Using Pages As a Desktop Publisher

Good Morning,

I am trying to use Pages to create a variety of forms, and I need to have complete control over where different images and pieces of text appear on the page. What I am looking for is the ability to open a new Pages document and treat it like a blank canvas--placing items on the page without any constraints other than the margins. I have tried to do this by making images "floating" rather than "inline" but the text I add next to the image is difficult to arrange as I want.

Is this even possible in Pages, or do I need to be looking for a different kind of application?

Thanks in advance.

MacBook, Mac OS X (10.4.10)

Posted on Oct 1, 2009 7:39 AM

21 replies

KOENIG Yvan

Level 8

41,819 points

Oct 3, 2009 6:45 AM in response to PeterBreis0807

As far as I know, the response is always the same.

For a lot of users, Pages fit their needs.
For an other set of users, Pages doesn't fit their needs.

Resemble to the good old rule :

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Apple Human Interface Guidelines:
Apply the 80 Percent Solution
*During the design process, if you discover problems with your product design, you might consider applying the 80 percent solution‚ that is, designing your software to meet the needs of at least 80 percent of your users.* This type of design typically favors simpler, more elegant approaches to problems.
If you try to design for the 20 percent of your target audience who are power users, your design may not be usable by the other 80 percent of users. *Even though that smaller group of power users is likely to have good ideas for features, the majority of your user base may not think in the same way.* Involving a broad range of users in your design process can help you find the 80 percent solution.

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Yvan KOENIG (VALLAURIS, France) samedi 3 octobre 2009 15:45:24

Oct 3, 2009 8:01 AM in response to KOENIG Yvan

Guess for you that is the illusion you cling to.

P.

KOENIG Yvan

Level 8

41,819 points

Oct 3, 2009 8:30 AM in response to PeterBreis0807

I didn't bought illusions, I bought a package with a given set of features, no less no more !

I repeat that an editor is not guilty if customers are unable to read the delivered documents.

As far as I know, what may be said by a vendor has no legal value.
And as I already wrote _I never trust_ a vendor. I trust only printed or at least published material.

When I write and post a script, I assume that potential users are able to read the given explanations and are able to read resources delivered by Apple about the use of AppleScript.
If they aren't it's not my problem.

Yvan KOENIG (VALLAURIS, France) samedi 3 octobre 2009 17:27:47

Oct 4, 2009 4:39 AM in response to KOENIG Yvan

I bought a package with a given set of features, no less no more !

In parts of France it is possible to people interchange information using potsherds as medium, but in other countries it is more common to use portable and repurposable page descriptions. In Apple's case, Steven Jobs publically made promises on behalf of system level services for portable and repurposable page descriptions.

/hh

mattspence Author

Level 1

5 points

Oct 7, 2009 5:30 PM in response to mattspence

Sorry, I seem to have touched a raw nerve. I have found that Pages has worked for me, at least in the short term. Thanks for all of the help.

Oct 8, 2009 8:20 PM in response to Henrik Holmegaard

Henrik,

Yvan has cornered the market on potsherds, having an emotional and professional attachment to them. They are a "perfect soluce".

Peter

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Using Pages As a Desktop Publisher