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PDF template PDF-template

Last update: Thu Apr 04 2024 00:00:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

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  • Admin

Using a template ensures consistency in content layout and structure. As templates are predefined, you can avoid rework on formatting issues that arise for every new project or updates. Templates enable you to design page layouts, style content, and apply various settings to customize your PDF.

Factory and custom PDF templates

There are some sample factory templates shipped out of the box, which the developers can use as the base templates to create customized templates per their organizational requirements.

Create a new PDF template create-pdf-template

You can create custom PDF templates with specific page layouts and define formatting for page layout components (like TOC, index, glossary) or DITA components (like heading, paragraph, list) using stylesheets.

To create a new PDF template, perform the following steps:

  1. In the Web Editor, go to the Output tab.

  2. Select Templates templates icon {width="25"} in the left panel.

    Create PDF template {width="400"}

  3. In the Templates window, select the + icon next to Templates and choose PDF Template.

  4. In the New PDF Template dialog, select a factory template which you want to use as a base to create the custom template. You can also use the search box to search for a template.

  5. Specify a title for the template.

    note note
    NOTE
    You can also preview a thumbnail for the template while creating and duplicating a template. Edit or delete the thumbnail using Properties in the Options menu after creating the template.

  6. Click Create.

    The new template is created and added in the Templates panel.

Duplicate a PDF template duplicate-pdf-template

If you want to create a new template with the same page layouts and formatting as that of an existing template, you can create a copy. Once a template has been duplicated, you can further customize its components as needed.

To duplicate an existing PDF template, follow the below steps:

  1. In the Web Editor, go to the Output tab.

  2. Select Templates templates icon {width="25"} in the left panel. This opens the Templates window.

  3. Hover over the template that you want to duplicate and select the … Options icon and choose Duplicate from the context menu.

    This opens the Duplicate PDF Template dialog.

    Duplicate PDF template {width="350"}

    Select a template to duplicate, preview the thumbnail, and update the title in the Duplicate PDF Template dialog.

  4. Specify a title for the template.

    The Title field is pre-populated as a copy of the same title as the source template. You’ll view an error message if the template with the same title exists.

  5. To specify a preferred title, remove the pre-populated title and specify a title.

  6. Click Duplicate.

    A duplicate template is created and added under the Templates.

Other operations on the templates

You can also perform the following operations on the templates from the Options menu:

Duplicate PDF template {width="350"}

Delete

Select the Delete option to delete the selected template. Then, select Yes on the confirmation prompt.
The preset is removed from the Templates.

Properties properties-option

Select this option to view and edit the properties of the template. You can preview the existing thumbnail for the template. You can also edit or delete the thumbnail. You can also change the title and description of the template.

View in Assets UI

Select this option to view the template in the Assets UI. As it opens the root location of the template, you can view all the resources of the template.

Once you have created the custom template, you can choose it from the Page Layouts in the PDF output preset.

Learn how to publish a PDF output.

NOTE
If your folder has a Folder Profile configured on it, then you’ll view only those PDF templates that are configured on the Folder Profile.

Based on your setup your administrator can configure the templates:

Cloud Services
For details on setting up global and folder-level profiles, view Configure templates section in the Installation and configuration guide for Cloud Services.
On-premise Software
For details on setting up global and folder-level profiles, view Configure authoring templates section in the On-premise Installation and configuration guide.

Customize a PDF template customize-pdf-template

You can customize templates by tweaking the template components and applying style formats using stylesheets.

To customize a PDF template, perform the following steps:

  1. In the Web Editor, go to the Output tab.

  2. Expand the left sidebar and select Templates.

    This opens the Templates panel.

  3. To view a template’s components, do one of the following:

    • Select the > icon next to a template or double-click the template name.
    • Hover over any template and select the … (Options icon) and choose Edit from the context menu.

    By default, this opens the Settings panel in the templates editor.

    Customize PDF Teamplte {width="350"}

    note note
    NOTE
    Your adminstrator can download the latest templates from the following path and replace the existing ones:
    /libs/fmdita/pdf

    The various template components that you can customize are categorized under the following sections:

    • Page Layouts: A typical PDF contains different pages, such as a front cover or title page, TOC, chapter, index, citations, and more. The Page Layouts section allows you to design the look-and-feel of different pages that would make up your PDF. For more details, view Page Layouts.

      In addition to the appearance, you can also define the arrangement of page elements such as the header, footer, and content areas on a page. To know more on customizing a page’s layout, see Create and customize page layouts.

    • Stylesheets: The settings in the Stylesheets section allows you to customize the look and feel of the page layout components like the TOC, index, glossary, citations, and more. In addition, you can also customize the styles for the DITA content like headings, paragraphs, lists, and more. To know more on using the stylesheets, see Use Stylesheets to customize PDF.

    • Resources: Store asset files that you would need to customize or design PDF templates. Assets such as logos, custom fonts, background images, and more are stored in the Resources.
      You can also use resources present at any other location in the repository. You don’t need to create duplicate resources for each template, and you can keep them in a shared folder and use them in all Native PDF templates.

      To know more on utilizing resources, see Work with resources.

    • Settings: Configure the output settings for generating a PDF using the template. This section allows you to define template mapping for various pages in a PDF, chapter starting page, print markers, citations, and more.

    You can also arrange the order in which they should appear in your final PDF output.
    For more information on applying settings, see Advanced PDF Settings.

  4. To customize a template component, double-click a template component or select the > icon before it.

    For example, double-click Page Layouts or select the > icon before Page Layouts to view the available page layouts.

    note note
    NOTE
    You can also update a thumbnail and the description for the template using the Properties in the Options menu.

  5. Once you have made the desired changes, select Save All (or Ctrl+S).

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