Creating Unfolded Layouts
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Designs created with Sheet Lightning are unfolding into flat sheet using the commands on the process tab of the design window taskbar.


Unfolding Commands


1. Unfold All graphic  - This command unfolds all objects in the design into flat sheet and arranges them into a layout window (see below). The command is also accessible through the 'Unfold All' command in the Action menu .

2. Unfold Selected graphic  - This command unfolds the selected objects in the current design into flat sheet and arranges them into a layout window (see below). The command is also accessible through the 'Unfold Selected' command in the Action menu .


Unfold Layout Windows

The unfolded objects are generated into a wndow in one of two forms depending on 'Multiple Tab Page' option settings in the View options .

1. The unfolded layout is generated as an entirely new child window in the application. The new window has its own set of commands and taskbar which are installed in the main window when it becomes the active window. The new window is a 'dependent window'. This means repmains dependent on the design in the window that generated it. It the design changes in a way that affects the unfolded results then the unfolded patterns in this window will also change to reflect the change. If the design window is closed then the dependent windows will also close (on user confirmation).

2. If the 'Multiple Tab Pages' setting in the view options  is enabled then the layout is generated onto a new tab in the design child window. This means the layout is contained within the same child window as the design. This option makes iis easier to handle if mutliple designs are open at one time.


Page Layout

The page layout of the unfolded design layout is determinded by the current printer paper size. The page layout appears as a grid of white boxes layed over the layout. The grid represents a number of printer pages layout out in a rectangular matrix to cover the full spread of the unfolded layout. If the printer page sizes are changed via the 'Page Layout' comand in the 'File menu  then the 'Arrange Pages' command can be used to alter the page layout in the view'.

The page numbers are displayed on each page in the layout, unless the number of pages in the layout exceeds the display limit defined in the view options . If the number of pages exceed the limit then the matrix size is displayed in the upper left corner of the layout instead.

The actual position of flat sheet objects in the layout can be manipulated using the design tools available in the window (see: Arranging Objects in a Layout)