Frequently Asked Questions

Will the programs run under Microsoft Vista?

Yes.

Will the programs run on a Macintosh?

No - unless you run Microsoft Windows under Parallels or a similar program.

Why should I use PhotoCompViewer rather than EasyComp?

Both programs display images in exactly the same way - the differences lie in the facilities for gathering entries and publishing results.

PhotoCompviewer lets you automate the entry process completely, so entrants package their entries with PhotoCompEntry and you receive and acknowledge them with a single click of the mouse. PhotoCompviewer also supports Portfolio competitions and competitions with multiple classes. PhotoCompviewer lets you can send results to entrants automatically and give you greater control over the publishing of results on paper or via your web site. You can also package a competition for review or judgement by a third party. PhotoCompLeague, a component of PhotoCompViewer, maintains and publishes league tables and helps you select the "best" images of the year.

How are the images resized?

• Every image is expanded/shrunk so it fits the maximum dimensions of the screen.. i.e. on an XGA screen, a 512x100 pixel image is displayed at 1024x200 and a 1024x1024 image is displayed at 768x768.
• If you choose to display titles, the maximum height of the screen is reduced to about 748 pixels. If a large image still fits the screen because it is less than 748 pixels high, it is not resized. If it doesn't, it is resized to fit a 1024x748 area. In practice, a 1024x768 image becomes a 998x748 image. The size change uses the bicubic algorithm and the image quality is virtually unaffected as there is only a 5% loss of information.
• PhotoCompViewer and EasyComp both display images in the same way (they use the same code).

Are the programs "colour-aware" - what happens to embedded profiles?

Both PhotoCompViewer and EasyComp are "colour-aware" and use the profile (if any) embedded in an image to render colours correctly. We strongly recommend that you have your projector profiled.

How do I make sure each entry is uniquely identified?

When you enter an image in PhotoCompBuilder, an ID is allocated and displayed. This is guaranteed unique throughout the competition and across classes. You can then write this on the entry's paperwork.

How can make sure competitor's names are consistantly spelled?

First, try to get entrants to use PhotoCompEntry, or use the author list rather than typing in competitor's names.

Use PhotoCompLeague Validate facility to see all the names of all the entrants in a selection of competitions. Check for mis-spellings or alternatives (such as Phil, Philip and Phillip) and correct them. Your changes can be applied to all the past competitions as well as the Author list.

I don't like the "Test Card" background in PhotoCompViewer. Can I change it?

Just replace the file "splash.bmp" in the C:/Program Files/PhotoCompViewer with another .bmp image file with the same name. It will be adjusted to fit your screen.
You might want to choose an image with flesh tones, natural greens and blues etc, as well as strong verticals and horizontals to help check the settings and alignment of your projector.