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On my paragraph styles pop up menu, there is no "update" button or asterisk or "plus" button at all, so i cannot change the styles. I understand it should look like this:
but mine just looks like this:
Please help! I cannot find the answer anywhere.
null-OTHER, Windows 10, icloud pages
Because Pages for iCloud is a web-based application, and a substantial subset of Pages for Mac, it does not provide the means to add paragraph, or character styles to documents. I viewed a document in Safari 12.0.1, and Firefox 63.0.3 from macOS High Sierra, and there were no controls to add these styles, when content was selected for that purpose.
Because Pages for iCloud is a web-based application, and a substantial subset of Pages for Mac, it does not provide the means to add paragraph, or character styles to documents. I viewed a document in Safari 12.0.1, and Firefox 63.0.3 from macOS High Sierra, and there were no controls to add these styles, when content was selected for that purpose.
Thank you for your full reply. Three things:
Firstly, the project is for a nonfiction full colour, fully illustrated large landscape (around A3 size) 200 page hardback book, with probably a 60:40 text:image ratio. To be ultimately both printed AND as an ebook.
Secondly, my priorities for the software are:
a) Easy for a non-designer to use
b) Produce a format that is professional including all typography requirements automated as much as possible (kerning, fonts, point size, line lengths etc) and layout correct (white/negative space, grids division etc)
c) As it is a long (12-24 mth) project I want to be able to see progress and a preview of the finished look as I am going along.
Thirdly, I have been doing some research - I have downloaded Affinity Beta - it seems quite involved. I have also extensively researched three other software DTP programmes with the following comments (relating to my priorities as outlined above):
Canva.
Pros. Lovely user experience, great image library, good preview facility.
Cons. Seems somewhat geared towards small publications i.e. 4-6 page brochure max and image heavy emphasis, no facilty to insert a shadow on text or shapes (fundamental, surely?), and no grid layout assistance.
Summary. Without grid layout, I don't see how I can get a 200 page book looking right.
Lucidpress
Pros. A pleasure to use, more advanced than Canva, good preview.
Cons. Cannot make the background of a shape or image transparent, grids can only be set manually and it will not distribute them equally i.e. 5 rows, 7 column layout.
Summary. If only it could set up the grids, I think I could use Lucidpress for my book.
Microsoft Publisher
In desperation, went back to good old Publisher!
Pros. Very good functionality - sits between the extremes of Canva and InDesign, good grid system
Cons. Seems somewhat old-fashioned and clunky to use compared with the cloud versions, gives the user almost too much control, poor preview - just doesn't show a great visual of your project (imo).
Summary. It is making me do too much work on details that I would like automated (like kerning etc)
Overall feeling so far
I'm sitting between Lucidpress and MS Publisher at the moment, still not sure. I just want to produce a finished product similar to the quality of this (Lucidpress) example below: Ideally I need a template but the ones available are not landscape.
I would be really happy with the above if a) it was landscape, and b) I could double the amount of text per spread. In conclusion, I will probably use this template from Lucidpress and just have to make my book portrait after all. Any comments would be valued. Thank you very much!
OK, so it looks like Pages is not going to work for me as I only have a Windows pc. Thanks for explaining. Is there another similar programme I could use instead? I loved the Pages interface - Quark and Indesign seem too complicated...
Take the time to make a list of requirements that you will need when writing on Windows, and the output formats necessary for the final result. If you plan to use commercial printing, discover what document formats are accepted, and if PDF/A, or PDF/X document standards are required — you will want this support in your application export capability, or a means to post-process into them.
If you plan to produce eBooks, look at the solutions available, and the input document format required — it may need to be a Word document, if the application that you choose does not provide eBook as an export format.
Will you need a Windows-based vector graphic tool so that your written content has tack-sharp graphics? Affinity has low cost, high quality, non-subscription products (Designer, Photo) for Windows, Mac, and iPad. There are free trials of each. Affinity Publisher is in beta for Mac, and Windows now. All Affinity products share a common data file format.
I hesitate to recommend free LibreOffice, even though it is an MS Office Suite clone, simply because it has a substantial learning curve, even with its PDF user guides.
I am functionally unfamiliar with the applications that you mentioned. These are not trivial layouts, and any tool(s) that you choose will need learning acquisition, proficiency time, and some capital outlay. Migrating from a Pages document to anything else will require an unusual coping style.
Create your own landscape template in the tool of your choice? Unless you are thinking of eBooks as PDF, then the ePub3 specification, and how effective the application export to ePub3 is implemented, will dictate how that ePub3 content will appear. So choosing the right application for ePub output becomes another requirement.
No, unfortunately that still does not work - see below:
Select the paragraph that you have styled, and then you will have the optional blue + button to create a new paragraph style from that selection.
Issue with Paragraph styles pop up menu
