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How to layout a page in numbers 3.0 -- I can't edit in print view

How to layout a page in numbers 3.0 -- I can't edit in print view any more. I am using the new version and miss the show print view mode.

MacBook Pro, OS X Mavericks (10.9)

Posted on Oct 25, 2013 7:41 AM

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88 replies

Oct 25, 2013 8:38 AM in response to panaca

Eliminating the ability to edit in print view is a major step backward that erases a key advantage of Numbers over Excel – the ability to organize tables, charts and text within a page layout easily. I've tested this with a few complex files I created in Numbers '09, and it will take a huge amount of back and forth with the Print Preview to achieve what used to be accomplished with little effort.


I also noticed that Export did away with the option to create a pdf in print view. You now need to do this through the print dialogue box.


I hope this functionality is restored in Numbers 3.1.

Oct 25, 2013 8:45 AM in response to zabman600

I noticed that there are some gold guid lines that you can pull down vertically or pull left horizontally from the rulers. You might be able to approximate the page layout this way, but it is quite painful. I am one who chose to use Numbers instead of Excel primarily for Number's page layout features and beautiful page rendering of multiple complex objects. Now I must re-think my whole strategy..

Oct 25, 2013 3:33 PM in response to panaca

panaca wrote:


I noticed that there are some gold guid lines that you can pull down vertically or pull left horizontally from the rulers. You might be able to approximate the page layout this way, but it is quite painful. I am one who chose to use Numbers instead of Excel primarily for Number's page layout features and beautiful page rendering of multiple complex objects. Now I must re-think my whole strategy..


Tried it with the guides but it's not really helpful. You need to fiddle around, pull a new guied for every page break etc. And start all over with every document. No way. Otherwise I'm totally with you. Numbers' layout capabilities were the killer feature. Now it's just a tabbed spreadsheet webapp concept.

Oct 25, 2013 9:15 PM in response to panaca

I actually stumbled on to a solution for getting Page View in Numbers 3.0.


I ran my stock update using Applescript and it opens my Numbers file and it comes up in Page View. Closing the file and opening it in Numbers any other way returns the no page format. So, until this is fixed, I will continue to use my AppleScript to open any Numbers file.


Copy this script and paste it into an AppleScript Editor and run it:


(* AppleScript *)

tell application "Finder"

set myFile to (choose file with prompt "Choose Numbers File")

tell application "Numbers"

tell table 1 of sheet 1 of document 1

activate

open myFile

end tell

end tell

end tell

Oct 26, 2013 12:48 AM in response to panaca

I am very disappointed with this new number 3.0. For me, this is also a step backwards that you can not make ANY editing in the print view. I could not find a page view resp. indicated page border in the sheet layout, so if i make changes for the location of added tables for setting up a print, i have to guess the location compared to the page and switch all the time between the sheet view and print view. And additional, the print view is NOT EVEN IDENTICAL with my sheet view, or do i make something wrong or I missed something?

Oct 26, 2013 7:31 AM in response to Jerrold Green1

I too can't make this AppleScript work. I get that same error.


I really miss the page view editing. It was extremely useful and seemed very Mac-like. How can I work on a document now and shuffle things around to make them fit on a page? Going back and forth to print preview is an awful way to work.


I sure hope they listen and put the page view editing back in the program. What were they thinking? One of the nice things about the Mac has always been that you could expect your output to look like the screen version. Now that's gone...


-Jeff

Oct 26, 2013 8:52 AM in response to Jerrold Green1

Jerrold Green1 wrote:


Al,


Want to try your script, but I get this error:

User uploaded file

User uploaded file


About all I know about Applescript is how to press the Run button, so this may be a simple thing for an expert to fix.


Jerry


I have version 2.6 of AppleSript Editor and OSX 10.9 and when I press compile I get this:

User uploaded file

User uploaded file

I did try a system restart and was able to open a numbers file with page view from Numbers File, but it reverted to not showing it on subsequent tries. I then tried a restart of only Numbers and that also worked but only the first time. My suspicion is that with OS 10.9 it has two modes, one for iOS and one for OSX, and only the OSX shows page view. But I know for sure it hasn't gone away, it's just hard to find any way to get to it that will work every time on every machine. Hope that helps. - Al

How to layout a page in numbers 3.0 -- I can't edit in print view

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