From Event Album Maker

1 About Even Album Maker

2 Preparation For Work

2.1 PC Requirements for Event Album Maker™ program

Minimum PC Requirements:
- CPU: Intel 1.8 GHz / AMD Athlon XP 1800+
- RAM: 1GB
- HDD: 2 GB, Paging File must be enabled!
- OS: Windows XP with service pack 2 or Windows Vista
- GPU: 24 bits color depth, min. resolution: 1024x768
- OTHER: .NET Framework 2.0
Recommended PC Requirements:
- CPU: Intel Core2 Duo / AMD Athlon 64 X2
- RAM: 2GB - 4GB
- HDD: 10 GB, Paging File must be enabled!
- OS: Windows XP with service pack 2 or Windows Vista
- GPU: 24 bits color depth, min. resolution: 1024x768
- OTHER: .NET Framework 2.0

2.2 Installation

To install the program run installation file EAMaker_1.2.0.exe either from CD/DVD or saved on disk after downloading from Internet. Numbers indicate program version. Installation process is similar to other Windows programs. User has to select language version, program components and additional programs that are necessary for program to run (like Internet Explorer and .Net Framework).

The screens that appear during installation are shown below.

Language selection screen appears at the beginning of installation:
Press 'Start installation' to start installation:
Read carefully the License Agreement. If you agree with the Agreement press I ACCEPT to continue installation. If you do not agree - do not install the program:
Program verifies software components and environment. If any item is missing the installer prompts to install it.
Select installer language version to install:
To continue press NEXT button.
Select program components and language version. We recommend to leave suggested options.

Please read about 3GB flag in boot.ini file.

Select program location. We recommend not to change it and press NEXT button.
The final confirmation of installation selections. Press INSTALL.
After installation - and before running the program - restart the computer. Press FINISH button to restart.

2.3 License Activation

After installation program works in DEMO mode (demonstration mode). In this mode program is fully functional but on all images inserted into album pages a gray text is displayed: EVENT ALBUM MAKER. In order to get rid of this watermark text the program has to be activated.
- You may do this on Welcome Window pressing ACTIVATE button at the right-bottom corner of the window.
- You may also select MENU>HELP>ACTIVATE while working with the program.
The next window appears. To continue press 'License Activation >>'.
Type SERIAL NUMBER received with the program and press NEXT.
Program generates unique LICENSE CODE that has to be copied and pasted into an appropriate field on the Activation Web Page: act.eamaker.com
Image:EAM044.png

2.4 User Interface

Main areas of Event Album Maker program window:

Areas in the program workspace:

WINDOWS
- ALBUM PAGES WINDOW, contains selected Templates that become Album pages during Album creation process. Templates copied into Album Project are independent of their originals and their modification here will not alter original template.
- PAGE EDITING WINDOW. Page selected on ALBUM PAGES WINDOW appears here. Editing is simple: all you need is to drag and drop selected images (or ornaments) from bottom window into selected areas of a template. You can move or rotate image within the selected area and accept. You can return to previously accepted image by double clicking with left mouse button.
- IMAGE AND ORNAMENT WINDOW shows all images and ornaments added by the user while creating an album. If an image is used somewhere in the album a counter indicator shows how many time it is used on all album pages.
MENU.
Menu contains the list of all main operations that are available within the program.
TABS (PANELS).
Tabs include additional tools useful for editing: LAYERS, NAVIGATOR and
STATUS LINE/PROMPTS.
The Status line and Prompts is located between PAGE EDITING WINDOW and IMAGE AND ORNAMENT WINDOW. On the left side cursor coordinates are shown (current cursor position) and user prompts are displayed in the middle part of status line.
CONTEXT MENU accessible under right mouse button on the following elements:
- an album page thumbnail in ALBUM PAGES WINDOW, contains the following commands
  - Edit
  - Open with Photoshop
  - Save as (PSD or JPG)
  - Copy
  - Delete
- an image thumbnail in IMAGE AND ORNAMENT WINDOW, contains the following commands
  - View
  - Corrections
  - Open in Photoshop
  - Counter (increase/decrease)
  - Copy
  - Delete
- a layer in PAGE EDITING WINDOW

2.4.1 Menu

The Structure of program MENU:

Album
- New
- Open
- Close
- Save
- Export
  - All pages as JPG
  - All pages as JPG thumbnails
- Open the last album
- Properties
- Exit
Pages
- Add pages
- Save edited page
Images
- Add to album project
- Add to album project by lbnSenderX
Ornaments
- Ornament directory
- Add to album
View
- Full screen
- Hide/Reveal selected layer
- Reveal all hidden layers
- Hide all layers except selected
- Hide all MOLD layers
- Album folding line
- Rulers
- Show selected layer bounds
Setup
- Configuration
  - Photoshop path
  - lbnSenderX path
  - Show Start-Up window
- Language
Help
- Help - Keyboard and Mouse Shortcuts
- Aktivate Event Album Maker
- About (Event Album Maker)

2.4.2 Tabs

LAYERS tab
Shows the list of all layers used on a selected album page.
NAVIGATOR tab
Allows quick change of page view
TOOLS tab
Handy set of tools for page editing
1. Layers
  - Layer Edit Mode – Active only when a layer is selected. Switch to editing like changing size, rotation or order(This mode is also activated using double-click o a layer or from context menu for layer - right-click)
  - Anti-Alias – Turns on or off smoothing of edges while rotating a layer. Selecting this option slows down the program.
  - Layer Photo Corrections - Allows to make colour corrections of selected layer (available also from context menu)
  - Layer Blending Mode – Additional blending options (available also from context menu)
    
    Available options:
  1. Blending Value
  2. Blending Mask Oversize
  3. Layer Opacity
2. Regions
  - Region Selection Mode – Allows to select several areas as a target area for new image droped from Images Window.
  - Tolerance
  - Auto Drop
  1. Tolerance
  2. Auto Blending

3 Album Creation Steps

Four Steps to Create Album:

Start a new Album Project.
Assign a name, format and resolution of album pages and then select templates and ornaments you want to use. You will find useful tool for creating album New Album Wizard
Prepere images for the Album.
Use lbnSenderX™ module to select images and perform color correction to unify the images you want to use in your Album. This program module allows a group of images correction using automatic tools.
Additional lbnSenderX functions:
- Monitor calibration without colorimeter and other special tools.
- Reference Picture allows to adjust to minilab color profile on which images are to be exposed.
Create Album Pages
Select a page from top window and then drag and drop images from bottom window into selected areas on the template. You may edit images using available tools or opening Adobe® Photoshop® to use more advanced functions. See: Editing album page in Adobe® Photoshop®
Save or Export individual pages or the entire Albumu Project.

3.1 New Album Wizard

Use a New Album Wizard and you will not miss any necessary step while creating an album.

The First Step - set basic album information:
- Album Name
- Folder Path for the whole project
The Second Step - set the album size:

NOTE: Each change of size causes re-calculation of files to new size and resolution. This operation is memory consuming process: you need to have enough RAM memory and disk space.
The Third Step - adding album elements:
- Pages from TEMPLATES
- Images
- Ornaments
The Fourth Step - press CREATE ALBUM button to create an album folder and copy all album elements into it.

Now you have everything for the album in one place and you may stop working on it at any time and come back again some time later.

3.2 Creating Album Pages

Each album page is build on Template onto which you drop images and ornaments. Pages are numbered and their order may be freely changed. Album pages are build in layers. Empty Template usually contains several layers. Each layer contains not only an image but also information about transparency of every pixel. This way you may create combinations of mutually blended pictures. Some layers are playing a special role. The names of those layers are beginning with MOLD... Such a layer is treated as an area into which images are fitted automatically.

LAYERS - description of tab columns:
- (eye) turns on/off the view of a layer
- layer thumbnail
- layer name
Selecting a layer - sometimes you may need to select a layer to perform some function on it. This may be done in several ways:
- using menu LAYERS - click on its name or thumbnail
- click directly on edited image - the highest layer just below mouse pointer is selected
- holding CTRL key click on several layers (one by one) - all clicked layers are selected
- using context menu (under right mouse button) - select a layer from the list
Placing images - an image may be placed on an album page dragging an image either from Image and Ornament Window of Event Album Maker or any Windows' window and dropping it to the currently edited page. When you move (dragging) an image over an album page the program searches the highest layer with a name that begins with MOLD. The target drop area is highlighted in red.
- You may place an image into the highest layer holding SHIFT key.
- Holding ALT key places an image into the lowest layer.
- After "dropping" you may additionally enlarge an image to a page size pressing G key.

 An image placed in such a way is still in edit mode. You may freely scale or rotate it.
 To finish editing press ENTER. To cancel press ESC.

3.3 Save and Export

You may export all album pages as:

JPG files
JPG thumbnails

Using those functions you may send album pages to a customer for his approval of our work.

Select from menu ALBUM>EXPORT.
After selecting the option ALL PAGES AS JPG you need to set:
- compression rate
- target folder into which files will be saved
  NOTE: EXPORT key is active only after setting a target folder!:
After selecting ALL PAGES AS JPG THUMBNAILS you need to set:
- compression rate and size of thumbnails and thumbnail size
- target folder into which files will be saved
  NOTE: EXPORT key is active only after setting a target folder!:

4 Editing Album Page in Adobe Photoshop

Editing album page in Adobe® Photoshop®

5 Editing Templates and Ornaments

Templates

Ready to use high quality templates are one of the great advantages of the program. A set of such templates are delivered together with the program. Open a template and see album page with fields just waiting for your images. Drag and drop your images, rotate them or do the cropping if needed. You may easily change the page design: move template elements, change them or add new one. Each page consists of layers what additionally improve editing flexibilities. All files (templates or album pages) are compatible with Adobe® Photoshop®.

To know more see: Guidelines for creating templates

6 Guidelines for creating templates

6.1 Guidelines for making Templates

6.1.1 Introduction

Due to compatibility with PSD format Event Album Maker™ allows to use practically infinite number of templates created and modified by anybody in Adobe® Photoshop®. General idea of creating templates is very simple. Just prepare graphical composition that consists of three parts:

defined area for pacing images - called "MOLD"
graphical elements like background, lines, text etc.
some "effects" like shadows, light, thickness etc.

Molds or containers allow to quickly place an image in predefined place. However, Molds or containers are not necessary. Event Album Maker allows to place images everywhere on a page and then edit their look.

6.1.2 Recommendations in short

Follow the guidelines below to make templates so they will behave according to your expectations:

Molds or containers for images should have consistent shape (no breaks) and moderately uniform colour. You need to know that the program will search an area around the cursor that has the similar colour (taking into account the current tolerance value). That is why the colour of the mold should be uniform.
Event Album Maker™ uses form transparency (based on alpha channel). Program - placing an image - calculates an area based on colour and next will apply transparency of the mold to an image (it takes into account alpha channel of every pixel). This allow to quickly apply transparency effects while placing an image.
A layer of the mold should be named in Photoshop as MOLDX, where X is a sequential layer number. During drag and drop the program searches areas on layers that their names begin with MOLD1, MOLD2 etc.
The user may decide to use containers on one layer or on separete layers. It is obvious however that forms that overlap each other must be on separate layers (e.g MOLD3 and MOLD4).
Form effects should be on a separate layer. However Photoshop - while for example adding a shadow to an object - by default creates this effect as a property of an object on its layer. To properly use such effect in Event Album Maker you need to change it to a separate layer. How to do it see below in How to make templates compatible.
For you convenience we recommend to name the layers with "the effects" according to the effect and layers with forms as MOLDX. For example use M1 Shadow - as a shadow of form1 (of MOLD1 layer) or M3 Glow as a glow effect of form3 (of MOLD3 layer). A few layers containing "effects" of the same form like shadow and glow may be placed on one layer called M4 Effects.

Additional requirements for templates:

Layer Blending Mode - must be set as Normal
Colour space - should be set as RGB
Do not use Adjust Layer
All layer names should not contain national characters - use only ASCII

6.2 Details And Examples

6.2.1 Incompatible Templates

When a template is opened EAM check their compatibility. If checking fails the program displays a message:

Remember that the effects of layers that have not been turned off or changed into a separate layer are not displayed while working with an album page and while exporting. It is however possible to edit a page, place images on it and after saving open it in Photoshop where you can see all effects that EAM does not displays. You may flatten an image and save it in Photoshop to keep all effects. Then you may come back to EAM and do exporting.

6.3 How to make templates compatibile

Below you can read how to prepare templates so the program load and display them properly.

6.3.1 Layer Style

In Adobe Photoshop after adding an effect to a layer you can see an special icon on a layer:

You need to convert this effect into a separate layer in order to EAM could display such effect. To do it right-click on an effect field and select Create Layer(s):

Do it for each effect. After this operations a certain number of layers are created:

Inheritance of Effect Properties
Layers created from effects have their properties. For example, if Shadow effect has Blend Mode = Multiply, and Opacity = 75%, the created layer also has Blend Mode = Multiply. But Opacity is changed into Fill. Because EAM is not compatible with Fill, you need to re-write its value into Opacity field and set Fill as 100%. Thanks to this trick the effect of transparent shadow is going to be correctly read in EAM. Set Layer Blending Mode to Normal.

The Effect Properties:
A new layer properties (after conversion):	The correct options:

The correct layer naming
The name MOLDx is reserved for layers with forms (image containers) we recommend to rename an effect layer into: M1 Shadow or M2 Glow. Double-click on a layer name and type a new name:

In the case when there are several layers related to one object (Mold) we recommend to merge them into one layer and name it as Mx Effects. You can do it selecting layers while holding CTRL key and pressing right mouse button to select Merge Layers command (you may also use Ctr+E shortcut):

The optimal situation is when all molds are on one layer and their effects on a separate layers, as shown here:

6.3.2 Layer Blending Mode

Layer Blending Mode - should be set as Normal. This can be done on Layers tab or click right mouse button on a layer and select from context menu -> Blending Options... -> Blend Mode

6.3.3 Fill/Opacity Option

Photoshop uses two techniques to blend layers: Opacity and Fill. EAM correctly uses only Opacity option. Fill option is not compatible with EAM. Do not use this option

6.3.4 Colour Space

EAM works only in RGB mode. Set Image -> Mode to RGB:

6.3.5 Layer Names

A layer of the mold should be named in Photoshop as MOLDX, where X is a sequential layer number. During drag and drop the program searches areas on layers that their names begin with MOLD1, MOLD2 etc.
The user may decide to use containers on one layer or on separate layers. It is obvious however that forms that overlap each other must be on separate layers (e.g MOLD3 and MOLD4).
. All layer names should not contain national characters - use only ASCII.

6.3.6 Adjust Layer

Event Album Maker™ is not compatible with Adjust Layer. Do not use it creating templates.

7 Frequently Asked Questions

7.1 To whom Event Album offer is addressed?

All over the world it is quite obvious that the best photographic business is on weddings where Photo Albums are becoming more and more popular. In that business segment we can find not only professional photographers - owners of photo-studios but also much larger group of freelance photographers. Both groups want to offer photo Albums for their customers that should be unique like wedding ceremony for young couple and their family. An automatic massive photo-book production is not able to offer high quality and individually customized Albums. High quality Albums need individual approach. Event Album is dedicated for such market segment where professional and freelance photographers are able to offer unique solution. From one side Event Album Maker™ software allows to generate photo Album quick and easy but from another side due to PSD graphics files format and Adobe® Photoshop® functionality is giving full freedom that is necessary in that business.

7.2 What are distinctive features of Event Album Maker™?

Event Album Maker™ is a program that makes photographer work easier and faster. Customer are always expecting professional album to be made in minutes. To reach such expectations Event Album Maker™ is offering professionally designed templates for quick drag-and-drop way of creating Album. When artistic touch is needed there is only a key stroke distance to start Adobe® Photoshop® and use uncomparable advanced functionalities.

In addition Event Album Maker™ is able to provide:

Images enhancement for the Album - by using lbnSenderX module
Monitor calibration - just use Monitor Calibration function
Reference image for color correction to specific profile of the Minilab on which prints will be done

No other program takes into account all critical factors that photographer has to face:

High customer expectations (high quality and unique)
Limited time (needed to be done yesterday)
Non-uniform images (images from photo session)
Standard monitor (monitor that is available)
Limited influence for the final prints (difference what you see on monitor and get from minilab)

7.3 Who are our competitors?

There are two groups of our competitors: Programs working independently from Adobe® Photoshop® that try to imitate its functionality (like Dg Foto Art from PXL SOFT) and programs that are add-on for Adobe® Photoshop® (like Album Design 2 from SPC International srl). Event Album Maker™ is independent program like and is giving freedom to our customers to use Adobe® Photoshop® functionalities.

From Dg Foto Art we are better because we allow compatibility with Adobe® Photoshop®, quick operations, easy work, and intuitive interface. From Album Design 2 we are better because of simplified album creation, fast image enhancement/corrections, and well organized projects

Event Album Maker EN