M-Photo Album Maker v6.0

1. M-PhotoAlbum Maker v6.0 Technical Training November 2008

2. Hardware / software pre-requisites • Hardware • No special requirements: the standard configuration of any new computer is enough. • Disk space: depends on the expected volume and required backup period. • Dual processor: should boost running a few albums simultaneously. • Software • Lab side: XP Professional or Window 2003 server. • End-customer: (Win2000 – old and not recommended), XP, Vista • Currently not supported: Windows 64 bit, Mac • FTP server: hosting / internal • WEB site: integration

3. Infrastructure • .Net 2.0 • Microsoft SQLServer 2005. (up to version 5.5 it was MySql database). • HASP key. • Extensive use of file system and text files.

4. Installation • System setup (Version 6.0) • Don’t insert the HASP before the system asks to insert it. • Select Xerox default machine. • Leave all other selections to default, unless the disk is remote or a different drive than C. • Run latest Service pack. • LabAdmin – fill in the parameters of: • Lab name • ZIP password • Content packages • Backgrounds and album types – run HebrewContent.exe • Album Maker - load sample albums

5. Verify that the system works • Create a new album. • Perform some basic editing (frames, masks, backgrounds). • Print -> PDF • Xerox Machine - create a virtual folder for the inner pages and cover. • Album Maker - set the virtual folder name in the define album configuration dialog.

6. Color corrections (Optional) • Start the MPR500 Pro 5 • Open an album order • Color correct the images • Save and exit • => Print the album

7. Possible problems • C: drive must exist. • Different languages – might be problematic, work in English (lab side) if possible. • Client-server installations: Sharing, permissions and internal firewall problems. • HASP inserted before the system installation: try again, or manually install the driver. • Not enough disk space (usually on demo computers…) • Default Non-Unicode language – jpg files or folders with different language characters (Hebrew…) will not be printed correctly.

8. Configuration – Album types (1) • Double-sided printing: • Portrait albums – book, double editing. • Landscape albums – book, single editing. • Greeting cards – single page, double editing. • Single-sided printing: • Albums to be printed on mini-labs – photo book. • Calendars, Screw covers • Posters, postcards – single page, single editing

9. Configuration – Album types (2) • Page size and margins: • Define the full page size, including margins. • Define the margins size. • Define what to print on the margins. • Define the cut-marks. • Check the Full bleed checkbox of desired (make sure that margins are defined in all sides and margins >= full bleed setting)

10. Configuration – Album types (3) • Non-printable cover – define a list of covers (material, color, sample image). • Printable screw cover – define the cover size, margin and margin text. • Book cover – define the cover size, spine size (minimum and page thickness), margin and margin text.

11. Configuration – Album types (4) • Page templates: • Different templates for covers, first/last pages and middle pages. • Embed backgrounds in cover layouts but not in middle pages. • Lock elements for peephole picture, barcodes and Logo.

12. Designed content • Backgrounds: • Create as jpeg file (preferably with Photoshop). • Per subject (baby, travel) • Per album proportion (landscape / rectangle) • Sample albums: • Create like regular album, then mark as ‘sample’. • Masks, Frames, Effects, Clip-arts: • The defaults are enough, but this is the place where creativity can make a big difference. • Masks – Create as PNG files. • Frames – Created with Template maker, based on JPEG files • Effects – created with MPR500 Pro • Clip-arts – Create as PNG or JPEG files.

13. Recommended Product Types (1) • Portrait double-editing book, double-sided print, with printable book cover or external cover (regular/ peephole). • Landscape single-editing book, double-sided print, with external cover (no peephole). • Landscape single-editing screw, single-sided print, with external cover (regular/peephole). • Calendar (vertical flipping), single-editing, single-sided print, with external cover (regular/peephole). • Posters, greeting cards (double/single editing/print).

14. Recommended Product Types (2) • Note: editing printable covers for landscape albums may look small on standard non-wide screens. • Note: peepholes covers require locking the element in the first page, and it is supported in double-editing books or single-editing single-side print screw albums only.

15. Common Problems/Mistakes • Define album size in mm instead of cm. • Create page layouts based on other album type with different proportions. • Backgrounds don’t fit well for albums with different proportions. • Full bleed: stretch the page and not only the background.

16. Backup the configuration ! • After each significant change make backups with the ExportImport.exe utility. • The utility is found under C:\program files\m-photo\mpr500 pro 5. • The backup is kept in a ZIP file. • Sample albums should be backed up manually (by copying the album folder).

17. Better end customer experience • Choose ‘smartly’ single/double editing (album type definition) • Margin warning (album type definition) • Quality warning (MP-LabAdmin, photolab) • Hide advanced mode (AlbumMaker.ini file…) • Designed backgrounds and sample albums

18. End-Customer Cycle • End-customer computer: • Install. • Create an album. • Finish: • CD workflow • Upload workflow • Lab server: • Download (Optionally – if uploaded). • Load. • Print. • Note: Download, Load and Print may be automatic or manual.

19. Differentiation from other Album Maker users • Different album types (“product types”): • More backgrounds, masks, frames, sample albums. • Desktop icon, splash screen, welcome screen. • Company and product name (Add/remove programs and start menu). • Setup screens colors.

20. Distributing installations • Web site: • Single executable. • No .Net2.0 (auto download on install). • Size considerations: 30-50 MB with default content, bigger as content is added (page layouts, frames, masks, backgrounds). • => Content packages. • CD • Single executable or unzipped folder • The unzipped folder Includes .NET2.0.

21. Updates • Content update: • Done using FTP folder • Auto check in end-customer version. • Add to existing content • Replaces the existing content • Auto software update

22. End-Customer – creating an album • New album wizard: • Select pictures, album type and initial design. • Editing: • page level – layouts, backgrounds, add/remove/reorder pages. • Image level – fill-in, frame, effect, mask. • Texts • Clip-arts • Ordering wizard: • Preview order, select cover and copies, select shipment method, select how to send the order and pay.

23. Send album order • CD (disk on key, ..) – the Album Maker creates a single zip file that the user should burn/copy to the device to bring to the store for printing. • Internet – the Album Maker uploads through FTP the album order. The FTP client is separate from the Album Maker application and appears as a taskbar icon.

24. End-customer – common problems • Installation problems: • .NET2.0 setup fails. • Languages (default non unicode language). • Monitor DPI (should be 96). • Finish order problems: • Payment (usually a communication problem) • FTP upload (bad network, FTP server configuration).

25. Order format • The order is kept in a folder named <order number> under the albums base folder. • In the lab, it is also registered in the database. • Folder structure: • <order number>.aorder – text file, describes the order. • \<page_x> - folder for each page/double-page in the album. Each folder contains a page view named SampleImage.jpg. • \Pictures – folder that contains the high-res pictures. • \Pictures\Lowres – folder that contains the low-res pictures. • AlbumReport.html – contains the order report preview (only for loaded orders). • User.ini – contains the customer details (only for loaded orders).

26. Submitted order format • CD – a single ZIP file that contains the order folder except for the low-res files and preview images. • FTP – a folder that contains the following: • \Pictures (folder) - high-res (resized) pictures, and SaveNames.txt that contains the real image names. • \PreviewPictures sub folder • Folders.zip – pages folders + .aorder file. • CRC for all files. • Finished.txt

27. Load order • Download from FTP • Manual • Automatic (only client-server installation). • Wait for Finished.txt • “File | Load order” or “Load order” button. • The order is displayed and may be viewed and edited before printing.

28. Color correction • Done from MPR500 Pro module. • After the album is loaded, it appears in the “Open order” menu. • When finished correcting the pictures and changes are saved, they are reflected in the Album Maker and in the resulting PDF file. • Currently the end-customer cannot choose if he wants to color correct or not (future). • Business decision: results in higher quality albums, but not WYSIWYG and not automatic. • Common in the mini-lab market.

29. Print order • (“Print” = Prepare PDF) • Album Maker – open album + print. • Jobs list – select one or more jobs + print. • Jobs list - reports • Automatic loader (only client-server architecture) – may be configured to load and print immediately.

30. Common problems • Load album fails: • CRC check failed. • Manual zipping. • Content change (old album type). • Print/View album problems: • Pictures missing (problematic file names). • Fonts missing (end-customer used his own fonts). • Content change (old frames). • Low-res background (lab renamed background files).

31. Price model • Price model: for each album type • Basic price for X pages. • Additional price for each Y pages (over X). • Additional price per cover. • Additional price for shipment. • Prices are set from the configuration screen, Prices button. • Update prices: • Define another FTP folder. • Áuto-check updates in end-customer version.

32. Customer groups • Each customer groups can have its own prices. • The end-customer will have to enter a group code after the setup (the code will be given to him externally, for example, when he downloads the setup). • When this customer submits an order, the order file contains the group code for that customer. • Groups are defined using MP-LabAdmin, Customers tab: • Add a group (‘’My group”). • Add a customer (fill in code and first name) and map it to the group. • The customer code is the group code that the end-customer should enter.

33. Payment • Phone (external to the system). • Online (web integration): • Workflow – before upload • Integration is done using another FTP folder and txt files. • External management.

34. Client-Server system • Automatic workflows: • FTP download • Auto load with/without auto print. • Extensible – many clients using the same database.

35. Installation of Client-Server system • Must be connected to the LAN before the installation. • Shared folders: if the server is not part of the domain, it must enable simple file sharing in some other way. • Database: if there is a firewall it must be enabled for the clients database connection.

36. Server Automatic Workflow • Lab configuration in the Album maker Configuration. • Configure the FTP Downloader in the Automatic workflow tab. • Configure the Order loading (Hot Folder) in the Automatic workflow tab. • Configure the Email configuration. Apply also to non-server installations.

37. GUI customization Different skins Design new buttons Other skins colors Backgrounds for Show album preview Promotion area Management of GUI customization setups (Future)

38. From installation to a working product • [1 day] Installation + basic training • [2-4 weeks] Customer should define the products and customized content and experiment with the printing and cover making • [3-4 weeks] Customer should prepare an end-customer setup and distribute it to small number of customers • [2-4 weeks – may be during the previous stage] Customer should prepare web site for online-payment, and FTP hosting for orders upload and updates. • => System is ready for distributing ‘real’ end customer setups.

39. Make it easier • First stage: • Focus on 2-3 products • Use the default content (backgrounds, masks, frames, etc) • No album upload (bring CD with the order) • No online payment (phone payment) • Business decisions: outsource cover making, focus on specific market segment. • Second stage: • More products, FTP upload, online payment

40. Future • Order status tracking • Workflow tracking for lab operator • Internet based • End-customer experience • Sharing albums and reordering • Internet based • Affiliate management • Configuration • Revenue sharing • Tracking

41. M-Photo Support • Web site: www.m-photo.com allows to send tickets, search for information (knowledgebase) and download files (requires registration) • FTP: ftp://support.m-photo.com, username: partnerf, password: partner – specific information in partner’s folder • Call-in numbers: • Office: +972-3-7514864