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Style a Cover Content Box

Use the PDF layout to control the positioning and appearance of a cover content box (and the content inside it). There are settings for each cover (Front page or Back page) and inside those, settings for each side of the cover (Front cover recto, Front cover verso, Back cover recto, and Back cover verso).

For each side of the cover, you can set the position of the content box, its size, padding, font style and color, and alignment.

Note

The front cover recto, front cover verso, back cover recto and back cover verso settings also have options that affect the entire cover page:

Position a Content Box on a Cover

Use the PDF layout settings to define the absolute position of the content box on a cover.

Note

The position of the content box is measured from the edges of the body region of the page. It is not measured from the edges of the page. To learn about the body region, see Adjust Page Margins (PDF).

  1. Select Layout in the top menu.

    Paligo editor. The Layout option in the header menu is highlighted.

    Paligo displays a list of Layouts. The list is empty if there are no custom Layouts in your Paligo instance.

  2. Select the Layout you want to update or Create a Layout.

    Tip

    You can copy the URL of the Layout Editor and paste it into a new tab in your browser. This can be useful if you frequently switch between your Paligo content and the Layout settings.

  3. Expand the settings for the relevant cover, either Front page or Back page and then select the settings for the relevant side (front cover recto, front cover verso, back cover recto, back cover verso).

    If you are unsure about which sides of the covers these settings relate to, see Covers: Recto and Verso.

  4. Use the margin settings to control the position of the text box on the page:

    • Left margin for the content box

      Set the distance from the left edge of the body region to the left edge of the content box.

    • Right margin for the content box

      Set the distance from the right edge of the body region to the right edge of the content box.

    • Top margin for the content box

      Set the distance from the top edge of the body region to the top edge of the content box.

    • Bottom margin for the content box

      Set the distance from the bottom edge of the body region to the bottom edge of the content box.

    You must include the units of measurement, for example, 2cm, 50px, 20pt.

  5. Select Save. Save icon.

  6. Repeat this process for each of the covers, if required.

When you publish using this layout, Paligo will apply the margins to the content box on the appropriate cover(s).

Set the Size of a Cover Content Box

You can use the PDF layout to define the height of a cover content box. For example, you could set a back cover recto content box to be 5cm so that it could fit in a logo and a link to your website.

If the content in your cover component is too large for the content box, it will overspill. The text and images will either break out beyond the edge of the box and will overlap any other content on the cover. For this reason, you should consider the size of the content that will go into the box, and also allow extra space for translated versions which may be longer.

Note

When setting the size and position of a content box, you should only use two of the following settings:

  • Top margin for the content box

  • Bottom margin for the content box

  • Height of the content box.

If you use all three, the bottom margin is ignored.

If you do not specify a height, Paligo calculates the height based on the space available below the top margin and above the bottom margin.

To set the height:

  1. Select Layout in the top menu.

    Paligo editor. The Layout option in the header menu is highlighted.

    Paligo displays a list of Layouts. The list is empty if there are no custom Layouts in your Paligo instance.

  2. Select the Layout you want to update or Create a Layout.

    Tip

    You can copy the URL of the Layout Editor and paste it into a new tab in your browser. This can be useful if you frequently switch between your Paligo content and the Layout settings.

  3. Select Front page or Back page in the sidebar. New_Layout.jpg

    If you are unsure about which sides of the covers these settings relate to, see Covers: Recto and Verso.

    Front_Page_LE_small.jpg

  4. Select:

    • Front cover recto or Front cover verso

    • Back cover recto or Back cover verso

  5. Set the Height of the content box.

    You must include the units of measurement, for example, 5cm.

    Height of the content box setting. It has a field containing the value 50px

  6. Select Save.

  7. Repeat this process for each of the covers, if required.

Set the Padding of a Cover Content Box

Use the PDF layout settings to define the internal margins, also known as "padding", for a cover content box. The internal margins set the amount of space between the edges of a content box and the content inside the box.

Diagram shows a rectangle that represents a content box. In the middle of the content box is some text. Callout arrows point at the space between the edges of the callout box and the edges of the text inside it.

In this diagram, the black edges are the edges of the content box. The arrows represent the inner padding between the edges and the content.

To set the internal margins or "padding":

  1. Select Layout in the top menu.

    Paligo editor. The Layout option in the header menu is highlighted.

    Paligo displays a list of Layouts. The list is empty if there are no custom Layouts in your Paligo instance.

  2. Select the Layout you want to update or Create a Layout.

    Tip

    You can copy the URL of the Layout Editor and paste it into a new tab in your browser. This can be useful if you frequently switch between your Paligo content and the Layout settings.

  3. Select Front page or Back page in the sidebar. New_Layout.jpg

    If you are unsure about which sides of the covers these settings relate to, see Covers: Recto and Verso.

    Front_Page_LE_small.jpg

  4. Select:

    • Front cover recto or Front cover verso

    • Back cover recto or Back cover verso

  5. Enter the amount of spacing you want into the Padding for the content box field.

    You need to include the measurement and the units of measurement, for example, 10pt.

    Padding for the content box setting. It has a field that contains the value 10pt

  6. Select Save.

  7. Repeat this process for each of the covers, if required.

When you preview your publication in the PDF layout, Paligo will show the borders of the content box. If you leave the border setting in place, Paligo will also include the borders when you publish.

Set the Border for a Cover Content Box

By default, cover content boxes do not have a visible border. You can add one in the PDF layout settings, if required. We recommend that you add visible borders when you are designing a cover, as it makes it easier to position and size the content boxes correctly.

To set the border for a cover content box:

  1. Select Layout in the top menu.

    Paligo editor. The Layout option in the header menu is highlighted.

    Paligo displays a list of Layouts. The list is empty if there are no custom Layouts in your Paligo instance.

  2. Select the Layout you want to update or Create a Layout.

    Tip

    You can copy the URL of the Layout Editor and paste it into a new tab in your browser. This can be useful if you frequently switch between your Paligo content and the Layout settings.

  3. Expand the settings for the relevant cover, either Front page or Back page and then select the settings for the relevant side (front cover recto, front cover verso, back cover recto, back cover verso).

    If you are unsure about which sides of the covers these settings relate to, see Covers: Recto and Verso.

  4. Enter the border settings in the Border for the content box field.

    Border for the content box setting. It has a field containing the value thin solid blue

  5. Select Save. Save icon.

  6. Repeat this process for each of the covers, if required.

When you preview your publication in the PDF layout, Paligo will show the borders of the content box. If you leave the border setting in place, Paligo will also include the borders when you publish.

Set the Font Styles for a Cover Content Box

Use the PDF layout settings to define the font styles for a cover content box. The font styles include the typeface, size, and color.

  1. Select Layout in the top menu.

    Paligo editor. The Layout option in the header menu is highlighted.

    Paligo displays a list of Layouts. The list is empty if there are no custom Layouts in your Paligo instance.

  2. Select the Layout you want to update or Create a Layout.

    Tip

    You can copy the URL of the Layout Editor and paste it into a new tab in your browser. This can be useful if you frequently switch between your Paligo content and the Layout settings.

  3. Expand the settings for the relevant cover, either Front page or Back page and then select the settings for the relevant side (front cover recto, front cover verso, back cover recto, back cover verso).

    If you are unsure about which sides of the covers these settings relate to, see Covers: Recto and Verso.

  4. Use the Font family for the content box setting to choose the typeface. Paligo will apply this style of lettering to any text that is in the content box. The text comes from a cover component.

    Font family for the content box setting. It has a drop down list.

  5. Use the Font size for the content box setting to set the size of the typeface.

    Font size for the content box setting. It has a single field.

    You must include the units of measurement, for example, 14pt.

  6. Use the Color for the content box section to choose the color of text (in the content box).

  7. Clear the Use default color checkbox to select a color of your own choice.

  8. Set the color either by:

    • Entering an RGBA code for the color you want (1).

    • Selecting the Color square to display the color selector (2).

      1. Choose the color with the spectrum bar (3).

      2. Control the transparency with the opacity bar (4).

      3. Choose the color shade with the main color panel (5).

      Color selector. There is a field for entering an rgba value. It is labelled 1. There is a black square labelled 2. There is a popup dialog that contains three sections. The sections are labelled with numbers. Label 3 points to a narrow bar that shows the colors of the spectrum. Label 4 points towards an opacity bar ranging from black to transparent. Label 5 points to a color selector with various shades of a single color.

  9. Select Save.

  10. Repeat this process for each of the covers, if required.

When you publish using this layout, Paligo will apply the font settings to the content box on the appropriate cover(s).

Set the Alignment for a Cover Content Box

To control the horizontal and vertical alignment of the content in a cover content box:

  1. Select Layout in the top menu.

    Paligo editor. The Layout option in the header menu is highlighted.

    Paligo displays a list of Layouts. The list is empty if there are no custom Layouts in your Paligo instance.

  2. Select the Layout you want to update or Create a Layout.

    Tip

    You can copy the URL of the Layout Editor and paste it into a new tab in your browser. This can be useful if you frequently switch between your Paligo content and the Layout settings.

  3. Expand the settings for the relevant cover, either Front page or Back page and then select the settings for the relevant side (front cover recto, front cover verso, back cover recto, back cover verso).

    If you are unsure about which sides of the covers these settings relate to, see Covers: Recto and Verso.

  4. Use the Alignment for the content box setting to control the horizontal alignment of the content in the box.

  5. Set the Vertical alignment for the content box. Choose from:

  6. Select Save.

  7. Repeat this process for each of the covers, if required.

Set the Background Color for a Cover Content Box

You can set a background color for a cover content box so that it stands out from the background. For example, in the following image, the background of the page is blue and the background of the cover content box is white.

A cover with a blue background (labelled 2) and a white content box (labelled 1). The content box contains a logo, web address, QR code, and some other information.

  1. Background color of content box is white.

  2. Background color of page is blue (see Set the Background Color of a Cover).

To set the background color of the content box:

  1. Select Layout in the top menu.

    Paligo editor. The Layout option in the header menu is highlighted.

    Paligo displays a list of Layouts. The list is empty if there are no custom Layouts in your Paligo instance.

  2. Select the Layout you want to update or Create a Layout.

    Tip

    You can copy the URL of the Layout Editor and paste it into a new tab in your browser. This can be useful if you frequently switch between your Paligo content and the Layout settings.

  3. Expand the settings for the relevant cover, either Front page or Back page and then select the settings for the relevant side (front cover recto, front cover verso, back cover recto, back cover verso).

    If you are unsure about which sides of the covers these settings relate to, see Covers: Recto and Verso.

  4. Use the Background color for the content box setting to choose the color.

  5. Clear the Use default color checkbox to select a color of your own choice.

  6. Set the color either by:

    • Entering an RGBA code for the color you want (1).

    • Selecting the Color square to display the color selector (2).

      1. Choose the color with the spectrum bar (3).

      2. Control the transparency with the opacity bar (4).

      3. Choose the color shade with the main color panel (5).

      Color selector. There is a field for entering an rgba value. It is labelled 1. There is a black square labelled 2. There is a popup dialog that contains three sections. The sections are labelled with numbers. Label 3 points to a narrow bar that shows the colors of the spectrum. Label 4 points towards an opacity bar ranging from black to transparent. Label 5 points to a color selector with various shades of a single color.

  7. Select Save.