photobooks on Linux

[Arie Skliarouk]

Hi,

Recently I started looking for a program to create photobooks that can be
uploaded to a company and get a hardcopy. There are several competing
companies on the market in Israel:

   - Lupa (http://lupa.co.il)
   - TzamTzam (via partner http://digitalalbum.co.il)
   - ZoomZoom (http://zoomzoom.co.il)
   - probably others (please add)

All of them provide program for Windows, but none for Linux (or even for
Mac). Here are results of my testing of the programs in wine1.3 (Ubuntu
10.04 amd64). Here are the steps I took to install additional fonts that
might be required by the programs:
*for tt in andale32.exe arial32.exe arialb32.exe comic32.exe courie32.exe
georgi32.exe  impact32.exe times32.exe trebuc32.exe verdan32.exe
webdin32.exe;
{
 wget http://switch.dl.sourceforge.net/sourceforge/corefonts/$tt;
}
http://download.microsoft.com/download/office97pro/fonts/1/w95/en-us/tahoma32.exe
for tt in *32.exe; { wine $tt; }
*
*Lupa*

The program has hebrew interface and no option to change the language. To
make your wine installation you must first install hebrew fonts:
http://download.microsoft.com/download/office97pro/fonts/1/w95/en-us/tahoma32.exe

The program also compains on lack of printer spooler (what for??). To
simulate it I had to add following two lines to  ~/.winerc file:
[spooler]
LPT1:=|lpr

Almost everything works, but there are couple of problems:

   - on the main window photos are not shown (they become visible if I move
   them outside of the work area)


   - menu items are not visible in context menu, only subsequent drop-down
   ones

The program is most promising one as only minor tweaks are necessary for it
being usable.

*ZoomZoom*

The program was installled succesfully, but on first launch following error
appeared:
"MRP500 Pro 5 encountered an error. Error message is: An exception was
thrown by the type initialized for MPhoto.Files.IndexList"

*DigitalAlbum*

The program installed successfully but crashed with exactly the same error
as one provided by ZoomZoom. Similarity of the interface and final error
make me think it is the same rebranded program.

Apparently in both cases MPhoto <http://www.m-photo.com/> program is used.
Their web site lists several other companies in Israel that use the same
program: http://www.m-photo.com/Success/, so I expect all of them to crash
in the same way.

I have sent the message to email addresses of the companies, if they reply
to me I will post their answer to the mailing list.

--
Arie
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