How to add a custom color to every page header

colorheader-footer

Here is a typical page from my notes

I would like to add a side coloring unique to every section. For example, for the 3rd section I want to have a blue colour as

Ideally I would also want to be able to have a fixed distance between the text and the colouring (and the sides of the paper).

Note that I have headings for every single page which include the subsection number and the name of the section. For example, in the above we have section "This is sign of a permutation" and the current page consists of the third subsection.

I have so far used fancy header but I can't seem to add this feature. Does anybody have any thoughts on how I can achieve this?

If you need any more information about my current set-up please let me know.

Here is my template

\documentclass[12pt]{article}

 

\usepackage{fancyhdr,lipsum}
\usepackage{eso-pic,graphicx}
\usepackage[a4paper,bindingoffset=0in,%
            left=0.5in,right=0.5in,top=0.8in,bottom=1in,%
            footskip=.5in]{geometry}

\newcommand{\newsection}[1]{%
  \fancyhead[C]{\bfseries\LARGE \thesection~#1}% Clear
}

\pagestyle{fancy}
\fancyhf{}% Clear header/footer
\fancyfoot[C]{\thepage}
\renewcommand{\headrulewidth}{0pt}

\setcounter{secnumdepth}{3}
\setcounter{tocdepth}{3}

\usepackage{seqsplit}
\usepackage{libertine}
\usepackage{amsmath} % Imports amsmath
\usepackage{blindtext}
\usepackage{fontenc}
\usepackage[utf8]{inputenc}
\usepackage{amsthm}
\usepackage{graphicx}
\usepackage{physics} %Allows for differentials
\usepackage{mathtools}
\usepackage{enumitem}
\usepackage[most]{tcolorbox}
\usepackage{enumitem}
\usepackage{empheq}
\usepackage{graphicx,wrapfig,lipsum}
\usepackage{wasysym}
\usepackage{amssymb}
\usepackage{color}
\usepackage{tikz}
\usepackage{eso-pic,graphicx}
\usepackage{xcolor,soul}
\usepackage{xpatch}

\makeatletter
\AtBeginDocument{\xpatchcmd{\@thm}{\thm@headpunct{.}}{\thm@headpunct{}}{}{}}
\makeatother


%Defines the Customr Colors
\definecolor{bl2}{HTML}{0b4973} %These are the blue colours
\definecolor{bl1}{HTML}{dce8eb}
\definecolor{g1}{HTML}{dcebdd} %These are the green colours
\definecolor{g2}{HTML}{0b731c}
\definecolor{r1}{HTML}{ebdcdc} %These are the red colours
\definecolor{r2}{HTML}{730b0b}
\definecolor{br1}{HTML}{ebe8dc} %These are the brown colours
\definecolor{br2}{HTML}{734b0b}
\definecolor{br3}{HTML}{4c3c16}

\definecolor{p2}{HTML}{520b73}
\definecolor{p1}{HTML}{664f71}

%Defines the Custom Color Boxes
%1.1 Theorem - Blue
\newtcolorbox{bluetheorem}{
enhanced,
fonttitle=\sffamily\bfseries,
coltitle=bl2,
title code={
\path[fill=bl1] (title.south west) rectangle (title.north east);
\path[draw=bl2,solid,line width=0.75mm]
([xshift=5mm]title.south west) -- ([xshift=-5mm]title.south east);
},
boxrule=0pt,frame hidden,
borderline west={4pt}{0pt}{bl2},
colback=bl1,
colbacktitle=bl1,
opacityback=0.6
}

%1.2 Definition - Blue
\newtcolorbox{bluedefinition}{
enhanced,
fonttitle=\sffamily\bfseries,
coltitle=bl2,
boxrule=0pt,frame hidden,
opacityback=0,
%borderline west={10pt}{5pt}{blue,opacity=0.5},
overlay={
      \draw[line width=10pt,bl2,opacity=0.5]
          ([shift={(0mm,-2mm)}]interior.north west)
          --([shift={(0mm,2mm)}]interior.south west);
        }
}

%2.1 Theorem - Green
\newtcolorbox{greentheorem}{
enhanced,
fonttitle=\sffamily\bfseries,
coltitle=g2,
title code={
\path[fill=g1] (title.south west) rectangle (title.north east);
\path[draw=g2,solid,line width=0.75mm]
([xshift=5mm]title.south west) -- ([xshift=-5mm]title.south east);
},
boxrule=0pt,frame hidden,
borderline west={4pt}{0pt}{g2},
colback=g1,
colbacktitle=g1,
opacityback=0.6
}

%2.2 Definition - Green
\newtcolorbox{greendefinition}{
enhanced,
fonttitle=\sffamily\bfseries,
coltitle=g2,
boxrule=0pt,frame hidden,
opacityback=0,
%borderline west={10pt}{5pt}{blue,opacity=0.5},
overlay={
      \draw[line width=10pt,g2,opacity=0.5]
          ([shift={(0mm,-2mm)}]interior.north west)
          --([shift={(0mm,2mm)}]interior.south west);
        }
}

%3.1 Theorem - Red
\newtcolorbox{redtheorem}{
enhanced,
fonttitle=\sffamily\bfseries,
coltitle=r2,
title code={
\path[fill=r1] (title.south west) rectangle (title.north east);
\path[draw=r2,solid,line width=0.75mm]
([xshift=5mm]title.south west) -- ([xshift=-5mm]title.south east);
},
boxrule=0pt,frame hidden,
borderline west={4pt}{0pt}{r2},
colback=r1,
colbacktitle=r1,
opacityback=0.6
}

%3.2 Definition - Red
\newtcolorbox{reddefinition}{
enhanced,
fonttitle=\sffamily\bfseries,
coltitle=r2,
boxrule=0pt,frame hidden,
opacityback=0,
%borderline west={10pt}{5pt}{blue,opacity=0.5},
overlay={
      \draw[line width=10pt,r2,opacity=0.5]
          ([shift={(0mm,-2mm)}]interior.north west)
          --([shift={(0mm,2mm)}]interior.south west);
        }
}

%4.1 Theorem - Brown
\newtcolorbox{browntheorem}{
enhanced,
fonttitle=\sffamily\bfseries,
coltitle=br2,
title code={
\path[fill=br1] (title.south west) rectangle (title.north east);
\path[draw=br2,solid,line width=0.75mm]
([xshift=5mm]title.south west) -- ([xshift=-5mm]title.south east);
},
boxrule=0pt,frame hidden,
borderline west={4pt}{0pt}{br2},
colback=br1,
colbacktitle=br1,
opacityback=0.6
}

%4.2 Definition - Brown
\newtcolorbox{browndefinition}{
enhanced,
fonttitle=\sffamily\bfseries,
coltitle=br2,
boxrule=0pt,frame hidden,
opacityback=0,
%borderline west={10pt}{5pt}{blue,opacity=0.5},
overlay={
      \draw[line width=10pt,br2,opacity=0.5]
          ([shift={(0mm,-2mm)}]interior.north west)
          --([shift={(0mm,2mm)}]interior.south west);
        }
}

%5.1 Theorem - Purple
\newtcolorbox{purpletheorem}{
enhanced,
fonttitle=\sffamily\bfseries,
coltitle=p2,
title code={
\path[fill=p1] (title.south west) rectangle (title.north east);
\path[draw=p2,solid,line width=0.75mm]
([xshift=5mm]title.south west) -- ([xshift=-5mm]title.south east);
},
boxrule=0pt,frame hidden,
borderline west={4pt}{0pt}{p2},
colback=p1,
colbacktitle=p1,
opacityback=0.6
}

%5.2 Definition - Purple
\newtcolorbox{purpledefinition}{
enhanced,
fonttitle=\sffamily\bfseries,
coltitle=p2,
boxrule=0pt,frame hidden,
opacityback=0,
%borderline west={10pt}{5pt}{blue,opacity=0.5},
overlay={
      \draw[line width=10pt,p2,opacity=0.5]
          ([shift={(0mm,-2mm)}]interior.north west)
          --([shift={(0mm,2mm)}]interior.south west);
        }
}

\newtheoremstyle{break}
  {\topsep}{\topsep}%
  {\upshape}{}%
  {\bfseries}{}%
  {\newline}{}%

\theoremstyle{break}

\newtheorem{theorem}{Theorem}[section] %This defines the \begin{Theorem} commands
\newtheorem{corollary}{Corollary}[theorem] %This defines the \begin{Corollary} commands
\newtheorem{lemma}[theorem]{Lemma} %This defines the \begin{Lemma} commaands and formating


\theoremstyle{definition} %This changes the theorem style. In this case, we want the following theorem to have style of a definition as it won't change the formating.
\newtheorem*{example}{Example}
\newtheorem*{remark}{Remark}

\renewcommand{\baselinestretch}{0.9} % This deals with the dimentions of the page.



\title{Algebra and Geometry} % Title

\usepackage{hyperref}

\hypersetup{
    colorlinks=false, %set true if you want colored links
  linktoc=all,     %set to all if you want both sections and subsections linked
    linkcolor=blue,  %choose some color if you want links to stand out
}

\newcommand{\tcb}[1]{\textcolor{bl2}{#1}} %Use this for colouring blue text
\newcommand{\inc}[2]{\includegraphis[#1]{#2}} %shorthand for includegraphis


\begin{document}


\AddToShipoutPictureBG*{\includegraphics[width=\paperwidth,height=\paperheight]{whitelinesa1.png}}

\maketitle

\tableofcontents
\newpage
\newsection{Template} 
\sethlcolor{bl1} %For the first chapter (here in the commands we have \newsection) we will use blue.

\AddToShipoutPictureBG*{\includegraphics[width=\paperwidth,height=\paperheight]{whitelinesblue.png}}


\section{Commands}

\begin{flushleft}

 
testing

\end{flushleft}



\end{document}

End Result with Bellow Answer
With the bellow solution, here is a screen shot from my notes

Best Answer

The gaps are currently set to 0.1in each. Note the extra 0.1in gaps at the edges to accommodate the oversized border art.

\documentclass[]{article}
\usepackage{xcolor}
\usepackage[a4paper,bindingoffset=0in,%
            left=0.5in,right=0.5in,top=0.8in,bottom=1in,%
            footskip=.5in]{geometry}
\usepackage{graphicx}
\usepackage{lipsum}

\newsavebox{\titlebox}

\makeatletter
\def\ps@mystyle{\def\@oddfoot{\hfill\thepage\hfill}% fancyhdr is for sissies
  \let\@evenfoot\@oddfoot
  \def\@evenhead{\hspace{0.1in}\hfill
    \textcolor{blue}{\rule{\dimexpr 0.5\textwidth-0.3in-0.5\wd\titlebox}{\ht\titlebox}}\hfill
    \usebox\titlebox\hfill
    \textcolor{blue}{\rule{\dimexpr 0.5\textwidth-0.3in-0.5\wd\titlebox}{\ht\titlebox}}\hfill
    \hspace{0.1in}}%
  \let\@oddhead=\@evenhead
  \def\sectionmark##1{\global\setbox\titlebox=\hbox{\bfseries\LARGE \thesection~##1}}%
}
\makeatother
\pagestyle{mystyle}
\AddToHook{shipout/background}{% no package needed (other than graphicx)
  \put(0.1in,-0.6in){\includegraphics[width=0.5in,height=0.5in]{example-image-a}}
  \put(\dimexpr \paperwidth-0.6in,-0.6in){\includegraphics[width=0.5in,height=0.5in]{example-image-b}}
}

\begin{document}
\section{This is sign of permutation}
\lipsum[1-4]
\end{document}

This version uses TikZ. The tricky bit was trying to align the baselines instead of the centers. It also uses \rightmark instead of a global \titlebox. If you have two \sections on one page, \rightmark will show the first while \titlebox will show the second.

\autocolor selects a different color for each page (until it runs out of \ors).

\documentclass[]{article}
\usepackage{xcolor}
\usepackage[a4paper,bindingoffset=0in,%
            left=0.5in,right=0.5in,top=0.8in,bottom=1in,%
            footskip=.5in]{geometry}
\usepackage{tikz}
\usepackage{lipsum}

\newsavebox{\titlebox}
\newcommand{\autocolor}{\ifcase\value{page}\relax white\or red\or green\or blue\else white\fi}

\makeatletter
\def\ps@mystyle{\def\@oddfoot{\hfill\thepage\hfill}% fancyhdr is for sissies
  \let\@evenfoot\@oddfoot
  \def\@evenhead{\savebox\titlebox{\rightmark}\hfill\tikz
    [every node/.style={inner sep=0pt}]
    {\node[anchor=base] (title) {\usebox\titlebox};
    \node[fill={\autocolor},opacity=0.5,
      minimum height=\ht\titlebox,
      minimum width={0.5\textwidth-0.3in-0.5\wd\titlebox},
      left=0.5em, yshift=0.5\dp\titlebox] at (title.west){};
    \node[fill={\autocolor},opacity=0.5,
      minimum height=\ht\titlebox,
      minimum width={0.5\textwidth-0.3in-0.5\wd\titlebox},
      right=0.5em, yshift=0.5\dp\titlebox] at (title.east){};
    }\hfill}% end of \@evenhead
  \let\@oddhead=\@evenhead
  \def\sectionmark##1{\markright{\bfseries\LARGE \thesection~##1}}%
}
\makeatother
\pagestyle{mystyle}
\AddToHook{shipout/background}{% no package needed (other than graphicx)
  \put(0.1in,-0.6in){\includegraphics[width=0.5in,height=0.5in]{example-image-a}}
  \put(\dimexpr \paperwidth-0.6in,-0.6in){\includegraphics[width=0.5in,height=0.5in]{example-image-b}}
}

\begin{document}
\section{This is sign of permutation}
\lipsum[1-4]
\end{document}

Related Solutions

[Tex/LaTex] Multiline Header and Custom First Page Header

As \maketitle sets the page style to plain, the best plain is to redefine the plain page style to include the header:

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{fancyhdr}
\begin{document}

\thispagestyle{empty}
\pagestyle{fancy}
\fancyhead[LO]{\textsc{Title of Paper}}
\fancyhead[RE]{\textsc{Authors}}
\fancyhead[LE]{\thepage}
\fancyhead[RO]{\thepage}
\fancyfoot{}
\renewcommand{\headrulewidth}{.75pt}
\fancypagestyle{plain}{%
  \fancyhead{%
    \vspace{-1.7in}
    \hrule
    \vspace{0.02in}
    \small
    \sffamily
    \noindent
    \begin{tabular}{@{}p{\textwidth}@{}}
      JOURNAL NAME \hfill OTHER STUFF\\
      ISSN \ 0115-xxxx\hfill Vol. xx  No. x (xxx) pp. 1-13
    \end{tabular}
    \vspace{0.01in}
    \hrule
  }
}
\title{}
\author{}
\date{}
\maketitle

Some text
\clearpage
Some more text


\end{document}

[Tex/LaTex] Same header and footer for every page

You need to set the page style to plain after redefining it using fancyhdr's \fancypagestyle{plain}{...} command. This is described in the fancyhdr documentation (section 7 Redefining plain style, p 7-8):

\usepackage{fancyhdr,graphicx,lastpage}% http://ctan.org/pkg/{fancyhdr,graphicx,lastpage}
\fancypagestyle{plain}{
  \fancyhf{}% Clear header/footer
  \fancyhead[R]{\includegraphics[width=\linewidth,height=5pt]{example-image-a}}% Right header
  \fancyfoot[L]{Name Firstname - v1.0 \\  Date}% Left footer
  \fancyfoot[R]{\thepage\  / \pageref{LastPage}}% Right footer
}
\pagestyle{plain}% Set page style to plain.

This should set the page style to plain for the entire document, including the first page of \chapters.

If you wish to have certain chapters to have a different (empty, say) page style, you would have to set this manually. For the \tableofcontents though, this is a bit tricky, since using

\thispagestyle{empty}\tableofcontents

\tableofcontents\thispagestyle{empty}

would set it to empty either too early, or perhaps too late, depending on the choice. This is because of the construction of the command \tableofcontents (from report.cls - your document class):

\newcommand\tableofcontents{%
    \if@twocolumn
      \@restonecoltrue\onecolumn
    \else
      \@restonecolfalse
    \fi
    \chapter*{\contentsname
        \@mkboth{%
           \MakeUppercase\contentsname}{\MakeUppercase\contentsname}}%
    \@starttoc{toc}%
    \if@restonecol\twocolumn\fi
    }

Note that \tableofcontents executes \chapter*, which in itself initiates a page break via \clearpage (or \cleardoublepage, depending on your document class options, like openright). So one would have to insert the page style somewhere around the place where the ToC is being built... in this case, at \@starttoc{toc}. You can do this with an etoolbox patch (there are other ways as well):

\usepackage{etoolbox}% http://ctan.org/pkg/etoolbox
\makeatletter
\patchcmd{\tableofcontents}% <cmd>
  {\@starttoc}% <search>
  {\thispagestyle{empty}\@starttoc}
  {}{}% <success><failure>
\makeatother

Taking all of this into consideration, you might be after the following setup:

\documentclass[twoside,openright]{report}
\usepackage{fancyhdr,lipsum}% http://ctan.org/pkg/{fancyhdr,lipsum}
\usepackage{graphicx,lastpage}% http://ctan.org/pkg/{graphicx,lastpage}
\usepackage{etoolbox}% http://ctan.org/pkg/etoolbox
\fancypagestyle{plain}{
  \fancyhf{}% Clear header/footer
  \fancyhead[R]{\includegraphics[width=\linewidth,height=5pt]{example-image-a.pdf}}% Right header
  \fancyfoot[L]{Name Firstname - v1.0 \\  Date}% Left footer
  \fancyfoot[R]{\thepage\  / \pageref{LastPage}}% Right footer
}
\pagestyle{plain}
\makeatletter
\patchcmd{\tableofcontents}% <cmd>
  {\@starttoc}% <search>
  {\thispagestyle{empty}\@starttoc}
  {}{}% <success><failure>
\makeatother
\begin{document}
\tableofcontents
\chapter{A chapter}\lipsum[1-5]
\end{document}

Of course, this could be changed (even improved) if you don't have a title, or if there was more information on your document structure.

Some references regarding the above usages:

What do \makeatletter and \makeatother do?
etoolbox documentation regarding command patching via \patchcmd (section 3.4 Patching, p 11)

Some other things to consider:

Using \linewidth if you wish to have a header image that spans the entire width of the text block (rather than 8cm).
Using the pageslts package which provides a VeryLastPage label, depending on whether or not you have unprocessed floats at the end of your report.

Best Answer

Related Solutions

[Tex/LaTex] Multiline Header and Custom First Page Header

[Tex/LaTex] Same header and footer for every page

Related Question