Framework Specification Management is the creation and organisation of values, items and templates that are required to support the use of specifications (Colours) within Framework. These specifications represent documents relating to selections such as colour, tile, or electrical selections. Framework Specification Management allows for consistent and accurate data to be available to complete the client's selections.

Design Considerations - Images

Images should be included in a comprehensive Specification Management solution, recorded against individual selections (ie. value range values). Seeing images make the selection process easier, and end-result selections reports are clear and engaging, providing a professional result from the selections process.

It is important to note that the third-party (on-screen and reporting) tools used by Framework to display and print images do not support the level of flexibility in images sizes and dimensions that might be desired. Careful consideration should be given to developing standards around images used in Specification Management to achieve a consistent and professional result.

When collecting and preparing images for inclusion in Specification Management, the following should be considered.

Image File Format

Supported Image Formats:.bmp

Note: The format of the images added to Framework must be .bmp, due to limitations and the treatment of different formats by the Crystal Reports reporting solution. Images can be sourced in any format available, but should be converted to .bmp BEFORE being implemented into Framework.

Image Dimensions

Images can be of any dimension, however as many images are often displayed together, any uniformity that can be achieved in image dimensions and/or aspect ratio will improve the aesthetic of any report output. How images will appear in Specification management reporting and output should be a specific focus. Showing images in reports can be done in one of two ways:

A fixed shape/ratio (ie. horizontal and vertical size, resulting in a specific aspect ratio, eg. 600x300 is 2:1). With this option, any image shown (regardless of size) that is not in the same aspect ratio as the fixed shape will be skewed or stretched to fit the fixed shape. This option provides for reliability in the way images are printed, as they will be a uniform size every time. It can also be easier to source and manage images as their actual dimensions are unimportant. It is however important that the images have the same aspect ratio.
Actual size. With this option, images on reports will "grow" to show their true size. This does not require images to be of any specific aspect ratio, as they will change size to suit their display requirements. Allowing different images to be bigger, smaller, taller, wider, etc. than one another can be advantageous. It typically does not provide for uniform reporting as fixed shape reporting, and it is highly recommended that a maximum width of all images be determined to avoid unpredictable report results. With a fixed width established, images can be of any height (and aspect ratio), and can be reliably reported.

Of the two options above, option 1 (fixed shape/ratio) is recommended if all images are to be the same size (although this may not provide desired detail on larger images). If selecting option 2, a maximum width of 600 pixels applies. ALWAYS check and test your images at their maximum size, in all reports that they're to be used in, to ensure they will display/print correctly.

Additionally, regardless of option, all images must be 300dpi (see below).

Dots-Per-Inch (DPI)

As the intended use of images, in addition to onscreen display, is specifically for printing/PDFing in reports, the Dots-per-Inch (DPI) of images used is critical.

Regardless of the image dimension approach chosen from the two options above, all images must have the same DPI, and this should be 300dpi. This will ensure consistency in image scaling, display, and printing/PDFing.

Image Size

Image size (ie. file size) is an important consideration for functionality, performance, and outut/outcomes. Images should be less than 50kb (ideally), and no more than 150kb (preferably).

As images are rendered/printed as small pictures/swatches, images of a greater size do not necessarily improve the end result. Additionally, as many images are included in a single Specification Management report, large images can make a report too large to render, and/or can be too large to PDF and send as an email attachment.

Manipulating Images

It is highly recommended that standardisation of images based on the above guidance be implemented. This is best achieved by using inexpensive software tools to make this an easy process. The following tool is an excellent example of such products, and provides for everything needed to manage images for Framework.

FastStone Photo Resizer: http://www.faststone.org/FSResizerDetail.htm

Before finalising decisions around these considerations, test adding images to Framework, and be comfortable with the nature, quality, etc. of how they appear both within the system on-screen during the selection process and also in selections reporting.

Framework Guides

Framework Specification Management User Guide