Product Bases - Product Designer App

7 min read

Product Bases #

A Product Base is the foundation of every customizable product in Product Designer App (PDA).

It defines how a product is displayed in the Design Studio, where customers can place their designs, how print files are generated, and how the product is connected to WooCommerce.

Every customizable product must have a Product Base before it can be assigned to a WooCommerce product.

Before You Begin #

Before creating a Product Base, make sure you have already:

Installed and activated Product Designer App.
Created at least one Printing Type.
Prepared your product mockup images.
Created a WooCommerce product (optional but recommended).

How Product Base Works #

A Product Base acts as the bridge between WooCommerce and the Design Studio.

WooCommerce Product → Product Base → Views (Front, Back, Left, Right...) → Layers → Design Areas → Customer Customization → Print-ready Files

Without a Product Base, customers cannot customize a product in the Design Studio.

Open the Product Bases Page #

Navigate to: WordPress Admin → Product Designer App → Products

On this page you can:

View all Product Bases
Create a new Product Base
Import Product Bases
Upload exported Product Base files
Edit existing Product Bases
Duplicate Product Bases
Delete Product Bases

Click Add Product to create a new Product Base.

Create product designer app

Create a New Product Base #

Step 1 — Configure Basic Information #

Complete the basic product information.

Product Name #

Enter a descriptive name. Examples:

Classic T-Shirt
Coffee Mug
Business Card
Phone Case

Choose a name that is easy to identify when assigning Product Bases to WooCommerce products.

Printing Type #

Select the Printing Type that will calculate the customization price.

A Product Base requires at least one Printing Type.

If no Printing Type exists, create one first before continuing.

Product Thumbnail #

Upload a thumbnail image that represents the product.

The thumbnail is used inside the administration panel to help identify Product Bases quickly.

Number of Views #

Select how many printable sides the product has. Examples:

Product	Views
Mug	1
Business Card	2
T-Shirt	2
Hoodie	4
Packaging Box	Multiple

Each view represents one printable side that customers can customize.

Step 2 — Open the Design Setup #

Click Setup Design.

This is where you configure how the product behaves inside the Design Studio.

The setup consists of two main sections:

Info
Layers

Configure the Info tab first before creating design layers.

Step 3 — Configure Product Information #

Measurement Unit #

Choose the design unit. Available units include:

Pixels (PX)
Inches (IN)
Centimeters (CM)

The selected unit affects the print area size and exported print files.

Use the same unit as your production workflow whenever possible.

Product Colors #

Product Colors define the available color variations.

Each Color Group represents a customizable area of the product rather than a single color. Examples:

Body
Sleeve
Collar
Handle
Lid

For each Color Group configure:

Color Group Name
Color Type
Available Colors

Supported color types include:

Color Picker
Custom Color List

You can add, rename, edit, or remove color groups at any time.

Tip

Use meaningful names such as Body, Sleeve, or Handle instead of generic names like “Color 1”.

Product Sizes #

Create the available product sizes. Examples:

These options are available to customers when ordering the product.

Step 4 — Configure Product Views #

Switch to the Layers tab.

Every view represents one printable side. Examples:

Front
Back
Left
Right
Inside
Outside

For each view:

Select the view
Give it a descriptive name
Configure the design layers

Each view can have completely different images and design areas.

Step 5 — Configure Background Layers #

Background Layers display the product image behind the customer’s artwork.

A Background Layer typically contains:

Product mockup
Product color
Texture
Shadow

You can:

Upload a background image
Restore the default background
Apply product colors
Move the background
Add multiple background layers

Multiple background layers are useful for products that require separate shadows, highlights, or overlays.

Step 6 — Create Design Areas #

A Design Area defines where customers can place artwork.

Every printable area should have at least one Design Layer.

Configure the following:

Layer Name #

Use descriptive names such as:

Front Print
Back Print
Logo Area

Print Size #

Set the actual printable size.

This is one of the most important settings because it determines the dimensions of exported SVG, PNG, and PDF files.

Always use the real production print size.

Rounded Corners #

Optionally apply rounded corners to the editable area.

This is useful for products such as:

Phone cases
ID cards
Credit cards
Stickers

Position and Size #

Resize and move the design area until it matches the printable region of the product image.

Customers will only be able to place their artwork inside this area.

Mask Layer #

Apply a mask if needed.

Masks are used only for the live preview.

They help simulate:

Fabric folds
Product edges
Curved surfaces
Transparent windows

Masks are not included in exported print files.

Step 7 — Repeat for Additional Views #

If your product has multiple printable sides, repeat the same process for each view.

For example, a T-shirt may include:

Front
Back

A hoodie may include:

Front
Back
Left Sleeve
Right Sleeve

Each view can have its own:

Background image
Design area
Mask
Layer configuration

Step 8 — Save the Product Base #

Once all views have been configured, click Save Product.

Your Product Base is now ready to be used.

Create product designer app

Step 9 — Assign the Product Base #

The Product Base can now be linked to one or more WooCommerce products.

Multiple WooCommerce products can share the same Product Base.

For example:

Black T-Shirt
White T-Shirt
Blue T-Shirt

can all reuse the same Product Base while using different product variations.

Test the Product #

Before publishing, verify the complete workflow.

Open the product on the storefront and confirm that customers can:

Open the Design Studio
Switch between views
Upload images
Add text
Change colors
Design only inside the editable area
Generate correct print previews

Finally, place a test order and verify that the exported print files match your production requirements.

Manage Product Bases #

Open:

Product Designer App → Product Bases

From this page, you can edit or remove existing Product Bases.

Edit a Product Base #

Click Edit next to the Product Base.

You can update:

Name
Thumbnail
Number of sides
Product Design
Product Attributes
Product Advanced

After making changes, click Update Product.

Test all affected products after changing a Product Base, especially when the same product base is assigned to multiple WooCommerce products.

Remove a Product Base #

Click Remove to delete a Product Base.

Before removing it, confirm that it is not assigned to an active product.

Deleting a Product Base that is currently in use may prevent the order from render print file correctly.

When possible, assign a replacement Product Base before deleting the old one

Best Practices #

Use high-resolution product mockups.
Match the design area to the real printable region.
Use descriptive names for Product Bases and views.
Reuse Product Bases for similar products whenever possible.
Keep layers organized and properly ordered.
Test every view before publishing.

Troubleshooting #

The Design Studio Does Not Open #

Check that:

A Product Base has been assigned.
A Printing Type is selected.
The WooCommerce product is published.

Customers Cannot Design #

Verify that:

A Design Area has been created.
The Design Area has a valid size.
The Design Area is inside the product image.

Print Files Have the Wrong Size #

Confirm that:

The Measurement Unit is correct.
The Print Size matches your production specifications.
The Design Area has not been resized incorrectly.

Product Colors Do Not Change #