Menus

The following menu items are shown in the Designer menu. For a list of keyboard shortcuts, see Keyboard shortcuts.

File Menu

• New...: Opens the New (Select a Wizard) dialog that lets you create a data mapping configuration (see Data mapping configurations), a template (see Templates), a Print Preset (see Print Presets) or run a Sample Project (see Sample Projects).

• Open: Opens a standard File Open dialog. This dialog can be used to open templates (see Templates) and Print Presets (see Print Presets). It can also be used to open data mapping configurations; see Data mapping configurations.

• Open Recent: Lists the most recently opened templates and data mapping configurations.
  The Designer can have one data mapping configuration and one template open at the same time. Use the tabs at the top of the workspace to switch between the two. Click the synchronize button on the Data Model pane to make sure that the Data Models are the same in both.

• Close: Closes the currently active template or data mapping configuration. If the file needs to be saved, the appropriate Save dialog will open.

• Close All: Closes any open template or data mapping configuration. If any of the files needs to be saved, the Save Resources dialog opens.

• Close Others: Closes all files except the one that is currently active in the workspace.

• Save: Saves the current file to its current location on disk. If the file has never been saved, the Save As dialog appears instead.

• Save All: Saves the open files. If a file has never been saved, the Save As dialog opens for it.

• Save As...: Saves the current file to a new location on disk.

• Save a Copy: Save a copy of the current template in the selected Connect version's format. See Saving a copy / down-saving a template.

• Revert: For templates only. Reverts all changes to the state in which the file was opened or created.

• Add Data: Adds data either to the current data mapping configuration or to the open template. See Loading data.

  • From File Data Source...: Opens the dialog to add a new data file to the currently loaded data mapping configuration. Not available if the currently loaded data mapping configuration connects to a database source.

  • From Database Data Source...: Opens the Edit Database Configuration dialog. Not available if the currently loaded data mapping configuration is file-based.

  • Generate Counters: Opens the Generate Counter Wizard to create a custom counter as a data source.

  • JSON sample data...: Opens the dialog to load JSON sample data in the Data Model pane; see JSON sample data dialog. This option is only available when no data mapping configuration is open.

• Send to Workflow...: Opens a dialog to send files to a local Workflow configuration tool. See Send to Workflow dialog.

• Send to Server: Opens the Send to Server dialog to send files to a Connect Server or to another server.

• Package...: Opens the dialog that lets you package files; see Package dialog.

• Export report: Opens the wizard to save a template report. See Exporting a template report.

• Properties: Opens the File Properties dialog.

• Print: Opens the Print options dialog.

• Proof Print: Opens the Print options dialog as a Proof Print dialog which limits the number of records output. The options themselves are identical to the regular Print Output dialog.

• Send Email: Opens the Send Email dialog; see Send (Test) Email and Generating Email output.

• Send Test Email:Opens the Send Test Email dialog; see Send (Test) Email.

• Send COTG Test: Opens the Send COTG Test dialog, to send the current Web section to the Capture OnTheGo Application.

• Exit: Closes the software. If any of the files needs to be saved, the Save Resources dialog opens.

Edit Menu

• Undo <action>: Undoes the previous action that was done.

• Redo <action>: Redoes an action that was previously undone.

• Cut: Cuts the currently selected text, object or element and puts it on the clipboard.

• Copy: Copies the currently selected text, object or element to the clipboard.

• Copy to snippet: Creates a new snippet from the selected text, object or element.

• Paste: Takes the current clipboard content and pastes it at the pointer location.

• Paste as Plain Text: Takes the current clipboard content and pastes it at the pointer location without any HTML styles or formatting.

• Delete Browser Element: Removes the currently selected element in the workspace.

• Find/Replace: Only active while inside the Workspace. Opens the Find/Replace dialog.

• Stylesheets...: Open the Style sheets dialog. See Styling and formatting and Styling templates with CSS files.

• Colors...: Opens the Colors Editor dialog. See Colors.

• Fonts...: opens the Font Manager. See Fonts.

• Locale...: Opens the Locale Settings dialog. See Locale.

• Color Settings...: Opens the Color Settings dialog. See Colors.

Insert Menu

• Image: Inserts an image using a resource that is local to the template, a resource on disk or a URL. See Images.

• Text:

  • Wrap in span: Wraps selected text in a <span> element. The ID or class of the span can be used as a selector for scripts and styles.

• Special Characters: Displays a categorized list of special HTML characters that can be inserted at the current pointer location. When a character is clicked, its HTML Entity is inserted. This includes:

• Symbols: Use the list to insert a special symbol such as Copyright, Trademark, or Ellipsis.

• Markers: Use the list to insert pagination markers that are replaced with specific page numbering:

• Page Number: This marker is replaced by the current page number in the document. Even if the page number is not used on certain pages, those page are still added to the page count.

• Page Count: This marker is replaced by the total number of pages in the document, including pages with no contents.

• Content Page Number: This marker is replaced by the current page number (with contents) in the document.

• Content Page Count: This marker is replaced by the total number of pages that have contents in them, in the document. A page with contents is a page that is part of a section that has variable data on it. A page with a Master Page but no contents (set in the Sheet Configuration tab of the Print section properties) is not included in the Content Page Count.

• Sheet Number: This marker is replaced by the current sheet number (physical piece of paper with two sides, or pages) in the document. This is equivalent to half the page number, for example if there are 10 pages, there will be 5 sheets.

• Sheet Count: This marker is replaced by the total number of sheets in the document, whether or not they have contents.

• Dashes and Spaces: Use the list to insert special dashes, such as an em-dash, and spaces, such as non-breaking spaces or an en-space. (The HTML code inserted for the dash or space is visible on the Source tab of the workspace.)

• Arrows: Use the list to insert directional arrows (in one of four directions).

• Geometric Shapes: Use the list to insert a special geometric shape, such as circles, triangles and squares.

• Date: Opens the Date dialog to add a date to the template based on the current system's date and time.

• Wrap in box: Puts the element in which the cursor is located in an inline box (a <div>).

• Table

  • Thead, tbody, tfoot: Insert a header, body or footer (if not already present) in the current table.

  • Standard: Inserts a table with a specific number of columns and rows through the Standard Table Wizard; see Table.

  • Dynamic : Inserts a Dynamic Table in which the number of rows is determined by a detail table in the record, through the Dynamic Table Wizard; see Dynamic Table.

• Table Elements:

• Insert Row Above: Inserts a row above the current one. The row configuration, such as merged cells and cell styles, is duplicated, but contents is not.

• Insert Row Below: Inserts a row below the current one. The row configuration, such as merged cells and cell styles, is duplicated, but contents is not.

• Insert Column Before: Inserts a column to the left of the current one. The column configuration, such as merged cells and cell styles, is duplicated, but contents is not.

• Insert Column After: Inserts a column to the right of the current one. The column configuration, such as merged cells and cell styles, is duplicated, but contents is not.

• Common Elements:

• Paragraph...: Opens a dialog to add a <p> element; see Text and special characters.

• H1 through H6...: Opens a dialog to add a <h1> to <h6> element; see Text and special characters.

• Address...: Opens a dialog to add an <address> element.

• Preformatted...: Opens a dialog to add a <pre> element.

• Structural Elements:

• Div...: Opens a dialog to add a <div> element; see Boxes
• Span...: Opens a dialog to add a <span> element; see Boxes
• Article...: Opens a dialog to add an <article> element
• Section...: Opens a dialog to add a <section> element (the HTML element, not a section in a context).
• Header...: Opens a dialog to add a <header> element.
• Footer...: Opens a dialog to add a <footer> element.
• Nav...: Opens a dialog to add a <nav> element.
• Aside...: Opens a dialog to add an <aside> element.

  Note: Article, Section, Header, Footer, Nav and Aside are content sectioning elements; see MDN Web Docs - content sectioning elements

• Form Elements (see Form Elements)

• Form...: Opens a dialog to add a Form Element; see Forms.
• Fieldset...: Opens a dialog to add a Fieldset Element; see Fieldset.
• Text Field...: Opens a dialog to add a Text Field; see Text.
• Email Field...: Opens a dialog to add an Email Field; see Email.
• URL Field...: Opens a dialog to add a URL Field; see URL.
• Password Field...: Opens a dialog to add a Password Field; see Password.
• Text Area...: Opens a dialog to add a Text Area; see Text area.
• Date Field...: Opens a dialog to add a Date Field; see Date.
• Number Field...: Opens a dialog to add a Number Field; see Number.
• Hidden Field...: Opens a dialog to add a Hidden Field; see Hidden field.
• Label...: Opens a dialog to add a Label; see Label.
• Checkbox Field...: Opens a dialog to add a Checkbox; see Checkbox.
• Radio Button...: Opens a dialog to add a Radio Button; see Radio Button.
• Select Field...: Opens a dialog to add a Select (drop-down); see Select.
• Button...: Opens a dialog to add a Button; see Button.
• Help text: Opens a dialog to insert a paragraph (<p>) for help text.

• COTG Form Elements (see COTG Elements).

• Signature...: Opens a dialog to add a Signature element, see Signature.
• Date...: Opens a dialog to add a Date Element, see Date and Formatted Date.
• Date Formatted...: Opens a dialog to add a Formatted Date Element, see Date and Formatted Date.
• Time...: Opens a dialog to add a Time element, see Time and Formatted Time.
• Time Formatted...: Opens a dialog to add a Formatted Time element, see Time and Formatted Time.
• Geolocation...: Opens a dialog to add a Geolocation element, see Geolocation.
• Locale...: Opens a dialog to add a Locale element, see Locale.
• Camera...: Opens a dialog to add a Camera element, see Camera.
• Image and annotation: Opens a dialog to add an image that can be annotated by the user; see Image & Annotation.
• Barcode Scanner...: Opens a dialog to add a Barcode Scanner element, see Barcode Scanner.
• User Account...: Opens a dialog to add a User Account element, see User Account.
• Device Info...: Opens a dialog to add a Device Info element, see Device Info.
• Repository ID: Opens a dialog to add a Repository ID element, see Repository ID.
• Document ID: Opens a dialog to add a Document ID element, see Document ID.
• Fields Table: Opens a dialog to add a Fields Table element, see Fields Table.

• Form Wizard: Opens the Form Wizard to add a form to a Web context; see Forms

• Validation Wizard: Opens the Validation Settings dialog to change the validation settings on the currently selecting tools; see Changing a Form's validation method.

• Business Graphic: Displays a list of available business graphic object to be inserted:

• Insert Pie Chart: Opens the Pie Chart script dialog to insert a new Pie Chart.
• Insert Bar Chart: Opens the Bar Chart script dialog to insert a new Bar Chart.
• Insert Line Chart: Opens the Line Chart script dialog to insert a new Line Chart.

• Barcode: Displays a list of available barcodes. Click on one to insert it in the page. See Barcode.

Format Menu

• Size: When text is selected, choose a predefined or custom font size in this submenu to change the size of the selected text.
  • Other...: Opens the Text Formatting dialog for advanced style selection; see Styling text and paragraphs.
  • 7pt - 72pt: Sets the size of the selected text to the chosen font size.
• Style: When text is selected, sets the text style by applying or removing the following attributes: Plain, Bold, Italic, Underline, Strikethrough, Subscript, Superscript, Capitalize, Uppercase, Lowercase, Small-caps. This is the same as opening the Text Formatting dialog (Format > Text) and checking the appropriate style. See Styling text and paragraphs.
• Color: When text is selected, sets the text color by applying the color attribute to the text. The color submenu lists all the colors in the Colors Editor.
• Text...: Opens the Text Formatting dialog to modify the current text selection. See Styling text and paragraphs.
• Align: When an element is selected, determines how its contents is aligned inside the element. Options are Align Left, Align Right, Align Center and Justify.
• Paragraph...: Opens the Paragraph Formatting dialog to modify the paragraph where the cursor is located. See Styling text and paragraphs.
• Paragraph Format: Displays a list of generic element types that can be used for a text element. Selecting one of them converts the element where the cursor is located into the appropriate element (for example <p> for Paragraph, <h3> for Heading 3, etc).
• Float
  • Left: Floats the current element to the left. This is equivalent to setting the CSS float property to left.
  • Right: Floats the current element to the right. This is equivalent to setting the CSS float property to right.
  • None: Removes any float style applied to the currently selected element.
• Align Objects:
  • Top: Aligns the top side of the selected objects with the top edge of the last selected object.
  • Middle: Aligns the middle of the selected objects with the middle of the last selected object. Objects may move up or down.
  • Bottom: Aligns the bottom side of the selected objects with the bottom edge of the last selected object.
  • Left: Aligns the left side of the selected objects with the left edge of the last selected object.
  • Center: Aligns the center of the selected objects with the vertical center of the last selected object. Objects may move to the left or to the right.
  • Right: Aligns the right side of the selected objects with the right edge of the last selected object.
• Box...: Opens the Box Formatting dialog to modify the box where the cursor is located.
• Image...: Opens the Image Formatting dialog to modify the image that is currently selected.
• Table...: Opens the Table Formatting dialog to modify the table in which the cursor is located. If the cursor is within a table embedded within another, the innermost table's formatting is the one modified.
• Table Cell...: Opens Table Cell Formatting dialog to modify the cell where the cursor is located.
• Hyperlink
  • Insert...: Creates a hyperlink on the currently selected text or element and opens its properties; see Hyperlink and mailto link.
  • Edit...: Opens the properties for the currently selected hyperlink; see Hyperlink and mailto link.
  • Remove: Removes the currently selected hyperlink. The text or element that was the hyperlink is not removed.

Context Menu

• Add:
  • Print Context: Adds a new Print context to the template if one does not exist.
  • HTML Email Context: Adds a new Email context to the template if one does not exist.
  • Web Page Context: Adds a new Web context to the template if one does not exist.
• Delete: Deletes the currently selected context. The last remaining context cannot be deleted.
• Go to: Opens the first section in the selected context. This is the same as double-clicking on the first section of any context in the Resource Pane.
• Color Output: Opens the Print context's Color Output options dialog (see Overprint and black overprint). This option is only available when editing a Print section in the Workspace.
• Finishing: Opens the Print context's Finishing options dialog (see Setting the binding style for the Print context). This option is only available when editing a Print section in the Workspace.
• PDF Attachments: Opens a dialog to set the compression for PDF attachments; see PDF Attachments dialog. This option is only available when editing an Email section in the Workspace.
• Includes: Opens the Includes dialog; see Includes dialog. This option is only available when editing a Web section in the Workspace.
• Preview HTML: Opens the currently selected section in the default system browser to preview it. This feature works in all contexts.
• Profile Scripts: Opens the Profile Scripts dialog to test script performance (see Testing scripts).
• Preflight: Opens the Preflight dialog. Preflight checks the template for common errors (see Testing scripts).

Section Menu

• Add: Adds a new section to the currently selected context.
• Delete: Deletes the currently selected section.
• Arrange: Opens the Arrange Sections dialog.
• Go to: Lists the sections in the currently selected context. Open one by clicking it.
• Properties...: Opens the appropriate section properties: Email , Print or Web. See Section properties dialogs.
• Includes...: Opens the Includes dialog.
• Finishing... (Print Sections only): Opens the Finishing tab in the Print section properties.
• Sheet Configuration... (Print Sections Only): Opens the Sheet Configuration dialog.
• Master Pages: L ists the available Master Pages in the template (see Master Pages). Open one by clicking it.
• Master Page Properties...: Opens the currently selected Master Page's properties dialog; see Master Pages.

View Menu

• 50/75/100/150/200%: Zooms the Workspace at the selected level.
• Source View: Shows the HTML source for the template, including CSS and HTML code.
• Design View: Shows the template including all styles, text and images as well as the placeholders used for variable data.
• Preview View: Shows the template as it will output with the current record, with the personalized content (see Personalizing content).
• Refresh: Reloads the view, including static external images and remote stylesheets, and re-runs the scripts (the latter in Preview Mode only).
• Show Edges: Shows or hides a colored border around elements on the page.
• Rulers: Shows or hides the rulers in the Workspace. Rulers only appear for Print contexts.
• Guides:
  • Show Guides: Shows or hides the margin lines and guides in a Print section (see Print, Page settings: size, margins and bleed and Guides). The colors of margin lines and guides are adjustable; see Editing preferences.
  • Lock Guides: Locks the guides, so that they cannot accidentally be moved while working on the Print context.
  • Snap to Guides: Enables or disables snapping to guides and to margins when moving objects.
• Virtual Stationery: Enables or disables the visibility of the PDF Background image set in the Media.
• Highlight Master Page Items: Enables or disables a yellow border around Master Page items in a section.
• Object Resizing: Enables or disables the ability to resize <div> elements on the page. See Editing preferences for more fine-tuned control.
• Shared Content Editing: Enables or disables the ability to edit shared content in locations where it is used. See Snippets.

Window Menu

• Show View>: Use the options in this menu to show or hide different panes of the UI.
  • Translations: Shows the Translations pane.
  • Outline: Shows the Outline pane.
  • Messages: Shows the Messages pane, see Preflight Results and Messages.
  • Data Model: Shows the Data Model pane.
  • Preflight Results: Shows the results of a Preflight; see Doing a Preflight.
  • Scripts: Shows the Scripts pane.
  • Parameters: Shows the Parameters pane. See Runtime parameters.
  • Styles: Shows the Styles pane.
  • Attributes: Shows the Attributes pane.
  • Resources: Shows the Resources pane.
• Reset Perspective: Resets all toolbars and panes to the initial configuration of the module.
• Clear Recent Files Lists: Clears the lists of the most recently opened templates and data mapping configurations under File > Open Recent and in the Welcome screen.
• Preferences: Click to open the Preferences dialog.

Help Menu

• Software Activation: Displays the Software Activation dialog. See Activating a License.
• Help Topics: Opens the help system in the default web browser.
• Contact Support: Opens the Objectif Lune Contact Page in the default system web browser.
• About PlanetPress Connect Designer: Displays the software's About dialog.
• Welcome Screen: Re-opens the Welcome Screen.