2. Products and templates
There are 3 kind of products, in imaxel IPS platform which requiere different kind
of template files
1. Still prints (prints): which have no design, do not need rendering, and do not
need template file
2. One page products (so called compositions and gifts): need single page
template files ( file extension xxx.imaxel-tf ) which are created with the
composer template editor software. Examples are: posters, gifts, one page
calendars.
3. Multi page products (so called albums): need multi-page template files (file
extension xxx.imaxel-af) which are created with the album template editor
software. Examples are: albums and multipage calendars.
A product may have only one template file
A template file may be used only for one product
3. 2 template editor app tools
For any product with more than one pagefor any product with one page
imageComposer
editor
imageAlbum
editor
4. What is in a template file?
Template files are used by the render engine and include more than just designs.
The information bundled in a template include:
1. Print area properties: like sizes, dpis, number of pages, etc.
2. Sheet layout design
3. Graphic elements like backgrounds, colors, logos, etc that will be used to
render the printable file.
4. Look and feel: thumbnails
5. Editing options: which actions, like modifying the layout, replacing
backgrounds, automatic album creation, are allowed to the consumer.
6. Product variants, that do not affect the price. Consumer will be asked to
select their preferences
1. product options, such colors of an album cover, T-shirt size,…. Do not
affect the rendering, but are needed at the production/finishing.
2. design options, such us the background. Do not affect the production,
just are content options.
5. Layout layers
• The layout file bundles together different kind of objects such frames,
backgrounds and cliparts.
• To ensure consistency, these objects in the template are organized in
layers which follow a hierarchy when being rendered.
• Layer hierarchy from top (most visible) to down (background) is:
o Clipart image
o Text frame
o Frame (= picture on top of background)
o Backgrounds (which may have transparencies)
o Frame bellow backgrond (= picture)
o backgrounds with transparency areas (alpha channel) can be included to
create special effects. The transparency will let see the frame bellow its
transparency area.
6. Template file creation process
1
• Define product properties
• Commercial settings: name, description, images…
• Production settings: size, dpis, finishing,..
2
• Prepare graphic resources
• Product icons/photos
• Temaplate backgrounds
3
• Use template editor software to create the template file
• set product settings and designs
• load external resources
7. • composition templates are used for all non multipage (so all
except albums and multipage calendars).
• there are 3 types of composition templates depending on the
product.
Createacompositiontemplate
1. Templates with full printable
background, like cards, posters, one
page albums etc. are compositions that
render and print together photo and
background
2. Templates with non printable
background (information background)
like personalized gifts (t-shirts, mugs,…)
are compositions in which the
background is to support the creation
process. Only the photo is rendered and
printed while the background is
discarded.
3. Templates with partially printable
background
8. Createacollageposter Will use a Collage Poster to describe a basic composition product with
only one printing background
9. Template properties: template summary
Product code have to be:
• Unique, no other template can have the same code
• Match the product code number in Remote Manager
• Numeric only (no letter or characters)
• 9 digits maximum
• Cannot start by “0” (12345 is OK, 012345 is KO)
Use any name that you can easily identify when
later creating the associated product
10. Assign an attractive
thumbnail that helps to
identify and purchase
that product.
Best thumbnails are
transparent PNG files
of 256x256 pixels
Template properties: template thumbnail
11. Template properties: sheet setup
Actual size of the area to be
printed.
Not the paper size nor the
finished product size
12. Template properties: work options
Want to let the consumer to
edit each photo in each frame
independently
The printed file will include
both, consumer photos and
template background
In case there were more than
one background, we let the
client to select between them
13. Album frame options menu
o Add Frame: creates a picture frame on top of the
background.
o Add a Text Frame: creates a text box. Font, size, color
and text alignment can be defined
o Add frame below background: creates a picture
frame that can only be seen trough a background
transparency.
o Add Clipping region: selects an area of the template
that will be crop and converted into the printable file.
Used when the output file has to have the photo and
only a limited area of the background
o Add Clipart image: adds an image (e.g. a logo) on
top of all the other objects.
o Set frames order: establish the order used to fill the
frames when the consumer selects that the product
is filled automatically
14. Sheet layout propoerties select the previously created
background file: a .PNG file of
the exact size at the exact
dpi resolution which 3
transparency areas created
from photothop
Place a transparent frame
below each transparent area
so consumers can put their
photos.
Block the background to
avoid any consumer deletes it
when editing the software.
Block editing to avoid any consumer add text
frame or clipart on top of the background. “Allow
editing” it if prefer consumer can add text or
cliparts (photoframes can never be added in
compositions instead)
15. Save template
• Each template is a file, that has to
have a name.
• Use a descriptive name similar to the
product.
• Do not use accents or any special
character (.,+/”..)
16. CreateafoldedChristmascard Will use a “folded Christmas card” to describe a composition product
that has several optional printing backgrounds
17. Template properties: template thumbnail
This thumbnail is
different from the
background design.
Best thumbnails are
transparent PNG files
of 256x256 pixels
18. Sheet layout
There are additional
backgrounds included in the
template
Each option needs its own
background file.
Each option has its own
name and product
thumbnail
21. Template properties: sheet setup
size of the background used
in the design.
Not the final printable size,
which will be defined in the
Remote Manager Backoffice.
22. Template properties: work options
Want to let the consumer to
edit each photo independently
Printed file will include ONLY
consumer photos, template
background is just for
information
In case there us more than
one background, we let the
client to select between them
23. Product options
There is one PRODUCT
CATEGORY which is desribed
to the consumer as “size”.
There could be more like
colour, shape, material..
Any category needs at least
one item (PRODDUCT
OPTIONS). Consumer will
have to select one when
ordering.
A category code is created to
organise production
Each item needs a thumbnail,
title, code and description to
let consumer select and to
organise the production
24. templates with product options
• The category defines a property which is not linked to the content, design
nor included in the printed output of the product.
• E.g. the t-shirt size does not affect the actual printable file but is a data
needed to finish the product.
• Similar product options are grouped into categories (e.g. t-shirt size or
book cover color). Options (items) within a category are considered
equivalent choices, do not have individual extra prices and therefore will
not change the final price of the finished product.
Product option examples:
category: color of the album cover options: blue, red , green....
category: material of the album cover options: hard stock, soft
cover,..
category: color a photo frame options: wood, steel, stone,....
25. Createatablegame Will use a Table Game to describe a composition product with “partially
printed background” combined with “information background”
26. Createatablegame Will use a Table Game to describe a composition product with “printing
background” combined with “information background”
27. Template properties: work options
Printed file will be the area
(photos and background)
included inside the clipping
region
Want to let the consumer to
edit each photo independently
In case there is more than one
background, we let the client
to select between them
29. Canvastempalte Differences between the three ways to do CANVAS. The main difference
is the design possibilities to offer to the customer.
• PRINTS
– Same icon for every format
– No possibility to add text boxes, neither frames
– Only possibility to add an image
– Possibility to select Adjustments methods like fill or fit or Paper finishing
• ALBUM
– Possibility thumbnail product customization
– You can create an album product with only 1 page. It is OK
– Possibility to add text boxes, frames and clip arts
– Possibility to edit & move the image inside the space to print
– Risk of customer claims due to this edition out of the printing area
• COMPOSITION
– Possibility thumbnail product customization
– You can create multi design product with only 1 page.
– Possibility to add text boxes, frames and clip arts
– Possibility to edit & move the image inside the space to print
– No risk of customer claims because you can show to customers clearly, which
finished product will receive. You can add into the template a png background
with some specifications.
30. Albumtempalte “album template editor” is used for products with
more than one sheet. It could be “Photo books”, but
also any other product with more than 1 page (like 1
month view Calendars -12 pages-).
33. Album properties: Album summary
Product code have to be:
• Unique, no other template can have the same code
• Match the product code number
• Numeric only (no letter or characters)
• 9 digits maximum
• Cannot start by “0” (12345 is OK, 012345 is KO)
Use any name that you can easily identify when
later creating the associated product
34. Album properties: Album thumbnail
Assign an attractive
thumbnail that helps to
identify and purchase
that product.
Best thumbnails are
transparent PNG files
of 256x256 pixels
can also be a JPG, BMP,
TIF or GIF. No more
than 600x800 pixels
35. Album properties: Album sheets sizes
Define printable area size. Not paper
or finish product size
Define 1 or 2 pages per sheet. This
is how consumers would see it
Define the different types of pages
and its printable area size
Define the cut margins to shadow
and area and advise consumers not to
place photos or text close to the
border
Other parameters: crop margin,
design margin and variable spine are
normally not needed
In this case no cover is needed
36. 1 or 2 pages per sheet
2 pages per sheet. This is how
consumers would see it, both left and
right pages.
1 page per sheet. This is how
consumers would see it, only left or
right page.
37. Album properties: Album sheets range
Fixed number of sheets
(only 22)
Variable range of sheets
(min:22/max 42).
Several fixed number of sheets
(only 22 or 32 or 42)
Sheets number refers ONLY to
normal pages. Cover and other
special pages are not included.
Don´t leave this configuration
empty.
39. Album properties: work options
Choose “only manual mode” for IWEB albums
Use “fit” or “fill” to insert photos into the
frames, depending on the album design and
preferences
Allow the consumer to change the page design
40. Default sheet options
Allow to change the
background to let consumers
change background
Allow to edit the layout to
let consumer add new photos
or text frames on top of the
background.
Not used in iWEB
Do not print always this
sheet. To avoid claims, only
sheets whit any content
(photo or text) will be printed
41. Design menu
Design menu includes a set of intuitive
tools to ease the process to handle the
frames to design specific new page
layouts.
Arrange objects is used to set the levels
top-to-bottom between objects of the
same type within their own layer. It does
not change the order between layers.
42. Album sheet options menu
o Page setup: to add title information to the page
o Add blank sheet: to insert a new empty page
o Add and copy sheets: to insert one or more pages
duplicating already exisiting pages
o Organize sheets: to rearrange the order in which the
pages will be shown in the frontend.
o Delete sheets
o Scale sheets: to redesign the album to a new size.
This option is normally being used to create a new
template using an existing one as the basis. If the
aspect ratio of the page changes, all the frames will
be rescaled and its ratio will be modified. Background
will also be rescaled to the new dimension, but if
needed it will be cropped to keep original aspect
ratio.
43. Album frame options menu
o Add Frame: creates a picture frame on top of the
background.
o Add a Text Frame: creates a text box. Font, size, color
and text alignment can be defined
o Add frame below background: creates a picture
frame that can only be seen trough a background
transparency.
o Add Clipart image: adds an image (e.g. a logo) on
top of all the other objects.
o Set frames ratio: allows to force the ratio of a frame
to ease the design.
o Default frame properties: allows to input data frame
data in a form rather than using graphic editor
o Set frames order: establish the order used to fill the
frames when the consumer selects that the product
is filled automatically
44. Multipagecalendar • Will use a 13 pages “month-view calendar” to
describe an album product template for calendars
45. Album properties: Album sheets sizes
This photocalendar has 1 cover page
And 12 additional normal pages. In total 13 pages
will be printed
46. Album properties: work option
Choose “only manual mode”.
Use “fit” or “fill” to inser photos into de frames,
depending on the album design and preferences
Disable the template selection menu so
consumers cannot modify the pages (an avoid
they can repeat a monthly sheet)
47. Layout design: set calendar clipart as background
The grid formed by the
dates is in .PNG format with
transparency area and is
added as a “clipart image”
which is always on top layer
Each month is actually a
sheet which needs its
calendar grid clipart.
48. Allow to change the
background to let consumers
change background
Allow to edit the layout to
let consumer add new photos
or text frames on top of the
background.
Print always this sheet. Even
if a client leaves one page
empty (one month) the sheet
will be printed with no photos
or texts.
If not selected the consumer
is obliged to put photos or
text in all pages
Layout design: sheet properties
49. Multipagerollingcalendar • Will use a 60 layouts and 13 pages “month-view
calendar” to describe an album product template for
rolling calendar
50. Album properties: work options
Choose “rolling calendar”.
Use “fit” or “fill” to inser photos into de frames,
depending on the album design and preferences
Disable the template selection menu so
consumers cannot modify the pages (an avoid
they can repeat any monthly sheets)
51. Layout design: asign every page a year/month name
Up to 60 frames (=5years * 12months) to create
a 5 years rolling calendar
Each monthlayout is named
page title 1= year and page
title 2= month
