How can I make a custom layout / change header background color … with Tex, Latex, ConTeXt ?

Question

Hi,

currently I produce dynamically this document http://download.stephane-klein.info/exemple_document.png with Python Report Labs… to produce pdf documents.

Now, I would like try to produce this document with Tex / Latex / ConTeXt…

I've some questions :

• how can I make the layout ?
• how can I make header background color ?
• how can I define my custom title (with blue box) ?
• what is the better choice for my project : Latex or ConTeXt ?

What package I need to use ?

• geometry ?
• fancyhdr ?

Have you some example ? some resource ?

Yesterday, I've read many many documentation… and I don't found a solution / example for my questions.

Thanks for your help, Stephane

Answer 1

Some useful packages apart from the fancyhdr you already mentioned are:

1. titlesec for more control over your section titles
2. booktabs for more control over table layout
3. PGF/TikZ for the graphics in your document, i.e., the page turn effect in the corner and maybe the blue boxes (although that might be considered a bit overkill :))
4. memoir for more control over your document layout, but the package is more book-oriented than you need probably
5. koma-script might be a good alternative for memoir but I'm not familiar with it so I don't know about its weaknesses

This is list is not exhaustive and I am not experienced enough in this kind of typesetting meets lay-out stuff to be of much help, but these are packages that come to my mind given your problem :).

Using inputenc there shouldn't be a problem typesetting Russian text.

Maybe the actual process will be easier in ConTeXt, it is more oriented towards control over your typesetting but I'm not familiar with it.

Good luck!

Answer 2

With titlesec and color packages use this in LaTeX head (before \begin{document})

\usepackage{titlesec}
\usepackage{color}

% Colors
\definecolor{textcolor}{rgb}{.90,.95,1}
\definecolor{boxcolor}{rgb}{.94,.97,1}

% Header style
\titleformat{\section}
{\color{textcolor}\normalfont\Large\bfseries}
{}{1em}{{\color{boxcolor}\rule{0.35cm}{0.35cm}}\quad}

to make the blue box and change header color, font and remove numbering.

Answer 3

excellent web layout