All Presentation Templates are created with a default background design. This background design is a graphic image that is contained within a Play List assigned to a Placeholder labeled ‘Background’ that is associated with the Presentation. You can customize the default background to meet your unique branding or design needs by changing the default image used.

The background image can only be changed after you have created a new Presentation from a Presentation Template.

When you create a new Presentation from a Presentation Template, the Placeholder and its associated Play List containing the background image are automatically generated from the Presentation Template. The Placeholder that displays the background, and the Play List containing the background image file, have the same name (e.g., “-Background-LN01-1″ or “-Background-DN01-1″, see Fig. 1 below). The last 7 characters of the name (e.g., “-LN01-1″) identify the Presentation Template selected.

Fig. 1 (click image to view at actual size)

The background file contained in the Play List will be either a Flash animation (a .SWF file) or an Image (a .JPG file). The name of the Flash animation or Image “Play List Item” name is made up of the last 7 characters of the Play List and Placeholder name. For example, if the Placeholder name is “-Background-LN01-1″, then the Play List name will also be “-Background-LN01-1″ but the Image or Flash Play List Item associated with the Play List will be the last 7 characters of the Play List/Placeholder name – “-LN01-1″. See Figure 2 below.

You will need to know the last 7 characters of the Placeholder/Play List name in order to locate the correct background file from the Media Library to download and customize it. Even if the background used is a Flash animation, as shown in the example below, you will still download and edit the .JPG file, not the .SWF file. If the original background was a .SWF file, you would remove that Play List Item and replace it with an Image Play List Item.

Fig. 2 (click on image to view at actual size)

To customize the default background:

STEP 1: Download the .JPG file for the background image from the Media Library to your computer

To download the .JPG file used by the “Background” Play List that is assigned to the “Background” Placeholder in your Presentation you will need to know the name of the file that you need to find and download from the Media Library. If you do not know the file name, open the Presentation, click on the Background Placeholder, then click on the Background Play List to view the name of the image file.  

1. On the Content tab, click Media Library.
2. In the Folders section, select the Shared Files folder.
3. In the Find File box, type the name of the file you want to download (e.g., “-Background-LN01-1″ or “-LNo1-1), then click Search. Two files with the same name should be displayed – one  a .JPG file and the second a .SWF file.
4. Click on the name of the .JPG file (e.g., “-Background-LN01-1.jpg”) to select it.
5. On the Manage Media File page for the image selected, click on the URL link provided. The File Download dialog will automatically display. Choose Save and browse to a location on your local computer where you want to save the file, then click Save to save the file to the selected location.

STEP 2: Edit the .JPG image on your computer using an image editing software such as Adobe Photoshop or MS Paint

Once you have downloaded the background image from the Media Library you can customize it to meet your design/branding needs. To edit the saved background image you will need an image editing program such as Adobe Photoshop or MS Paint.

1. Using the image editing software of your choice, browse to image file you just saved and open it.
2. Edit the background image as desired.
3. Save your changes.

STEP 3: Upload the customized .JPG file to your Media Library

Once the image file has been edited and the changes saved, you need to upload it to the Digital Signage Software’s Media Library in order to be able to use it in a Play List. When you upload the image, you will need to upload it either to your My Files folder or a subfolder within your My Files folder. You cannot upload it to the Shared Files folder from which you downloaded it.

1. On the Content tab, click Media Library.
2. In the Folders section, select the folder to which you want to upload the file (e.g., save it in the My Files folder or create a new folder within the My Files folder to keep it separate from your other media assets).
3. Click Upload File. If the revised .JPG file has the same name as the original .JPG file, you will need to check the Overwrite Existing File box BEFORE you click Upload File.   

STEP 4: Assign the customized .JPG file to an existing Play List

As described previously, the background image is contained within a “Background” Play List that is associated with the “Background” Placeholder that exists within your Presentation. Therefore in order for the customized background image to be displayed in the Presentation, the newly customized image file must be assigned to the “Background” Play List associated with that Presentation.

1. On the Content tab, click Play Lists.
2. Locate the Play List that contains the original background image. The last 5 characters of the name of the background Play List should match the last 5 characters of the name of the Presentation Template you selected (e.g., “-Background-LN01-1” or “-Background-LN01-2″, etc.)
3. Click on the name of the background Play List you want to open.  The Manage Play List page will display.
4. If the Review Status message displayed is “Content has been APPROVED“, then click Revise. If the Review Status message displayed is “Content is not yet approved“, then proceed to the next step.
5. In the Add Items to Play List section, click the field to select Media File, then click Add. The Select Media File page will display.
6. On the Select Media File page, locate the background image file you want to use from the folder in which you saved it, then click the Select button associated with that file to select it. Once selected the file will appear in the Selected Files box located at the bottom of the page.
7. Click Save & Close. The Manage Play List page will display. The item just added will appear at the bottom of the list of items. The duration of the newly added item will default to 10 seconds, the schedule will default to 24/7.  To change the duration, see Modify an image in a video Play List. To change the schedule for the item, see Schedule a Play List Item.
8. Delete the original Background item by clicking the Remove button associated with it.
9. In the Review Status section above, click Approve to approve the Play List (if you have Content Approver rights), or click Ready to designate the Play List as ready for approval by a designated Approver (if you do not have Content Approver rights). The customized image will not display until the Review Status of the Play List through which it is displayed is “Approved”. For more information about approving a Play List, see Approve or reject a Play List.
10. Click Save & Close.