Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, implementing and using techniques for controlling typesetting and layout editing (2a). Data being typeset or laid out are displayed on a display (3). A first menu (20) having a user-selectable first creation mode and second creation mode are displayed on the display (3) to create a new electronic document in accordance with a user-input control instruction. A second menu (21) having previously set values for grid parameters demarcating an appropriate layout grid (123) for the new electronic document is displayed if the user selects the first creation mode. A layout grid (123) is created on each page of the electronic document by receiving a user approval of the values set in the second menu (21). This eliminates the necessity of separately having to calculate page margins. Furthermore, when creating a frame grid (30) on a layout grid (123), or when changing its dimensions, the frame and grid are always automatically coordinated.