¶ Special Functions
- Hidden Layers in PDF Templates
- Repeated Text
- Barcodes
- vCard/VCF QR Codes
- Linked Text Blocks/Text Overflow
¶ Hidden Layers in PDF Templates
During personalization, you may want to show the user some additional information like die lines or guides for designing their document. In Illustrator and InDesign you can create non-printing layers for your PDF. Once uploaded, the preview will show the non-printing layer to the user during the personalization session. The non-printing layer will also be included in the generated PDF, but will be turned off, or invisible, by default. Non-printing layers will remain visible during the personalization session. Any text or images added by users during personalization will appear on top of any invisible layers.
Creating Non-Printing Layers in Illustrator
To create a non-printing layer in Illustrator, open your document and make sure the Layers panel is visible. Double click on the Layer that you wish to make non-priniting and make sure that "Print" is unchecked for the Layer.
Creating Non-Printing Layers in InDesign
To create a non-printing layer in InDesign, open your document and make sure the Layers panel is visible. Double click on the Layer that you wish to make non-printing and make sure that "Print Layer" is unchecked in Layer Options.
Then Export to a PDF. Make sure that Compatibility is set to Acrobat 6 or later and that "Create Acrobat Layers" is checked.
Creating Your PDF Template
¶ Repeated Text
In some cases you may want the customer to enter the same text in more than one block. Rather than having the customer type the text twice, you can use a repeated text.
Repeated Text Using Styles
Styles allow you to create repeated fields by using the same field name more than once. If fields are named exactly the same, the text input into one field will also be inserted into any other field with the same name. This function will work if the fields are located in the same block, or in two different blocks on the page.
To implement this function within one block, first create and name a Style. The following is the text that our Style contains:
You are invited to %Club Name|Club Name%'s Bridal Show.
Come out and meet our preferred vendors, sample chef's cuisine and see how your perfect wedding starts and ends at %Club Name|Club Name%.
You will notice that the field 'Club Name' is used in the Style twice. This will automatically populate both fields with the text inserted in field 'Club Name'.
¶ Barcodes
The Designer can handle barcodes in 2 distinct ways. For simple barcode types that do not contain any check characters, it is generally possible to create the barcode using a barcode font. More complex barcodes types contain check characters. For these types of barcodes, the Designer requires a more complex configuration. Here are the complex barcode types that the Designer currently support:
- QR codes
- Code 128 Type B
- UPC-A
If you require a barcode type that is not in this list, please contact Print Science Support
¶ QR Codes
To create a QR Code, add two blocks to the document, one image and one text. The image block will be where the generated QR code appears. The text block will be where user types in the text that will be encoded in the QR code. The blocks are linked to one another in that the image block contains a custom property containing the Block Name of the text block that is the source of the text to be encoded in the QR code.
In the image below, you can see that we have created a document with 2 block. The top block is an image block which has Block Name: "Block_0". We have also created a text block with Block Name: 'Block_1'.
| Property Type | string |
| Property Name | qr-code |
| Property Value | Block Name of text block containing text to be encoded. Format should be similar to Block_1. |
¶ Code 128
To create a Code 128 barcode, add two blocks to the document, one image and one text. The image block will be where the generated barcode appears. The text block will be where user types in the text that will be encoded in the barcode. The blocks are linked to one another in that the image block contains a custom property containing the Block Name of the text block that is the source of the text to be encoded in the barcode.
In the image below, you can see that we have created a document with 2 blocks. The top block is an image block which has Block Name: "Block_0". We have also created a text block with Block Name: 'Block_1'.
| Property Type | string |
| Property Name | code128B |
| Property Value | Block Name of text block containing text to be encoded. Format should be similar to Block_1. |
¶ UPC-A
To create a UPC-A barcode, add two blocks to the document, one image and one text. The image block will be where the generated barcode appears. The text block will be where user types in the text that will be encoded in the barcode. The blocks are linked to one another in that the image block contains a custom property containing the Block Name of the text block that is the source of the text to be encoded in the barcode.
In the image below, you can see that we have created a document with 2 blocks. The top block is an image block which has Block Name: "Block_0". We have also created a text block with Block Name: 'Block_1'.
| Property Type | string |
| Property Name | UPCA |
| Property Value | Block Name of text block containing text to be encoded. Format should be similar to Block_1. |
¶ vCard/VCF QR codes
Using the QR Code Function, Inline Text Insertion Style, and Repeated Text Using Styles, we can embed vCard/VCF data into QR Codes. This data may include name, phone number, email address, etc. More info about vCard formatting can be found here.
Example data for vCard data is shown below:
BEGIN:VCARD VERSION:4.0 N:Gump;Forrest;;; FN:Forrest Gump ORG:United States Coast Guard TITLE:Shrimp Man TEL;TYPE=cell:123-555-1212 ADR;TYPE=work;LABEL="123 Main St\nNew York, NY 12345":;;123 Main St;New York;NY;12345;USA EMAIL:forrestgump@example.com REV:20080424T195243Z END:VCARD
| Block_0 | Name. We need to make a Style for this block to be able to include it in the vCard. |
| Block_1 | Title. |
| Block_2 | Contact Info. We need to make a Style for this block to include the phone number and email in the vCard. |
| Block_3 | Will contain data for the QR Code. We need make a Style for this block that is formatted properly and uses the same field names as fields in other Styles on the page. Using Repeated Text Using Styles will collect information from other blocks to make the data for the QR Code. |
| Block_4 | QR Code. Data for the code will be taken from Block_3. |
BEGIN:VCARD VERSION:4.0 FN:%Name|% TEL;TYPE=work,voice;VALUE=uri:%Telephone|% EMAIL:%Email|% END:VCARD
Note that Name, Telephone and Email are all fields in other Styles in the document.
¶ Linked Text Blocks/Text Overflow
This function is only available in the Flash-based Designer. It does not work in the HTML5 Designer.
In certain cases, long paragraphs should flow over different columns. We can define certain text blocks as linked to earlier text blocks and designed specifically to contain the text that does not fit into the earlier text block. Many text blocks may be chained in this way.
To create a linked text block, in the destination block (block which will receive overflow text), add custom property:
| Property Type | string |
| Property Name | overflow (all lowercase letters) |
| Property Value | Block Name of block that will provide overflow text (for example: Block_0) |
