"Best" approach to create an INSTRUCTION manual? (Sheets? Pages ?Text Box?)

[AlarmArm]

Hello,



Previously, I went thru the MS Publisher online tutorial, but was
still left with questions.


I examined a stack of manuals to find something close to what I would
like, and (hopefully) a standard paper size. It is 21 7/8" wide x 14
7/8" high, with 1/4" margins. It is folded six times along the
width, and four times along the height, so there are what I will call
24 "sections".

I have 24 images and need to provide a description below each pic.
Ideally, each pic and description would be "linked" together in case
they need to be moved arounf the page.

I created a page 21 7/8" wide x 14 7/8" high, with 1/4" margins. I
then calculated that in order to have 24 equal spaced sections in a 6
wide by 4 high matrix, the size of each section would be 3.563" wide x
3.594" high. I then created a single text box with the 3.563" wide x
3.594" high dimensions and copied/pasted 24 times.

Then I started placing an image into the top half of each section, and
planned on adding the text below.

As I am new to Publisher, I want to see if I am going in the right
direction with this before I invest a lot of time. I am wondering if
there is a "better" way of going about this.

I also created a new file that was a single sheet with 24 pages, but
got confused and was not sure if that is the right direction
either......


I also have Photoshop, but it appears that Publisher is a much better
tool for this task.


Thanks,

Tim

 

[Mary Sauer]

First of all, you probably cannot find standard stock in the size you have
quoted. Have you actually tried to fold something like this?

Have you thought about a booklet setup?

When you have a setup as you described you are better off using the Arrange
menu, Layout guides. It is so simple entering 6 columns, 4 rows in the grid
guide.

Let us know exactly how you plan to present this manual. If you are planning to
cut, fold and staple the manual, it would become too thick to do properly
because of its small size.

Maybe I'm thick, I just can't get a handle on the end product.

 

[Rob Giordano \(Crash\)]

Sounds like he's over-thinking a booklet...or how a commercial press person
may lay it out?



--
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Rob Giordano
Microsoft MVP Expression





| First of all, you probably cannot find standard stock in the size you have
| quoted. Have you actually tried to fold something like this?
|
| Have you thought about a booklet setup?
|
| When you have a setup as you described you are better off using the
Arrange
| menu, Layout guides. It is so simple entering 6 columns, 4 rows in the
grid
| guide.
|
| Let us know exactly how you plan to present this manual. If you are
planning to
| cut, fold and staple the manual, it would become too thick to do properly
| because of its small size.
|
| Maybe I'm thick, I just can't get a handle on the end product.
|
| --
| Mary Sauer MSFT MVP
| http://office.microsoft.com/
| http://msauer.mvps.org/
| news://msnews.microsoft.com
|
| | > Hello,
| >
| >
| >
| > Previously, I went thru the MS Publisher online tutorial, but was
| > still left with questions.
| >
| >
| > I examined a stack of manuals to find something close to what I would
| > like, and (hopefully) a standard paper size. It is 21 7/8" wide x 14
| > 7/8" high, with 1/4" margins. It is folded six times along the
| > width, and four times along the height, so there are what I will call
| > 24 "sections".
| >
| > I have 24 images and need to provide a description below each pic.
| > Ideally, each pic and description would be "linked" together in case
| > they need to be moved arounf the page.
| >
| > I created a page 21 7/8" wide x 14 7/8" high, with 1/4" margins. I
| > then calculated that in order to have 24 equal spaced sections in a 6
| > wide by 4 high matrix, the size of each section would be 3.563" wide x
| > 3.594" high. I then created a single text box with the 3.563" wide x
| > 3.594" high dimensions and copied/pasted 24 times.
| >
| > Then I started placing an image into the top half of each section, and
| > planned on adding the text below.
| >
| > As I am new to Publisher, I want to see if I am going in the right
| > direction with this before I invest a lot of time. I am wondering if
| > there is a "better" way of going about this.
| >
| > I also created a new file that was a single sheet with 24 pages, but
| > got confused and was not sure if that is the right direction
| > either......
| >
| >
| > I also have Photoshop, but it appears that Publisher is a much better
| > tool for this task.
| >
| >
| > Thanks,
| >
| > Tim
|
|

 

[AlarmArm]

Sounds like he's over-thinking a booklet...or how a commercial press person
may lay it out?

--
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Rob Giordano
Microsoft MVP Expression


| First of all, you probably cannot find standard stock in the size you have
| quoted. Have you actually tried to fold something like this?
|
| Have you thought about a booklet setup?
|
| When you have a setup as you described you are better off using the
Arrange
| menu, Layout guides. It is so simple entering 6 columns, 4 rows in the
grid
| guide.
|
| Let us know exactly how you plan to present this manual. If you are
planning to
| cut, fold and staple the manual, it would become too thick to do properly
| because of its small size.
|
| Maybe I'm thick, I just can't get a handle on the end product.
|
| --
| Mary Sauer MSFT MVP
|http://office.microsoft.com/
|http://msauer.mvps.org/
| news://msnews.microsoft.com

|| > Hello,
| >
| >
| >
| > Previously, I went thru the MS Publisher online tutorial, but was
| > still left with questions.
| >
| >
| > I examined a stack of manuals to find something close to what I would
| > like, and (hopefully) a standard paper size.  It is 21 7/8" wide x 14
| > 7/8" high, with 1/4" margins.   It is folded six times along the
| > width, and four times along the height, so there are what I will call
| > 24 "sections".
| >
| > I have 24 images and need to provide a description below each pic.
| > Ideally, each pic and description would be "linked" together in case
| > they need to be moved arounf the page.
| >
| > I created a page 21 7/8" wide x 14 7/8" high, with 1/4" margins.  I
| > then calculated that in order to have 24 equal spaced sections in a 6
| > wide by 4 high matrix, the size of each section would be 3.563" wide x
| > 3.594" high.  I then created a single text box with the 3.563" wide x
| > 3.594" high dimensions and copied/pasted 24 times.
| >
| > Then I started placing an image into the top half of each section, and
| > planned on adding the text below.
| >
| > As I am new to Publisher, I want to see if I am going in the right
| > direction with this before I invest a lot of time.  I am wondering if
| > there is a "better" way of going about this.
| >
| > I also created a new file that was a single sheet with 24 pages, but
| > got confused and was not sure if that is the right direction
| > either......
| >
| >
| > I also have Photoshop, but it appears that Publisher is a much better
| > tool for this task.
| >
| >
| > Thanks,
| >
| > Tim
|

Hi Mary and Rob,


Thanks for your responses. I am most likely over-thinking this
setup, because I have not used Publisher much.


I have "modeled" my instruction sheet after those from two different
products. Both used the same size sheet, so I assume it is somewhat
standard.

I will try the Arrange Menu , Layout Guides to see how it works.


Although one of the instruction sheets of this size was folded 4x6,
the package for my product is larger so I could easily get away with
folding 2x3. Thanks again -

 

[AlarmArm]

Hi Mary and Rob,

Thanks for your responses.   I am most likely over-thinking this
setup, because I have not used Publisher much.

I have "modeled" my instruction sheet after those from two different
products.  Both used the same size sheet, so I assume it is somewhat
standard.

I will try the Arrange Menu , Layout Guides to see how it works.

Although one of the instruction sheets of this size was folded 4x6,
the package for my product is larger so I could easily get away with
folding 2x3.  Thanks again -- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

The "Arrange Menu , Layout Guides" worked well - Thank-you!

 

[Rob Giordano \(Crash\)]

ok I'm curious now...what is it exactly?
how you gonna fold it?



--
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Rob Giordano
Microsoft MVP Expression

Hi Mary and Rob,

Thanks for your responses. I am most likely over-thinking this
setup, because I have not used Publisher much.

I have "modeled" my instruction sheet after those from two different
products. Both used the same size sheet, so I assume it is somewhat
standard.

I will try the Arrange Menu , Layout Guides to see how it works.

Although one of the instruction sheets of this size was folded 4x6,
the package for my product is larger so I could easily get away with
folding 2x3. Thanks again -- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

The "Arrange Menu , Layout Guides" worked well - Thank-you!

 

[Mary Sauer]

I'd like to know too. What will the manual be instructing? It seems it is going
to be tiny. Take a look at this product:
http://www.pocketmod.com/ It is small and only uses one piece of letter paper.

I have a PDF on my web site for how to do it in Publisher.
http://msauer.mvps.org/publisher_projects2.htm

 

[Rob Giordano \(Crash\)]

Yah I've seen those...it'd probably cost a bundle if folded commercially
though.

It'd be a cool idea as an instructional cheat-sheet...I'm always forgetting
color-codes, and wiring pin-outs for stuff out on the job, be nice to have a
tiny folded booklet.

Actually our town just sent us a little pocket survival guide, it accordians
out, when folded is held together because the two outter covers (business
card sized) are rubber magnets. Cool...but the info is lame

--
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Rob Giordano
Microsoft MVP Expression





| I'd like to know too. What will the manual be instructing? It seems it is
going
| to be tiny. Take a look at this product:
| http://www.pocketmod.com/ It is small and only uses one piece of letter
paper.
|
| I have a PDF on my web site for how to do it in Publisher.
| http://msauer.mvps.org/publisher_projects2.htm
|
| --
| Mary Sauer MSFT MVP
| http://office.microsoft.com/
| http://msauer.mvps.org/
| news://msnews.microsoft.com
|
| | > ok I'm curious now...what is it exactly?
| > how you gonna fold it?
| >
| >
| >
| > --
| > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
| > Rob Giordano
| > Microsoft MVP Expression
| >
| >
| >
| >
| >
| > | > On Feb 7, 5:13 pm, (e-mail address removed) wrote:
| >> On Feb 7, 2:56 pm, "Rob Giordano \(Crash\)"
| >>
| >>
| >>
| >>
| >>
| >> > Sounds like he's over-thinking a booklet...or how a commercial press
| >> > person
| >> > may lay it out?
| >>
| >> > --
| >> > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
| >> > Rob Giordano
| >> > Microsoft MVP Expression
| >>
| >>
| >> >| >> > | First of all, you probably cannot find standard stock in the size
you
| >> > have
| >> > | quoted. Have you actually tried to fold something like this?
| >> > |
| >> > | Have you thought about a booklet setup?
| >> > |
| >> > | When you have a setup as you described you are better off using the
| >> > Arrange
| >> > | menu, Layout guides. It is so simple entering 6 columns, 4 rows in
the
| >> > grid
| >> > | guide.
| >> > |
| >> > | Let us know exactly how you plan to present this manual. If you are
| >> > planning to
| >> > | cut, fold and staple the manual, it would become too thick to do
| >> > properly
| >> > | because of its small size.
| >> > |
| >> > | Maybe I'm thick, I just can't get a handle on the end product.
| >> > |
| >> > | --
| >> > | Mary Sauer MSFT MVP
| >> > |http://office.microsoft.com/
| >> > |http://msauer.mvps.org/
| >> > | news://msnews.microsoft.com
| >>
| >> >
|| >> > | > Hello,
| >> > | >
| >> > | >
| >> > | >
| >> > | > Previously, I went thru the MS Publisher online tutorial, but was
| >> > | > still left with questions.
| >> > | >
| >> > | >
| >> > | > I examined a stack of manuals to find something close to what I
| >> > would
| >> > | > like, and (hopefully) a standard paper size. It is 21 7/8" wide x
14
| >> > | > 7/8" high, with 1/4" margins. It is folded six times along the
| >> > | > width, and four times along the height, so there are what I will
| >> > call
| >> > | > 24 "sections".
| >> > | >
| >> > | > I have 24 images and need to provide a description below each
pic.
| >> > | > Ideally, each pic and description would be "linked" together in
case
| >> > | > they need to be moved arounf the page.
| >> > | >
| >> > | > I created a page 21 7/8" wide x 14 7/8" high, with 1/4" margins.
I
| >> > | > then calculated that in order to have 24 equal spaced sections in
a
| >> > 6
| >> > | > wide by 4 high matrix, the size of each section would be 3.563"
wide
| >> > x
| >> > | > 3.594" high. I then created a single text box with the 3.563"
wide x
| >> > | > 3.594" high dimensions and copied/pasted 24 times.
| >> > | >
| >> > | > Then I started placing an image into the top half of each
section,
| >> > and
| >> > | > planned on adding the text below.
| >> > | >
| >> > | > As I am new to Publisher, I want to see if I am going in the
right
| >> > | > direction with this before I invest a lot of time. I am wondering
if
| >> > | > there is a "better" way of going about this.
| >> > | >
| >> > | > I also created a new file that was a single sheet with 24 pages,
but
| >> > | > got confused and was not sure if that is the right direction
| >> > | > either......
| >> > | >
| >> > | >
| >> > | > I also have Photoshop, but it appears that Publisher is a much
| >> > better
| >> > | > tool for this task.
| >> > | >
| >> > | >
| >> > | > Thanks,
| >> > | >
| >> > | > Tim
| >> > |
| >>
| >> Hi Mary and Rob,
| >>
| >> Thanks for your responses. I am most likely over-thinking this
| >> setup, because I have not used Publisher much.
| >>
| >> I have "modeled" my instruction sheet after those from two different
| >> products. Both used the same size sheet, so I assume it is somewhat
| >> standard.
| >>
| >> I will try the Arrange Menu , Layout Guides to see how it works.
| >>
| >> Although one of the instruction sheets of this size was folded 4x6,
| >> the package for my product is larger so I could easily get away with
| >> folding 2x3. Thanks again -- Hide quoted text -
| >>
| >> - Show quoted text -
| >
| > The "Arrange Menu , Layout Guides" worked well - Thank-you!
| >
| >
|
|