# Print Assistant Plugin Template Howto

The Print Assistant plugin allows to ad new templates to 
manage new page layouts easily.
This document explains how to create templates.

*This document can be converted to HTML using
[Markdown](http://www.daringfireball.net/projects/markdown).*

## Getting started

A template is at least one file with xml extension (for instance my-templates.xml),
if you want it to be included however you need another file that allows translations,
e.g. a desktop file (see below).

When the plugin is run it does the following:

- Wait for you to choose page size
- Look for files describing templates (xml files)
- for file look for templates: 
  - for each template:
  - if layout fits into choosen page size add it and load desktop file if exists. 
- show templates with a preview icon in a list box.

## Presentation of the xml file

The xml file is used to describe template layouts, once it was a 
real page layout, but now you can add a fake page size to make it
available for all those pages in which your new template fits.

An example of template (already included into default templates.xml)
is a layout containing six passport size photos (35x40mm) is the following:

<templates>
	<paper name="passport-photos" width="90" height="130" unit="mm" >
		<template name="6_photos_3.5x4cm" dpi="0" autorotate="true">
			<photo x="10" y="3"  width="35" height="40" />
			<photo x="55" y="3"  width="35" height="40" />
			<photo x="10" y="45" width="35" height="40" />
			<photo x="55" y="45" width="35" height="40" />
			<photo x="10" y="87" width="35" height="40" />
			<photo x="55" y="87" width="35" height="40" />
		</template>
	</paper>
</templates>

- paper element
  Represents the template layout, important attributes are width, height
  and unit.
  - width attribute
    Represents the layout width
  - height attribute
    Represents the layout height
  - unit attribute 
    Explains in which units width and height are, it can be:
    - inches or inch
    - mm
    - cm
- template element
  It is the real template definition and contains the photo positions  
  - name attribute
    It is the template's name, it is used to get translations to be used,
    it is the desktop fileName, "6_photos_3.5x4cm.desktop" in the example. 
    If the desktop fileName does not exist name attribute is shown.
  - autorotate attribute
    Explains if autorotation must be done.
- photo element
  Explains photo position (x and y attributes) and size (width and height attributes). 

Another example for A6 page size:
	<paper name="A6" width="105" height="148" unit="mm" >
		<template name="1_photo_9x13cm" dpi="0" autorotate="true">
			<photo x="5" y="10" width="90" height="130" />
		</template>
		<template name="1_photo_10.5x14.8cm" dpi="0" autorotate="true">
			<photo x="0" y="0" width="105" height="148" />
		</template>
	</paper>


## Presentation of the desktop file

The desktop file is needed for translations. If you use your
templates for your own, you don't really need it.

It's a .ini-style file and looks like this (for instance 1_photo_9x13cm):

	[Desktop Entry]
	Name=9x13 cm (1 photo)
	Name[da]=9x13 cm (1 foto)
	Name[de]=9x13 cm (1 Foto)
	Name[en_GB]=9x13 cm (1 photo)
	Name[et]=9x13 cm (1 foto)
	Name[gl]=9x13 cm (1 foto)
	Name[it]=9×13 cm (1 foto)
	Name[nb]=9x13 cm (1 bilde)
	Name[nl]=9x13 cm (1 foto)
	Name[pt]=9x13 cm (1 fotografia)
	Name[pt_BR]=9x13 cm (1 foto)
	Name[sv]=9 x 13 cm (1 foto)
	Name[uk]=9x13 ?? (1 ??????????)
	Name[x-test]=xx9x13 cm (1 photo)xx

The nice thing is that when your layout get integrated into Print Assistant
Plugin default templates, KDE translators will translate the desktop file for you.

## Getting started: creating one theme from another

The easiest way to get started is to copy templates.xml file and modify it. 
Templates folder can be found in $KDEDIR/share/apps/kipiplugin_printimages/templates/, 
where $KDEDIR is the install folder of KDE on your machine (usually /usr).
Writing in this folder requires root access, so we will not create our template
there, instead do the following:

Create a theme folder in your home:

	mkdir -p ~/.kde4/share/apps/kipiplugin_printimages/templates/

Cd to it:

	cd ~/.kde4/share/apps/kipiplugin_printimages/templates/
	
Copy the templates.xml to my_templates.xml for instance:

	cp -r $KDEDIR/share/apps/~/.kde4/share/apps/kipiplugin_printimages/templates/templates.xml my_templates.xml
	
Remove all pages and add yours then create the desktop file accordingly.

You are done, you can now open your favorite KIPI enabled application and start the
Print Assistant plugin, your new templates should appear in the Layouts list 
(into "Select page layout" dialog).

## Final words

This is the end of this howto, now is the time for you to get creative and
add new templates!

When you are done, do not hesitate to contact the kde-imaging mailing
list (<kde-imaging@kde.org>). If you want to get your layout included in the
official template list!
