Category Archives: Breeze Booth for iPad

Breeze Booth for iPad launched

Breeze Booth for iPad is a powerful photo booth app designed with flexibility, redundancy and creativity in mind.

Breeze Booth features the most powerful and flexible interface designer of any iPad app in the industry. Create graphically stunning designs, complex multi-menu navigations, engaging data surveys and customised keyboards. Quickly deploy them to a fleet of iPads using trusted cloud services (Dropbox, iCloud etc) or via your own private and secure web servers.

Make it yours. Make it your clients. Breeze Booth can be re-skinned to make it look like your very own photo booth software. All from just US $49/month or US $440/year.

More…

Breeze Systems 2019

Extra Breeze iPad Master class at Photo Booth Expo 2019 – Monday at 3pm!

Latest: Additional iPad class on Monday 25th February at 3pm – book now!

Book your place at Introducing Breeze Booth for iPad on Monday at 3pm (The password is PBX)

I have reserved places for the folks on the iPad waiting list for this class – please drop me an email and confirm whether you would like to take them up.

Chris and Steve are running two Breeze Master Classes at Photo Booth Expo this year –  Introducing Breeze Booth for iPad, and Interface design for DSLR Remote Pro and Multi-Camera. Tickets are free to PBX Key Pass holders. The original classes have been fully booked for some time.

Both will also give  Keynote presentations at PBX. Steve will open on Sunday at 12 with What I’ve Learned From Doing 1000 Events A Year.  Chris will cover Choosing the Right Camera for your Booth on Tuesday  at 9am. You don’t need to book for Keynote presentations, which  are open to all PBX Key Pass holders.

Introducing Breeze Booth for iPad

Monday 25th February 11-12.30 & 3-4.30 Steve Bliesner & Chris Breeze

Get the low down on the latest Breeze App from Steve Bliesner (Breeze Brand Ambassador and Photo Booth Guys) and Chris Breeze (Breeze founder and developer).

Book your place at Introducing Breeze Booth for iPad (The password is PBX)

If you can no longer use your ticket, please email sales@breezesys.com so that I can give it to someone else. Thank you.

As most of you know, Chris is founder and developer in chief at Breeze. Steve Bliesner is our Breeze Brand Ambassador as well as running the Photo Booth Guys and Wilkes Photobooth. Steve’s Breeze class at BoothCon 2019 was standing room only; we expect both the PBX classes to be packed.

This is the fifth Year of Photo Booth Expo, the world’s largest Photo Booth Show. It’s a great chance to catch up with you all as well as showing the latest Breeze offerings at our booth. See you soon.

Sue & Chris

© Breeze Systems 2019

Syncing events with Dropbox – Breeze Booth for iPad

How to use Dropbox to transfer new and updated events from the Event Editor 1.2 (on a Windows PC) to your iPads. This post includes a trouble shooting section.

June 2020: This post has been replaced by a website tutorial here

June 2019: Post updated to clarify that events can be saved straight to Dropbox

May 2019: Some images and text in this post have been updated to reflect the latest releases of the Breeze Booth App and Event Editor 1.2

Introduction

When you download Breeze Booth from the App Store, you are prompted to sync (ie download) sample events from Breeze servers at https://bb4ipad/com/sync 

When you create your own events you also need to transfer them to your devices. The simplest way to do this is to use Dropbox. This post explains how to set up Dropbox on each iPad (or iPhone) and download events using Dropbox.

Note: Breeze Booth now supports both iPads and iPhones running iOS12. References to iPads in this post also refer to iPhones.

Setting up Dropbox on your iPad

  • Install the official Dropbox app on your iPad (this can be downloaded from the Apple App Store).
  • Select Sign in to Dropbox in Breeze Booth for iPad’s app settings and authorize the app. This will create a “Breeze Booth for iPad” folder in your Dropbox “Apps” folder.

Copy the events on your PC to your Dropbox folder

Once you have set up Dropbox for Breeze Booth you need to copy your folder of events into the correct Dropbox folder to transfer them to the iPad.

Copy the events folder from C:\Users\yourname\Documents\Breeze Booth for iPad

Copying the whole events folder

to C:\Users\yourname\Dropbox\Apps\Breeze Booth for iPad

Dropbox folder structure for events

Note: When you sync the events using Dropbox on your iPad, the program will look for this folder. You must name it correctly, or the App will not find your events.

Note to advanced users: You can use tokens including {eventName} in your Dropbox folder naming. This post does not cover this.

Saving events straight to Dropbox

Once the initial set of events have been copied to Dropbox, you can either save new and updated events directly into Dropbox, or continue using an intermediate folder and manually copy them. Saving events straight to Dropbox is simpler and faster.

 To direct the Event Editor to load and save events in Dropbox, select File then Open, navigate to C:\Users\…\Dropbox\Apps\Breeze Booth for iPad\events  and open events.xml

To point the Event Editor to your Dropbox events folder, click on File then Open, navigate to C:\Users\…\Dropbox\Apps\Breeze Booth for iPad\events  and open events.xml

When you return to the main Event Editor screen note that the folder name at the top has changed:

 

Event Editor 1.2 main screen with folder highlighted

You will be prompted to save your changes before closing the Event Editor

Breeze Booth EventEditor prompts you to save any changes before closing the program

Tell Breeze Booth for iPad to sync events using Dropbox

As there are several ways to sync events, you need to tell your iPad which to choose. In Breeze Booth for iPad go to Settings and select the Sync via Dropbox.

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Import the latest version of your events into Breeze Booth for iPad from Dropbox

You can choose whether to update (‘sync’) all your events at the same time, or update a single event. Updating all events is the best way to check everything on the iPad is up to date, but may be slower than updating a single event (especially if you have a poor Internet connection).

You can also update the event list before updating individual events.

Get an updated list of events

Update list of events button (Breeze Booth Events screen)

Get the latest version of all your events

Update all events button (Breeze Booth Events screen)

Get the latest version of a single event

Once the event(s) have been updated, you are ready to run them

Concerned about guests getting access to your Dropbox files from the iPad?

Advanced users: Signing into the Dropbox App on an iPad and signing Breeze Booth for iPad into your Dropbox account are not the same. Once your events are set up correctly, you can secure your Dropbox account by:

either signing out from the Dropbox App and keeping Breeze Booth for iPad signed into Dropbox

or Deleting the Dropbox App from the iPad

Only delete the Dropbox App from the iPad when Breeze Booth for iPad is signed in to DropBox. If you sign Breeze Booth for iPad out from Dropbox, you  will need to reinstall the official Dropbox app before signing back in again.

You can also set an exit password to keep guests from accessing the Breeze Booth for iPad settings page

 Using an exit password to keep sticky fingered guests from  the Breeze Booth for iPad settings page

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Keep life simple when syncing with Dropbox

  • Do name your folders correctly
  • Do not uninstall Breeze Booth for iPad from your iPads
  • Do not delete the Breeze Booth for iPad folder in Dropbox

Stuck? Getting out of trouble

 

iPad App can’t find my new/updated events

Path not found errors occur when the App cannot find the event files. Causes:

  • Dropbox has not finished syncing the files to the iPad
  • Dropbox folders or files are not named correctly
Path not found: Event cannot be synced because of a folder or file naming error

Motr

Error: not logged into Dropbox occurs if Breeze Booth for iPad is not signed into Dropbox

Unable to sync event because not logged into Dropbox

Check the iPad settings screen:

More places to find help

Breeze Booth for iPad has detailed help files online

If you can’t find an answer in the help files, feel free to email support@breezesys.com or post in the Breeze User group on Facebook

Summary

This post explained how to transfer new and updated events from a PC to Breeze Booth for iPad using Dropbox. You will need a Dropbox account and an Internet connection for this to work.

 

 

© Breeze Systems 2019

Build your own iPad events with Event Editor 1.1

Update June 2020: This post is out of date. Please see Getting started with Breeze Booth for iPad

This post explains how to create and edit your own  events for Breeze Booth for iPad using the Breeze Booth Event Editor 1.1 on a Windows PC, and covers

  • what’s new in this release
  • first steps : how to download, install and run the Event Editor on your PC
  • loading events into the event editor
  • cloning an event as a start point for a custom design
  • portrait and landscape events
  • editing an event
  • transferring events to your iPad(s)

Breeze Booth Event Editor v1.1 works with Breeze Booth for iPad beta build 25, and was released on February 16th, 2019

Introduction

The Breeze Booth Event Editor is a powerful Windows based program which can be used to create and edit events for Breeze Booth for iPad.

Do join the beta program and explore Breeze Booth for iPad before using the editor. Play with ‘Designer‘ (the first event) to get a feel for what you can achieve with Breeze Booth for iPad.

New in this release…

Easier editing – you will find it much simpler to load events into the Editor, copy them and save your work.

  • Simpler cloning of events
  • Ability to import events from elsewhere
  • Improved event format
  • Simpler manifest regeneration

Chris has also added the ability to set up both initial and default profiles for an event, & load profiles from menu 1 or menu 2

Download and install Breeze Booth Event Editor & sample events

Event Editor runs on a Windows 10, 8 or 7 computer. Download it from here.

You will also automatically download Breeze Hub and the designs  for nine  sample events. When you install the event  editor, these events will automatically be saved in your Documents folder C:\Users\…\Documents\Breeze Booth for iPad\events

The Breeze Booth Event Editor installer has created this folder of sample events. C:\Users\sue\Documents\Breeze Booth for iPad\events

There is a sub-folder for each sample  event, and a file called events.xml which you need to open in the Event Editor:

Run Breeze Booth Event Editor

Start the Event Editor, and select Open.

Starting Breeze Booth Event Editor 1.1 for the first time

Load the list of existing events by selecting events.xml in C:\Users\…\Documents\Breeze Booth for iPad\events

Select events.xml to load the list of events into Breeze Booth Event Editor

Initial list of sample events displayed in BBEE

List of sample events loaded into Breeze Booth Event Editor 1.1(This list was created from the events.xml file we opened)

The first event is called Designer and showcases many of the features included with Breeze Booth for iPad.  You are welcome to use this design (or parts of it) with Breeze Booth for iPad at your own events.

The remaining 8 events are much simpler. They are intended to help you create your own designs.

This post will show you how to copy one of these simple events (Photos with virtual props) and edit it for your own use.

Photos with virtual props takes one photo and shares it on a custom background. Guests choose between 3 virtual props. They can also choose whether to shoot in color, B&W, sepia, comic effect or using a filter. The photo can be shared by email .

Cloning ‘Photos with virtual props’

Right click on Photos with virtual props and select Clone Event…

Right click on an event to clone it

You can change the name, description and folder name of the new event:

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Editing an event

Portrait, landscape or both?

Breeze Booth for iPad lets guests switch between portrait and landscape orientation on the fly (great for roaming booths like the Ring Roamer).  My virtual props event can  be used in both portrait and landscape orientation, so has designs for both.

If you will always run an event in the same orientation, you don’t need to create both designs.

Open My virtual props

Select My virtual props… and check Edit event…

We will just edit the portrait version of My virtual props event today. Click on the portrait  Edit button:

This brings us to the Photo Booth Settings screen, where you can start to customize your design

Tabs on Photo Booth Settings screen (Breeze Both for iPad build 20)

The original Photos with virtual props takes one photo and shares it on a colored background with a custom logo. Guests choose between 3 virtual props. They can also choose whether to shoot in color, B&W, sepia, comic effect or using a filter. The photo can be shared by email .

We are going to change My virtual props event to

  • take 2 square photos
  • remove the branded background print layout
  • add a new background color, 2 logos* and a caption to the print layout
  • create a slideshow GIF from the 2 photos
  • customize the wording of the email
  • share the slideshow GIF instead of the print layout

*You can add up to 5 different png or jpg logos to each print layout in addition to the background and overlay. This is a simple way of branding a design for a particular event, and can also be used as a quick way to add an image of the bride and groom (taken earlier in the day) to wedding photo booths.

Photo Booth Settings Screen

The Photo Booth Settings Screen is displayed for the profile you selected.  It has 5 tabs : General, Photos, Slideshow GIFs, Burst GIFs, and Share. You can access powerful editors  to design your screens, prints and GIFs from these settings.

Photo Booth Settings – General tab

11) Change the aspect ratio of the photos to square

Breeze booth Event Editor Phoot Booth Settings General tab
Changing the photo aspect ratio to square (Breeze booth Event Editor)

You can find a full list of Breeze Booth for iPad screens here

Photo Booth Settings – Photos tab

12) Change the number of photos to 2

13) Change the countdown text color to black

14) Open the Print Layout Editor

Breeze Booth Event Editor Photo Booth Settings Photos tab
Changing the number of photos, color of countdown text and opening the Print Layout editor in Breeze Booth Event Editor

Print Layout Editor

Use the Print layout editor to customize your prints. In the slideshow below I will:

15) Remove the branded background

16) Add a new background color to the print

17) Change the printed photo to a square

18) Right click on the background to add the second photo

19) Resize and reposition the two photos

20) Add the two logos

21) Right click on the background to add a caption, then right click again to edit it

22) Save my changes

Note: You can add up to 5 different JPG or PNG logos to a print

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Photo Booth Settings – Slideshow GIFs tab

Check Create animated GIF,... to create an animated GIF from the two photos

Breeze Booth Event Editor Photo Booth Settings Slideshow GIFs tab
Creating a slideshow GIF from the photos

Photo Booth Settings – Share tab

23) Check Share slideshow first to share the GIF instead of a print layout

24) Open the slideshow email editor to customize the message

Breeze Botoh for iPad Photo Booth Settings Share tab
Telling Breeze Booth for iPad to share the slideshow GIF

 

Breeze Booth Event Editor altering email content
Breeze Booth Event Editor email editor for slideshow GIFs

Change the subject and email text. You can use Breeze tokens (25) in emails

Before you leave the event editor….

When you have finished editing the event, check OK to save all your changes.

Add an extra countdown GIF and sharing screen to the asset folder

The new event includes has two photos instead of one so we need a second countdown GIF 2.gif . We also need a screen called share_slideshow.jpg to share the new slideshow GIF.

I have copied the existing 1.gif and share.jpg screens to 2.gif and share_slideshow.jpg in C:\Users\sue\Documents\Breeze Booth for iPad\events\My virtual props event\portrait

Content of C:\Users\sue\Documents\Breeze Booth for iPad\events\My virtual props event\portrait
C:\Users\sue\Documents\Breeze Booth for iPad\events\My virtual props event\portrait showing 2.gif and share_slideshow.jpg

When you make any changes to this folder you must also go back to the Breeze Booth Event Editor, open the event and regenerate the manifests

Closing the Event Editor

If you make any changes to your events, the Event Editor will prompt you to save changes to your events.xml folder. It is important that you select Yes to save the changes you have made and update the manifest.

Copying events from a PC to your iPads

There are currently 3 ways to copy events from your PC to an iPad:

Method 1: Sync via Dropbox

This is covered in a separate post Syncing events with Dropbox

Method 2: Sync via a secure https web server

Upload the events folder to a folder on a web server, then go the to the settings screen in Breeze Booth for Ipad and edit the URL for the sync server to point to this folder. Then use the events screen in Breeze Booth for iPad to sync the events.
Important: This method can only be used with secure servers that have https e.g. https://breezesys.com. It will not work with http URLs.
Sample events are available by setting the sync server to https://bb4ipad.com/sync in the iPad’s app settings.

Method 3: Copy the files via iCloud

Copy the event folder to a folder on iCloud that is visible on the iPad. Then use the Files app to copy the files to Breeze Booth for iPad’s assets folder.

Printing your photos

You can print using AirPrint or Breeze Hub

Breeze Booth for iPad Settings screen
Using AirPrint to print directly from Breeze Booth for iPad

25) To print directly from the iPad connect up your printer ( which must support AirPrint) and choose Print using Airprint on the Breeze Booth for iPad Settings screen

26) To print using a Windows PC you need Breeze Hub.  Choose Connect to Breeze Hub on the Breeze Booth or iPad Settings screen

Summary

This post has taken you through downloading and installing both the Breeze Booth Event Editor and a set of sample events onto a Windows PC.  I have also shown how to create your own event based on one of the samples provided by Breeze, and outlined ways to transfer new and updated events to your iPads. Finally there are short notes about printing using Airprint and a Windows PC.

If you found this post useful please share it with others.

Thanks,

Sue

© Breeze Systems 2019

 

Breeze Booth for iPad – What can it do?

Complete creative freedom

Breeze Booth for iPad is a powerful photo booth app that has been designed with flexibility, redundancy and creativity in mind. Design unique, custom interfaces/user experiences and quickly deploy them to a fleet of iPads using trusted cloud services (Dropbox, iCloud etc) or via your own private and secure web servers.

Click video above to see Breeze Booth for iPad in action

Key Features 

  • Centralised set up of events, interfaces and image branding via a Windows-based app
  • The industry’s most flexible interface designer
  • Make digital photos, prints and GIFs and use digital A/R props
  • White label the app interface and sharing features (as a standard inclusion)
  • Standalone capability and redundancy  (events can run offline, deploy your own private and secure sync and image sharing servers)
  • Advanced features for power users (profiles, tokens, unique ID’s, keyboard shortcuts, access to XML information etc)

Breeze Booth Standalone Operation

Breee Booth can run as a simple photo booth app, with loads of  features available out of the box.

  1. Shoot still images, slideshow and boomerang/burst GIFs
  2. Virtual props
  3. Standard image filters and effects: Color, B&W, sepia, comic and mirror effects
  4. Create and import  your own custom photo filters
  5. Control camera settings (digital zoom, ISO, shutter speed, white balance, tint) 
  6. Switch between front and rear cameras
  7. Printing of images (including AirPrint printers)
  8. Email images directly from the iPad
  9. Local storage of photos, prints and GIFs on the iPad
  10. Sync images & XML data to Windows PC for sharing, printing and export to other Apps 
  11. Sync images to Dropbox
  12. Log email addresses and cell phone numbers
  13. Collect guest survey and consent data
  14. Display privacy statements, terms & conditions, and other information screens
  15. Sync events from Dropbox or your own private and secure web server
  16. Transfer events to your iPad via AirDrop (no internet required)
  17. Password protect events and App settings
  18. Run events without an Internet connection
  19. Retain complete control of images and guest data

Breeze Booth + Breeze Hub at your event

Extend the power of Breeze Booth and add Breeze Hub to the mix. Breeze Hub is a small but powerful Windows companion app that can be run at your event, to allow for single or multiple Breeze Booth iPads to print to any Windows printer. In addition, it can also share images via email and SMS without having to use external cloud services. All done locally at your event.

  1. Print to any Windows printer (including professional dye sub printers)
  2. Offline sharing of photos, animated GIFs, and MP4 files
  3. Support sharing from multiple iPads, DLSR based booths and Kiosks with a single Internet connection at your event
  4. Monitor local iPads & display current status and images taken
  5. Share event name and other event data with local iPads

Breeze Booth + Breeze Hub + Event Editor at your office

For power users, centrally manage the syncing of multiple events, and sharing of images from your office, home or secure web server. With Breeze Hub and Event Editor, you can completely control how data is shared to your iPads and how images are sent to your guests; allowing you to create a redundant, secure and private system.

  1. Create, adapt and update events for use worldwide from your PC
  2. Design screens, prints, GIFs and email content for multiple events
  3. Sync new & updated events through your own private and secure webserver
  4. Sync new & updated events with iPads via Dropbox
  5. Centrally share images from multiple events, iPad and DLSR based booths and kiosks from your own office or server. 
  6. Run external commands on images as they are received

Creative Outputs

  • Prints with custom background, overlay, captions graphics and logos
  • Change text on prints locally/on the iPad
  • Slideshow GIFs ( with animated overlays, backgrounds and titles)
  • Boomerang/burst GIFs (also with animated overlays, backgrounds and titles)
  • Share images by email and text (sharing by text requires microsite)

Industry standard image formats are suitable for sharing with other devices and programs, and uploading to the cloud

Applications

  • Social events
  • Corporate activations
  • 360 degree rotating and slider systems
  • Slider systems
  • Fixed installations
  • Trade shows and conventions
  • Unattended booth in a box rental
  • Large multi-location events with unlimited number of iPads
  • White label events

Additional features include 

Screens

  • animate screens and count down with animated GIFs
  • create menu driven interfaces
  • design for 4:3 and iPad Pro 11 
  • drag and drop screen editor
  • pre-designed interfaces
  • interface and captions in any language
  • configurable optional and mandatory surveys
  • design for both landscape and portrait-oriented iPads

Print Layout Editor

  • drag and drop layout editor
  • add custom background, overlay, captions and logos 
  • add jpg or png logos to prints
  • multiple captions 
  • Captions can include date, event and other tokens
  • Design for multiple print sizes and dpi

Prints

  • Print strips, landscape, portrait, square, panorama and other designs
  • supports high speed professional printers
  • Supports any printer with full Windows drivers for Windows 10, 8 or 7 (using Hub)
  • AirPrint directly from iPad

Animated GIFs

  • create simple multi photo gifs from your photo session
  • print high quality images from your gif
  • make short boomerang / burst gifs
  • apply animated overlays and backgrounds
  • optional sharing as MP4 movie

Sharing by email and text

  • Online and offline sharing of photos, animated GIFs and MP4s
  • Email address and cell phone logging 
  • Email directly from iPad
  • Share via Breeze Hub
  • White label html emails 
  • Customise email ‘From’ address, subject and content
  • Automate customisation using event, date, media type and other Breeze tokens
  • SMS texting to both Apple and Android cell phones

User Privacy

  • Custom consent and privacy notice support
  • Rejected images deleted automatically 
  • Photos saved to different folders by privacy options/answers to survey questions
  • Control location of saved images

Advanced Features

  • Menus
  • Breeze profiles 
  • Breeze tokens
  • Random* filename generation {UID}enhances guest privacy (virtually impossible to guess filename)
  • Access data from external applications via XML
  • Interfaces & captions in any language, international character sets
  • Control App with external buttons, motion sensors, USB HIB etc
  • Include tokens in update server URL/Dropbox path

*Filenames generated are guaranteed to be unique for at least 2 years on that iPad

Try Breeze Booth for iPad yourself

Images courtesy of PhotoBoothGuys

© Breeze Systems 2018

How to build your own events for Breeze Booth for iPad

This post explains how to create and edit your own  events for Breeze Booth for iPad using the Breeze Booth Event Editor on a Windows PC, and covers

  • what’s new in this release
  • how to download, install and run the event editor on your PC
  • loading a list of existing events into the event editor
  • creating a new event
  • linking an event to it’s asset folder(s)
  • portrait and landscape events
  • editing an event
  • transferring events to your iPad(s)

December 22nd: I have updated the section Method 1: Sync via Dropbox adding more detail to make it easier to follow.

Breeze Booth Event Editor v1.0 beta 20181116 works with Breeze Booth for iPad beta build 20, and was released on November 16th, 2018

Introduction

The Breeze Booth Event Editor is a powerful Windows based program which can be used to create and edit events for Breeze Booth for iPad.

Do join the beta program and explore Breeze Booth for iPad before using the editor. Play with ‘Designer‘ (the first event) to get a feel for what you can achieve with Breeze Booth for iPad.

New in this release…

  • Installer – easier to download and install the Event Editor on your computer
  • Sample events are automatically downloaded and copied into PC Documents folder – no need to unzip them
  • Menu screens to select styles, mirroring, virtual props etc (less need for profiles)
  • Support for choice of up to 10 different virtual props
  • Ability to add logos and resize, rotate and position them in the print layout
  • Updated sample events

Download and install Breeze Booth Event Editor

Breeze Booth Event Editor runs on a Windows 10, 8 or 7 computer. Download it from here.

You will also automatically download the designs  for nine  sample events we provide for Breeze Booth for iPad. When you install the event  editor, these files will automatically be saved in your Documents folder as shown here

C:\Users\sue\Documents\Breeze Booth for iPad\events

The Breeze Booth Event Editor installer will create this folder of sample events. C:\Users\sue\Documents\Breeze Booth for iPad\events

The first event is called Designer and showcases many of the features included with Breeze Booth for iPad.  You are welcome to use this design (or parts of it) with Breeze Booth for iPad at your own events.

The remaining 8 events are much simpler. They are intended to help you create your own designs.

This post will show you how to copy one of these simple events (Photos with virtual props) and edit it for your own use.

Photos with virtual props takes one photo and shares it on a custom background. Guests choose between 3 virtual props. They can also choose whether to shoot in color, B&W, sepia, comic effect or using a filter. The photo can be shared by email .

Copy the asset folders from Photos with virtual props

Start by copying the Photos with virtual props folder to a new folder called My virtual props event

Creating a new assets folder for a new event

Run Breeze Booth Event Editor

Start the Event Editor, and select Open.

Open the Breeze Booth Event Editor

Load the list of existing events by selecting events.xml

Select events.xml to load the list of events into Breeze Booth Event Editor

Initial list of sample events displayed in BBEE

Initial sample events folder (Breeze Booth Event Editor) Note: this list of events was created from the events.xml file we opened

Create a new event ‘My virtual props event

Select New event to create your new event..

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1) Give the new event a name

2) Add a description

3) Select the landscape version of ‘My virtual props event, by

4) finding the correct folder, opening it and

5) selecting settings.xml

6, 7, 8, ) Repeat for the portrait version of My virtual props event

 9) Save your new event

Portrait, landscape or both?

Breeze Booth for iPad lets guests switch between portrait and landscape orientation on the fly (great for roaming booths like the Ring Roamer).  My virtual props event can  be used in both portrait and landscape orientation, so has designs for both.

If you will always run an event in the same orientation, you don’t need to create both designs.

Editing an event

Select an event and choose Edit event..

We will just edit the portrait version of My virtual props event (10) today. Click on the portrait  Edit button:

Editing the portrait version of My virtual props event

This brings us to the Photo Booth Settings screen, where you can start to customize your design

Tabs on Photo Booth Settings screen (Breeze Both for iPad build 20)

The original Photos with virtual props takes one photo and shares it on a colored background with a custom logo. Guests choose between 3 virtual props. They can also choose whether to shoot in color, B&W, sepia, comic effect or using a filter. The photo can be shared by email .

We are going to change My virtual props event to

  • take 2 square photos
  • remove the branded background print layout
  • add a new background color, 2 logos* and a caption to the print layout
  • create a slideshow GIF from the 2 photos
  • customize the wording of the email
  • share the slideshow GIF instead of the print layout

*You can add up to 5 different png or jpg logos to each print layout in addition to the background and overlay. This is a simple way of branding a design for a particular event, and can also be used as a quick way to add an image of the bride and groom (taken earlier in the day) to wedding photo booths.

Photo Booth Settings Screen

The Photo Booth Settings Screen is displayed for the profile you selected.  It has 5 tabs : General, Photos, Slideshow GIFs, Burst GIFs, and Share. You can access powerful editors  to design your screens, prints and GIFs from these settings.

Photo Booth Settings – General tab

11) Change the aspect ratio of the photos to square

Breeze booth Event Editor Phoot Booth Settings General tab
Changing the photo aspect ratio to square (Breeze booth Event Editor)

You can find a full list of Breeze Booth for iPad screens here

Photo Booth Settings – Photos tab

12) Change the number of photos to 2

13) Change the countdown text color to black

14) Open the Print Layout Editor

Breeze Booth Event Editor Photo Booth Settings Photos tab
Changing the number of photos, color of countdown text and opening the Print Layout editor in Breeze Booth Event Editor

Print Layout Editor

Use the Print layout editor to customize your prints. In the slideshow below I will:

15) Remove the branded background

16) Add a new background color to the print

17) Change the printed photo to a square

18) Right click on the background to add the second photo

19) Resize and reposition the two photos

20) Add the two logos

21) Right click on the background to add a caption, then right click again to edit it

22) Save my changes

Note: You can add up to 5 different JPG or PNG logos to a print

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Photo Booth Settings – Slideshow GIFs tab

Check Create animated GIF,... to create an animated GIF from the two photos

Breeze Booth Event Editor Photo Booth Settings Slideshow GIFs tab
Creating a slideshow GIF from the photos

Photo Booth Settings – Share tab

23) Check Share slideshow first to share the GIF instead of a print layout

24) Open the slideshow email editor to customize the message

Breeze Botoh for iPad Photo Booth Settings Share tab
Telling Breeze Booth for iPad to share the slideshow GIF

 

Breeze Booth Event Editor altering email content
Breeze Booth Event Editor email editor for slideshow GIFs

Change the subject and email text. You can use Breeze tokens (25) in emails

Before you leave the event editor….

When you have finished editing the event, check OK to save all your changes. You will need to update the list of events (events.xml), the manifest for My virtual props event  (manifest.xml) , and the settings file for the event (settings.xml)

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Add an extra countdown GIF and sharing screen to the asset folder

The new event includes has two photos instead of one so we need a second countdown GIF 2.gif . We also need a screen called share_slideshow.jpg to share the new slideshow GIF.

I have copied the existing 1.gif and share.jpg screens to 2.gif and share_slideshow.jpg in C:\Users\sue\Documents\Breeze Booth for iPad\events\My virtual props event\portrait

Content of C:\Users\sue\Documents\Breeze Booth for iPad\events\My virtual props event\portrait
C:\Users\sue\Documents\Breeze Booth for iPad\events\My virtual props event\portrait showing 2.gif and share_slideshow.jpg

When you make any changes to this folder you must also go back to the Breeze Booth Event Editor and regenerate the manifests

Regenerating the manifests in Breeze Booth Event Editor

Copying events from a PC to your iPads

There are currently 3 ways to copy events from your PC to an iPad:

Method 1: Sync via Dropbox

  • Install the official DropBox app on your iPad (this can be downloaded from the Apple App Store).
  • Select Sign in to Dropbox in Breeze Booth for iPad’s app settings and authorize the app. This will create a “Breeze Booth for iPad” folder in your DropBox “Apps” folder.

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  • Now on your PC copy the whole Breeze Booth for iPad folder

from C:\Users\yourname\Documents\Breeze Booth for iPad

Copying the whole Breeze Booth for iPad folder

to C:\Users\yourname\Dropbox\Apps

Dropbox folder structure for events

Note: When you sync the events using Dropbox on your iPad, the program will look for this folder. You must name it correctly, or the App will not find your events.

  • As there are several ways to sync events, you need to tell your iPad which to choose. In Breeze Booth for iPad go to Settings and select the Sync via Dropbox.

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Method 2: Sync via a secure https web server

Upload the events folder to a folder on a web server, then go the to the settings screen in Breeze Booth for Ipad and edit the URL for the sync server to point to this folder. Then use the events screen in Breeze Booth for iPad to sync the events.
Important: This method can only be used with secure servers that have https e.g. https://breezesys.com. It will not work with http URLs.
Sample events are available by setting the sync server to https://bb4ipad.com/sync in the iPad’s app settings.

Method 3: Copy the files via iCloud

Copy the event folder to a folder on iCloud that is visible on the iPad. Then use the Files app to copy the files to Breeze Booth for iPad’s assets folder.

Update Breeze Booth for iPad to use the new event

Before you can run a new event on an iPad, Breeze Booth for iPad needs to update it’s list of events. Once My virtual props event has been added to this list, sync the event to download the new assets and xml files

Synching an event in breeze Booth for iPad

Syncing the iPad is covered in more detail here

Printing your photos

You can print using AirPrint or Breeze Hub

Breeze Booth for iPad Settings screen
Using AirPrint to print directly from Breeze Booth for iPad

25) To print directly from the iPad connect up your printer ( which must support AirPrint) and choose Print using Airprint on the Breeze Booth for iPad Settings screen

26) To print using a Windows PC you need Breeze Hub.  Choose Connect to Breeze Hub on the Breeze Booth or iPad Settings screen

Summary

This has been quite a marathon post. I have outlined the new features in Breeze Booth Event Editor, how to download and install this program on your PC, how to create your own event based on one of the samples provided by Breeze, and how to download the new event to use on your iPads.

If you found this post useful please share it with others.

Thanks,

Sue

© Breeze Systems 2018

Breeze Tokens – your new best friend

Powerful, surprisingly simple, logical.  In this video tutorial Steve  introduces Breeze tokens and explains how they can be your new best friend.

Steve takes you through how to

  • Make life easier for your staff setting up events
  • Make life simpler – automate folder naming for different events
  • Collect data about guest choices for corporate clients
  • Group images by team name, zip code or other attribute chosen by your client
  • Automatically group images into different folders based on response to survey questions
  •  GDPR/ privacy  – split images into different folders based on guest consent
  • GDPR/privacy  – label images to show whether guests consent to using them for different uses

This tutorial focuses on DSLR Remote Pro  3.11.1 . Breeze tokens can also be used in Breeze Booth for iPad, DSLR Remote Pro Multi-Camera, Hotfolder Prints, Breeze Kiosk and Webcam Photobooth.

The following notes are intended as a quick reference to some of the details in the video.

Some of the Breeze DSLR Remote Pro tokens used in this tutorial

Event tokens are special tokens which can be shared between different Breeze programs running on the same PC. They include the event name {eventName} , and several print counters.

Note: Tokens are case sensitive.

Print layouts

Tokens can be used to print information like today’s date less 8 hours {dateLess8h}) without editing the print layout each time it is used.

Why ‘date less 8 hours’? Use when events run past midnight, but you don’t want the images created after midnight to be stored under a different date. If your booths are always fast asleep before midnight you can use  %d or %L token instead

Print template names

{printTemplateName} can be used in the folder path for images captured at an event.

Combining tokens with profiles

{photoboothSubdir} can be used to sort images into folders based on guest choices

Tokens for data collection surveys

DSLR Remote Pro surveys can have multiple screens each with multiple questions

{survey1_text1} stores the text a guest enters in response to the first question on the first survey screen

Information screens containing detailed information such as a Privacy Statement ot Terms and Conditions can also be added in DSLR Remote Pro 3.11.1 and later releases.

Tokens for check box surveys

Example of a checkbox survey used to obtained consent to specific uses of images taken in a booth. Breeze DSLR Remote Pro 3.11.1

In this example {survey1_chkbox1} will contain the value 1 if the first box (live feed) is checked, or 0 if it is not checked.

{survey1_chkbox2} will contain the value 1 if the second box (use for advertising) is checked, or 0 if it is not checked.

Check box surveys can also have multiple questions over several screens.

Friendly names for folders and images based on check box surveys

Example of separating images into two folders – one for images where guests have agreed that they are shared in a live feed, the other for images where guests have declined this.

Tokens can be included in the pathname for the follder where images are stored during an event. In this example images are separated into two download folders based on the guest’s answer to the live feed question in the survey. (DSLR Remote Pro 3.11.1)

DSLR Remote Pro creates the folders and stores images in appropriate folders as they are created

Take this further

Download DSLR Remote Pro

For a full list of tokens see the help files for each program:

Print counters : DSLR Remote Pro 3.11 introduces tokens for accessing the print counters : {printQuotaUsed},{printCounterEvent} and {printCounterLocal}. Print counters can be used to automate a photo booth with a fixed print quota e.g. by loading a “share only” profile when the print quota has been used.. They can also be displayed in print captions.

Breeze Booth for iPad beta Build 14

What’s new in Breeze Booth for iPad beta (build 14)

Update June 2020:The beta program was closed once Breeze Booth for iPad was released. Getting started with Breeze Booth for iPad

Note:

This blog post was written for an early version of Breeze Booth for iPad and has been replaced by Breeze Booth for iPad (Beta) Build 20 – Try it today 

 

© Breeze Systems 2018

Introducing Breeze Kiosk – our flexible sharing software

Have you tried Breeze Kiosk recently? This post outlines ways you can use our flexible and economical sharing software at corporate and social events.

Breeze Kiosk runs on Windows. You can use it to share and print images from Breeze photo booth programs DSLR Remote Pro, Webcam Photobooth and Breeze Booth for iPad.

You can also use Breeze Kiosk with still (JPEG) and animated (GIF, MP4 or MOV) images captured by other software.

How can I use Breeze Kiosk?

  • Run one or multiple image sharing stations at events
  • Display still images, animated GIFs and movies on a low powered Windows tablet/PC
  • Improve guest throughput by moving print and sharing options away from booth
  • Update display with new images as they are created
  • Use tokens to identify the folder being monitored (includes date and time tokens, event name/strings shared with DSLR Remote Pro)
  • Allow guests to browse, share and print images at their leisure
  • Offer immediate sharing via social media, email & cell phone
  • Offer offline sharing via email and cell phone
  • Collect guest data
  • Print high quality images quickly
  • Generate interest with slideshow while kiosk idle
  • Display promotional material during slideshow

Display

  • Brand and customize the display for corporate and themed events (including sharing & print options, background, buttons, keyboard, scrollbar, images)
  • Support for both still (JPEG) and animated (GIF, MP4 or MOV) images
  • Automatic refresh with new images from photo booth or another source
  • Suitable for white label events
  • Operator can delete & remove images

Screen shot from Breeze Kiosk 1.4.4
Breeze Kiosk adapted for a themed event. Custom background, icons, scroll bar & text color (Breeze Kiosk 1.4.4)

Sharing

  • Support for still images, animated GIFs and movies
  • Immediate sharing to email, cell phone, Facebook & Twitter (Internet access needed)
  • Delayed sharing to email +/or cell phone (useful when no, slow or unreliable Internet access)

guests at a party looking at cell phone

Sharing options include

  • Capture of email address, cell phone number, Facebook and Twitter names
  • Opt-in, pre-checked, optional or mandatory  consent to Terms & Conditions
  • Shared images can have different format to those displayed
  • Privacy mode – access limited to own images
  • Custom messages

Breeze Kiosk email entry screen with check box for guest consent. Consent can be recorded in a csv file against the image and email address entered.

Printing

  • Guests browse and print images
  • Print friendly versions of animated GIFs

Print options include

  • Pay to print
  • Email collection
  • Opt-in checkbox for agreement to terms & conditions before sharing/printing
  • Privacy mode – access limited to own images
  • Print counter

 

Slideshow

  • Supports still images, animated GIFs and movies
  • Automatically updated with new images
  • Branding and customization

Slideshow options include

  • Operator controlled removal of unwanted images
  • Choice of transitions
  • Still adverts
  • Animated GIF and movie-based adverts

Showing how to add advertisments in Breeze Kiosk.
A selection of adverts may be displayed during the slideshow. These can be still images, movies or animated GIFs. Breeze Kiosk 1.4.4

What’s new in Breeze Kiosk 1.4.4?

Breeze Kiosk 1.4.4 introduced the following enhancements:

  • New “auto bleed” option when printing
  • Animated GIF and movie (MP4) adverts displayed in slideshow mode  as well as JPEG still images
  • New option to save XML copies of emails and texts

What will Breeze Kiosk cost?

Each Breeze Kiosk license costs just US $150 for a lifetime license & one year’s free upgrades. For this great price you can run one kiosk and have a second backup/office copy of the program.

If you buy Breeze Kiosk at the same time as DSLR Remote Pro or Hotfolder Prints it costs just US $100 .

Breeze Kiosk 1.4.4 is a free upgrade for all registered users who purchased a license on or after 15th April 2017. Customers with an older Breeze Kiosk license can buy an upgrade license for just US $75 to use this release.

Prices quoted are correct at 25th May 2018, and are valid for online sales from our website. They exclude any tax due.

How to get your hands on it

Download Breeze Kiosk and try it for yourself for up to 14 days before buying a license.

Download and try Breeze Kiosk 1.4.4

Buy full license   Buy upgrade license

 

 

Using Breeze Booth for iPad (beta) Build 25

Update June 2020:The beta program was closed once Breeze Booth for iPad was released. Getting started with Breeze Booth for iPad

You will need an account with at least one active subscription or voucher to use Breeze Booth for iPad for unlimited photos. You can run Breeze Booth or iPad without signing in to an account but it will be limited to ten photos or GIFs per day before a watermark is added to the output. There is no charge to open the account.  Use it to buy subscriptions and redeem vouchers to sign in your iPads.

Please see Creating an Account and Logging into the Web App for more information.

Download Breeze Booth for iPad from the App Store

The remainder of this post is just for those still using the old beta release of the App

What can I do with Breeze Booth for iPad?

New in build 25 …

  • Simpler copying and cloning of events
  • Ability to set event tokens on the iPad
  • Update all events button on the iPad
  • Refresh list of events button on the iPad
  • Control App with external buttons, motion sensors, USB HIB etc using keyboard shortcuts
  • Improved display quality for survey screens and keyboards
  • Ability to include tokens in update server URL/Dropbox path
  • Improvements to profiles: set up both initial and default profiles for an event, load profiles from menu 1 or menu 2

Build 20 added …

  • Support for printing directly from the iPad using AirPrint
  • Menu screens to select styles, mirroring, virtual props etc.
  • Support for up to 10 different virtual props
  • Ability to add logos and resize, rotate and position them in the print layout
  • Updated sample events and assets
Virtual Props (Breeze Booth for iPad)

Your invitation

When you are accepted onto the program you will receive an invitation email from Apple TestFlight

Invitation email for Breeze Booth for iPad

Getting started

Your iPad needs to be running iOS 12.

Installation

Download TestFlight from the Apple App Store. You may need to  click on Redeem (1) to show the apps you’re able to beta test. Select Breeze Booth for iPad and (2) INSTALL.

Note: Only check Redeem the first time you download the Breeze Booth for iPad beta. If you have previously downloaded an earlier build, just check  UPDATE.

 

Installing Breeze Booth for iPad Build 20 on an iPad

Once you have installed the App, you can open it:

TestFlight screen showing Breeze Booth for iPad icon
TestFlight screen displaying the B icon for Breeze Booth for iPad

Running Breeze Booth for iPad for the first time

Start the App

Tap the Breeze icon to start the App, then Events

Breeze Booth for iPad Build 25 home screen before events defined

Download the list of events from a server

The first time you run Breeze Booth for iPad the event list will be empty. You need to download events from a server to get started. We have set up a server with several demonstration events for you to download and try out. Tap Update all events in the lower right corner to download all the events from Breeze Systems server. (This may take several minutes. Get yourself a coffee instead of watching a YouTube video on the iPad during the download – if you leave the App the download will fail!)

 

Breeze Booth for iPad Events list is empty the first time the App is run

 

All the events have been downloaded to the iPad

After downloading the event list tap Close to return to the events screen. You should see a list of events:

The first event is called Designer and showcases many of the features included with Breeze Booth for iPad build 25. You are welcome to use this design at your own events, and customize it to meet your needs.

Please note: Designer sends emails via Breeze Hub. Emails from other sample events can be sent directly from the iPad. Portrait with survey and sharing will send emails either via Breeze Hub or direct from the iPad.

The remaining 8 events are much simpler designs intended to help you create your own designs.

Running an event

Now swipe right to left on any event and tap “Run” to run the event.

Tap Run to start the booth for an event.

Sample Events

Sample ready screen Breeze Booth for iPad (beta)

Take your first photos and explore the other events we have set up for you to try. (You will need to Exit the event and return to the Events screen to run other events)

Capturing guest data using Breeze Booth for iPad (beta)

 

Use radio buttons to offer a fixed list of choices

 

Prints can include data collected from each guest. NB In this example the @ email icon on a blue background sends emails using Breeze Hub. The @ email icon on a white background emails directly from the iPad.

 

Restrict access to individual events with a password

Adjust camera settings

The new camera controls and digital zoom can be accessed from the home page or within an event:

Breeze Booth for iPAd beta 14 Camera Settings screen
Zoom, adjust exposure compensation, white balance, and tint images

Printing and transferring images to a Windows PC

Summary

Join the beta test program for Breeze Booth for iPad

You will be able to install Breeze Booth for iPad when you receive an email invitation to the email address for your Apple ID.

Breeze Booth for iPad events are defined in a powerful Windows based program called Breeze Booth Event Editor. This post uses a set of predefined ‘events’ that we have set up for you.

We have seen how to sync your iPad with a server containing sample events. First you download a list of events from the server, then all the detailed information you need to run an event.

Once you have taken some photos and animated GIFs on your iPad, download the Breeze Hub to a Windows PC so that you can synch your images to print and share them.

View and share the folders stored on the iPad

The iOS 12 Files app can be used to view the files used by Breeze Booth for iPad.  You can share events and their associated photos by copying them to an iCloud or DropBox folder.

Tap the Files App icon to see the Breeze Booth for iPad folders

Tap  Browse in the Files app, then On my iPad . You should see a folder named Breeze Booth.

x

Tap on the folder to open it and there will be two folders: assets which is where the event configuration is stored and photos where photos, animated GIFs and MP4 movies captured by Breeze Booth are stored.

Breeze Booth folders viewed in Files App

Viewing images from an event on the iPad

By default Breeze Booth for iPad stores images in folders named by date.

iPad Files App showing photos taken and sub folders for animated GIFs and Print layouts on 2018-05-30

Your feedback matters!

Please let us know what you think. You can either use the TestFlight feedback link below or ping an email to techsupport@breezesys.com

TestFlight feedback link

New beta versions

When a new beta is available you should receive a notification email and can install it by running TestFlight, selecting Breeze Booth for iPad and tapping “update”.

Breeze Booth Event Editor1.1

To customize and brand the app you also need

  1. A PC/laptop running Windows 10, Windows 8 or Windows 7
  2. A copy of the Breeze Booth Event Editor software
    Download and install Breeze Booth Event Editor v1.1, Breeze Hub and sample events.

Breeze Booth for iPad has been developed by Chris Breeze, famous worldwide for his flexible, robust and powerful photo booth software.
Breeze plans to introduce many more new and exciting features over time. We welcome your feedback about potential features and any issues you experience. Please email your feedback to techsupport@breezesys.com

Each beta copy of Breeze Booth for iPad is a time limited version which will run for up to 90 days after it is issued. There is no charge to use this beta version of the program. You are welcome to use the app at events, but do so at your own risk

Thank you!

Chris and I  are overwhelmed by your enthusiasm and appreciate the time loads of you are willing to spend testing this new product.  We hope you will enjoy using it for many years.

Sue

© 2019 Breeze Systems Limited