TECH – eDesign New Features

The latest eDesign maintenance release contains enhancements and other changes to make the most of the yearbook experience. They include changes in the following areas.

Page Editing:
· eDesign now uses correct pica/point calculations. Previously, ten-and-a-half picas was displayed as “10p5”. Now eDesign uses a 12 point scale, so it displays as the correct “10p6”. This is an industry standard, and now works the same way as all other desktop publishing software. Please see the Help topic “About Picas and Points” for a detailed review.
· Compounding Shapes: This advanced design feature gives eDesign users the ability to combine multiple closed shapes/paths on the page. Similar to InDesign’s “Compound Path” feature, multiple shapes can be combined, and then images inserted. Please see the Help topic “Compounding Shapes” for more info.
· The plants saw cases where some schools used their web browser as their proof, instead of the PDF proof, resulting in confusion about how certain colors would look on paper. To address this, the following warning text has been added to the color picker when creating a new color:
· “CMYK blends are shown as RGB approximations in the browser, and may vary due to your monitor. See your PDF proof for more accurate color representation or the “About Color” Help topic.

Library:
· eDesign advisers can now zip and upload the contents of a PSPA CD, similar to the Y Online portrait CD upload feature. It is no longer required to mail the CD to the plant to load portraits! However, the plant is still happy to provide this service. Be aware that if you do not mail the CD to the plant, the plant will not be sending directory proofs.
· There is a new portrait printout that is much more like a plant “Directory Proof”, but on 8.5”x11” paper. Use the advanced search or data sort to make your own directory proof. For example, you could search for all the 1st grade, then sort by Teacher name, and print the result.
· The Image Library “dimensions” column now displays the pica dimensions at 300 PPI, as a guideline. Originally this was displaying pixel values. This will allow the staff to easily distinguish a large dominant photo from smaller ones.
· Image uploads can now be minimized to run in the background by clicking the “minus sign” at the top of the upload window. This allows you to work while uploading.

Book Setup:
· Page margins for all spreads in the book can now be adjusted under Preferences. This setting has a visual impact and can be combined with column settings to create a modular grid-based design canvas. But it also impacts the flow area for Portrait Flow and Index Builder! That’s right: adjusting the page margins allows a larger area for either of the flow wizards.