Page Layout - Autype

Autype provides several elements to control how content is positioned on pages in the exported document.

Page breaks

Simple page break

A horizontal rule (---) is treated as a page break in the rendered document:

Content on page 1.

---

Content on page 2.

Explicit page break with orientation

Change page orientation with the explicit page break syntax:

---pagebreak{orientation="landscape"}---

---pagebreak{orientation="portrait"}---

This is useful for inserting a landscape page for wide tables or charts, then switching back to portrait.

Example: Mixed orientations

# Introduction

Regular portrait content here.

---pagebreak{orientation="landscape"}---

## Wide Data Table

| Col 1 | Col 2 | Col 3 | Col 4 | Col 5 | Col 6 | Col 7 | Col 8 |
|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|
| Data  | Data  | Data  | Data  | Data  | Data  | Data  | Data  |

---pagebreak{orientation="portrait"}---

## Conclusion

Back to portrait for the conclusion.

Page sections

Page sections let you position content at specific vertical locations on a page. This is essential for title pages, certificates, and custom layouts.

Syntax variant 1: Dash syntax

---page{align=center}---

# Centered Content

This content is vertically centered on the page.

---/page---

Syntax variant 2: Directive syntax

:::page{align=center}
# Centered Content

This content is vertically centered on the page.
:::

Both syntaxes are equivalent.

Vertical alignment

Value	Description
`top`	Content starts at the top of the page
`center`	Content is vertically centered
`bottom`	Content is aligned to the bottom

Absolute positioning with startY

Position content at an exact vertical position (in points from the top):

---page{align=top startY=100}---

Content starting at 100 points from the top.

---/page---

Attribute reference

Attribute	Values	Description
`align`	`top`, `center`, `bottom`	Vertical alignment on the page
`startY`	Number (points)	Absolute Y position from top of page
`orientation`	`portrait`, `landscape`	Page orientation
`backgroundColor`	Hex color	Page background color
`backgroundImage`	Asset or HTTP(S) source	Full-page background image
`backgroundFit`	`contain`, `cover`, `fill`	Background image fit
`backgroundPositionX`, `backgroundPositionY`	`0`–`100`	Image focal position
`backgroundOpacity`	`0`–`1`	Background image opacity
`margins`	`top,right,bottom,left`	Per-side page margins in cm
`showHeader`, `showFooter`	`true`, `false`	Override header/footer visibility
`pageStyleId`	Style ID	Select a reusable document page style
`pageStart`	`auto`, `next`, `odd`, `even`	Control section page start
`restartPageNumber`	Positive integer	Restart visible page numbering
`pageNumberFormat`	`decimal`, `lowerRoman`, `upperRoman`, `lowerAlpha`, `upperAlpha`	Page number format

Example: Title page

---page{align=center}---

# Annual Report 2024

## Acme Corporation

*Confidential*

---/page---

---

# Table of Contents

::toc{maxLevel=3}

Flow page assignment

Use ---flow--- when a normal editable flow needs page-design metadata but no column wrapper:

---flow{id="appendix" pageStyleId="appendix" pageStart=odd restartPageNumber=1 pageNumberFormat=upperRoman}---
# Appendix

This section uses the appendix master page.
---/flow---

The same attributes work on ---columns---. See Document Styling for master-page and region definitions.

Example: Certificate

---page{align=center}---

# Certificate of Completion

This certifies that **{{recipientName}}** has successfully completed the course.

**Date:** {{date/D. MMMM YYYY}}

---/page---

Columns layout

Create multi-column layouts similar to LaTeX two-column papers. Content flows automatically from one column to the next.

Basic two-column layout

---columns{count=2}---

Content in the first column flows here. When the column is full,
text continues automatically in the second column.

## Section Title

All element types work inside columns — headings, paragraphs, lists, images, tables, math, and more.

---/columns---

Three-column layout

---columns{count=3 space=0.8}---

Content flows across three columns with 0.8 cm spacing between them.

---/columns---

With separator line

Add a vertical line between columns:

---columns{count=2 space=1.5 separate=true}---

Left column content here...

Right column content here...

---/columns---

Attribute reference

Attribute	Values	Default	Description
`count`	`1`–`4`	`2`	Number of columns
`space`	Number (cm)	`1.27`	Gap between columns
`separate`	`true`, `false`	`false`	Show vertical separator line between columns

Example: Academic paper style

<h1 align="center">Research Paper Title</h1>

<p align="center">Author Name — Institution</p>

## Abstract

This is a single-column abstract paragraph.

---

---columns{count=2}---

## 1. Introduction

The introduction text flows across two columns, just like a typical academic paper layout.

## 2. Methods

Describe your methodology here. Tables, math blocks, and images all work within the column layout.

$$E = mc^2$$

## 3. Results

| Metric | Value |
|--------|-------|
| Score  | 95.2  |

## 4. Conclusion

Final remarks in two-column format.

---/columns---

Columns are a section-level property — all content between ---columns{...}--- and ---/columns--- flows across the specified number of columns. In PDF/DOCX export, this uses native document column support for accurate rendering.

Semantic layouts

Semantic layouts place independently editable content side by side. Use them for summaries, image/text combinations, KPI rows, and other layouts where each column needs its own content. Unlike flowing columns, content never moves automatically from one semantic column into another.

---layout{gap=12 backgroundColor="#f8fafc" padding="8,8,8,8" keepTogether=true}---
---column{width="1fr" verticalAlign=top backgroundColor="#ffffff"}---
## Summary

Editable text in the first column.
---/column---
---column{width="2fr" verticalAlign=center backgroundColor="#ecfdf5"}---
![Product](product.png){width=360 align=center}
---/column---
---/layout---

Layout attributes

Attribute	Values	Description
`gap`	Number	Gap between columns in points
`backgroundColor`	Hex color	Whole-layout background
`borderWidth`, `borderColor`, `borderStyle`	Border values	Whole-layout border
`padding`	`top,right,bottom,left`	Whole-layout padding
`spacingBefore`, `spacingAfter`	Number	External spacing
Pagination attributes	Boolean	Keep and page-break controls

Column width accepts a fixed centimeter number, %, fr, or auto. Columns can independently define verticalAlign, background, border, and padding.

Semantic layouts are exported as fixed-width DOCX tables. Their headings, paragraphs, lists, images, and form fields remain editable in Word and LibreOffice.

Fixed canvas

Canvas is intended for cover pages, certificates, title panels, and other deliberately fixed visual compositions. Item positions and dimensions are percentages of the canvas.

---canvas{height=100 backgroundColor="#0f172a" pageBreakBefore=true}---
::canvasShape{x=0 y=0 width=100 height=100 shape=rectangle fillColor="#0f172a" zIndex=0}
::canvasImage{x=8 y=8 width=24 height=16 src="/image/logo-id" fit=contain zIndex=2}
::canvasText{x=10 y=38 width=80 height=20 text="Annual Report" fontSize=34 fontWeight=bold color="#ffffff" align=center zIndex=3}
::canvasText{x=20 y=62 width=60 height=10 text="{{companyName}}" fontSize=16 color="#cbd5e1" align=center zIndex=3}
---/canvas---

Supported items:

canvasText: text, typography, colors, alignment, vertical alignment, padding
canvasImage: source, alt text, fit, and focal point
canvasShape: rectangle, ellipse, or line with fill and border styling

Common item attributes are id, x, y, width, height, rotation, opacity, and zIndex.

Canvas items remain editable in Autype. For deterministic DOCX and LibreOffice output, the complete canvas is exported as one high-resolution image, so its individual items are not editable in Word. Form fields are not supported inside canvas; use semantic layouts for editable controls.

Pagination controls

Extended block elements can use the following attributes:

Attribute	Description
`keepTogether`	Avoid splitting the block across pages
`keepWithNext`	Keep the block with the following block
`pageBreakBefore`	Start the block on a new page
`widowControl`	Enable or disable widow/orphan protection

These map to native DOCX pagination where available and to equivalent print CSS for HTML output.

Spacers

Add vertical spacing between elements:

---spacer---

Custom height

Lines (default unit):

---spacer{height=2}---

This adds 2 lines of vertical space. Pixels:

---spacer{height="50px"}---

This adds exactly 50 pixels of vertical space.

Height values

Format	Description	Example
Number	Lines of space	`height=2` → 2 lines
String with `px`	Pixels of space	`height="50px"` → 50 pixels
(omitted)	Default: 1 line	`---spacer---`

Spacers are useful for fine-tuning layout on title pages or between sections where the default paragraph spacing isn’t enough.

​Page breaks

​Simple page break

​Explicit page break with orientation

​Example: Mixed orientations

​Page sections

​Syntax variant 1: Dash syntax

​Syntax variant 2: Directive syntax

​Vertical alignment

​Absolute positioning with startY

​Attribute reference

​Example: Title page

​Flow page assignment

​Example: Certificate

​Columns layout

​Basic two-column layout

​Three-column layout

​With separator line

​Attribute reference

​Example: Academic paper style

​Semantic layouts

​Layout attributes

​Fixed canvas

​Pagination controls

​Spacers

​Custom height

​Height values

Page breaks

Simple page break

Explicit page break with orientation

Example: Mixed orientations

Page sections

Syntax variant 1: Dash syntax

Syntax variant 2: Directive syntax

Vertical alignment

Absolute positioning with startY

Attribute reference

Example: Title page

Flow page assignment

Example: Certificate

Columns layout

Basic two-column layout

Three-column layout

With separator line

Attribute reference

Example: Academic paper style

Semantic layouts

Layout attributes

Fixed canvas

Pagination controls

Spacers

Custom height

Height values