Lightbox Types

A Lightbox Type sets the shape of a lightbox sign and the parts it has, such as Face, Back and Border. For each part, you choose the materials that customers can select. You can also add extra pricing.

To find Lightbox Types, open your lightbox customiser. In the menu on the left, open Sign Components. Click Lightbox Types. If your window is narrower than 799 px, click the Menu button first. This item shows for every Lightbox customiser.

Customers see the Lightbox Type step only when the customiser has more than one Lightbox Type. By default, its heading reads “Choose a lightbox type”.

Parts of a Lightbox Type

The shape of the Lightbox Type decides which parts it has. The Sides section of the Lightbox Type shows the parts.

A Rectangle / Square Lightbox Type has these parts:

• Face: the front panel. Always on.

• Back: the rear panel.

• Top, Bottom, Left, Right: the four sides.

• Border: the frame edge around the lightbox. Always on.

• Internal Light: the light inside the lightbox.

The image shows the customer view of a lightbox, with the Choose your lightbox colours heading and a card for each part that has a choice. If the Face and Border parts have the same materials, with the same prices, in the same order, one card named Front + borders covers both parts.

A Circle Lightbox Type has these parts:

• Face: the front panel. Always on.

• Back: the rear panel.

• Side: the round edge of the lightbox.

• Border: the frame edge. Always on.

• Internal Light: the light inside the lightbox.

Each part has its own materials. When a part has two or more materials, or allows image uploads, customers choose from them in a card for that part. If the Face and Border parts have the same materials, with the same prices, in the same order, one card named Front + borders covers both parts. When two or more parts show cards, the heading above the cards reads “Choose your lightbox colours” by default. You can add extra pricing to the materials of a part.

A part with one material and no image uploads shows no card. The lightbox uses that material.

Creating a Lightbox Type

1. Open your lightbox customiser in the Sign Customiser admin.

2. In the menu on the left, open Sign Components.

3. Click Lightbox Types.

4. Click Add lightbox type. At the bottom of the list, a second button reads Add new lightbox type.

5. Under Sign Shape, click Rectangle / Square or Circle.

6. In the Sides section, switch the parts on or off. Face and Border stay on. A new Lightbox Type starts with only Face and Border on. Switch on the other parts that you want.

7. Enter a Label. This field is required. For example, “Slim rectangle” or “Round”.

8. Optional: enter a Description. Customers see it under the label.

9. Optional: under Popup Image (optional), add an example image. Customers can open it in a popup.

10. Optional: under Additional Pricing (optional), add a cost for this Lightbox Type. Refer to the pricing section below.

11. Click Save.

You cannot change the shape after you save. To use a different shape, create a new Lightbox Type. Save the Lightbox Type before you open its parts.

Setting up the parts

After you save, you can set up each part.

1. Click your Lightbox Type in the list.

2. Look at the parts list. Each row shows the part name, the number of materials and an Active switch.

3. To switch a part on or off, use the Active switch in its row. Face and Border have a locked switch because they are required.

4. Find a part with the badge Needs setup. This part is on but has no materials.

5. Click the part. Click Add texture to add at least one material.

6. On the part page, use the Title and Description fields. They set the name and text that customers see for that part.

7. Click Save.

A part with the badge Inactive is off. Customers do not see it.

Customer text

The Face part has a Customer Text section. Tick Allow customer text on this side to let customers add text to the face. Then add the Text colours that customers can select.

Customer image uploads

The Face, Back, Left and Right parts have a Visualiser Settings section. Tick Allow image uploads to let customers upload an image for that side. You can also show a default upload image. For the Face and Back steps, refer to Customer uploaded images for lightboxes.

Recessed Borders

By default, the border of a lightbox extends a small distance from the face and back panels in the 3D preview. Recessed Borders makes the border flush with the frame.

To turn on Recessed Borders:

1. Open any Lightbox Type.

2. Click the Border part.

3. Under Recessed Borders, tick Recessed Borders.

4. Click Save.

This setting is for the whole customiser. It applies to all Lightbox Types in the customiser, not only the one you opened.

When it is on, the face and back panels show no border overlay. The border colour still applies to the frame edges. The result is a cleaner look.

Single-Sided Lightboxes

A single-sided lightbox hangs on a wall or sits in a recess, so nobody sees the back. To make one, keep the Back part switched off.

When you switch off a side, the lightbox uses the Border colour on that side. The lightbox also turns off the light there. Customers do not see a colour picker for that side. This works for Top, Bottom, Left and Right too.

To set up a single-sided lightbox:

1. Open your Lightbox Type.

2. In the parts list, make sure that Back is off. A new Lightbox Type starts with Back off. Also switch off other sides that you do not need.

3. Open the Border part and choose the border colour. Border is always on.

4. Click Save.

How Lightbox pricing works

Lightbox pricing has layers:

1. Base price. Go to Core Setup, then Pricing. If the customiser uses Frame Fit pricing, the parcel charge depends on the size of the sign: its area for a flat parcel row, or its volume for a volumetric parcel row. In that table, the column between Name and Size Boundaries has no heading. A row that uses a flat parcel shows cm² (in² in a Store that uses inches). A row that uses a volumetric parcel shows cm³ (in³ in a Store that uses inches).

2. Material price. Each material has an optional Pricing (optional) section. Select Base Price to add a fixed amount. Select Price Multiplier to multiply a price. Price Multiplier Target sets what it multiplies: Letter Price Only (the default) or Final Price (includes additional costs from other options). For example, a premium face material can cost more than a standard white face.

3. Lightbox Type price. The Additional Pricing (optional) section of a Lightbox Type adds a cost when a customer selects that type.

4. Mounting fees. Set mounting fees under Mountings.

The base price is the starting point. The material price and the Lightbox Type price change it.

Compared with channel letters

Lightbox Types work like Letter Types in channel letter customisers. Channel letters have letter parts: Face / Front Lit, Side, Trim and Back Lit. Lightboxes have the parts in this article. The Sides section shows them. For the channel letter parts, refer to Letter Parts.