Re: Headers & footers - what to put in them?

Subject: Re: Headers & footers - what to put in them?
From: JIMCHEVAL -at- AOL -dot- COM
Date: Wed, 9 Jul 1997 11:45:28 -0400

In a message dated 97-07-09 10:17:09 EDT,
John -dot- Cornellier -at- PARIS -dot- IE -dot- PHILIPS -dot- COM writes:

<< I can hardly resist filling
the headers & footers with chapter names, section names, document titles,
version numbers, 256-colour company logos, 3-D scratch 'n sniff areas,
holograms.... >>
Boy, wish I had YOUR printer.

The best way to get a handle on this is probably simply to look at a few
manuals that came with your software and see which look clearest. Usually,
in terms of specific items, I tend towards the following:

- Sans serif font (Modern, Arial, Universe, etc.)
- Section/Chapter name in heading (lowest level on outside edge of page)
- Page number in footer
- Version number in the footer, if it's really significant (otherwise omit)
- Date as for version number

The document title is useful when several similarly formatted manuals might
be used together (as for bank procedures or sets of several manuals that come
with software). If your footer isn't already conflicted, you can put it
there. Alternately, put it in the lefthand header, and restrict lower level
(chapter/section) titles to the right.

Jim C.
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