Adding an image to all topics and background image to print

[smurray]

Hi,
What is the best way to ensure my logo appears on every topic in both printed and online help? Do I use a template or master page for example and how do I specify the different images for print and online?

I also want to have a transparent background image (under topic text) on printed output but (probably) not online output. Can I do this?

Thanks

Susan.

[wclass]

I would create a master page for each type of output - one for print and one for online. Then you can put the right image into the appropriate master page.

If you choose template, then it will only add images to new topics, not update existing ones. The master page option leaves you free to change your logo in the future, or create another target without it.

I have not experimented with transparent images - I'll have to leave that part of the question.

[smurray]

Thanks - I'll try that out.

Susan

[SteveS]

I also want to have a transparent background image (under topic text) on printed output but (probably) not online output. Can I do this?

I go the other way - our online has a watermark and the printed stays plain.

You need to set the background property for body in tour stylesheet to the image you want as a watermark. Make sure you apply it for print media. You can also apply a conditional flag for print only to the image if you prefer not to use media in your stylesheet.

You will have to play with image transparency outside of Flare, probably in your favourite Photoshop replacement (or the real thing, if you have it). Save as a .gif, not all browsers support .png graphics.

HTH

[LTinker68]

I'm not entirely sure Word will accept the background image. It seems like people tried doing that for cover pages. Can't remember if anyone ever got it to work.

[SteveS]

I'm not entirely sure Word will accept the background image. It seems like people tried doing that for cover pages. Can't remember if anyone ever got it to work.

You're right. I had a couple of minutes so I played with our project and the background image didn't make it to Word. Time for another bug report.

[LTinker68]

MadCap will probably say that's a Word issue, just like custom bullet images not going through is a Word problem. It would be nice, however, if MadCap could figure out a workaround for Word's problem so that using images in this way will work.

[smurray]

Thanks everyone for your input!

Susan

[KevinDAmery]

MadCap will probably say that's a Word issue, just like custom bullet images not going through is a Word problem. It would be nice, however, if MadCap could figure out a workaround for Word's problem so that using images in this way will work.

I know Word supports it - just put an image in the master page and it appears behind your main content.

[LTinker68]

Kevin, is there more to the masterpage than the image (breadcrumbs, bodyProxy, etc.) or does the masterpage contain just the image? When this type of request was kicked around a year or so ago, it may not have been tried on a masterpage. So I'm curious if it only works through the masterpage or if you were able to get it to work with a normal topic.

[KevinDAmery]

I meant Word's master page, not Flare's - I don't have a way to get it to work from Flare output.