Guidance as to the improvements that have been made to the Layout Designer for the 2.3 alpha release.
In 1.8 many elements of the Layout Designer were hidden from view, such as the available Edit Options for media, Timeline of content for Regions and all the available Media options which resulted in many screen clicks to get to where you needed to go. Based on feedback gathered from users of 1.8, we improved the Layout Designer to make design features more visible and more easily accessible for users.
As before, on first adding a Layout, the Layout Designer will open, now with a more simplified view:
Following the release of v2 of the CMS and the feedback received since that release, we have made improvements in an effort to make the user experience more intuitive, smoother and much easier when using the new look Layout Designer of v2.
Click on the Edit Layout icon to put into an ‘edit mode’ to add and configure Regions.
Clicking anywhere in a Region will open the Region Options form for that Region to allow for more precise Positioning, to determine a Layering order (if appropriate) and to apply an Exit Transition if required. Alternatively, use the resize handle in the bottom right hand corner of a Region to drag and drop. Reposition and move Regions around the canvas as in 1.8.
Easily Add, Delete or toggle to a Fullscreen Mode using the available buttons along the bottom of this window whilst in ‘edit’ mode. Return to the Layout View and exit edit mode after saving any edits.
Use the Edit Layout form to add a Background Colour or Background Image to the Layout as in 1.8.
Media is added to Regions using the Library Search feature or by adding available Widgets.
Clicking on the Library Search button, on the bottom toolbar, opens the Library Search window which will show all your stored, uploaded Media files already held in your CMS library. Use the available fields to filter your search results. This window allows for multiple tabbed searches by using the + icon to add tabs!
This Window can be resized and moved around the screen by using the resize handle in the bottom right hand corner of the window and clicking in the window to simply move by drag and drop.
Clicking on the blue cross next to a media file will add it to the Media Add Queue.
This ‘Media Queue’ allows for reordering of the selected media files by dragging to a new order as well as the removing of files from this list. Add queued media to a Region by clicking directly into a Region to add.
Click on Layout Designer Widgets to open.
Each Widget has a ‘star’ in the top left corner. Clicking on a star marks the Widget as a ‘favourite’ and it will therefore be shown at the beginning of the Widget list for easier selection when designing Layouts.
Widgets are added to Regions by clicking on the + button then clicking in a Region or by drag and drop to the target Region.
Clicking in a Widget on the Timeline opens the available Edit options for that Widget, allowing for configuration.
Drag and drop items in a Regions timeline to reorder the Playlist for that Region.
Media can now be added to the Timeline at a specific point on the target Region. When adding, simply click or drag to the point you wish to add.
The left hand side of a Region’s Timeline includes an overview as to the positioning of that Region on the Layout, clicking here will open the Region Options form to make edits for that Region. Alternatively click on the edit icon next to the overview to go into ‘edit mode’.
Located next to the edit icon is a button that will take you to a Playlist Editor for that Region which has a similar vertical interface to that of the 1.8 CMS. Add and configure Media as before using the Library Search function and selecting Widgets.
Right click on a Widget on the Timeline to easily open the Tools menu to easily assign actions to Widgets. The Tools menu is also located on the bottom toolbar.
Use the arrows to Preview content assigned to a Widget.
Use the back arrow to return to the Layout View to Preview the full Layout. Use the arrows to cycle through the content assigned to Regions.
Click on the Play button to Preview how the full Layout will play when scheduled.
Toggle to Full Screen Mode to tab through content using the arrows for each Region as well as Play a Layout Preview.
We welcome all users, old and new, to try this developmental preview which has been made available via our recommended installation Docker only at present. To download and see all the features this release contains, please see our latest Blog.
Any feedback or indeed any issues you encounter with the Layout Designer, please do post your responses to this topic.
Thank you for your support!