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Cover Page Feature Guide

Introduction​

The Cover Page feature in WinBidPro allows you to add a professional, customizable cover sheet to your shop drawing sets. Cover pages can include project details, logos, and other key information, making your submittals look polished and consistent.

Navigation: Accessing the Cover Page Editor​

Navigate to the Cover Page Editor through the Drawings menu item click Cover Page....

Screenshot Showing Location

Cover Page Editor Location Figure: Navigation to the Cover Page Editor

Cover Page Overview​

Cover Page Editor Location

1. Browse Templates...​

Opens a file explorer to select a DWG or DXF file to be used as a template dictating where the text and image elements are displayed.

2. Download Templates​

A manual download button that adds any missing templates from our server missing from your local documents.

3. Switch Profiles...​

Opens a dropdown where you can select an already saved profile to switch to.

4. Save For Job​

Saves the current profile state to the job.

5. Profile Management​

Profiles let you save and reuse cover page settings across jobs. Currently they are a part of the users settings as not accessible by other users.

  • Save As New Profile... Save the current state minus the job specific data to a new profile.
  • Select Default Profile... Choose a saved profile that will be used as default for new jobs on open.
  • Update Saved Profile Prompts to confirm that you want to update the profile in question.
  • Delete A Profile... Delete a saved profile.
Profile Limitation

Job and Schedules tab information is not saved to cover page profiles. Only Notes, Title Block, and Images are preserved.

6. Page Setup​

Contains printer specific settings saved to the cover page profile.

7. Margins​

Push the template entities up and to the right. In this screenshot the margin is highlighted in yellow and the black is the template border. Show Anchors Enabled

info

The v16 templates are designed to have a 0.5in margin.

8. Show Text Anchors​

Enable this toggle button to view the template anchors in pink.

Show Anchors Enabled Figure 2: Cover Page View with anchors displayed

9. Job & Schedules​

These fields are a part of the current jobs cover page profile and clicking the refresh button re-generates based on the jobs relevant data.

Show Anchors Enabled
This Tabs Information is not saved to new profiles Because it is job specific

10. Notes​

These fields can be save to all profiles and clicking the refresh button resets the value to its last save.

Show Anchors Enabled

11. Title Block​

These fields save to all profiles and clicking the refresh button resets the value to its last save.

Show Anchors Enabled

12. Images​

  • Image dropdowns are populated from job contacts (Contractor, Developer, Architect) and the Images folder (Documents/WinBidPro/16/Images/).
  • Supported formats: JPG, JPEG, PNG (max 400KB)
  • Add custom images via the Browse button
  • Images not the same ratio as the IMAGE_PLACEHOLDER get stretched or shrunk to fit so editing the image to be the correct ratio could be important for the visuals.
Show Anchors Enabled

13. Export Options.​

  • DWG - Images are saved as resources with the DWG
  • DXF - Images are saved as resources with the DXF
  • Print

Customizing Cover Page Templates​

The templates are DWG files created using AutoCAD LT. These templates define the layout and anchor points for dynamic content. You can open templates in AutoCAD LT and hopefully other CAD editors to adjust anchors and layout.

Show Anchors Enabled Figure 3: AutoCAD LT editor with 8.5 x 11 landscape cover page open

Entities​

There are four entity types we use for dynamic content in our program.

TypeAutoCAD Shortcut
TextTEXTUsed for Titles and static text.
Multiline TextMTEXTUsed for Notes, Schedules and Titles.
AttributeATTDEFUsed in the Title Block.
Block Reference'create new block to reference'Block reference names appear in the Images tab like IMG_PLACEHOLDER

Schedules and Notes - Text and Multiline Text​

Placing any text between curly braces will make that text discoverable as an anchor in the program. Custom anchors all appear in the Notes tab.

Title Block - Attributes​

The creation of an attribute is slightly more complicated. First we start with by typing the new attribute command in the model window.

Show Anchors Enabled

The Tag is the visible anchor in the Title Block tab. No spaces are allowed so we simulate them with underscores "_".

After clicking okay you will be prompted to place the attribute into the model.

Show Anchors Enabled
Set Attribute Justification TO TOP LEFT

Preferably for smoother DWG and DXF exports from inside WinBidPro attribute justification should be set to Top Left, Middle, or Right. You can disregard if you do not export DWG DXF.

Title and Body Pairing​

If two anchors share a string but end with alternating TITLE and BODY the cover page UI combines those into one list item.

Show Anchors Enabled

Show Anchors Enabled

Create/Edit Custom Image Blocks​

AutoCAD LT does not have the ability to embed images fully into the dwg file instead referencing an external resource. To create a space in the DWG that can be replaced with an image in the program we create a block with the dimensions and characteristics we desire. Then in WinBidPro when an image is uploaded the block is replaced by the image.

OVERVIEW OF CREATING A CUSTOM IMAGE_PLACHOLDER

To create a custom image placeholder.

  • We use AutoCAD LT and create a block with a name like IMG_PLACEHOLDER_WHAT_YOU_WANT The key here is that the program is looking for the IMG_PLACEHOLDER part of the block name to discover image blocks.
  • Next create a rectangle of the desired image height/ratio.
  • Then add some text with the block name at the center of the block. This is a superfluous and only here for us to see where the Image Anchors exist when Show Text Anchors is true.
  • Place a block reference in the model where desired and remember to not rotate the block element rather instead if necessary resize the original or new block.
  • Save and close and try opening the file in WinBidProV16

In Detail​

  1. Create a new block the name must start with IMG_PLACEHOLDER to be found by WinBidPro and must be uniquely named.
Show Anchors Enabled
Show Anchors Enabled
  1. I do not select any entities instead clicking Continue then edit the freshly created block.
Show Anchors Enabled
  1. Here I add a rectangle and some text to identify the block. The Image size will be the bounding box the block creates.
Show Anchors Enabled
  1. If not there already you can now insert a block reference
Show Anchors Enabled
DO NOT USE ROTATE ON IMG BLOCKS IN THE MODEL

Rotating the block does not get cleanly communicated with the printer driver and prints images as if there was no rotation. Its better to build the IMG block in the exact shape it will appear on the drawing. Then edit/rotate the image for it to appear in your expected orientation.

Shop Drawings Integration​

  • Cover page is automatically scaled to fit printer settings
  • Appears as the first sheet in the shop drawing set
  • Scaling warnings are shown if needed