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Using the Slide Creator

The Slide Creator is a powerful built-in design tool that allows you to create custom slides for your digital signage displays without needing external design software.

Overview​

The Slide Creator provides a canvas-based editor with professional design tools to create:

  • Text-based announcements
  • Promotional graphics
  • Informational displays
  • QR code slides
  • Custom branded content

Accessing the Slide Creator​

  1. Click Slide Creator in the left sidebar navigation
  2. You'll see three tabs:
    • Your designs: Your saved slide designs
    • Your templates: Reusable templates you've created
    • Castit templates: Pre-made templates from Castit

Slide Creator Empty State

Getting Started​

Creating a New Design​

  1. Click the New design button in the top-right corner
  2. The Editor interface will open with a blank canvas
  3. Use the toolbar at the top to add elements to your slide

Using Templates​

Templates help you create professional slides quickly:

  1. Click the Your templates or Castit templates tab
  2. Browse available templates
  3. Filter templates by category using the filter buttons (ALL TEMPLATES, MENU, EVENTS, ETC.)
  4. Click on a template to start designing with it

Your Templates

Editor Tools​

The Slide Creator provides 8 powerful tools accessible from the top toolbar:

Text Tool​

Add and format text elements on your slide.

Text Tool

Available Text Styles:

  • Heading 1: Large primary headings
  • Heading 2: Secondary headings
  • Subheading: Subtitle text
  • Body text: Regular paragraph text
  • Small text: Fine print or captions

Editing Text:

Once you add text, you can customize it extensively:

Text Editing

Appearance Tab:

  • Font family: Choose from available fonts (e.g., Roboto)
  • Font size: Adjust text size (e.g., 88)
  • Font weight: Set text boldness (e.g., ExtraBold 800)
  • Line height: Control spacing between lines
  • Letter spacing: Adjust character spacing
  • Alignment: Left, center, or right align text
  • Text formatting: Bold, Italic, Underline, Strikethrough, Font case

Fill:

  • Text color picker
  • Color hex code input (e.g., #303030)
  • Opacity slider (0-100)

Border:

  • Enable/disable text border
  • Border color and opacity
  • Border weight and type (Solid, Dashed, etc.)

Drop shadow:

  • X offset, Y offset, and blur controls
  • Shadow color and intensity

Size & Position Tab:

  • Precise positioning and sizing controls
  • Lock aspect ratio
  • Rotation controls

Shapes Tool​

Add geometric shapes and icons to your designs.

Shapes Tool

Available Shapes:

  • Square
  • Circle
  • Star
  • Line
  • Triangle

Icons:

  • Extensive icon library from Font Awesome
  • Search icons by keyword
  • Numbers, letters, arrows, symbols, and more

Draw Tool​

Freehand drawing tool for custom illustrations and annotations.

Library Tool​

Access your uploaded content from the Library to add to slides:

  • Images
  • Videos
  • Other media files

Stock Tool​

Insert stock photos and GIFs directly into your slides.

Stock Tool

Features:

  • Stock tab: Access stock photos from Unsplash
  • Giphy tab: Search and add animated GIFs
  • Provider: Select stock provider (Unsplash)
  • Orientation: Filter by All, Portrait, Landscape
  • Search functionality to find specific images
  • Browse and select from thousands of professional images

QR Code Tool​

Generate QR codes that viewers can scan with their phones.

QR Code Tool

QR Code Types:

  • Website URL: Link to any webpage
  • Email: Pre-fill email addresses
  • Text: Display plain text when scanned
  • Call: Initiate phone calls
  • SMS: Pre-fill text messages
  • Wifi: Share WiFi credentials

To Create a QR Code:

  1. Click the QR Code tool
  2. Select the QR code type
  3. Enter the required information (e.g., website URL)
  4. Click Generate QR code
  5. The QR code will be added to your canvas

Animate Tool​

Add animations and transitions to slide elements for dynamic displays.

How to Animate Elements:

  1. Select one or more objects on the canvas
  2. Open Animate in the right-side panel
  3. Click Add animation and choose an effect (Fade, Fly In/Out, Zoom, etc.)
  4. Adjust timing options like start, duration, and speed
  5. Use Play animation or Play all to preview the sequence

Managing Animations:

  • Drag to reorder animation steps
  • Use Delete animation to remove an effect

Objects Tool​

Manage layers and objects on your canvas.

Objects Tool

Layer Management:

  • View all objects on the canvas
  • Reorder layers (Hex, Textbox, etc.)
  • Show/hide elements (eye icon)
  • Lock elements (lock icon)
  • Delete elements (trash icon)

Canvas Tool​

Adjust canvas settings, background colors, and overall slide properties.

Working with the Canvas​

Canvas Controls​

Located on the right side of the canvas:

  • Zoom controls: (+) and (-) buttons
  • Zoom percentage: Shows current zoom level (e.g., 68%)
  • Refresh: Reset canvas view

Undo/Redo​

Use the undo and redo arrows in the top toolbar to step backward or forward through your changes.

Positioning and Alignment​

  • Red alignment guides appear when dragging elements to help center them
  • Position coordinates shown while dragging (e.g., 754, 457)
  • Snap-to-grid functionality for precise placement

Saving Your Work​

  1. Click the Save button in the top-right corner
  2. Your design will be saved to Your designs
  3. Saved slides appear in the Library under the Slides tab
  4. Use saved slides in screens and playlists like any other content

Best Practices​

Design Tips​

  • Keep it simple: Digital signage works best with clear, concise messaging
  • High contrast: Ensure text is easily readable from a distance
  • Brand consistency: Use your brand colors and fonts
  • Legibility: Use large font sizes (at least 40-60pt for body text)
  • White space: Don't overcrowd the canvas

Text Guidelines​

  • Headline: Should be readable in 3-5 seconds
  • Body text: Keep to 10 words or fewer per slide
  • Font pairing: Use 2-3 fonts maximum
  • Alignment: Center-align for impact, left-align for readability

Visual Hierarchy​

  1. Primary message (largest, most prominent)
  2. Secondary information (medium size)
  3. Supporting details or calls-to-action (smaller)
  4. QR codes or contact info (positioned consistently)

QR Code Tips​

  • Place QR codes at eye level in your layout
  • Ensure adequate white space around the QR code
  • Test QR codes before deploying
  • Include brief instructions like "Scan to learn more"

Using Stock Images​

  • Choose high-quality, relevant images
  • Ensure images align with your brand and message
  • Avoid overly busy or distracting backgrounds
  • Consider image orientation (landscape for most displays)

Creating Templates​

Save time by creating reusable templates:

  1. Design a slide with your brand colors, fonts, and layout
  2. Save it as a template instead of a regular design
  3. Reuse the template for future slides with different content
  4. Maintain consistency across all your digital signage

Common Use Cases​

Announcement Slides​

  • Use Heading 1 for the announcement
  • Add date/time details in smaller text
  • Include relevant icons or shapes
  • Keep background simple

Promotional Content​

  • Feature product images from Library or Stock
  • Use contrasting colors for offers/discounts
  • Add QR code for more information
  • Include clear call-to-action

Wayfinding and Directories​

  • Use shapes and icons for visual cues
  • Organize information hierarchically
  • Use arrows to indicate direction
  • Keep text brief and scannable

Event Information​

  • Headline with event name
  • Date, time, and location details
  • QR code for registration or tickets
  • Event branding or imagery

Social Media Integration​

  • Display social media handles
  • Add QR codes linking to profiles
  • Include social media icons
  • Show hashtags for campaigns

Troubleshooting​

Text Not Displaying Correctly​

  • Check font weight and size settings
  • Ensure text color contrasts with background
  • Verify text is not behind other elements in layer order

QR Code Not Scanning​

  • Ensure adequate size (minimum 2x2 inches when displayed)
  • Verify sufficient contrast between QR code and background
  • Test the URL or data before generating the code
  • Leave white space around the QR code

Elements Overlapping​

  • Use the Objects tool to reorder layers
  • Bring important elements to the front
  • Send background elements to the back

Slow Performance​

  • Reduce number of high-resolution images
  • Simplify complex designs
  • Save your work frequently

Next Steps​