Multi page layout

[iosoio]

Hi there, I would like to know if there's a way to set automatic page numbering in a multi page layout and also if it's possible to see two pages at a time (facing pages) because this normally helps in revising the layout aesthetics: consistency, balance etc.

One more thing. I'd be grateful to anyone who told me how to lock and unlock the guides individually, if this is an option, in order to create locked sets for marking the trim and eventually the safe margin lines without to lock every further guide used for defining place holder layers on the pages.

Thank you.

[iosoio]

Sorry, I have another question.

It seems to me that a file in "Document Mode" retains 72 (or 96 I don't know) dpi scaling instead of adapting it to the set resolution: the print resolution is often 300dpi.

This is a minor problem for vector and raster images display but it becomes more serious when it's time to edit text, because to place a 12pt paragraph I've had to set the font size to 48 circa. I suppose the ration is 4.16...

Under these conditions the layout previsualization is difficult if not a guess.

Thanks again

[Herbert123]

- automatic page numbering: Layout-->Text-->Insert Text Field (choose page number in the list)

- Individual guide locking/display: unfortunately, in Photoline all guides exist in the same "virtual layer/space". It is not possible to lock or hide/show individual guides or sets of guides. You can only lock them all, or not.
As a work-around, create a group with line objects instead. Unfortunately, there is no method to create automatic grids with lines - there is the option for the guides, but guides cannot be converted to lines, or vice versa.

Hopefully these limitations will be addressed at some point, because they do limit the usefulness of guides in Photoline quite a lot.

- When you draw a text frame in document mode, the default ppi is 300. When you draw a text box, choosing 12pt should display the text as 12pt size on the page.

If this is not the case for you, you may have scaled the text up or down. In that case the relative font size is retained (a scaled up 12pt text box still displays the text as being 12pt, but the physical size may be much larger. To fix this, right-mouse click on the text layer (not the layer thumbnail), and select "Fix Layer". This will apply the scale to the text layer, and the correct Pt size is displayed again.

[iosoio]

Thank you Herbert for the automatic numbering. I was wandering to find something a là Quark, Control+3 in a Master Page text box, with no success. Search's over. Regarding the font size, I can Assure you to not having scaled any text box, and in fact the item "Fix Layer" is dimmed. To me the problem is that while the document displays at 96 dpi, regardless of the default or set 300 dpi resolution, the text does not, thus resulting disproportionately small.

Concerning the guides, I agree that drawing a group of lines on an independent layer could be a good workaround.

Bye.

[Gerhard Huber]

also if it's possible to see two pages at a time (facing pages) because this normally helps in revising the layout aesthetics: consistency, balance etc.

"File > Print Preview" can show two pages side by side if you use Windows.

[iosoio]

"File > Print Preview" can show two pages side by side if you use Windows.

Thank you.

I wanted to prove myself that assembling a photo book in PL was perfectly viable. With minor improvements, for example making the guides lockable per set and the preview of two pages at a time, it would be also comfortable. Yet, to add some structured text, the text rendering issue has to be addressed.

In my opinion the latter is the biggest problem.

[iosoio]

Which algorithm is used to scale the content of a file while exporting it to PDF/X-3: is it bicubic or is it something else?

[bkh]

This is a minor problem for vector and raster images display but it becomes more serious when it's time to edit text, because to place a 12pt paragraph I've had to set the font size to 48 circa. I suppose the ration is 4.16...

Are you sure that you have set the text size to 12 pt? Sounds as if you used 12 px/48 px instead. (You can set the default unit in the context menu of the text size box.)

With minor improvements, for example making the guides lockable per set and the preview of two pages at a time, it would be also comfortable.

If you want to see and edit two pages side by side, you can also open a second window for the document and place it next to the first one. If you want to place layout elements across a page spread, it's best to design the page spread as a single page and split it into two afterwards (there is no fully automatic way to do so).

Btw., you can use vector lines/shapes as guides as well – this may help to work around some limitations with PL's guides.

Cheers

Burkhard.

[Martin Huber]

Which algorithm is used to scale the content of a file while exporting it to PDF/X-3: is it bicubic or is it something else?

With the default setting "Document" the export doesn't scale at all. With a given dpi value, it scales down using Lanczos 3.

Martin

[iosoio]

This is a minor problem for vector and raster images display but it becomes more serious when it's time to edit text, because to place a 12pt paragraph I've had to set the font size to 48 circa. I suppose the ration is 4.16...

Are you sure that you have set the text size to 12 pt? Sounds as if you used 12 px/48 px instead. (You can set the default unit in the context menu of the text size box.)

No, I'm not. In fact yo're right! It was a matter of setting the measurement system via the context menu. 2nd problem solved, thank you.

With minor improvements, for example making the guides lockable per set and the preview of two pages at a time, it would be also comfortable.

If you want to see and edit two pages side by side, you can also open a second window for the document and place it next to the first one. If you want to place layout elements across a page spread, it's best to design the page spread as a single page and split it into two afterwards (there is no fully automatic way to do so).

This turned to be impossible, but even if it could, it would be of no practical value, because the program interface (page borders, scroll buttons) is too much distracting. I couldn't be able to open two document instances at once but I succeeded in duplicating it by Layout > Document > Duplicate Document.

Page spreads are all another story.

Btw., you can use vector lines/shapes as guides as well – this may help to work around some limitations with PL's guides.

Yes, By "a group of lines" i intended just this.

There are some other minor issues frustrating a pleasing experience while making a Photo book. For Example the Placeholder layer which is only resizable (both numerically or by dragging the bounding edges) when this box should be independent by the content to act like a mask and allow a fast, visual reframe. Ideally there should be a switcher to commute resizing and masking mode.

We could open a wishlist, a part from the already existing one, which is for beta-tester only.

Bye.

[iosoio]

Which algorithm is used to scale the content of a file while exporting it to PDF/X-3: is it bicubic or is it something else?

With the default setting "Document" the export doesn't scale at all. With a given dpi value, it scales down using Lanczos 3.

Martin

Thank you. I agree this is the best all-around interpolation, even if I prefer to crop and re-size every image individually in picture mode; because when the level of details is very high (lots of high frequencies) Lanzos can show some aliasing artifacts.

[PhilM]

This is a minor problem for vector and raster images display but it becomes more serious when it's time to edit text, because to place a 12pt paragraph I've had to set the font size to 48 circa. I suppose the ration is 4.16...

Are you sure that you have set the text size to 12 pt? Sounds as if you used 12 px/48 px instead. (You can set the default unit in the context menu of the text size box.)

With minor improvements, for example making the guides lockable per set and the preview of two pages at a time, it would be also comfortable.

If you want to see and edit two pages side by side, you can also open a second window for the document and place it next to the first one. If you want to place layout elements across a page spread, it's best to design the page spread as a single page and split it into two afterwards (there is no fully automatic way to do so).

Btw., you can use vector lines/shapes as guides as well – this may help to work around some limitations with PL's guides.

Cheers

Burkhard.

Image across 2 pages :

If you want to place an object/an image across two consecutive pages, you can easily do it with virtual copy.

Step 1 : place an horizontal guide to set the top of the image across the pages
Step 2 : place the image in the first page with the top aligned to the guide and with the center of the image aligned to the right edge of the page
Step 3 : place a virtual copy of the image on page two. Align it to the guide. And place its center aligned to the left edge of the page.

If you edit the original image, both pages will be updated.

Phil

[iosoio]

If you want to place an object/an image across two consecutive pages, you can easily do it with virtual copy.

Step 1 : place an horizontal guide to set the top of the image across the pages
Step 2 : place the image in the first page with the top aligned to the guide and with the center of the image aligned to the right edge of the page
Step 3 : place a virtual copy of the image on page two. Align it to the guide. And place its center aligned to the left edge of the page.

If you edit the original image, both pages will be updated.

Phil

Honestly I think faster to halve an image for placing its left part on the even page and its right on the odd one, albeit this will almost completely inhibit any further editing.

[Herbert123]

If you want to place an object/an image across two consecutive pages, you can easily do it with virtual copy.

Step 1 : place an horizontal guide to set the top of the image across the pages
Step 2 : place the image in the first page with the top aligned to the guide and with the center of the image aligned to the right edge of the page
Step 3 : place a virtual copy of the image on page two. Align it to the guide. And place its center aligned to the left edge of the page.

If you edit the original image, both pages will be updated.

Phil

Honestly I think faster to halve an image for placing its left part on the even page and its right on the odd one, albeit this will almost completely inhibit any further editing.

You could also use a layer mask on the virtual and original version. It remains editable this way.

[PhilM]

It is quite simple and fast : 3 steps

Copy the image layer (Ctrl C)
Paste it as Virtual (Edit/Paste as Virtual copy) on the next page
Align both on the top guide and on the page edge (the center of the layer)

PrtScr.jpg

PrtScr2.jpg

No need to mask or cut the part of the image that is outside of the page surface.

Permanently editable.

Try it to convince yourself

Phil