TomMcIn

Q: Frustrating Photo Book Creation Support

How long will it be before the Photos Development Team corrects the following annoying problems users encounter while trying to create a Photo Book in Photos 1.5:

1.  Inability to adjust the frames on a page.  Yes, there are lots of variations that meet only the basic needs.  None give the ability to mix portrait and landscape photos nor can I adjust a frame so the whole picture is included instead of only a portion.  In addition, many of the frame options have large borders that limit the size of the images that can be printed.

2.  Having the ability to override the default "sort by date" order imposed on the Photo Strip would allow users to review their photos in the order they find most useful.  If you had to scan some items for the book, the scan date forces them to the right end of the Photo Strip.

3.  Editing the photos is better with Photos 1.5 but does not offset the absence of frame adjustments.

 

I just created a Photo Book using the Costco Photo Book Service.  Adjusting Frames on the Pages and Seeing the Photos in the sequence I set up were immensely more friendly than I am experiencing with Photos 1.5 running on OS X 10.11.5.  Hopefully, these basic features will be implemented shortly so I can see if Apple can produce Photo Book that meets my needs.

Mac Pro, OS X El Capitan (10.11.5)

Posted on Jul 15, 2016 9:10 PM

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Q: Frustrating Photo Book Creation Support

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  • by Rysz,Helpful

    Rysz Rysz Jul 15, 2016 10:58 PM in response to TomMcIn
    Level 6 (19,763 points)
    iTunes
    Jul 15, 2016 10:58 PM in response to TomMcIn

    This is a user to user help forum. You are not addressing Apple here.

    To submit your comments directly to Apple use this link http://www.apple.com/feedback/

  • by TomMcIn,

    TomMcIn TomMcIn Jul 15, 2016 11:00 PM in response to TomMcIn
    Level 1 (17 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Jul 15, 2016 11:00 PM in response to TomMcIn

    I sent two eMails to http://www.apple.com/feedback/ as they limit the amount of information that can be included in one.

  • by léonie,Helpful

    léonie léonie Jul 16, 2016 8:41 AM in response to Rysz
    Level 10 (105,249 points)
    iLife
    Jul 16, 2016 8:41 AM in response to Rysz

    It is not only a technical support forum. The Terms Of Use (Apple Support Communities Use Agreement) changed a while ago to allow constructive feedback on the Apple products, Rysz. Posts that point out major flaws and usuability issues are now perfectly welcome here, as long as they are constructive feedback and not speculations on Apple's politics, see paragraph 2.3 Submissions:

    ...

    3. Post constructive comments and questions. Unless otherwise noted, your Submission should either be a technical support question or a technical support answer. Constructive feedback about product features is welcome as well. If your Submission contains the phrase "I'm sorry for the rant, but…" you are likely in violation of this policy.

    We can and we should point out major problems with the software here in this forum, as long as it is "Constructive" feedback. It will help others who are struggling with the same problems, but sending detailed feedback using the feedback form is still the most direct way to let Apple know.

  • by léonie,

    léonie léonie Jul 16, 2016 12:46 AM in response to TomMcIn
    Level 10 (105,249 points)
    iLife
    Jul 16, 2016 12:46 AM in response to TomMcIn

    2.  Having the ability to override the default "sort by date" order imposed on the Photo Strip would allow users to review their photos in the order they find most useful.  If you had to scan some items for the book, the scan date forces them to the right end of the Photo Strip.

    There are two work-arounds:

    1. You do not have to add all photos at once to the filmstrip below the pages. I keep the photos for the book in albums, a folder with an album for each chapter of the book. The photos in the albums can be arranged as I like and I drag and drop them to the book for each page separately. That avoids the scrolling of filmstrip nicely.
    2. if you want to add all photos at once, sorted as you prefer, create a sorted album and select all photos in the album at once. With the photos selected create the book. The photos will appear in the book in the correct sort order, but unfortunately auto filled on the pages.
  • by LACAllen,

    LACAllen LACAllen Jul 16, 2016 5:58 AM in response to TomMcIn
    Level 5 (4,426 points)
    iCloud
    Jul 16, 2016 5:58 AM in response to TomMcIn

    Like a good deal of the "real-easy-to-use" apps out there, this app relies heavily on the template approach to keep things simple.

     

    By no means does this translate to powerful. I would suggest the developers don't feel there is anything to correct. Enhance perhaps. Use the feedback link to have your say.

     

    I have used the book builder, but when I need finer control, I use another app to lay out my pages as full size "pages". Then I use the uber-simple book maker and import the pages as a one up layout. Best of both worlds.

     

    You found a tool that better suits your needs.

     

    When I see posts like this, I visualize a new Mini Cooper owner going back to their dealer pointing out how poorly their Mini Copper hauls lumber. "My truck hauls lumber much better than my Mini does..."

  • by TomMcIn,

    TomMcIn TomMcIn Jul 16, 2016 9:20 AM in response to léonie
    Level 1 (17 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Jul 16, 2016 9:20 AM in response to léonie

    1. Before I imported the photos for my Photos Book, I prefixed the filenames with chapter and position numbers so the photos were listed in the order I wanted them to appear in the Book.  I use a Rename program to number by 5's so I can insert/move chapters and photos around and review and preEdit them using Preview and ContactPage Lite to see the project from a high level.  After importing the photos, I put them in a Photos album for the book and sorted by title/file -> Perfect.  Unfortunately, when added to the photo strip, they get forced into date/time order by Photos, with no sort options.  I used Smart Albums to assign the photos to chapters, but on import, they also get sorted into date/time order.   Less scrolling, but would be so much better if Apple just added the existing Album Sort option to the Photo Strip.

     

    2.  Just selected all the photos that are sorted and displayed in title/filename order in the Album, Created a Book and the pictures are placed in date/time order by Auto Fill.  The first two pictures from the sorted album are on pages 34 and 35 of the Photo Book.  The Book looks like someone shuffled then dropped my stack of pictures on the floor.  Time-Date sorting and Auto Fill would be more useful if everything was shot in, or close to, time sequence.

  • by TomMcIn,

    TomMcIn TomMcIn Jul 16, 2016 9:37 AM in response to LACAllen
    Level 1 (17 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Jul 16, 2016 9:37 AM in response to LACAllen

    Your idea of a Book Builder might be the way to go if it has the Photo Editing Features of Photos 1.5, default / adjustable frames and a sortable Photo Strip for adding pictures.Did a quick search for the programs you mentioned.  Found a book builder for $3.99 but nothing on the Book Maker.

    PHOTOS 1.5 is a/the high end Apple Photo program - more like a luxury SUV than a Mini Cooper.  Photos has a large collection of good features.  It should be able to carry more than two people around comfortably.  I encourage Apple to maintain their "simple but powerful" tradition and avoid being simple-minded.

  • by TomMcIn,

    TomMcIn TomMcIn Jul 16, 2016 9:47 AM in response to léonie
    Level 1 (17 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Jul 16, 2016 9:47 AM in response to léonie

    Thanks for clarifying the role of this forum. 

    I started working with computers in 1961 on an IBM1620 using paper tape and a typewriter and have seen 55 years of change.  Feedback from users and discussions like these are essential for improving products. 

    The Apple Feedback form is direct but took two submissions to include all the detail I thought was important.

    All I can do now is sit and hope and wait.  Photos 1.5 is so close to being adequate for my needs.

  • by léonie,

    léonie léonie Jul 16, 2016 9:51 AM in response to TomMcIn
    Level 10 (105,249 points)
    iLife
    Jul 16, 2016 9:51 AM in response to TomMcIn
    Just selected all the photos that are sorted and displayed in title/filename order in the Album, Created a Book and the pictures are placed in date/time order by Auto Fill. 

    I tested again: Set the album to sort by title, selected the photos sorted by title in the album, then used "File > Create Book", and the photos were added to the pages in the correct order.

    They will only be rearranged, if I drag the sorted photos to the book.  But it is an undocumented feature, and we cannot rely on it.

  • by TomMcIn,

    TomMcIn TomMcIn Jul 16, 2016 10:36 AM in response to léonie
    Level 1 (17 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Jul 16, 2016 10:36 AM in response to léonie

    Weird. 

    I opened the album, confirmed Sort = Keep Sorted by Title, menu - Edit > Select All on the album, menu - File > Create Book  and selected Classic  33 x 25 cm, double clicked Picture Book - Monument Valley.

    Book was created in date/time based on the timestamp from the camera same as TIFF date/time.   Edited pictures use the TIFF date/time.  Scanned photos don't have a TIFF date/time and just got stuck at the end.

    Something is different.

  • by LarryHN,

    LarryHN LarryHN Jul 16, 2016 11:13 AM in response to TomMcIn
    Level 10 (84,056 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Jul 16, 2016 11:13 AM in response to TomMcIn

    PHOTOS 1.5 is a/the high end Apple Photo program

    Well since it is the only current Apple Photos program you can say that - or you can say it is a low end one - bottom line it is a free, consumer oriented Photo application aimed at enhancing Apple's usefulness to a broad base of consumers and adding to the reason to have iPads, iPhones and Macs thereby adding to hardware sales, not to sell print products. It succeeds very well at its intended purpose and is used daily by many, many millions of consumers who love showing vacation and grandkid photos to others

     

    It is not in any way a high end program or a program that professionals or dedicated amateur photographers would ever use

     

    I am a fairly accomplished amateur photographer and have six or seven Photos books laying around for various vacations - and Photos handles my needs just fine (not perfectly but just fine)

     

    and without question in the scheme of photo programs it is much closer to a Mini Cooper than to a Mac Truck

     

    Tell Apple what you want - so far they have been amazingly responsive to feature requests - the difference between Photos 1.0 and 1.5 is night and day - and I am hopeful that that will continue  --  http://www.apple.com/feedback/photos.html

     

    LN

     

    PS note that the frame change adjustments and frame move commands were never documented by Apple and therefore were not supported and there was no expectation they would continue - and certainly none that they would carry forward into future new software - they were found by users experimenting  --  I would like to see them come back too but Photos is what it is and our choice is to use it or not

  • by léonie,

    léonie léonie Jul 16, 2016 11:23 AM in response to TomMcIn
    Level 10 (105,249 points)
    iLife
    Jul 16, 2016 11:23 AM in response to TomMcIn

    The Apple Feedback form is direct but took two submissions to include all the detail I thought was important.

    When I want to file a detailed bug report I use the bug reporter for my developer account. This way I will at least get a response.

    If you need to provide the developers with details how to reproduce an issue you could do the same, see this user tip: https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-7641

  • by TomMcIn,

    TomMcIn TomMcIn Jul 16, 2016 11:53 AM in response to léonie
    Level 1 (17 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Jul 16, 2016 11:53 AM in response to léonie

    When I tried to use Apple Bug Reporter to enter "the inability to adjust frames in Photos 1.5" as a bug/major shortcoming, could not fine Photos on the list of Products.  Is this an oversight or a valid restriction?

  • by léonie,Solvedanswer

    léonie léonie Jul 16, 2016 12:16 PM in response to TomMcIn
    Level 10 (105,249 points)
    iLife
    Jul 16, 2016 12:16 PM in response to TomMcIn

    You can use the category OS X, since Photos is installed as a part of OS X.

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