Layout Design layout-design

Analyze the layout and determine the content that is being repeated across all pages; usually page header and footer fit into this category. This content is placed on master pages of layout. The remaining content goes to body pages of the layout. In a policy jacket, the logo and company address can be added to master page header and footer. For example, Notice of Cancelation uses the same layout.

When designing body pages, divide page content into sections. Each section is designed as a subform embedded in layout itself or as a fragment layout. If section contains table, model the section as a layout fragment.

A Layout can be designed as follows:

1. Make each section as a separate subform containing all elements of the section.
2. Make each section subform child of same parent subform. Parent subform’s layout are set to flow to allow the sections to shift below if there is large data that is merged in previous sections.
3. Section Primary residence can be reused across other layouts as well. Create it as a fragment layout.
4. Section Additional interest details contains only two elements placed one below another, can contain large data, and is designed as flowed.
5. Other sections contain elements at specific positions so they are designed as positioned layout.
6. Break a section into subforms if the section contains elements at specific positions, and these elements contain large amounts of data. Then arrange the subforms to achieve the desired behavior.
7. For Primary residence section, add a placeholder target area. This placeholder is bound to fragment Primary residence at the time of letter/Interactive Communication designing.
8. Upload the layout (and the fragment, if any, that uses the layout) into the AEM Forms server.

Open the Forms Designer, select File > New > Use a blank form, select Next, and then select Finish to open the form for template creation.

Ensure that the Object Library and Object options are selected from the Window menu.

Drag-and-drop the Subform component from the Object Library to the form.

Select the subform to display the options for the subform in the Object window in the right pane.

Select the Subform tab and select Flowed from the Content drop-down list. Drag the left endpoint of the subform to adjust the length.

In the Binding tab:

1. Specify a name for the subform in the Name field.
2. Select No data binding from the Data Binding drop-down list.

Similarly, select the root subform from the left pane.

Select the Subform tab and select Flowed from the Content drop-down list. In the Bindings tab:

1. Specify a name for the subform in the Name field.
2. Select No data binding from the Data Binding drop-down list.

Repeat steps 2–5 to add more subforms to the XDP template. Add text, document fragments, images, and charts to the target areas only while authoring the Interactive Communication.

Select File > Save As to save the file on the local file system:

1. Navigate to the location to save the file and specify a name for the XDP template.

2. Select .xdp from the Save as type drop-down list.

3. Select Save.

Drag-and-drop the Image Field component from the Object Library to the form.

Select the subform to display the options for the subform in the Object window in the right pane.

In the Binding tab:

1. Specify a name for the image field in the Name field.
2. Select No data binding from the Data Binding drop-down list.

Drag-and-drop the Table component from the Object Library to the form.

In the Insert Table dialog:

1. Specify the number of rows and columns for the table.
2. Select the Include Header Row in Table checkbox to include a row for the table header.
3. Select OK.

Select + in the left pane next to the name of the table, right-click cell names included in the header and other rows, and select Rename Object to rename the table cells.

Click the table header text fields in the Design View and rename them.

Drag-and-drop the Text Field component from the Object Library to each table cell in the Design View. Perform this step to be able to bind table cells with the form data model objects while authoring the Interactive Communication.

Select the name of the row from the left pane and select Object > Binding > Repeat Row for Each Data Item. Perform this step to ensure that if a binding is created between the table cells of this row with form data model objects of collection type, the table row is automatically repeated for each data item available in the database.

Enter text in the table cells or create binding with the form data model objects only while authoring the Interactive Communication.

Select File > Save As to save the file on the local file system:

1. Navigate to the location to save the file and specify the name for the XDP template.

2. Select .xdp from the Save as type drop-down list.

3. Select Save.