The stress balls had a bit of a thrashing today, with the following all looking tantalisingly close: Importing PJ Retro templates • Importing and exporting Remix templates • Single-sided templates • Filterable template collections. Plus the new website will go live next week, so you’ll have detailed online support. Sorry, we ran out of time to do a demo movie of the Collection Builder. Have a great weekend.
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Hi All
I just wanted to paint the scene here at PJ HQ…
The Developers, Designers, and Support all walking around with the new office toys; stress balls! I saw two developers playing a make-shift game of ping pong with them last night (I say fair enough after sorting out so many bugs last week.) These stress balls have been a big hit.
So if you’re feeling any of the following; jaded, dog-tired, pooped, spent, haggard, fraught or maybe just bored, go buy a stress ball they’re worth every penny.
A more relaxed
Danny
PS To add a comment (always welcome) go to blog.photojunction.com
There are two rather nice new features in the update we’ve just released. First, as I said yesterday, you can now specify a page size and design digital (un-matted) albums for vendors who don’t actively support PJ Remix.
Second, you’ll find the first expression of our Collection Builder. Display a Group, Collection or Folder in the Event window (“filter” them if you wish). Then click on the “More” button at the top of the screen and try “building a collection” (click Yes, No or Skip). Don’t miss the count at the bottom left of the screen which shows how many images are left to decide upon. Hit Escape when you’re done. You’ll notice that you can also invoke the Collection Builder when adding a new Collection.
The Collection Builder GUI is still a bit undercooked and there are bells and whistles to add, but see how you go with no more help than that! Danny and I will try to get a movie out tomorrow.
Also of note, unofficial resources for Asuka and Kambara. (Select Check For Updates in the Help menu – PJ menu on Mac.) And did I mention *49* bug fixes! Another new record.
Thanks, keep ‘em coming and all the best from all of us – Ian.
Only a small proportion of our testers have signed up to the forum so far, but it’s a busy place – over 273 posts on 121 topics at last count. With more new features due out in today’s release, it’s a good place to be.
Why not check it our now? Anyone can read, but you’ll need to register to post.
PJ Remix now has a new vendor – Remix DIY! Remix DIY Album Resources and Lab Settings are designed to help you create digital (un-matted) albums using vendors who don’t actively support PJ Remix.
For more information click here.
“Are you CRAZY?” That’s what you should say to people who beta test software.
It takes a special breed to want to get into Geek Critique. It’s so !@#$ frustrating! I sent ELEVEN Bug/Feedback reports yesterday (my personal record – I counted ‘em), but at least I got to frustrate the dev team as much as they frustrated me. (Not really – they’re my mates.) If YOU have had a frustrating time testing, we who are about to code salute you. What we’re doing together is build cool software – thank you.
Ian
PS We’re not too proud to ask. If you see the potential, or love the way it is, or the way it’s going to be… Please, tell a friend – bump a post – encourage your vendor.
We’ve been reviewing your recent feedback, and we certainly need to say thanks. Besides the inevitable fixes, there have been some very thoughtful suggestions. We apologise for not replying personally to everyone, but if you’ve written it, we’ve read it. TBH we could spend a lot of time on the net right now, and get a lot less done. Please understand we’re knocking things off as far as we can. If you’ve made a suggestion you’d like to get a wider airing, please do leave a post on our forum.
A good point made on the forum is that the first thing some people may want to do is open their Retro client files. So you know, there is currently no way to import PJFs from PJ Retro into PJ Remix and this is not on our development schedule (technically speaking, there is not enough data in a Retro file to build a Remix import). However we are actively working on template importing so that your designs can be transferred.
With thanks from the PJ Developers
This is so simple it’s embarrassing. But on the other hand some of you reckoned Retro was confusing to install and register. So for those of you who’ve just joined the beta testing group, here’s how it’s done with Remix (5MB, 2minutes).
BTW…
• If you’re a “PJ Retro” subscriber (version 6.23 and earlier) you will be able to move to PJ Remix AT ANY TIME WITHOUT CHARGE. Your version 6.23 subscription will continue until its normal expiry. Please email us for assistance.
• If you’ve tested Retro, you’ll be free to try out Remix as well (I guess that goes without saying).
PJ Remix Pre-Release Beta 0.9: Fully configurable, colour-managed design space • New user interface (cool, calm, a pleasure to use – thank you Vanessa) • Group/Collection/Folder/Auto-link image views • Scaleable thumbnails and image preview • Sort by EXIF, filename, file size, date and time • Client collection builder • Totally transformed album and cover design • Live album update and preview • Matted and digital (un-matted) albums • Managed workflow (project set-up, high-res export, send order).
OK, we’re quite proud. Click here for a full feature list. Please tell us if you know of another app that can tick all those boxes.
When you design albums, you’re dancing with a partner, your vendor. It doesn’t work when they tread on your toes. Or vice versa.
That’s why we’ve always stressed the importance of integrating with suppliers. And why we enable vendors to switch functions off in Remix where they’re not right for their product.
For example, some testers have asked on DWF why Queensberry has disabled aperture resizing by “dragging from the corner” in matted albums.
(Many traditional vendors will need to turn custom design off entirely – ie make PJ drag-and-drop only. In the same way, many studios will want to use drag-and-drop templates for productivity reasons.)
Understand it’s not us that makes such decisions, it’s the vendors (read QBY’s reasons here). But understand also the fundamental reason: that suppliers make real books (and labs make real prints), and the systems only work if you (and your software) understand them.
Having said that, we’re about problem solving and better outcomes. Watch this space.
Welcome to the Photojunction Team Blog
Portrait and wedding photographers… Organise, display and sell your images, design stand-out albums, interface with Photoshop, send your work to your vendors.
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