User Interface
Navigate the Custom Libraries admin with list and grid views, search, bulk import/export, and per-standard actions.
The Custom Libraries page is where you manage all parametric packaging standards published to your storefronts. Each standard represents a Print CAD dieline file (.pcad) with its associated configuration — parameters, sizes, options, rules, panels, and animations. From this page you can add new standards, search and browse existing ones, and perform bulk operations like importing from spreadsheets or exporting your entire library.
Access to Custom Libraries requires the Print CAD permission. When enabled, the Print CAD menu item appears in the Products section of the Unified Admin sidebar.
View Standards
- From your Unified Admin, go to Products then Print CAD.
- The page displays all parametric standards for the current storefront. Use the search bar at the top to filter standards by name.
- Switch between List View and Grid View using the view toggle in the toolbar.
List View
The list view uses a data grid with sortable columns and pagination.
| Column | Description |
|---|---|
| Id | Internal identifier for the parametric standard. |
| Preview | SVG thumbnail of the dieline rendered at the standard's default parameter values. Row height is fixed at 75px to accommodate the preview. |
| Name | Display name of the standard as it appears to administrators and on the storefront. |
| Category | The product category this standard belongs to. Categories group related standards for storefront navigation. |
| Action | Overflow menu with Edit, Delete, Download .pcad, Replace .pcad, and Export .pn options. |
Grid View
The grid view displays standards as visual cards in a responsive layout. Each card shows the standard's display name, category, an SVG dieline preview, and an overflow menu with the same actions available in list view. Grid view is useful for visually browsing your library when you want to identify standards by their dieline shape.
Toolbar Actions
The toolbar provides global actions that apply to the entire library.
| Action | Description |
|---|---|
| Add Standard | Opens the add form where you can import a new standard from a .pcad file (Print CAD native format) or a .pn file (PrintNow package format that bundles the dieline with its configuration). |
| Export | Downloads all standards for the current storefront as an XLSX spreadsheet. Use this for backup or to transfer standards between storefronts via the Import function. |
| Import | Uploads an XLSX spreadsheet to bulk-create or update standards. The spreadsheet format matches the Export output. |
| Dieline | Navigates to the Dieline Colors management page where you configure line type colors (cut, crease, perf, bleed, glue, mask) with CMYK and spot color values. |
Per-Standard Actions
Each standard has an overflow menu (three-dot icon) with these actions, available in both list and grid views.
| Action | Description |
|---|---|
| Edit | Opens the standard's multi-tab edit form where you configure Standard Information, Parameters, Standard Sizes, Options, Rules, Auto Flute, Panels, Animations, and Sandbox. |
| Delete | Permanently removes the standard and its associated configuration. A confirmation dialog appears before deletion. This does not affect products already using the standard's dieline mappings. |
| Download .pcad | Downloads the original Print CAD source file. Use this to open the standard in Print CAD for further editing. |
| Replace .pcad | Uploads a new .pcad file to replace the standard's dieline geometry without losing any of the existing configuration (parameters, sizes, options, rules, panels, animations). |
| Export .pn | Exports the standard as a .pn package file that bundles the .pcad dieline with all configuration. Use this to transfer a fully configured standard to another storefront. |
Associations
Print Store
| Area | Effect |
|---|---|
| Category pages | When a category has parametric standards assigned, the storefront automatically injects a 3D parametric widget on the category page. Customers see an interactive Three.js preview where they can adjust dimensions and watch the packaging fold and unfold in real time. |
| Product pricing | Products linked to a parametric standard via the Product.Arden.Variables metadata use the parametric system to calculate blank sizes. The pricing calculator reads material, board, and parameter values to generate dynamic quotes for both standard and custom sizes. |
| Dieline images | The storefront's Dieline Service renders SVG dieline images for parametric products using the configured Dieline Colors (cut, crease, perf, bleed, glue, mask). These images display in the editor and on product pages. |
| 3D model previews | The storefront serves Wavefront .obj and .mtl 3D model files generated from the parametric geometry. These power the live 3D product preview that customers use to proof their designs on folded packaging. |
Print Editor
| Area | Effect |
|---|---|
| Dieline panels | When a product is parametric (parametric > 0), the editor renders DielinePanel objects on the canvas that show die-cut panel boundaries with labeled regions. Customers can select panels to design on specific surfaces of the packaging. |
| Align to panel | The stage component supports aligning design elements relative to dieline panels, allowing customers to precisely position text and images within panel boundaries. |
| Editor behavior | Parametric products skip project ownership checks (shared via link) and adjust sizing and widget behavior to accommodate the dynamic dieline geometry. |
Enterprise API
| Area | Effect |
|---|---|
| Order items (v2) | The v2 API exposes parametric data on order line items including blank width, blank height, standard name, material, board, parametric type (normal/mockup/sample/dieline), and all parameter name/value pairs. External systems use this data for production planning and fulfillment. |
| Storefront products (v2) | The v2 Storefront endpoint includes parametric configuration data when building product responses, enabling external integrations to read available standards and static parameters. |
Related Pages
- Upload File — Use the Add Standard and Replace .pcad actions to import files
- Standard Information — First tab in the edit form opened from the per-standard actions
- Dieline Colors — Accessed via the Dieline toolbar button to configure line type colors
- Sandbox — Test standard parameters with real-time SVG preview from the edit form