Mike Chaney's Tech Corner

I've been using QU in a busy working environment for many years and these are two features that would be hugely beneficial to me.

1. Ability to add different print sizes using the template/ Centered feature.
Template/Centered is a hugely powerful feature which I use all of the time. It makes fitting images with borders on standard paper sizes very quick. If it was possible to add more one than print size on the page whilst still using template centered it would be hugely time saving in my workflow. For example a 10 x 8 inch and an A4 Print on the same page layout using Template/Centered.


2. A more simplified file search feature that is restricted to current folder only. Ideally a search bar that is located right on the main screen with a "keyword" search. If images that do not contain any of the search words in the title name were not displayed or greyed out that would make finding specific images in a current folder very quick and easy. The current search tool is very powerful but requires a number of steps and selections. Also I may have multiple files with teh search word valid but then neem to selct the file manually to choose the right version. The above methodolgy would really make QIU great for my production workflow.

Thanks
John

(1) Template and Template/Centered are defined as splitting the page into one particular size and using that size throughout.  Can you give an example of what you want to do?  It is likely the same thing can be done with another placement method that will allow you to mix various sizes on a page which (I think) is what you are asking.

(2) Have you been using the current keyword search?  It'll do what you are asking with only a few clicks:
- Click Search Database/Keywords binoculars above the thumbs
- Type your keyword and press enter
- Click "Keyword Search"
- Click "Search Current Folder Only"
This function will select all the thumbnails in the current folder that meet the search criteria.

Regards,
Mike

Hi Mike,

I am not receiving notifications when replies come through so appologies for my delayed response.

To answer your question;

We always make prints for customers based on the paper size (not the printed image size). We allow a minimum of one inch border and never crop. Template centered is a great solution for doing this but it can be wasteful when printing on roll media, since we can only add one print size to layout at a time. So, for example I might want to put an A4 and an 10 x 8 inch print (paper size) side by side on the roll (so I don't waste paper). Template centered always maintains the correct print (paper size) but I can only add one print size to layout. If I switch back to standard settings it will only allow me to maintain the correct paper size IF the aspect ratio is the same OR if I have crop to fit selected. Neither of these options work for my production. Essentially I want to use template centered but be able to add two or more different sizes to the same layout. Does that make sense?

Best regards
John

This can be done now... in any placement mode, so let me show you the procedure:

1 Start in a typical placement method like IntelliSpace since you are using roll paper.
2 Turn crop ON and add your print(s) at the paper size you want.  Let's say 8x10 size.
3 Click on the print on the live view to select it: your print will be 8x10 size because crop is ON (for now).
4 Right click on the print in the live view and choose "Photo Mats", "Add Photo Mat".
5 On the photo mat dialog, enter 1.0 in all four borders since that's the minimum you want.
6 Select white for the mat color and choose the top "Shrink..." option and click "OK".

After the above, you have an 8x10 "page" indicated by the 8x10 photo mat and your print (image) is inside that 8x10 page with a 1.0 inch border around all sides.  If you DO want to crop your images, you are done here but...  you indicated you don't want your image cropped so click on the image inside the mat (make sure the image is selected and not the white mat) and click the crop button to turn crop OFF now.  Now the image inside the mat gets resized so that it is not cropped: two borders will be exactly 1.0 inch and if the aspect ratio of the image doesn't match, the other two borders/sides will be greater than 1.0 with the image centered in the (still) 8x10 white mat.  Which is what you were asking for.

Repeat the above for a new set of images and use A4, 11x17, whatever size.  The same procedure will work at any size and you can add as many images/sizes as you like on your roll paper and if you activate crop marks, the crop marks appear at the edges of the white mats (your "page" size) so that when you cut them, you get your pages with minimum 1 inch borders and images not cropped.

Regards,
Mike