[Tex/LaTex] Page header with gray background and without margin

boxescolorfancyhdrmarginparpage-numbering

After finishing my thesis in LaTeX (I am an absolute newcomer) I've been asked to format it in a specific design matching a doc-file I received.

I've managed to change titles and fonts and margins successfully, but I'm having trouble with the header.

Here's what I am trying to achieve:

Page header with gray background and without margin

I've tried messing around with fancyhdr – but after spending an hour on the documentation, I'm not sure it gives me what I need.

Can you give me a nudge into the right direction?

Particular questions:
– What package should I be using to achieve this?
– How do I create this floating box that ignores the page margin?

Best Answer

The example for the page number uses \llap/\rlap to print something to the left/right without moving the current point.

\documentclass[twoside]{book}
\usepackage[
  headheight=14pt,
]{geometry}

\usepackage{color}
\definecolor{bgpagenum}{gray}{.82}
\definecolor{fgheader}{gray}{.5}

\usepackage{fancyhdr}
\pagestyle{fancy}

\makeatletter
\let\ps@plain\ps@fancy
\makeatother

\fancyhead{}
\fancyfoot{}
\renewcommand*{\headrulewidth}{0pt}
\renewcommand*{\footrulewidth}{0pt}

\fancyhead[RO]{%
  \textcolor{fgheader}{%
    \rightmark
    \rlap{%
      \hspace{\marginparsep}%
      \hspace{-\fboxsep}%
      \colorbox{bgpagenum}{%
        \makebox[\textwidth][l]{\thepage}%
      }%
    }%
  }%
}
\fancyhead[LE]{%
  \textcolor{fgheader}{%
    \llap{%
      \colorbox{bgpagenum}{%
        \makebox[\textwidth][r]{\thepage}%
      }%
      \hspace{\marginparsep}%
      \hspace{-\fboxsep}%
    }%
    \leftmark
  }%
}

% sans serif font as main font
\renewcommand*{\familydefault}{\sfdefault}

\begin{document}
\chapter{Asdfg}
\section{Hjkl}
\newpage
\section{Yuip}
\end{document}

I have used \marginparsep as horizontal distance from the page number to the text body. Then the page number would be vertical aligned with marginal notes, if there are any. If the page number should also be outside the marginal notes, then add \hspace{\marginparwidth}. The length the gray box can be calculated:

\dimexpr\paperwidth-\textwidth-1in-\oddsidemargin\relax % odd pages
\dimexpr\paperwidth-\textwidth-1in-\evensidemargin\relax % even pages

The example simplifies it by using a larger width (\textwidth).

The other things depend on used class/packages and, what have you already managed.

Related Solutions

[Tex/LaTex] Fixed marginpars with gray background in KOMA-Script

The color problem may be solved using eso-pic. Figures at the margin but not moving up or down may be done using marginnote. But sometimes moving would be recommended, so you should have a look at marginfix too. Here an example with even some more colors than asked for:

\documentclass{scrbook}% You may use any other KOMA-Script class or
                       % e.g. a standard class.

\usepackage[english]{babel}
\usepackage{blindtext}% for demo only

\usepackage[demo]{graphicx}% remove option `demo' at real life
\usepackage[svgnames]{xcolor}% to have colors (see http://ctan.org/pkg/xcolor)
\usepackage{eso-pic}% put things into background (see http://ctan.org/pkg/eso-pic)
\usepackage{marginnote}% non floating margin notes (see http://ctan.org/pkg/marginnote)

\AddToShipoutPicture{% from package eso-pic: put something to the background
  % 1. Background
  \AtPageLowerLeft{% put it at the left bottom of the page
    \color{LightGrey}\rule{\LenToUnit\paperwidth}{\LenToUnit\paperheight}%
  }%
  % 2. Headline
  \AtTextUpperLeft{% put it at the left top of the text area
    \put(0,\LenToUnit{\dimexpr\headsep-\dp\strutbox\relax}){% move it up
      \color{BurlyWood}\rule{\LenToUnit\textwidth}{\LenToUnit\headheight}%
    }%
  }%
  % 3. Text area
  \AtTextLowerLeft{% put it at the left bottom of the text area
    \color{LightSkyBlue}\rule{\LenToUnit\textwidth}{\LenToUnit\textheight}%
  }%
  % 4. Bottom
  \AtTextLowerLeft{% put it at the left bottom of the text area
    \put(0,\LenToUnit{\dimexpr-\footskip-\dp\strutbox\relax}){% move it down
      % Note: While there is no \footheight, I'm using \headheight here.
      \color{BurlyWood}\rule{\LenToUnit\textwidth}{\LenToUnit\headheight}%
    }%
  }%
}

\setcapindent{0pt}% The margin is too small for hanging captions.

\begin{document}
\chapter{Test}
\blindtext\marginnote{%
  \begin{minipage}{\marginparwidth}
    \includegraphics[width=\linewidth,height=5\baselineskip]{Test}\\
    \captionof{figure}{\hspace{0pt}Example figure}
  \end{minipage}
}

\blindtext

\blinddocument
\end{document}

Maybe using option mpinclude would be a good idea, if you have a lot of material at the margin (see KOMA-Script manual scrguien.pdf) for more information about this option). In this case, increasing \marginparwidth may or may not be a good idea.

If you would like to use text area + margin area for a figure or equation, you may use something like

\begin{addmargin*}[0pt]{\dimexpr \marginparsep+\marginparwidth\relax}
\begin{equation}
  f(x)=x^2
\end{equation}
\end{addmargin*}

addmargin and addmargin* are KOMA-Script environments. You may find them at the KOMA-Script manual.

I've used \dimexpr for some calculations at my example. You may find this at the e-TeX manual. An alternative would be to use package calc. To avoid all the \LenToUnit you may simply use package picture. Package picture extends LaTeX's picture environment and you may use lengths instead of numbers at \put, \makebox, \framebox etc.

Color – How to Highlight Important Parts with Gray Background

As mentioned in the comments, mdframed is perfect for this. You can combine it with your favourite theorem package too- in the MWE below I've used it with ntheorem, but there's nothing to stop you from using amsthm or something similar.

enter image description here

This example is very simple, but you can get very sophisticated using tikz or pstricks as the engine, as shown in the excellent documentation

\documentclass{article}

\usepackage{xcolor}     % for colour
\usepackage{lipsum}     % for sample text
\usepackage{ntheorem}   % for theorem-like environments
\usepackage{mdframed}   % for framing

\theoremstyle{break}
\theoremheaderfont{\bfseries}
\newmdtheoremenv[%
linecolor=gray,leftmargin=60,%
rightmargin=40,
backgroundcolor=gray!40,%
innertopmargin=0pt,%
ntheorem]{myprop}{Proposition}[section]

\begin{document}

\section{mdframed for the win}
\begin{myprop}
\lipsum[1]
\end{myprop}

\end{document}

Best Answer

Related Solutions

[Tex/LaTex] Fixed marginpars with gray background in KOMA-Script

Color – How to Highlight Important Parts with Gray Background

Related Question