9-1 Overview of Design Area
Layouts are created in AsukaBook Maker by arranging images and text in the design area.
9-1-1 Design Area - Cover
(LX and FLX book covers are not printed on, the cover spread is to design the presentation box.)
The cover spread is the first template in the design. The front of the cover is shown on the right, and the back on the left.
9-1-2 Design Area - Page Spreads
The first and last page of the book will be single page spreads, but all inside spreads are of two pages.
9-1-3 Finish Size and Trimming
The design areas have trimming or wrapping areas, gutter or spine areas, and the back cover and last page of the book also includes bar code areas.
If you select 'Preview' from the tool bar, you can hide the trimmed and wrapped areas to see how the finished book will* appear.
*Shifting may occur in production when the cover is wrapped or pages are trimmed. In this case, the preview may not be completely accurate. When the book is bound, trimming is performed according to the finish size.
See 10. Cautions Designing for more information about where to place images and text, as well as where not to place images and text, in relation to the caution areas when laying out a design for an actual printed AsukaBook.
9-2 Basic Functions
The basic functions for moving and sizing images, text, or shapes in the design area are explained below.
9-2-1 Moving Objects
Select an object in the design area and then drag it to another location in the design area. Alternatively, after selecting an object, you can use the arrow keys on the keyboard to move it.
9-2-2 Enlarging/Reducing Object Size
Select an object you want to enlarge or reduce the size of, and then place the cursor on the edge of the object and drag the edge in or out to enlarge or reduce the size of the object.
The aspect ratio is maintained when an image (not a shape) is enlarged or reduced in the design area. To alter the aspect ratio of an image, use the Crop tool.
9-3 Rulers, Guides & Grid
Rulers, guides, and a grid can be used in the design area to help align and balance a design.
9-3-1 Using the Ruler
From the "View" menu found in "Preferences", check 'Show Rulers' to display the rulers in the design area. You may also select the unit of measurement from inch, pixel, mm, or %. In addition, you may change the initial origin point in the design area by dragging the initial origin point in the upper left hand corner of the design area into the design area. While moving the origin, the coordinates are displayed in the design area.
You may also display rulers by right-clicking in the design area by selecting 'Rulers'.
9-3-1 Using the Grid
From the "View" menu found in "Preferences", check 'Show Grid' to display a grid in the design area. Set the interval for the grid to be displayed by manually entering a value. The units for this interval depend upon the meausrement unit set for the ruler.
You may also display a grid by right clicking in the design area by selecting 'Grid'.
The grid is arranged as the top layer in the window and will not be printed in the book.
9-3-3 Using Guides
Creating Guides
You can turn guides on by checking 'Show Guides' in the "View" menu found in "Preferences". You may also guides available by right-clicking in the design area and selecting 'Guides'. You can then drag from the ruler and drop a guide into the design area. Coordinates are displayed while a guide is being moved.
To remove a guide, you can drag it back into the parallel ruler or right-click it and slect 'Delete'.
Moving Guides
To change the position of a guide that has already been created, you may select the guide and drag it up and down or right and left in the design area, or you may right-click the guide and manually enter the placement of the guide.
Snap Guides
You can snap objects to a guide or snap guides to an object.
You can attach objects to a guide at...
- the borders of objects.
- the center of objects.
- the origin points of objects.
You can attach a guide to ...
- outside borders of wrapped and trimmed areas (edge of the canvas).
- the gutter of a two-page spread.
- the gutter of a single page.
- both borders of the spine of a cover.
- the borders of objects.
- the center of objects.
See 2-2-4 View for more information about the "snap" settings for guides.
Other "Snap" Settings
Even if a guide has not been created, images, text, and shapes will always "snap to" the outer edges of the spreads (edge of the canvas), regardless of "snap" settings.
Saving Guides
Guides will be saved when a book file is saved.
In addition, the undo and redo functions can be used on guides that have been created.
