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A 'placeholder' is simply an object (like paragraph text, or a photo) that is positioned on a layer. Sure, it's a complex object — but is is not a layer. It's like a bucket or a box on a shelf. It has a position, and it can be filled with useful content.Quote:
Originally Posted by Scotty
Maybe I am missing something but there one glaring fact that people must understand about XWD. The page size is FIXED. This means if you do not know the exact size of what you are inserting via placeholders your page can be messed up. Using iframes with scrolling can avoid concern about size of inserted content but can cause excessive scrolling to view the content.
Please correct me if I am wrong but making it sound like you can insert anything via placeholders without a page layout concern will drive people crazy. The EXACT SIZE of whatever displayable content inserted via placeholders is used MUST be worked into the fixed size of the page in XWD.
I expect most people will do a "close enough" estimate of the size a page needs to be to hold a representative amount of data, and let the scroll bars do the rest. I maintain a golf league web site where software spits out HTML tables for the player and game data. I intend to create static-sized holder pages when I re-do the web site, and have the software-generated tables pulled in by iframes so I can replace them weekly without having to alter the main part of the site. I've already begun working out "close enough" sizes for the holder pages so the scrolling is kept to a manageable level. Unless you're completely scrollbar-averse I expect that'll suffice for most people.
Repelling text under a placeholder seems a bit difficult, if you don't know the specific size required by its content. As an example, I used the same spreadsheet generated table from my post above.
- I created sample text on MouseOff layer.
- I added a Placeholder-rectangle, then added the HTML for the table (output by Excel).
- Viewing the page, I realize that I need to do a 'Repel text under' for the Placeholder-rectangle. Doing a preview, I see that the rectangle needs to be larger (but how much larger?).
- In preview mode, I Alt-PrintScrn, then paste the bitmap into xWD, then draw a 50% transparent rectangle over the table.
- I top-left align the Placeholder-rectangle and the semi-transparent rectangle, then do a 'Repel text under' for the semi-transparent unit.
- While the text repels nicely about the semi-transparent box, and the box appears to be the right size, it is misaligned with the Placeholder-rectangle. Why?
Not so strictly: http://www.talkgraphics.com/showthread.php?t=36869Quote:
Originally Posted by richinri
The attached .web file contains a page with a table that I mocked up using a spreadsheet program called CALC from Open Office.org. Seems to work quite well.
Randy
Very good method, good tip.
Erm... I hardly dare push my luck on a thread focused on tech ways to insert tables into XWD, but there is a very low tech way of achieving the same graphic effect. Simply take a .png snag (Snagit 9.0) of the spreadsheet and import it as a graphic. Then set it to repel text under and postion exactly as required using guides. Changes to the original table can then be snagged and positioned exactly as the original.
I use a workaround everytime instead of sweating a problem if it achieves the same effect.
OK, I'll shut up .....:)
I stand corrected as my addition to that thread makes clear. However, I realize that most visual type programmers may find it a bit daunting to work with that level of coding. But it is great to know that XWD CAN be used to create dynamic content and re-size accordingly on the fly if one is not code shy.:DQuote:
Originally Posted by covoxer
The only coding required form the designer that want to use that tweak is adding name to the background and 3 times Ctrl+C/Ctrl+V. I don't count the php part because it is the same no matter which editor you use.Quote:
Originally Posted by richinri