WorkStream
 click the image for a larger view (250Kb jpg) |
WorkStream OverviewZBE WorkStream is developed by the same folks that make our Chromira® digital printer. WorkStream is professional software that simplifies, controls and automates digital print production at Mid-South, and in the photographer’s studio. WorkStream integrates the entire process of order creation and scanning, through color correction, cropping and retouching, to scheduling and printing. The lab version WorkStream seamlessly accepts orders that you prepare using the WorkStream (DS) Digital Studio software. |
WorkStream software is comprised of two independent, yet integrated, products, one for the lab and one for our photographer customers.
WorkStream DS (Digital Studio) runs in the photographer’s studio. WorkStream DS is used to prepare images and orders that will be printed at Mid-South. All aspects of the order can be entered by the photographer including; image color corrections, cropping and composition, retouching and product selection. WorkStream DS automatically generates an order archive and database for your studio. Orders prepared in WorkStream transfer seamlessly to Mid-South for automated production, using a built-in FTP service.
WorkStream DS includes:
- Image entry/scanning
- Product selection
- Package unit selection/imaging
- Logo application
- Composite products using text, frames, layouts, masks & backgrounds
- Order creation
- Order management
- Order history database
- ICC Color management
- Soft Proofing
- Live color, contrast, density and saturation correction (upon request to Mid-South)
- Image re-sizing
- Cropping and Rotating, even “rubber band cropping”
- Re-touching (via direct connection to Photoshop)
- Create own package units for one-button print ordering
- Any number of products or crops from single image
- Enter special instructions of any print
Image File Management
WorkStream is a fast and powerful image browser that can be used for presentations and to manage and archive image files everyday. The images are viewed as thumbnails, which you can adjust to the size and quantity of the thumbnails displayed…smaller…or…larger, on the screen.
 |
 |
|
click the image for a larger view
(249Kb jpg) |
click the image for a larger view
(292Kb jpg) |
Creating An Order
All aspects of the order can be entered including product selection package unit print selection, on-screen cropping rotating resizing composition, retouching and color correction.
For entering customer orders, simply select an entire folder for opening. It’s fast and easy. Specify which of the images will be printed, and how, by simply selecting the “products” or packages to be produced for each of the images. Products are located in the “Products Window”. There are standard prints, package prints and custom sizes.
click the image for a larger view (249Kb jpg)
Custom Cropping
WorkStream software allows you to quickly and easily custom crop “on-screen” any or all of the images. By double-clicking, the image opens full-screen and can be cropped by dragging the crop box into the desired position. Double click again, and move on to the next image or, simply click the arrow button to bring up the next image in the file.
click the image for a larger view (292Kb jpg)
“On-Screen Soft Proofing” Color Correction
WorkStream software also allows, “on-screen soft proofing” for the entire order. With an ICC profiled monitor what you see (on the screen) is what you will get on the finished print. Color correcting images involves viewing the image and adjusting the color, density, contrast and saturation, as needed. With WorkStream you can color correct a group of images simultaneously, by selecting the images for cropping, then float one of the images to use it as a color reference. In order to prevent “double corrections”, you must request special configuration software from Mid-South to use this function.
click the image for a larger view (303Kb jpg)
Retouching
WorkStream also supports the retouching of images at the click of button. Open the image that you want to retouch, and click on the retouch button to open the image in Photoshop or whichever retouching program you use. The altered image will be transferred back to WorkStream, ready for printing.