What are Packshots?
The Create Packshots system task will automatically create different shots of the product using approved artwork and a found 3D wireframe. With realistic finishes, background, and lighting, this step is able to make realistic E-commerce-ready shots. After creation, these shots can then be transferred to the library.
What types of packshots can be created?
Packshots can be automatically created for products which match the following criteria:
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- The product uses a single artwork (e.g. cans, cartons, pouches, etc);
- The artwork is approved and then packshots are created from within a workflow
Who can use Packshots?
Packshots is a licensed feature which can be configured by a BLUE system administrator. The Create Packshots task is an automated task. Any user who has access to the project’s process can see the details of the Create Packshots task, including the created packshots report if configured.
Exploring Packshots
Packshots are created using an automated task which retrieves the following information needed to create the packshots:
| Packshot Component | Description |
| Structure File | A 3D model rendering of the product without artwork.
Note: Structure files used to generate packshots must be ArtiosCAD ARD files or Collada files with a single print area. Collada files with no print areas or multiple print areas are not supported.
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| Finishing Profile | A description of the substrate on which the artwork will be printed (e.g. metal, glossy paper, matte label, etc), in order for packshots to appear realistic. |
| Packshot Definition Set(s) | The series of packshots to be created. Each definition includes the following information:
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| Artwork File | The file that was approved in the workflow. |
| Alignment Settings (optional) | If there is variance in how the artwork is created (e.g. by different agencies), there are several attribute fields which can be used in BLUE to ensure the artwork is aligned correctly to the structure. |
Packshots Workflow
Following the regular artwork approval cycle, there is a Create Packshots task, which may or may not have an associated packshot approval cycle. After packshots are created, there is an Auto-Transfer to Library task that will transfer the final packshots.
System Decisions
Currently, packshots can only be created for a subset of products. As such, it may be useful to include a decision node to help determine whether the packshots will be created automatically in BLUE, or outside the system using more traditional methods.
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Structure Management
In order for the Create Packshot task to find the structure file to use in packshot creation, it must already exist in the library and have at least one matching attribute field whose value matches that on the task.
Setting Attributes
The Create Packshots task requires several parameters in order to successfully create shots. The task needs to be late enough in the workflow to ensure parameters are consistently known and available to the task .
In order for packshots to be created, the following parameters are needed:
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- Packshot Definition Set(s), as an attribute value.
- Structure File, matching both
- The type of file configured in the template
- Attribute fields whose values match from the project
- Finishing Profile, taken from the matching structure file. Note: This field is not respected or updated on the project.
- Alignment Override Settings (Optional): See below.
Setting Page Box and Alignment Values
There are six fields which can be added to the template in order to allow users to change the alignment settings usually inherent to the artwork. These values will override artwork settings.
| Setting | Description |
| Artwork Box | The square part of the PDF containing the artwork itself (excluding measurements, slug, or other aspects which would not be printed. |
| Artwork Anchor | The location on the artwork box (top left, bottom right, etc) which should be anchored to a similar point (i.e. the CAD Anchor) in the structure file. |
| CAD Anchor | The location on the print area (top left, bottom right, etc) within the structure file to be anchored with the Artwork Anchor in the artwork PDF. |
| CAD Orientation | The degree (0, 90, 180, or 270) to which the artwork should be rotated clockwise to appear on the structure file. |
| CAD X-Offset & CAD Y-Offset |
The millimeters to which the artwork should be shifted to appear correctly on the structure file. Note: Positive values indicate to the right and up, respectively, and negative values indicate left and down. |
The alignment fields are all related. If all the alignment values are provided, the system will perform an alignment using the provided values. If none of the alignment values are provided, BLUE will attempt to align the artwork automatically.
Alignment Field Rules
| Is the Artwork Box Selected? | Result |
| Yes |
|
| No |
|
Create Packshots task without an approval cycle
A packshots report may or may not be generated, depending on how the task is configured on the template. If there is no approval cycle, the packshots are automatically transferred to library after they are created from an associated Auto-Transfer to Library task.
Create Packshots with an approval cycle
When there is a packshots approval cycle, a report is always created and routed for approval. Once approved, the packshots will be added to the library from the Auto-Transfer to Library task.
Create Packshots: Tips or other notes
Packshots Report
The packshots report is a multipage PDF, which shows all the parameters and files used in the generation of packshots. This includes the structure file and artwork, the print area to which the artwork was associated, the finishing profile selected, and alignment settings used (when applicable).
In addition, the following specifications for each packshot are included: filename, view and scene preset used, format, size, resolution, and whether the background is transparent or taken from the scene preset. At the end of the report, all packshots are included at full resolution and with the definition name and filename.
If there is an approval cycle, the report is routed for approval, and is available for traceability purposes from project context. However, the report is not transferrable to the Asset Library (just the final packshots are transferred). If created, the report is available from the completed Create Packshots task and can be viewed within the proofing tool.
Packshots approval cycle rules
Regular cycle rules apply to the packshot approval cycle. For example, approvers can approve the report, or they can annotate and reject the packshots report. As the packshots are provided as a report, they are all approved or rejected together.
If there is NO packshots approval cycle, the Create Packshots task may be bypassed, however you will also have to bypass its associated Auto-Transfer to Library task.
If there IS a Packshots approval cycle, the Create Packshots task may not be bypassed, but the cycle could be canceled.
Rejecting Packshots
If the packshot report is rejected in a cycle, a new cycle is created and automatically suspended (regardless of the suspend on new cycle setting) allowing for corrective actions to be taken. The process owner would then verify the correct attribute values were selected and resume the cycle. If changes to Studio files or Definitions are needed in Packshot Administration, this would be performed by a BLUE system administrator, but all changes would be considered live and respected when the new cycle is resumed.
Example packshot rejection reasons and possible corrective actions:
| Reason for rejection | Corrective Actions |
| Incorrect number of packshots created |
Verify that the correct definition set was selected in BLUE. A BLUE system administrator may need to modify a definition set in Packshot Administration if adjustments are needed. |
| Issue with specific packshot created |
Verify that the correct definition set was selected in BLUE. A BLUE system administrator may need to modify a definition set in Packshot Administration if adjustments are needed. |
| Issue with packshot lighting or background |
Verify that the correct definition set was selected in BLUE. A BLUE system administrator may need to modify a definition set in Packshot Administration if adjustments are needed. |
| Product artwork appears misaligned | If manual alignment settings were used, update settings and resume task. If not, then alignment settings may be needed as the information needed was not found within the artwork. |
| Wrong wireframe or structure used | Verify the correct structure file was found using the matching values. If the values are incorrect, make corrections and resume. If the wrong structure was found, ensure corrections are made in the library to the structures so the right one is found. |
Making changes in Packshot Administration for live projects and resuming
If changes are needed in Packshot Administration, these changed are made by a BLUE system administrator. These changes are live and will affect all current projects. After making changes to Studio files or definition sets, these changes will be available in all active BLUE projects. Verify the correct attribute values are selected in BLUE, then resume the cycle. The packshots will be re-generated. If there is an approval cycle, a new report with the updated packshots which will be routed for approval.
Transferring Packshots to the Asset Library
Once the packshots are created (and if applicable, approved), the actual packshots (NOT the Packshots report) are transferred to the BLUE Asset Library to the location specified on the Packshots Auto Transfer to Library task.
Versioning
Versioning existing packshots in the library upon transfer is NOT supported. New packshot assets will be created after being transferred. If there are older packshots, they must be manually removed or archived.
Viewing Packshots in the Asset Library
Similar to artwork, all data available on the Auto-Transfer to Library task can be copied to the finished packshots. So packshots can be searched similar to other transferred assets. If packshots were routed and approved, they will have a green Approved stamp. If they were not routed, they will not have this stamp.
Here are some packshots in list view (the first three went through an approval process and were approved):
Here are some Packshots in grid view:
Configuration of Create Packshots:
The Create Packshots task is configured on the template by a BLUE system administrator. The Create Packshots task follows the artwork approval cycle in the workflow and may or may not have an associated packshots approval cycle.
The Create Packshots task node defines the following information:
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- Whether or not to notify subscribers with an optional message when the task is completed
- The file type for the Structure file to be used to create the packshots which has the attribute fields associated to ensure proper structure selection.
- The artwork candidate ID, used to indicate which cycle the approved artwork should be taken from. Note: This is different from the packshot candidate ID.
- The packshot candidate ID for the packshots, which must be associated with both the Create Packshots task, any approval tasks / decisions, and the Auto-Transfer to Library task.
- Whether or not to generate a packshots report (the report will always need to be generated if there is a packshots approval cycle)
- The file type for the packshots report, along with different statuses similar to artwork approval candidates.
- Whether to suspend the project or the sub-process if there is an error creating the packshots, and who will be notified of the error.
- Attributes: the packshot definition set, at least one structure file identifier attribute that will be used to find the correct structure file, and the page box and alignment values). Note: Only values available to the Create Packshots task will be used in creation.
For more information on library-related topics, visit these links…
For information about templates, see Process Templates.
For FAQs related to packshots, see FAQs.