Content Blocks For Illustrated Text

There are a lot of published works that use illustrations in conjuction with the text. This is especially true of children's literature, but the same condition applies to catalogs, travel guides and general trade and retail publications. 

The requirement with these types of publication is that the illustrations are closely associated with the text. In documents designed for print, illustrations may also go across two page spreads and have text wrapping around the illustrations. 

Recommended Techniques

Full width Galley images

You will be using the Global Content Block - Image Galley. You will be inserting it between galley paragraphs.

Step 1. Insert

1. Position your cursor by clicking at the start of the target paragraph.
2. From the toolkit menus click Global Content Blocks. The Content Block menu will open. 
3. Scroll down and locate the Content Block Image Galley.
4. Double Click to insert this Content Block into the document. 
5. It will be inserted with the default One Drop image place-holder. 
6. Click once on the placeholder image. 
7. From the toolkit menus click Global Components or Project Components and locate the image to insert into the block. 
8. Double click the image filename. It will be inserted into the Content Block and replace the place-holder image.

Step 2. Adjust Flow

You can adjust the width of the image. The height will be adjusted proportionally in all outputs. NOTE: There will be no change in the IGP:Writer window, you changes will reflect in your print, Online and eBook outputs. 

1. Locate the FLOW block at the top of your image (This will not appear in your output).
2. You can adjust the width as a percentage of the galley width (recommended) or in units. The units are px, pt, cm, in. 
3. Edit the value in the width value window and be sure to specify the units correctly. 
4. You have completed the configuration of the Image.
5. To view the result Click Save Page. When the page has saved click Preview Page PDF, or use the Print dialogue to output to a local printer. 

Images left margin aligned with text flow to the right

You will be using the Global Content Block - Image Right. It must be inserted before the paragraph which starts the wrap. It cannot be inserted inside a paragraph. It can be inserted inside another block using the same paragraph rule.

Locate the paragraph where you want to start the wrap

Images right margin aligned with text flow to the left

You will be using the Global Content Block - Image Left. It must be inserted before the paragraph which starts the wrap. It cannot be inserted inside a paragraph. It can be inserted inside another block using the same paragraph rule

The result is a document that is difficult to create the same feeling IF there is an A-B comparison, where the print book is the datum and the eBook the This is difficult or impossible to do with the current state of automatic rendered documents, so the choice is don't use them, or accept rectangular relationships of text and illustrations. There are actually techniques where content can be fitted around assymetrically shaped content if it comes from the edge of a galley, but these are usually labour intensive and of curiousity value. 

If images are associated with paragraphs, and floated left and right with predefined widths, 

The alternative is to prepare the text with the image as an image and insert it for the printed version. 

Format Issues

Issues for Print

Illustrations that are intimately coupled with story narrative make compelling books. The corollary in the electonic world are rich media books, which can considerably enhance the entertainment value. Without getting into the 

Issues for Online Presentation

Nearly everything that can be done in print can be done Online, except it is done at 96/72dpi instead of 300/600dpi. Then there are the additional benefits of Interactivity, hyperlinking and rich-media. 

Issues for eBooks

eBooks have various abilities to show content in the flow or with text wrapping. This is handled by the default format 

ePUB-ADE

This format can present all image types. Images are currently sized for standard eInk Readers such as the Sony BBeB and the Amazon Kindle readers. The maximum width is set to 

ePUB-BBeB

This variant of ePUB is constrained by the low-cost CPU and memory implementation, plus the lagard display. While eInk may be exciting display technology its limited bit depth, screen refresh performance and low processor and memory footprints does not make it exciting for artwork and photographs. 

Mobipocket - Kindle

Mobipocket is an old format that has recently been given a new lease of life as the Amazon Kindle. It has been brought up to date through its ability to import ePUB, but during the importing process it still dumbs presentation down internally. It does not handle advanced CSS properties well at present. Illustrated books will not retain their print character.

Palm Reader

This is the most naive of all eBook formats and can do little with images. Images are limited to a maximum size and format. 

MS Reader V 2.0

This format is also restrictive in the use of illustrations. An X-Y book cannot be reasonably interpreted without considerable compromise.