Straight-through v. chapter folios [was 'RE: chapter-based page numbering...']

["Hedley Finger (EPA)" <Hedley.Finger@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Other factors to consider when deciding whether to implement
straight-through or chapter-by-chapter folios:

STRAIGHT THROUGH

@	Roman numerals for front-matter are a holdover from letterpress
printing to allow
 	the body of the book to be made up into pages and printed before the
full 
 	pagination was known for compiling the table of Contents.  It also
allowed a 
 	worthy sponsor to read the page proofs before contributing a preface
of unknown 
 	length.  Since laser printers, imagesetters, and litho, you can now
repaginate 
	the book in a trice, so you should folio straight-through.

@	Straight-through folios simplify the conversion to PDF.

@	Readers have a kinetic feel for foliation, for example, 'I've
flipped over 7 mm 
 	of paper so I should be somewhere near page 65'.  If you have many
cross-references 
 	it is easier for the reader to flip pages while keeping an eye on
the changing 
 	folio number in the corner of the page.

@	Straight-through should not be used with tabbed dividers (card
chapter separators). 
 	Reason: you can't flip when the book is broken up by protruding
tabs.

CHAPTER FOLIOS

@	Use when you intend to insert tabbed chapter dividers.  The reader
can quickly 
 	follow a cross-reference by, first, locating the chapter tab and,
second, flipping 
 	to the required page.

@	Do not use without tabbed dividers.  The reason is that the reader
has lost the 
 	kinetic feel for how far through the book he or she is.  It is easy
to flip past 
 	a very short chapter and then have to rewind or fast forward to
converge on the 
 	target page.  It is much harder to flip pages and read and process a
double-
 	barrelled folio: '12-67'.

@	Chapter folios are justified if you are maintaining a loose-leaf
reference and 
 	issuing change pages or change chapters.  Then, all you have to do
is issue a new 
 	chapter, ToC, LoF, LoT, and index.   

--
Regards,
Hedley Finger   Technical Writer

Ericsson Australia Pty Ltd
StarHUB NMOSS Project
Level 34.66   Melbourne Central Tower
360 Elizabeth Street   Melbourne VIC 3000   Australia
Tel. +61 3 9301 6214   Cell. +61 412 461 558   Fax. +61 3 9301 6199
Email. hedley.finger@ericsson.com.au

Hand Holding Projects Pty Ltd
28 Regent Street   Burwood VIC 3125   Australia
Tel. +61 3 9809 1229   Cell. +61 412 461 558   Fax. +61 3 9809 1326
Email. hfinger@handholding.com.au


> I wouldn't change the numbering scheme to match the PDF.  I think most
> users
> of technical manuals are used to chapter-based numbering.
> 
> Regarding chapter-based numbering, here are a couple of advantages (there
> are probably more, and I'm sure someone will come up with a disadvangate
> or
> two as well):
> 
> o   It can be faster to find things as there are fewer pages to leaf thru.
> Jump to the chapter, then to the page.
> 
> o   When adding or changing pages, you need to update the TOC for that
> chapter only, not the whole book.  
> 
> Dick Gaskill
> 
> _________________________________________________________________________

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