Batch printing software or trick needed

[Doug Nelson]

I have over 300 TIF files I need printed full-page with the filename printed at the bottom. They range in size from postage-stamp to poster-sized, and a few K to many megs. The printer will just be my laserprinter, so no critical color considerations.

I need to be able to simply point to a folder full of TIF files and say "print" and forget about it. Then, when I come back later, I'll have a stack of prints, each with 1 image each, shrunk or expanded to fit the page, and the filename w/extension at the bottom.

Can anyone recommend software that can do such a thing? I'm using WinXP and an HP laserprinter.

[dcarr]

I found a number of utilities doing a google search Doug: Here are 2 such:
http://www.graphicregion.com/products.htm
http://www.informatik.com/tiffkit.html
I am also trying to remember a dos command line batch code that might do the trick. If will try to find it, but I'm sure someone else will know it as well.
Hope this is a help.
Debbie

[Doug Nelson]

Thanks, but it looks like neither of those will include the filename in the printout.

[T Paul]

Don't know if this will work for you or not as the web site doesn't say if it prints the file name or not. Batch & Print Pro

This one prints tifs, and you can add the file name, and it appears to print different sizes PhotoElf

[Stephen M]

You're not asking for much are you Doug! <g>

Photoshop can be setup before printing to default options, including the label option (filename) and or caption (iptc file info comment).

You can't choose the location of the text though or other options (see F1 or help for more).

You can setup an action to print using these defaults, or depening on the version it may also record some defaults in the print with preview box when recording the print step in the action.

Then a batch can be set-up to point to the action.

I am not saying that this will even work as intended, although it may be an option. <g>

I think there must be something that can do stuff like this as there must be a market, we just have to find it or in a pinch make it.

Stephen Marsh.

[BigAl]

ACDSee ? As far as I recall it does all that.

[jaz]

Try qimage (www.ddisoftware.com)

[Doug Nelson]

Qimage looks very cool. I'm downloading the demo now. Thanks for pointing it out, I'd never heard of it.

[jaz]

It's a fabulous piece of software though it's user interface is very poor...

[Doug Nelson]

I see what you mean. It does exactly what I need, and has some exceptional features, but requires more hand-holding than my current way of doing does. I'd spend more time fixing the problems caused by its eccentricities than I'd save.

So that's the precise type of software I need, just more polished and mature than Qimage. Can anyone help?

[BigAl]

Have you tried ACDSee?

[jaz]

Originally posted by BigAl
Have you tried ACDSee?

I wouldn't recommend ACDSee. I bought version 5 and it's buggy, crashes frequently and their cusomer support and service are terrible. They never responded to 2 submissions I sent them regarding problems. I also emailed them about a rebate and never heard back from them. I will *NEVER* buy another one of their products.

[KevinBE]

I'm with jaz on this. I have been using Qimage Pro for almost 2 years. I use it to print all my pictures. It uses several different interpolation methods including lanczos, which some say is as good as Genuine Fractals. There many things I like about it, like being able to print 3 4x6's on an 8 1/2x11 sheet of paper, being able to throw a bunch of odd size images in and tell it to fit them on a sheet of paper. It has a batch filter, which Doug is interested in. It's cheap, and you get free support and upgrades for life.

I also use their color profiling software, Profile Prism, for profiling my printer and scanner. It works very well.

[Doug Nelson]

Qimage does indeed rock. I can recommend it for any user who wants control over printing multiple photos or contact sheets or picture packages. It doesn't waste any time with cutesy stuff, and has some very powerful controls. It's like Photoshop's Picture Package and Contact Sheet combined and on steroids.

But it does have some quirks that disqualify it from being my solution. I've sent an email to the author, we'll see how he responds. I've viewed the archives for the support mailing list, and it appears he's in a situation I can sympathize with (not enough time, contradictory feature requests, etc.).

As for ACDsee, I'm downloading the printing plugin now, we'll see how it performs (a shame that it's an extra expense, though).

[jaz]

Hey Doug,

Just curious what quirks you are talking about?