Book Module: How do I get automatic captions on each page?

[sej671693]

I'm exploring the book module, mostly to create PDFs. Simply put, I want to get captions and photos added automatically to the pages when I have a group of photos selected and I hit the "Auto Layout" button on the right, with a preset selected.

Maybe I'm approaching my book template wrong because of my process in print module. I tend to print with a custom template that uses a custom text preset (caption + location + country + date) to auto-generate the caption. I can't seem to find a way to do this in the photo module.

When I create a custom template (by selecting that auto layout dropdown), I get the layout preset I want, but the photo text dropdown has a limited number of choices (title or caption). Even if I choose caption, then autocreate a book on this preset, the pages come up with placeholder text "photo text" in the captions, instead of the photo captions that already exist in the files. I can autofill these all from metadate one-by-one by clicking the page, then clicking the text box, then selecting my preset from the dropdown in the photo text dialogue, but that's a lot of work for something that should be completely automated. I can't figure out what I'm doing wrong, or if my expectations are just wrong.

[sej671693]

I guess one way to approach this (for simple books that you want to PDF) is to just have your selected set of images, and use a template in the print module (where custom caption templates work very well) and just select all the images and print to PDF. You get nothing but a pile of pages with the images, but if that's what you're after, it works just fine.

[Todd Shaner]

Here's a video that explains how to add specific metadata fields and custom text to accomplish your objective.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pNnr2kYrZUo

[Rob_Cullen]

Setting this up at first can seem a trial, but once you have defined the Presets/Templates then it becomes simpler.

You need-

1)  A Custom 'Photo Text' Preset

Click the Drop-down menu and - 'Edit' adding the information you want below the photos-

2) A Custom Page Template

After setting one page with a photo and the Custom Photo Text- [Right-Click] the page and "Save as Custom Page".  (Unfortunately you cannot give names to Custom pages)

3) An 'Auto Layout' Preset-  that uses your Custom Page Template.

Click on the Auto Layout Dropdown menu to 'Edit Auto Layout Preset' and choose the Custom Page-

Check the box for [Add Photo Text],

**Now (IMPORTANT) Click the top Preset box for the drop-down menu and [Save Current Settings as a new Preset]

You now have a complete Layout Preset with the Page design & Text that you can use to 'Auto Layout' your book.

Even better- if you always want this same Layout- set the Preset once in the Auto-Layout panel (it becomes the 'sticky' default until changed), and set your Book Preferences to 'Autofill'. 

Now you can select a folder/collection of photos- Click the 'Book' module menu- Done! a complete book with your Custom layout of photos and Photo Text.  That's ONE CLICK OF THE MOUSE!!!

[rbanks88]

Thanks, Rob. Your post is still helping people—like me!