"How to do..." Freeway examples from Mike Sibthorp @ TalkingImages

Using Master Pages (P+E)

Master pages are a very important feature in Freeway. They help to create a consistent "feel" to your site and are often invaluable when updating or changing a site. This is how I use them, others may do it a different way and I would be pleased to get feedback.

Master pages will serve you best if you have spent just a little time planning your site on paper first. Also I predefine text styles for body text, headers, subheaders, link styles etc. in both html and gif styles, and also some new colours that I expect to need.

Having set up my default page size, I start on Master1 with a "grid" of guides that map out where my header/logo will be, where columns or blocks of text appear and where images will be positioned. At this stage there is no content on the master.

Next I add ONLY those fixed items that will appear on ALL pages, typically headers and logos but sometimes also the navigation system. I apply any actions to the master that I want site-wide e.g. (Pro) Remove Explorer glow, Anti Spam, and apply link styles in the Inspector. Changing a Master item on a child page disconnects that item from the Master so only add things that you are sure will not need to be moved on the child pages.

Next I duplicate this master and add to the duplicate any items that may be needed on more than one page in the site. (Often I will just need a longer version of Master1)

LOCK any items that you do not want to accidentaly change when working on the child page. (thanks Hans!). Note that guides on Master pages cannot be moved on the children. (Locking is a layout tool only, it has no effect on how your items behave in a browser.)

Reapply Master Problems.

Reapply Master will delete any Meta Tags on your page unless they on the Master.

Sometimes it is possible to have messed about with Master items on a child page (not a good idea, make the changes on the Master or duplicate the Master page and change that). Reapply Master can result in a bit of a mess as the reapplied items overlap things on your child page. First duplicate the child page and reapply the Master to that, you can then see where the problems arise and clear the offending items from the original child page before reapplying the Master to that.

Or this neat idea from Alan Shouls (SP)

Make a blank Master.
In your child page, select the blank Master in the Inspector. This removes all master items from the page. Any that seem to remain are no longer Master items and you can deal with them as you wish.
Then reselect your proper Master and all the Master items are reapplied!

I will add more to this as it comes to me!

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