Creating Memory Mates

Scope

A memory mate is defined as a product that combines the subject’s individual image with their corresponding team or group photo.

There are three main steps in making a memory mate:

1. Organizing the data and images

2. Making the template

3. Setting up the product

Before you begin

This article assumes the user is familiar with basics of template design, along with data and image handling

Sample Template

To follow along, download the sample template below.

Organizing the images and data

Essentially, data and images need to be organized as follows:

1. Individual images matched to their subjects

2. The subjects be arranged into folders

3. Team or group images matched to their folders

The principle is then quite simple. When a memory mate product is ordered for a subject, their individual image is placed in the product together with the team or group image that has been matched to the folder they belong to.

Matching the team image to the appropriate folder

It is assumed the reader is already familiar with the concepts and procedures of matching images to subjects. If however the user is not yet familiar with matching images to folders, the following will be useful.

Important to understand

A fundamental principle is that an image matched to a folder automatically ‘belongs’ to all the subjects in that folder.

Several methods are available to match a team or group image to the appropriate folder. These include:

1. Manually, in Match Mode

   1. Match Mode

2. By importing a text fle

   1. Importing Images via a Text File

3. By using QR Codes

   1. QR Codes for Folder Images

4. Using Face Recognition

   1. Using Facial Recognition with Folders

The memory mate template

Essentially, a memory mate template contains two image holes - a standard hole for the subject's individual image and an image hole that calls the image that has been matched to the subject's folder. The latter is often referred to as a Folder Image.

To create the template:

1. Start a new pack layout in NeoPack’s Template designer

2. Add the image hole for the subjects' individual image using the Add image hole tool

3. Add any text, graphics, and barcodes in the usual manner

4. Add a second image hole for the subjects' group image, selecting the Fill hole with: Folder Image radio button

5. Add the Product description and Code under File> Properties

6. Save the template

Tip

As with all templates, it is possible to use conditional text, prompt fields, variable graphics, and other data-controlled elements to dynamically alter the appearance of the template.

Graphics, fonts, and colours can be changed based on data , or in some cases, according to customer responses captured via Online ordering

This allows the same memory mate template to be used for multiple teams or sports, provided the basic layout does not change.  

Setting up the Product

Before the Memory Mate product can be ordered by any of the automated ordering methods, it is necessary to add the template as a Product in the Timestone Administrator (tsAdmin).

Setting up a memory mate as a product is much the same as any other portrait item.

To create the product:

1. Navigate to the Products tab in tsAdmin

2. Click the Green Plus Icon to create a new product

3. Enter a Code and Description

4. Enter the Type as Portrait

5. Enter the Template Key. This should match the previously entered key in the properties window of the template.