Publisher 2003

From TechHelp

Contents 1 Introduction 2 Getting Started 2.1 Adding/Formatting Text 2.2 Working with Graphics 2.3 Arranging Graphics 2.4 Using Text Boxes 2.5 Working on the Second Page 3 Customizing Your Publication 3.1 Personal/Business Information 3.2 Add a Background 3.3 Using Color Schemes 4 Suggestions

[edit] Introduction

Microsoft Publisher helps you easily create, customize, and publish materials such as newsletters, brochures, flyers, catalogs, and Web sites. Publish easily on your desktop printer. With several categories of templates to choose from, teachers and students can create calendars, flyers and newsletters with ease and in no time at all.

[edit] Getting Started

To access Publisher click Start > All Programs. Locate Microsoft Office > Microsoft Publisher and click on the icon . When the program opens you will see a screen that looks like this:

Once this screen appears, click Publications for Print. This will reveal further options to choose from, such as invitations, brochures, calendars, etc. For now, select Brochures.

A side window will appear displaying different templates and styles that you can choose from for your brochure. Scroll through the templates and find one that you would like to use for your project. Once you have found a template you like, simply click on it, and a new workspace will open.

Your workspace will look similar to the picture at the left. Here you can choose whether you want a 3 or 4 panel brochure, as well as your font and color scheme. This area of Publisher is known as the Task Pane, it allows you to do some common tasks quickly without having to move through multiple menus. For example when you start your project you can select your color and font scheme now, or wait until you have completed your project.

Because the workspace is rather small, we want to “Zoom In” so that we can get a better look at what we are doing. To do that, on the Menu bar select View > Zoom. Once you click View, a drop down menu will appear. Go to Zoom and click the arrow on the right side. After clicking the arrow this drop down menu will appear. Click on “75%”. The image of your project will now be enlarged enough so that you can see all changes that are being made. Now you are ready to begin entering your information.

Looking at the lower portion of your screen you will notice this image . These two boxes represent the pages in your brochure. Clicking on either number will bring you to that corresponding page of your project. The first page of project includes the front panel, the back panel and an interior fold panel.

At this time you will want to save your brochure project by clicking File > Save. Be sure to notice where the file is being saved if you intend to continue working with it in the future.

[edit] Adding/Formatting Text

Your template already has outlined space where you can input text. To add text, simply click inside the area, highlight the text, and type in what you wish. To change the style of your text (font, size, style, color) you first must highlight the text that you wish to make changes to. Once you have done this click Format > Font. This box will appear, allowing you to make changes to your text. You can also use the toolbar to format the text as you would in word.

[edit] Working with Graphics

The template you have selected provides some images for you already. However, you probably want customize your publication with your own logo, pictures or clip art. We will first insert a piece of clip art into our project. To do so, go to Insert > Picture > Clip Art. A task pane will appear allowing you to search for clip art by name. Once you have found the piece of clip art that you would like to include in your project drag your mouse over the image. You will see a light blue scroll bar appear on the right hand side of the image. Click this bar > Insert. The image will appear on your project. Now you can move your clip art image to the spot of your choice. To do this drag your mouse over the image until you see a four head arrow . Once you see this arrow click your mouse and, holding the button down, drag your mouse to the spot where you would like to place your picture.

To add a picture that you have saved on your computer, go to Insert > Picture > From file....

You can also insert a picture that you have found on the Internet. For example, go to http://www.google.com. Above the search field click the link that says Images. In the search field type in a keyword for a picture that you would like to find, and then hit enter on your keyboard. Once you find a picture that you like, right click your mouse on that particular image. You have two options 1) copy and paste the image, or 2) save it to your computer and insert it as shown above.

To copy and paste the image right click on the image. Click Copy to save the image to the clipboard (you will not see this clipboard, just be aware that your copied graphic is being temporarily saved there). You now want to go back to Publisher. Once in Publisher, right click your mouse over the area where you wish to insert your new graphic although this time clicking on Paste.

If you would simply like to replace the graphics that are already part of the template you can do this easily by right clicking, and choosing change picture > from file... or from clip art. Choosing either of these options will allow you to replace the existing graphic with one to your liking.

[edit] Arranging Graphics

It is inevitable that you will need to arrange objects, graphics and text to create a clean publication. By simply clicking and dragging an object you can move objects around your publication. Let's say you added two basic shapes and you would like them to overlap.

To do this select the object you would like to order by clicking once on it, you will see "handles" appear when it is selected (see left). Next, click on Arrange > Order > Bring to Front to move the object in front of the other object giving it an overlapping look.

[edit] Using Text Boxes

Any quality brochure communicates information briefly. However, there are times where a somewhat lengthy text is necessary. Working with a brochure limits the amount of space you have for text. Often this text will need to be located on several panels (pages).

Create Text Box Link feature links text boxes allowing larger amounts of text to "overflow" into an adjacent text box located on a neighboring panel. To create a text box link select the box in which your text begins locate and enable the Connect Text Boxes toolbar under View > Toolbars. Now click the Create Text Box Link button on the Connect Text Boxes toolbar. Notice the cursor it changes to resemble a cup and click on the text box where the text will overflow into. As you continue to type in the first text box your text will automatically "overflow" into the designated text box. If you do not want two text boxes linked, simply click the Break Forward Link button.

You may also notice this as you are typing in an existing text box. If you see an icon that looks like this at the end of one of you text boxes follow the above instructions to link two text boxes together moving your existing text to the new text box.

[edit] Working on the Second Page

Once you have finished designing your front panel, back panel and interior fold panel, you can move on to the inside of your brochure. You are able to move back and forth between pages at anytime during the creation of your brochure simply by using the page icons located at the lower portion of the Publisher program. Depending on the style of your brochure, you will be working with either 3 or 4 inside panels. Just as you did with your first page, you can make changes to your text and add/delete images to create the brochure just the way you want it.

[edit] Customizing Your Publication

While the templates are useful for beginners and for quick publications you may desire a more customized look and feel. The Objects toolbar provides many tools for adding basic shapes, text boxes, tables, design objects, lines and more.

[edit] Personal/Business Information

Edit personal or business information to easily insertion to your publications by clicking Edit > Personal Information.

[edit] Add a Background

To further enhance your publications you can add a background by clicking Format > Background . Notice that the color scheme of the publication you are working with is shown above the Background Task Pane.

[edit] Using Color Schemes

Publisher comes packed with color schemes for you to use in your publications and like many other features it allows you to customize a color scheme. To view and select color schemes click Format > Color Scheme

[edit] Suggestions

• Printing

Once you have created your beautiful publication you will want to publish it. There are a few things that you might want to know prior to printing. Prior to printing you will want to preview what you have done. To do this go to File>Print Preview and you will see what your publication should look like once you print it. You will notice that on the tool bar you can see the different pages as well as the way your brochure will look like in grayscale.

• Save

By now you should have saved your brochure several times. Do so one more time before we apply the finishing touches. Click File > Save to save the publication.

• Spellcheck

For obvious reasons, you'll always want to run a spell check Tools > Spelling... > Spelling...

• Save to a portable storage device (i.e. - zip disk, a "thumb" or flash drive)

This is a good idea if you plan to print the publication at a commercial printer or from your school printer.