Work with layout snippets

With snippets, you can create layout documents from recurring, pre-defined layout components. Populate pages by dragging and dropping of snippets onto layouts or asset structures. A preview of your placements is always visible.

Context

The workflow is carried out in censhare web. It refers to the Editor for Adobe InDesign documents.

Prerequisites

• The feature is available as of censhare 2017.5.

• A layout asset must be opened in an asset page, with the "Editor" tab selected.

• The currently opened layout must have snippets assigned to it. Assigned snippets are displayed on the "Layout snippets" widget of the "Editor" tab, next to the editor window. If the layout snippet table is empty, you can assign the necessary snippets by clicking the + on the top right of the widget and adding snippets from there.

Introduction

Snippets are Adobe InDesign layout constructs for recurring layout components such as company logos or product pages in catalogs. They can contain one or more layout groups. Each layout group may consist of one or more layout boxes. Once a snippet is placed onto the layout, the snippet is dissolved into the layout groups and you only see the layout groups and boxes after that. You can then place asset structures such as product assets onto the layout groups or depending on the configuration, on individual layout boxes as well. In censhare, a preview of the current layout status is always available, even without having to re-render the document after each placement. This will help you to complete your layout document faster.

There are different methods for defining a layout group in Adobe InDesign that may affect the placement and editing options for layout groups in censhare. These are assigned assets of asset collections, results of transformation assets and configuration assets. 

Left: Editor for Adobe InDesign documents with snippet preview on layout page
Right: Layout snippets widget with list of available snippets

In censhare Web, snippets for a layout asset are also displayed on the "Layout snippets" widget in the Editor for Adobe InDesign documents. You can quickly populate your layout, by dragging snippets into the layout and placing content elements onto them. You can move a layout group to a different position on a page and fill it with different content. You can also detach it from the layout. However, it is not possible to edit the layout group directly in the Editor for Adobe InDesign documents. It depends on the configuration of the layout group what can be edited, whether a box can be addressed individually, for example. The icons displayed in the toolbar of the editor when clicking on a layout group or box indicate the available actions. 

By default, after each placement or detachment of a snippet or its content, the layout is rendered automatically and a preview of the current layout status is shown. This may be time-consuming when you have to place multiple snippets, for instance for a product catalog. To speed up completing your layout, automatic re-rendering can be disabled. You can then place multiple snippets, remove them when placed accidentally or try out different content placements. censhare still provides a preview of the current layout status. The layout groups and their boxes are displayed as bounding boxes with their accurate dimensions and the boxes they consist of. An approximate preview of the content is displayed. The detailed preview, showing the content of each layout box, will be available, once you explicitly refresh the layout.

Tasks

For snippets, you are able to carry out the following tasks in the Editor for Adobe InDesign documents:

• place snippets

• place content assets using snippets

• detach layout groups

• place multiple snippets without re-rendering

Place snippets

You can place snippets onto the layout by dragging them from the "Layout snippets" widget or the pinboard. Alternatively, you may select them from the asset chooser.

Place snippets by drag & drop

1. In the Editor for Adobe InDesign documents, click the desired page on the preview bar to open it in the editor window.

2. From the Layout snippet widget or the pinboard, drag any snippet and drop it onto the open editor page. You may move it to the desired position on the page.

The layout is rendered automatically and the snippet is placed onto the layout. You can see its layout groups and boxes on the layout. In the next step, you may place content asset structures onto it.

Place snippets by selecting them from the asset chooser

1. In the Editor for Adobe InDesign documents, click the desired page on the preview bar to open it in the editor.

2. In the Editor window, click the "Place snippets" button. The asset chooser is opened showing the snippets assigned to the document.

3. Select a suitable snippet and confirm with OK.

The layout is rendered automatically and the snippet is placed onto the layout. You can see its layout groups and boxes on the layout. In the next step, you can place content asset structures onto it.

Place content assets using snippets

To place a content assets structure such as product assets on a snippet in a single workflow:

1. In the Editor for Adobe InDesign documents, click the desired page on the preview bar to open it in the editor.

2. From the "Layout elements" widget or the pinboard, drag any content asset structure onto the open preview page. If more than one snippet has been assigned to the page and content has already been placed, the asset chooser is opened showing the assigned snippets.

3. Select a suitable snippet and confirm with OK.

The document is rendered, and the snippet with its layout boxes is placed. The content of the product asset is placed into the boxes.

Detach layout groups from their content

To remove layout groups from the layout:

1. In the Editor for Adobe InDesign documents, click the desired page on the preview bar to open it in the editor.

2. Select the layout group for which you want to detach content and click "Detach asset".

3. Select the layout group you want to remove and click "Remove layout group".

The document is rendered. The content of the product asset is removed from the layout group. The layout group is removed from the layout page.

Place multiple snippets without re-rendering

You may place multiple snippets and their content or detach the layout groups created from snippets, without automatic re-rendering after each placement or detachment. censhare shows a preview of the respective layout status. Auto-rendering must be disabled in this case.

To populate a layout document without automatic rendering:

1. In the Editor for Adobe InDesign documents, click "Configure widget" from the Actions menu of the "Editor" window.

2. Under "Rendering", "Snippets", disable "Auto-refresh snippets" and confirm with OK.

3. "Place snippets" or "Detach layout groups and their content" as described.

   The preview is updated according to your edits after each placement or detachment. Layout groups and boxes are shown as bounding boxes. You can see their actual dimensions and an overview of what their content will look like. Automatic re-rendering is suspended.

4. When you have finished editing, click the "Refresh" button in the Editor window.

The layout is rendered, showing the exact layout with the content of all boxes of any layout group.

Result

The layout is rendered depending on your settings for auto-refresh. Once rendered, the layout and the "Layout elements" table are updated and synchronized according to your edits.

Only when the layout asset is saved, your edits are saved permanently to the asset. Click SAVE or SAVE & CLOSE to permanently save your changes for the layout asset.