Page Layout not "taking"

[SDilg]

I am nearing the "finish line" of single-sourcing for my two main, most-worked on projects. Yay, MadCap!!

The last problem I am experiencing is this: I have one particular PDF output where the Page Layouts are not "taking". No headers, footers, nothing, although the output does have margins, which is strange considering, although maybe theere is some default emergency setting for printed output when it comes to those.

My project ("Project A") is divided into four PDF targets and their corresponding TOCs, and this is the only one that is not working. I made sure that my target settings, except for the TOC, are identical to another PDF target where the page layouts are working fine. Even to the extent that, even though I had originally created this target by making a copy of another "successful" one, I deleted the defective target and recreated it, again by copying the same existing "successful" target. Then just changing the TOC.

I should note that when I am looking at a topic and switch to Print Layout, it does show my headers and footers on the screen.

The only discrepancy I can think of is that this is my only PDF target in Project A where I have used page layouts of mixed orientation in my TOC-item properties. I am wondering if that could make a difference.

I have another Project "B" in which I have successfully used mixed page orientation. However, "Project A" targets use the "Use TOC Depth for Heading Levels" setting; "Project B" does not. Again maybe another thing that makes a difference?

As I did in my mixed orientation "Project B", I have set the Master Page Layout to a portrait option (because my title page and printed TOC topics should be printed portrait) and used the TOC to vary from that. I even went so far at one point to start a new chapter at my first topic. Then I set the page layouts for each individual chapter in the TOC item properties (never uing "default," even if I wasn't changing the page layout from previous chapters). Still no luck.

As another FYI, the master style sheet for the targets are all set to the style sheet used.

Plase let me know if anyone has ideas as to why there is a disconnect.

Sorry this is long, I wanted to get all the info out there off the bat!

-Sara

[LTinker68]

How are you specifying the orientation? Did you select the option in the page layout for landscape? Someone else has reported a bug where that didn't take. The workaround was to create a custom page size, set to portrait orientation, but set the page dimensions to match what they'd be in landscape. So instead of 8.5 x 11, the page dimensions would be 11 x 8.5.

[SDilg]

Thanks Lisa,

Yup, I used the Custom page setting for my page layout to get it to come out right for "Project B." Then to be on the safe side, I copied my page layouts from "B" to "A", to make sure the mixed orientation would work, (or so I thought it would...).

That does bring to my mind the question of whether, when I copied over the page layouts, if there is something about the landscape one that does not "like" the new project I put it in, or the fact that I moved it to a new project. I'll have to see if I can delve into that.... or if you have ideas concerning that please share... FYI the two projects also use the same style sheet.

Thanks again!

-Sara

[McCarthy]

HI,

Are you linking your Page layouts to the Page layouts in a Global Project? I was having this same issue for a long time. I solved it by creating page layouts in the original, then linking to the layouts in the global project (which effectively overrides the page layouts you just created). I'm not sure why this works, it just did for me. Depends on if you are using the page layouts from a global project or not.

hope that helps...

[SDilg]

McCarthy,

Thank you for your reply. Unfortunately I am not working with Global projects... so I guess that is not the issue. I may re-create my page layouts to see if that makes a difference. Or make copies with different names.

Thanks for your reply though!

-SDilg

[SDilg]

Just an update. I tried my idea of creating a duplicate page layout and applying that. It did not work.

I'm going to attach an amalgamated screen shot of the TOC for this PDF output in grid format, in the hopes that someone will see a glaring error! Neither the "Body" nor the "TOC" page layouts are taking. Please note also that this TOC no longer includes mixed page orientation so that is ruled out as a factor.

Merged Admin.GIF

I apologize for all the scrolling that may be required.

Thanks in advance,

SDilg

[SDilg]

Woo hoo! I realized what it was.

I tried to figure out from a high level what the difference was between this target and the other successful ones.

Both my Target name and my TOC name contained an apostrophe. I took them both out, and... SUCCESS!!

Not sure which name was causing the problem, but a word to the wise to avoid apostrophes in either target or TOC names. Of course I should have known, but, hindsight is 20/20!

Thanks Lisa and McCarthy for your replies.

-SDilg.

[LTinker68]

Both my Target name and my TOC name contained an apostrophe. I took them both out, and... SUCCESS!!

Glad you figured it out. Make sure you submit a bug report at http://www.madcapsoftware.com/bugs/submit.aspx -- if an apostrophe in the name of either of those files causes a problem, then Flare should prevent you from entering that character.

[SDilg]

Good idea. I did so just now, thank you Lisa!