Page layout

Page size and orientation

The first thing to decide is the page size and orientation. Page sizes can be chosen from various standard sizes and orientation can be portrait or landscape. Instructions can have mixed page orientation too. The size and orientation of choice depends on the size and shape of the model. If your aim is only digital instructions (to put on a website or share in PDF format) A4 size is OK. If you intent to print or really publish your instructions in a book for example other sizes may be more suitable.

Single step, multi step pages or submodels

Single step page

• has one step

• can have one or more callout

Multi step page

• has more than one step

• layout can be shown as columns or rows

• can have one or more dividers

• can have one or more callouts

Sub models

• can be single step pages or multi step pages

• can be converted into callout

See page Submodels for more details.

Examples

Take a look at the official instructions for set 40252.

• Page 2 is a multi step page, shown as columns with a vertical divider.

• Page 4 step 3 is a single step page.

• Page 6 from step 6 is a submodel as multi step page.

• Page 8 step 11 has a callout of a nested submodel.

Practice with set 40252

In this exercise we will try to remake the original instructions as best as can be done using LPub3D.

• Download the file and open it in LPub3D

• Make sure you have activated the LDraw™Editor to see what metacommands are used

• Step 1 with the PLI should be rendered now with all standard settings

• In the menu go to Configuration > Build Instructions Setup... > Page Setup

• Choose A5 size, switch to Landscape orientation and click [OK]

• Click the Redraw icon to re-render the assembly image

• Right click anywhere on a blank space of the page and choose <Add Next Step>

• Right click on a blank space in the one of the PLI's and choose <Change Parts List Placement>

• In the dialog make sure that <Assem> in selected the Relative to dropdown and click the [Top:Left] button and then [OK]

• Click [No] when prompted <Change only this step?> to make it a global setting

• Right click the step number and choose <Change Step Number Placement>

• In the dialog make sure <Parts List> is selected in the Relative to dropdown and click the [Bottom:Left] button and then [OK]

• Again click [No] when prompted <Change only this step?>

• Right click on the assembly image of step 1 and choose <Add Divider After Step>

• Right click the Divider (vertical line between the steps) and choose <Change Divider>

• At Margins enter the value 0.5 in the left box and click [OK]

• Click [No] when prompted <Change only this step?> to make it a global setting

Play around with settings and values and to see the result.

Apply more settings

To further mimic the original instructions do the following:

• In the menu go to Configuration > Build Instructions Setup... > Page Setup

• Change the Background to Solid color and pick a nice light shade of blue

• Click [OK]

• In the menu go to Configuration > Build Instructions Setup... > Assembly Setup

• Set the Default Assembly Orientation Latitude and Longitude values to 33.0 and 55.0

• Click [OK]

• In the menu go to Configuration > Build Instructions Setup... > Parts List Setup

• On the Background/Border tab change the Background Color to a nice shade of a bit darker blue then the page background.

• Change the Border corner style to <Round Corners>

• Change the left/right margin of the Border to 0.5000 (left input box)

• On the Contents tab change the scale to 0,80 and set part counts to font Arial, Bold, size 18

• Click [OK]

• Right click on a blank space in the PLI of step 1 and choose <Change Parts List Shape>

• Set the PLI constraint to Columns, value 2 and click [OK]

• Save the file to continue working with later lessons

The result of this should resemble something like shown in the image below.

The other image is taken from the original LEGO® instructions.

Continue to learn more about using submodels.