INTRODUCTION TO DESKTOP PUBLISHING SOFTWARE [DTP]

What is desktop publishing software?

Desktop publishing software popularly is a specialized program used to create publications of professional quality using a Computer.

DTP software allow users to create visually appealing layouts by combining text, images, graphics, and other elements

Examples of publications which can be created by DTP software.

1. Newsletters
2. Text books
3. Brochures
4. Newspapers
5. Business cards
6. Certificates
7. Calendars
8. Flyers

Examples of 10 Popular Desktop Publishing Software.

1. Adobe InDesign
2. Affinity Publisher
3. Canva
4. Microsoft Publisher
5. VivaDesigner
6. Xara Page & Layout Designer
7. LibreOffice Suite
8. Scribus
9. QuarkXPress.
10. Marq

Advantages of using Desktop Publication Software

1. Every item on a page is contained in a frame and can be edited and formatted independently.
2. Stories can be contained in a single frame or threaded between several frames.
3. Frames need not flow in logical sequence. For example a story on page 1 may be continued on page 6.
4. Master pages are used to set a common layout which may be repeated on several pages. E.g Logo, page numbers.
5. Publication can be printed in a form suitable for commercial printing e.g using colour separations.
6. Wide range of templates is available e.g brochures, booklets, posters, business cards.
7. Multiple stories from different authors can be handled with ease.

Common features of DTP software.

Most DTPs provide the user with a variety of tools for designing, manipulating and editing publication.

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1.  Select Tool Used to select, move and resize
   images and text.
2. Text Tool Used to draw text frames, insert
   and manipulate text.
3. Shapes Tools For drawing basic shapes e.g
   rectangles and importing objects.
4.  Zoom Tool For magnifying publications
   view.
5. Rotate Tool For rotating text or graphics.

CONCLUSION

Desktop Publishing (DTP) software plays a crucial role in creating printed content, and schools often choose  Microsoft Publisher for their learners because of  several reasons like ease of use and Integration with Microsoft Office: Since Publisher is part of the Microsoft Suite, it seamlessly integrates with other Office applications like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.