Fill Patterns

Text Area Fill Patterns is a new feature which allows text to be drawn using a repeating pattern rather than a solid colour.

How to use Fill Patterns

Currently, fill patterns can be specified in two different ways.

Via a URL Parameter

The state[text_areas][id or area name][fill_pattern_url] state URL parameter can be used to automatically apply a fill pattern against a specific text area.

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Via a Gallery

It is also possible to specify a gallery of fill patterns against a specific text area in CPP.

This allows the user to select a fill pattern in the same way that they would select a colour.

The handmade3 app is not public and is only available to the Handmade Christmas Company!

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In CPPv1, the gallery ID (not ref) must be entered into the “Fill Pattern Gallery ID” field. The gallery ID is displayed in the galleries section in CPPv1.

CPPv2 will have a much nicer interface for setting the gallery.

It is not required to use the g URL parameter to reference the gallery.

Unfortunately due to time constraints the gallery method is only currently available in the private handmade3 app however the feature could be added to standard apps such as acp3_2 on request in around half a day's development.

Artwork Generation

Artwork generation using fill patterns is only supported when a print job has been saved using product state.

Some customers may want the fill pattern to be purely an element of the onscreen preview and not a part of the artwork. In the future, an option could be added to control weather the fill pattern is applied to artwork.

If an app detects that fill patterns have been used, it will automatically save using product state, unless the app has been explicitly configured not to use product state (e.g. in the case of handmade3).