The Graphics Template module works in association with the E-Store module to enable customers to apply custom graphics to products.

Using this module you will be able to sell products from ordinary household and personal items with custom text and graphics on them, right through to specialist graphic oriented products from stickers to stamps to signs and much more.

Template Overview

When the Graphic Template module is enabled, a new menu item (Manage Graphic Templates) appears in the Products/Prices section of the Control Panel menu.

Click on the Mange Graphic Templates link to enable you to;

• Create new Graphic Templates,
• View links to existing Graphic Templates.

You first create the main template record, then, after specifying the number of elements that will appear on the template design palette, you configure each of the elements separately.

Each element of the template can be positioned, sized and formatted completely independently of the other elements.

When you are satisfied with the configuration of the template you then return to the products that you want to attach to the template.  Attach the template in the main Product Detail form.

In some cases, the template will operate in conjunction with the colour options system.  You can attach a colour list to a product and this then integrates with the template.

When attaching a template to a product, it alters the product purchase flow to enable the customer to design and edit the product graphic before purchasing the product and to keep a record of the actual design to be used..

The website owner also uses the same PDF file to create their product graphic.

The actual template system is extremely configurable to enable a range of uses for Graphic Templates.

Click here for more on Colour Options

New Templates

Main Template Record

• Click on the grey bar containing the text: Create New Graphic Template.
• Complete the fields;
  • Name:  The name of the template (required field),
  • Special Instructions:  This appears on the preview design page so that you advise the user on what they need to do to successfully complete their design,
  • Width:  The width of the design palette in millimetres (required field),
  • Height:  The height of the design palette in millimetres (mm) (required field),
  • Shape:  Choose a palette shape - circular or rectangular (default),
  • Border:  Choose whether the palette will have a border around the outside of it.  If it does, insert a border width in mm.  Decimal fractions are allowed (e.g. 0.2),
  • Background:  If you want the palette to have a background you can insert a hex colour value (e.g. #e2e2e2) or select an already uploaded image.  Currently, the image has to be uploaded in the Content Manager area,
  • Set Colours:  Currently, the system only supports a single colour text for the entire palette.  (Soon, individual elements will be able to have colours specified),
  • PDF Colour:  The resultant PDG created from your design can either be created in the true colours of your design, or a colour specified by you,
  • Extra Fonts:  Not yet enabled,
  • Number of Elements:  Specify the number of graphic elements that your design palette will contain - A number greater than 0 (zero).

Configure Elements

Once the main template record is saved, it provides the required number of elements which need to be configured one at a time.  The elements will be numbered, along with the text: Click now to configure/save.

• Click on the element link you want to edit.
• Complete the fields;
  • Element Order:  The order in which the elements will appear in the design mode - also depending on configuration, elements may stack on top of one another on the template palette,
  • Element Name:  The name of the Element appears adjacent to the formatting tools on the design page,
  • Element Width:  If the element width is the same as the design palette, there is no need to insert a value, otherwise insert a value greater than 0 (mm),
  • Element Height:  The height of the element should be used, otherwise it defaults to the height of the contents of the element.  Use a value greater than 0 (mm),
  • Element Position:  Placing values in this field takes the element out of the palette flow, and positions it according to the values used.  Place the distance from the top of the palette first, followed by a comma, then the value for the left edge of the palette.  If no values are placed in this field, the element will sit immediately below any previous elements that have not been absolutely positioned.  If not positioned, the element will sit at the left edge of the palette,
  • Element Image:  An image can be inserted into the element.  It should be the exact size of the element - it is positioned top left of the element.  Presently element images are not enabled,
  • Fixed Text:  If you want to set some text for the field, insert it here - you will not be able to edit the text in the design view,
  • Element Format:  You can format just about every aspect of the text in the element, or leave it as default (all formatting tools are open).  When you restrict formatting, the relevant formatting tools are not available;
    • If you select Set Custom Format, the formatting selections will drop down.  All selections allow for either open formatting or restricted formatting,
    • Text Image:  Although not currently enabled, this field will allow you to set either text or image (as set in the element image) or both,
    • Text Weight:  Default weight - normal,
    • Italics:  Default - normal,
    • Underline:  Default - none,
    • Alignment:  Default - left,
    • Font Family:  Default - standard font list (Arial preselected) when restricting fonts, the exact font name must be used,
    • Text Size:  Default: standard selection - 10 pt preselected.  Insert a number of restricting text size selection,
  • Element Fixed:  When ticked, this restricts the size of the element to the width and height specified and no overflow is allowed.  When not ticked, extra text in the element will overflow outside the area.

When all of the elements are configured, the template is ready to attach to the selected product.

Colour Option Integration

If there are no Colour Options for the product selected, the text colour for the design palette will be black.

If there are Colour Options selected, you can set the default text colour of the design palette by setting a default selection for the colour options.

When using the Graphic Template module in association with Colour Options, you should not add additional styles/sizes to the options.  If there are additional styles and sizes, they will be ignored in terms of how the template is coloured.

Also, any images saved inside the colour options will also be ignored.  The system only works on the hex colours saved inside the colours system.