Using Frame Templates

It is common practice for regulatory agencies to require submissions in specific formats and with specific requirements.  For example, when applying for a building permit, you will likely be required to submit a PDF plot plan including your company name, date, project name, permit #, address, scale, compass, and several additional details.

Frame Templates make it easier to ensure that all required information is included in a clear and organized manner, decreasing the likelihood of error and unnecessary delays.

Open one of the sample frame template files, and update the map area and text with your own project information.

You can open any of the sample frame template files, insert your map, update the text, and add any additional elements you need—such as scale bars or legends. Once you're finished, simply save the file under a new name. You can also create a frame template from scratch or modify an existing one to suit your specific needs and save it for future use.

This article covers

How to use a frame template

1. Open the frame template file you want to use:
   
   
   • From the Welcome to Surfer dialog, choose Frame Templates from the drop-down list, select an SRF file, and click Open.
     Pro Tip: preview each file in the list by selecting it to find just the file you want
     
     
   • Or, click File | Open, navigate to C:\Program Files\Golden Software\Surfer\Samples\Frame Templates, select an SRF file, and click Open.
      
     Pro Tip: preview the templates by changing your display in the Open dialog to Large icons or Extra large icons.
     
     
2. Locate the User Edit Contents group in the Contents window.  This group contains all of the text items or images that you will need to update.
   
   
3. Edit these contents as needed in the Properties window
   
   Pro Tip: To easily replace the image rectangle placeholder with an image of the company logo, select the Company Logo Image polygon, and in Properties click the Fill page, then click the File button to upload the image file. The image will be loaded as the fill for the polygon. You can resize the polygon as needed to fit the aspect ratio of the image.
   
   

4. Place maps directly in the center of the plot window. Create as many maps as you need, then position, resize, and customize their properties as desired.

    

5. Add any other features you wish (e.g. legends, color scales, map scales, etc.).
   
   
6. Click File | Save | Save As and save your project file to a new location with an appropriate name.
   
   

How to customize a Frame Template

If you like the layout of a frame template but the included information doesn’t match your needs, you can easily customize it—update the text, add new fields, and rearrange or move elements until the frame fits your project requirements.

1. Open the desired frame template.
   
   
2. Right click over the Frame group in the Contents window and click Lock Position to allow objects in the group to move.
   
   
3. Edit these contents as needed from the Properties window.
   
   
4. Move, stretch, or add polylines and polygons as needed.
   
   
5. When finished, right click over the Frame group in the Contents window and click Lock Position to prevent objects in the group from moving.
   
   
6. Click File | Save | Save As and save your new template file to a new location with an appropriate name.
   
   

How to change a Frame Template page size

1. Open the desired frame template. 
   
   
2. Click Layout | Page Setup | Size | and select the desired page size.
3. Right click over the Frame group in the Contents window and click Lock Position to allow objects in the group to move.
4. Right click over the Frame group and click Ungroup to make it easier to select multiple objects on the page. 
   
   
5. Select all the polylines and polygons (not the text or north arrow).
   
   
6. Use the selection handles to move and stretch the selected objects to fit the new page size.
   
   
7. Use the same process to reposition all the text items and the north arrow and update their size as needed. 
   
   Tips:
   
   1. Do not drag/stretch the text. This can introduce a transform that can create issues, such as the text being squished in one direction.
   2. If you select something by clicking in the plot window, and something else keeps getting selected instead (like the user edit contents group), hold the CTRL key down and click again. Holding the CTRL key down will allow you to scroll through the selection boxes at the location you clicked, until the item you want is selected.
      
      
8. When all the text is repositioned and resized, select all the ungrouped objects and click Features | Group | Group to regroup them.
   
   
9. Press F2, enter Frame, and click OK to restore the original group name
   
   
10. Click Layout | Position | Lock and then click Layout | Move | To Back to lock the position of the group and moving it to the back.
    
    

How to add templates to the Welcome dialog list

To add templates to the Welcome dialog list, save them in the Samples\Frame Templates directory. Please note that this process requires administrative permissions.

1. Once you create a frame that you like, click File | Save | Save As and save it as an SRF file to your hard drive in some location with an identifying name. 
   
   
2. Open up Windows Explorer and navigate to where you saved the file. 
   
   
3. Right click over your frame SRF file and click Copy.
   
   
4. Navigate to the Surfer Samples\Frame Templates folder (by default this is C:\Program Files\Golden Software\Surfer Beta\Samples\Frame Templates), right click and select Paste.
   
   
5. If prompted that you need to provide administrator permission to copy to this folder, click Continue. The file should be pasted.
   
   
6. Once the file is in the Frame Templates sample folder, the next time you start Surfer, your file will be listed under the Files menu when Frame Templates is selected.