My objective in starting the thread was to find a more efficient way to process templates.

My specific focus was to be able to

• Start Qimage with a default template (ie one I select )

• More easily change from one template to another with the min no of clicks.

As is normal  in any thread, we have veered in a few directions incl (raw / jpg), (Adobe / Qimage) and then into (Qimage +/-, plug-ins etc).

I would like to close this discussion with the comments that I feel Mike understands my request, I have got and use some very good suggestions, the idea of using the size button has been suggested and may be an option and look forward to ongoing evolution of the product.

Yours sincerely.

Thanks for all the feedback.

There is another option (but I have done a bad job previously of trying to explain this to Mike in a direct email. Let me try again).

If Mike developed a Qimage plug-in for Lightroom !!!!!!

Before people go crazy with this idea, let me expand a little bit.

Imagine a Qimage  Export Plug-In for Lightroom which allowed the user to;

a. Select images (raw or tiff or jpg)....standard Lightroom functionality
b. Select from Qimage a template or job or printer set up.

Hit the Export button in Lightroom.

Boom.......Qimage opens up with all of the selected images already populated in a  Qimage que, with templates and printer settings in place. Nirvana.

The advantage of the Plug-In structure is that it would allow Mike to open up a dialogue box to select required parameters to send to Qimage (ie template or job or printer or size). This creates Qimage inside of Lightroom.

This would achieve the streamlined workflow I was looking for earlier.

Now pause to consider the following.

Mike does not have to develop the plug-in.   He has it already developed and it works (if you use the 3rd party application feature of Lightroom. I am now using this feature every day. All Mike  needs to do is package it into a plug in using the available Lightroom SDK. I was afraid to try the 3rd pary application bit before, but picked up how to on this forum. It works a treat.

What are the advantages for Mike.

He can now market a Lightroom Plug In.
He can sell a Lightroom plug-in... so garner real revenue.
He could decide to make it a feature of say the Studio Version to add value to Studio version sales.
He could use it as a marketing  tool for Qimage.
Open up the massive global Lightroom market to Qimage, so extra Qimage sales.
He has the plug-in already, it just needs to be packaged as a plug-in.

I monitor most of the Lightroom blogs and discussions. Let me be the first to say that Lightroom has strengths, but also considerable weaknesses. I can give you a long list as I am very familiar with the tool for volume use. Specifically, there  is major grief with the short comings in the Lightroom Print Module, so there is a market for real printing functionality that would work seamlessly with Lightroom. Qimage is that product.

What are the advantages for Qimage users.
No change if you do not use Lightroom.
No change if you do not use jobs or templates.
Major gains in workflow if you use Lightroom and love Qimage.

There are overlaps in both products (eg Raw/Printing), but there is also massive synergies (ie there not mutually exclusive).

Let me step back now for a while. I am very interested in the response.

Brian Price sums up the real world situation in his first sentence below.



I will leave it to people with internal product knowledge to suggest the best technical solution. Brian's suggestion has legs.

I am not reporting any bugs, just a simple suggestion.

1. I do not want to get into a Qimage / Adobe debate. I prefer to respect the point of view that all product developers have a bigger wish list and more demands than they have resources. I very much respect that current quality and maturity of Qimage and Mike's vision and contribution.

2. I do not want to get into a debate about which raw converter is best. I use several. I have always shot raw plus small jpg and only process raw. I was using Capture One before Lightroom or Adobe raw conversion ever existed. I do use Qimage templates extensively and to me they are a major boost to productivity and Quality Control.

3. Please ignore any previous remarks about buttons (a distraction ...introduced by myself as a possible solution... a long long long term nice to have).

My inital query was to gain from the collected wisdom of this forum.
a. Was there a way to have a default template / job loaded at startup.
b. Was there any easier way  to change from one template to another.

I have gleaned some very useful feedback already , which I am already putting to good use.

I would like Mike to consider these enhancement requests for some future development.

These requests are absolutely generic in nature. I believe this will save me a lot of times and reduce mistakes. I also feel it will benefit others.


In the meantime, I have work arounds. I printed over 100 A4 pages last night without a glitch.

I tried to use the Permanent option, but could not activate, as per your experience.

Food for thought.

Fred,

Thanks for the feedback.  I would position myself as an advanced user of templates , but do not pretend to think that I totally grasp all the nuances of Qimage. I have a series of templates made which cover A5,A4,A3,A2 (landscape and portrait) with multiple meta data components, developed over a few years.

Photography is a hobby, but an important hobby. I have a heavy commercial IT background and strive to permanently improve workflow. I am proud of what I photograph and especially print  and use Qimage to volume print 50 plus A4 images (with metadata) after a trip or individual A2 sized fine art sets.

I started this discussion because I was keen to streamline my workflow from Lightroom to Qimage and bypass the Lightroom printing engine (as we know, does not compete with Qimage).

I have discovered thru this forum how to export selected images from Lightroom directly to a template in Qimage. Fantastic. [I just need to make sure Qimage has been started and printer and template settings in place].

I feel all the functionality to deal with templates in Qimage is there. As confirmed by others (once the routine is established) that it should not take more than ten seconds and multiple clicks to get the desired (and highly productive result).  I also feel (again because  the functionality is already there) that a few tweaks could improve this even further; namely

•    Allow a default template (or job) be loaded at start. [Very useful for people who use template /job based printing, no impact if you don't. Could be a DOS like parameter]

•    Make it easier (ie reduced clicks) to change / select a new template / job.

I have got some very good suggestions already from this discussion re use of printer set up parameters (which I never considered before) and job setup without an imbedded image.  This gives me a very workable setup and some suggestions to explore further (and will).

Despite this, I would like  Mike to consider my bullet points as possible enhancements.

I am not hung up on buttons specifically as a solution or proposing the development of a macro language. (A bridge too far).  I do think there is potential long term to allow people link a single (existing) command or template/job file to a few custom buttons.

Thanks again for all the feedback.

Fred / Terry.  Great feedback. I will explore further. Thanks.

Change Template or Select Template.

These are the steps I perform to Select or Change a Template (*.TPL)

Click on Custom size bar.            This provides a list of custom sizes incl "Custom".
Click on Custom option.              This displays the special sizes dialogue.
Select Layout. This initiates the process to select a predefined page layout.

I am now in an Open file Dialogue, where I can select a Page Set.
Select the correct *.TPL file.

Of course, if the page size of the new layout is changed, I have to go through the process of changing page size on the print dialogue first (rather than accepting new settings …size and orientation… from the new template).

If someone could suggest a more efficient procedure for selecting or changing templates I would be eternally grateful.

I have been advised previously not to use the "Recall Button" as this should not be used to establish a new template into the print que.

So ideally I would love a button which would allow me select my most often used or "default" template.
The next best thing would be a template button which would bring straight to the dialogue where I could select a template from my library of templates (like the recall button). Selecting a template ideally would re-set paper size and orientation.

These suggestions are generic in nature and not focused on a unique button just for my workflow.  Looking forward to any suggestions or comments.

Re Reference to another thread (Qimage as a 3rd party in Lightroom and use of a nominated printing folder).

Thanks for the feedback.  I have already set up Qimage as a 3rd party application and can get it to deliver images into the print que in Qimage [if I opt not to create copies or use raw as source and have a template pre-loaded]. This is very useful. I would still like to improve usability of templates within Qimage.

I do not wish to use a dedicated monitored printing directory at the moment, as I already have a very good filing structure for all of my images and do not want to have the headache of managing another collection of files (ie remember to delete previous, overwriting files with same name, etc.). The real reason not to use a  temp directory is that I file / save every print job for archival purposes and like to be able to re-print using the source image from its structured filing location for a future reprint if necessary (ie another very good feature of Qimage).

Feedback and comments to-date appreciated. 

Re. Buttons.
I understand that it is impossible to meet every individual request for custom buttons.  I suggested buttons to solve my problem becasue of the amount of screen real estate now available on large monitors command line.  Nirvana would exist if we could configure our own buttons. [Right click on say 3 custom buttons to select a command or a template]

My underlying challenge  would be solved by allowing a default template to be specified at start up time (via a start up sub command eg D:/Qimage.exe /template ..... the same as DOS commands) and making it easier to change a template than the current  process. I will expand on this later when I get home and  simulate / document my current sequence of steps required to change from one template to another.  [Note.. I cannot use the open template command using the open button, as this should only be used if changing the format of the template]  It is quite possible there is a better sequence than what I currently use and those with superior knowledge / experience may be able to show me the way.

I acknowledge Mike is responsive to requests which improve the overall product for everone.

I will study all responses in more detail, in a few hours time,  when I return to base and then post a more specific message to describe the process I would like to improve.

I love Qimage and have been using it for several years.

I welcome assistance with the following queries to streamline my workflow.

I use pre-prepared templates (A5, A4, A3 and A2) landscape and portrait. These templates make use of metadata objects to include such items as date/time, location, copyright, title, etc..(Various sizes, locations, etc).  These have evolved over years and very happy with results.

I would like to significantly reduce the number of repetitive clicks while using Qimage  combined with other elements of my workflow.

Question 1.

How can I start Qimage so it always starts with a predefined template, printer, paper, landscape / portrait, print profile, sharpening and interpolation set.  The Key part of this question is that I would like to start each session with my default and most used Qimage print template.

Question2.
Can I start Qimage so that it loads images from a specific folder into the print que at start up. [ I do not want to use the same que each time, such as a default print que], but to be able to specify the input print que (or source of the print que) at program launch.  If this feature was available I could write scripts to automate my use of Qimage.


Question 3 / Feature Request.
I would love to be able to place a few  custom icons on the toolbar where I can set specific templates per icon.  This would be a major timesaver and improve QC and overall efficiency. Any ideas how I could achieve this.

Question 4 / Feature Request.
I would also like a button which would allow me with a single click to clear the print que but retain the current template. (I have read elsewhere on the forum re right click whch I will check out). I can do this with multiple clicks, would like one click.

My end game is to select images from Lightroom, right click to "Edit in Qimage", select original images and have these images automatically placed into my default print template with all key defaults set. (I use a variety of Raw Conversion tools but Lightroom to maintain my studio workstation and travel laptop and synch between both). All printing done from the workstation.

This is my first post.  Pls advise if I should post questions like this as a collected group or one by one in future.

Best regards.