DNP Party Print Web Based System Application User Guide

DNP Party Print Web Based System Application

Product Information

Specifications:

• Product Name: Party Print
• Type: Web-based system for printing and sharing guests’ photos
• Manufacturer: DNP Imagingcomm America Corporation
• Version: 2.0

Overview:
Party Print is a web-based software designed for professional photographers, DJs, and event venues to allow guests to print and share photos taken during events using their smartphones. Events are charged on a per-event basis, and there are no subscriptions required.

How it Works:
The system requires a Windows laptop/PC/Tablet running a small Printer Control App or a WCM Plus, which can be connected to a video monitor to display a live slideshow. Multiple nodes can be connected to the event for displaying the slideshow in different areas.

Requirements:
The primary requirement is to have a DNP printer for creating live events. Users need to connect the printer to a WCM Plus or PC/Laptop and use an Activation Code to associate the node with the Party Print system. It is essential to comply with the Party Print Terms of Use regarding content distribution.

Creating Your First Event:
The Party Print planner portal allows users to print 4×6 guest cards with unique QR codes for each event, guiding guests on using the system. Additionally, users can download the QR code graphic for creating event materials like posters and signs.

Party Print Planner Website:
To access the Party Planner Website, users can log in at PartyPrint.com or visit https://planner.partyprint.com for setting up events and managing associated hardware connections.

Hardware Connections (Nodes):
A node is a device that connects the Party Print system to a DNP printer or a TV/monitor. The two types of nodes currently supported are WCM Plus and Windows PC/Laptop running the Printer Control App.

Usage Instructions

Step 1: Verify Printer
Connect your DNP printer to a WCM Plus or PC/Laptop and use the Activation Code to associate the node with the Party Print system for live event creation.

Step 2: Inform Guests
Print 4×6 guest cards with unique QR codes from the Party Print planner portal and place them around the venue to guide guests on using the system. Download the QR code graphic for additional event materials.

Step 3: Access Party Planner Website
Login to the Party Planner Website at PartyPrint.com or https://planner.partyprint.com to set up events and manage hardware connections for your Party Print system.

Step 4: Connect Hardware Nodes
Connect WCM Plus or a Windows PC/Laptop running Printer Control App to your DNP printer or TV/monitor to enable printing and sharing of guests’ photos during events.

FAQ

1. Q: Can I use Party Print without a DNP printer?
   A: No, a DNP printer is required for creating live events with Party Print.

2. Q: How are events charged?
   A: Events are charged on a per-event basis with no subscription fees.

© 2024. DNP Imagingcomm America Corp. All rights reserved.

Overview
Party Print is web-based software that lets guests at an event print and share the photos that they take during the event using their smartphones. The software is designed for professional photographers, DJs, and event venues and is an additional service they can offer their clients for events ranging from Weddings to Corporate Events and all other celebrations. There are no subscriptions and events are charged on a per-event basis.

Some of the most popular Party Print features are:

• The photos are printed during the event.
• Guests’ photos can be shown on a slide show, live at the event.
• All photos can appear on guests’ phones in a live feed, similar to services like Instagram.
• The Party Print administrator (you) can download all of the photos that have been shared to provide your customer with keepsakes from the event.

How it Works

• You create an event using the Party Print web portal (http://planner.partyprint.com). The system generates a QR code that is specific to that event.
• Print cards, posters and other items that contain this QR code for prominent display at the event.
• Event guests scan the QR code and are taken to a web page (web application) that allows them to share their photos and view the live photo feed.
• When photos are shared, they are automatically transferred to a DNP printer through a node* (either a Windows laptop/PC/Tablet running a small Printer Control App or a WCM Plus), which can be attached to a video monitor to display the live slide show. Multiple nodes can be connected to the event so the slide show can be shown in other areas of the event.

Note: Event Nodes (Nodes) are any device or hardware that is associated with the Party Print system. This consists of laptops or WCM Plus that connect a printer or monitor to the Party Print system and may include additional devices in the future.

Requirements
The only requirements to use Party Print at your events are:

• A DNP Printer (DS40, RX1HS, QW410, DS620A, DS80, DS820A)
• A node. This can be:
  • A WCM Plus
  • A Windows PC or laptop with the printer control app
• Internet connection for the WCM Plus or PC/Laptop.
• A valid Party Print account.
• TV / Monitor (optional) if you wish to run a slideshow of all guest photos

Note: to create a Live Event, Party Print needs to verify you have a DNP printer. To verify the printer, connect a DNP printer to a WCM Plus or PC/Laptop and use the Activation Code to associate the node to the Party Print system (node activation).
Note: please review the Party Print Terms of Use that prohibit use of the system for distribution of inappropriate content and content protected by copyright.
The Best Way to Get Started – Create Several Trial Events Before Any Live Events
The following pages will guide you how to set up and run your first Party Print event. This should be a trial event, not the real thing! Trial Events are provided at no cost and have all the features of a Live Event, but all pictures will be watermarked, and printer verification is not required. This is a great way to get comfortable with the Party Print System as well as a way to demo the system to your clients.
For a Successful Event, Let your Guests Know that Party Print is There!
The Party Print planner portal lets you print 4×6 “guest cards” that give guests a QR code that is uniquely associated to each event and provides easy steps to use the system. Print as many as you want and place them on tables or around the venue. The planner site also lets you download the QR code graphic so that you can put the code into posters, counter signs, and any other items that you want to use at the event.
So, let’s get started creating your first event!

Party Print Planner Website

Access the Party Planner Website by clicking Login on PartyPrint.com, or from https://planner.partyprint.com, and logging in to the administrative portal for setting up events and adding associated hardware.

Hardware Connections (Nodes):
Let’s start with the definition of a node. A node is a device that connects the Party Print system to your DNP printer or to a TV/monitor. Currently there are two types of nodes that can be used, either a WCM Plus or a Windows PC/Laptop running a small program called the Printer Control App.

WCM Plus

A WCM Plus provides a secure connection to a DNP Printer or a TV/Monitor and can be configured with an iOS (Apple) device, Android device, Windows device, or a MAC.
Refer to the WCM Plus User Guide for more information (https://dnpphoto.com/Portals/0/Resources/WCM_Plus_User_Guide.pdf)

• Connect the WCM Plus to a DNP printer
• Connect the WCM Plus to a network connection with internet (Wi-Fi or LAN)

Note: The WCM Plus cannot connect to a WiFi network that requires acceptance of terms to connect.

• Check the Party Print checkbox. The WCM Plus will provide an Activation Code.
• In the Party Print Planner website, select the Hardware tab on the left menu.
• Select Node Activation, enter the Activation code from the WCM Plus in the Activation Code field, and click/tap Activate Node

Windows PC/Laptop

A Windows PC or Laptop can also be used to drive a DNP printer, but requires a Printer Control App

• In the Party Print Planner website, select the Hardware tab on the left menu
• Select ↓ Printer Control App to download the installer.
• In your downloads folder locate and install the PrinterControlApp.msi

• To install the Printer Control App, follow the installer wizard steps.
  • Accept the Terms and Conditions
  • Accept the default folder location
  • Changing the file location can cause errors with the app.
  • The Host Name defaults to the computer ID, but can be changed to a user-friendly name.
  • Configure Shortcuts
  • Checking the Startup folder is recommended and ensures the app is running when needed
  • Finish the setup wizard and launch the app.
  • Copy the activation code provided by the app
• In the Party Print Planner website, select the Hardware tab on the left menu.
• Select Node Activation, enter the Activation code from the WCM Plus in the Activation Code field, and click Activate Node
• The Printer Control App will show the name of the node and display printer information for each printer that is connected to the laptop.

Create an Event:

1. Log into the Party Planner website at https://planner.partyprint.com. After logging in, you will be brought to the Events page.
   

2. In the Party Print Planner window, click on the Events tab on the left.

3. Click on the + New Event button on the upper right.
   

4. You have a choice on setting up a Trial Event or a Live Event.

   • Trial Events have all the features of a Live Event at no charge, but all pictures will be watermarked. This is a great way to get comfortable with the Party Print System as well as a way to demo the system to your clients.

5. Give your event a Name and select an Event Category. Then click the Next button.

6. The location name and the address of your event are necessary for syncing scheduling and for limiting access to the event if your location is more than a set distance from the location. Click the Next button.

7. Enter the dates for your event (events can be up to 48 hours long.) If you wish to limit the times for the event, click on “Advanced” and set the times. Then click the Next button.
   Note: If the current date is selected and a future time is not selected, the event will start immediately, and the schedule will be locked. 

8. Personalization refers to the splash screen, and Print Templates (Frames, Logos, Etc) that will be visible to your guests.

   • A Splash Screen graphic appears full screen on guests’ phones when the guest app first starts. It disappears after a couple of seconds but is a good reinforcement of the event theme. Combining a splash graphic with a pinned graphic is a great way to give visual continuity.See “Pinning Images to the Guest App Image Feed” for details
     Some things to keep in mind when creating a splash graphic:

   • Phone screen sizes and aspect ratios vary widely – the graphic will not look the same on all phones

   • We recommend 1170 wide x 2532 tall – an aspect ratio used by many leading phones

   • At that aspect ratio, many phones will cut off a significant portion of the top and bottom

   • of the graphic; don’t put logos and text in the top 350 pixels and the bottom 350 pixels of your graphic

   • Unlike print overlay graphics, you can use JPEG or PNG file formats for these graphics.

   • Print Templates are graphics that will lay over the printed picture. These can be frames or logos. Party Print includes several frames in the Print Template pulldown and you have the ability to load your own graphics in the Content section
     Click the Next button

9. Hardware refers the device that will connect a DNP printer or TV/Monitor to the Party Print system. This hardware will usually consist of a Windows Laptop or a WCM Plus. In the previous section (Hardware Connections), you configured your hardware with the activation code.

10. Review and finalize payment information (you will not be charged until the event goes live.) Click Finish.

You have now created your first event in Party Print! The guest app for this event currently has no custom on-screen graphics and no photos in the image feed. Also, the prints for this event currently will have no custom graphics or borders. You can add these items later. Before the event: Print the Guest Cards with QR code and add QR code to your own graphics/posters (optional):

1. Log in to the planner website https://planner.partyprint.com.
2. Click on the name of the event.
3. Click on the Options tab at the top right of the screen.
4. Click on the tab with the name that you gave for the event location.
5. In the Accessibility section, click on Send to Printer – this will print the default guest card with the QR code (shown on Page 4).
   If you want the QR code for the event separately so that you can paste it into your own guest cards or posters, click on the Download button.

At the event:

1. Set up the PC and DNP printer. Ensure that there is an Internet connection.
2. Start the Printer Control App (if you set the app to launch at startup, it will already be running)
3. Use your phone to scan the QR code to go to the guest web app. Upload a photo to confirm that the system is connected and printing.

Add custom graphic/border to prints:
When you print the shared photos at an event, you have the option of adding a custom border to the prints. This can be decorative, tied graphically to the event theme and/or it could include your logo. To do this, you will need to create two versions of the graphic (vertical and horizontal) that are sized to match the size of print you are making (typically 4×6, 5×7, 6×8 or 8×10). You can download templates from the resources section of the Party Planner portal.

Your border graphic must have a “clear background” to allow guests’ photos to show through the graphic. Only .PNG files are accepted (.JPG files cannot have a clear background). Once you have created your print borders, it is easy to upload them to your event:

1. Log in to the planner website https://planner.partyprint.com.
2. Click on the name of the event.
3. From the dialog box, navigate to the folder where your borders are saved.
4. Select the borders you wish to add.

NOTE: Only .PNG graphics files are accepted. You must upload both the horizontal (landscape) and vertical (portrait) versions of the borders for the size of print that you will make.

Add Pre-Event Photos

For some events you might want to upload a set of photos before the start of the event.

There are two main reasons why you might want to do this:

1. To have photos looping through the slide show and visible in the live photo feed when guests first arrive at the event (for example, at a wedding reception, have a few pictures of the bride and groom up on the screen). This can also encourage guests to share their own photos.
2. To “pin” one of more of these images into the live feed that guests see in the event guest web application. These pinned graphics remain at the top of the feed and can give a welcome message, encouragement to share photos, etc.

To add pre-event photos to the feed:

1. Log in to the planner website https://planner.partyprint.com.
2. Click on the name of the event and go to the Gallery tab
3. Click Upload Photos to choose files you want to add.
4. For additional photos, click the Select Files button.

Pinning Images to the Guest App Image Feed:
Once you have uploaded images, you might want to pin one or more of them to the top of the live image feed. Often a pinned image is a custom graphic (square) that has a welcome message and some directions for using the guest app.

1. When you are returned to the Gallery tab, the photos you selected are displayed.
2. To pin photos to the guest app image feed, click the Push Pin icon on the upper right corner of each photo you want pinned.

NOTE: Your pinned images will appear at the top of the feed in the order that you pinned them. To change the order, un-pin all images and pin them in the order you desire.

References

• planner.partyprint.com
• planner.partyprint.com
• planner.partyprint.com/

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