PhotoEZ  Users Guide

What Is in PhotoEZ  (Essentials)

What Can PhotoEZ  Do (Functions)

How to Use PhotoEZ  (Some Examples)

Something You Should Know About

With the increasing popularity of computers, the things can be or need be processed by computers are getting more and more.  The tendency toward digitization also affects our daily lives including the ways to take photos, develop photos, and even manage photos.  In the past, we were used to purchasing a roll of film, installing the film into a traditional camera, picking up image, developing the film in a photo shop, and then paying for the development service. Now, the above processes are not required any longer because a digital camera and a computer will take charge of them.

What does a digital camera change, and why is a digital camera recommended? With a digital camera, no film is required, no money and time is spent on development, and no dissatisfactory picture exists in your album and film roll. You can print and preserve only selected pictures as you wish. On the other hand, the digitized data obtained by a digital camera is advantageous for processing, management and transmission. Moreover, the compact size and multiple functions of a digital camera are bonuses.

In order to lead you to explore the digital world without difficulty, PhotoEZ helps you preserve, manage and modify your photos. The graphic interface of PhotoEZ provides a simple way to operate so that you can handle all the photo affairs easily. Welcome and hope you enjoy the digital photo world.


What Is in PhotoEZ  (Essentials)

PhotoEZ  helps you preserve, manage and edit digital image data. The image data obtained from a digital camera or any other image pick-up device can be inputted into a personal computer and stored as electronic files. Then you can use PhotoEZ  to preserve your image files in film or album forms, and manage them properly. You can also use PhotoEZ  to edit and modify individual photos, especially those dissatisfactory ones, before you construct an album.

For preserving image data easily and completely, PhotoEZ  groups inputted image data as film files first. The primary version of film files, just as the real films used in a traditional camera, cannot be modified. If you do not want to preserve some or all of these film files, you may just delete them. In addition to the copy of film files stored in the PC, you had better make a spare copy, for example in a CD-R for future use.

By using PhotoEZ, you may select photos from film files, photo files or image data directly inputted from an image pick-up device to construct your own album files. Furthermore, PhotoEZ  allows you to add notes such as date, time, place, author and subject of the scene to each album via dialog box so that you can memorize and search albums easily and efficiently. For managing the album files, you may change the working directory of album files as you wish without quitting PhotoEZ. For example, the working directory can be transferred to a network server or any other media such as CD-R.

PhotoEZ provides audio effects for photos in your album other than text.  Using PhotoEZ  to edit photos, you can add audio effects to photos.  In other words, you can not only read about the photo but also hear about it.  By converting the album file to an executing format, anyone can open the file without previously installing any specific software.

Albums constructed under PhotoEZ  can be classified to a specific catalog. PhotoEZ  has provided some catalogs for your choice, but you may build more as you wish. For example, you can create your own catalogs, classify your photos into a "travel" group, a "people" group, a "friend" group, etc., and store each group under corresponding catalogs. This helps you manage your albums efficiently, and allows you to find a certain album quickly.

PhotoEZ  processes three kinds of image data.

1.	Photo is elementary image data to construct an album, and can be attached thereto information of file name, date, subject, and even sound.

2.	Film consists of a series of photos obtained from a digital camera or any other device. No photo stored in a film file can be edited or modified unless it is removed from the film file. Photos, however, can be deleted from the film files.

3.	Album is a combination of selected photos, which are obtained from film files, photo files or image data directly inputted from an image pick-up device. Those selected photos in an album can be edited, modified, or deleted as wish.


What Can PhotoEZ  Do (Functions)

Please click the button that you need help.


How to Use PhotoEZ  (Some Examples)

Example 1 	for producing new films, managing films, and deleting films

Example 2 	for producing new albums, managing albums, and deleting albums

Example 3 	for searching albums and editing photos by modifying brightness

Example 4 	for outputting photos, printing photos, and producing executing files


Something You Should Know About

License to Use

You have got licensed from Meta Media, Inc. at the time you purchase PhotoEZ. You may install the licensed copy of software to one and only one personal computer (PC) at one time. If you want to install this software to another PC, please remove the copy in the original PC first. It is to be noted that the licensed copy of software is a single PC version and valid for single PC installation only. Therefore, users are not licensed to use or forward the software through network. It is prohibited to publish or share this software with others through a local network or Internet. The duplication of this CD-R and the copying of this software into any storing medium are also beyond the licensed right.

License Termination

When you clear the licensed copy of software from your hard disk with the removal program included in this software or any other way, the licensing relationship is terminated. However, after removing this licensed copy of software from the original PC, you may still install it into another PC under the license of Meta Media, Inc.

Sincerely

Meta Media, Inc.


Example 1 for producing new films, managing films, and deleting films

1. Producing Film: Press on Photo-input from camera in Window for Album Management to start loading photos via TWAIN or other interfaces for image input so as to constitute a film file. You will see a dialog box for requesting to save the film file after finishing loading photos. Enter the name for the film file and produce a film file.

2. Managing Film: Press on Changing Directory in Window for Film Management. Choose a working directory of film files from the dialog box to display all films in Film List Region, and then select a film in the designated directory from Film List Region to be further processed. You can also move a film file into or out of the designated directory via File Manager of the Microsoft Windows System.

3. Deleting Film: Select a film in the designated directory from Film List Region in Window for Film Management. Press on Deleting Film to delete the selected film.


Example 2 for producing new albums, managing albums, and deleting albums

1. Producing Album: Press on New Album in Window for Album Management to show a dialog box. Fill in the items in the dialog box, and then press on Enter, thereby building a new album file. Press on Album Construction Button to enter Window for Album Construction. Press on one of the three buttons on the upper left corner of Window for Album Construction to select a photo-input path, and then load photos into the new album file.

2. Managing Album: Press on Options in Window for Album Management to show a dialog box. Press on the item of Changing Directory in the dialog box to choose a new directory, and then select an album file in the designated directory from Album List Zone or Album Reminding Zone. You can also move a film file into or out of the designated directory via File Manager of the Microsoft Windows System.

3. Deleting Album: Select an album in the designated directory from Album List Zone or Album Reminding Zone in Window for Album Management. Press on Deleting Album to delete the selected album.


Example 3 for searching albums and editing photos by modifying brightness

1. Searching Photo: Press on Search in Window for Album Management to show a dialog box. Fill in the items in the dialog box, and then press on Enter. The album files complying with the searching conditions will be listed on Album List Zone.

2. Editing Brightness of Photo: Press on one of the photos in Photo Zone in Window for Album Management to make selection and enter Window for Photo Effects. The selected photo will be shown on Photo Display Zone in Window for Photo Effects. Press on Brightness to show nine levels of brightness of the selected photo in Effect Preview Zone. Choose one from Effect Preview Zone to display the edited photo in Photo Display Zone. Press on Save button to store and substitute the edited photo for the original one in the current album after you are satisfied with the edited photo.


Example 4 for outputting photos, printing photos, and producing executing files

1. Outputting Photo: Press on one of the photos in Photo Selection Zone in Window for Photo Effects. The selected photo will be shown on Photo Display Zone in Window for Photo Effects. Press on Output to show a dialog box. Type in a file name, select image format, and press on Enter, thereby outputting the selected photo as an image data file.

2. Printing Photo: Press on one of the photos in Photo Selection Zone in Window for Photo Effects. The selected photo will be shown on Photo Display Zone in Window for Photo Effects. Press on Print to output the selected photo to a printer to be printed out.

3. Producing Executing File: Press on Saving as Executing File in Window for Album Management. The current album will be converted into an executing file automatically.


New Album Function

For building a blank album to be loaded therein selected photos.


Window for Album Construction

Please click the button that you need help.

Through this picture, you can select and add photos obtained from various sources to construct the current album file. The inputted photos are registered here so that you can select photos therefrom. After finishing picking photos, press on Button for Loading Photo to add selected photos to the current album file.


Window for Film Management

Please click the button that you need help.

After entering Window for Film Management, you can input photos from a camera, produce film files from inputted photos, selecting working directories of film files, delete unnecessary film files, or transfer photos of film files to Window for Album Construction.


Window for Photo Effects

Please click the button that you need help.

After entering Window for Photo Effects, you can edit and modify each selected photo as wish. Herein, you can adjust brightness and contrast of photos, print photos out, and even add aside to photos.


Information Zone

In the top area of the picture, you can see Information Zone, from which you can know the background of the album such as file name.

Information Zone shows the background of a selected album. The contents in this zone includes the file name of the album, the date range of the album, the author or photographer of the album, the total number of photos in the album, and the page number of currently displayed photos.


Photo Zone

In the middle area of the picture, you can see Photo Zone, where provides four blocks for showing four selected photos at a time.

Photo Zone includes four blocks for showing at most four photos of a selected album in the same page. If another page of photos of the album is to be shown, use the four arrow icons on the right side of this zone to change page. The four arrow icons lead to "first page", "page up", "last page" and "page down", respectively.

When a trumpet icon is shown on the upper left corner of a displayed photo, it means you can "hear" the photo if you press on the trumpet. While the audio photo is being played, the trumpet icon changes to a stop button. Press on the stop button if you want to stop playing the audio.

If you want to edit a selected photo, press on the photo with your mouse to enter Window for Photo Effects �B


Function Buttons

There are ten Functional Buttons of a cubic shape arranged by the sides of Photo Zone. Through these buttons, you can manage and search an album efficiently.


Album Zone List

You can use Album List Zone to choose an album to be worked on. All the file names of albums are listed in this zone. Press on the file name of a selected album to enter the album file. You can also change album as wish by entering another album file listed in this zone. The photos in the selected album will be shown in Photo Zone. If you classified the albums into several catalogs in advance, you can choose a catalog first by a press and pull-down operation of mouse to list the file names of albums under the same catalog. If you made the classification of photos well, you can find the album of interest quickly through Album List Zone.

There are two items of information shown below Album List Zone, and they are:

1. Working directory of programs for dealing with albums, which can be changed in Options.

2. Number of albums in the designated working directory, which is counted on the basis of the selected catalog.


Album Reminding Zone

In the bottom area of the picture, you can see Album Reminding Zone, where shows albums under a selected catalog corresponding to those shown in Album List Zone with the first photos of respective albums shown on the cover.

You can also use Album Reminding Zone to choose an album to be worked on. All the albums corresponding to the album files listed in Album List Zone are shown in this zone. The first photos of respective albums are attached onto the covers of albums to distinguish the albums and remind you of the contents of the albums. Press on the selected album cover to enter the album file. If the albums in the selected catalog are too many to be shown, use the arrow icons on the left to change albums until the album of interest is found.


Search

Search for searching album files according to the conditions given by the user (The conditions include file name of album, starting date, ending date, author, and key word(s) in subject.)


Options

For altering working directory of a selected album or amending literal information attached to the album.


Deleting Album

For deleting the whole album on display


Help

For entering help section of PhotoEZ


Minimization

For reducing the current window to task bar


Close

For quitting PhotoEZ


Saving as Executing File

For combining photos and other information in the same album as an executing file (The executing file is built therein various displaying functions such as Slide-Show function mentioned later. Because it is an executing file and contains all the information related to the album, it allows photos and corresponding descriptions including written forms and sounding forms to be simultaneously shown while displaying the album. The best part of it lies in that the executing file can be opened by anyone to display the album as above without installing special software.)


Slide Show

Slide Show for displaying photos in the album one by one with the operational functions of:

Maximization for displaying photos with whole-screen resolution

Page-up for displaying preceding photo

Page-down for displaying next photo

Pause for stopping displaying next photos temporarily

Play for starting or continuing displaying photos

Stop for stopping displaying photos

Close for terminating the slide show function


Select Source

1. Photo-input from camera for loading photos via TWAIN or other interfaces of camera drivers

2. Photo-input from film file for loading photos from available film database which is shown as serial photos

3. Photo-input from image-data file for loading photos from existing image-data files


Button for Loading Photo

For loading the selected photos into the current album


Button for Selecting All

For selecting all of the posted pictures to be loaded in the current album instead of selecting photos one by one with the Selecting Photo operation


Button for Complementary Selection

For re-selecting the complementary portion of photos in lieu of the originally selected ones, i.e. canceling all marked photos and selecting all unmarked photos


Button for Making Film

For saving the selected photos into a film file


New Film

For loading photos via TWAIN or other interfaces of camera drivers to construct a new film file


Changing Directory

For changing working directory of film files


Del film

For deleting selected film files


Film List Region

Film List Region is located in the middle of Window for Film Management, and allows the contents of three film files to be simultaneously shown. If the number of film files is more than three so as to be unable to be shown in the same picture, use the arrows on the right side to show preceding group of films or next group of films. There are further two arrows on the left side of each roll of film for shifting backwards or forwards to show preceding photos or proceeding photos.


Edit function button

 Fogging for making the displayed photo foggy or soft

 Resolution for adjusting the resolution of the displayed photo

 Brightness for adjusting brightness of the displayed photo

 Contrast for adjusting contrast of the displayed photo (level of contrast)

 Hue for adjusting hue of the displayed photo (degree of color shift)

 Saturation for adjusting color saturation of the displayed photo

 Back for returning the edited photo to the preceding state


Effect Preview Zone

For showing nine levels of a selected effect on the displayed photo for your reference (You can choose one from the nine reference photos by pressing on the selected reference photo to edit the displayed photo according to the selected level of effect.)


Photo Selection Zone

For showing photos of the current album in series, any one of which can be posted on Photo Display Zone to be edited (If photos are too many to be shown on the same screen, use the Backward or Forward arrow to view more photos.)


Photo Display Zone

For displaying the photo to be edited or having been edited


Save

For saving the edited photo in lieu of the original one in the album (The original photo will not be lost if it has been contained in a film file.)


Del photo Edit

For deleting the displayed photo


Output

For outputting the displayed photo as another image data file


Print

For outputting the displayed photo to a printer


Remark

For adding literal notes to the displayed photo


Record

For attaching audio notes to the displayed photo


Photo List Region

Is located at the middle of the window for Album Construction, and it includes several blocks for posting input photos. You can select photos from Photo List Region, and have the selected photos loaded into the current album.

Is an operation to select photos from Photo List Region, which is performed by pressing on each of the desired photos. The selected photos will be marked with yellow frames. If you change your mind, press on the selected photo(s) again to cancel it.


Viewing Forwards

Viewing Backwards is performed by pressing on an upward arrow located on the lower right corner of Photo List Region for shifting posted photos backwards to view preceding group of photos.

Viewing Forwards is performed by pressing on a downward arrow located on the lower right corner of Photo List Region for shifting posted photos forwards to view next group of photos.


Button for Clearing Photo List Region

For removing all the photos into the Photo List Region. It makes an empty region.


Back to Preceding Window

For changing to Window for Album Management


Button for Canceling Selected Photo

For canceling the selection of the photos.