Digital Workshop

I'm probably missing something very obvious here but ..................

Having just upgraded to Opus Prov v8, I though the note in the Opus Pro v8 New Features would be very useful :
"You can now access objects on a Master Page with actions on other pages allowing you to show, hide, enable and disable objects on Master Pages."

I assumed that this meant I would be able to go to a page created using a master page and edit the objects from the master for that page only. This is clearly not the case as the master page objects cannot be selected on the other pages.

Simple example, I have a "Go to next page" button on a master page, but sometimes I want to change this so that it skips the next page as that page is still under construction. Easy enough by using a different master page without this button, but I assumed that "Access Master Page Objects" would make it even easier.

I would appreciate it if someone could explain this new feature to me as there does not seem to be any further explanation in any of the DW material.

Richard Wright

"You can now access objects on a Master Page with actions on other pages allowing you to show, hide, enable and disable objects on Master Pages."

The statement is quite literal. If you have an object on a master page, then actions on pages that use that master can now access objects from said master.

EG master page with a frame object. Normal page uses master template and has a button. That button can have an action that can now access the frame from the master - IE to hide it.

Mack

Thanks for that, Mack. As I suspected, it's really quite simple!

I guess that when I saw "Access Master Page Objects" that I anticipated being able to do more with these objects than just show, hide, enable or disable them. Still a moderately useful feature, but I'm not sure that "Existing Opus users will wonder how they ever did without this one and new users will find they need it time and time again!" as stated in the Opus Pro v8 New Features pdf!

Richard Wright

I had wished they had this feature for Master Page Objects back somewhere in Opus v6.x. As it was, with some trial and error I figured out a workaround so I could hide, disable, etc... various control buttons.

My particular application was to present a consistent user interface and just grey-out the print, zoom, launch buttons on certain Pages. It was a simple as having a single string coded to toggle the buttons on or off for a page.

Another use is to control 'skins' at runtime. Or said differently, give the User the option to choose the look and feel of the Pub. (By using Button object Border properties, even the shape of the buttons could be changed.).

I am used to nesting MPs up to four-deep -- and I think the way Master Pages are handled in Opus brings quite a lot of power to Pub development.