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Author Topic: Positioning within a template  (Read 11180 times)
Andreas S
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« on: April 23, 2010, 01:59:42 PM »

Hello all,

I've just installed QIMAGE for evaluation and have a question now:

I have created a layout with 3 images in different sizes and would like to specify the positioning of an image in the template. If the image doesn't have the same aspect ratio as the template it is currently centered horizontally or vertically within the template. I was able to choose "No cropping" and "No rotation", but I would also like to position images with a smaller height at the top of the template and not centered. Can this be done?

Thanks in advance
Regards
Andreas

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Terry-M
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« Reply #1 on: April 23, 2010, 04:42:10 PM »

Hi Andreas,
Welcome to the forum and Qimage. I'm sure you will find it to be a powerful & versatile tool and give you the best prints of your work that you've ever seen  Wink
First to say about layouts and templates. Template layouts, are created using the "Template" image at the end of every folder of thumbnails, once it is saved as a "Layout", you must use it by choosing "Custom" from the size drop-down list and select "layout" from there.
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I have created a layout with 3 images in different sizes and would like to specify the positioning of an image in the template.  ..... I was able to choose "No cropping" and "No rotation", but I would also like to position images with a smaller height at the top of the template and not centered. Can this be done?
Once an image is loaded into a template layout, the outline of the template becomes irrelevant and If you select no cropping (crop button up) the print changes to the aspect ratio of the image but the outline of the original template is not visible and has no physical appearance on a print. so the answer to your question is no.
I think you need to explain what you are wanting to achieve as a final result, Give page and print sizes and possibly a screen snap of where you are so far.
Keep asking, there are many here to help, once we understand your problem fully.
Terry.
« Last Edit: April 23, 2010, 04:44:04 PM by Terry-M » Logged
Andreas S
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« Reply #2 on: April 24, 2010, 02:44:11 PM »

thanks for the fast answer, Terry. The layout I created looks like this:



In templates 1 and 2 should be any photo (portrait or landscape), template 3 contains the image of a calendar's month.
In the end the result will look similar to this one:


My problem is now, if a landscape picture is dragged onto template 1, it is positioned automatically as centered in the template. I would like to have it aligned on top of the template, just to get a nice layout on paper.
In the past I used Photoshop to do all the alignment, but you can imagine it's been a lot of work: Placing the picture, resizing, aligning, printing,...   and I hope to simplify the work a bit with QIMAGE.

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I'm sure you will find it to be a powerful & versatile tool and give you the best prints of your work that you've ever seen
You're right, QIMAGE is very powerful. I've been searching since a long time for such a tool.

Andreas
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Terry-M
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« Reply #3 on: April 24, 2010, 04:18:22 PM »

OK Andreas, I can see what you are trying to do.
I simulated something similar on an A4 page, screen screen snaps below.
I think you need to get familiar with the full page editor which is opened with the right hand icon under the page preview on the main screen.
What you want to do will mean adjusting each page individually in the FPE but it is quick to do it.
There is an alternative but I'll tell you about that after this method.
After loading the template, I used the FPE to align the top large image to the top of the top RH image by selecting the large image and using CTRL Arrow up.
I also put the crop scissors on for the top right image and aligned that to the bottom right image.
The arrow keys move images in small increments but CTRL arrow aligns to other images or the edge of the page.
Another way is to enter the numbers directly in the print location boxes, see attached snap on next post (I've reached the limit of attachments).

The second method of doing this would be to have a template for each possible arrangement landscape & portrait images set up with the crop scissors on so that image sizes are consistent within each template.
This would restrict you to specific sizes and each set for a template would have to be printed in separate sessions. The last image on the next post shows what a template might look like.
Terry.
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Terry-M
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« Reply #4 on: April 24, 2010, 04:21:54 PM »

Follow on from previous post ...
Next set of attachments below.
Full Page editor print position direct entry and
1 fixed size & position template for a possible arrangement of image orientation. Use a different template for a different arrangement.
Terry
« Last Edit: April 24, 2010, 04:25:26 PM by Terry-M » Logged
Andreas S
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« Reply #5 on: April 25, 2010, 09:20:28 AM »

Hi Terry,

the <ctrl>-arrow method for positioning is a nice feature I just learned from you, but it works (for my purpose) only if one of the pictures is in portrait form, if both are in landscape it doesn't help. My primary goal was to automate the work - just give a batch of pictures which are all printed according to a defined layout. If I still have to move pictures manually in every page it lloks like not being any advantage over Photoshop. But don't misunderstand me - even if this task can't be done as easily as I wished, Qimage is still a great software and I'll buy it anyway. Printing a bulk of images without having to care about the layout can be done easily and I'll also have to dig a bit deeper into printout quality, looks like Qimage has here some advantage too.

Is there any official way for feature requests or is Mike following the threads? For a fully automated batch processing I would see two needs:
1.) Positioning of an image within a template. This info should be stored with the layout
2.) Import function for a list of images to create a "Job"

Thanks & have a nice sunday.
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Terry-M
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« Reply #6 on: April 25, 2010, 01:46:15 PM »

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My primary goal was to automate the work - just give a batch of pictures which are all printed according to a defined layout.
But you are not actually using a defined layout but wanting to adjust each page according to the images on it  Huh?
The template feature is really designed for a fixed layout with the crop scissors on. You can include a real image in the template and text linked to the page or individual images.
What you are asking may not even be possible with a specialised desk top publishing program.
With your situation you could, after a little practice go through the 12 pages of a calender quite quickly in Qimage.
One feature that can help in this situation is Qimage's ability to save at various levels. You have already discovered a "Layout" for templates, but there are "Sessions", Printer Set ups" and "Jobs".
Sessions are useful to save individual pages (or a set); Jobs can save everything including the printer settings and the images.
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Qimage is still a great software and I'll buy it anyway
....
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and I'll also have to dig a bit deeper into printout quality, looks like Qimage has here some advantage too.
You won't regret it and it's fraction of the cost of some photographic software that can't match it on print quality.
http://ddisoftware.com/tech/articles/march-2010-smart-photo-printing/

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Is there any official way for feature requests or is Mike following the threads?
Just post here as "Feature request". Mike does keep an eye on the forum and requests.
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Import function for a list of images to create a "Job"
This already exists as I mentioned above with the various save/recall features. You can select images from any folder and add them to the queue and once in the queue go back to their folder by right clicking on an image in the queue or preview and choose "Browse to Selected Image's Folder".

About your request
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Positioning of an image within a template
I note that if one of the "Template" print placement methods is used, or Custom, Enter number of prints per page, what you ask is possible. Both of those are probably not suitable for your purpose though  Sad
Terry


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rayw
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« Reply #7 on: April 25, 2010, 02:32:37 PM »

Hi Andreas,

If it is just the fact that the images need rotating, and then Qimage does the subsequent positioning OK, then something like IrfanView has a simple batch facility to do that, and you could then save the images to a temporary folder and then run Qimage. Photoshop has actions, as you probably know, and I believe these can be run as a batch process - or you could write a PS script Cool. There is also third-party software that records key strokes, etc., and these may possibly work within Qimage. Personally, I'm not into much batch processing, as such, but something similar to ps actions may be of benefit to those who need it within Qimage.

It seems there are often similar requests, to be able to position an image not centrally to a template/frame/border, but I don't know of an easy way that could be defined. The ctrl arrow mentioned by Terry is useful, but then some will want it positioned half inch from the edge, or 5% or similar.

Perhaps an entirely different approach is needed, sort of rewrite a version of Qimage as a pseudo printer driver - in a similar way as various programs print to pdf files.

It may also be possible for you to more easily arrange your images more automatically in something like Open Office.

Just some ideas....

Best wishes,

Ray
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Terry-M
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« Reply #8 on: April 25, 2010, 03:14:51 PM »

Ray
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If it is just the fact that the images need rotating,
Andreas has not mentioned the need for rotation and Qimage can do that easily with either a filter or on the page (use rotation icons or in FPE)

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but then some will want it positioned half inch from the edge, or 5% or similar.
Qimage can already do this wrt distance from the edge. See my replies #3 and #4 with screen shot.
You can enter a distance directly and I think this would be the best method for Andreas. Although he would not get complete automation (wouldn't you want to check each page anyway?), I reckon I could go through 12 pages and enter the numbers directly in as many minutes or less  Shocked
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It may also be possible for you to more easily arrange your images more automatically in something like Open Office.
I have that and a DTP program and neither will automate anything unless you write a macro and would certainly not cope with variable positions within a template.
Not only that, print quality would be rubbish.
Terry.
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Andreas S
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« Reply #9 on: April 26, 2010, 04:34:43 PM »

I've been searching a software to fit my needs for several years now, some has always stayed vaporware (like Colorbyte Imageprint with support for my Canon printer), some is simply not affordable (several other RIPs). A DTP program like Scribus alllows easy positioning, but you always have to work on every page or write a macro.

Quote
It seems there are often similar requests, to be able to position an image not centrally to a template/frame/border, but I don't know of an easy way that could be defined. The ctrl arrow mentioned by Terry is useful, but then some will want it positioned half inch from the edge, or 5% or similar.

An additional control like that
  o-o-o
  |\|/|
  o-o-o
  |/|\|
  o-o-o

would be ok to select the position. I don't think that specifying distances would be necessary, as you can position the whole template where you want. Let's hope that such an extension gets implemented ...
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Terry-M
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« Reply #10 on: April 26, 2010, 10:46:48 PM »

Quote
would be ok to select the position. I don't think that specifying distances would be necessary, as you can position the whole template where you want. Let's hope that such an extension gets implemented ...
My last word on this,
Q. When is a template not a template?
A. When you want to change its size and move its position.
Qimage templates are by definition for a fixed layout, but in Qimage there is some reasonable degree of flexibility as I've already explained.
May I politely suggest you get using Qimage on a complete real job and you'll soon find it's not so difficult as you seem to think to do want you want without the need for some special extra key controls. Just enter the numbers directly, it's so easy  Grin
Make some prints and see the quality.
Enjoy!
terry.
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