Catalog Editor

The Catalog Editor is used to create detailed product catalogs from any number of manufacturers or suppliers. The catalog is organized in a tree-like fashion with the ability to add new folders and items, expand and collapse folders, and delete folders or items.

For Pro users, an unlimited number of products can be added and grouped into folders by vendor, sets, and items.

Layout Planner DIY allows one product set with 15 items.

Accessing the Catalog Editor

Using the window menu, select Customize | Catalog Edit....

Organizing the Catalog

The product catalog is displayed in two columns with the left side containing a tree-like hierarchy and the right side containing details about the selected item. Each collection of items is represented by a folder icon and can be expanded and collapsed for easier viewing.

The hierarchy follows this model:

• Product Catalog
• Vendor ABC
• Product Set #1
• Color #1
• Item #1
• Item #2
• ...
• Color #2
• Item #1
• Item #2
• ...
• Product Set #2
• ...
• Supplier XYZ
• ...

The bottom of the catalog window includes a number of buttons used to perform certain functions:

• NEW: Add new Vendors, Sets, and Items
• DELETE: Remove Vendors, Sets, and Items
• EXPAND ALL: Show the contents of all Vendor and Set folders
• COLLAPSE ALL: Hide the contents of all Vendor and Set folders
• CANCEL: Discard all additions, deletions, and changes
• DONE: Save all additions, deletions, and changes

Adding to the Catalog

To add a new Vendor, Set, or Item, select a location in the catalog's hierarchy and click the New icon.

• To create a new vendor: select Product Catalog and click New
• To create a new product set: select a Vendor and click New
• To create a new color: select a Product Set and click New
• To create a new item: select a Color and click New

Click Done when all items have been added to the catalog; clicking Cancel will discard the newly entered items.

New Vendor

Select Product Catalog, click New, and enter the name of the vendor including other details such as business address and web site.

Click Done when all items have been added to the catalog; clicking Cancel will discard the newly entered items. Repeat to add more vendors.

New Product Set

Select a Vendor and click New. Enter or select the required information for each field:

• Name: product name used on reports
• Description: for reference only - not used on reports
• Layout Type: determines how the items are arranged in the layout - see below for more information

Layout Type describes how this set of items should be arranged in the layout. The default value is Random and should be used for items of different shapes. Items such as bricks should use values like Running Bond.

New Color

Select a Product Set and click New. Enter the name of the color.

By grouping a set of items within a color it allows the product's item number to reflect the entire hierarchy.

New Item

Select a Color and click New. Enter or select the required information for each field.

Deleting from the Catalog

To delete a Vendor, Set, Color, or Item, select it in the catalog and click the Delete icon. Click Yes at the warning prompt to delete the item or click No to keep it.

NOTE: once a folder or item is deleted it cannot be undeleted. Keep this in mind when deleting a vendor or set folder which contains other items.

Modifying the Catalog

When a folder or item is highlighted its details appear in the right-hand side of the window. Make any necessary changes.

Click Done to save the changes; clicking Cancel will discard the changes.

Catalog Import

Product catalogs can be imported from other copies of Layout Planner Pro. This feature is useful to consolidate catalogs from other users and create a master catalog for wide-spread standardization. Before a catalog can be imported it must be created and exported from Layout Planner Pro.

The DIY version does not support these features.

Accessing Catalog Import

Using the window menu, select Customize | Catalog Import.... Browse for the import file and select it.

Import Will Merge Catalogs

Importing a catalog will merge it with the current one. Keep this in mind because duplicate items may not get stored or displayed properly.

To ensure a clean import, remove duplicates in advance or delete the entire contents of the current catalog before importing.

Catalog Export

Product catalogs can be exported from other copies of Layout Planner Pro. This feature is useful to consolidate catalogs from other users and create a master catalog for wide-spread standardization. A catalog must be exported before it can be imported into other copies of Layout Planner Pro.

The DIY version does not support these features.

Accessing Catalog Export

Using the window menu, select Customize | Catalog Export.... Select the export file name and location.

Export File Format

Exported files are saved using the .TXT extension. Because these are plain-text files they can be modified or created using a text editor.

Report Preferences

Layouts created with Layout Planner can be saved in Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF). This report provides all of the information required to purchase the necessary product and install the job. Areas of the report may be customized to allow a unique branding opportunity or special notices to the customer.

The DIY version does not support these features.

Accessing Report Preferences

Using the window menu, select Customize | Report Preferences....

Customizing the Report

The following areas of the report can be modified to display other text:

• Header line 1
• Header line 2
• Header line 3
• Footer line 1
• Footer line 2
• Footer line 3
• Notice

Each field allows a considerable amount of text to be enterd. Be sure to click the Save button to save these report preferences.

Branding Preferences

Certain areas of the Layout Planner Pro software can be changed to display text or messages specific to your company's brand identity.

The DIY version does not support these features.

Accessing Branding Preferences

Using the window menu, select Customize | Branding Preferences....

Customizing the Branding

Branding preferences will be applied in certain areas of the Layout Planner software as well as reports. The following items can be changed:

• Company Name
• Company Address
• Company Website
• Application Name

For example, the Layout Planner Pro software can be renamed to Monarch Stone Layout Planner.