Page Layout ⇒ Vertical ruler in the margins

[Cham]

How can I add a vertical line inside the margins, on all the pages of a double-sided document (book class) ?

More specifically, the line should take all the height of the page, and be placed on the left of the first page (odd number), on the right of the second page (even number), and so on. Take note that the line should also appears on the pages with a roman number (i, ii, iii, iv, ... for the ToC and other frontmatter contents).

The line's horizontal distance from the paper's border should be 0.5in.

Here's a mwe, without the vertical line :

Code: Select all

\documentclass[12pt,letterpaper,twoside]{book}
\usepackage[T1]{fontenc}
\usepackage{lmodern}
\usepackage[total={6in,10in},left=1.5in,top=0.5in,includehead,includefoot]{geometry}
\usepackage{lipsum}

\begin{document}

\frontmatter
\tableofcontents

\mainmatter
\chapter{Test chapter one}
\lipsum[1-7]\clearpage

\chapter{Test chapter two}
\lipsum[1-10]

\end{document}

[localghost]

[…] More specifically, the line should take all the height of the page, and be placed on the left of the first page (odd number), on the right of the second page (even number), and so on. […]

In short: on all inner margins.

Take a look at this first approach. Further customization possible.

Code: Select all

\documentclass[12pt]{book}
\usepackage[T1]{fontenc}
\usepackage[
  total={6in,10in},
  left=1.5in,
  top=0.5in,
  includeheadfoot
]{geometry}
\usepackage{lmodern}
\usepackage{eso-pic}

\newlength{\xoffset}
\newlength{\thickness}
\setlength{\thickness}{0.5in}
\AddToShipoutPicture{%
  \ifodd\value{page}%
    \setlength{\offset}{0pt}%
  \else
    \setlength{\xoffset}{\dimexpr\paperwidth-\thickness}%
  \fi
  \AtPageLowerLeft{%
    \put(\LenToUnit{\xoffset},0){\color{gray!50}\rule{\thickness}{\paperheight}}%
  }%
}

\usepackage{blindtext}

\begin{document}
  \frontmatter
  \tableofcontents

  \mainmatter
  \blinddocument
  \blinddocument
\end{document}

You did not specify the thickness of the rule.


Thorsten

[Cham]

I'm getting error messages from your code (which isn't working in WriteLaTeX either). \mainmatter not recognised ?

The line should be 1pt in thickness.

EDIT : Apparently, there's a problem in that part (which I don't understand yet). I guess it's a line thickness parameter missing ?

Code: Select all

\newlength{\xoffset}
\newlength{\thickness}
\setlength{\thickness}{0.5in}
\AddToShipoutPicture{%
	\ifodd\value{page}%
	\setlength{\offset}{0pt}%
	\else
	\setlength{\xoffset}{\dimexpr\paperwidth-\thickness}%
  \fi
  \AtPageLowerLeft{%
    \put(\LenToUnit{\xoffset},0){\color{gray!20}\rule{\thickness}{\paperheight}}%
  }%
}

[localghost]

I'm getting error messages from your code. \mainmatter not recognised ?[…]

But \mainmatter is also in your code. I tested my code and it works.

[…] The line should be 1pt in thickness.

See this example with the corresponding modifications.

Code: Select all

\documentclass[12pt]{book}
\usepackage[T1]{fontenc}
\usepackage[
  total={6in,10in},
  left=1.5in,
  top=0.5in,
  includeheadfoot
]{geometry}
\usepackage{lmodern}
\usepackage{eso-pic}

\newlength{\xoffset}
\newlength{\distance}
\setlength{\distance}{0.5in}
\newlength{\thickness}
\setlength{\thickness}{1pt}
\AddToShipoutPicture{%
  \ifodd\value{page}%
    \setlength{\xoffset}{\distance}%
  \else
    \setlength{\xoffset}{\dimexpr\paperwidth-\thickness-\distance}%
  \fi
  \AtPageLowerLeft{%
    \put(\LenToUnit{\xoffset},0){\rule{\thickness}{\paperheight}}%
  }%
}

\usepackage{blindtext}

\begin{document}
  \frontmatter
  \tableofcontents

  \mainmatter
  \blinddocument
\blinddocument
\end{document}

To see the output click on "Open in writeLaTeX" in the head of the above code box.

[Cham]

Ah ! Now it's working great !

I'll play a little with this, trying to understand how the code is working.

[Cham]

Ok, how do you control the vertical position of the line ?

What if we want a 9in line, vertically centered on the page ?

[localghost]

Ok, how do you control the vertical position of the line ?

What if we want a 9in line, vertically centered on the page ?

Simple mathematics.

Would be nice if tell us your wishes all at once and not only step by step.

Code: Select all

\documentclass[12pt]{book}
\usepackage[T1]{fontenc}
\usepackage[
  total={6in,10in},
  left=1.5in,
  top=0.5in,
  includeheadfoot
]{geometry}
\usepackage{lmodern}
\usepackage{eso-pic}

\newlength{\distance}
\setlength{\distance}{0.5in}
\newlength{\rulethickness}
\setlength{\rulethickness}{1pt}
\newlength{\ruleheight}
\setlength{\ruleheight}{9in}
\newlength{\xoffset}
\newlength{\yoffset}
\setlength{\yoffset}{0.5\dimexpr\paperheight-\ruleheight}

\AddToShipoutPicture{%
  \ifodd\value{page}%
    \setlength{\xoffset}{\distance}%
  \else
    \setlength{\xoffset}{\dimexpr\paperwidth-\rulethickness-\distance}%
  \fi
  \AtPageLowerLeft{%
    \put(\LenToUnit{\xoffset},\LenToUnit{\yoffset}){\rule{\rulethickness}{\ruleheight}}%
  }%
}

\usepackage{blindtext}

\begin{document}
  \frontmatter
  \tableofcontents

  \mainmatter
  \blinddocument
  \blinddocument
\end{document}

The \AddToShipoutPicture macro is described in the eso-pic manual.

[Cham]

Would be nice if tell us your wishes all at once and not only step by step.

Well, to be honest, I'm not even sure to know what I want/need with this line !

Currently, I'm discovering and experimenting with the vertical line. Since the result looks very good, I'll most probably keep it.

But anyway, thanks a lot for your help. It's very appreciated, and I'm sure other users would find this topic usefull.

[localghost]

Well, to be honest, I'm not even sure to know what I want/need with this line ! :oops:

Currently, I'm discovering and experimenting with the vertical line. Since the result looks very good, I'll most probably keep it. […]

OK. That's comprehensible. Feel free to ask follow-up questions if you have a more concrete idea of the final result.