When PTC ALD creates a template from a stylesheet, it creates code that generates page components on demand. It does not create all the page layouts at the start of formatting. The source for the page set is a function which is used to generate all the page types and other supporting constructs, based on the information defined by the page set.

To ensure page set information can be accessed from other locations, the page set source creates an object on the pageInfo property on the current template. pageInfo is a custom property. It is not part of the Formatting Object Model. The current page set name is used as a key to the information. The first section of code in the page set source stores the page set information, such as:

This is editable code. You can make changes to the properties that may not be supported in the Arbortext Styler UI. For example, the Arbortext Styler UI supports a column layout of up to eight columns for a page. To configure more than eight columns on a page, use a page set source edit to add more columnInfo entries.

Once set up, the source creates two content streams in the document, which manage page numbering and ensure the formatted page number is stored correctly. It is recommended that you do not edit this source unless you have full knowledge of the code.

The last section of source creates the page sequence control stream for the page set. Page sequence control streams are PTC Arbortext Layout Developer’s method for specifying which page layout to use under different conditions. Refer to Page And Document Sequence Control for further information. The Page Types property category of the Page Sets list in Arbortext Styler specifies which page types to use in a page set and under which conditions (for example, for a left page or a blank page). The page selection made here has a direct impact on the way the page sequence is set up. Each condition in the page sequence requires a layout property. The page set source at this point calls a function which presents the page type source. The function is passed arguments, including the pageInfo object and the role of the page type in the page sequence.

You can make edits to the page sequence. For example, it is possible to extend the page sequence being created to include different pages or page types that have been declared in an associated template.