POD Photo Book Vendor (Blurb, Asuka, etc.) that uses a non-proprietary PDF workflow

I am looking for a decent quality online Print-On-Demand photo book vendor who uses a HP Indigo digital press -- like Blurb, Asukabooks, Shared Ink, etc. -- except that they do NOT use some ridiculous proprietary software and they WILL take a properly prepared PDF file output from InDesign.
And not treat me like an idiot snapshot scrapbooker. I am sick of opening 100 PDF files in Photoshop and resaving them as jpgs... and so on.
Does such a business exist? Or am I left with going to commercial printers and paying four times more for a little hand-holding?

I've used lulu.com as a printer, but they recently changed their interface to be more generic to non-designers, which can be a little frustrating when you are trying to customize. Last time they checked, they also took away their "live chat help" which really helps when you are getting started. You can still e-mail specific questions. If there are some others that might be recommended, I would also be open to hearing about some others experiences with POD.

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I created a photo book in Photoshop elements 11 that contains png files with the invisible backgrounds. When I export the book to a jpg or a pdf, the png files appear with white backgrounds.

I created a photo book in Photoshop elements 11 that contains png files with the invisible backgrounds. When I export the book to a jpg or a pdf, the png files appear with white backgrounds. Any suggestions on how to fix this?

jpg and pdf formats don't support transparency. You need to use a format such as tif, png or psd that does.
Cheers,
Neale
Insanity is hereditary, you get it from your children
If this post or another user's post resolves the original issue, please mark the posts as correct accordingly. This helps other users with similar trouble get answers to their questions quicker. Thanks.

Whats the best software for photo editing and creating product catalogues that can be saved as PDF's

Whats the best software for photo editing and creating product catalogues that can be saved as PDF's

You are asking two different questiions:
1. What's a good photo editor? Answer to that here is probably obvious.
2. What's a good desktop publishing/page layout program for creating PDF files for production? Answer, not PSE. It's a photo editor, not a page layout program.

HT201302 When I try to import photos and videos, I'm told that there are none

When I try to import photos and videos, I'm told that there are none. And when I go into the DCIM folder (the only folder I can see), there are no files inside. What else can I do to move my photos onto my PC?

Are the photos in question in the Camera Roll of the iPad? If not, where on the iPad are they (in what part of what app do they appear)?

Creating a Photo Book...Problems after that...

I've created a photo book. I forgot deleting "Beschreibung ihres Buchs einsetzen" can i see this message in the book when it's finished?

to see your final book exactly the way it will be printed
Before ordering your book preview it using this method - http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1040 - and save the resulting PDF for reference - the delivered book will match it.
LN

HT1040 I have produced an apple photo book on my macbook air which has been returned because I do not have the correct software. Is it possible to transfer the photo book file to my desktop that does have the right soft ware and then modify and send to p

Am I able to import an apple photobook from my macbook air to my desktop? If anyone could help I would be very grateful.
Thanks

You will need to copy the Library to the other machine. You can't move a book, only the library that contains it.

How can I export/save my iphoto'11 photo book pages as actual images of the pages (jpeg), not PDF?

I have 'printed' the book as a PDF, but would like to get a jpeg version of each actual page (not the individual photos). So far, I have tried 'exporting', but that gives me each pic individually, sharing-same thing.
My goal is to upload the finished pages onto a family website.
Any suggestions?
Thanks.

Open the PDF file in Preview and start a Print job. In the Print window click on the PDF button and then in the resulting menu select Save PDF to iPhoto. That will create a jpg version of each page and import it into an album of your choosing in iPhoto.
Click to view full size
This is what you'll get in iPhoto after the import:
Click to view full size
Note: As soon as the book has been processed into iPhoto select all of the pages and use the Photos ➙ Batch Change ➙ Title to Text menu option to rename the pages as "Page " with the option to include a sequential number at the end. That's because the jpgs that are created have really crazy file names which will make it difficult to get in order if they ever get out of order.
OT

Firefox homepage changed. Lost Icons for Gmail, YouTube, etc that use to appear on the home page. How do I get them to appear back on the Firefox homepage?

A week ago, my Firefox homepage changed and I've lost the ability to have Gmail, YouTube, etc appear at the left top of the homepage. I tried to reset by going to settings and set the default but still can not figure out how to get Gmail, YouTube, etc to appear on the homepage.
Thank you,
Julia

Is your home page now https://www.google.com/ ?
If you are missing the traditional "black bar" at the top of the page, that has been replaced with an application button on the right side that looks like a grid of small squares. Some creative developers have posted add-ons to restore the old bar. I haven't tried these myself:
* [https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/proper-menubar/ Proper Menubar]
* [https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/you-google-bar/ +You Google Bar] - reviews indicate some problems

PDF form that submits a non-fillable PDF?

Hello,
Can you tell me how to create a PDF form that, when completed and submitted, emails (or stores) a PDF of the completed form that is not itself a form, but simply a PDF document?
Thank you.

Is it possible to create a link within a pdf-document, that opens
another pdf-file on a certain page?
Yes, use the link tool.

Printing Crystal Reports that use Xcelsius Flash to PDF

I've tried searching for this and can't find much about it.
I have a VB.NET(Visual Studio 2008 Version 9.0.21022.8 RTM) application that I use to print Crystal(Crystal 2008 Version 12.2.5.537) reports automatically, its using the CrystalDecisions.Windows.Forms DLL version 12.0.2000.0 (not sure if I should be using a different DLL based on this [Old topic|Re: Exporting CR2008 With flash file to PDF]). I'm using Adobe Acrobat Pro 9 Version 9.3.1.
Problem:
The flash files when printed to PDF through .NET don't show up. If I print to PDF by hand through Crystal they show up just fine.
If I print to HTML through .NET the flash files show up (I've come up with a workaround based on this, but lets just say its less than ideal...).
What do I need to do to get the flash files to show up when being printed through .NET to PDF?
Thanks,
Jeremy

I fooled around with this a long time ago. All I remember is that if I actually clicked on the place holder in the PDF, the image would now show up... But I don't remember the upshot of it (e.g.; escalation or what ever...). Also, there was the issue of Acrobat version, but I believe you're at 9, so that should be OK.
I would like to test this, but I'm not sure when I'll get the chance. If this is a critical issue, you may be better off creating a phone case here:
http://store.businessobjects.com/store/bobjamer/DisplayProductByTypePage&parentCategoryID=&categoryID=11522300
Ludek
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Creating larger Photo Books are $$$$$$$!!!!

Kinda disappointing - had a discussion with the printing group who produce the photo books through iPhoto. I have used them before and LOVE the product and final book. However - NO discounts for large orders. I have created a large hard cover book for my hiking club and EVERYONE wnats one. When I tell them it will be $170 per book - they say NO THANKS. I have a 94 page hard cover book. On BLURB.COM it would cost me half. However, I am a dedicated APPLE guy and have no desire to stray. But for HALF the price - it may happen. Any thoughts out there. Is there anyone else that can compete with the ease, style and quyality of an Apple Book???

Sandy:
Welcome to the Apple Discussions. Try the following:
1 - select the book and type Command-D. That should create a duplicate of the original book.
2 - open the copy and change the cover from hard to soft. You'll get a warning that you could lose the text but many times I've not. It's worth a try. If it works you're home free.
Do you Twango?

How do I sort the photos in the photo pane when making a photo book?

There's a certain order that I'd like to see the photos I want to use when making a photo book. But the order that I have it in (which is done manually and not by date) in the album does not appear in the same order when I want to turn some of those photos into a photo book. For some reason the photos that appear on the right side of the screen, "photo pane" show the photos in a different order. Is there some kind of setting that I'm missing?

No - they are in date order - the only solution I've seen is to ues teh batch change command time & Date command on the photos in the album to put them in date order to match the album -- or just drag them to the book pages in the order you want them
LN

Photo Books - Crop and Color Issues from Kodak Gallery

I've been spending a good amount of time creating photo books and ordering them from Kodak using the built-in online ordering feature.
I've noticed several items that I was curious if others have any experience perspective on.
1. Cropping. For a flexible full bleed photo book, the page as it is represented in PSE3 is substantially cropped when Kodak processes the book. The difference between the two is almost 1/2 on either side and 1/4 inch on on the top a bottom. (These are approximate numbers) Have others seen this? It would be nice to have a border in the software showing where the page will be cropped since the Kodak service and PSE3 are so tightly integrated.
2. The colors come seem to come off a bit dark as compared to prints I have ordered and the images are all very slightly pixelated as compared to prints. Nothing awful, but not what you would want for your best photos.
I am hoping to learn if others have seen these issues and learned to live with them or are the other photo book providers that could turn a pdf into a higher quality book?
Thank you for your assistance.
Wes Gimbert
Cincinnati, OH

I haven't used the Kodak Gallery for photo books. I have been tempted a time or two, but so far I have ordered my books through Mypublisher.com. The product is about the same. And I saw one of their books last Christmas and was impressed with it. In reading through the instructions from Mypublisher, they warn that there will be some cropping on full-bleed images and advise to be sure to allow for that. I have not run into the color or brightness difference that you mentioned. There are those who will disagree with me, but I read an article awhile back that indicated that most of the online photo processors as well as many of the one-hour minilabs standardize their equipment to the sRGB color space. So that is what I have used when preparing my books, and I have been very pleased with the results.
As far as your pages are concerned, you might try what I did in my last project. The pictures didn't fit any of the templates provided by the publisher, so I created my own pages in Photoshop. I positioned the pictures where I wanted them and added my own text. Then I just created my book using those pages. It turned out very nicely. I have distributed 75 copies of the album so far and everyone has really liked it.
Mypublisher.com provides software that you download and create your album on your computer. Then when you are ready to order there is a menu item that connects you to the Web site. The only problem is, this is a Windows service only. There is no support for the Mac.

I started with 100 pages in my photo book. Then reduced the number to 75 for finished project. When i click on "buy" it says I have some frames with no photos. But I've checked entire book

I started a book with 100 pages, but reduced it to 75 by deleting some pages. When i completed the book & tried to buy it a box pops up saying I have some frames that need photos. I've checked the book over & over & cannot find any pages like that. How can I order my completed book?

Look for pages that use photos for the background, even if you have other photos on the page. It'll look something like this in the layout pane:
It would look like this in the PDF version:
If you have a 1 photo per page, full page, you could have that option selected and not know it unless you looked at the layout pane like this example:
OT

Preview your photo book as pdf before clicking on 'Buy Book'.

Hi, here is the learning from the recent problem I had with photo books.
I would suggest that you save your book as a pdf file, before ordering. Preview your pdf file, and when you are satisfied, submit your order.
Saving a book as a PDF file:
1. Select the book in the Source list.
2. Choose File > Print.
3. Click Save As PDF
In particular, you can see how the text which looks OK in the iPhoto program will be truncated in the printing. Suggest they need to put this as a required step in the ordering process - at the moment it is not explicitly mentioned.

I created a pdf of a book in the three user controlled ways: 1 - via the Print and then save as pdf file; 2 - Right click in the book mode, selecting Preview and then saving and; 3 - Right clicking in the book mode and using the Save as PDF option.
All three gave me the same page size, 11 x 8.5.
Unfortunately iPhoto assembles and creates the pdf file after you click on the Buy Now button preventing the user from obtaining the temporary pdf file that is created for uploading and printing like we could in iPHoto 5. I suppose one could open the temp folder User/private/var/tmp/folders.501/iPhoto before clicking on that button, copy the book while it's getting uploaded and then quickly cancel the process or, if too late, go to the Apple order check page and cancel (must be done within an hour or so).
My philosophy is if there's critical information that close to the edge of the photo then I didn't take the photo correctly. Then put a 1/4" black border around it in PSE or PS and use that.

POD Photo Book Vendor (Blurb, Asuka, etc.) that uses a non-proprietary PDF workflow

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