Adding images to chapter pages.

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Level 1

8 points

Adding images to chapter pages.

Hi.

I asked this question in November, and it was partly successful.

I'm adding an image to a chapter page of a book. Now, with the section masters, it's a pain in the butt when the image copies to every page.

Viking OSX explained that I can go to the documents tab and select 'match previous section.' This didn't help. When I got to chapter two, the image copied to the rest of the pages again.

How can I get each section to start just at the chapter, and only the chapter page without having to create lots of sections?

It's getting annoying having to make many sections just to do something so basic, which makes it even more frustrating when the 'create new section' doesn't always allow 'starting with this one.'

Why make something so complicated to add just a single image? Wouldn't it be more practical to just add a 'copy to all' feature instead of having to find workarounds for a basic function?

Also, when I make a new section, it moves the beginning of the text to the first indent, even if it's the middle of a sentence. Is there a way I can turn this off?

Posted on Mar 23, 2021 6:13 AM

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Answer 1

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Author D Author

Level 1

8 points

Mar 23, 2021 7:16 PM in response to Barry

It’s for 5x8 with text covering the whole page too, as a novel is formatted.

Even opening a new file and selecting ‘convert to page layout,’ as I’ve seen in some tutorials, doesn’t help because I’m not pasting an entire page into a text box; that’s not how this kind of formatting is done.

I have to make each chapter page it’s own section, as Viking OSX said.

I was merely asking if there was an easier way that I hadn’t known about, as it takes a while having to adjust the sections to have the image cover the page and be behind text.

The team member at Apple confirmed this, too.

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Answer 2

Barry

Level 9

59,867 points

Mar 23, 2021 11:13 AM in response to Author D

Are you attempting to add the image to only the first page of the chapter, or
are you attempting to add that picture to all pages of the chapter except the first page of that chapter?

If it is the first, place the image on the page you want it, and DO NOT move it to the Section Master

If it is the second, you may have to place the text on the first page in a text box, fill the text box with the same colour as the page background, and place the box over (in front of) the image on each 'Chapter' page depending what controls are available in your Pages version (mine supports only hiding the headers on the first page of a section).

Regards,

Barry

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Answer 3

Barry

Level 9

59,867 points

Mar 23, 2021 1:00 PM in response to Author D

You can't put it behind the text in the Document body, but you can put your Chapter page text into a text box, which can be placed in front of the image.

The actual page is empty of text here. The text shown is in a text box (left transparent and with no (visible) borders, placed in front of the image.

Regards,

Barry

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Answer 4

Barry

Level 9

59,867 points

Mar 23, 2021 5:27 PM in response to Author D

"It’s to cover the entire page."

So use a bigger picture, with 'portrait' orientation.

Different photo, trimmed to match aspect ratio of a US Letter sized page.

Same text box with different fill colour set for "Chapter 1" and an added word in the Chapter name.

Regards,

Barry

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Answer 5

Mar 23, 2021 6:44 AM in response to Author D

If you are adding a section master image to each chapter, then each chapter must be its own section, and on the second page of each section, that is where you visit Documents > Section > [ ] Match previous section to gag section master images replicating on to the additional pages of that respective chapter section.

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Answer 6

Author D Author

Level 1

8 points

Mar 23, 2021 9:38 AM in response to VikingOSX

Hi. Thank you for your reply.

I already made the Chapter pages their own section each time, but didn't need to use 'Match previous section.' It's a huge pain and takes far too long to do something simple.

I've spoken to somebody at Apple, and they confirmed it's not a feature that's been well received.

Unless Apple make that feature a 'copy to all' button instead of doing it by default, I'll have to put up with it.

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Answer 7

Mar 23, 2021 11:54 AM in response to Author D

As presently implemented, the correct process for using section master images strictly on the first page of a Pages section has been explained. That is how Pages presently works, and neither Barry nor I can fix what you believe should be changed in the product design. You can provide direct feedback to the Pages product team from the Application menu.

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Answer 8

Author D Author

Level 1

8 points

Mar 23, 2021 8:10 PM in response to Author D

I should’ve mentioned that I’ve already done it many times, images can be put behind text (no text box) I was merely stating having to alter the sections was a pain and time consuming.

I use a separate program, compile to a document, then open in Pages.

It’s as if the book was written in Pages to begin with, like a regular Word document.

These books aren’t a standard US legal paper, or A4 size, but often 5x8 or 6x9 using facing pages. Drop caps is regularly used too.

The team member at Apple (whom I spoke with right after starting this thread) confirmed what I’ve already stated.

If I were to only have the chapter title and a head of on the page, then I wouldn’t have to do any of this, as I’m already aware of the text boxes that can be placed over an image. However, book formatting—for regular novels, anyway—isn’t done with text boxes.

Viking OSX have the explanation that fits this method of working to this style.

Thanks for your input.

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