mag+ is all about the layers!

Working with the mag+ you will use the mag+ InDesign templates provided in the tool download. These templates contain predefined layers. Objects placed on the different layers can have different settings. If you are a mag+ newbie we recommend starting to learn how to use the three main layers (B -Slides - Main Content, B- Slides - Pinned blocks and A - Main tower - for inline body content) and when you are ready, learn how to use the remaining popup layers to create popups.

Open the magplus_template_CS**.indd in InDesign and open your layers palette to see the mag+ layers.

B - Slides - Main Content

This is the main background layer. Content on this layer rotates, but does not re-orient depending on tablet orientation —it simply crops differently. So depending on the device orientation, different parts of your first page are visible. In the InDesign templates that you are using there are guidelines for each orientation (landscape/portrait) and the square made up in the middle by the guidelines is the safe area. Meaning, objects within this square will always show, no matter how the reader holds the device.

 

Bp - Popup - Main Content - Popup

This layer is used to add popup objects that are anchored to a hotspot on the B - Slides - Main Content layer.

B - Slides - Pinned blocks

This layer is used for objects that you want on the background layer, but that you also want to move with the rotation of the screen when the user rotates the device so that it is always shown. Read more about Pinning.

Bp - Popup - Pinned blocks - Popup

This layer is used to add popup objects that are anchored to a hotspot on the B - Slides - Pinned blocks layer.

A - Main Tower - for inline body content

This is the free-scrolling layer that moves over the top of the B layers, and can be hidden by the reader if he/she taps twice on the screen. Content in this layer can also be made to snap to a particular position as it comes into view. Read more about Snapping here.

Ap - Popup - Main tower - Popup

This layer is used to add popup objects that are anchored to a hotspot on the A - Main Tower layer.

C - Clickable Areas

This layer contains hotspots. Hotspots reference selected objects placed on the main layers (B -Slides - Main Content, B- Slides - Pinned blocks and A - Main tower - for inline bode content) so that it knows when the "button" is visible. Hotspots can, for example, trigger web links or videos. By default, this layer is not shown in the layers palette. It is created when you add media or a link in the main layers.

D - Media Areas

This is the layer where video and audio objects will be stored. The objects are automatically populated when you press the Add Audio or Add Video option in the mag+ InDesign plug-in.

 

Device layers

There are 3 device layers. These non-printing layers can be used to simulate how the content will look on the device.

Device Landscape layer

Device Portrait Layer

 

If you want an object to be seen both when the device is in portrait and in landscape, make sure to place it in the safe area.

 

 

Transition guides

Use this layer only to drag in a guide that will force the point of transition to the next B slide. If you don't set a transition guide, the transition will happen at the bottom of the last object on that page.

Guides

These default guides (the turquoise lines in the template, see image below) designate the visible areas in each orientation. Do not alter these guides. 

 

 

Other Relavant Articles

• Read more bout Popups.