Need to add product data directly to images

Last week I shot 34 custom lamps. The client wants the product information (name, part no., price, etc.) added to the actual image so they can make 4x6 prints with the image and data on the print.

They don't want back printing, or adhesive labels on the back (both my suggestions) They want the info on the front w/ the image.

Obvioulsy I can create a text layer for each lamp in my .psd file.

But does anyone have another (more streamlined/automated) process or tool for doing this type of thing?

If you are using Photoshop (I use CS3) you can use the "Variables" feature (data driven graphics) which basically permits you to set up copy or image placeholders in a template document and then populate the template with a set of corresponding copy and image data to generate a full set of image+copy documents.

Search PS help for "variables" or "data driven graphics". Here is the intro text:

The copy and image files you want to use to produce your art are specified externally in a text file. In PS you set up a template doc and feed it the text file - it will generate a PSD file for each combo of copy+image. SO, if you have 34 lamps, you will have 34 images and in a folder, with the text file that contains columns of data, including a column for Lamp Name, Price, Description, Catalog Number, whatever. You will feed PS this text file that pairs each image/copy and instructs the template to composite each image/copy pair into the template and automatically export that composite for all 34 versions.

Here is an example of the syntax that is used in the text file to specify the copy+image pairing:

VariableName1<sep>VariableName2<sep> <sep>VariableNameN <nl>
Value1-1<sep>Value2-1<sep>><sep>ValueN-1<nl>
Value1-2<sep>Value2-2<sep><sep>ValueN-2<nl>
Value1-M<sep>Value2-M<sep><sep>ValueN-M<nl>

{contents of FlowerShow.txt}
Variable 1, Variable 2, Variable 3
true, TULIP, c:\My Documents\tulip.jpg
false, SUNFLOWER, c:\My Documents\sunflower.jp​g
false, CALLA LILY, c:\My Documents\calla.jpg
true, VIOLET, c:\My Documents\violet.jpg

Hope this helps!

Kirk

That could be freek'n awesome - just have to figure out HOW to do it now...THANKS!!!

Here is a little tutorial I put together to help you out.

1) Gather all of your art in a single folder. Use logical filenames to help you keep your brain from frying. Here is an example of a photograph of a lamp for this tutorial:

THIS SHOULD BE A STICKY FOR EVERY PRODUCT, SCHOOL, TEAM PHOTOGRAPHER ON POTN - I'VE WORKED IN PS SINCE V1 AND NEVER NEW THIS FEATURE WAS AVAILABLE !!!!

Unbelievable - thank you Kirk!!!!

I was in a pickle the other day and had to do everything manually w/ layers, save-as, etc. But I will absolutely go through your tut and this data feature to streamline my product photography work flow.

So the results of all this are layered, fully editable .psd files. That seems a little limiting given all the other work this feature is capable of. It would be really cool if the last step of this process had some final output options (flatten, sRGB, etc.) or at least a "run script" option such as the Image Processor offers.

Still I can run the Image Processor (and/or a batch w/ custom script) after the fact to create my final image files, then simply delete the interim .psd files (saving the master "assembler" file of course.)

Thank you again - and please keep the info coming if you think of new stuff !!!

KL

PS V1? Damn, that's old school!

KL - You're welcome. I was just farting around with this aspect of PS a few months ago, and decided to go through the exercise after your post. Thanks for the opportunity. It seems like the very simple set of tools can be used in a variety of ways to do a ton of different tasks automatically. Data+Graphics = Fun.

I think, given the ability to run actions and batch processing, leaving the comps in PSD is easy enough for the extra step of flattening, converting to sRGB, scaling, etc. for alternate final output.

One thing I did not mention - if you put the CSV data file in the same folder as your art (the graphics files) then you can use the relative, local filename in your spreadsheet to refer to each graphics file (as I did in this example). However, you can refer to files outside of the directory in which the CSV file lives by using the full path to the file. THis way you can have multiple directories filled with art, if that hierarchy makes organizing your workflow easier, etc. I am not sure if you can refer to files over a network this way (via URL or similar convention) - something to try when you really want to get your nerd on.

Rock on!

Kirk

PS - the Lowrider is a sweet lamp, and it's on sale!

I got to try this!

kirkt wrote in post #8172238
PS V1? Damn, that's old school

Dude - I started with Aldus Digital Darkroom (8bit / grayscale only) on the Mac even before Photoshop came out.

Then again, I also won my senior high talent show with a break dance routine back in 1985 so yeah, I'm old school...:p

Nice. Oh yeah, breakdancing. Junior high school for me. So you must have played Dark Castle on the Mac, too. It rocked my sweet Mac SE20. The thing had a 3.5" disk drive, 20MB hard drive and 1MB of RAM. Raw power.

Congratulations on that big talent show win, way to stone cold kick it live.

Kirk

For those who like to look instead of read:

The video: http://www.layersmagaz​ine.com/photoshop-variables.html

oooo - pretty pictures move - me like too...

Thanks René - at least, according to the Dave Cross video, I did it correctly!

Kirk

Nice. Gonna try it! Rene, Can you stick this one on the top?

Quite a few stickies already, so I added this one to the "*** Photoshop Actions ***" one.
Seemed appropriate

Rene, I never ever noticed the * photoshop actions* thread before, and i'm Mr "Go read the FAQ". So i'd put it in the general forum FAQ thread too.