Inserting image on preceding page...?

[brent.marsh]

Hi everyone, I hope you can help me.

I’m using Writer, and am using Master Document to assemble a book.

Each chapter in the book is a separate file. Each chapter title starts with the chapter name in Heading 1 and will start on the right (“recto”) page.

However, a few “chapters” are instead a piece of poetry that only takes up one page. The author (not me, I’m just editing and assembling) wants specific photos to accommodate the poetry on the OPPOSITE page.

That is to say, when you open the book to a poetry chapter, on the right is the chapter title and the poetry. On the left is the image that accompanies that photo.

I’m not sure how to do this. The previous chapter may end on the left or right page depending on its length. The new chapter will automatically start on the right page, so how can I insert an image and force it to be on the left page opposite the start of the designated chapter, and still allow the previous chapter to end where it should, automatically?

I realize that, if the previous chapter ends on the left page, then there would be a blank right page, followed by the image on the left page, followed by the start of the new chapter. I know this is unusual but it’s what the author wants.

If I insert before the poetry chapter a two-page file with page 1 blank and page 2 the image, and no text or “heading 1” to cue the page break, there’s a chance that if the previous chapter ends on the left page, I’ll now be stuck with two blank pages before the image.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[anon87010807]

I suppose that as you are working with a master document, you are comfortable with page styles. If so, it’s easy. You can use the Left and Right page styles for your purpose. Or you define new ones, called, let’s say, Poem, always on a right page, with next page style probably set as Default, and Picture, always on a left page, with next page style set to Poem. Then open a file starting with picture and poem. With the cursor on the first page, with the picture, assign the Picture page style. The Poem page style will automatically be assigned to the page with the poem, and after that the ‘normal’ page style will take over.
Important: You have to define the page styles in the master document with exactly the same names as in the sub documents. Then the definition of the page styles in the master document will overrule the definitions in the sub documents.

[brent.marsh]

Wow, that’s a great response! I will try this out and let you know. Thank you so much!

This is my first foray into master document and page styles so I will probably middle through this. But based on how you described it it sounds reasonable. Thank you so much!

[brent.marsh]

Thank you for the information. I understand (conceptually) what to do now, so I’ll give this a try.

Can you point me to a good resource for using/defining page styles with Master Document? In my first attempt, I’m able to modify some of the paragraph styles (body text, changing spacing) but others (Heading 1, adding 0.75" before and after text) doesn’t roll down to the other chapters (files) in the master document.

Also, I’m assuming I need to define page styles for the “preliminary matter” pages (title page, copyright, etc.) since there’ll be no page numbering on those, while the body of the book will have left and right (outside) page numbering?

And lastly, the table of contents. Do I add that as a separate file in the master document (if so, I can’t get it to update with the rest of the chapters/files) or is it somehow inserted directly into the master document?

so many questions. a resource would be very helpful!

[ajlittoz]

@brent.marsh

using/defining page styles with Master Document?

What is defined in the master document takes precedence over the definitions in the sub-docs. Consider formatting in the sub-docs as a convenience for the author. The important thing is the name of the styles and the absolute absence of direct formatting. Any direct formatting will propagate to the master and block the styles definition.

There are many warnings against direct formatting in ordinary documents but this warning becomes a strict interdiction whan you work with master + subs. DF makes the situation unmanageable.

When you finalise the book for publication, styles in the master are the one in effect.

To make things more predictable, it is easier to use the same style definitions in the master and subs. You can asset this through the use of a template.

@brent.marsh

I’m assuming I need to define page styles for the “preliminary matter” pages

Yes. Page styles are as important in a sophisticated document as paragraph and character styles for the text itself.

@brent.marsh

And lastly, the table of contents

Insert it in the master. You can’t generate it in a sub-document because the sub-doc has access only to itself and can’t see the other subs. Therefore it can’t scan the others to collect the outline.