Why is there no header?

Question

Why header is not applied to this page?

\documentclass{book}
\usepackage[paperheight=11.694in,paperwidth=8.269in,top=0.985in,bottom=0.788in,left=1.181in,right=0.788in]{geometry}
\usepackage{fancyhdr}
\begin{document}
\pagenumbering{gobble}
\begin{titlepage}
\pagestyle{fancy}
\lhead{Left}
\rhead{Right}
Blah blah blah
\end{titlepage}
\end{document}

This is probably easy to solve, so sorry for asking stupid questions, but I'm only a beginner.

Welcome, the concept of using a header on the titlepage is wrong to begin with. Just add Left and Right where you need it. — Johannes_B, Feb 04 '18 at 08:16
http://tex.stackexchange.com/questions/209993/how-to-customize-my-titlepage/210280#210280 — Johannes_B, Feb 04 '18 at 08:16
@Johannes_B I still don't understand. An example would help. — Hanlon, Feb 04 '18 at 08:23
\thispagestyle{fancy} will get you the header. But i think using a header on the title page is wrong. That is why i linked to an answer, that explains how to design your own titlepage. — Johannes_B, Feb 04 '18 at 08:27
Alternatively: https://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/LaTeX/Title_Creation — Johannes_B, Feb 04 '18 at 08:27
Thank you! It works. I wouldn't use header on title page neither, but it's not my choice. — Hanlon, Feb 04 '18 at 08:33

score 2 · Answer 1 · answered Feb 04 '18 at 12:08

Too long to a comment.

Seem that the real question is related with How to show header on first page of chapter? and have been solved here and in the comment of Johannes_B above, but what is really asked (Why is there no header?) is the important isssue and a recurrent question here. It worth explain as rightly has been asserted, why is wrong a header in a title page or starting a chapter.

What is the purpose of a header? Is not other that provide a quick help to the reader about the document structure: mainly pages, main section level/s and author when is not the same in all chapters, so you can understand instantly where you are.

But first page of a chapter, not to say a title page, have already a huge title at and author in a prominent place. Repeat again this information in the upper margin does not help at all. It is enough clear where you are. The only result is tarnish the main titles of the book, losing the space above. Seem that many people often do not realize how important is this (another recurrent question is how to reduce the upper margin in first chapter pages). Either the chapter titles deserve prominent places, or there are no reason to make a book but an article or something in between (memoir, report). In page with the title of the document this never have sense, whatever the document is.

Excruciatingly, many times you are asked to use a ugly document layout. What to do then?

1) Ignore it. It could be only a recommendation, or the infraction of the rule finally does not matter at all when the result is better.

2) Try to explain why it should not be done, if you tried, but the brute supervisor is not dazzled by the good typography of your draft.

3) Finally, if your suggestions is rejected or unlikely they will be accepted (e.g. using official thesis or book templates of some University or important editorial) well, ehhh, ... when in Rome, do as the Romans do, but do not become a legionary. People used to bad typography tend to think that is how it should be.

score 1 · Accepted Answer · answered Feb 05 '18 at 11:03

1

I'll just post a correct way to do it. It would be stupid to leave question unanswered if I know the answer, but all credits go to Johannes_B.

\documentclass{book}
\usepackage[paperheight=11.694in,paperwidth=8.269in,top=0.985in,bottom=0.788in,left=1.181in,right=0.788in]{geometry}
\usepackage{fancyhdr}
\begin{document}
\pagenumbering{gobble}
\begin{titlepage}
\thispagestyle{fancy}
\lhead{Left}
\rhead{Right}
Blah blah blah
\end{titlepage}
\end{document}

answered Feb 05 '18 at 11:03

Hanlon

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Sorry, this is putting words in my mouth. I told you to *not* use a header package on a titlepage. – Johannes_B Mar 24 '18 at 07:11
@Johannes_B The answer just shows the way how to do it that you showed me. It doesn't have anything to do with that do you affirm that kind of page layout or not. – Hanlon Mar 29 '18 at 18:59
No, i do not. A title page does not have a header. There might be something that looks like a header though. – Johannes_B Mar 30 '18 at 02:04
@Johannes_B I absolutely agree with you. But this answer is the answer to the question that I asked (Why is there no header on a title page? How can I make one appear?), and that's why I accepted it. Of course, this whole answer is thanks to you, what I acknowledged in the answer itself. – Hanlon Mar 30 '18 at 19:03
@Johannes_B By the way, the whole header on a title page thing was actually just a mistake both of my professor and me (it's complicated). So there shouldn't be one, after all. – Hanlon Mar 30 '18 at 19:06

Why is there no header?

2 Answers2