Overview
With paper ordering, the photographer has the ability to apply item design to pack layouts. This can be done with any of the paper ordering methods as well as manually in Point and Click Mode of NeoPack.
In IOS, this can be achieved by Options that are applied to Products. The options are in fact item designs and the products are in fact, pack layouts. When the customer selects a Package and begins customization, they will see the items as customization options for the Products or products in the package.
Amongst many other uses, items in IOS are often used to:
Offer different designs for products such as trader cards
Allow for configuration of Build Your Own Packages
Apply a background to the product
Examples
The Timestone IOS demo website has many examples where item designs have been used as options. A selection can be seen with the links below.
https://demo.timestone.com.au/ordering/with?key=98M2M8W5
The red Xmas Specials packages use items to change the background for the product
The blue Create your own packages use items to configure the sheet into different combinations
https://demo.timestone.com.au/ordering/with?key=MYMZXLZM
The purple Trader Card packages use items to offer different designs for trader card fronts
Note some of the trader card options attract an additional fee
https://demo.timestone.com.au/ordering/with?key=8XWP96C9
In the Premium Package, the Calendar product (product 3) has different designs
How IOS uploads items
When uploading a job, tsIOS will upload any items that are in Template Paths applicable to the job being uploaded. In the absence of any controls described below, these items are then available to be applied to a product as options.
For items to be available as options in IOS they must be in a path that applies to the job in question.
Image holes on the pack layouts
It should be noted that items will not be applied to any image holes that have been marked with the Image without item design option. In addition if the image hole already has been set with an explicit item then it cannot accept items in IOS.
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Figure 1: Image holes must be capable of accepting items
Controlling items offered in IOS
By default, all items that have been uploaded for a given job will be offered as options to all portrait products in all packages that allow customization.
This is often undesirable as a customer could be offered, say, a bookmark item design for a trader card layout. In other examples, there could be some packages where item options are needed but other packages that should have no items presented at all. Finally, there could be item designs used in the production apps such as shoot cards, ID cards and proof sheets that should never be used in IOS.
It is therefore imperative that the photographer learns how to control the availability (or not) of item options. Broadly four mechanisms are available to control the presentation of item options.
In summary
Template path availability
Mark a template path as Apps only so the items in the path are never uploaded to IOS
This is ideal for item designs such as shoot cards, ID cards and other items that have no place in IOS.
Make packages non-customizable
Packages marked as non-customizable will not give the customer the opportunity to select item design options even if they have been uploaded.
This method prevents item options for all products in the package together with image (pose) and background customization.
Turn off item customization for a given product
Disables item option customization for a given product in the package
This prevents items being presented for the product while still allowing other aspects of the product to be customized (pose and background)
Limiting specific items to specific layouts
Allows certain item designs to be available while preventing others to be presented for the product
Ensures only the desired items are available. Only displays items with tags matching the tag in the layout.
In detail
A photographer may have several item design templates that are never to be used in IOS. In these cases it is advised to save these templates in their own path that has been marked as Apps only.
Templates in an Apps only path will never be uploaded to IOS.
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Figure 2: Setting a path to be 'Apps only'
Packages marked as non-customizable will never display options even if the items have been uploaded by tsIOS.
To mark a package as non-customizable:
In tsAdmin select the offer
Select the Filters/Extras tab
Select the package
Double-click the Filters section
In the Customization section, check the Is non-customizable option
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Figure 3: Making a package non-customizable
It is possible to disallow item options on a product per product basis.
This is useful when some products in a package are to have item options but not others.
To 'turn off' items for a product:
In tsAdmin select the offer
Select the package and the product in question
Click the little Select further product options icon to open the Product options window
Check No option/item customization
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Figure 4: Disabling item options for a product
It is possible to link items to specific layouts by the use of matching tags. Items will only be offered to products if the item's tag and the layout's tag match. This allows the photographer to offer one set of items to a certain product while offering a different set of items to a different product
Layouts and items are tagged in the Template Designer (Design Mode) under File>Properties>Item tag(s)
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Figure 5: Setting a tag for a layout. A matching tag is given to the item
FAQ
What is the purpose of item designs in IOS?
Customers can select a package and then choose from various item designs as customization options for the products within that package.
Can item designs be used for different types of products?
Yes, item designs can be used for various products, such as trader cards and Build Your Own packages.
What happens if an image hole is marked as 'Image without item design'?
Items will not be applied to any image holes marked with this option, and if an image hole already has an explicit item set, it cannot accept items in IOS.
Is it possible to control which items are offered in IOS?
Yes, photographers can control item availability through various mechanisms, such as marking template paths as Apps only, making packages non-customizable, turning off item customization at the product level or limiting items to specific products through the use of tags.
What does marking a package as non-customizable do?
Marking a package as non-customizable prevents customers from selecting item design options for any products within that package.
Can specific items be limited to certain layouts?
Yes, items can be linked to specific layouts using matching tags, ensuring only desired items are available for particular products.
How can photographers ensure that certain templates are never used in IOS?
Photographers can save these templates in a path marked as Apps only, which prevents them from being uploaded to IOS.