(Legacy) Microsoft Publisher 2007: The Publisher Environment

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This article is based on legacy software.

Publisher is a powerful desktop publishing software application. It allows you to manipulate features such as page size, text, graphics, and borders to create printable compositions of professional quality. This document will help you understand the Publisher environment and its components.

The Publisher Window

The Publisher window contains many parts that work together to make creating a document easier. 
print publication

Understanding the elements you see in Publisher will help you become comfortable with the application.

NOTE: Use the View menu to make any of the following tools and toolbars appear or disappear.

Formatting toolbar
This toolbar contains buttons for common text formatting options in Publisher and throughout Microsoft Office (e.g., font, text alignment, or line spacing). For more information, refer to Office 2007: Formatting Text.

Objects toolbar
This toolbar allows you to insert text boxes, tables, and shapes to your workspace.

Page boundary
Page boundaries represent the edges of the paper. Items outside or partially overlapping page boundaries will not appear in print.

Page icons 
These icons indicate which page is currently selected, how many pages the publication contains, and which pages are grouped into spreads. Selecting a page icon will make that page appear in the workspace.

Page margin 
Blue dotted lines represent page margins. As a general rule, all text and graphics ought to be placed within the page margins.

Format Publication task pane 
This task pane provides quick access to many Publisher operations. To view a list of categories of operations, click the task pane's header (in the above image, the header is titled Format Publication).
EXAMPLE: To access the Find and Replace task pane, click the task pane's header » select Find and Replace 
The Format Publication task pane refreshes to become the Find and Replace task pane.

Rulers
Rulers help you measure the length of your text boxes, images, and other objects relative to how they will appear in print. You can change the unit of measure from the Options dialog box (from the Tools menu, select Options).

Standard toolbar 
The Standard toolbar contains buttons for common functions in Publisher and throughout Microsoft Office (e.g., saving, undoing actions, or zooming).


Understanding the Objects Toolbar

The Objects toolbar contains tools for creating and manipulating text and graphics in Publisher.

ButtonNameFunctioncursorSelect ObjectsSelects lines, shapes, graphics, text boxes, and other objects for resizing, deleting, and other actions.text boxText BoxCreates text boxes.insert tableInsert TableCreates tables.insert wordartInsert WordArtAdds WordArt to your publication.picture framePicture FrameAdds a picture frame or pictures from clip art, scanners, cameras, files.lineLineCreates a line.arrowArrowCreates an arrow.ovalOvalCreates circular and oval shapes.rectangleRectangleCreates rectangular shapes.autoshapesAutoShapesCreates a variety of unique shapes.
EXAMPLE: Hearts, lightning bolts, callout boxesbookmarkBookmarkAdds a bookmark to the location you desire. Bookmarks allow you to link or refer to a specific location in a publication.design gallery objectDesign Gallery ObjectInserts a wide array of customizable objects from the Microsoft Publisher Design Gallery. 
EXAMPLE: Coupons, advertisements, logositem from content libraryItem from Content LibraryInserts an item from the Content Library. The Content Library is a storage area for items that you use frequently in your publications (e.g., a logo, location information, contact information).
NOTE: To add items to your Content Library, right click the item » select Add to Content Library. On the dialog box that appears, click OK.


Changing the Appearance of the Environment

The Publisher environment can be slightly customized to your needs. You can add or remove toolbars and their buttons, change the zoom percentage, and change the page spread.

Adding or Removing Toolbars

You can customize which toolbars you want to appear in Publisher.

  1. From the View menu, select Toolbars » select the desired toolbar 
    HINT: Selecting a toolbar with a checkmark before it will remove the toolbar from the Publisher environment. Selecting a toolbar without a checkmark before it will add the toolbar to the Publisher environment.

Adding or Removing a Toolbar's Buttons

  1. On the desired toolbar, click TOOLBAR down arrow OPTIONS or side arrow
    NOTE: The button's orientation appears differently depending on which toolbar you want to select.

  2. Select Add or Remove Buttons » select the toolbar title (e.g., when working with the Formatting toolbar, select Formatting) » select the desired button 
    HINT: Selecting a button with a checkmark before it will remove the button from the toolbar. Selecting a button without a checkmark before it will add the button to the toolbar.

Changing the Zoom Percentage

Changing the Zoom Percentage: Standard Toolbar Option:

  1. From the Standard toolbar, click the down arrow of the Zoom pull-down list » select the desired Zoom percentage
    OR
    1. From the Standard toolbar, from the Zoom pull-down list, type the desired percentage
    2. Press [Enter]

Changing the Zoom Percentage: View Menu Option: 

  1. From the View menu, select Zoom » select the desired Zoom percentage

Changing the Page View

If your publication will appear in a two-page spread, you can make your Publisher document appear in the same way. The following step is also useful for when you want to move back to a one-page spread.

  1. From the Format menu, select Two-Page Spread
    If a checkmark appears before the option, the spread is set to two pages.