In this short walk-through "Hello world" application, we'll show step by step how you can create your SMART template, using dynamic layout functions.
Define your document
For this example, we created a document, and set the units to pixels, since the output intent will be a web banner.
This document is set to 728 x 90 px. You can set the default units in the Environment > View Preferences
Make the document size variable
Instead of having a set dimension for the document (Add), we will make 2 variables, and assign the width and height of the document to these variables.
When changing the values of these variables, this will impact the respective width and height of the document.
This is a first step in making the document dynamic.
- Add 2 variables (see documentation on Variables)
- "addwidth"
- "addheight"
- Make sure to type them as "number" variables
- In the documents tab, click on the Formula button, and add the name of the created variable.
Don't forget to set the value of the variable in the Variables tab.
Now, when you update the values, the document will change.
Congratulations, your first towards a true SMART template!
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Add content
Add an image frame. Initially, a manually added frame or imported from your favourite Desktop Publishing Tool, will have absolute coordinates, width & height.
These values will relate to the top-left corner of your document.
The width and height of the frame are referenced off the top-left corder of the frame itself, unless you change the reference point.
Let's make these coordinates variable
The X-position (left side of the frame): -6 px. Why -6? The document has a "bleed" of 6px. This would be usefull if you will also use this document for print output. If you don't intend to output to print, you can set the bleed to 0, and the x-position will be 0px.
The Y-position (distance from the top of the document reference): -6px, similar reason as X-position.
Width: We can now use formulas (by clicking on the formula button) and write page.width+12px (we need to add 12 px, to compensate for the 2 x 6p bleed)
Height: Page.heigt+12 px, same as the document + the compensation for the bleed
From now on, the image frame will keep the same size as the document.
We'll add an image
When adding an image, you must choose a "fitting". Will the image fit proportional (inside) or proportional outside?
We choose to fit proportional outside. Meaning, we'll loose some image, but the frame is always filled, without loosing the proportions.
Because the frame is tied to the size of the document, the image inside the frame will also resize with the document resizing. And, the proportional fit will remain.
Adding more elements
From here on, it's up to you to add even more elements. You choose where these elements align on, and how they should behave.
CopyFitting
When combining features like a dynamic frame size, and e.g. Copyfitting, you can have the text grow in proportion to the Add size.
Output
You're Add is now ready to be exported.
Just set the output size you want, choose the output settings, and your add is ready to be created.
