Each time you start Publisher, the program prompts you to create a new publication file by selecting a template. You can either create a new publication as described in the next section, or click the template window Close (X) button and then use the File?Open command to open a publication you created previously.

In either case, Publisher displays a publication and tools in its workspace (Figure 31-1) so that you can get to work.

You will design the publication by adding text, graphic objects, and other elements to the white page area. When the publication has multiple pages, you can move between pages by pressing Ctrl+Page Up and Ctrl+Page Down, or by clicking the icon for a page in the status bar at the bottom of the workspace. The gray area that appears around the page is called the scratch area. This area serves as a holding space for any object that you want to pull off the page and reuse elsewhere.

For example, you can drag a graphic off one page to the scratch area, display
another page, and then drag the graphic onto that page.

FIGURE 31-1
The Publisher workspace offers a variety of tools for creating publications.

The vertical and horizontal rulers enable you to align objects on a page with precision. As you drag an object, a moving marker appears on each ruler to indicate the mouse position, and the position measurements appear in the status bar. By default, when you drag an object and release the mouse, the object will snap into alignment with ruler marks. You can turn this snap feature on and off using the Arrange?Snap?To Ruler Marks command. You can create custom green guide lines for arranging objects by dragging them out from either ruler, as shown in the example in Figure 31-2. Then, drag objects to align with your guides.

FIGURE 31-2
Drag from either ruler to create a guide.

The task pane near the left side of the screen presents choices for the current operation that you’re performing on the publication. For example, Figure 31-1 shows the Format Publication task pane. Different task panes display as you work and choose commands, but you also can jump directly to a particular task pane by clicking the name of the current task pane at the top of the pane and then clicking the name of the task pane to display in the menu.

Publisher’s toolbars offer a variety of buttons and lists that you can use to add and work with publication content and publication files. You can right-click any toolbar to see the shortcut menu and then click a toolbar
name to toggle the named toolbar off and on. This feature provides you the flexibility to display only the tools you need onscreen at any given time. Publisher displays these five toolbars onscreen by default:

• Standard: This toolbar includes buttons for saving and opening files, printing, copying and pasting, undoing and redoing, and changing the zoom for the publication.
• Connect Text Boxes: This toolbar, which becomes active when you select a text box, enables you to link, unlink, and move between text boxes.
• Publisher Tasks: Clicking the one button on this toolbar displays the Publisher Tasks task pane, shown in Figure 31-3. Click links in this task pane to get help or tips about performing certain activities in Publisher. You can use the Back and Forward buttons near the top of the task pane to navigate through the information or to move all the way back to the task pane that appeared before you clicked the Publisher Tasks button.
• Formatting: As its name suggests, the Formatting toolbar supplies settings for formatting objects, especially text. Clicking the first button on the toolbar displays the Styles text pane. The next several lists and buttons enable you to apply formatting settings such as the font, attributes, and alignment to text, whereas additional buttons enable you to choose fill and line colors and weights, shadow, and 3-D effects.
• Objects: This toolbar offers buttons for adding all types of content into a publication, including text boxes, tables, and WordArt; graphics, lines, and shapes; and specialized content from the Design Gallery or Content Library. Clicking the first button on the toolbar disables

FIGURE 31-3
Use this task pane to get tips and instructions for selected activities.

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