Launched this week
Cardpica
Design card layouts with HTML/CSS precision, driven by sheet
10 followers
Design card layouts with HTML/CSS precision, driven by sheet
10 followers
Most design software is overkill for batch cards. Cardpica is a lightweight tool built for those who love the precision of code and the organization of spreadsheets. Link Google Sheets, he most familiar data tool, and use HTML/CSS to define layouts with absolute control. Live preview and instantly transform data into cards for every employee, board game, or ID tag. Built for print-ready perfection: 300 DPI exports, native CMYK, finishing masks (Spot-UV/foil), and mm/inches support.
Love how this combines Sheets with HTML/CSS, basically exactly what I needed for printing event badges. One thing that would help a ton: add a way to save and reuse custom CSS snippets or templates across projects, so I am not rewriting the same card layout every time. Would make batch work way faster.
@pekcetinoz54652 Hi Ceylin, I completely agree with you on the need to reuse custom CSS snippets. To help with this, I am planning to add a project duplication feature in an upcoming update so you won't have to rewrite the same layout every time.
Furthermore, if time permits, I am also looking into adding a file download/export functionality. This way, you can save and reuse your templates not just across projects, but across different devices as well. Thanks for the great feedback!
One thing that would make this a no-brainer for my team is adding direct export to InDesign or PDF/X presets tailored for common print shops. A lot of printers still want those specific files, and having a one-click option to match their templates would save us a ton of back and forth.
@sebahattinu84r Hi Sebahattin, thanks for the suggestion. While a direct InDesign export is a heavier technical lift at the moment, adding specific PDF/X presets makes a lot of sense for standardizing the output. I can include the PDF/X standard in an upcoming release to help eliminate that back-and-forth with print shops. Appreciate the insight!
Honestly the CMYK and 300 DPI out of the box is a huge win, so many design tools still punt on print specs. Pairing that with mm/inches support basically means you can send straight to a printer without redoing anything, which is kind of rare for something this lightweight.
@cananim6v Hi Canan, thanks for pointing that out. Bridging the gap between lightweight design tools and actual print realities right out of the box was a core focus for me from day one. Glad to see that the approach makes sense to you!