Make an order selection from PTE Show

[Ronniebootwest]

Does anyone know of a software utility that will allow me to make a PTE Slide Show and then have a customer select which images he/she would like to order by simply clicking on the image. I have seen the one made by Granot but that only extracts a 'slide number' - I want the customer to be able to extract the file description as entered in the PTE 'customise comments' section of the project options.

I hope this hasen't confused you all.

Ron West

[Ronniebootwest]

Amazing and surprising! 50 people have looked at this thread and yet nobody has any suggestions to make so far. Surely there are some photographers out there who use PTE slide shows to show to their customers! If so, how do your customers select the images that they would like to order?

Ron

[maderemark]

I create two slide shows of the client images. The first show is titled: "Wedding Photos Set To Music". This show has all the photos set to music without proof (file) numbers. It is intended for the client's "viewing pleasure". The second show is almost identical to the first and titled: "Wedding Photos With Proof Numbers". This show does NOT play to music - the viewer must press the right or left arrow keys to navigate though the photos. The proof number is shown at the bottom of the photo. The client then writes their order on a provided order form. This has worked great for about four years now.

If you want to be "slick" and have them order by clicking on the photo and electronically ordering - try "FlipAlum Professional" with the optional Shopping Cart add-on. This will achieve want you want. I spent the money on this but have been disappointed by the difficulty in setting up each wedding for easy, intuitive navigation and ordering by the client. I prefer the less "hi-tech" method outlined at the beginning of my response because everyone knows how to click a left or right arrow key and hand write their order on an order form.

If you find a better solution, please e-mail me at mark@spectralight.com.

Good luck!

Mark Madere

SpectraLight Photography

[Ronniebootwest]

Thanks Mark, for your reply. You may just be right and I might have to resort to using your suggested method. Let's wait and see if any others can come up with a better solution.

I will certainly keep you informed of my search in this quest.

Ron

[Igor]

Ron,

I also thought exactly about this idea three days ago!

Please wait when we finish new graphical engine and new navigation bar.

I have several interesting ideas concerning your suggestion and I will glad to discuss it together (a little bit later).

[Guest Techman1]

Ron,

I've tried Granot's utility and tried a few other methods. I've been using the same setup as Mark for some time now. I don't do this for weddings, because there are just too many photographs to select from, but do this same method for my portrait customers. The Slideshow to music ends and automatically executes the manual slideshow. I just let them select the Slide Number and then I transfer their order into a spreadsheet that has the corresponding actual image number (it makes it easier on the client).

I'm looking forward to Igor suggestions and hopefully a new beta version with something like this embedded.

Anyway, good luck in your search!

Fred

[phillcoe]

Ron

I've been toying with this probelm for a couple of years too and don't think it's possible within PTE. My alternative, which may be a little clunky but works, is to produce the flashy presentation with PTE and then upload a web-based gallery from photoshop to my web site. One of the predefined templates in PS allows for direct client feedback to emailed from within the gallery to me with all the necesary info included. Hope this helps.

Phill

[boxig]

I have done a much better version of my utility. It is a window with your logo image (or any image) and customer can select slides while running the show. At the end, a ready-made email is generated with a nice letter to you (as you wrote it before) with list of all slides selected. If I will find time I will allow customer to write how many copies he likes from each.

Ron is now testing this new utility and I am waiting for his last OK before releasing it.

Granot

[markoc398]

Ron, I use a comparison program called CD Presentation from www.imagequix.com

It will let you create a screen with your images. The viewer can select images from the viewer, then double click to see them side by side. They can also change them to BW or Sepia. They can save their favorites to a folder and create an email of the poses. They can have a watermark on the images, right click preventable, plus expiration dates or run times enabled. Check it out. You'll want to click on their cd presentation link for more info. The program sells for $199.

Mark

[Ronniebootwest]

Hi Marco, thanks for your suggestion and I will certainly have a look at the program you mention. I must say that the price tag of $199 is a little steep and may well put people off. I am working with Granot (Thailand PhotoAlbum) on a utility called 'OrderMe'. This is a very exciting utility that works together with PTE. I think that when iy is finally finished, it will offer any photographer what he needs and it is going to sell for around $25. Now that is a bargain!

Ron

[Guest Techman1]

Granot,

If you need another tester of this latest utility, just send me a note and I'll get on it quickly.

Thanks for all you do for us!!!!

Regards,

Fred

[boxig]

Hi Fred

Sure and thanks.

With yours and Ron's help I have a feeling that "PhotoOrderList" will be ready in few days.

Granot

[maderemark]

How's the new program for ordering photos coming? Will it have the ability to display photo prices and then add sales tax to the total? That would be AMAZING! Thanks for taking the time to work on it.

Mark Madere

SpectraLight Photography

[boxig]

Hi mark,

Adding sales tax ? Do you mean something like VAT in % ?

Ok, I Added this: option to add Tax % to total cost.

As for rest of the features here they are:

• Display thumbnails of supplied images.

• Select View from two thumbnails size.

• Bigger view of selected picture.

• Full screen option view of selected picture.

• Select type of paper or specify one for each picture.

• Select size of print or specify one for each picture.

• Select number of prints for each picture.

• Date is added to order.

• List is saved on any change made.

• List is sorted by names of files.

• Customer can Save order list as simple txt file and view it any time.

• Auto load previous order list.

• Add/Remove pictures from order list or clear all list.

• Number of Total prints ordered counter (auto updated).

• View slide show of all pictures selected on the list from any point.

• Customer can get and save a very detailed cost report of his order.

• Any Tax % can be added to total cost.

• B&W photos display option of supplied images.

• Compare two images (for 800x600 screen and for 1024x768 screen).

• See photo in selected print size. Compare few sizes.

• Customer can send the order by email through the program.

If you have any suggestion for new feature maybe we can add it.

Ron, Fred and me are still running some test on it.

Granot

[Bethan]

Hi Granot

I love the sound of this utility. Wondering if you could also offer the customer an option to print a basic contact sheet of selected pictures with file names etc - useful if talking to someone on the phone who is not at their computer? Just an idea...

Can't wait to try this!

Beth

[Ronniebootwest]

Hello Bethan,

This new program that Granot will very soon be releasing, is going to do very well indeed. It has developed from a simple utility into a full blown ordering program that can compete with the best of them.

I think that you will enjoy using it when you eventually get the chance to download it?

Watch this space - it is coming to a computer near you very soon now!

Ron

[Bethan]

Hi Ron

I think that you will enjoy using it when you eventually get the chance to download it?

Watch this space

I am watching this space but I just seem to start seeing spots. Do you think I am doing something wrong?

Beth

[boxig]

Beth

Contact sheet can be good idea and it can be done but not on first version because, as Ron said, we really started from a very basic utility and can't finish it because we always have new ideas for new features to add.

My question to you, do you think with order of 200 - 300 prints it is possible and useful to print all those thumbs ? On second thought, anyone has a phone near his computer or at least a wireless hand phone, so is this feature really necessary ?

Granot

[maderemark]

Would the photographer have the ability to allow or not allow the customer to print thumbnails or any size photo from this program? I don't want the customer to be able to make good quality prints so they won't buy mine.

If we allow customer to print thumbnails or larger photos from the program, can we have a setting that will automatically put the word "Proof" or some other word over each photo so the customer would prefer to buy a photo from the us without the word "Proof" on it?

Will this program work with PTE or is it a stand alone program? If it runs with PTE, will it no longer allow the customer to view the photos once the PTE show "expires"? I would prefer it to work that way.

Thanks for all your hard work to make this program a reality.

Mark Madere

[boxig]

Mark

It is a stand alone program for photographers. It can be distributed on CD together with PTE show (or any other similar) or by itself with no connection to PTE.

You include a folder of smaller size images which can carry watermark (you can put the word "Proof" or other using any graphic editor) or be in original size in low resolution, since the purpose is not to display photos but to make order. You can include B&W images, or even put very small images like 320x240.

Customer can not save images but can PrintsScreen (I can disable this ability but I don't think is it needed). Customer can display the full size of the photo you supplied and display the photo in the print size he order.

Granot

[boxig]

contact sheet of selected pictures with file names etc

Beth,

This was added. Mouse over on thumb will show name, size, paper type and quantity. Please download new Beta version and see "HTML" button.

Mark,

As requested, now you can compare any two photos, from the order list or from the thumbs display, or even one from each.

Granot

[Ronniebootwest]

My previous post (Make a photo order list from a PTE Show) attracted a great deal of attention. It seems that I am not alone in wanting a program that enables a photographer to display his/her images to prospective customers who are then able to select and order prints directly from ithe ptogram and then send the order by email. Granot saw my post and has responded to the challenge by writing a superb program that I am sure will be of great benefit to an awful lot of people. Fred Dickinson (Techman1) and I were deeply involved in advising, checking and testing this program and I'm glad to say, as photographers, that we are both very satisfied with the result. The program is called "PhotoOrderList" and is a stand alone program that can be used by any photographer and not just PTE users. If you are in the game of selling photographs, then please look at this new program; I am certain that you will want it.

You can download the program, read about it and see some screen shots by clicking the following link:

PhotoOrderList Program

Ron West