Product Layout

The Product Layout defines how data is organized for each individual Product Group. It will be easier to design the Product Layout if you are working with the data you intend to print. So, start from the Data Editor form and double-click the Template Column in the Category Window to select the correct template. Next, click the Template Editor button to open the Page Setup form and then click the Product Layout button.

The Product Layout page is similar to the Page Layout. The Product options are found to the left, while the Design Pad is found to the right. The shape of the Design Pad will normally match the shape of the Product Display Unit. The exception is when the Display Unit is very short in relation to its width. In this case, the Design Pad will be stretched vertically to make it easier to edit.

One the left side of the page, the bottom section contain what is called the Stack. The Stack is made up of cells which represent the columns on your datasheet. The Stack has two columns; the left, shaded side of each column has Label cells, while the right, nonshaded side has Data cells. Above these columns are the Photos, Detail Table, and Notes cells.

When any cell is clicked, it becomes the Active Cell, and its name is displayed in the Active Cell box at the top of the page. You can move a cell from the Stack to the Design pad by double-clicking it. To move a cell from the Design Pad back to the Stack, click it and then click the Return to Stack button near the top of the page.

If you need to select a cell that is behind another cell, click its placeholder where it used to be in the Stack to select it.

From the Design Pad, you can position or resize a cell with your mouse. You can also move and resize the Active Cell using the arrow keys on your keyboard. The arrow keys on your keyboard will move the Active Cell, while the directional keys on the Numpad (2, 4, 6 and 8) will resize it. To toggle keyboard movement on and off, click the picture of the arrow keys under the Placement tab.

For more exact placements, use the options under the Placement tab. The Top box sets the active cell’s position from the top of the Design Pad as a percentage of the total height, while the Left box does the same thing from the left side of the Design Pad. The Width and Height boxes change the size of the Active Cell as a percentage of the dimensions of the Design Pad.

The Grid option sets the size of the grid that the cells on the Design Pad snap to. It is also the amount that the Active Cell is adjusted by when using keyboard controls. When using keyboard controls, you can hold Shift to adjust by twice the Grid value, and Ctrl to move by half the Grid value.

The Format tab contains many options to format the contents of the cell. The options will be applied to whichever cell is currently the Active Cell. To format multiple cells at once, use either the All Labels or All Fields options at the top of the page.