FP98: How to Change Page Formatting When Using Themes

This article describes what formatting elements are disabled on a page that is using themes and how to regain control over the formatting options.

The following formatting elements are components of a theme and are not available on a page by page basis without the use of embedded styles to override the theme settings:

• Background images
• Background colors
• Default body text colors
• Hyperlink colors
• Custom border colors for tables

When you apply a theme, the Background tab in the Page Properties dialog box and the Custom Colors options for Border, Light Border, and Dark Border in the Table Properties dialog box are unavailable.

Since all of these properties are specified by a theme, the Background tab of the Page Properties dialog box , as well as the settings for Custom Border colors in the Table Properties dialog become unnecessary.

To regain individual control over these elements on a given page or an entire Web, turn off the option to use themes, following these steps:

1. In FrontPage Editor, click Theme on the Format menu.
2. Select "This Page Does Not Use Themes."
3. Click OK.

To retain the theme, but override only selected elements on a page, choose one or more of the following procedures.

To Change a Background Image

To override the background image of the theme, follow these steps:

1. In FrontPage Editor, click Theme on the Format menu.
2. In the Choose Theme dialog box, click to clear the Background Image check box.
3. On the File menu, click Page Properties.
4. Click Style.
5. Click the Colors tab.
6. In the Background Image box, enter the full path and file name of the background image you want to use.
7. Click OK.
8. Click OK again.

To Change Body Text Color

To change the body text color, follow these steps:

1. In FrontPage Editor, click Page Properties on the File Menu, and then click the General tab.
2. Click Style.
3. Click the Colors tab.
4. In the Foreground Color list, select the color you want to apply to the default body text.
5. Click OK.
6. Click OK again.

To Change Background Color

To change background color, follow these steps:

1. On the Format menu, click Theme.
2. In the Choose Theme dialog box, click to clear the Background Image check box.
3. Click OK.
4. On the File menu, click Page Properties, and then click the General tab.
5. Click Style.
6. Click the Colors tab.
7. In the Background Color list, select the color you want to apply to the page background.
8. Click OK.
9. Click OK again.

To Change Cell Border Colors

To apply unique border colors to multiple selected cells in a table when you are using themes, follow these steps:

1. In FrontPage Editor, select a table cell.
2. On the Table menu, click Cell Properties.
3. Click Style.
4. Click the Borders tab.
5. For each border listed on the Borders tab--left, right, top, bottom-- specify the border style, color and width you want.
6. Click OK.
7. Click OK again.

To Change Table Border Colors

To apply a unique border to a table on a page using theses, follow these steps:

1. In FrontPage Editor, select a Table.
2. On the Table menu, click Table Properties.
3. Click Style.
4. Click the Borders Tab.
5. For each border listed on the Borders tab--left, right, top, bottom-- specify the border style, color, and width you want.
6. Click OK.
7. Click OK again.

For more information about FrontPage themes, click the Index tab in FrontPage Help, type the following text and then double-click the selected text to go to the "Theme Command (FrontPage Editor)" topic.