ROES Frequently Asked Questions

Questions the Lab might ask:

• What are the system requirements to run the ROES Server?
• What are the system requirements to run the ROES Client?
• What do I need to do to become a ROES Site?
• I do not have my own FTP Server – what can I do?
• Why do I need a 2nd client launch configuration?
• How do I set up my catalogue of products, options and prices?

Questions the Photographer (or Client User) might ask:

• The ROES Client won’t start or transmit to the lab. Any ideas?
• The ROES Client is giving an “Invalid Argument” error upon startup, but I have run it before. How do I get past this?
• The ROES Client begins to start but just vanishes from the screen leaving an hs_pid_error.txt file on my desktop. I have run it before,what causes this?
• What characters cannot be used in image file names?
• How can I create a ROES desktop shortcut if I skipped the option during the initial launch?
• Can I use tiff images with the ROES Client, or just jpeg’s?
• I am seeing some images in the ROES Client turn dark, red, or not appearing at all when trying to put them into a product - what causes this?

What are the system requirements to run the ROES Server?

The ROES Halse Server can be run on any Java capable Workstation in your network (the latest Java Runtime loaded from Sun, available here) – if the system can run as a Halse workstation it can run ROES, however the actual Server or Workstation does not need to be running Halse Pro Series software in order for the ROES Halse Server to run. Note that if the server or workstation is also running as the Halse Server the specifications will need to be sufficient to cope without causing a slowdown in production capacity. It does need network access to several folders that the Halse Pro Edit software will also access. Windows 2000 or XP Professional is recommended. The ROES Server will unpack and prepare incoming orders, then place the orders in a hot folder for Halse ProEdit (v6.2 and above) to collect.

A system running the ROES Stand Alone Server should be an absolute minimum 500MHz speed processor with at least 256MB RAM although this level of specification will struggle with processing a large order, and have the latest Java Runtime loaded from Sun, available here (Apple Java can be obtained here). Any Java capable system can be used, so Apple OS X 10.3 or higher, Linux, and all current versions of Windows will support the application, although we would recommend contacting us before installing ROES onto Vista.

For either server, expect to need a good amount of drive storage for order processing and storage of images. A small lab could get by starting out with 250GB in free space; a larger site will want to invest in drive banks/arrays offering expandability to multiple terabytes as well as fault tolerance.

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What are the system requirements to run the ROES Client?

You should have a minimum 500MHz speed processor with 256MB RAM and the latest Java Runtime loaded from Sun, available here (Apple Java can be obtained here). Any Java capable system can be used, so Apple OS X 10.3 or higher, Linux, and all current versions of Windows will support the application, although we would recommend contacting us before installing ROES onto Vista. Be sure to maintain enough free drive space to build, save, and retain order files.

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What do I need to do to become a ROES Site?

Once you have decided to become a ROES Site, we will send you a software license agreement covering the modules you wish to start with.

You will need a system to act as an FTP Server to receive order files (hosted sites not recommended) and a website which can be hosted remotely. You will need to set up a folder on your web site to host your templates files and any graphics used by the ROES client for branding etc.

All ROES Pro Sites get 2 unlimited use ROES Client launch configurations plus 1 test configuration (for testing new products in your test templates file or add-on modules). In order to configure your branded clients, please provide us with the following:

1) Your FTP Server address and drop folder designation if not using the root FTP home.

2) FTP login information – you can set a universal login for all customers to use and issue it by request (prevents unknown persons from sending orders in); create separate login accounts for each customer by request (though you may end up needing to maintain a lot of accounts); or provide us with the universal login and have it coded into the client launch (so customers will not need to know it).

3) Your sales tax (VAT) rate.

4) A file containing an icon that you would like to use for the application. This will appear in the Windows task bar and will also be used on the desktop if your customers create a shortcut. This should be a 128 x 128 pixel GIF or JPEG File. If you think you would like to be able to change this image yourself we recommend hosting the file on your web server, in which case you can just send a URL to where you will keep the image on your web server.

5) A file containing your logo, banner, or whatever other image you would like to have displayed across the top of the main client window and index page. This file should also be a GIF, JPEG, or PNG and be a maximum of 800 x 125 to preserve a good workspace in the application. Again, if you would like to able to change this image yourself you can just send a URL to where you will keep the image on your web server.

6) Additional information to capture at client startup from customers, such as phone number, address information, ftp login/password (if you have chosen not to have a universal login coded into the client launch), Tax Exempt status/ID, etc. Default fields currently required in the client are Account Number, Name, and E-mail address.

7) Payment types you would like to offer to customers, such as credit cards (to be charged at the lab), charge to lab account, COD, Pick up and pay at lab. We are compatible with several online Merchant gateways, ask us for more details. If you wish to collect by credit card then please let us know which credit cards you accept.

8) The URL to where your templates file will be stored on your web site.

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I do not have my own FTP Server – what can I do?

Hosting an FTP Site is easier – and less costly – than you might think. As long as you have a static IP address at your lab (check with your ISP), you can create an FTP Server on any Windows Server (NT, 2000, 2003) or 2000/XP Pro PC system. Windows offers the built-in Microsoft Internet Information Services (IIS), which can be added (from your Windows CD) via Add/Remove Programs in Control Panel under Windows Components. However, as IIS is constantly being attacked by hackers looking to find new security holes, there are numerous add-on programs you can use. BulletProof FTP and CuteFTP are both inexpensive FTP Server host options you can use. If you need to go with a hosted FTP site, there are 2 issues to be aware of: 1) You will need to pull down (via script or manually) the order files to your local network to pull into ROES for processing; 2) There can be occurrences of pulling down a partially uploaded order, causing the file to error out upon processing and likely requiring the customer to re-transmit.

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Why do I need a 2nd client launch configuration?

While your first client launch build may be suitable for the majority of your pro photographer clients, you can use the 2nd launch to target a particular market segment. Focusing a client branding or product list to pro-sumers, consumers, wedding albums, events or schools can drive up business. A ROES Client can even be branded for a particular studio or large customer.

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How do I set up my catalogue of products, options and prices?

The catalogue of products, print sizes, options and pricing available in your ROES client are created by you in a tool called the Template Tool. The Template Tool allows you to create your own customised Template File which can be as sophisticated or as simple as your customer base demands.

The ROES Client looks for the templates file when it launches; the templates file remains solely under your control – it is placed on your own web server where the ROES Client will be able to access it. ROESeurope provides an application called the Template Tool from Softworks Systems, Inc. to make it easy for you to edit your templates file.

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Questions the Photographer (or ROES Client user) might ask:

What are some reasons the ROES Client won’t start or may not transmit to the lab?

There are several possible reasons why the ROES Client will not start up, or in some cases not transmit to the lab. We have found it is best to go through these steps in order and always end with cleaning out Temporary Internet Files:

1) Windows XP Service Pack 2 – Settings of the new Windows Firewall can prevent the client from launching or creating an FTP connection. Try turning the firewall off or set it to prompt for exceptions such as FTP.

2) Various Anti-Virus Applications – We have found that the home use versions of the Norton Internet Security/Antivirus and McAfee Security applications can prevent the client from starting. Try disabling these temporarily if the client will not start and turning them back on after successfully starting and installing shortcuts. To do this, open Control Panel and Administrative Tools and go into Services. Find the Norton or McAfee security services (proxy agent, firewall, network monitor, etc.), right-click on them and select Stop.

3) Internet Explorer (IE) Security Settings – If set to high may block the ActiveX calls made during the client launch. Try resetting Internet Explorer’s security levels (found in IE under Tools – Internet Options – Security tab) to default.

4) Internet Explorer Pop-Up Blocker – This is a new option that installs with Windows XP SP2. Try turning this off in Internet Explorer under Tools – Pop-up Blocker.

5) Clear out your Internet Explorer cache – This can be done in IE under Tools – Internet Options. On the first tab, General, look in the centre section marked Temporary Internet Files and select Delete Files. Click OK at the confirmation window, wait for the mouse pointer to return to normal from the hourglass, and try the client launch again.

6) If you have run ROES before on the system and it is suddenly failing with an Invocation Exception error, after clearing out Temporary Internet Files in the steps above, remove the ROES application from Java Web Start to ensure a fresh download and install. Select Start - Run, type javaws.exe and press Enter. When the Java Web Application Viewer opens, find the ROES application for your lab and highlight it. In Java 1.4, select Application and Remove. In Java 1.5, click the button at the bottom to Remove Selected Application. This will remove the lab’s ROES from your system along with any desktop shortcuts. To reload, go to the lab’s web site in your browser and click on the ROES start link.

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The ROES Client is giving an “Invalid Argument” error upon startup, but I have run it before. How do I get past this?

This is usually a corruption of the launch file downloaded when the client starts. Clean out your Internet Explorer cache/Temporary Internet Files as above and re-start the client launch.

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The ROES Client begins to start but just vanishes from the screen leaving an hs_pid_error.txt file on my desktop. I have run it before, what causes this?

This can happen on Windows PC’s, it is caused by a Java corruption and can occur when you have several versions of Sun’s Java running on the system. When Java updates on Windows, it adds another version onto the system as opposed to simply upgrading the existing version. If this issue arises, open Control Panel on your system and open Add/Remove Programs. Find the Java Runtime versions on the system, then highlight each and remove them. Reboot the system and re-start the ROES Client from the lab’s web site, this will check for Java on the system and prompt for a download and install.

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What characters cannot be used in image file names?

We filter most out in the ROES Client, but it’s still best to not use apostrophes, commas, slashes or ampersands in image file names.

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How can I create a ROES desktop shortcut if I skipped the option during the initial launch?

If you skipped the shortcut install, you can create the shortcuts from within Java Web Start's Application Cache Viewer. To get there, Click Start - Run and type javaws.exe and press Enter. Find the ROES application you want a shortcut for and right-click on it. Select Install Shortcuts and they will be created. If using an older Java 1.4 version, right clicking will not get a response (you may also need to click View and select Downloaded Applications to see the right list). Instead, select the ROES application you want, click Application in the menu bar and select Create Shortcuts. To remove a shortcut, follow the same steps and select Uninstall/Remove Shortcuts.

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Can I use tiff images with the ROES Client, or just jpeg’s?

Your lab has the option of allowing the ROES Client to accept tiff files. Please contact your lab to check their policy; if they wish to add this ability we can do it quickly.

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I am seeing some images in the ROES Client turn dark, red, or not appearing at all when trying to put them into a product - what causes this?

Different cameras and their image extraction software will occasionally embed a non-RGB colorspace (like CMYK or proprietary ones) or add EXIF header data. In these cases, while the thumbnails appear fine, Java is unable to render the full image into a product - they will appear darkened, hued, or not render at all. This issue has occurred since the release of Java 1.5, so removing all Java versions and launching the ROES Client from your lab's web site link will prompt to install the final Java 1.4 version. Java 1.4 did not have any issues handling the non-standard colorspace and renders the image fine upon placement into a product. Converting these images to standard sRGB in Photoshop and/or removing the EXIF header data will allow the image to be rendered in a product.

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