trouble with templates/clipart

I am having some trouble with Real Estate yard sign template. when I import clipart that I've added to the library I am unable to move it, scale it or anything. I have 3 layers. background layer, photo and bottom background that overlays the photo. The two background layers should go all the way from left to right but when I import them from the library they are not the size they should be and I am unable to do anything at all to move or scale them. I've done a few templates in our general area but had no issues with them.
When I pull up a current template and attempt to edit it, I am able to replace the background with one of my backgrounds and there is where it ends. I can't even ADD clipart, I click the button but nothing happens
I've tried several ways, from blank template, from existing template.
I am fairly new but pretty smart, please help me figure this out.
any assistance you can render would be greatly appreciated.
thanks
tjw

That could be related to the product setup. To help we'd need a link where we can experience the issue.

http://designer.realtimedesigner.com/customsigncenter-1/index.php&tng=Y3BpPTUxNzM4JmN0aT0xMDc0NQ==

We are thinking that this product was locked down by the person that worked here before and I have very little experience with RTD and do not know how to unlock the background. I was able to replace the background but only got one of the layers in and can't add any other layers.

can you help me find where to change it? I was able to create general templates with no problems and I was thinking I should start from scratch but when I tried I could not find anything that was PVC 30" x 20" to start with only found 24x18 and 12x18. I know it has something to do with the way the person who set this up categorized and labeled everything, so not organized well.

your help is greatly appreciated.
thanks
tjw

That link is a template. What you are experiencing is a mix of product and template things.
The product we're talking about is KELLER WILLIAMS SIGNS => 20" x 30" Black & Red New Logo Panel.
Consider the Configure Generator area in it's PRODUCT OPTIONS => Configure Products section.
It is explained here: http://support.realtimedesigner.com/wiki/doku.php/rtd_manual_ch_08_product_setup#configure_generator

First thing I see in the MAX ITEMS setting on the right is:

Max Texts allowed: 4
Max Clips allowed: 2	
Max Shapes allowed: none

This explains why you are not able to have more cliparts. There's already the BG one, then you can add one, and you're already at the maximum allowed number of 2. So to be able to add more, you should recofigure your product to allow more.

About not being able to move things, that's a teplate thing. When you're logged in as admin, you will see you have Show Advanced Admin Options enabled underneath each element.
That's described here: http://support.realtimedesigner.com/wiki/doku.php/rtd_manual_ch_07_artwork_templates#controlling_general_template_editability
Looking at your linked template, I immediately see it has the BG clip element with Editable by users? set to No. Which means exactly that: cannot be edited by users.

If you're playing on top of RTD setups made by someone else, studying both product configurator options as well as template editability options is what you'd need to do first. The Manual links provided above should explain everything you need to start.

Hope this helps,

Alex

Wow! that was exactly what I needed. I've reviewed all of the settings there but I don't see where to make it 1sided or 2sided, is that in another area? There is so much to learn. I think I'm doing pretty good for only having used it for orders up till about 3 weeks ago.
let me know if it's an easy answer or if you can direct me to instructions for that.
thanks!!!!!!

Adding a new Realtor brand in as a category to keep the templates separated.

I've added it in the Manage/Define Products Categories and I've added in one under Define General Template Categories. However, when I go to where it should be located so I can build the templates the category does not show.
it should be under New Products - CSC => YARD SIGNS - CSC => REAL ESTATE PRODUCTS
you can see the category at this link: http://designer.realtimedesigner.com/admin/index.php?chdf=1484077305

So I go there in our catalog: http://designer.realtimedesigner.com/customsigncenter-1/catalog/index.php&p=cGM9MTA4OTk=
and it's not showing up there
I am sure it's something simple that I've done wrong or didn't check. Can you point me in the direction of some instructions for that. I've looked in the forum but didn't find anything.
your help is greatly appreciated and every time I win, my boss gets happier and happier coz he doesn't have to learn it. I've taken over for someone that was here and his thought processes are not even close to mine. LOL So not organized logically it makes me a bit crazy trying to figure out what he was thinking.
thanks!
tjw

Forum can help, but for these "basic" stuffs your best friend is the manual, at least at the beginning.
The product setup section of it will explain about sizes and sides:
http://support.realtimedesigner.com/wiki/doku.php/rtd_manual_ch_08_product_setup
Look for the DEFINING A FIXED SIZE section. But in general, you might want to read that page in full

Look also in the vides section here: http://support.realtimedesigner.com/wiki/doku.php/videos
Product Options and Products with Background and Foreground Images would probably give you some hint about how sizes and sides works.

As per categories: I see al ittle confusion about product categories and template categories. Those are really not the same thing at all. However, by looking into both category lists I cannot see the word "realtor" anywhere. Perhaps you're talking about the one you named Rise Realty Products?
In that case, going into Manage/Define Products Categories, I see it have no products inside, so no surprise it is not appearing in catalog. There's nothing to show!

So, first thing is to assign some products to that category so that it will be shown in catalog. As for templates, those are different stories as templates are DESIGNS. You will hav to create those in the designer and then save into the category of your choice. They will be shown in catalog only as long as therewill be at least 1 template saved in that category.
Again, Manual is the best friend to chew this all:
http://support.realtimedesigner.com/wiki/doku.php/start

Ok, I've been through the videos and a lot of the manual. I'm stuck and I'm not sure where to go to make this right.
I was able to add a new product (18x24 PVC and 20x30 PVC) to my new product category Rise Realty Products
http://designer.realtimedesigner.com/admin/index.php?chdf=1484149164
but in this product generator there's not image of the template
and when I go to the back end to design it I see the template name but not a see template or design it button or image to click to open the designer!
http://designer.realtimedesigner.com/customsigncenter-1/catalog/index.php&p=cGM9MTQ0MjMmcGMyPSZwcj03ODg4Nw==

what the heck have I done wrong?
I am starting to get very frustrated and I need to do another category with templates
HELP!!!

Form the catalog link you sent I see 2 buttons: design it and view templates.
Design it will of course just launch an empty designer with no loaded template.
Show tempaltes is correctly showing all of your general templates.

Now: the newest general templates you've created seems to be into a new general template category named Real Estate => Rise Realty Products, and I guess that's what you're not finding in the catalog.
After having the Real Estate category selected (this is it's link) you'd expect to find also Rise Realty Products in the TEMPLATE SUBCATEGORIES section, while you're not.

And reason is simple: again, product configuration.
In between the various sections of the CONFIGURE PRODUCTS area there's on named General Templates Filtering.
It's described here:
http://support.realtimedesigner.com/wiki/doku.php/rtd_manual_ch_08_product_setup#general_templates_filtering

Well, looking into that section for this product of yours:
New Products - CSC => YARD SIGNS - CSC => REAL ESTATE PRODUCTS => Rise Realty Products => 18X24 PVC
and clicking the Choose subcats link underneath Real Estate category, I see the Rise Realty Products CHECKED, which means DISABLED FOR THE PRODUCT.
Uncheck it, and it will be visible in the catalog. You can also make use of this filtering section to allow only specific general template categories to be visible for the product.

Alex

Oh, and one other thing before you will ask (because I know you will! )
There's another reason why your new templates would NEVER show up even in case you will uncheck the category in the product.
In the TEMPLATES OPTIONS=> Manage General Templates section I noticed you assigned 200% wrong values for Min and Max aspect ratio fields.
That thing is described here:
http://support.realtimedesigner.com/wiki/doku.php/rtd_manual_ch_07_artwork_templates#template_aspect_ratio
The values you have now there seems to reflect the real size of the product.
IE, in one you have Min=18 and Max=24
But those values are optional and NOT MEANT to be real sizes: they're ASPECT RATIOS made by Width/Height
So a product with 18x24 as size actually have an aspect ratio of 0,75.
The values you have there now will NEVER match any possible size.

For this, until you will fully understand what options are, I would suggest to try everything in small steps. Make one single thing and verify it works as you expect. Otherwise it will become harder and harder to actually find where your issues lies.

That said, to just check if your template appears, you currently need to both uncheck it from the product as described in previous post as well as setting those templates aspect ratio values to zero.

Alex

You have been a Huge help to me getting geared up and understanding how this all works.
I've been able to get the 18x24 PVC Panel in for Rise Realty and I was able to make this one double sided and now have 2 product templates in RTD. However I'm having trouble with the 20x30 PVC Panel template. I've run through all of the configuration settings and I still can't get it to be a double sided template.
here is the link to my settings: http://designer.realtimedesigner.com/admin/index.php?chdf=1484227484
They are all the same as the 18x24 except the size. I keep adding in a new one but I'm not quite sure what I'm doing wrong. I've unchecked them in the filtering, set aspect ratio to 0 but I still only see the one sided general template when I've made both 2-sided.

here is the link to manage products with shows both are there
http://designer.realtimedesigner.com/admin/index.php?chdf=1484227484

I know you're a busy person and requests come in all the time, and I really appreciate your time helping me.

The link to your setting is only the top link of the admin panel, not a direct link to your configuration page. So, just FYI, that's basically unuseful as it just redirects to RTD's admin panel homepage

Per your question I again have to point you to this manual page:
http://support.realtimedesigner.com/wiki/doku.php/rtd_manual_ch_07_artwork_templates

From the top line of the GENERAL TEMPLATES OVERVIEW section:

Quote

General Templates can only contain a single design (no products with designs on opposite sides).

If you're trying with general templates, then they're not meant to be able to save mutisided products. For those, product templates should be used instead. If you're not familiar with different template types then reading that manual page carefully is really required. Those template types are extremely different in concept.

sorry about the link, I had cleared my cache and it must have reset before I copied the link.
I was under the impression that the general templates were above the product templates and the product templates were what we put on our website. What are the templates we put on our website called in your system?
the hierarchy of the nomenclature is a bit confusing for me.
I've set aside some time to read through the manual carefully before going forward. I have a week or so before these templates will need to be used online.
I really appreciate your patience with me, I sort of see things differently than most people I know. LOL

thanks
tjw

Ok, I've read the manual parts and think I have figured out why I was having trouble. I have now the category Rise Realty Products under Real Estate. Perfect. I've even created a clipart category just for their logos and other elements they use. I promise this is my last question for a while
how do I change the name of the product under the category Rise Realty Products?

http://designer.realtimedesigner.com/admin/index.php?chdf=1484248429
18x24PVC has both my 30x20 and 24x18 templates in it and I can't figure out how to move the 30x20 to the 30x20product category you see below the 24x18. I either need to know how to move the template to 30x20 or how to rename the 18x24PVC to something more generic and I will put all their yard signs there and create a new product template for magnetic signs and another for banners. Once I get this straightened out I think I'm going to be good, and very busy, for quite some time.
let me know
thanks
tjw

As we speak I found it!

Again, I can't thank you enough for helping me with all of this today.
now I'll put to pen the things I learned so I don't forget them.

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!!!!

Well... Great!
A new well trained user is always a good goal

And BTW: it wasn't the cache: that link STILL is only to the admin panel homepage. Admin panel uses frames, and that link is always the container only. In short, therés really no way for you to give a direct link to something in the admin panel. Describing it's "path" is what's needed.

Well, all the best and enjoy your knowledge!

Alex

I'm doing well, but have a question for you.
where does this image come from so I can change it to the Rise Realty photo, I've changed the catalog photo but it's still showing the KW image


I so appreciate you!!!!

Depends WHERE it appears. There are 2 main locations.

PRODUCT OPTIONS => Manage/Define Products
in there there's the image column, and if you click "edit" there's also the "Optional Big Image" on the bottom.
That's the main image for the catalog.

But if you have a fixed size, then you might also have the optional fixed size image applied.
That's in PRODUCT OPTIONS => Configure Products under Configure Sizes => FIXED SIZES => VIEW FIXED SIZES EXTRA OPTIONS (BG, VRML, ETC...) => Catalog Image

You are the KING! I knew about the first option so I went directly to the second one in the fixed size area and Yea!!! I found it!
you have been very helpful and I really appreciate your responsiveness and your knowledge.
THANK YOU!!

one more question.
I've chosen the clipart categories for my template but when I am logged out of RTD, like I'm a customer, no clipart categories show up

I have two chosen, RiseRealtyClipart and Real Estate Panels
what am I missing? Is there a place to allow customers access to the clipart and this one is just for admins?
I've set it in configure products/configure cliparts and I have clicked checkmarks in these two categories.
let me know what I'm missing.
thanks
tjw

LIBRARY ITEMS => Define Clipart Categories
In each row you will see Actually: Hidden or Actually: Visible, along with a button to change it.
HIDDEN means it will be visible only when you're logged in but not to customers. Just change it to visible and it will be there for everyone.

Perfect! thank you again for your help.
tjw