Custom HTML galleries, where to start?

[StephenKennedy]

Let me preface by saying I don't have any HTML experience so please don't assume that I know anything.  In the old days I created web galleries in Photoshop from a stock template that a web designer built for me.

I have been using the standard PM web gallery template for the last year but I would like to go back to a customized gallery within Photo Mechanic.  I plan to have a designer make this for me but I need to be sure it can be done within the new release/update.  Can you give me a starting point on where to begin and where to place the template when it's completed? 

I'm using version 4.5 on a Mac running 10.4.8.

[Kirk Baker]

Stephen,

Let me preface by saying I don't have any HTML experience so please don't assume that I know anything.  In the old days I created web galleries in Photoshop from a stock template that a web designer built for me.

I have been using the standard PM web gallery template for the last year but I would like to go back to a customized gallery within Photo Mechanic.  I plan to have a designer make this for me but I need to be sure it can be done within the new release/update.  Can you give me a starting point on where to begin and where to place the template when it's completed? 

I'm using version 4.5 on a Mac running 10.4.8.

Unless your web designer person can also work it into our template framework (meaning they'll need some programming experience in Ruby), you'll have to wait until I write a 'generic' template that can take specially marked-up HTML and produce finished output and images.

Once I get the initial bugs worked out of 4.5.0 that have been reported recently, that new template is high on my list of things to do.

-Kirk

[StephenKennedy]

Kirk,

Thanks for the quick reply.  Just to be clear, when I take this project to my web designer do I need to tell them it's written in Ruby?  The designer runs a pretty web savvy shop so I hope that it's within his skillset.

Is there anything else I need to tell him or describe?  Will it help for them to download a demo version of Photo Mechanic?

Once the new template is written where do I need to put it on my Mac system?

Lastly, if I use an obscure font for a standard Photo Mechanic template will that font need to reside on the gallery recipients' system in order for it to be "seen" or will the odd font be embedded into the gallery?

Thanks.

[Kirk Baker]

Stephen,

Thanks for the quick reply.  Just to be clear, when I take this project to my web designer do I need to tell them it's written in Ruby?  The designer runs a pretty web savvy shop so I hope that it's within his skillset.

The templates are written in Ruby which allows the designer of the template to completely customize the UI for the template.  If your needs are simple, then one could use one of the current templates as an example on how to make a custom template.

Is there anything else I need to tell him or describe?  Will it help for them to download a demo version of Photo Mechanic?

They will definitely need to test their template with PM 4.5.

Once the new template is written where do I need to put it on my Mac system?

You can put it just about anywhere you like.  You just need to tell PM where your User HTML Templates are.  You can do this in the Files tab of the Preferences dialog.

Lastly, if I use an obscure font for a standard Photo Mechanic template will that font need to reside on the gallery recipients' system in order for it to be "seen" or will the odd font be embedded into the gallery?

I'm certain your web designer will know how to properly code up your CSS to have standard fonts to fall back on.

-Kirk