Point and Click Ordering Composites and Groups

Applies to:Version 4.7

With the release of Version 4.6 in 2016 it became possible to handle and print Composites (as formed in NeoComposite) and groups (as formed in NeoGroup) from within NeoPack.

Composites and groups in NeoPack

For the sake of simplicity, composite pages and group pages will often be collectively referred to in this article as 'group pages'. In addition references to NeoComposite and NeoGroup apply equally to CompositeBuilder and GroupBuilder. It also very important the reader make the distinction between groups from NeoComposite and NeoGroup and group images matched to a folder in NeoPack as used for memory mates for example - the latter are not applicable here.

This new functionality means a subject's group pages, as ordered, are automatically added to the NeoPack print queue where they appear together with the subject's portrait packages.

Version 4.7 expands on this functionality by allowing 'Point and Click' ordering of groups whereby the user can simply select a subject in Point and Click Mode and add their group to the queue without the need to enter an order for the subject by scanning a barcode for example. Moreover adding and printing extra copies of groups (as often required by a school for example) becomes a simple matter of entering the desired the quantaties of each group and adding them to the queue.

Key points

• A subject's group pages, as ordered, automatically appear in NeoPack's Queue Mode
• Additionally a subject's group pages can be added manually in NeoPack's Point and Click Mode
• Extra copies for each group can also be added to the print queue in Point and Click Mode

The Composites and Groups listing in Point and Click Mode

Point and Click Mode in Version 4.7 introduces two new tabs sitting alongside the NeoPack template listing. However instead of listing templates these tabs list all the formerd composite and group pages. An understanding of this list and it's icons and functions is vital in Point and Click ordering of groups and with this in mind the reader is asked to study the screen grab below.

Figure 1: The Composites listing in NeoPack

The Composites tab as shown in the screen grab above lists all composite pages formed in NeoComposite for the job. (In the same way, the Groups tab lists all group pages formed in NeoGroup). Furthermore the Composites listing displays three additional columns - a column for rotated composites, a column for static composites and an Extras column

Adding groups for a subject

The screen grab above shows a selected subject - Ashton Hodge. Note the + symbols in the Composites listing. This indicates the groups that Ashton Hodge is a member off - a rotated and static page for the 2 Leslie composite as well as the static Whole School static page. Other composites contain a 'dot' symbol - indicating the selected subject is not a member of these composites.

Though not displayed the Groups tab would list all NeoGroup groups for the job with a + symbol indicating groups the subject is a member of.

With the subject selected:

• Click the + symbol to add the subject's composite page to the queue
• Clicking a composite with a 'dot' will add a static version of that composite for the subject even though they are not a part of that group

Adding extra copies for each group

A common need in both school and sports photography is to print extra copies of groups over and above those ordered by subjects. The new functionality in Version 4.7 makes it an easy matter to add these extra copies to the queue.

1. For each group enter the number of extra copies needed
2. When all extra copies have been entered click the 'Add Extras' button
3. Each group is added to the queue with the appropriate number of copies set (for composites, the static version is used)

Figure 2: Adding extras for each composite

Versions and sub-types

Where versions have been created for groups the 'For version' selector provides a drop down of the versions. Groups with sub-types are listed with the default group

Further material

This topic was covered at the 2017 Training Seminar. A recording is available at the Timestone Software You Tube channel.

Point and Click Ordering Comps and Groups

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