I have a case where I want to layout a table, I have the text orienting how I want it, background colors and so forth are working for me. However, how do I maximize the table dimensions? There is a lot of wasted whitespace below the table, I want it to mirror the top of the card, if possible. I’ve tried different ways, but to no avail. Perhaps I am just overlooking that option.
Don’t design a sheet of business cards as a table.
Call File>New>Business Cards… which creates tiles of frames where the top-left frame is editable and the other frames are linked to the first.
To clarify a bit…the illustration above is a table WITHIN the source text frame… Perhaps that was not clear to begin with; if not, I apologize. I am trying to increase the table dimension to the edges of the frame, if possible. Horizontally and top is fine, but I am struggling to manage the bottom edge.
Okay, that’s fair advice “not to do”. I understand the cards are linked frames. So what alternatives do I have to tables? In order to achieve the sort of layout I want? I want to have at least two sections left and right, with text oriented bottom to top. May align “left or right” accordingly, in the text alignment. Beyond that, nothing that fancy in my estimation.
Not helpful. I am not talking about the card dimensions itself. These are fine, and align perfectly with the card stock. I am talking about layouts WITHIN THE CARD DIMENSIONS. Is that clearer?
Paragraph properties deal with indents, spacings and alignments.
Contrary to table cells, frames have their own spacings along the frame borders.
Again, the parent frame is there. I want to align the table edges to the frame and maximize the whitespace usage.
From the feedback I am receiving, I gather this is not possible. Or if it is, sure would like to learn how.
There are padding, wrap , height of table row, vertical alignment settings to consider
Please upload a small sample.
Just a test one for now. Table there, synced, etc.
25-01-13-avery_8371_8871_business_cards_front-sample.odt (11.9 KB)
I would never have guessed, that you have tables within frames. I’m out.
Thank you for the constructive advise.
If there is another way to do that than tables, I’m open to learning about it. Cheers thanks…
A typical Word document. Frames having tables and lots of hard formatting without using styles. I do not even understand how you tilt the text by 90°. I can’t find the setting in the character properties, paragraph properties, table properties nor frame properties. Disclaimer: I’m not very familiar with Writer (don’t even like it).
The text rotation thing, yeah, I did not want to even mention that, but I agree, it is another “not so obvious” feature if you are not aware of it, where to look, etc.
Re: Write likes dislikes etc, fair enough. Appreciate the effort at any rate.
In terms of the goal there, I just want to use the white space in the best way possible, while at the same time rotating the text, coloring one of the section backgrounds, along these lines.
[Optional - only if cutting paper by guillotine, not pre-perforated card]
A standard size for a business card is roughly 85 mm x 55 mm. It would make sense to set Frame 1 to that size and then Synchronise Labels.
- Click at the edge of the frame to select it, or in Navigator select Frame1
- Right click at the edge and select Properties > Position and Size. You could leave the Width as it is but change the height to 5.50 cm. OK and then click Synchronise Labels
[End of Optional]
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You want to set the Row height of the table now
- Click Esc to deselect the frame
- Click inside the table of the first frame then click Table > Size > Row height.
- In the dialogue that opens, set height to 4.6 cm and untick the box Fit to size.OK and then click Synchronise Labels. If you see artefacts in the other labels just scroll to the bottom of the screen and back.
To reiterate FOR THE DOZENTH TIME… the overall page layout IS CORRECT, set to the standard dimensions for the card stock. We are not talking about the overall page layout. There is nothing wrong with the page dimensions, it prints PERFECTLY on the page.
But rather to layout the master card and make the best possible use, top bottom left right margins, of the available white space.
Also taking into account, I’d like to divide the card roughly in half, and color one side, then offer names, titles, contact details on the other half.
See example attachment above.
And this doesn’t work? You might need to modify the height setting from what I suggested
[Edit]
To print the other side, you would need to create a copy of the successful document and then fill out out the back of the card in that, keeping in mind that you need to swap left to right. If you want to keep the Blue blocks opposite each other then it would need to be on the right side of the table for the verso side.
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The sheets would need to be printed all one side first, then reloaded and printed using the other document for the second time through the printer. Probably, both sides won’t register exactly due to slightly different paper paths but if there is a margin at the edge of the card, it shouldn’t be noticeable.
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