[OFFICIAL] IMatch 5.5 Sneak Preview

[Mario]

Dear IMatch users,

since the current build of IMatch works awesome and stable, and the community is pretty quiet, I had a lot of time to work on the next version of IMatch.

I plan to release IMatch 5.5. as soon as possible, when all new features are finished and tested.
Of course regular maintenance releases for the current version of IMatch are shipped whenever needed. I have fixed a number of bugs and added some minor features and I will ship IMatch build 5.4.14 soon.

Today I want to give you some information about the often requested (and dearly missed by many) contact sheet printing feature planned for IMatch 5.5. In fact this has become a rather sophisticated general printing feature which is up to par with what other DAM systems offer, and even exceeds the capabilities some of the dedicated printing software products out there.

IMatch 5.5. will allow you to print 'simple' context sheets, but also entire photo books, catalogs or leaflets. You have precise control over all aspects of the print document: paper size, layout, grids, borders, headers, footers, image arrangement and fitting, rotation, effects, text controls overlays, watermarks, QR codes, multi-layer printing, font settings, ...

The printing module maintains print templates and layouts in plain text XML files. A print processor reads these files and prints them. This unique approach makes printing in IMatch very open and accessible. Usually you create your documents using the comfortable designer, and then print files via a Favorite or the Import & Export panel. But you can also create these XML files manually in your favorite text editor or from within an IMatch script of IMatch app!

Please have a look at the attached PDF file which shows some of the many features which will be available in IMatch 5.5 printing. This PDF was created with the IMatch printing module!

Note: I used a rather low 150 DPI resolution for this document to keep it small so I can attach it here. Of course IMatch printing supports all resolutions, from 96 DPI screen resolution to 600 DPI high-end printing.

Let me know what you think.

Oh, by the way: IMatch 5.5 will be a paid upgrade.

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[sinus]

Fantastic!
Great looking! Hmmm, I am thinking about throw my beloved Wordcontact-Script away   

Seems really very good, specialy, if we are so flexible to create different pages.

[Aubrey]

Mario,
thank you for teaser, and update on progress.
Recently, the first site I log into is the community to find out when next update will be released and more importantly 5.5
The print module looks great, looks very versatile with tremendous options for text layout.
I was about to learn how to use books etc. in Lightroom. I think I'll save my energy for IMatch 5.

By the way, I really like your fruit and vegetable photographs on page 4, the bright colouring makes them mouthwatering 

My pennies are piled in front of screen ready to give to Mario when 5.5 is released!

Aubrey.

[oldhank]

Looks great! Patiently waiting with great anticipation.

dnh

[sinus]

Sorry, Mario, my English is not that good, so I ask:

Say, I have 40 images.
Each image has a headline and a description.

Now I create 10 pages with these 40 images, with headlines, file-names and description.

If I understand you correct, I can store this "template" and use it the next time again!?

But what if I have the next time only 28 images, but want to use the same template?

I guess and hope: no problem for IMatch!?

-------------------
I have seen on the same pages different fonts and so on. Great!
Also, like Aubrey wrote, great fruits - images (OK, I have also some own images here  , but also there: different sizes of the images.

But say on your page 4: there 1re 12 images.
Say, I want the same page, but with other 12 images. Is the sort order responsible, what images are big or small, or can I rearrange them?

Sorry to ask, but I can not imagine this fully 

[Mario]

If I understand you correct, I can store this "template" and use it the next time again!?

That's where the power of dynamic templates comes into play: You create one page only in your template 

This page has 4 file containers (assuming you want to print 4 files per page). And as many text containers as you need for the headline, image information, maybe a footer or header, copyright info and whatnot. You can also add fixed graphics like your logo, copyright statement or watermark overlays.

When you now 'run' this template, you provide any number of files. If you drop 40 files, the print engine outputs 10 pages - because each page consumes 4 files. The print engine just duplicates the template page as often as needed, until all dropped files are consumed.
If you drop 18 files, IMatch prints 5 pages. The last page contains two images.

If you want different odd and even pages (e.g. to mirror the page margins or when you want different headers or footers) you just create two pages in your template. IMatch then duplicates both pages in turn until all files are consumed. For 40 dropped files you get 5 odd and 5 even pages. For 18 files 3 odd and 2 even pages.

The sequence in which the files are printed depends on the source of the drop. If you select files in a file window, they will be printed in the same sequence as they appear in the file window. If you drop folders, categories, collections or time-line nodes, the images will be printed top-down and you can select a sort profile to sort the files before printing. The print module here works like most other export modules.


Dynamic templates also support printing the same file multiple times on one or more pages.
Wedding/Event photographers often print the same image using a two pages layout, where the image is printed in large on page 1, and two smaller copies of the image are printed on page 2.  When you print at home you can print the same file multiple times on a larger sheet, and then cut it as needed.

And that's all just the tip of the iceberg, so to speak.
I'd wish I had an iceberg, because it's rather hot in Germany right now...

[BanjoTom]

I can hardly wait!  IM 5.5 looks like a wonderful and powerful improvement to an already GREAT piece of software . . .   

[Frank]

Great to hear.  When us 5.5 out?
I cant  hardly wait.
Frank

[Mees Dekker]

This looks great and I can hardly wait to get this new version.

But: I cannot print the pdf-document (yes I know: I'm a bit old fashioned), because that requires a password. Did I miss something?

[Mario]

This is intentional. No printing or copying of contents of this document.

[Jingo]

Thx Mario - looks really good.  I used to use a program by ACDSee called Fotoslate - it was one of the best photo print layouts on the market at the time... you could create templates similar to your examples plus do all sorts of automated options like auto-populate and crop based upon the container size (keeping or discarding the aspect ratios), etc.  Once ACDSee "retired" Fotoslate, I started using QImage... while much much more complex and complicated - it has a slew of features as well that allow you to setup print templates to create some really unique printing layouts.

I really used both programs to save paper when printing since I could fit multiple photos on a sheet of paper automatically arranging them to maximize output on a single 8x10 photo sheet.  Looks like IMatch will now how much of this functionality built in - I welcome the update and look forward to testing it out when ready.

Thx again for the preview! - Andy.

[Mario]

I'm quite sure that the printing module will be able to handle most typical use cases easily. And, as everything else in IMatch, the printing module will evolve over time, incorporating suggestions and feature requests. IMatch 5 is using an agile development model for a reason

My aim was to enable users to quickly print images, either by manually arranging each file on a page (static template, aka "photo book") or by using a dynamic template approach - which by far exceeds what some of you may know from other software as 'auto-fill'.

Text boxes are filled from variables, which gives you complete access to all metadata, Attributes and the powerful variable formatting functions provided by IMatch. Any number of text boxes can be used on a page,  you control from which file the text box gets it's data (even from file on another page!). You can control font family, size, color etc. You can even use a simplified form of XAML markup for 'per-character' font control, more complex layouts, even custom tables!

Images can be set to auto-rotate to match the container orientation, and there are various scale, fill and fit modes. Offsets can be controlled, as well as things like opacity or rotation. Some image effects as well, like Gaussian blur (good for softening up background images), USM sharpen, HSV manipulations etc. Nothing too fancy, though. I assume you finalize the images before you print them. EMF files (Windows Enhanced Metafiles) get a special processing, which allows you use to use real vector graphics for things like watermarks, logos etc. Draw your copyright or studio watermark once and use it at any resolution and size.

I did not attempt to implement all the features available in specialized printing software as used by professionals - these software packages cost hundreds of dollars for a reason. They have entire developer teams dedicated to just printing. And these packages usually come with tons of templates and prefabricated layouts which are designed by dedicated teams of designers employed by the software vendor. I cannot provide that.

IMatch ships with a small set of pre-made page layouts which you can choose from and then customize. All page templates automatically adjust to the page margins you set, and also to the grid settings you use. This allows you to easily adapt any of these templates to various page formats and orientations. The page layout selector currently looks like this:



Easy, but provides everything that is needed for a start.
The green boxes are file containers. You later fill them by drag and drop from a thumbnail window. For dynamic documents, the boxes are filled automatically from the files which you drop on the export module, creating new pages as needed. You can also convert these containers into text containers or whatever using a few mouse clicks. A small number of layouts thus is capable of creating hundreds of different layouts.

IMatch printing uses a unique XML-based approach. The templates are stored as plain XML files, which means you can create and modify templates using Windows Notepad (or better, some proper editor like Notepad++). Templates can be shared by just exchanging a single file (or maybe some additional files when the template uses images for the background, borders or whatever). This opens up many possibilities, e.g. for creating templates without using IMatch at all, or for creating templates dynamically in a script or app.

I'm quite far already, currently I'm implementing the move containers with the mouse and keyboard. That's one of the last missing functionalities. Everything else looks quite good already. Lot's of testing needed, of course. That's how the 'designer' looks so far (image downsized to 1200 pixel, hence the blur):



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[BanjoTom]

Wow!!!  I can hardly wait for the official release of Imatch 5.5 with these incredible printing possibilities added to what is already an indispensable DAM application!   One very minor question: will the new printing modules be able to, for instance, display at reduced size the first page of a Word, Powerpoint, or Excel document, or the initial frame of a video, as well as photos or other graphic images?  I can imagine that in certain circumstances that could be useful as well, though clearly the main thrust of the new print capabilities will enhance management of photos and other images . . .   

What a great vision you have, Mario -- and we, your software's users, continue to be the beneficiaries of your genius and your development work!   

[Mario]

One very minor question: will the new printing modules be able to, for instance, display at reduced size the first page of a Word, Powerpoint, or Excel document, or the initial frame of a video, as well as photos or other graphic images? 

Yes. The print module uses the same 'rendering' code IMatch uses, e.g. in the Viewer or the Quick Preview Panel. If you get previews for your Office, PDF files, videos or MP3 files there, you can also use them in a print document.

Please note that the previews delivered by Windows for Office documents or PDF files usually don't have a very high resolution. This may result in a low quality print result. If a PDF preview has 1000 pixels, you can print it at about 3 inches on  300 DPI printer. If you use a larger container and let IMatch fill the container, IMatch will up-scale the PDF preview image to match the container size - and this may cause a lower quality.

[Jingo]

Very nice Mario.... truly can't wait for this fine addition to an already feature packed product!

[anmue]

Hi Mario,

this printing feature looks great. I think about using it to create PDFs for photo books. Since the printing services, which do PDF photo books, have some special requirements for the PDF - i.e. embedding fonts  etc. - I' m quite unsure if a simple print to a PDF print driver will meet these requirements. Did you already have some experiences in creating and printing photobooks with your new feature?

Regards Andreas

[Mario]

This all depends on your print service, I think,

Ask them for a recommended "print to PDF" driver.
Use your the driver you have already installed on your system and send them a sample for testing.

The printing feature in IMatch allows you to print to TIFF files as well. You can send these files, or combine them in whatever DTP software you use and then produce a PDF in that software. Or use your DTP software and just drag files from IMatch into it. Or use the software provided by your printing service - in conjunction with IMatch 5...

[Mario]

Just to let you know...

I'm working on the printing feature and the other big enhancement I will include in IMatch 5. Both are rather, eh, demanding features and as so often, things don't work as planned. But I have now officially started to test the printing feature. There are tons of options and thingies to try and test, and I do this by producing simple and more complex print layouts. While working with the module (not developing it) I quickly figure out the small things or changes which improve the whole operation. A switch here and there, an automatism here, smarter defaults there etc. Naturally, I also find bugs and fix them immediately.

Don't expect the same functionality you get from a DTP software or a specialized photo book application that has been enhancement over many years and is backed up by a team of programmers - these software package cost big $$$ for a reason. But the printing module in IMatch 5.5 will be a more than worthy replacement for the contact sheet builder we had in IMatch 3 - and which is missed dearly by a surprising number of users.

This is what I did today during my test session (screen shot of the print preview, reduced from 3840 to 1600 pixels) - click to enlarge.



This test shows how amazingly flexible the layout engine is. From standard contact sheets to totally free layouts, everything is possible.

And yes, I do like fruit.

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[Jingo]

This is really great Mario... I think the community is going to come up with some amazing templates which will create a wonderful library of albums, books and other things to share.