Marking rules

A marking rule fixes, for one label family, how the label sits in every output: how large, how far from the edge, at which position, at which rotation and how opaque. It also decides which variants come into question, which family steps in on small pictures and, if you want, when the label shows in a video.

When a brand prescribes how its AI label has to look, you put that guideline into a rule once. Every output with this family then follows it — in the image editor, in the video editor and in the batch wizard.

The signed-in product speaks German, so its labels and messages are quoted in German throughout, with the English rendering in italics.

Where the rule lives

Under Settings → „Labels“ every family of your own has the section „Markierungsregel“ (marking rule) at the bottom of its card. Without a rule it reads „Keine Regel — es gelten die Vorbelegungen des Arbeitsbereichs.“ (No rule — the workspace's label defaults apply.) — the label then follows the marking standard and your label defaults. Once there is a rule, the heading carries the tag „verbindlich“ (binding) or „Empfehlung“ (recommendation). The system family „AI GENERATED“ has no such section.

The button in the section opens the rule in a dialog: „Regel festlegen“ (Set rule), or „Regel bearbeiten“ (Edit rule) for a rule in place. On the left are the rule's steps, the optional ones under „Optional“ and the overview under „Zum Schluss“ (Finally). On the right is the step you are working on, with the preview beside it. On a narrow screen a line such as „Schritt 2 von 9 · Größe“ (Step 2 of 9 · Size) above the step takes the list's place.

Every step asks a question. You choose an answer, and the fields that go with it appear below. What is rarely needed sits folded away under „Mehr Einstellungen“ (More settings); where a field there has an error, the area opens by itself. Which steps there are depends on the family: „Varianten“ (Variants) only with more than one variant. A family that is another's fallback has no „Verbindlich oder Empfehlung“ (Binding or recommendation), and „Ersatz bei kleinen Bildern“ (Fallback for small pictures) only while it still stores a fallback of its own.

Owners and admins only. Only they see Settings → „Labels“.

Marking rules are included in Starter and Growth. On the free plan the section shows, in place of the button, „Markierungsregeln sind in diesem Tarif nicht enthalten. Mit einem Wechsel auf Starter oder Growth lassen sie sich anlegen.“ (Marking rules are not included in this plan. Switching to Starter or Growth lets you create them.) A rule from before the plan change keeps applying. The section shows it with its preview; it cannot be changed, but „Regel entfernen“ (Remove rule) removes it. An unreadable rule shows „Regel nicht lesbar — bitte entfernen“ (Rule unreadable — please remove) there.

Creating a rule

„Regel festlegen“ opens „Neue Markierungsregel · …“ (New marking rule · …) with the family's name, on the first step. Every question already has an answer: the one the family is burnt in with so far, without a rule.

• „Weiter“ (Next) opens the next step, „Zurück“ (Back) the previous one. Where the step has an error, „Weiter“ stays disabled until you fix it. The error is shown at the field.
• In the list you open any step you have already seen.
• The rule is saved in the overview, the last step, with „Regel speichern“ (Save rule).

What the rule starts from: position and rotation as under Label defaults; where the rotation there is 0°, the rule turns portrait output by 270° as before. Size and margin come from the marking standard. Where a variant is not calibrated yet, or „Größe & Abstand“ (Size & margin) is set to „Manuell“ (Manual) there, the rule starts from the manual values; a margin beyond the edge then starts at 0. Above the first step and in the overview it says which case applies.

• From the manual values, the rule saved unchanged changes nothing about the outputs.
• From the standard, it produces the same label as before up to an aspect ratio of just under 2 : 1. On wider formats the label gets larger, and on very small ones the rule refuses earlier. The preview shows both, on a wide banner too.

There are values under „Mehr Einstellungen“ from the start as well, such as „Obergrenze in %“ (Upper bound in %) for the size. Check them against your brand guideline.

Editing a rule

„Regel bearbeiten“ opens „Markierungsregel · …“ (Marking rule · …) on the overview. In the list each step carries its sentence below it, such as „Unten links, erlaubt auch oben links, oben rechts und unten rechts.“ (Bottom left, also allowed top left, top right and bottom right.), and every step can be opened. A step with an error is marked in the list. From every step, „Zum Überblick“ (To the overview) in the footer leads back, on a narrow screen without the list too.

„Regel speichern“ works from every step. While the rule equals the stored one, the button is disabled, with „Keine Änderung“ (No change) beside it. The same footer holds „Regel entfernen“, see Saving and removing.

Closing without saving

„Abbrechen“ (Cancel), the Esc key and ✕ close the dialog. Where you have changed something, it asks first: „Änderungen verwerfen?“ (Discard changes?). „Verwerfen“ (Discard) closes without saving, „Weiter bearbeiten“ (Keep editing) takes you back to the rule. A click beside the dialog does not close it.

Before you start

A rule can only be saved once the family is ready for it. It goes fastest in this order:

1. Upload every variant the brand provides — such as black and white, each plain and with a backing. A family can have any number of variants.
2. Use opaque artwork. How see-through the label looks in the picture is set by the rule; the SVG file itself has to be opaque. See Opaque artwork.
3. Calibrate every variant where the brand guideline sizes the label by its lettering — „the letters are … tall“ — or measures the margin to the lettering. How that works is under Label templates.
4. The same shape for every variant. Every variant needs the same aspect ratio as the family's default variant.

Terms

From guideline to rule

A brand guideline for the AI label usually consists of a few sentences, and each of them answers one question of the dialog. The sentences on the left are examples of what a guideline may say:

Settle what the guideline leaves open before saving. Often missing: whether the margin is measured to the lettering or to the edge of the SVG file, which side of the picture a percentage refers to, and what applies on very small pictures. The preview beside the step shows you the result in pixels for each reading.

Example: lettering as a share of the picture, with a fallback

The guideline:

The capital letters are 1/80 of the shorter side tall. Between label and picture edge lies one letter height, measured to the lettering. Bottom left by default, any corner is allowed. The label is not turned and is 50 % opaque. Where the shorter side is below 400 px, only the signet appears. The guideline is mandatory.

The answers, step by step:

1. Binding or recommendation: „Nein, sie gilt verbindlich“.
2. Size: „Ja, es wächst mit“, „Bezogen auf“ „kürzere Seite“, „Wert in Prozent“ 1.25; then „An der Schrift“. The guideline names no bounds, so under „Mehr Einstellungen“ leave „Untergrenze in px“ empty and set „Obergrenze in %“ to 60.
3. Margin: „Als Vielfaches der Schrifthöhe“, value 1; under „Mehr Einstellungen“ „Gemessen bis“ „sichtbare Zeichen“.
4. Position: bottom left; „Ja, an diese Positionen“, only the four corners under „Erlaubte Positionen“.
5. Rotation: „Nein“ (No); „Darf man im Editor anders drehen?“ „Nein“.
6. Variants, where the family has several: „verstag, nach dem besten Kontrast“.
7. Opacity: „Ja“, „Standard“, „Von“ and „Bis“ 50 each.
8. Fallback for small pictures: „Eine andere Familie einbrennen“, „Familie“ the family with the signet, „Unter (px, kürzere Seite)“ 400. The family with the signet needs a rule of its own first.
9. Video: „Nein, das entscheidet man pro Video“ (No, that is decided per video).

The overview then reads:

The rule measures by the lettering, so every variant needs a calibration. In the preview you check the result:

Example: fixed lettering, turned, with stages and video

The guideline:

The lettering is 10 px tall in every picture. The label sits bottom right without a margin and is turned by 270°, reading bottom to top. Opacity between 60 and 80 %, normally 70 %. Black on light, white on dark; where contrast is not enough, the version with a backing. In video the label shows for the first five seconds. The guideline is mandatory.

The answers, step by step:

1. Binding or recommendation: „Nein, sie gilt verbindlich“.
2. Size: „Nein, immer gleich groß“, „Wert in Pixeln“ 10; then „An der Schrift“. Under „Mehr Einstellungen“ leave „Untergrenze in px“ empty and set „Obergrenze in %“ to 60.
3. Margin: „In Pixeln“, value 0; under „Mehr Einstellungen“ „Gemessen bis“ „Kante der SVG-Datei“.
4. Position: bottom right; „Darf man es im Editor verschieben?“ „Nein“.
5. Rotation: „Ja, immer gleich“, „Gedreht um“ 270°; „Darf man im Editor anders drehen?“ „Nein“.
6. Variants: „verstag, nach dem besten Kontrast“; under „Mehr Einstellungen“, at „Stufen je Variante“, black and white on „Stufe 1“, both versions with a backing on „Stufe 2“, „Vorgewählt“ black.
7. Opacity: „Ja“, „Standard“ 70, „Von“ 60, „Bis“ 80.
8. Fallback for small pictures: „Nichts Besonderes“ (Nothing special).
9. Video: „Ja“, „Standard-Einblendung“ „Zeitfenster“, „Erlaubte Einblendungen“ only „Zeitfenster“, „Von (s)“ 0, „Bis (s)“ 5.

The overview then reads:

The result:

• Every output on a screen format carries the label with 10 px tall lettering, turned by 270° and without a margin at bottom right — as large on 4000 × 3000 px as on 1080 × 1080 px.
• The automatic choice takes black or white, whichever stands out better against the picture. A version with a backing only comes in when neither reaches the minimum contrast of 4.5 : 1.
• In the editor the opacity can be chosen between 60 and 80 %; a label starts at 70 %. Size, margin, position and rotation are fixed.
• A video shows the label from 0 to 5 s. A shorter video shows it to the end.

The steps

The steps appear here in the dialog's order, each with its question, its answers and the fields that go with them.

Binding or recommendation

„Darf man im Editor von der Regel abweichen?“ (May the editor depart from the rule?)

• „Nein, sie gilt verbindlich“ (No, it is binding) — verstag computes size and margin, and everything else stays within the allowed frame.
• „Ja, sie ist eine Empfehlung“ (Yes, it is a recommendation) — whoever sets „Größe & Abstand“ to „Manuell“ in the editor is free; the output then does not count as made by the rule.

• Binding: verstag computes size and margin for every output itself. The editor and the batch wizard have no sliders for them, and position, rotation, opacity, variant and, in a video, the display can only be chosen within the allowed frame. Where the rule does not fit a format, nothing is burnt in and saving is blocked.
• Recommendation: the rule pre-fills size, margin, position, rotation, opacity, variant and, in a video, the display. As long as „Größe & Abstand“ stays on „Automatisch“ (Automatic), position, rotation, opacity and variant stay within the allowed frame. „Manuell“ leaves the rule, and you set everything yourself. Where the rule has stages, the automatic variant choice still measures only their variants. A fixed variant choice stays in place as well.

The rule applies to screen formats, see On print formats. Where the family is another family's fallback, this step is missing: whether binding or recommendation is decided by the other family's rule. The overview says so.

Size

„Soll das Label mit dem Bild mitwachsen?“ (Should the label grow with the picture?)

• „Ja, es wächst mit“ (Yes, it grows) — the size is a share of the picture. Under „Bezogen auf“ (Relative to) you choose what it is measured against: „kürzere Seite“ (shorter side), „längere Seite“ (longer side), „Breite“ (width), „Höhe“ (height) or „Bildgröße (Mittel aus Breite und Höhe)“ (picture size, the mean of width and height), always of the output. The picture size is the square root of width times height. „Wert in Prozent“ (Value in percent) holds the share: 1 % is entered as 1, 1/80 as 1.25. The field takes a decimal comma, as in 1,25.
• „Nein, immer gleich groß“ (No, always the same size) — the label has the same size on every picture. „Wert in Pixeln“ (Value in pixels) holds the number of pixels.

Switch between the two answers, and the value is cleared.

„Woran misst deine Markenrichtlinie die Größe?“ (What does your brand guideline measure the size by?)

• „An der Schrift“ (By the lettering) — what is measured is the height of the capital letters, more precisely of the text you named when calibrating. Every variant needs a calibration for it. Where one is missing, the step names the variants not calibrated yet; the rule cannot be saved like that. Calibrate them first on the family card, or measure by the whole artwork.
• „An der ganzen Grafik“ (By the whole artwork) — what is measured is the whole SVG file. Under „Gemessen wird“ (What is measured) you choose „Höhe der Grafik“ (artwork height) or „Breite der Grafik“ (artwork width).

Under „Mehr Einstellungen“:

• „Untergrenze in px“ (Lower bound in px) — optional. On small images what is measured never drops below this value.
• „Obergrenze in %“ (Upper bound in %) — the width of the whole artwork as a percentage of the shorter side, at most 60.

Above the upper bound verstag does not shrink the label. That format then reads „passt nicht — Label wäre größer als erlaubt“ (does not fit — label would be larger than allowed), and nothing is burnt in.

An example: „Ja, es wächst mit“, „kürzere Seite“, 1.25 and „An der Schrift“. On an image of 4000 × 3000 px the text that counts is then 37.5 px tall, on 1080 × 1080 px 13.5 px.

Margin

„Wie gibt deine Markenrichtlinie den Abstand zum Bildrand an?“ (How does your brand guideline state the margin to the picture edge?)

• „Als Vielfaches der Schrifthöhe“ (As a multiple of the lettering height) — such as 1 for as much margin as the capital letters are tall. What counts is the lettering height the label has in the output, including where the lower bound applies. Like „An der Schrift“, this needs calibrated variants.
• „In Pixeln“ (In pixels) — the margin stays the same on every picture.
• „In Prozent des Bildes“ (In percent of the picture) — the margin grows with the picture, in percent of what you chose under „Bezogen auf“ for the size. With „Nein, immer gleich groß“ this answer is locked: „Geht nur, wenn das Label mit dem Bild mitwächst.“ (Only possible when the label grows with the picture.)

The value comes below. Its field names the unit, such as „Wert in Prozent der kürzeren Seite“ (Value in percent of the shorter side). The value applies horizontally, to the left or right edge, and vertically as well, unless „Mehr Einstellungen“ says otherwise. Switch the unit, and the value is cleared.

Under „Mehr Einstellungen“:

• „Senkrecht“ (Vertical) — optional, the margin to the top or bottom edge in the same unit. Left empty, the value applies in both directions.
• „Gemessen bis“ (Measured to) — „Kante der SVG-Datei“ (edge of the SVG file) measures to the edge of the artwork as the SVG file states it. „sichtbare Zeichen“ (visible characters) measures to the visible edge, without the artwork's transparent space, and needs calibrated variants.

„Kante der SVG-Datei“ or „sichtbare Zeichen“? Where the SVG file has a transparent space around the characters, „Kante der SVG-Datei“ puts the characters further in by that space. Where the guideline measures to the lettering, take „sichtbare Zeichen“.

Where a margin falls outside what the margin slider in the editor allows, it reads „passt nicht — Abstand außerhalb des Bereichs“ (does not fit — margin out of range).

Position and rotation

Position

„An welcher Position sitzt das Label?“ (At which position does the label sit?) In the grid you choose the position the label starts at. The grid has nine positions: the four corners, the middles of the four edges and the centre.

„Darf man es im Editor verschieben?“ (May it be moved in the editor?)

• „Nein“ (No) — the label always sits at this position.
• „Ja, an diese Positionen“ (Yes, to these positions) — under „Erlaubte Positionen“ (Allowed positions) you choose where it can be put in the editor. The position it starts at is always allowed.
• „Ja, auch an eine freie Position“ (Yes, also to a free position) — it can also be moved freely across the picture in the editor. You choose the allowed positions below just the same.

Rotation

„Wird das Label gedreht?“ (Is the label turned?)

• „Nein“ (No) — the label stands upright on every picture.
• „Ja, immer gleich“ (Yes, always the same) — under „Gedreht um“ (Turned by) you choose 90°, 180° or 270°, clockwise: at 90° the label reads top to bottom, at 270° bottom to top.
• „Ja, Drehung je Ausrichtung“ (Yes, rotation per orientation) — „Querformat“ (landscape), „Hochformat“ (portrait) and „Quadratisch“ (square) each get a rotation of their own. Portrait means: the output is at least 1.2 times as tall as it is wide. Landscape is the reverse; everything in between counts as square. Under „Mehr Einstellungen“ there is „Drehung, solange die Ausrichtung nicht feststeht“ (rotation while the orientation is not known); it starts with the rotation for landscape.

„Darf man im Editor anders drehen?“ (May the editor turn it otherwise?)

• „Nein“ — the editor has only the rotations you chose above.
• „Ja“ (Yes) — under „Erlaubte Drehungen“ (Allowed rotations) you choose more. The rotations you chose are always allowed.

The image and the video editor apply the „Drehung je Ausrichtung“ (rotation per orientation); for the batch wizard see In the batch wizard.

Variants

This step is there once the family has more than one variant.

„Wer wählt die Variante, zum Beispiel hell oder dunkel?“ (Who chooses the variant, light or dark for example?)

• „verstag, nach dem besten Kontrast“ (verstag, by the best contrast) — on every picture verstag chooses the variant by its contrast against the background: in the editor on „Automatisch“, in the batch wizard for every cell.
• „Immer dieselbe“ (Always the same) — the editor has no „Automatisch“ for the variant, not even with „Größe & Abstand“ on „Manuell“, and in the batch wizard no cell swaps its variant by contrast. Under „Welche?“ (Which?) you choose which variant a label starts with; it offers the variants of stage 1. Without stages a label starts on the family's default variant. In the editor you choose yourself among the variants of the stages.

Under „Mehr Einstellungen“, at „Stufen je Variante“ (stages per variant), you assign every variant a stage: „–“ or „Stufe 1“ (stage 1) to „Stufe 4“. The automatic choice then works like this:

• Stage 1 first. Of its variants, verstag takes the one with the best contrast.
• The next stage only comes in when no variant in stage 1 reaches the minimum contrast of 4.5 : 1. If no stage reaches it, the variant with the best value wins, and the editor warns.

Under „Vorgewählt“ (Preselected) you choose which variant of stage 1 a label starts with, with „verstag, nach dem besten Kontrast“. The choice appears once a variant stands in a stage. The preselected variant applies as long as no contrast measurement decides, such as in video or when measuring is not possible just then; when verstag measures, the variant with the best contrast in the stage wins. Take the preselected variant out of stage 1, and the first remaining one in the list takes its place.

An example: a family has black and white, each plain and with a backing. The two plain ones go into stage 1, the two with a backing into stage 2. The backing then appears only when no plain variant reads well enough.

Variants on „–“ are not part of the rule. Where the rule limits position and rotation, it locks these variants as well; the editor then says „Varianten außerhalb der Markierungsregel sind gesperrt“ (Variants outside the marking rule are locked). If all variants stand on „–“, the rule has no stages, and all variants count as one stage. Below the choices a line says what applies right now: „Ohne Stufe sind alle Varianten erlaubt.“ (Without a stage every variant is allowed.), „Alle Varianten sind erlaubt.“ (Every variant is allowed.) or such as „Nicht erlaubt: „Weiß mit Fläche“.“ (Not allowed: „White with backing“.)

A stage holds at most 8 variants. Skip a stage, and the following ones move up on saving: stage 1 and stage 3 become stage 1 and stage 2.

The order is a recommendation, not a lock. What is enforced is only that the variant stands in a stage. Pick a variant from stage 2 by hand although one from stage 1 would read, and the output still stays within the rule.

Opacity

„Soll das Label durchscheinen?“ (Should the picture show through the label?)

• „Nein, deckend“ (No, opaque) — the label is burnt in fully opaque, and the editor shows no opacity slider.
• „Ja“ (Yes) — three fields in whole percent from 40 to 100; the higher the value, the less of the picture shows through. All three need a value.
  • „Standard“ (Default) — the opacity a label starts with.
  • „Von“ (From) and „Bis“ (To) — the range within which the opacity can be changed in the editor. The default lies inside it.

A fixed opacity is three equal values, such as 50, 50 and 50; a range is, for example, default 70, from 60, to 80.

Below 40 % is not possible. Bare type without a backing reaches the minimum contrast of 4.5 : 1 only from 45 % in white and 54 % in black.

The editor then has the „Deckkraft“ (Opacity) slider:

• Binding: it spans „Von“ to „Bis“. With a fixed opacity, a line such as „Deckkraft 50 % (Regel)“ (Opacity 50 % (rule)) stands in place of the slider.
• Recommendation: the same under „Automatisch“; under „Manuell“ it spans 40 to 100.

Contrast is measured at the chosen opacity. A more see-through label stands out less against the picture, so the automatic choice may fall on another variant. A low opacity therefore calls for a stage with a backing sooner.

Fallback for small pictures

„Was passiert auf sehr kleinen Bildern?“ (What happens on very small pictures?)

• „Nichts Besonderes“ (Nothing special) — the rule applies at every picture size.
• „Eine andere Familie einbrennen“ (Burn in another family) — on small pictures another family takes this family's place, such as a compact signet where the wordmark would get too small. Where no family can be chosen, the answer is locked: „Keine andere Familie ist als Ersatz wählbar.“ (No other family can be chosen as a fallback.)

„Eine andere Familie einbrennen“ has two fields:

• „Familie“ (Family) — another active family of your own with variants. A family without a rule of its own, or with a fallback of its own, is listed but cannot be chosen; what it lacks follows its name, such as „Signet (ohne eigene Markierungsregel)“ (Signet (without a marking rule of its own)).
• „Unter (px, kürzere Seite)“ (Below (px, shorter side)) — a whole number from 1 to 10000, in pixels of the shorter side.

The fallback applies when the output's shorter side is smaller than that value. An example with 400: on 300 × 250 px and on 1920 × 399 px the fallback applies, on 400 × 400 px and 1920 × 1080 px the family itself. On print formats no marking rule applies, and so no fallback either. In the video editor the size verstag measured for the video counts.

On the fallback its own rule applies — size, margin, positions, rotations, opacity, stages and the display in a video. Whether binding or recommendation is decided instead by the rule of the family that names the fallback. The label's position and rotation stay where the fallback's rule allows them; otherwise its defaults apply. The variant stays where the fallback has one with the same technical key and its rule admits it; otherwise the label starts on the variant the fallback names under „Vorgewählt“ (Preselected), or without stages on its default variant.

One level only. The fallback family needs a marking rule of its own and has no fallback itself. A family that is a fallback gets none of its own, and no family is its own fallback. Its rule has this step only while it still stores a fallback of its own; „Nichts Besonderes“ removes it. The workspace's default family under Settings → „Vorbelegungen“ (label defaults) cannot be a fallback.

A fallback family stands in no picker — not in the editor, not in the batch wizard and not under Settings → „Vorbelegungen“. Its card under Settings → „Labels“ says instead, such as, „Ersatz für „Wortmarke““ (Fallback for „Wordmark“). You choose the family whose rule names the fallback, and verstag puts the fallback in itself. In the editor and in the batch wizard's cell editor the rule's tag is then followed by a line such as „Eingebrannt wird die Ersatz-Familie „Signet“, weil die kürzere Seite unter 400 px liegt.“ (The fallback family „Signet“ is burnt in, because the shorter side is below 400 px.), and the preview shows the fallback. On the contact sheet the cell names the fallback in its name and, in the large view, under „Label-Familie“ (Label family). The output is saved with the fallback family; its specification also records which family named the fallback and at which threshold.

While a rule names it as its fallback, a family can be neither deleted nor deactivated, and its rule cannot be removed: „Die Familie ist Ersatz in der Markierungsregel von „…“. Bitte den Ersatz dort zuerst entfernen.“ (The family is the fallback in the marking rule of „…“. Please remove the fallback there first.)

Video

„Legt die Regel fest, wann das Label im Video zu sehen ist?“ (Does the rule set when the label shows in a video?)

• „Nein, das entscheidet man pro Video“ (No, that is decided per video) — the display stays free: the video editor starts on „Dauerhaft“ (permanent), and all three states of the display are open.
• „Ja“ (Yes) — the rule sets which display a label has first in a video, and which ones the editor allows.

„Ja“ has these fields:

• „Standard-Einblendung“ (Default display) — „Dauerhaft“, „Zeitfenster“ (time window) or „Ein- und Ausblenden“ (fade in and out): the state the video editor starts with. It has to be allowed.
• „Erlaubte Einblendungen“ (Allowed displays) — the states that can be chosen in the video editor, at least one.
• „Von (s)“ (From (s)) and „Bis (s)“ (To (s)) — the window in seconds from the start of the video, such as 2.5. The fields appear once „Zeitfenster“ or „Ein- und Ausblenden“ is allowed, and both share this window. „Bis“ has to lie after „Von“.
• „Blenddauer (s)“ (Fade duration (s)) — how long the label fades in; it fades out for just as long. The field appears once „Ein- und Ausblenden“ is allowed. The fade duration is at most half the window.

An example: „Standard-Einblendung“ „Zeitfenster“, „Erlaubte Einblendungen“ only „Zeitfenster“, „Von (s)“ 0 and „Bis (s)“ 5. Where the rule is binding, the label then shows in every video for the first five seconds, and the video editor shows „Zeitfenster der Markierungsregel: 0–5 s“ (marking rule's window: 0–5 s) next to the „Einblendung“ (display) toggle. What else the video editor does is under In the video editor.

Overview

The last step shows the whole rule: one row per step with its sentence, such as „Die Schrift ist 1,25 % der kürzeren Seite hoch.“ (The lettering is 1.25 % of the shorter side tall.), and „Ändern“ (Change), which opens the step. Where a step has an error, the row reads „unvollständig“ (incomplete).

Below it stand what a new rule started from, that the rule applies to screen formats and, for a fallback family, which rule decides binding or recommendation. When creating a rule, you save it here with „Regel speichern“.

The preview

Beside every step, under „Vorschau“ (Preview), verstag works the rule through with the family's default variant on six fixed canvases: „Quadrat“ (square, 1080 × 1080 px), „Querformat“ (landscape, 1920 × 1080 px), „Hochformat“ (portrait, 1080 × 1920 px), „Breites Banner“ (wide banner, 1500 × 500 px), „Kleines Banner“ (small banner, 300 × 250 px) and „Kamerabild“ (camera frame, 4000 × 3000 px). Each row shows the canvas's name and size, a sketch of where the label sits and the result, such as „Texthöhe 37,5 px · Grafik 600 × 75 px · Abstand 37,5 px · unten links“ (text height 37.5 px · artwork 600 × 75 px · margin 37.5 px · bottom left). Where the rule has a vertical margin of its own, the row names both, such as „Abstand 37,5 px waagerecht · 75 px senkrecht“ (margin 37.5 px horizontal · 75 px vertical). Where the rule does not fit, the row says why.

Where a canvas's shorter side lies below the fallback's threshold, the row works with the fallback family and its rule and names it first, such as „Ersatz „Signet“ · Texthöhe 5 px · Grafik 10 × 10 px · Abstand 5 px · unten links“ (fallback „Signet“ · text height 5 px · artwork 10 × 10 px · margin 5 px · bottom left). Where the fallback family has no readable rule, the row reads „Ersatz „…“ · keine lesbare Markierungsregel“ (fallback „…“ · no readable marking rule).

Where the rule sets a display, a line below the table names its default, such as „Einblendung: Zeitfenster, 0–5 s“ (display: time window, 0–5 s).

That way you check the rule against the brand guideline before it reaches an output. Where the brand guideline states a measure in pixels, it has to come back here in the matching row. While a value is invalid, „Die Vorschau erscheint, sobald alle Werte gültig sind.“ (The preview appears once all values are valid.) takes the table's place, and the field names the error.

Saving and removing

„Regel speichern“ (Save rule) checks every variant of the family. When creating a rule, the button is in the overview; when editing, in every step. The rule is saved only when all three conditions hold:

• Opaque — see Opaque artwork.
• Calibrated, where the rule needs it. It does with „An der Schrift“, with „Als Vielfaches der Schrifthöhe“ and with „Gemessen bis“ „sichtbare Zeichen“. The „Größe“ (Size) and „Abstand“ (Margin) steps warn beforehand, such as „Dafür misst verstag die Schrift jeder Variante. Noch nicht kalibriert: „Schwarz“. So lässt sich die Regel nicht speichern. Kalibriere diese Varianten zuerst in der Familienkarte, oder miss an der ganzen Grafik.“ (For that verstag measures the lettering of every variant. Not calibrated yet: „Schwarz“. The rule cannot be saved like this. Calibrate these variants on the family card first, or measure by the whole artwork.)
• The same shape as the default variant. The aspect ratio may differ by at most 0.1 %. Where the rule measures via the calibration, the height of the text that counts relative to the artwork may also differ by at most 2 %.

That holds for every variant, one on „–“ included. That way it meets no new hurdle when you assign it to a stage later.

If something is missing, the rule stays unsaved, and above the dialog's buttons „Regel nicht gespeichert“ (Rule not saved) lists for each variant what is missing — such as „variant: noch nicht kalibriert“ (not calibrated yet) or „variant: anderes Seitenverhältnis oder andere Texthöhe als die Standard-Variante — im Seitenverhältnis der Standard-Variante hochladen oder neu kalibrieren“ (different aspect ratio or text height than the default variant — upload it in the default variant's aspect ratio or calibrate it again). „Messung nicht möglich, bitte später erneut versuchen“ (Measurement not possible, please try again later) means verstag could not measure the artwork just then. If a stage names a variant the family no longer has, the list gives its technical key. A family without a variant gets no rule: „Die Familie hat noch keine Variante.“ (The family has no variant yet.)

Where the rule has a fallback, verstag checks its variants as well, against the fallback family's rule; what is missing there is prefixed with „Ersatz-Familie —“ (fallback family —). The list also says when the fallback family has no readable rule or a fallback of its own, such as „Die Ersatz-Familie „…“ hat keine lesbare Markierungsregel. Bitte dort zuerst eine festlegen.“ (The fallback family „…“ has no readable marking rule. Please set one there first.)

The conditions hold after saving, too. A variant you upload later has to be opaque and have the default variant's aspect ratio; otherwise verstag refuses it: „Die Grafik hat ein anderes Seitenverhältnis als die Standard-Variante „…“. Unter einer Markierungsregel brauchen alle Varianten einer Familie dasselbe Seitenverhältnis — bitte die Grafik im selben Format hochladen.“ (The artwork has another aspect ratio than the default variant „…“. Under a marking rule every variant of a family needs the same aspect ratio — please upload the artwork in the same format.) Where the rule needs the calibration, the new variant is locked in the editor until you calibrate it, and verstag refuses a calibration whose text height differs from the default variant's by more than 2 %: „Diese Kalibrierung weicht in der Texthöhe um mehr als 2 % von der Standard-Variante „…“ ab. …“ (This calibration's text height differs from the default variant „…“ by more than 2 %. …) The default variant itself can always be calibrated again. Where the rule has stages, the new variant stands on „–“ and is locked until you assign it to a stage.

„Regel entfernen“ (Remove rule) deletes the rule. The button sits at the bottom of the dialog whenever a rule is stored. It takes two steps like the delete button: the first click arms it („Wirklich entfernen?“, really remove?), the second confirms.

If a stored rule cannot be read, its section shows „Regel nicht lesbar — bitte neu speichern“ (Rule unreadable — please save again), and the button reads „Regel neu festlegen“ (Set rule again). It walks the steps as for a new rule, with „Regel entfernen“ there as well. Until you save a rule again or delete the unreadable rule with „Regel entfernen“, no output with this family can be saved.

Saving and removing a rule appear in the workspace's audit trail as „Markierungsregel geändert“ (marking rule changed).

Opaque artwork

A family with a rule needs opaque artwork. What is measured is the most opaque spot of the artwork: it has to be above 95 % opacity. Artwork laid out as semi-transparent as a whole does not meet that.

• With a rule, verstag refuses a translucent variant on upload: „Die Grafik ist durchscheinend (höchste Deckkraft … %). Familien mit Markierungsregel brauchen eine deckende Grafik — die Deckkraft stellt die Regel ein.“ (The artwork is translucent (highest opacity … %). Families with a marking rule need opaque artwork — the rule sets the opacity.)
• Without a rule it is accepted. The calibration dialog then says: „Die Grafik ist durchscheinend (höchste Deckkraft … %). Für eine Markierungsregel braucht verstag sie deckend.“ (The artwork is translucent (highest opacity … %). For a marking rule verstag needs it opaque.) A rule can be saved for this family only once none of its variants is translucent.

So upload opaque artwork for a family with a rule. How opaque the label appears in the picture is set by the rule in the „Deckkraft“ (Opacity) step.

What the rule does

In the image editor

In the editor the family is followed by „Regel: verbindlich“ (Rule: binding) or „Regel: Empfehlung“ (Rule: recommendation), and the size area shows the result in pixels, in the same form as in the preview. Where the rule allows only some of the positions or rotations, the grid is followed by „Nicht wählbare Positionen und Drehungen schließt die Markierungsregel aus.“ (The marking rule excludes the positions and rotations that cannot be chosen.); under a recommendation „Mit „Manuell“ unter „Größe & Abstand“ sind alle frei.“ (With „Manuell“ under „Größe & Abstand“ all are free.) follows. When a rule starts to apply — you pick a family with a rule, or switch from a print format to a screen format — verstag brings the label back inside the allowed frame. How the editor works otherwise is under The editor.

Under a recommendation you leave the rule in the image editor only with „Manuell“: the output then does not count as made by the rule, and the size area reads „Manuelle Werte: Regel gilt hier nicht“ (Manual values: the rule does not apply here). While „Automatisch“ applies, position, rotation, opacity and variant stay within the rule's frame.

Where the rule does not fit a format, the size area gives the reason, and the way out matches what you can change here — such as „Ein größeres Format wählen.“ (Choose a larger format.) under a binding rule, or „Für ein Einbrennen „Größe & Abstand“ auf „Manuell“ stellen oder ein anderes Format wählen.“ (To burn in, set „Größe & Abstand“ to „Manuell“ or choose another format.) under a recommendation. Where a way out points to Settings → „Labels“, it adds „(Inhaber oder Admin)“ (owner or admin), because only they open that page.

In the video editor

In the video editor the rule computes as in the image editor: size and margin by the rule, position, rotation, opacity and variant within its frame, the fallback on small videos. The canvas is the video at the size it plays at — a portrait video upright, that is. verstag measures that size when it produces the video's thumbnail. Where a video has no thumbnail, the tile menu offers „Vorschaubild erneut erzeugen“ (Generate thumbnail again); verstag measures the size along with it.

Without a measured size a binding rule cannot be applied. Saving is then blocked, and the save card and the label area say: „verstag kennt die Bildgröße dieses Videos noch nicht, deshalb lässt sich die verbindliche Markierungsregel nicht anwenden. Fehlt in der Bibliothek das Vorschaubild, im Kachelmenü „Vorschaubild erneut erzeugen“ wählen — das misst das Video. Sonst bitte den Support informieren.“ (verstag does not know this video's frame size yet, so the binding marking rule cannot be applied. Where the library has no thumbnail for it, choose „Vorschaubild erneut erzeugen“ in the tile menu — that measures the video. Otherwise please tell support.) Under a recommendation the marking standard applies in that case, as for a family without a rule, and the display stays free.

The editor sets the rotation by the rule, with „Drehung je Ausrichtung“ (rotation per orientation) by the video's orientation. Neither the marking standard nor the rotation under „Vorbelegungen“ (label defaults) replaces it.

The display follows the rule's „Video“ step:

• Binding: the editor offers only the allowed states, and the window is fixed. It has no handles to drag and stands in seconds next to the „Einblendung“ (display) toggle. A shorter video does not shorten the window; the label then shows up to the end of the video. Where the window starts only after the video ends, saving is blocked: „Das Zeitfenster der Markierungsregel beginnt nach dem Ende des Videos.“ (The marking rule's window starts after the end of the video.)
• Recommendation: the editor starts on the rule's default, and everything stays free. Depart from it, and the editor says „Einblendung weicht von der Markierungsregel ab — die Ausgabe gilt dann nicht als nach der Regel erstellt.“ (Display departs from the marking rule — the output then does not count as made by the rule.)

Where the rule does not fit a video, there is no other format to choose, as a video keeps its size; the way out then reads „Die Regel unter Einstellungen → Labels (Inhaber oder Admin) anpassen lassen.“ (Have the rule adjusted under Settings → Labels (owner or admin).)

What that looks like in the editor is under Labelling video.

In the batch wizard

• verstag computes size and margin for every cell by its own dimensions. In the „Zuschnitt & Label“ (Crop & label) step the sliders give way to „Größe und Abstand nach der Markierungsregel, für jedes Bild einzeln berechnet“ (Size and margin by the marking rule, computed for every image).
• The opacity applies to the whole batch. The slider sits once in the „Zuschnitt & Label“ step and follows the same rules there as in the editor; the cell editor only shows the opacity, such as „Deckkraft 70 % (für den ganzen Batch)“ (Opacity 70 % (for the whole batch)). Where that opacity lies outside a cell's recommended rule, the cell does not count as made by the rule; the cell editor then says „Manuelle Werte: Deckkraft außerhalb der Regel“ (Manual values: opacity outside the rule). Where a cell's position, rotation or variant departs, it reads „Manuelle Werte: außerhalb der Regel“ (Manual values: outside the rule).
• Print formats only: where the batch has print formats only, the „Zuschnitt & Label“ step shows no rule and locks no position.
• The rotation: where the rule sets a „Drehung je Ausrichtung“ (rotation per orientation), every output turns by its own orientation as long as the switch of the same name is on; for a family with such a rule it is preselected. Without „Drehung je Ausrichtung“ in the rule there is no switch. More under The wizard.
• verstag puts the fallback in for every cell by its size.
• The cell check in the „Durchsehen“ (Review) step names every cell the rule does not fit, with the reason and the way out — such as „Ein größeres Format wählen oder diese Zelle abwählen.“ (Choose a larger format or deselect this cell.), under a recommendation led by „„Größe & Abstand“ auf „Manuell“ stellen“ (set „Größe & Abstand“ to „Manuell“). Those cells are not produced; the cell editor says „diese Zelle entsteht nicht“ (this cell is not produced). The cell check announces only variants the rule admits.
• In bulk editing the positions a selected cell's rule excludes are locked, with „Nicht wählbare Positionen schließt die Markierungsregel mindestens einer gewählten Zelle aus.“ (The marking rule of at least one selected cell excludes the positions that cannot be chosen.) below them.

On print formats

A rule applies to screen formats only. On a print format — an output format with a dpi value — the marking standard and your settings apply as for a family without a rule, and the label is burnt in opaque. The editor says so: „Druckformat: hier gilt keine Markierungsregel“ (Print format: no marking rule applies here).

When the rule changes

A changed rule applies to everything saved afterwards; existing outputs stay as they are. Only a save that changes the rule counts as a change: with nothing changed, „Regel speichern“ (Save rule) stays disabled, with „Keine Änderung“ (No change) beside it. If someone changes a binding rule while you are editing an output, saving ends with „Die Markierungsregel dieser Label-Familie wurde geändert. Bitte die Seite neu laden.“ (This label family's marking rule has changed. Please reload the page.)

When something does not fit

What is refused on upload and on saving the rule is under Saving and removing and Opaque artwork.