Creating publications with boxed items
With CatBase as your publishing partner, and if you are using either QuarkXPress or InDesign CS to publish your data, you can easily create boxes containing data and pictures. Examples of such uses include:
- Display ads
- Catalog pages
- Real Estate (property) page
OK then, let's see an example!
For the purposes of this Tutorial, we are using the Demo Database that is supplied with the CatBase Demo. If you would like to follow along and try it for yourself, you can download the fully-functional Demo from here.
This example will work with either Quark or InDesign CS. You'll also need to install the Xtags plug-in: a demo version is included with the CatBase Demo.
Publish a Catalogue with Products in Boxes
For this example we are going to create a catalogue that shows photographs offered for sale by our fictitious stock photo agency, Castlephotos. Each Picture will be placed into a text box, along with its details, and the boxes grouped together.
We're going to jump right in and demonstrate this idea in action. Then we will take a brief look at how it works.
Step One: Install the Xtags plug-in
You'll find demo versions of the Xtags plug-in in the 3rd Party Demos folder in the CatBase folder.
- Select the appropriate archive (Quark or InDesign) and expand it.
- QuarkXPress: Copy the plug-in into the Xtension folder within your Quark program folder.
- InDesign CS: Copy the plug-in into the Plug-ins folder in your InDesign program folder.
Step Two: Select the data you want to publish
- Choose Pictures from the Data menu, or click on the Pictures button on the Data floating window.
- Click on All Records when the Search Dialogue window appears
You'll then have a list of Pictures records.
Step Three: Transfer the data
With the list of Pictures selected:
- Choose Publish all These Records from the File menu
- Select the Publishing Style Sheet you want to use (Items in boxes in this case)
- Select either QuarkXPress or InDesign as the publishing destination
- Hit the OK button to create the transfer file.
Step Four: Import the transfer file into your document
Create a new document with an automatic text box in Quark or InDesign, and save it into your CatBase folder.
We have set up the Demo with relative path names for all the pictures. They are all in a folder called Pictures, which is in the CatBase folder. In order for the pictures to import correctly, your document must also be in the CatBase folder.
Now for the fun part ...
- With your document open, make sure that the insertion point is in the first text frame.
- Choose File->Get Text with Xtags (if this option isn't available, then you have not installed the Xtags plug-in!).
- Select the transfer file you just created in CatBase.
- Make sure that the Include Style Sheets option is selected
- Click on the Open button
Watch in amazement as the catalogue is created before your very eyes! It should look something like this:
Each product has its own independent box. The pictures are grouped together with the text box so that each product box is a complete object.
We've used the "Autofit" option to automatically size the depth of each box to fit its contents.
... and it was all formatted automatically!
In this example, we've made all the text boxes basically the same style: the same width, with rounded corners, a blue border, and a 20% green background. Another example in the demo database (Items in Boxes 2) is a bit different:
This time, the item boxes are formatted according to the type of entry that the photographer has paid for: a basic entry just gets a plain white background; an Extended entry gets a picture and is set in a light green box, and so on.
... and it was all formatted automatically!
Let's see how this works ...
It's all controlled by the Publishing Style Sheet.
Take a look at the Publishing Style Sheet Items in Boxes 2 (to view or edit Publishing Style Sheets, choose Publishing Style Sheets from the Publishing menu). It looks like this:
What we're particularly interested in is the Layout Manager. Click on the Layout Manager tab to see what makes it tick:
- There are four options in the Listing Level choice list. An item in the Option list has been created for each option.
- Double-click on an Option to set up the text box settings for that option. For example, the Text Box settings for the Extended option look like this:
The detailed workings of Publishing Style Sheets are covered in a separate Tutorial.
It really is that simple!
What do do next ...
Download a fully functional Demo and try it for yourself
