Page numbers can be set in the photobooks.
The "Configure page numbers" symbol can be found in the toolbar in the Layouts section (click the “...” icon). You can switch page numbers on or off for all inside pages by means of the checkbox in front of "Show number of pages".
You can choose from the following page number formats:
Arabic numbers (1, 2, 3, etc.)
Lower-case Roman numbers (i, ii, iii, etc.)
Upper-case Roman numbers (I, II, III, etc.)
Lower-case letters (a, b, c, etc.) and
Upper-case letters (A, B, C, etc.).
The text for the page numbering is by default "%". The percent sign acts as a placeholder for the page numbers and should not be removed. The rest of the text can be freely defined.
"Page %" results in "Page 1", "Page 2", "Page 3", etc.
"- % -" results in "- 1 -", "- 2 -", "- 3 -", etc.
"Page %, Helen and Paul's Wedding" results in "Page 1, Helen and Paul's Wedding", "Page 2, Helen and Paul's Wedding", etc.
The distance between the page number and the edge of the page can be set vertically and horizontally from 0 to 50 mm. A "background colour" can also be set for the page number text field.
The following settings apply to the arrangement of the page numbering on the pages:
Page 1 |
Page 1 |
Page 1 |
Page 1 |
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centered above |
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outside top |
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Page 1 |
Page 1 |
Page 1 |
Page 1 |
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centered below |
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outside bottom |
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The text formatting for the page numbering allows the usual definition of font, font size and font style (bold and italic), as well as the text colour. Additionally, you can adjust edges of letters in thickness and colour.
In the text preview you get the result of your settings.
You can change the number of pages in your photobook by clicking in the product properties (in the bottom right of the software or the icon in the toolbar). Here you can reduce or increase the number of pages in 8 page increments.
Please note that all books have a minimum of 26 pages, but the maximum pages varies depending on the selected photobook.
The photobook software offers a variety of pre-built page layouts. You can select these templates in "Page Layouts" on the left hand side of the software. Here you can then choose the number of photos per page by clicking on the drop down near the top of this section.
Highlight the selected page layout (click left mouse button) and add this page layout to the photobook by dragging it and dropping it to the page you wish. There are also function keys below these page layout templates which you can choose from.
The sake of clarity and so that you can maintain a consistent page layout style in your photobook easier , the page layouts are now sorted into categories. See below for more information:-
Under the layouts you have the following buttons available for the inside pages:
"Add layout to current double page" - inserts the selected layout on the two current pages.
"Add layout to the left page" - inserts the selected layout on the current left page.
"Add layout to the right page" - inserts the selected layout on the current right page.
"Layout is applied to all interior pages" - inserts the selected layout on all inside pages of the photo book.
"Layout is applied to all left interior pages" - inserts the selected layout on all left inside pages of the photo book.
"Layout is applied to all right interior pages" - inserts the selected layout on all right inside pages of the photo book.
You can add another predefined page layout by clicking in the selection area on the "Page Layout" to select a new page layout and just drag it to the page.
Or click on the top toolbar on the "Next layout" in the Layout section - the next stored page layout is loaded with the same number of photos.
Or change the page layout manually by moving placeholders, resize or add new placeholders or delete existing ones.
Yes you can save your own layouts in the software. For this you select a placeholder on the page which you want to save and click on “Save Layout” in the toolbar in the layout section. Now this custom page layout is saved directly in the main category page layouts. In addition, it gets a green star so you can recognise your favourite page layouts more easily. They are also available in the Page Layout category under "My Layouts".
You can use your saved page layouts for use in other photobooks, but remember that they are only ever stored for single pages, not as double pages.
Yes, you can. Just right click on a placeholder and choose “Size, position and rotation”.
Firstly, the precise size of the placeholder will be displayed as a tooltip when scaling.
Secondly, you can state the precise size (and the position and rotation) of the selected placeholder or multiple placeholders by means of the "Position object (size, position and rotation)" function.
Thirdly, you can assign the same size to all selected placeholders by means of the "Align size of objects" function. This size is determined by the first selected placeholder.
Finally, you can use a grid for better control of the sizes of the placeholders.
| Tip: If you wish to use the set size of a placeholder for additional photos, select the placeholder and click the “New image area” button in the main toolbar in the “Photos” section. The newly inserted placeholder will have precisely the same size as the previously selected frame. This makes it very easy for you to display your photos in the same size in the photobook. This process can be repeated over and over again. |
The placeholders can partly overlap and cover each other.
With the commands "Bring forward" and "Send back" (as symbols in the toolbar) it is possible to control the order in which the frames overlap each other, in other words which frame is in the foreground and which is in the background of the layout.
Text frames are always in the foreground and can be moved under each other, but never behind a picture.
Firstly, you have to switch on the "Automatic Layout Tool" function which is located in the “Layout” section of the main toolbar.
When you insert a new placeholder in a product page, or remove an existing placeholder, the software automatically uses the saved layout which most closely fits the (new) number of photos on the page, in order to achieve the best distribution of placeholders. If no suitable layout is available, the software tells you in a message window. You can switch this behaviour on and off by clicking on the icon in the toolbar.
Secondly, in the "Behaviour when inserting photos" section in the “Photos” category in the program “Settings”, you have the option to "Change frame size/shape to fit whole image”. This adjusts the placeholder to the page conditions of the photo. The longest side of the photo is scaled optimally into the frame. If you do not want that to happen, switch on the “Maintain frame size, crop and create the photo” option.
Select the desired page layout in the page layout selection and click the function key "add layout to all interior pages" directly below the page layout selection.
If you just want to have blank pages in the photo book to frame each page individually, then take a page layout with 0 images.
Yes you can delete your own layouts but firstly you will have to put them in the “Trash”. In the Page Layout section on the left you will see a chevron near to the bottom – click on this and you will see further options. Choose “Delete the item”.
If you then wish to delete your items placed in the “Trash”, you can do this by choosing the “Trash” option from the dropdown menu at the top of the left hand navigation section. Near to the bottom you will then see an icon showing a can with a lid on it and by clicking on this you will be given the option to delete the items permanently from your hard drive.
No, page layouts cannot be edited. However, reflected variants of most payouts can usually be found in the preview.
Layouts are only ever viewed for a single page of the photobook. That means it is not possible to produce and save a double-page layout.
| Tip: Design your own layout for a double page and save it by saving both the left and right pages as your own layouts. You can then insert these layouts again on other double pages correspondingly on the right and left pages. It is also possible to place a placeholder across both pages of a double page. The placeholder will then be saved with the layout of the page on which its’ centre is located. |
Use the key combination "Ctrl" + "D" and the entire contents of the current page are duplicated on the next page.
There is also the possibility to copy photos, texts or entire page layouts using the "copy" and "paste" functions. Either, you work with the icon buttons in the tool selection for editing or use the keyboard shortcuts Ctrl + c ("c" for copy) and Ctrl + v ("v" for paste). Select the content that you wish to copy and then paste it to your desired location.
Photo book pages can only be moved as double pages. In the scaled-down preview of the photo book at the bottom of the software, click the corresponding double page by holding the left mouse button down and move the double page to the desired position and then release.
Both designed and empty double pages can be moved in this way.
You will find the “Backgrounds” in the object selection on the lower left of the software between Page Layouts and Cliparts. Once you have clicked on “Backgrounds” you will then find a dropdown at the top left of the screen where you can see the backgrounds by theme or you can “Show all”.
You can insert a background across the entire double page by double-clicking the preview picture in the object selection. It should appear across both pages. If you want it to appear on a right or left page only, just click on the preview picture and drag it to the corresponding page.
There are additional insertion buttons which can be found at the bottom of the preview pictures on the left of the screen. These include adding the background to the current double page, adding the background to the left page, adding the background to the right page and adding the background to all interior pages of the book.
You can also right click the preview picture of the background you prefer and it will give you the commands here also. If no background is inserted on the page, the page background will stay white.
The software contains a small selection of our photobook backgrounds, which you can supplement with additional background packages.
The procedure is as follows:
| Please note that it is not possible to save the background pictures from the preview on your computer and use them as background pictures as they would not have a good enough resolution for a photo book and would inevitably produce a poor result. |
These are only preview pictures to be viewed on a screen. The high-resolution background pictures for printing are used in production. When the order is placed, the production site is only given the reference of the high-resolution original picture.
On the basis of this reference a high-resolution data file is extracted and printed in production. This process avoids large data volumes in the installation of the software and in the placing of the order.
In "Preview and insertion control" (below the preview pictures for the photos) you will find the "Image as background on both pages", "Image as background on left" and "Image as background on right" icon buttons. Using these tools you can place the currently selected picture as a background across the entire double page or the right or left page of your photobook.
Unlike the supplied backgrounds, the photo inserted as a background can be selected and edited using the Photo Editor. That means it can be processed later and the colour and brightness can be adjusted, or a picture effect can be applied.
Method 1: Highlight the photo on the page and press the Delete or Del key on your keyboard.
Method 2: Select the appropriate page and choose a different background. This can be a background from the software, but also another of your own photo.
Unfortunately it is not possible to edit backgrounds which are included in the software.
However, if you produce and design backgrounds with your own photos, they can be individually edited.
This is only possible when using your own photos as a background.
You can edit your photos with "Photo Editor"; double click the photo which you want to blur and the Photo Editor screen will pop up. In the toolbar at the top left you will find the "Effects" button.
Clicking on Effects will bring up a list and from this list, choose "Soft Focus". You can use the slider controls to fade out the photo to white or by producing blurring. Confirm the steps by clicking "OK" and the program will now convert the data.
Important: The original data will be preserved.
You can now place this edited photo directly into your book by clicking the "Apply changes" button.
In the "Preview and insertion control" (below the preview pictures for the photos) you will find the "Image as background on both pages", "Image as background left" and "Image as background right" icon buttons. Using these buttons you can place the currently selected picture as a background across the whole current double page or the current right or left page of your photobook.
You will also find the "Image as background on all pages", "Image as background on all left pages" and "Photo as background on all right pages" icon button. Using these tools you can place the currently selected picture as a background across all double pages or all right or left pages of your photobook.
The software includes a small selection of our design models (contents) for custom photo books and many other photo products, which you can supplement with additional design packages.
The procedure is as follows:
If you would like to produce a collage which the software will design with your pictures, select the photobook page on which you wish to produce the collage.
Now, on the left of the photo selection, select the photos you want to include in the collage (hold down the Ctrl key and click on relevant photos).
With the right mouse button, select the option you need – Create collage on the left page, Create collage on the right page, Create collage on both pages.
This command produces a collage of the selected photos. The sizes and positions of the photos are adjusted automatically. You can execute the command several times in succession until you are satisfied with the result.
Note: |
Or you can set the page layout selection to "Full coverage" and select a layout that you like. You will then have better control of the result.
Afterwards you can move the photos within their placeholder or swap them by dragging a photo to another placeholder.
A mask crops the photo as a template to a specific shape. Depending on the chosen Mask or Frame, the edges of the photos may be sharply delimited or run gently into the background.
Examples of Masks:
A frame is a related combination of a mask and a clipart.
Examples of context:
The selection options are different categories to Masks & Frames are displayed in a selection list.
Drag your mask or frame from the selection area on the photo or the corresponding placeholder in the workspace. The effect is immediately visible.
You can use a Mask to give shape to your photos. Parts of the picture are covered by a template. (they become "transparent"). It is a very simple but effective way of changing the shape of your photos, producing picture collages or allowing photos to merge into one another by means of transitions.
Unfortunately, Masks cannot be edited.
You can download additional Masks, Frames, Cliparts, Styles and Backgrounds from our database by clicking the red "More..." button on the left of the screen. This then takes you to a new screen where you can choose from various categories. When you find what you like, you can download just that one choice or you can download the entire category. They are installed automatically and available immediately.
The photobook software provides you with a help grid for the precise positioning of your photos.
In the layout section in the toolbar, click the grid button (blue graph icon). A non-printable help grid then appears to improve the positioning of the placeholders. The placeholders lock onto the crossing points of the help grid.
The line separations and the locking on the help grid are set in the "Options" of the header under "Editor".
Photos that are too close to the edge of the page (depending on the product, the border will be 2 to 5mm) are automatically pulled slightly over the edge. This helps with white borders which are narrow gaps between the photo and the edge of the page.
They look untidy, so photos should either be kept at a minimum distance from the edge of the page or should project slightly beyond the page. Such a projection, also known as trim, is removed when the pages are cut during production.
In the "Settings" go to “Editor”, then in the “Additional tools” section, choose "Automatically reposition photos and clipart when they are too near the edge” function.
The following options are available:
The design elements (design, layouts, backgrounds, etc.) that you use regularly can be saved as a 'Favourite' for easy access. Simply choose your element, right-click it and choose the option "Save as Favourite".
You can then find all your favourites in the dropdown. To remove a favourite, simply select it again and choose the option "Remove from Favourites".
To permanently delete design elements (designs, layouts, backgrounds, etc.) that you do not want to use at all, simply select the element and choose the option 'Put element in the Bin'.
Your element is now no longer visible, and therefore cannot be select by accident.
The element is not deleted permanently, but can be found in the 'Bin' dropdown, where it can be restored or deleted forever.