Understanding Advanced Batch Processing | Top Previous Next Learn more at BibbleLabs.com

The most powerful and most flexible feature in Bibble is batch processing. At its most basic level, a batch queue takes the original images extracted from your camera and processes them into another file format. When you add images to a batch queue, Bibble generates new image files from your camera's original files, leaving the original files intact.

Note: For an overview of basic image processing, see the Understanding Batch Processing help topic.

What makes Bibble's batch processing feature so powerful is the range of options you can apply to a single batch queue. For example, you can:

• | Define multiple output file formats for processed images.

• | Specify multiple output file sizes and output directories.

• | Use Bibble's renaming format variables to dynamically create file names and output directories.

• | Create print quality, proof quality, and thumbnail images for each processed image simultaneously.

• | Open images for viewing (after they are processed) in a third party application.

Bibble Pro Only The multiple output targets from a single batch queue feature is available in the Bibble Pro version only.

To understand how Bibble's batch processing features work, consider the following example.

Using Multiple Output Format Settings in a Single Batch Queue Bibble Pro Only

Suppose your current assignment involves shooting pictures that will be sold through a stock photography agency. The full-size images must be in 16-bit TIFF format, and large enought to print across a full-page spread in a magazine or textbook. In addition, the agency wants to post your images on their web site. They expect you to provide the following two JPEG files for each image:

• | Display image that is 320 X 240 pixels at 72 DPI for full size display on their web site.

• | Thumbnail image 60 X 80 DPI to use as a hyperlinked icon in an image table of contents.

The stock photography agency also requires that you create an HTML page to display a list of image thumbnails as well as HTML pages to display each 320 X 240 .JPG image. Using Bibble's advanced batch queue features, you can set up one batch queue to handle the file output requirements for this job.

Creating the Batch Queue

To create the batch queue for this job:

1. | In the Browser, click the Batch Queues tab.

2. | Right-click inside the Batch Queues panel and from the context menu, click New.

3. | In the Batch Name field, enter the name Stock Images for this new batch queue.

4. | Click Save.

Note: After creating the new batch queue, you can specify the source and output directories. For the output directory, you could use renaming format variables such as [jobname] to organize output images for multiple jobs in separate folders by job name.

Note: For information about image settings, see the Creating and Editing Batch Queues help topic.

Defining the File Output Target

To create the 16-bit TIFF production images for this job, you can define a File Output target. When you create a new batch queue, Bibble generates a default File Output target (postioned on the right-hand side of the Batch Settings dialog box). You can edit the default settings in this File Output target to create the 16-bit production files.

To create the 16-bit file output settings:

1. | Click the Enable this output targetcheck box.

2. | Under Renaming format, open the drop-down menu and click the job name/seq pre-defined format. This format uses the [jobname], [jobseq], and [ext] variables to prompt for a job name, generate a unique sequence number, and use the .TIF extension for the output files.

Note: If necessary, you can add additional renaming variables and constants to define a specific naming format that is required by the client.

1. | In the Save in subfolder field, you can use the [jobname] variable to create a subfolder relative to the specified destination directory to save the output files.

2. | In the Output Format field, open the drop-down menu and click TIFF (16 bit).

3. | Under Image Size, click the Full option.

This File Output definition produces a full-size, 16-bit TIFF, and saves it in a subfolder that you specify when you process the file.

Creating the Web Output File Targets

To create the files that the stock agency needs to post the images on their web site, you can define a Gallery output target. In addition to the JPG files needed for the web site, the Gallery file output target automatically creates HTML pages that are designed to display images over the internet. Bibble generates HTML pages that include the necessary HTML tags to display the thumbnails with hyperlinks to the 320 X 240 images.

To create the 320 X 240 JPG files and the thumbnail files:

1. | Click the Batch Settings icon in the upper right corner, and from the drop-down menu, click New gallery output.

2. | Click the Gallery tab. (Make sure that the Enable this output target option is turned on.)

3. | Under Renaming format, open the drop-down menu and click small images.

This format uses a constant, small, to specify that these are the smaller web images. It also uses the [queseq] to generate a unique number for the image based on the number of images processed by this queue. It also uses the [ext] variable to specify the .JPG extension for the output files.

1. | In the Save in subfolder field, you can use the [jobname]Small variable and the constant to create a subfolder relative to the specified destination directory to save the web files.

2. | In the Output Format field, open the drop-down menu and click JPEG.

3. | Under Image Size, click Custom.

4. | In the width field, type 320.

5. | In the height field, type 240.

6. | Under Scale mode, click reduce.

7. | Under Thumbnail size, in the width field, type 80; in the height field, type 60.

8. | Click Save to set the File Output and Gallery Output targets.

Related Topics

Creating and Editing Batch Queues

Understanding Batch Processing

Viewing Batch Queues

Deleting Batch Queues