Page Format Designer

The Page Format Designer function lets the user create new drawing page formats or modify existing formats. It can also extract page formats from project files received from someone else.

Accessed from:

Manage Ribbon > Page Layout Group

The dialog consists of six step options which are listed on the left side. Each step provides a different list of settings fields in which to define/modify the page format.

Step 1: New/Modify Page Format

Select from one of the options detailed in the table below to begin the designing process.

Note: There is an Auto Hide button in the lower left corner of the dialog that sets whether or not the settings area will be hidden if you move the cursor back to the drawing area (so it is not in the way). If auto hide is turned on, you can click on the desired step button to display the setting area again.

Setting	Description
New Page Format	Creates a new page format from scratch.
Modify Existing Page Format	Edits a page format that already exists.
Extract Page Format From Project	Allows you to extract an existing page format from a project. The following dialog displays: Select the desired project in the Project field. The page formats in that project will then be listed. Select the page format you wish to extract. You can give the format a different name in the Save as field, if desired. Select OK to extract the page format and save it in your page format folder.

Setting

Description

New Page Format

Creates a new page format from scratch.

Modify Existing Page Format

Edits a page format that already exists.

Extract Page Format From Project

Allows you to extract an existing page format from a project. The following dialog displays:

Select the desired project in the Project field. The page formats in that project will then be listed.
Select the page format you wish to extract. You can give the format a different name in the Save as field, if desired.
Select OK to extract the page format and save it in your page format folder.

Step 2: Page Setup

In Step 2 of the Page Format Designer , you set the dimensions and orientation of the page format.

Setting	Description
Page Size	Predefined: Select one of the existing ANSI or IEC page sizes. Custom: Select metric or inch units and enter values in the Width and Height fields.
Page Orientation	Select either Portrait or Landscape.
Select Title Block	Use the Browse button to select one of the existing title block macros to use as a reference. This title block appears on the screen while you are creating the page format but is not stored with it (you can select a different title block when using the format to create drawing pages).
Line Number Orientation	Vertical: Line numbers will appear going down the page. Horizontal: Line numbers will appear going across the page.
Zone Number Orientation	This setting will be automatically set to the opposite of the line number orientation.

Step 3: Define Line Number Regions

Step 3 of the Page Format Designer defines the line number regions. A line number region is the area of a page assigned to an individual line number. (At this point a representation of the page format will appear in the drawing area.)

Define the options detailed in the table below to specify the line number regions.

Setting	Description
Measuring Tools	The Measuring Tools area of the dialog is a utility that helps you to calculate the region size you will enter in the lower part of the dialog. Measure Distance: You will be taken to the drawing area where you can click on a first point and a second point to define where the first and last line numbers will appear. The distance between the two points that you selected will be entered automatically in the field beside the Measure Distance button. # of Regions/Region Size: Enter a value in either of these fields. (For example: if you wish the line numbers to be 0.5 inches apart, enter 0.5 in the Region Size field). Then select Calculate to automatically calculate the appropriate value for the empty field. Note: The values you calculate in the Measuring Tools area are not used automatically - they are only intended to help you determine what settings to use when drawing the region.
Line Numbers	In Line Numbers area of the dialog, you make the actual settings that will be used in your page format. If you wish the page number to appear on a separate line, select the Page and Line Number on Two Lines check box. (To determine whether or not a page number is included with the line number, use the Include Page Number as a Line Number Prefix check box in the Default Page Properties dialog. In the Enter (First) Line Number field, enter a value for the line number of the region you are drawing. If you are using the array function (see below) enter the first line number. Use the Text Settings button to make text settings for the line numbers. The Edit Text Format dialog will appear. This dialog is similar to the Edit Text Style dialog . One important difference is the Text Align field which allows you to set in which direction the data will be placed from the variable's insertion point. Select OK when the desired settings are made.
Region Size	Use the Region Size section to draw each line number region: To Draw a Line Number Region: Select your drawing method: you can either define an area on the screen (select the Specify on Screen check box) or enter X and Y values in the appropriate fields to set the size of the region. Select the Draw Line Number Region button. You will be taken to the drawing area where you will either define a box for the region or place the box that was defined by the X and Y values. After drawing or placing the region you will be prompted on the command line to pick the line number text position. Click on the desired position for the line number. The line number must be placed inside the boundary of the region. To return to the Page Format Designer after you draw a region you can press the <Esc> or <Enter> keys or click the right mouse button. Line number regions appear in the drawing area as green boxes. Note: While drawing the regions, you will probably need to use a smaller grid so that the region borders can fall between your default drawing grid spacing. Delete Region: To delete a region you have placed, click on the region so that it has a dotted border and then press the <Delete> key. Copy Region: You can copy regions that you have placed using the standard copy function. You will have to edit the number text of the copy so that it is different from the original.
Array Region	To draw a series of regions in one step: Select the Array Region check box. Enter a value for the first line number in the Enter (First) Line Number field. Select the Draw Line Number Region button. Draw or place the first region and select the text position for that region. You will be prompted to "pick the last position of the array region." Click the point where you wish the last region to end. The software will draw as many regions as it can fit between the first region and the selected point.

Step 4: Define Zone Regions

In Step 4 of the Page Format Designer, you can define zone regions. A zone region is the area of a page assigned to an individual zone.

Define the options detailed in the table below to specify the zone number regions.

Setting	Description
Measuring Tools	The Measuring Tools area of the dialog is a utility that helps you to calculate the region size you will enter in the lower part of the dialog Measure Distance: You will be taken to the drawing area where you can click on a first point and a second point to define the area of the drawing that will be occupied by zones. The distance between the two points that you selected will be entered automatically in the field beside the Measure Distance button. # of Regions/Region Size: Enter a value in either of these fields. (For example: if you wish the line numbers to be 0.5 inches apart, enter 0.5 in the Region Size field). Then select Calculate to automatically calculate the appropriate value for the empty field.
Zone Numbers	In the Zone Numbers area of the dialog, you make the actual settings that will be used in your page format. Enter (First) Zone Number: Enter a number for the zone that you are drawing. If you are using the array function (see below) enter the first zone number. Text Settings: Click to make text settings for the zone numbers. The Edit Text Format dialog will appear. This dialog is similar to the Edit Text Style dialog. One important difference is the Text Align field which allows you to set in which direction the data will be placed from the variable's insertion point. Select OK when the desired settings are made.
Region Size	Use the Region Size section to draw each line number region: To Draw a Zone Region: Select your drawing method: you can either define an area on the screen (select the Specify on Screen check box) or enter X and Y values in the appropriate fields to set the size of the region. Select the Draw Zone Region button. You will be taken to the drawing area where you will either define a box for the region or place the box that was defined by the X and Y values. After drawing or placing the region you will be prompted on the command line to "pick the text position." Click on the desired position for the zone number. The zone number must be placed inside the boundary of the region. To return to the Page Format Designer after you draw a region you can press the <Esc> or <Enter> keys or click the right mouse button. Zone regions appear in the drawing area as green boxes. Note: While drawing the regions, you will probably need to use a smaller grid so that the region borders can fall between your default drawing grid spacing. Delete Region: To delete a region you have placed, click on the region so that it has a dotted border and then press the <Delete> key. Copy Region: You can copy regions that you have placed using the standard copy function. You will have to edit the number text of the copy so that it is different from the original.
Array Region	To draw a series of regions in one step: Select the Array Region check box. Enter a value for the first zone in the Enter (First) Zone Number field. Select the Draw Zone Region button. Draw or place the first region and select the text position for that region. You will be prompted to "pick the last position of the array region." Click the point where you wish the last region to end. The software will draw as many regions as it can fit between the first region and the selected point.

Step 5: Validate Page Format

In Step 5 of the Page Format Designer, you let the software check your format for possible problems.

Select the Validate button. If no problems are encountered, the following message will be displayed.

If errors are encountered, you can click on the error and the software will navigate to and display the problem area. The software checks for the following conditions:

Overlapping line number regions: The software cannot function properly if this condition exists.
Overlapping zone number regions: The software cannot function properly if this condition exists.
Gaps between line number regions: (The software may not properly calculate the correct line number of a device placed in such a gap.)
Gaps between zone regions: (The software may not properly calculate the correct zone number of a device placed in such a gap.)
Line number region without a line number text: Each line number region must have at least one line number text within its boundary. The software cannot function properly if this condition exists. (There can be more than one line number text within a region but these texts must have the same value.)
Zone number region without a zone number text: Every zone region must have at least one zone number text within its boundary. The software cannot function properly if this condition exists. (There can be more than one zone number text within a region but these texts must have the same value.)
Line numbers and zone numbers outside of a region: The software cannot function properly if this condition exists. Each line or zone number must exist within the boundaries of a region.
Duplicated line or zone numbers in different regions: (This may or may not be a problem since you may intend to do this in certain page formats.)
Staggered line number regions: a line number region that spans across two other line number regions: The software cannot function properly if this condition exists.
Staggered zone regions: a zone region that spans across two other zone regions: The software cannot function properly if this condition exists.

Note: You can still proceed to the next step and save the format without correcting these conditions, but some of the conditions may prevent the format from working correctly or cause an error message when you attempt to use it.

Save Page Format

The final step of the Page Format Designer process is to save the completed page format.

Enter a Format Name and Description for the format in the appropriate fields then select Finish to save the format.

Note: The format is saved in the PageFormat folder of your OpenUtilities Substation installation.