Graphic Layout Calculator User Manual

Overview

Graphic Layout Calculator helps you build precise row-and-column layouts without repeatedly doing the math by hand. Enter the artboard size, grid structure, gutters, margins and optional cell padding; the app calculates the resulting cell size and usable content area and gives you a visual preview.

Graphic Layout Calculator main screen with arrows pointing to the link controls for Margins and Cell Padding — The main calculator screen. The link controls let you apply one value equally to all four sides for Margins or Cell Padding.

Units

Choose Inches, Pixels or Millimeters. The example placeholders change with the selected unit, but placeholders are examples only; they are not entered values.

Artboard Size

Enter the overall width and height of the layout. These dimensions define the outside size from which margins, gutters and cells are calculated.

Columns, Rows & Gutter

Control	What it does
Columns	Sets the number of vertical grid divisions.
Rows	Sets the number of horizontal grid divisions.
Gutter Size	Sets the space between adjacent columns and rows.

Grid fields highlighted in red — Set the number of columns and rows, then enter the desired space between cells.

Margins

Margins create space between the outside edge of the artboard and the grid. Tap the link control to link the four fields; when linked, entering a value applies it equally to Top, Right, Bottom and Left. Unlink them when the sides need different values.

Cell Padding & Usable Content Area

Cell Padding does not change the grid geometry. It represents an inset inside each calculated cell. The app therefore shows both the full Cell Size and the smaller Usable Content Area. Like Margins, Cell Padding can be linked or entered independently for each side.

Cell Padding section highlighted in red — Use Cell Padding when you want to reserve space inside each calculated cell.

Example: If a cell is 1.00 inch wide and has 0.125 inch padding on both the left and right, the usable width is 0.75 inch.

Show Layout & Preview

After entering valid dimensions, tap Show Layout. The calculator creates the layout preview and updates the calculated results.

Show Layout button highlighted in red — Tap Show Layout after entering your dimensions to calculate and display the grid.

Layout Preview area highlighted in red — Layout Preview provides a visual check of the grid before you open the larger Grid Preview.

Results

The Results section summarizes the calculated geometry, including column width, row height, overall cell size, usable content area, total gutters, total margins and total padding.

Example Layout

These three screens show a complete example from input to finished preview. The example uses an 8.5 × 11 inch artboard with 8 columns, 6 rows, a 0.2 inch gutter and linked 0.2 inch margins. Cell Padding is left at zero.

Graphic Layout Calculator with example dimensions entered — **1. Enter the layout.** The fields define the artboard, grid, gutter and margins.

Calculated layout preview and results for the example — **2. Review the calculation.** The app displays the grid and reports the resulting cell dimensions and totals.

Full Grid Preview for the example layout — **3. Inspect the Grid Preview.** The larger preview shows the complete grid, settings summary and Save Grid control.

Saving / Exporting the Grid

Open the detailed Grid Preview and tap Save Grid. For inch and millimeter layouts, the app can export a 300-DPI PNG or a true-size PDF. Pixel layouts export as an exact-pixel PNG.

The exported grid contains the layout itself rather than the surrounding app interface, making it a handy template, ready to bring into your design workflow.

Clear / Reset

Clear / Reset clears entered values and returns the fields to their example placeholders. Blank margin and padding fields are treated as zero.

Tips

Use linked margins or padding when all four sides should match.
Switch units before entering a new layout so the field examples match your working units.
Columns and Rows use whole numbers.
For exact pixel artwork, use Pixel mode and the exact-pixel PNG export.