Widgets in Designer

In this article, we’ll cover all the various Widgets you can add to a design via the Designer app.

• Overlay Image
• Video
• Document
• Apps
• Playlist
• Time
• Weather
• Date
• Scrolling Text
• Calendar
• Meeting Room
• Scrolling Vertical
• AeriCast

Using Designer, you can add Widgets to make your designs more dynamic. Widgets display complex content from various sources, including other apps, allowing unparalleled customization for your designs.

For more general information on the Designer app, see our Getting Started in Designer guide.

The Widgets tab can be accessed from the Designer Side Menu:

Widgets are overlaid on top of the design, and cannot be layered.

Clicking any widget brings up the Settings and Position options:

Settings will bring up options which vary by Widget. Position allows you to set the position of the Widget.

Below, we’ll cover all the options within this tab and how to add them to your design.

Overlay Image

Overlay Image allows you to choose an asset from your account or upload a file to place over the rest of the design. These include all supported image types.

Clicking Settings will open the Format Options Side Menu.

• Scale - Choose between Fit, Zoom, and Stretch for image scaling.
• Source - Change the source of your Overlay Image. By default, this is the initial asset you've selected.

Clicking the Position option allows you to change the image layering and set it as a background.

• Bring to Front - Brings selected shape or element to the top layer
• Bring Forward - Brings selected shape or element up one layer
• Send to Back - Brings selected shape or element to the bottom layer
• Send Backward - Brings selected shape or element down one layer
• Align to Page - Options to change the selected shape or element alignment
  • Left
  • Center
  • Right
  • Top
  • Middle
  • Bottom
• Space Evenly - Aligns the shape or element within the larger box
  • Vertically
  • Horizontally
• Flip - Flips the selected shape or element
  • Horizontal
  • Vertical
• Position - Allows specific placement of shape or element in the design
• Resize - Allows precise resizing of the selected shape or element

Maintain Aspect Ratio - When checked, automatically maintains aspect ratio when resizing.

Use as Background - When checked, allows Overlay Image to be used as a Background in the design.

Video

Video allows you to choose a video from your assets or upload a file to place onto the design. These include all supported video file types, Canva videos, etc.

Clicking the Position option allows you to change the video layering and set it as a background.

• Bring to Front - Brings selected video to the top layer
• Bring Forward - Brings selected video up one layer
• Send to Back - Brings selected video to the bottom layer
• Send Backward - Brings selected video down one layer
• Align to Page - Options to change the selected video's alignment
  • Left
  • Center
  • Right
  • Top
  • Middle
  • Bottom
• Space Evenly - Aligns the video within the larger box
  • Vertically
  • Horizontally
• Flip - Flips the selected video
  • Horizontal
  • Vertical
• Position - Allows specific placement of the video in the design
• Resize - Allows precise resizing of the video

Maintain Aspect Ratio - When checked, automatically maintains aspect ratio when resizing.

Use as Background - When checked, allows Video to be used as a Background in the design.

Document

Document allows you to choose a document from your assets to place into the design. These include Word or Google Docs, presentations, Canva, Excel or Google Sheets, PDFs, and more.

Apps

Apps allows you to place a created app from your assets into the design. These include Website Apps, Data Visualization apps, social media apps, and more.

Source - Shows the selected app source and allows you to Replace it.

Formats - Clicking Edit App will bring up the Edit Screen, allowing you to change the app details from within Designer:

Playlist

Playlist allows you to place a created playlist into the design.

Selecting the Playlist and clicking the Settings button will open up the Format Options Side Menu.

Source - Shows the currently selected playlist source and allows you to Replace it.

Formats

• Playback Control - When checked, enables Playback Control for the selected Playlist. Must be checked for below options to appear.
• Show Navigation Bar - Toggle between showing and not showing the navigation bar for your playlist. This allows you to navigate between playlist images and items.
• Background Color - Sets the background color for the navigation bar.
• Opacity - Sets the Opacity for the navigation bar.
• Icon Position - Sets the position of the navigation bar.

Clicking the Position option allows you to change the video layering and set it as a background.

• Bring to Front - Brings selected playlist to the top layer
• Bring Forward - Brings selected playlist up one layer
• Send to Back - Brings selected playlist to the bottom layer
• Send Backward - Brings selected playlist down one layer
• Align to Page - Options to change the selected playlist's alignment
  • Left
  • Center
  • Right
  • Top
  • Middle
  • Bottom
• Space Evenly - Aligns the playlist within the larger box
  • Vertically
  • Horizontally
• Flip - Flips the selected playlist
  • Horizontal
  • Vertical
• Position - Allows specific placement of the playlist in the design
• Resize - Allows precise resizing of the playlist

Maintain Aspect Ratio - When checked, automatically maintains aspect ratio when resizing.

Use as Background - When checked, allows playlist to be used as a Background in the design.

For more information, see our article on Creating and Using Playlists.

Time

Time will place a clock into your design. 

Hitting the Settings button with it selected brings up these options:

• Type - Choose between Digital and Analog clock styles.
• Style - Choose between Basic and Clock Bar styles.
• 24 Hours - When checked, changes to a 24-hour clock.
• Show Date - When checked, will also show the date.
• Time Zone - Choose which time zone the clock will display (defaults to the Device’s existing time zone).
• Text Transform - Change between uppercase, lowercase, and sentence case text styling.
• Font Size - Select a custom font size.
• Font Name - Select a custom font.
• Text Color - Choose the color of the text. Choose between preset colors, colors already used in this design, or through the color picker.
• Background Color - Choose the color of the background. Choose between preset colors, colors already used in this design, or through the color picker.
• Opacity - Change the opacity of the background color .

Weather

Weather will place a weather forecast into your design. 

Hitting the Settings option with it selected brings up these options:

• Use Device Setting’s Location - When checked, the Widget will use the Device Setting’s location to obtain relevant weather information.
• Location - Set the location to display weather from. If Use Device Setting's Location is checked, this will be used as a fallback if device location is not available.
• Scale - Choose temperature scale between Fahrenheit and Celsius
• Style - Choose between Default, Plain, and Color icon styling for the app.
• Language - Select the language you wish your Weather app to display in.
• Text Transform - Change between uppercase, lowercase, and sentence case text styling.
• Font Size - Select a custom font size.
• Font Name - Select a custom font.
• Text Color - Choose the color of the text. Choose between preset colors, colors already used in this design, or through the color picker.

The Weather widget will dynamically update, constantly providing accurate weather information for the selected location.

Date

Date will place the date on the design. This will automatically update as time passes.

Clicking the Settings button with it selected brings up these options:

• Time Zone - Set the time zone for the date. By default, this will use the device’s time zone.
• Format - Change the date formatting.
• Text Transform - Change between uppercase, lowercase, and sentence case text styling.
• Font Size - Select a custom font size.
• Font Name - Select a custom font.
• Text Color - Choose the color of the text. Choose between preset colors, colors already used in this design, or through the color picker.
• Background Color - Choose the color of the background. Choose between preset colors, colors already used in this design, or through the color picker.
• Opacity - Change the opacity of the background color and date text.
• Language - Select the language you wish your Date app to display in.

Scrolling Text

Scrolling Text inserts horizontally scrolling text into your design. To change the text contents and formatting, select the text and click Settings:

Content

• Type text content here.
   

Formats

• Orientation - Keep as landscape, or rotate text 90 or 270 degrees.
• Scroll Direction - Choose between Left or Right scrolling.
• Scroll Speed - Change the speed at which the text scrolls
• Text Transform - Change between uppercase, lowercase, and sentence case text styling.
• Font Size - Select a custom font size.
• Font Name - Select a custom font.
• Text Color - Choose the color of the text. Choose between preset colors, colors already used in this design, or through the color picker.
• Background Color - Choose the color of the background. Choose between preset colors, colors already used in this design, or through the color picker.

• Opacity - Change the opacity of the background color.

Data Mapping - Allows mapping of dynamic data sources to your scrolling text element. For more information, see our Legacy Data Mapping with Google Sheets or Legacy Data Mapping with MS Excel article.

Calendar

Calendar allows you to synchronize your Google or Outlook calendar with OptiSigns and display it in your design.

You’ll need to sign in to your Google or Microsoft account and give relevant permissions to allow this. Once done, your calendar will show up on the design. Then, it can be altered by clicking the Settings option, which will bring up the Format Options Side Menu:

Source - Shows your Google/Microsoft authorization and the Calendars being synced. Hit the Refresh button to refresh the synchronization.

Formats

• Type - Choose the type of calendar to display from the below options:

  

• Start week on - Choose to start the week on Sunday or Monday.
• Time Zone - Set the relevant Time Zone for your Calendar. This default's to the Device's time zone, but can be set to any other time zone.
• 24 Hours - When checked, will display all times on a 24-hour clock.
• Show Weather - When checked, will display weather information.
• Theme - Change between Light and Dark themes for the calendar, or select a Custom theme.
• Opacity - Sets the opacity of the calendar widget.
• Language - Change the language on the calendar widget display.

Meeting Room

Meeting Room lets you set up a Meeting Room widget. With this feature, you can keep your team and visitors informed of upcoming meetings and room availability, improving the efficiency of your office space management.

Setting up the Meeting Room widget involves several steps:

1. Set up Room Mailboxes in your Microsoft 365 account. You can find out how to do that here. Ensure the auto accept Meeting Request option is turned on.
2. Have your Global Administrator delegate or set up access for the room's resource calendar for your account by:
   • Going to Microsoft Admin Center
   • Navigate to Resources → Room & Equipment
   • Click the room name and click Edit or Show All in Delegates section
   • Select your account in Manage Delegates and click Save Changes

Now we can set up a Meeting Room widget in Designer. Click Meeting Room, then you'll need to use the above Microsoft account to sign in. Once signed in, you'll be able to choose the Room to use:

It will then appear on your design after a few seconds:

Selecting the Meeting Room widget and clicking Settings will let you format the widget:

Source - Shows the source of the Meeting Room app. The Room can be manually refreshed here, and the Source itself can be Replaced if needed.

Formats

• Type - Choose between Simple and Detailed types.
• Time Zone - Set the relevant Time Zone for your Meeting Room. This default's to the Device's time zone, but can be set to any other time zone.
• 24 Hours - When checked, times will show as on a 24-hour clock.
• Theme - Change between Light Theme and Dark Theme, or select a Custom theme.
• Opacity - Sets the opacity of the Meeting Room widget.

Scrolling Vertical

Scrolling Vertical allows you to add vertically scrolling text to your design. This is useful for building directories and all kinds of other applications.

To customize a Scrolling Vertical widget, select it, then click Settings.

Content

• Clicking Edit under will bring you to this screen:

• Here, you can enter text, customize it, change fonts, and even add things like tables.

Formats

• Scroll Direction - Choose between Up or Down scrolling directions.
• Scroll Speed - Change the speed at which your text scrolls.
• Background Color - Choose the color of the background. Choose between preset colors, colors already used in this design, or through the color picker.
• Opacity - Change the opacity of the background color.

Data Mapping - Allows mapping of dynamic data sources to your scrolling vertical element. For more information, see our Legacy Data Mapping with Google Sheets or Legacy Data Mapping with MS Excel article.

AeriCast

AeriCast allows you to insert an AeriCast app into your design for easy video conferencing.

Simply select an existing AeriCast add-on app to place it in the design.

For more information on setting up AeriCast, see our article on How to Use AeriCast for Wireless Presentation and Video Conferencing.

That’s all!

OptiSigns is the leader in digital signage software. If you have any additional questions, concerns or any feedback about OptiSigns, feel free to reach out to our support team at support@optisigns.com.