Presentation Gold is a workflow and sales tools for the professional photographer. It is a viewing, ordering, album creation and package ordering programs. It allows you to prepare your images for Preview Gallery, our Web Hosting and E commerce service. They were created by professional photographers. The features and functionality of the programs were designed for the real working studio environment.

These instructions are constantly being updated and modified as we add new features and make changes to original ones. Don't be flustered if you see a reference to an older program. Even though we change the names of the program as they improve, the main functionality of the program remains the same.

Of course, if all else fails and you need personal "live" help. Send is an email with the problem and be sure to include your phone number.  We do call back if we can't address the issue in a return email.

Be sure to visit our Video Library.
We have instructional videos on almost all aspects of our programs. Click here

Screen Resolution

Presentation Gold requires a screen resolution of 1024x768 or greater. If you like to work normally at lesser resolutions, the program will automatically resize the screen to 1024x768 when you open Presentation, and go back to your normal setting when you close the program.

Preferences Screens

Next you go to "View/Preferences". In Preferences we have a little homework to do. (the screen capture below)

Studio Information

When you start Presentation Gold for the first time, the "Information" screen opens. Place your information in this screen and click "ok". Your studio information will appear on the invoices Presentation will create, as well as placing your information as an identifier in the orders sent to the lab.

If you wish, you may always go back and fill in this information later.

Order ID Numbers

While the instructions for it’s use are actually on the Order Information Screen itself, we thought we would give you a quick review of its function. In an effort eliminate traditional "order envelopes" we used with our negative orders, Presentation has this unique order ID system. What makes it unique? Unlike standard continuous order numbering systems. This module allows you to enter "Pre-assigned" order ID numbers that are used by some labs. Check with your lab and ask them how they would like you to handle the Order ID Number issue.

By default Presentation will increase the order number "by one" each time you create a new order.

Items / Prices Screen   

Video

1- in the price schedule box click Add, then enter a name for your new Price Group.

2- in the size column you can uncheck the sizes you don't want to show in the order list on the screen.

3- in the size column you can click a size and give it a price. Click "Save" when finished and the prices will register. You should rename the Price/Config Files to reflect the price group you are creating.

You can create as many Price Groups as you need. Each Price Group only applies to the Lab's config file you have resident when you create the Price Group. You may ask why?  Not every lab offers every size print. If you created a Price Group, or left a size for one config file and then selected another that didn't offer those sizes, you would have major problems at the lab.

4- If you need to select a Price Group for a session, or to pass a Price Group to the Presentation Viewer with the images, come back to this screen and select the Price Group you need.

If you are a subscriber to our Preview Gallery Web Hosting Service, you will be able to select a Price Group within the Preview Gallery System. The Gallery uses the same Price Groups, but you don't select them from this screen to use them with the Gallery.

Some labs do not make individual Wallet size prints. Fuji labs have a minimum of 4 wallets.
Ask your lab what the multiplication factor is for their wallet orders.

Miller's Customers: you cannot create "Custom Packages" and order "Services", for a custom package,
 from the list in the "Display Services Window".

Quantities per menu
When you begin using Presentation you will see the Quick Order system. You can order prints for selected images by clicking the size button. To the right of the size button is a dropdown menu that will also allow you to order prints. In the dropdown you can select quantities. In the "Quantities per menu" box you can determine the quantities you would like to show in the dropdown list.

Q-Button Count
Above the size buttons in the Quick Order screen you will see a group of boxes. These are the "Package" maker buttons. You will read more about the Package System later, but here you determine how many packages you want to show on the screen.

Album Options Screen- You can use Photoshop to create a custom album design and use it in your album layouts.
 

File Locations Screen

Presentation will automatically create folders in the "C" Drive to store your orders and your orders in progress and your finished orders that are ready to go to the lab. You can change the drive locations in this screen. You can also select the location where your images are stored and when you click the "Open Images" button you will be taken to that location.

You can create your own folders in any drive on your computer, and link them in the Folder Locations screen. You must actually create the folders in Windows Explorer. You CANNOT just change the drive letter in the window in the File Location screen.

Make a new folder in your new location, then browse to it and select it.

Do not place your orders in a folder too many levels below the drive location. Try and limit your image directories and your output folders to 2-3 levels below the drive location. If you have a problem opening an order you created this could be the cause: Too many levels of folders.

Do not place folders in "My Documents" or on the "Desktop". If you take a minute to follow the "path" from My Documents or the Desktop, you will find it contains too many levels of folders.
 

Images Folder

You probably won't want to store your images in your C drive. Most C drives have limited capacity. You can change the location of any of the folders listed in the "File Locations" screen. The Images Folder location folder in C:/Presentation is only created there to give you a starting point if you are new at creating windows folders.

Order Folder
When you create a new order Presentation place the order in the Order Folder. The order folder will contain the Order.dat file and the Crop.dat files. These files are transferred to the Lab Order Folder when you create a Lab Order to be sent to our Partner Labs. These files instruct the lab and the printing equipment how to print your order. If you close an order and need to reopen it before completing the "Process Order" function- this is the folder you will open. Browse to the customers order folder and click on the "Order.dat" file. Your order will open and the images will appear.

Lab Order Folder
Select a location to place your Finished Output Orders to be stored and sent to the lab. If you have two or more drives in you computer, use the one designated for storage. The Lab Order folder contain the ordered images. They take up a lot of space. You can delete them after you send your order to the lab, since you can create the Lab Order again by simply opening the "Order" and processing it again.

Album Templates
In the Template Designer Tool, you will have an opportunity to select a location for your templates.  If you don't create a folder, the templates will be placed in this folder for you.

Music
If you save your slide show music in this folder, when you click the browse button for your music selections, it will go right to this folder.

Image Editing Application
Browse to the EXE for the image editing program you will be using such as Photoshop, Image Expert, Paintshop Pro ,ect. Link to the EXE of the program and when you click the "edit in other program" button later the program will open and your image will appear in the program.

Logo Folder
At the moment this feature is only available at some Fuji Labs. Ask your lab if they use this feature and they will tell you what to do.

Remember: Do not place your orders in a folder too many levels below the drive location. Try and limit your image directories and your output folders to 2-3 levels below the drive location. If you have a problem opening an order you created this could be the cause. Too many levels of folders.

Configuration Files

Presentation allows you to select a "Configuration File". What is a Config File? Every lab has different sizes and additional services they offer. If you have Presentation installed in your computer and your lab decides to change their sizes or additional services you would have to install a new version of Presentation to accommodate the changes.

From our side, we are constantly improving and upgrading our programs all the time. We would have to make individual versions of our programs to include these different sizes and services being offered by the labs. The best way to handle these issues is the Config File. When you install Presentation you also have to install the Config File for your lab. The active Config File will appear in the caption bar on the main screen.

When you receive your Lab's Config File, if does not install itself in your files, you can install it yourself at:

c:/program files/performer software/presentation gold 6/config files

You cannot create an order for or partner labs unless you have their Config File installed. If you do create an order with the "Default" config file, you will not be able to send it to your lab when you complete the order. Be sure you have your Lab's Config installed before you start your order.

You may import a new/different configuration file by selecting "Select Config File" which is located on the "File" Menu.

You may not change a config file during an ordering session.
You must select the config file before starting an order.

---

Option Menu

Apply Color to Thumbs- Our programs never apply rotation, cropping, color correction, or rotation to your original images. These attributes are only applied at the lab after the lab process your order in our PDP5000 Process Controller. Or, if you are using Presentation, these attributes will be applied if you create a Universal, Multiple, or an Album Page. (you will read more about these options later). Since these attribute are never really applied to your image, we must apply the "data" to the images each time you open the images in the programs. In an effort to save you time while viewing images you may wish to turn off the color corrections that are applied to the image thumbnails. This will depend on the speed of your computer. Test it both ways and see what you think.

Copy Images to Order Folder- again, you can save yourself some time by not requiring the programs to create duplicate images for the order folder. You will also save drive space.

Rapid Upload Jpeg Conversion- This is a special feature that we installed for certain types of image files that won't open in Presentation. If your images are regular Tiff and Jpeg files, ignore this feature.

If you create orders from images on a CD, they will not retain the rotation, color correction, or crop data in the Original Image Directory, as our program normally does. If you do decide to make orders from images on CD's, you must have the "Copy Images to Order Folder" option checked so that the images are moved to the order folder

Our suggestion- do not work with images on CD's.

Renumber and Transfer Images Module (formerly called Batch Transfer)  Video

Click on "Renumber and Transfer Images " which is located on the "File" menu.

The new module contains our original Batch Transfer and Renumbering program, and the EZ Rename Tool. Let's begin with the Batch Transfer and Renumbering instructions.

Select "Basic" and follow the instructions below.

This renumbering module is unlike anything you ever used before. It is designed for Professional Photographers to remove their images from their memory cards and renumber the images with regular numbers.

The System does two things - it copies your images from your memory cards and sorts them in date/time order. And it will allow you to renumber images from multiple cameras or photographers and keep them in order within the batch. This concept is so "different" you must read about it to understand the principles behind it. Here is an example…

Before you use the batch transfer- be sure your cameras have the time/date set correctly.

You have two photographers on a job. One takes the portraits, the other does the candids. When the time comes to create a file of the images you want to keep some order to the sequences of the day. Since the Presentation Renumbering Module sorts by time of day, there would be a lot of confusion viewing the images if the portraits were mixed with the candids.

We created a solution. "Batches".

Here is how you copy your images to the computer and keep them separated, yet numbered in order. Create a batch for the portraits then a batch for the candids.

NOTE: We highly recommend "Copying" not "Moving" your images from memory card sources. Camera manufacturers recommend that you reformat your memory cards in the camera, using the camera’s software. You may choose to use the "Move" function if you are renumbering images that already reside on your hard drive.

Let’s continue….It is so simple you won’t believe it!!

Let’s renumber some images!!!

Select a Source Path, and a Destination Path.

Place a memory card with images in the reader.

Type in a customer name.

Click "Open Batch". (If you are renumbering a portrait session from one card you don’t need to open a batch, just click the start button and your images will be retrieved and renumbered).

Click "Start"

You can watch as the images move to the computer. They are moving to a Temp folder that Presentation created on the destination drive you selected.

When the Import Process is completed you can add another card of images, or you can "Close" the batch. When you Close the batch the images you copied to the Temp folder will be renumbered in Date/Time order and placed in the customer folder you created. You don’t have to copy the images

to the computer in any particular order. Presentation will sort all the images in a "Batch". If you have images from a second camera or photographer, open a new batch, import the images, and close the batch. Don’t open and close the batch with each memory card of images. Think of the batches as separators for each camera or photographer. Each batch will be sorted in Date/Time order.

If you should accidentally close the renumbering module before you close the batch you will have to delete the copied images that are in the Temp folder and start again. No harm is done to the images on your cards. They are only "Copied" to the computer.

If you should close the renumbering module before entering all of your images, when you reopen the renumbering module and continue the renumbering process for that order, you will be told a folder exists for the name you have chosen. You can continue to add images to that folder by starting at a new number. If images exist in a folder you have chosen, the last image number will appear next to the "Image Folder" designation. Start the new batch with the next highest number.

NOTE: The Presentation Renumbering System has been designed to renumber new images directly from memory cards. While you may try and renumber images that are already on your computer, we found that once images have been manipulated in any way, it can interfere with the Date/Time sorting feature. Use your existing images as they are and begin using Presentation to renumber your new images.

If you would like to test the Presentation Renumbering System with an existing image folder on your hard drive, DO NOT make the Source and Destination Folders the same. Create a new folder for the renumbered images, then delete the original image folder.

Some photographers like to add the customer names to their images. If you take the time to learn how Presentation can help you with your image ordering, you will find that the smallest file name for an image is the best method. If you use Presentation from beginning to end with your image viewing and ordering, your images will be kept in your clients own folder, you can create orders that will continue to use the clients name, and the finished order will return from the lab as an individual order for that client.

The Presentation Batch Transfer Module handles-jpg, tiff, nef, crw, raf, and dcr formats. The proprietary formats for the individual cameras will not allow viewing of images in Presentation- only Batch Transfer and Renumbering.

PSezRename

1.  Open an image directory/folder

2. Type a ? in the second open box in the Advanced Section.

3. "Click" the letters you want to remove from the new file names. In the example above we checked the "DSC" characters. You can see the "F" still appears in the "New File Name" column below. If we clicked on the "F" it would not appear in the file name.

The PSezRename tool is very powerful. If you are using images from scans, your images may have long complicated file names. You can use the 3rd box to actually add characters to the end of file names. If you need to work with these kinds of files, contact us and we will instruct you as to the best way to handle your situation.

Preview/Compare Screens

You may toggle between the one, two and three screen views by clicking on the "Preview" icon found on the toolbar.

There are also 2 "Light Tables" for viewing groups of images. The Image Organizer is still functional in the Light Tables.*

The Compare Screen* is our unique 2 image comparison system. Images move to the right side of the view screen by clicking the thumbnail. If you like the image, move it to the left screen by double clicking the image. Click the next thumbnail, it moves to the right screen. If you like it more than the image in the left screen, double click it, it will move to the left screen. If you want to keep the image on the left side, click another thumbnail and the image in the right screen disappears. It sounds more confusing than it really is. Try it and you will see how easy it is to use.

Once you have made your final choice, click the image you like and click the size button in the image ordering list. Click the size button to add quantities or use the drop down list or you can even type in the quantity. You can enter quantities for as many sizes as you like and when you are finished click "Order" at the top of the list to place the order. You can then select another image, order you quantities, and do this with as many images as you like before going to the crop screen to crop the images. You don't have to order and crop each image individually if you are in any one of the main screen views. You can crop all of your images at one time after you are finished ordering your images.

Simply put. How do I get an image into the left screen, you may ask….double click the image on the right.

Your clients can finally compare two images side by side to make their choices!

Light Tables*

In addition to the 3 view screens described above, Presentation Gold has 2 Light Tables that allow you to view groups of images. In the Light Tables you can Double Click any image and it will appear in full screen view. You can also leave the screen in "Full Screen Mode" and use the arrow keys to scroll through images.

Creating a New Order

"When you click "File" you will see three options, Open Images, Open Order and Open ONLY Ordered.

"Open Images" allows you to view a directory of images without creating an order.  While viewing images, if you should either order an individual print or create an album page, the "Create New Order" screen will appear and prompt you to enter an order name and number.

"Open Order" allows you to open an order in progress.

"Open ONLY Ordered". You may choose to open only the images that have been ordered, and apply color correction and retouching. This feature is very helpful for those who are doing their own color correction, and do not wish to stop and color correct each image during the ordering process. This feature will only work if the check the Options/Copy Images To Order Folder option.

You will find that Presentation has features that are very different from any other image ordering program on the market today. Presentation allows you to create an order - STOP the order process, and go back later and continue or revise the order. You can create an invoice for you client, continue with your image manipulation in your favorite programs, (Photoshop, etc) and then go back and finish the order creation for the lab.

Let’s start a new order now, and we will get back to the opening of a previously created order later.

Renumbering an Order from the Presentation Viewer*
When you open an order from the Presentation Viewer, you will be given an option of entering an order number. Some labs require you to use specific numbers for all order you send them. When that box appears you can enter the order number.

File Naming Conventions
As you can on the order screen above, we have a list of characters NOT to use when naming any types of files, folders, images, ect.  Commas and Periods are the worst enemies of the computer. Keep file names short and simple. Jones K  -NOT Jones, K.

Ordering Information
Name your event. Use the client’s name or whatever else you wish. Each order will be assigned a number to start with. Your first order will be "Smith_00001", your second order of Smith will be "Smith_00002", and so on, depending the starting number of course. This way you don’t have to worry about trying to keep track of additional orders placed by the same clients. If you don’t designate a location, Presentation will create a folder named "Presentation Orders" in your "C" drive. You may change this to any drive you wish. The dialog box to change the location of Presentation Orders Folder has been moved to the Preferences Screen. Click on "View/Preferences" and you will find the Presentation Orders location.

Selecting Images

Click  "Open", and all the images in the directory will begin to appear in the thumbnail bar in Presentation.

You can open a single image by clicking that image and it will open in the thumb bar.

You can select a group of images by selecting a first image and holding the "Shift" key while selecting the last image of the group you wish to open.

You can select random images by holding the "Ctrl" key and selecting images. After making your selections, click "Open".

The cropping and rotation data are stored in the "Crop Data" file that is automatically created the first time you rotate, crop or color correct an image. The file is placed in the original image directory. If you are selecting images from a CD, you cannot create a file back on the CD.

A crop, rotation and color correction data file will be created and will be placed in your order folder and will go to the lab along with your images. The data will be applied at time of processing. Keep in mind that all of your color correction, rotation and cropping instructions will not be retained in your original image directory for later use, since the data cannot be written back to the CD. This may not be a major concern if you are only ordering one or two images, but we suggest you do not work with large quantities of images in your orders since you will not be able to retain your data.

Do not place your Image Directories in a folder too many levels below the drive location. Do not place any folders on the Desktop or in My Documents. Try and limit your image directories and your output folders to 2-3 levels below the drive location. If you have a problem opening an order you created this could be the cause. Too many levels of folders.

Images Appear

There they are. Thumbnails are appearing one at a time. You must wait for all the thumbnails in the file to open before you may select one. You can click on any thumbnail in the series. You do not have to click thumbnails in order. This is very helpful when you are trying to narrow down your choices. Click any images until the two or three you like best are on the view screen.

You can batch select images in the Thumbnail control bar and rotate them. Presentation uses the same image selection conventions as windows.

Hold the Control Key and the left mouse key down at the same time and click images. Then rotate them all at once.

Click a first image in a series, then, hold the shift key and the left mouse key down at once, and click the last image of your selection. All the images will be selected for rotation.

You can order images from the thumbnails. Select all the thumbnails and order 1 4x5 of each for proofing. All the ordered images will appear in the cropping module. With the new Auto Advance feature in the cropping module you can crop 300 images in 15 minutes!!!

We should mention at this time that you can’t DELETE images from Presentation. Using the DELETE key only moves an image out of the view screen and Thumb Bar, and moves it to a DELETES folder that is created automatically inside the master image directory for your images. You can always move them back to the main images directory if need be.

Combining Image Directories (folders)

When you select an image directory, your files will appear in the big box. You cannot select images from multiple directories. If you have images in different folders, you must combine them into one directory/folder to use all of the images in Presentation.

Before combining image folders, be sure the images all have different names or they will overwrite and delete themselves.

You can combine images from different image folders while working on an order.  Go to Windows Explorer, move the images you need into the main image folder you are working with. When you return to Presentation, right click a thumbnail and click the "refresh" button.

Function Menu

Right click an image in the large view pane. This box appears. (At various time we make subtle changes to some of the menus. some features are removed, or moved or new ones added. If you can't find something that was there before, click around for it. If you still can't find it, contact us.)

---

To set up the link to Photoshop
Go to the View/Preferences screen. (we have a video in the library about how to link to Photoshop)

You may choose to retouch an image while you are currently within the order process. We suggest you retouch your images after you create your order, and do so with the images in the Order Folder, if you have that option checked off. But, you can use this feature if you like. As you will read later in the Color Correction Section, you can retouch an image in the order folder and it will automatically apply the retouching to duplicate B&W and Sepia images.
 

Find

You can also select an individual image by using "Find". Type an image number into this box and the image will appear in the view screen.

A client may decide to place an order at a later date. They call you and give you an image number. You don’t have to "thumb" through the image file to find the image. Just use Find. This is a great feature for event photographers. You may have a list of image numbers and sizes from your Bride or Corporate Planner. You can Find each image and use the ordering system to create your order. Be sure to remind your lab to print the "file names" of your images on the back or front of your finished prints.

With the addition of the new feature that allows you to open selected images, and you can do that from images on a CD, in the "Open Images" browse box, you may decide to make your selections that way.  Please be aware- you cannot select images from multiple CDs and include them in one order. We are working on that concept and we will inform you when it is ready.

Using Presentation ourselves everyday in the studio, we realized that by combining "Find" with the Quick Order module we could retrieve images and order them immediately.

Proof Book Ordering Tools

1. Be sure you are using a Config file from your lab that contains the new Proof Book capabilities.

2. Open an image directory/folder. Move the images you want to use in the proof book, to the Image Organizer. Be sure you have selected the Proof Book category.

You can add the images to the Organizer in any order, and you can move them around on the Organizer to place them in the order you like.

3. When you have the images organized, cropped and color corrected (if you do your own color correcting), select all of your images-in the Organizer Bar. 

Select one image and click the CTRL and the "A"  key, or right click the thumbnails and "Select All".

4. In the order column, select the Proof Book size you want. Click Order.

5. Open the Services menu.

6. Enter any additional instructions based on your lab's requirements.

7. Open the Album Designer. Select a cover for your Proof book from your labs supplied selections, or make your own cover. Be sure to make the cover the same size as the Proof Book format your selected.

8. Drag in your image, fill in the text, select a background color if applicable, add the cover to the Album View columns.

9. You can review your Additional Services details in the process order screen and make changes before sending you order to the lab.

10. When you are finished, create a CD , or send your order by FTP.  Before clicking the Process Order button, select "This is a Proof Order" option and your images will be resized down for faster FTP transfer and smaller CD space required.

Black &  White, Sepia, and Duplicate Image

At the bottom of the Color Correction Bar, you will find this set of buttons. The first button, "Add Color", will create a duplicate color image on the thumb bar, of the image you've selected. Clicking the Black and White or any of the Sepia Buttons will also create duplicate images, those being create in Black and White or Sepia. You will read more about our color correction system later, but we should point out that you will need to create your own Sepia 2 and 3 colors of your choice in the View/Color Preferences Screen.

You will find the Color Correction Tool option in the View Menu, or you can click the small "triangle" in the upper right corner of the operation screen.

Print Ordering

Print Ordering                                                                                               Printable PDF #103
Step 1 Order Prints Video 1 Ordering/Cropping Video 2 Multiple Print Ordering	1- Click File/Open Images, or this icon     . 2- Select an image in the thumbnail bar. 3- Click the "Size" buttons to order sizes and add quantities. 4- Click the "Order" button at the top of the size/quantities column, Name your Order. Continue ordering.
Step 2 Cropping and Color Correction	If your images are already cropped and ready for ordering, you can skip Step 3. For future orders, you may want to use our cropping system. It is easier, faster and more efficient than using Photoshop. Go to the Crop Screen.   1- Hold the "Shift Key", and move your mouse to adjust the crop box. 2- When you have it the way you like it, let go of the shift key. 3- Move the mouse and the Crop Box moves. Click the "Space Bar" on your keyboard, or "Double Click" the image and it will crop. 4- Click the Space Bar again or Double Click the image and the crop will go away. You can't make any cropping mistakes. The program will only allow you to crop the images in the correct aspect ratio as the size of the print ordered. You cannot crop an 11x14 ordered print, with an 8x10 crop. IT'S FOOLPROOF Order first, then crop!!! Color Correction: We assume if you choose to color and density correct your images, you have some knowledge in that area. We will be happy to work with you in balancing your monitor to the labs output. You don't need any profiles. Simply send your "out of the camera" images. If you do work on your images in Photoshop, save them in sRGB format. Cameras have made tremendous improvements in color and density control the past few years. You will be amazed at how easy it will be to get perfect prints from your images. If you do find that your monitor is not matching the results from our lab, we will show you how to use our Master Balance Color Offset Control to improve your results. You can use our built in Color Correction tool or Photoshop. If you do your own color correcting and use our cropping tool, you will only have to color correct one image. All of the color corrections will be applied to EACH image before printing.
Step 3 Transmit your Order	1- Click the "Process Orders and Images" icon. 2- Then click the "Process Order" Button. 3- Click the Transmit  icon. 4- Your order will appear in the screen. Select the order, Click "Add the Selected Order" 5- When the connection is complete- click "Upload"

Select an image in the View Screen, or a Thumbnail, click the "size" button in the Quick Order Column and you will see a quantity appear in the box to the right. Each time you "click" the size, the quantity will increase. You can use the drop down and select the quantity, or you can type in any quantity you like. After selecting your sizes and quantities, click "Order" and your prints will be ordered.

If a "size" has a number in (), such as Wallets(8), that means if you select the quantity of 1- you will be ordering 8 wallets.

In the process order screen you will see "1" in the ordered column. You will receive 8 wallets in your order.

To see more sizes, providing you lab offers more sizes, right click the size buttons and drag the size bar up.
 

"Package Ordering".

Presentation allows you to store multiple package combinations. A package is created by entering the quantity and size you wish to include in the package into the Quick Order Screen. Hover the cursor over one of the "Package" Buttons and right click. The "Package Setup Menu" appears.

Click on "Store Package Contents". After creating a package, click the Clear Contents Button and you can create another package.

Now when you click on the button for the package you created, you will see the quantities and sizes for that package appear in the "Quick Order Screen". You can click the same package multiple times and the quantities will be accumulated. You can also click another package and the quantities will be accumulated.

Click "Order", and the total quantities and sizes for that image will be ordered. You may modify the quantity of prints being ordered by making the changes to the quantities and sizes prior to clicking the "Order" Button.

This is a very flexible system. It allows you to order multiple packages, modify the quantities, add quantities, remove quantities before you actually create the order for that image. Try it and you will see how versatile a system it is

If the "Auto Order" Button is checked, the package will be ordered when you click on the package name.

If the "Auto Advance" Button is checked, when you click on an image and order a package, Presentation will advance to the next image

You may change the name of the package by clicking on "Enter Pack Name". You may enter up to five characters and click "OK".

If you are a Sports or other Event Photographer, try this. Open a group of images from your event. Assuming you have an order list and each image in the thumbnail bar will be receiving a package, click the Auto Order and Order Advance boxes. Now click your first thumbnail. Look at you order form and click the package that applies to the first thumbnail. You will find that after that Package has been ordered, the "focus" will move to the next thumbnail. All you have to do is click the next package button that applies to the next thumbnail and it will be ordered. You can continue this process as fast as you can read the orders and click the Package Button. When you're finished with the ordering process, you can move to the Cropping Screen and with the Auto Advance Feature enabled, you can crop up to 300 images in fifteen minutes.

Next you click the size of the image in the "Ordered" box. As you can see the "crop squares icon" appears in the "Group Format" size box. One of the unique features of the Presentation Cropping System is that you only have to crop one size per "Group Format". Crop a 5x7, and the wallets and 3.5x5 are cropped. Crop an 8x10 and the 4x5, 16x20, and 20x24 are cropped. 11x14 has its own crop. You will see the corresponding sizes turn bold red.

Presentation allows you total custom cropping control. You can also crop each image as an 8x10, 5x7, and an 11x14, for example, and each image is custom cropped.

Double Click the image size in the "ORDERED" column. The crop box appears in the image crop box. Click each size in the "ORDERED" box and crop your images. If you have a variety of sizes ordered in one crop group, you only need to crop the image once for each group.

As you can see in the sample below, when you click the 11x14 in the "ORDERED" box, the 11x14 box turns beige. Click the 11x14 button above the beige box and the correct aspect ratio cropping box appears. Move the box and the Crop Zoom slider until you achieve the correct crop for your image.

Double click the image, and the image is cropped. You can also click the "C" key or the "Space Bar" to crop your images. If you don't like the crop, double click the image again, or click the "C" key or the Space Bar" to remove the crop.

If Auto Advance is checked, you will see the sizes in the images ordered box advance automatically as you complete the cropping of the previous image. It will crop all the sizes in one order and then move to the next image.

Here are a few additional features of the Presentation Cropping system:

You can crop images before you create an order. Click an image and it will appear in the crop box. Click any size in the Group Format box and the correct crop box for that size group will appear on your image. Crop your image by moving or adjusting the crop box, and double click image and the cropped image is saved. You can crop all of the sizes in the Group Format box and the cropped images will be saved for viewing later. You can only view cropped images in the crop module, they won’t appear cropped in the image ordering module.

If you need a different crop of one image. Create a new image with the Add Color feature in the color Correction Bar.

You will notice 3 options at the bottom of the image name box. You can view all the images in your directory and crop them for use in the Presentation Viewer, or you can view the Ordered Images, or images on the Image Organizer.

Here is a great idea for using Auto Advance, custom cropped Proofing. With the ability to "select" all, or a portion of images, from the thumbnail bar, you can select your images and now order one size for all of them. Just think of it, you can select all the images in your image folder, order 1 4x5 of each, and they will appear in the cropping screen ready to be cropped. We have tested the system. We have been able to custom crop 300 images in about 15 minutes.

We have discussed this concept with the labs and here is what you do to send a "Proof Order":

When you create a new order you must use a customer name. After the name place an underscore_ and the word Proofs. Your order should look like this:

Jones_proofs

Proofs orders cannot contain any other additional sizes in the order.
Proofs are one size, they can be any quantity, but only one size.

Millers does not use this system, they have their own Proof Ordering system. Contact them for details.

Album prints are cropped in the album pages, individual ordered prints are cropped in the Digital Cropping System. Cropping images in either part of the program will not carry over to the other.

---

Template Designer

The Template Designer feature is the most versatile tool you will ever find in any image ordering program. While it is commonly called our "Album Template Designer", it is much more than that.

This module allows you to create orders for images in a variety of ways. Of course you can use it as an Album Design Program, which we will discuss in greater detail further on, but you can also use it to create Units, Composite and Wall Folio ordering templates.

Templates are very easy to make as you will see in the following instructions.
 

The Template Designer*
1- click the Album Designer icon (the butterfly)*

The Green Paint Can will appear. That is the Template Designer icon.

2- you will see 4 "Node Objects". A node is a "technical term" for an image opening or image box.

3-Background Node: a background node is exactly what it sounds like. It is the background layer of your template. We supply some sample backgrounds.

Let me stop here and explain, we DON'T use layers, as you would think of them if you were using Photoshop. But we do use similar terminology.

4- Mask Node: a mask node is what you use for "effects". Feathered Edges on your image is an effect. You can do some very creative things to your images with masks. We supply some standard masks, or you can create others in Photoshop.

You can store the Background and Mask Folders wherever you like on your computer (not on the desktop or in my documents). Put them directly on a drive. We automatically save them to the C drive for you.

Use the browse buttons to connect to the Mask and Background folders.

5- Text Properties- in order to apply text to images you first have to create text boxes that contain the font style, size, and other text attributes. You can create a variety of text boxes and save them. When you are creating a template, simply drag a text "node" to the template and select the "style" want to have appear on the finished page.

We will explain more about Text Nodes later in the video tutorial.

6- Borders - This tool has so many options I can't even begin to describe what it can do. You can create simple solid borders, similar to "strokes". Or you can get creative and create borders that look like picture frames.

You can put a border on an "image node", or a "text node", NOT on a "mask node".

More details later when we create a video tutorial.

Assuming you have created a few text nodes, and borders, and you have linked to the Masks and Backgrounds...we are ready to make templates.

7- Page Layout- at the top of the tools column you can create page size and save them. Remember, these are "composite" pages. They will become a single print with multiple images and text on them.

Enter a size, 12x12 for example. You will be creating a 12x12 print. Save it by clicking the + button. Delete the page layout by clicking the X.

8- New Page- if you start a page and you don't like what you created, just click the "New Page" and start over. 

9- Grid Lines- if you want to use grid lines to position your Nodes, check the Grid Lines box. Select the grid size in the box to the right.

10- Node Size- This feature is very flexible.

A- you can type in a specific size for your Node in the X / Y boxes to the right of the Node Size box.

B- you can "drag" a Mask, Image, or Text Node to the page, then drag a side, or corner of the node, to the size you like.

C- you can save any "size" of a node that you create.  Once saved, you can recall any size.

11- Reduced Opacity- You can change the opacity at the time you create the template, or you can change it when you create the actual page in the "Album Designer".

Let's make a Template!!!*

1- select a page size

2- drag an image node to the page.

3- drag it to a size you like

4- let's duplicate that node. Right click on the node and drag it to another position on the page.

5- you can move nodes to any position on the page at any time.

6- add a Mask node. Drag it to size. The usual method for using Masks would be to create an image "Node" then drag the Mask into, or over, the image node... NOT SO HERE. We have created a single Image/Mask Node. One Node/One action. Some of you might ask, why bother with a standard image node then? We could make "Mask Nodes" with straight edges just like an image node.

Answer: it takes the program longer to process mask nodes. And it creates a larger data file. So...use image nodes when you can and mask nodes when you need them

7- add a text node.

8- save the template.

9- Wait!!!  Where will the templates be saved too?

10- on the left side of the screen you see a column. That column displays the templates when you are creating albums.

So...create a folder in Windows. Name it Presentation Templates, or whatever you will remember.

11- back in Presentation Gold click on the button at the top of the column that says "Templates". Browse to the template folder you created. It will be empty, but when you save your first template it will be placed in the folder.

You can select any folder to save templates. This is just an example if you are just beginning to use our program.

Panorama Pages

Making a Panorama Page is very easy. Create the page, 12x24 for example, and simply put the word "Panorama" in the name of the template. 12x24_panorama for example. The program reads the word Panorama and knows to make the picture into a panorama and it will span both columns of the Album Viewer.
 

Let's make an album!!!

Watch these videos. They will show you how easy it is to make album pages

Video 1- Making your first Album Page

Video 2- Cropping images in pages. Moving pages around in layout, replacing images in pages, replacing pages

Video 3- Open images in Photoshop

Video 4- View finished design

Creative Templates - Download over 1000 Digital Design Templates, and Insert Templates for every major album manufacturer.

We are going to assume you have watched the videos we have on line for our previous versions of Presentation ProLab and Presentation Deluxe.

If you haven't watched them we suggest you do. Even though some of the functions have changed in the Album Designer, the basic functionality of opening image directories and creating orders, and sending them to the lab hasn't changed. The same for creating individual print orders.

1- open an image directory

2- click the Template Tool Box icon (the paint can) to close the Template Designer.

3- drag a template to the center box.

4- drag an image to a node opening. We suggest you drop the background image in first if you are using an image in the background.

In most cases you will probably be adjusting the opacity of your background image.

After dragging the image into the background, adjust the opacity.

You can change the color of a Background ONLY with templates you create in the Template Designer.

5- type text into the text box. If you don't type in any text, the box will not appear later on your page.

6- you can change images in the nodes if you like. Drag a new image in, and it will replace the existing one.

7- when you have completed the page, drag it to the "View Columns" to the right of the screen.

8- when you create your first page the "Order Information" screen will appear. Fill in a name for your order. The numbers are designated by your lab. Contact them about their requirements.

9- you can replace pages in the View Column with a new page you created. Create the new page and hold the Ctrl key while dragging the page over the one you want to replace.

10- you can insert a page to the left of an existing page by dragging the new page and holding the Shift key while dragging the new page into position.

11- right click a page and click delete to remove it.

12- you can change the images in an already created page.

Drag the page back to the center box. Drag a new image into the node of the picture you want to replace.

13- hover you mouse over an image in a page to see its file name.

14- you can move pages around in the View Columns. You can drag them up down or sideways in the columns.

15- click the View button at the top of the columns to view the designed album.

If you would like music to play during the "Slide Show" presentation of the designed album (Gold only), go to the Slide Show and select music. The selected music will play when you click the Green Arrow in the Album Viewer.

16- to crop images in the nodes- use the Q,W,E,A,S,D keys on your key board. E zooms the image out, Q back, the others move the image left and right and up and down. Play with them a few times and you will see how easy it is to crop images.

DO NOT zoom the image OUT so far that it begins to zoom back by itself. You will get a stretched image.

17- to color correct your images, click the View/Color Tools button in the menu bar.

You crop album images in the Album Designer, and individual images are cropped in the other side of the program. While the cropping is done individually, the color correction is carried through both sides. You only color correct an image once for album or individual prints.

18- you do not make templates for insert type album pages. We supply all major album company mat/templates for free. Visit our website. Go to Album Designer/Templates and review the albums offered.

You cannot make templates for insert type albums in the "Built In" template maker. The resolution of the templates is different. The program knows the difference, and will not create individual prints. You can make insert templates in Photoshop. Watch the video about Template Making

19- if you are a previous user of our programs and you have digital templates, you can use them in Presentation Gold without any problem. But, you can't modify them in anyway.

  The insert templates, Art Leather, Renaissance, for example, or for Reversible Bound Albums, do not include a border.
        You are seeing an exact copy of what you will get back from the lab.

Ordering Multiple Size Digital Composite Page Albums (no other album design/creating program has this feature)

The process is so simple, I can describe it in one sentence.

20- in the Process Order Screen you will now find this new box, enter the quantity and size of the albums you wish to order.

That's it.

21- you can only order Multiple Sizes and Quantities with Digital Composite type pages, not insert (sit) pages.

23- you can only order album sizes that fall into the same "Aspect Ratios".  That means...12x12 can make any square size album.

10x14 can make a 5x7 and any other sizes that are available from your lab and album binder.

Note: Ideal Album Binder Co. www.idealbinder.net will make any size "Flush Bound" album you need.

Check with your lab before you order a size. Even though a size is listed here, your lab may not offer it.

24- you can create an order with one size album. Have it printed. If the parents want a duplicate, you can go back and change the size and re-process the order, and send it back for printing.

---

General Information about the Album Designer

The insert templates do not include a border. You are seeing an exact copy of what you will get back from the lab.

You crop individually ordered images in the crop screen in the main part of the program, crop album images in the album designer with the keystrokes, as instructed previously.

Open the Image Organizer Bar - drag images from the lower thumb bar to the organizer - move them around on the organizer - Select an image or a group of images and move them to another location on the bar, and insert them into the new location