RapidStudio

Manual File Delivery Pack

Table of Contents:

Over the Internet:

FTP

Dropbox

On a disk:

Post

Pick ‘N Pay

Tips:

Tip 10: How do I know if I am sending the right files?

Tip 5: Burning CDs or DVDs

Manual File Delivery Pack

Over the internet:

Sometimes security restrictions or unreliable Internet connections interfere with the uploading of files.

RapidStudio has provided a few alternatives for people who are struggling to upload files using the built-in mechanisms of the software.

RapidStudio can’t start with your order till we’ve received your disk, so be sure it gets to us as quickly as possible. We can’t be held responsible for the services offered by third parties.

Internet is usually the fastest and cheapest way to send files to us.

FTP

One of the more reliable ways of transferring files over the internet is called FTP, although FTP is sometimes blocked by company security policies, mostly it’s a good safe bet for transferring files.

Here’s what you’re going to need: - please read to the end of the guide - even if you know how to transfer files by FTP, the most important instructions come at the end.

It’s very important that you place your order online and obtain an order number before uploading your files.

1. An FTP application to connect to our FTP servers and send the file. - I would recommend FileZilla. It’s available for all computers, Windows, Mac and even Linux. It’s free of charge, developed and distributed by a reputable network under a reputable licence. Download FileZilla FTP Client fromhttp://filezilla-project.org/

2. Login credentials - In order to make sure not just anyone prowling the net can connect, we’ve set a username and password on the FTP server (ftp.rapidstudio.co.za) which we only give to customers who are using the service. The username and password are both “rapidstudiouser”.

3. Once you’ve installed the software, fill in the server address “ftp.rapidstudio.co.za” in the “host” box, then fill in the username and the password “rapidstudiouser”. You don’t need to fill in a port, but if you want to it’s 21 - which is the default port for FTP.

4. FTP Etiquette - Please don’t bother other files you encounter, just create a folder with your order number and put your files in there.

5. On the right hand side of the screen is our FTP server, create a new directory / folder there. The easiest way is to right click and click “create directory”. Use your order number (8 to 12 characters) when naming the directory.

6. On the left hand side of the screen is your local computer, locate your files there and drag them into the folder you created.

7. Monitor the upload at the bottom of the screen and make sure no files fail. You can re-send any files that fail.

This is a manual system, nobody monitors this FTP site for changes, you need to notify RapidStudio Support by email oninfo@rapidstudio.co.zaexplaining that you uploaded your files here, what they are called, and which order number they belong to.

Dropbox

Dropbox is an online service that facilitates the transfer of large files over the internet.

There are several ways to use the service, we will detail here the preferred method.

Please do not “share” a "folder" with us, We’re unable to manage and control this method, please send us a “public link” or "share" a "Dropbox link" to your zipped file. Some of the Dropbox versions have slightly different working. We try to keep the article updated for the newest Dropbox version.

Here’s what you’re going to need: - please read to the end of the guide - even if you know how to use Dropbox, the most important instructions come at the end.

It’s very important that you place your order online and obtain an order number before uploading your files.

1. Create a Dropbox account at www.dropbox.comif you don’t already have one.

2. Install the Dropbox software on your computer and log in.

3. Open your Dropbox folder (you can open it easily by double clicking the Dropbox icon in your system tray at the bottom right corner of your screen (or the menulet in the top right corner of your screen on a mac)

4. If your order is a folder, you need to zip the folder to be a single zip file before uploading using Dropbox. You will find options for doing this in the context menu by right clicking the file. On a PC choose send to > compressed zipped folder (compress on a mac)

5. Create a folder in your Dropbox with a name of your choosing, perhaps “Joe Soap's Photobooks”.

6. Copy and paste or drag and drop your order file into this folder of your dropbox.

7. Monitor the upload, you should see a blue icon on the file indicating it’s busy uploading. When that icon turns to a green tick, the file is uploaded to Dropbox servers.

8. Right-click the file and choose “Share Dropbox link”.

9. This will copy the link to this file to your clipboard, or simply compose an email message containing the link.

10. You need to send us this link so we can download the file, drop us an email on info@rapidstudio.co.za explaining that you uploaded your files here, what they are called, and which order number they belong to If you copy the link and compose your own email, make sure you paste the link that you copied in the step above.

On a disk:

If you don’t have fast or reliable internet, or if for some reason, you really can’t or don’t want to use your internet to upload your files there are options for sending us your files on a disk.

We can’t start with your order until we’ve received your disk, so be sure it gets to us as quickly as possible. We can’t be held responsible for the services offered by third parties.

You’re going to need an empty CD or DVD and a CD or DVD burner.

It’s very important that you place your order online and obtain an order number before burning your files to disk.

To make sure you’re burning the correct files to disk see here: (Tip 10 below)http://blog.za.rapid.studio/2010/11/how-do-i-know-if-i-am-sending-right.html

For additional help on burning disks see here: (Tip 5 below)http://blog.za.rapid.studio/2010/07/tip-5-burning-cds-or-dvds.html

Post

It’s very important that you place your order online and obtain an order number before burning your files to disk.

When you’ve burned your files to a disk, make sure that it’s got your name, cell number and order number written on the disk in permanent ink, and that it’s in a protective envelope before posting it.

If you send a USB flash drive, it will not be returned to you.

Please ensure you receive a tracking number from the post office when you post it. Drop us an email oninfo@rapidstudio.co.zaexplaining that you posted your files, what the tracking number is, what they are called, and which order number they belong to.

Our postal address is:

PO Box 11196

Johannesburg

2000

Pick ‘N Pay

It’s very important that you place your order online and obtain an order number before burning your files to disk.

When you’ve burned your files to a disk, make sure that it’s got your name, cell number and order number written on the disk in permanent ink, and that it’s in a protective envelope before couriering it.

If you send a USB flash drive, it will not be returned to you.

Pick ‘N Pay now have convenient Berco Express overnight delivery boxes in their stores.

1. Buy a Berco sleeve for R99 at Pick ‘N Pay

2. Fill in the Address, and use your order number as a reference.

3. Put the protective envelope containing your disk with your checked files in the sleeve.

4. Take note of the Waybill number

5. Drop the sleeve in the Berco Drop Box

6. Drop us an email oninfo@rapidstudio.co.zaexplaining that you dropped the disk at Pick ‘N Pay, what the waybill number is, what they are called, and which order number they belong to.

Please get a waybill number from Pick ‘N Pay when you send it. Drop us an email on info@rapidstudio.co.zaexplaining that you dropped the disk at Pick ‘N Pay, what the waybill number is, what they are called, and which order number they belong to.

Our Physical address for courier deliveries is:

RapidStudio,

21b Stephenson Str, cnr 20 Rosettenville Road,

Village Main

Johannesburg

20001

tel: 011 225 0500

Tips

Tip 10: How do I know if I am sending the right files?

On a regular basis we receive bad disks, empty CDs, or unusable files. While this increases the load on our admin staff who have to contact the customer and tell them that the files are unusable, it also obviously frustrates the customer, especially if they have taken a special trip to drop the disk off or gone to the expense of couriering or posting the disk. Below is all the information you need to ensure you're sending the right files, and there will be as little chance of something going wrong as possible.

How do I know if I am sending the right files?

1. Did you “order” the album?

You need to click the order button and follow the prompts in order to make a file to submit.

2. Where did you find the file?

The file MUST be from the “RapidStudio_Submitted_Orders” folder on your C drive.

3. What does your file look like?

If you chose to send your file on CD, you should have a zip file.

●             The file name should have 17 or 18 characters in the name, the first 8 characters are your order number then there is a hash and then a unique 8 or 9 digit code that represents the size of the file in bytes. Example: 91230123#52479035.zip or ZAB12C34#169194930.zip the file is password protected - please do not try to change it. (the # is sometimes replaced by an underscore while uploading on the web to be ZAB12C34_169194930.zip)

If you chose to send your files over the internet using the built in FTP uploader, the files should upload automatically, however, if you have to submit them yourself, manually, you will have a folder.

• The folder name is your 8 character order number, and it contains the following: a folder of jog files called “PreviewPictures” and a folder with your photos called “Pictures” and a password protected zip file called “Folders.zip” There could be other text files in this folder too. Please submit the ENTIRE folder.

• In order to upload the folder on our webpage, you need to right-click on the folder and choose the option send to > compressed zip. This will create a single zip file which you can upload.

If the above 3 are not true – you’ve probably given us a bad file, and you will need to supply another.

• Please test your disk before dropping it off or posting it.

• Please ensure the files on the disk correspond with the order number of the book you are ordering.

• If you are unsure, please contact support before sending your files.

• It’s always best to use the automated uploader built into the ordering mechanism of the software in order to avoid confusing or the re-sending of disks that will delay your order.

• The exception to the rule: If you are submitting an i-photo book we require the PDF exported from i-photo. There are instructions on the website on how to export the PDF correctly.

Tip 5: Burning CDs or DVDs

We often receive CDs that we can't use. Either the wrong files are on the disk or the disk is blank, or we can see that there's something on the disk, but we can't read anything off it. As frustrating as it is for the customer who sent the CD, waiting for weeks for us to receive it only to find it's useless, it's equally scary for us to call that customer back and try explain that we can't use their CD. Here's a quick guide to making and testing a CD that will work reliably.

Burning and Testing Discs

First off. You need to know you have a CD or DVD burner. The easiest way to tell this is by checking what is printed on the front of the drive.

The drives are "backwards compatible" so if it can write then it can also read, and if it does DVDs it can also do CDs.

ROM - means it can read only, not write

R or RW - means it can write too.

Next we need to get the right media or discs.

How big are the files you need to put on disc? If they are less than 700MB you can use a CD. If they are between 700MB and 4GB you can use a DVD. More than 4GB - you can get fancy DVDs, but I would advise that you rather use a flash disk because whoever you're giving the disc to might not have a compatible reader.

To Burn DVDs your drive must say "DVD R" or "DVD RW" to burn CDs it must say "DVD R", "DVD RW", "Compact Disc Writable" or "Compact Disc ReWritable" .

Now that we've bought our media, and we have our files - we need to burn them to disc.

If you're using Windows XP or similar, you can write CDs straight from within windows, but NOT DVDs. To write DVDs from XP you are going to need special software.

There are many software packages for burning discs, here I am going to cover what I believe to be the most popular, and user friendly, Nero, it comes free with most CD or DVD drives, but if you didn't get it and you want it, you're going to have to buy it.www.nero.com

If you're using Windows Vista or Windows 7, you can burn DVDs and CDs straight from within windows (It's better to choose the "Mastered" format rather than the windows live format). Other software like Nero might make things easier, but it's pretty simple to do it using the standard windows tools. Just remember to check your disc before sending it!

●            How to burn a CD using XP

●            How to burn a CD or DVD using windows Vista

●            How to burn a CD or DVD using windows 7

If you're using Nero:

Open Nero StartSmart from your start menu.

At the top of the screen click the "Data" icon, and then choose "Make a Data CD" or "Make a Data DVD".

Next the empty "Nero Essentials" window will open, either click "Add Files" and find the files you want to burn to CD, or just drag the files onto this blank window from windows explorer.

Click "Next"

Choose a Name for the CD. Select the quantity of copies you want to burn.

• NB! Please make sure "verify" is selected, and that "multisession" is not selected. Multisession can make things confusing. Cds are very cheap, it better to use a new one than recycle. It's also always important to verify the data after burning, so you're confident nothing is corrupt or unreadable.

Click burn and put the disc in the drive when asked.

And you're done.

NB! You should always check your disc on another computer to make sure you can see the files in order to minimize the chances of frustration.