Digital Workshop

Years ago the advice used to be that the master page should NOT be the first page in the publication.

Is this still true?

Thanks, Linda

Unless you are keeping count of pages throught the publication or use functions such as getparent(), don't think it matters. Previously someone suggested keeping a folder/chapter to hold the master page(s)...

If you publish to the web, and you have the master pages at the start, then the user will have to download all the master pages before seeing the first page, which isn't good. So ideally for that, you should put each master page before the first page that uses it.

But for standalone exe, it won't make much difference.

Linda --

I think you have it switched around. Master Pages normally should be the first Pages in your Publication. OPUS can't display a Page which uses a Master Page unless it has previously loaded that Master Page, so to ensure you won't have any problems, all Master Pages should be located in the beginning of a CD-ROM presentation. As you know, they aren't seen, even though they are the first Pages.

Dave's point about Web publications loading Master Pages first, which would increase the amount of time before you view the first "regular" Page is a good one. You need to plan ahead depending on what type of presentation you are building.

<<Dave's point about Web publications loading Master Pages first, which would increase the amount of time before you view the first "regular" Page is a good one. >>

That was it... I've always had the Master page as the second page in a pub... I just couldn't remember why!

I've got them in their own chapter at the start of the pub now... as Dave says, I can't see any difference any which way I put them for a standalone pub anyhow.


Linda