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The AI Layout Automation feature in Studio makes the process of placing articles on a layout more efficient by analyzing the available space on the pages of a layout and providing suggestions on how and where the available articles and their images can best be placed to fill the pages.
Changes to these suggestions can subsequently be made, and when satisfied with the result, the command can be given to have the articles automatically placed.
The area to fill on the page is based on a blueprint which needs to be set up as part of the Layout Automation configuration.
This article describes how to set up blueprints.
Before you start
It is assumed here that you are familiar with the concepts and the full configuration process of the Layout Automation feature.
Configuration basics
Configuration is done on the Blueprints page in the AI Layout Automation Management Console in Studio Server.
The process of configuring blueprints can be split into the following steps:
- Adding, moving, copying, or deleting blueprints.
- Configuring basic settings such as the name and the grid dimensions.
- Setting up the blueprint definition: how the grid should be filled.
Adding, moving, copying, or deleting blueprints
These actions are self explanatory, but note the following:
- The 'Copy to' option can be used to copy the blueprint definition to a different Brand. Use it for example as a starting point and modify it accordingly.
- When selecting a blueprint and clicking 'Add new', the new blueprint is added after the selected one.
- To select multiple blueprints, Ctrl+click the left border of each blueprint.
- Ctrl+click the left border of a selected blueprint to deselect it.
- To organize the page, drag a blueprint to a different location by holding and dragging its drag handle.
Basic settings
The following basic settings can be configured:
| Column | Remarks |
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| Name | The name of the blueprint. This should be unique. |
| Page | Defines if the blueprint is for a single page or for a spread. |
| Width and height |
The blueprint defines a grid of boxes for a page or spread. The width represents the horizontal box count of the grid. The height represents the vertical box count of the grid. Tip: Recommended is to use a grid as small as possible with a maximum of 5 columns by 8 rows. A small deviation from this is permitted, but a dense grid (anything higher than 10) could potentially negatively affect performance. |
| Source location |
The name of the layout containing the layout structure such as dividing lines. For details, see Creating base layouts for the AI Layout Automation feature in Studio. Mandatory. When not used, enter a dash to indicate no value. |
| Source structure |
The name of the article containing layout structure such as dividing lines. Mandatory. When not used, enter a dash to indicate no value. |
| Categories |
The Categories that the blueprint should only be used for. When no configuration exists, the blueprint is automatically used. Example: A blueprint is configured for Categories 'News' and 'Sport'. When the Layout Automation dialog is opened for a layout that belongs to Category 'News' or 'Sport', the blueprint is used. If not, the blueprint is ignored.
Note: Make sure that the Categories that are referenced actually exist within the Brand. |
Setting up the blueprint definition
The definition of the blueprint defines how the area that the blueprint takes up should be filled: which part of the area should be filled with a lead story, which part should be filled with a secondary or third story, and so on.
For fillers, specials, and advertisements, it can further be defined if the Layout Automation service is free to fill it in a certain way: by filling it using only one article, by using two articles in which one takes up 3/4 of the space and the other 1/4, or two articles that each take up the space equally, and so on.
Setting up partitions this way greatly reduces the number of blueprints that are needed.
Configuring the partitions is done in a dedicated editor.
Specials
Info: This functionality requires Studio 11.215 or higher.
Articles such as weekly columns and weather reports are treated as 'specials'. To make an article a special, it is already placed on the layout before the Layout Automation is used to fill the page. To make sure that it is not replaced by the Layout Automation with another article, the area is defined as a special in a blueprint.
In that sense, an area defined as a special in a blueprint is different from other areas in that it is not automatically filled, but ignored (because it is already filled). It is important though that the area that is marked as a special in the blueprint closely matches the shape of the article that is placed.
The Blueprint editor
A special syntax is used to describe the distribution within the blueprint area.
Because this syntax is quite technical and not user friendly to read, a special tool is available to generate and visualize the syntax: the Blueprint editor.
It can be accessed by hovering the mouse pointer over the preview area of a blueprint and clicking the Edit icon that appears.
In the following example, a blueprint has been set up for a single page, with a lead story (§1) at the top, a secondary story (§2) at the bottom left, and a filler (§4) at the bottom right of the page. The filler has been further configured to give the Layout Automation service the freedom to fill it in one of three different ways: by using 3 stories spanning 1, 2, and 1 row, by using 2 stories each spanning 2 rows, or by using one story spanning all 4 rows.
This results in the following syntax for this blueprint: (5x4[§1]-(3x4[§2]|2x4[§4-{1:2:1,2:2,4}]))
Note: There is no need to be able to understand or read the syntax; the Blueprint editor is used for visualizing it.
Blueprint editor components
The following table describes the components of the Blueprint editor.
| Component | Description |
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Preview. Shows a preview of the page grid to configure. A blueprint configuration consists of boxes that together entirely cover the page grid. To configure the blueprint box, click a tile and drag over the area until the desired surface is covered, then release the mouse button. Repeat this step until the page area is entirely filled with boxes. For each blueprint box, the configured compatible story types are shown (§1, §2, and so on, see below), and a sequential identifier (ⓐ, ⓑ, and so on), mainly used for referencing that story in the preview. This is especially handy for the exceptional case of two boxes having the exact same type (see Story types below).
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Story types. Defines the story types that the selected blueprint boxes are compatible with:
Multiple selections are possible. The sequential identifiers (ⓐ, ⓑ, and so on) in front of each line are used for referencing that story in the preview (see above). This is especially handy for stories that are of the same type. |
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Edit button. Opens the Edit dialog for editing the partitioning of an area. See 'Setting up partitions' below. |
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Add partitioning button. Opens a dialog for pasting in an existing partitioning definition. |
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Delete button. Deletes the defined component. |
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Partitions field. Shows the partitions that are defined for a story. |
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Definition field. Shows the blueprint definition (not editable). |
Quick steps
When familiar with the working and components of the Blueprint editor, setting up a blueprint can be done quickly:
- Create a new blueprint and as a minimum, set its name, width, and height.
- Click the Edit button to access the Blueprint editor.
- Click a tile and drag an area in the preview.
- Select the check box to indicate the story types it is compatible with.
- (For fillers, specials, and advertisements only) Click the Edit button to set up a partitioning.
- Repeat this for all stories until the whole area is covered.
- When done, close all open dialogs to return to the Blueprints page.
- To save any changes made on the Blueprints page or in the Blueprint editor, click the Save button.
Setting up partitionings
For fillers, specials, and advertisements, the defined area can be partitioned to give the Layout Automation service the freedom to fill it in different ways.
These partitionings can be set up by using different methods:
- Manually from scratch
- Based on an existing partitioning
- Generated automatically
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Method 1. Setting up partitionings manually from scratch In this scenario, partitionings are created by starting with no partitionings and adding each one manually. Step 1. In the Blueprint editor, click the Edit button for the story of type filler, special, or advert. The Partitioning dialog appears. It is initially empty apart from the buttons to set up the partitioning with.
Step 2. (Optional) Click the Orientation toggle to switch between a horizontal or a vertical orientation of the grid. The line in the toggle indicates its current setting. Step 3. Click Add. A row appears showing the available grid.
Step 4. Click one or more dividers between the rows to set up a partition. Here, a 2-by-3 partitioning is defined:
Step 5. Repeat this process until all required partitionings have been created. Step 6. Click Add to add one more row without dividers. This is required to make it possible for the Layout Automation service to fully fill the area. Step 7. Click Done to close the dialog. Note: The Done button is grayed out when there is no partitioning with no dividers set up, or when partitioning has been set up for stories other than a filler, special, or advert. The partitioning definition is shown in the Blueprint editor. |
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Method 2. Creating a partitioning based on an existing partitioning In this scenario, the definition of an existing partitioning is used as a starting point. This definition can be taken from an existing blueprint definition, a list of often used partitioning definitions that is kept track of, and so on. Step 1. Copy the partitioning definition that you want to use. Example: 5,3:2,2:3,4:1,1:4 Step 2. Click the Add partitioning button for a story of type filler, special, or advertisement. Step 3. In the dialog that appears, paste the definition and click Paste.
The partitionings are added. For the example given above, the following partitionings are shown:
Step 4. (Optional) Click Add to add additional partitionings. Note: Make sure that one row without dividers is added. This is required to make it possible for the Layout Automation service to fully fill the area. Step 5. Click Done to close the dialog. Note: The Done button is grayed out when there is no partitioning with no dividers set up, or when partitioning has been set up for stories other than a filler, special, or advert. The partitioning definition is shown in the Blueprint editor. |
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Method 3. Automatically generating partitionings In this scenario, all possible partitioning combinations for the available area are automatically generated. Use this for example as a starting point. Step 1. Click the Edit button for the story of type filler, special, or advert. The Partitioning dialog appears. It is initially empty apart from the buttons to set up the partitioning with.
Step 2. (Optional) Click the Orientation toggle to switch between a horizontal or a vertical orientation of the grid. The line in the toggle indicates its current setting. Step 3. Click Generate. A message appears stating that all possible partitionings for the available area will be generated and that it will replace any existing definition. Step 4. Confirm that you want to continue by clicking Generate. All possible partitionings are displayed.
Figure: An example of automatically generating all possible partitioning combinations for a given area. Step 5. Make any necessary changes, such as deleting unwanted partitionings. Note: A partitioning with no dividers is always required to make it possible for the Layout Automation service to fully fill the area. Step 6. Click Done to close the dialog. Note: The Done button is grayed out when there is no partitioning with no dividers set up or when partitioning has been set up for stories other than a filler, special, or advert. The partitioning definition is shown in the Blueprint editor. |
Setting up the layout structure
Apart from the articles and their images and quotes, the area that is covered by the blueprint typically also contains dividing lines. This is referred to as the layout structure (also known as 'page constants' or 'page ornaments') and also needs to be defined so that the Layout Automation service is aware of these and can correctly place them.
The layout structure can exist as part of an article or as separate objects on a layout. The name of the layout or article that contains the layout structure that the Layout Automation service can use is referenced in the 'Source location' and 'Source structure' fields on the Blueprints page (see Basic settings).
Prepare these layouts and/or articles. They should exist in the same Brand as the layout for which the blueprint is used.
Tip: Use a naming convention to easily identify layouts and articles that are used for this purpose.
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Example: Here, a layout named 'Structure_BrandA_BP1' is created containing lines dividing 3 areas.
By adding the name 'Structure_BrandA_BP1' to the source_location column in the spreadsheet for a given blueprint, the Layout Automation service then uses the objects from that layout. |
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