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Post by poetrystarz on May 14, 2020 18:02:44 GMT
Lulu is updating their website. In the recent past, I used the old cover creator to create my own covers and it was easy and user friendly. I never used the one piece cover maker. Now I'm forced to use this one piece pdf template to do a cover and I can't figure it out. I've tried, only to fail. Can someone please help me with the one piece template cover? I listened to so many tutorials but none of them explain my issues. Can you please either email me so I can send screen shots where I'm confused? I would appreciate any help. If you need my email address, please let me know. I don't know if I can ask here or send the screen shots here to explain what I don't understand.
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Post by Deleted on May 14, 2020 20:06:10 GMT
Lulu is updating their website. In the recent past, I used the old cover creator to create my own covers and it was easy and user friendly. I never used the one piece cover maker. Now I'm forced to use this one piece pdf template to do a cover and I can't figure it out. I've tried, only to fail. Can someone please help me with the one piece template cover? I listened to so many tutorials but none of them explain my issues. Can you please either email me so I can send screen shots where I'm confused? I would appreciate any help. If you need my email address, please let me know. I don't know if I can ask here or send the screen shots here to explain what I don't understand. Post the screenshots and ask the questions here. That way others can benefit from the information as well. |
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Post by Deleted on May 15, 2020 3:20:29 GMT
Lulu is updating their website. In the recent past, I used the old cover creator to create my own covers and it was easy and user friendly. I never used the one piece cover maker. Now I'm forced to use this one piece pdf template to do a cover and I can't figure it out. I've tried, only to fail. Can someone please help me with the one piece template cover? I listened to so many tutorials but none of them explain mpublishing now with all the trouble people were having with their y issues. Can you please either email me so I can send screen shots where I'm confused? I would appreciate any help. If you need my email address, please let me know. I don't know if I can ask here or send the screen shots here to explain what I don't understand. poetrystarz, Thanks for telling us that the old cover is no longer available, I didn't know! I too used it and have never even tried the one piece cover maker. I'll take a look at the onepiece pdf template. Thanks again for letting us know another thing that has disappeared from Lulu. |
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Post by poetrystarz on May 15, 2020 16:20:41 GMT
Ok, here is the template that lulu now forces us to use. I had to purchase Adobe Acrobat Pro Reader DC to even OPEN the template to make a one piece pdf cover. So I downloaded this template Maggie. I hope here I have included the actual documents, a sample of the Lulu One Piece Cover Template to turn into a pdf that I had to download from Adobe Acrobat Reader DC; and then covers I created and placed on top of the template in my graphics program, Paint Shop Pro. But I don't know if I'm doing the correct thing. Once I downloaded the pdf template, I had to save as a jpeg to my Paint Shop graphics program, right, to work on? The template comes over real huge, with dimensions 3750x2775 for my cover that is only supposed to be for a 6x9 book. So again, I don't know how to use this template. Am I supposed to place my back and front cover on top of the entire template with those border-bleed lines not showing? I don't know. And here how do I do the spine? IN the regular cover creator from the old lulu site, all I had to do was drop my images on the already area they had for you for your covers, the correct spine was already in place with the title and author name if the book was big enough, or if not, just a blank spine where all I had to do was change the color of the spine to correlate to colors in my covers. Also on the old site, it put the barcode already on there for you. I didn't have to download any barcode. So i'm forced to download the barcode this process gives you, but it comes in a svg format and I'm supposed to have it as a jpeg to place it on the back cover where the box is. I changed the layer on the back so you can see where the barcode graphic is supposed to go? And it also shows the lines of the template, and once I would finish, I would return it to the normal layers where you cannot see the lines or box barcode area. So I don't know how to get that barcode over as a jpeg for my graphics program. And then, the template is so huge. After I place my covers on it correctly, am I supposed to resize it back to normal? It's a 6x9 book, normally my dimensions would be 6.125x9.25 but now with the one piece, doesn't my size change before I make this a pdf to upload on Lulu? See what I mean? There is NO TUTORIAL out there to show you how to do all this so I have no clue since I've never done it this way and I find it not user friendly or easy like the one before, and I find it difficult to understand what to do. Then instructions say BEFORE you turn into a pdf, to flatten the now created one piece. Never heard of "flatten." These are my issues. I hope the two attachments went through. Thank you all for any help I can get. Susan Joyner-Stumpf Attachments:
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Post by Deleted on May 15, 2020 16:44:28 GMT
Ok, here is the template that lulu now forces us to use. I had to purchase Adobe Acrobat Pro Reader DC to even OPEN the template to make a one piece pdf cover. So I downloaded this template Maggie. I hope here I have included the actual documents, a sample of the Lulu One Piece Cover Template to turn into a pdf that I had to download from Adobe Acrobat Reader DC; and then covers I created and placed on top of the template in my graphics program, Paint Shop Pro. But I don't know if I'm doing the correct thing. Once I downloaded the pdf template, I had to save as a jpeg to my Paint Shop graphics program, right, to work on? The template comes over real huge, with dimensions 3750x2775 for my cover that is only supposed to be for a 6x9 book. So again, I don't know how to use this template. Am I supposed to place my back and front cover on top of the entire template with those border-bleed lines not showing? I don't know. And here how do I do the spine? IN the regular cover creator from the old lulu site, all I had to do was drop my images on the already area they had for you for your covers, the correct spine was already in place with the title and author name if the book was big enough, or if not, just a blank spine where all I had to do was change the color of the spine to correlate to colors in my covers. Also on the old site, it put the barcode already on there for you. I didn't have to download any barcode. So i'm forced to download the barcode this process gives you, but it comes in a svg format and I'm supposed to have it as a jpeg to place it on the back cover where the box is. I changed the layer on the back so you can see where the barcode graphic is supposed to go? And it also shows the lines of the template, and once I would finish, I would return it to the normal layers where you cannot see the lines or box barcode area. So I don't know how to get that barcode over as a jpeg for my graphics program. And then, the template is so huge. After I place my covers on it correctly, am I supposed to resize it back to normal? It's a 6x9 book, normally my dimensions would be 6.125x9.25 but now with the one piece, doesn't my size change before I make this a pdf to upload on Lulu? See what I mean? There is NO TUTORIAL out there to show you how to do all this so I have no clue since I've never done it this way and I find it not user friendly or easy like the one before, and I find it difficult to understand what to do. Then instructions say BEFORE you turn into a pdf, to flatten the now created one piece. Never heard of "flatten." These are my issues. I hope the two attachments went through. Thank you all for any help I can get. Susan Joyner-Stumpf It's easier than it seems. Slowly at first then it will be second nature.
Open the template using Photoshop. Open your cover. Drag your cover over the template. Stretch it, move yorur text, crop and move parts, whatever you need to do. Clock on the T then click on your template. This will create a new layer. Highlight this layer and make it the same color as your book background. That way even if you move your cropped front back and spine, you will have a background.
When it's time to print, unclick on the template layer so it is hidden.
I'm going to get Randall's cover with the template behind it, show you and explain.
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Post by Deleted on May 15, 2020 16:45:55 GMT
Ok, here is the template that lulu now forces us to use. I had to purchase Adobe Acrobat Pro Reader DC to even OPEN the template to make a one piece pdf cover. So I downloaded this template Maggie. I hope here I have included the actual documents, a sample of the Lulu One Piece Cover Template to turn into a pdf that I had to download from Adobe Acrobat Reader DC; and then covers I created and placed on top of the template in my graphics program, Paint Shop Pro. But I don't know if I'm doing the correct thing. Once I downloaded the pdf template, I had to save as a jpeg to my Paint Shop graphics program, right, to work on? The template comes over real huge, with dimensions 3750x2775 for my cover that is only supposed to be for a 6x9 book. So again, I don't know how to use this template. Am I supposed to place my back and front cover on top of the entire template with those border-bleed lines not showing? I don't know. And here how do I do the spine? IN the regular cover creator from the old lulu site, all I had to do was drop my images on the already area they had for you for your covers, the correct spine was already in place with the title and author name if the book was big enough, or if not, just a blank spine where all I had to do was change the color of the spine to correlate to colors in my covers. Also on the old site, it put the barcode already on there for you. I didn't have to download any barcode. So i'm forced to download the barcode this process gives you, but it comes in a svg format and I'm supposed to have it as a jpeg to place it on the back cover where the box is. I changed the layer on the back so you can see where the barcode graphic is supposed to go? And it also shows the lines of the template, and once I would finish, I would return it to the normal layers where you cannot see the lines or box barcode area. So I don't know how to get that barcode over as a jpeg for my graphics program. And then, the template is so huge. After I place my covers on it correctly, am I supposed to resize it back to normal? It's a 6x9 book, normally my dimensions would be 6.125x9.25 but now with the one piece, doesn't my size change before I make this a pdf to upload on Lulu? See what I mean? There is NO TUTORIAL out there to show you how to do all this so I have no clue since I've never done it this way and I find it not user friendly or easy like the one before, and I find it difficult to understand what to do. Then instructions say BEFORE you turn into a pdf, to flatten the now created one piece. Never heard of "flatten." These are my issues. I hope the two attachments went through. Thank you all for any help I can get. Susan Joyner-Stumpf Very important: Before you flatten any layers, save a copy WITH layers. You will need them in the future should you need to make any changes. Name the new psd Flattened psd and your title. |
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Post by Deleted on May 15, 2020 16:54:32 GMT
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Post by Deleted on May 15, 2020 16:57:08 GMT
Ok, here is the template that lulu now forces us to use. I had to purchase Adobe Acrobat Pro Reader DC to even OPEN the template to make a one piece pdf cover. So I downloaded this template Maggie. I hope here I have included the actual documents, a sample of the Lulu One Piece Cover Template to turn into a pdf that I had to download from Adobe Acrobat Reader DC; and then covers I created and placed on top of the template in my graphics program, Paint Shop Pro. But I don't know if I'm doing the correct thing. Once I downloaded the pdf template, I had to save as a jpeg to my Paint Shop graphics program, right, to work on? The template comes over real huge, with dimensions 3750x2775 for my cover that is only supposed to be for a 6x9 book. So again, I don't know how to use this template. Am I supposed to place my back and front cover on top of the entire template with those border-bleed lines not showing? I don't know. And here how do I do the spine? IN the regular cover creator from the old lulu site, all I had to do was drop my images on the already area they had for you for your covers, the correct spine was already in place with the title and author name if the book was big enough, or if not, just a blank spine where all I had to do was change the color of the spine to correlate to colors in my covers. Also on the old site, it put the barcode already on there for you. I didn't have to download any barcode. So i'm forced to download the barcode this process gives you, but it comes in a svg format and I'm supposed to have it as a jpeg to place it on the back cover where the box is. I changed the layer on the back so you can see where the barcode graphic is supposed to go? And it also shows the lines of the template, and once I would finish, I would return it to the normal layers where you cannot see the lines or box barcode area. So I don't know how to get that barcode over as a jpeg for my graphics program. And then, the template is so huge. After I place my covers on it correctly, am I supposed to resize it back to normal? It's a 6x9 book, normally my dimensions would be 6.125x9.25 but now with the one piece, doesn't my size change before I make this a pdf to upload on Lulu? See what I mean? There is NO TUTORIAL out there to show you how to do all this so I have no clue since I've never done it this way and I find it not user friendly or easy like the one before, and I find it difficult to understand what to do. Then instructions say BEFORE you turn into a pdf, to flatten the now created one piece. Never heard of "flatten." These are my issues. I hope the two attachments went through. Thank you all for any help I can get. Susan Joyner-Stumpf You look like you're doing a good job. Hide the template layer and print PDF. Make sure you have a color background behind your cover. |
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Post by JesusNinja on May 15, 2020 17:37:06 GMT
This is part of the problem I was having also. I didn't know where to stretch the covers, to the outside edge, inside or what. I did know to hide the template layer though. But doing a hardback I still ended with brown border around the edge. I asked support three times and they never did figure it out. Maggie it was the color background that was showing around the edges of mine. I kept stretching the covers never did hide it.
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Post by JesusNinja on May 15, 2020 17:46:46 GMT
Maggie do we keep the edges of our jpegs inside and even with the blue borders? I tried this before and ended up with the border around my edges. Even stretching it to the outside edges it still showed. |
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Post by Deleted on May 15, 2020 19:02:18 GMT
Maggie do we keep the edges of our jpegs inside and even with the blue borders? I tried this before and ended up with the border around my edges. Even stretching it to the outside edges it still showed. No, you have to fill the whole template. That is why I suggested placing a background above the template and below your cover. That way important content is not on the edges of the template. |
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Post by JesusNinja on May 15, 2020 22:13:20 GMT
Maggie or Ron...I'm missing interior and cover files in my latest project. But was lucky enough to find them in a folder I'd forgotten about. Would I be able to use the cover pdf I made before the new site on the new one? I know during the wizard it asks for page counts etc. But it seems the page count would have been considered while making the original one right? I'm afraid to try because each time I mess with it, it turns back into a draft which I can't delete. There's been no file for it in two weeks. The ebook version finally did show up though. Just wanting your opinion. Thanks! By the way I still have the original front jpeg but not the back so making a full one piece wouldn't be much trouble with Maggie's advice above.
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Post by Deleted on May 15, 2020 22:34:34 GMT
Maggie or Ron...I'm missing interior and cover files in my latest project. But was lucky enough to find them in a folder I'd forgotten about. Would I be able to use the cover pdf I made before the new site on the new one? I know during the wizard it asks for page counts etc. But it seems the page count would have been considered while making the original one right? I'm afraid to try because each time I mess with it, it turns back into a draft which I can't delete. There's been no file for it in two weeks. The ebook version finally did show up though. Just wanting your opinion. Thanks! By the way I still have the original front jpeg but not the back so making a full one piece wouldn't be much trouble with Maggie's advice above. Try using it. If there's a problem they will notify you. But I doubt it. Should be the same. |
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Post by JesusNinja on May 15, 2020 22:42:47 GMT
Thing is if it messes up, then it becomes a draft again. I had to wait a week last time for them to fix it. That's why I'm scared to even try. I just found more books missing files. Some are set to draft, and many are set to General even though they are already published and on Amazon. Seeing some progress though and trying to be nicer to them. I know it's a mess.
Maggie your diagram above for the template shows the blue line or border around the cover. That's what I'm asking about. Does your cover go to the outside edge of it? Seems it would get cropped off. I've got most of it figured out. Since you helped me before making a hard back cover but it still had a brown board around the edge of the cover no matter what I did. That was the color I made under the cover.
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Post by Deleted on May 15, 2020 22:53:26 GMT
Thing is if it messes up, then it becomes a draft again. I had to wait a week last time for them to fix it. That's why I'm scared to even try. I just found more books missing files. Some are set to draft, and many are set to General even though they are already published and on Amazon. Seeing some progress though and trying to be nicer to them. I know it's a mess.
Maggie your diagram above for the template shows the blue line or border around the cover. That's what I'm asking about. Does your cover go to the outside edge of it? Seems it would get cropped off. I've got most of it figured out. Since you helped me before making a hard back cover but it still had a brown board around the edge of the cover no matter what I did. That was the color I made under the cover.
It only looks that way because I played with the opacity so you can see the lines. It reaches the end. |
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