The Layout and Layout Template modes are an extension of the page editor and offer largely identical functions. One can think of layouts as the control layer for a page, and layout templates as their blueprints.
To view and customize the layout of a specific page:
open the page in Page Editor mode,
switch to Layout mode.
To view and customize a layout template:
switch to Layout Template mode,
select a template.
From a creative standpoint it is often easier to first design a boilerplate page without deciding immediately, whether some objects belong on the layout. Once the creative process is complete:
open the page in Page Editor mode,
from the Edit menu, choose Lock Layout Objects
select any objects that should be located on the layout,
from the Context menu, choose Transfer to Layout
Elements placed in the template or layout will appear on all derived pages.
By adding any logos, backgrounds and other common design elements, you will achieve consistency and can be certain that the same objects always appear at the same location.
Images are added to a template or layout without any default settings, processing or links. You have to manually scale the pictures and then apply appropriate Image Tools.
Images can be declared as image placeholders to define the position for images that are not yet available. The scaling and cropping image tools are used on the image placeholder to define the dimensions available to the picture. Later, one can simply drag a replacement image on top of the image placeholder. It will automatically scale and crop to the available space.
Wherever feasible, use text placeholders for common text elements such as page title, author or copyright information. This ensures, that the layout or template can automatically adapt itself to any number of pages, simply by retrieving the appropriate system, page or image descriptors.
Note: Text elements that originated from the layout, but later are customized in page editor, are still considered layout objects. If the original text element is removed from the layout, the customized version will also disappear from the page.
Place suitable text or image objects to represent standard links, such as a link to the home page, to a contact page, or for sending email to the web master. Click the right mouse button on each object and choose Link from the Object Context menu.