & Nation, Sports, Local, for example) because it would save her time.

The result has been that we can no longer simply make a change to a master file and be done with it. She has to go through her 8 different configuration files — which only she has access to — and make the change to each one. (Which I maintain saves her no time in the long run.)

So I'm not aware of this option in Quark master files, but I was hoping someone out there might have figured out a way to do such a thing.

[Rob Beer]

Yes, there is a way. Basically when you call up your "F4" window, you have two sets of pages in your page layout window. The top half can be customized while your bottom pages are the normal set-up masters. If you create a custom page, you can drag and drop the top to the bottom half and that should solve it. Feel free to contact me if this still puzzles you.

[Grant Hamilton]

Incredible! I had never really played around with multiple master pages, but it works like a charm.

Thanks for this very useful tip. It will be a real time-saver (once I find the time to re-do all my masters and some of my library pages).

Just wanted to point out for future readers that, for me at least, it's not an F4 window, but F10. At any rate, it's under Window > Show Page Layout

[Evan Hill]

That's a great idea Rob. We recently switched to DTI for our backend which prevents us from using the master pages. I've had to keep all the page templates in a library which is a little less precise and a little more cumbersome than the master pages. I keep praying for our InDesign switch to come early.