PhotoShow Circle Help GuideWelcome to PhotoShow Circle, the essential online companion service to PhotoShow Express and PhotoShow Deluxe software. With PhotoShow software, you can easily create amazing musical slideshows from your digital photos and video clips. A slideshow made with PhotoShow software is called a PhotoShow. PhotoShows are different from ordinary slideshows: they feature still photos and live-action video, custom transitions and effects, animated clip art and text, and musical soundtracks. With PhotoShow Circle, you’ll be able to share your memories on your own PhotoShow Circle web site, and even personalize your site with custom layouts and themes. Using the tools provided, you can view your online PhotoShows and photo albums, arrange them in galleries, and share them with friends and family around the world. PhotoShow Circle supports only PhotoShows which have been made and shared using PhotoShow Deluxe 4 or PhotoShow Express 4 software. PhotoShows shared using PhotoShow Deluxe 3 or PhotoShow Express 3 (and all previous versions) cannot be uploaded to PhotoShow Circle galleries. To take advantage of all the great features that PhotoShow Circle has to offer, upgrade to PhotoShow Deluxe 4. Help Sections:
PhotoShow Circle MembershipAnyone can create their own PhotoShow Circle account, even if they don't use PhotoShow software. There are two PhotoShow Circle membership levels: basic and premium. Basic membership is free, while premium membership carries a nominal annual fee. One year of complimentary premium PhotoShow Circle membership is included with the purchase of PhotoShow Deluxe 4 software. Basic membership entitles the account holder to their own PhotoShow Circle web site, where they can manage and showcase their online PhotoShows. However, basic membership has certain limitations: basic PhotoShow Circle members cannot upload shows with more than 24 photos to their web site, nor can they upload PhotoShows featuring video clips. Plus, the PhotoShows on basic members' sites expire after 30 days. Basic members also have fewer custom layout and design options for their web site. Premium membership entitles the account holder to everything basic membership does, plus extra benefits and features. Premium PhotoShow Circle members are able to share PhotoShows that include up to 400 photos and video clips, and the PhotoShows on premium members' websites do not expire as long as they remain premium members. Premium members also enjoy a wider range of layout and design options to personalize their site. If you have been using PhotoShow Express 4 software in conjunction with a basic PhotoShow Circle site, then you upgrade to PhotoShow Deluxe 4 (which comes with one year of premium PhotoShow Circle membership), be sure to upgrade your PhotoShow Circle account to premium status. You can do this by signing into your account and clicking the Upgrade link in the top right corner of the page. Enter your new PhotoShow Deluxe 4 license/registration key in the appropriate field to upgrade your Circle account to premium status. Creating a PhotoShow Circle AccountCreating a PhotoShow Circle account is quick, easy, and free. In order to create an account, you must have a valid email address. You do not need to own PhotoShow software, and you do not need a credit card. To create a PhotoShow Circle account, go to the PhotoShow Circle home page and click the Sign Up button. This will take you to the PhotoShow Circle registration page. On the registration page, fill in the required fields. If you already own PhotoShow Deluxe 4 software, be sure to include your PhotoShow Deluxe 4 license key in the Registration Key field. This will ensure that your new PhotoShow Circle account is set to premium status. After reading the Terms of Service and the Privacy Policy , check the acceptance box and click Sign Up to create your account. When you create your PhotoShow Circle account, a confirmation email will be sent to the email address you entered on the registration page. The email will contain a verification link, which you must click in order to verify your account. Your PhotoShow Circle registration will not be complete until you have verified your account by clicking this link. Because the link will only be valid for three days, it's best to check your email inbox for the PhotoShow Circle confirmation email shortly after you register, so you can verify your registration and immediately begin enjoying all the benefits of PhotoShow Circle membership. Note: If you don't see a confirmation email from PhotoShow Circle in your inbox within one day of creating your account, it may have been intercepted by your spam-filtering software. Be sure to check your spam or bulk folder for the confirmation email. Setting Up a PhotoShow Circle Web SiteOnce you have registered your PhotoShow Circle account and verified your email address, you are ready to create your PhotoShow Circle web site. Your PhotoShow Circle web site is designed to showcase your favorite PhotoShows in galleries. You can create as many galleries as you like, and you have complete control over the layout of your gallery pages, whether shows are displayed publicly or privately, and who has permission to view those shows. You can even control whether other people can link to your PhotoShows, download photos and videos from them, or order them on PhotoShow DVD. The first time you sign in to PhotoShow Circle after verifying your email address, you will be taken to the PhotoShow Circle site creation page. Here you can follow the prompts to create your custom web site in just three easy steps.
Viewing a PhotoShow Circle Web SiteYou can view your PhotoShow Circle web site by entering the site's URL (i.e., web address) in the address bar of your web browser. This will take you to your PhotoShow Circle main page, where you can view the PhotoShows in your web site's gallery or galleries. The main page is what your friends and family will see when they visit your PhotoShow Circle web site. To find the web address for your PhotoShow Circle site, sign into your account, then click the My Account link. Click the Profile tab. You will see your site's URL listed under the Web Address heading. If you want to share your PhotoShow Circle site with friends and family, the easiest way is provide them with this URL. To watch a PhotoShow featured in one of your galleries, click on the PhotoShow's thumbnail image. This will launch the Player Page, where your show will automatically load and begin to play back. It is now possible for viewers to subscribe to your PhotoShow Circle galleries. At the bottom of each gallery there are links which viewers can click to add your PhotoShow Circle gallery to their RSS feeds or to their own online homepage. Then, whenever you add a new PhotoShow to your gallery, your subscribers will receive instant notification and be able to view your PhotoShow. Note: in order to watch a PhotoShow, you must have Flash Player 7 or higher installed on your computer. If you don't have the Flash Player browser plug-in, you can download it for free from www.macromedia.com.The PhotoShow Player PageWhen you click the link to view an online PhotoShow, it opens the PhotoShow Player page. On the Player page you can watch the PhotoShow, view an album of the photos and videos in the PhotoShow, and perform PhotoShow Circle sharing functions pertaining to the PhotoShow. The Player page features two main tabs: the PhotoShow tab and the Album tab. When the Player Page first opens, the PhotoShow tab is depressed by default.
The Share PanelIn the bottom right corner of the Player page is the Share Panel, which you can use to easily share the PhotoShow you are viewing. Click the Email button to invite a friend to watch this PhotoShow by emailing them a link to view it.
Click the My Favorites button to add this PhotoShow to your Favorites list and to one of your PhotoShow Circle galleries.
Click the DVD button to purchase a DVD of this PhotoShow from our PhotoShow DVD service. Professionally manufactured and beautifully packaged in a variety of personalized styles, PhotoShow DVDs are the best way to enjoy your memories on TV.
Managing Your PhotoShow Circle Web SiteIn order to manage your PhotoShow Circle web site, you must sign in to your account. To do so, click the Sign In link in the top right corner of any PhotoShow Circle web page. On the sign in page, fill in the email address you used to create your account, along with your password. Click Sign In again to sign into your PhotoShow Circle account. Once you have signed in, you will have full access to all of PhotoShow Circle's management tools, which you can use to edit your site design and preferences, to update your account information, and to arrange your PhotoShows in galleries. The My Site PageClick the My Site tab to view your PhotoShow Circle web site's main page. If you have only one gallery of PhotoShows, they will be previewed here in the form of thumbnail images. To watch a PhotoShow, click its thumbnail. This will launch the PhotoShow player in a separate window. If you have more than one gallery of PhotoShows, each page will display a list of your gallery titles. Click on a gallery title to view the contents of that gallery. By default, your PhotoShow Circle web site will display the contents of the first gallery in your list. Your PhotoShow Circle web site is public and available for viewing to anyone who knows its web address. If you wish, you can make certain galleries or PhotoShows on your web site private, so that only the people you specify are able to view them. For more information, see the Privacy Settings section of the PhotoShow Circle Help Guide. Editing Your SiteYou can edit the layout and preferences for your PhotoShow Circle web site by clicking on the Edit My Site button in the top right corner of your My Site page. Clicking on this button activates PhotoShow Circle's Edit Mode, causing several buttons to appear across the top of the page and making it possible to access pop-up menus associated with your site title, galleries, and shows. Click the Edit My Site button again to cancel edit mode.
The My PhotoShows PageThe My PhotoShows page is private and accessible only to you, when you are signed into your PhotoShow Circle account.
Click on the My PhotoShows tab to access the My PhotoShows page, where you can manage your online PhotoShows. The My PhotoShows page features three tabs: Shared Shows, Received Shows, and Favorite Shows.
Click on the Shared Shows tab to see a list of PhotoShows which you have uploaded to your PhotoShow Circle web site.
Click on the Received Shows tab to see a list of PhotoShows which other people have shared with you via PhotoShow Circle.
Click on the Favorite Shows tab to see a list of PhotoShows that you have collected from other people's PhotoShow Circle web sites by clicking on the my+ button when viewing their PhotoShow.
The PhotoShow lists on these tabs have many similar features. Next to the PhotoShow thumbnail, you will see the show's title, author, and publication information. There is also a drop-down menu with four options to choose from. Clicking on the show's title or selecting Info, Settings, or Permissions from the drop-down menu will take you to the PhotoShow Details page for that PhotoShow. Click Delete in the drop-down menu to permanently delete the show from your PhotoShow Circle web site. The PhotoShow Details Page
PhotoShow Circle Privacy SettingsWith PhotoShow Circle, you have complete control over who can view the galleries and PhotoShows featured on your personal web site. You can designate a gallery or PhotoShow as public, which means that anyone who visits your site can view it, or private, which means that only the people you have specified can view it. Changing Privacy Settings for a GalleryTo designate a gallery on your PhotoShow Circle web site as public or private, follow these instructions:
Changing Privacy Settings for a PhotoShowTo designate a PhotoShow on your PhotoShow Circle web site as public or private, follow these instructions:
Viewing Private PhotoShows and GalleriesIn order to view a private gallery or PhotoShow, the people whose emails you have included in your permission list will need to sign into their own PhotoShow Circle account using the email address you specified. Once they have signed in, they will be able to view your gallery or PhotoShow. If they don't already have a PhotoShow Circle account, they will need to create one. Creating a new PhotoShow Circle account is quick, easy, and free. Anyone can do it, regardless of whether they own PhotoShow software or not. To create a PhotoShow Circle account, go to http://www.photoshow.net/home and click the button to Sign Up Today. Changing PhotoShow Viewer SettingsWith your PhotoShow Circle management tools, you can also control whether viewers can invite other people to view your PhotoShow, order your PhotoShow on DVD, or download photos from your PhotoShow to save on their computer. To edit the viewer settings for a PhotoShow, open the PhotoShow details page for that show and click the Settings tab. Viewer settings dictate which actions viewers can take in regard to your show. By clicking in the appropriate check boxes, you can allow or prevent viewers from taking the following actions:
When you are satisfied with your PhotoShow viewer settings, click OK. PhotoShow EmbeddingWith the new PhotoShow Circle embedding tool, it is possible to embed a copy of your PhotoShow in any online venue. That means you can add a PhotoShow to your eBay listing, blog, wiki, web site, MySpace page, and more. Supported venues/applications include: BloggereBay Friendster GeoCities Moveable Type TypePad MySpace Tribe any standard HTML website The PhotoShow embedding process entails three easy steps: 1. Upload the PhotoShow you want to embed to your PhotoShow Circle site. 2. Use the PhotoShow Circle embedding tool to create a block of HTML code which contains all the information necessary to display your PhotoShow in your online venue of choice. 3. Paste the block of HTML code into the appropriate location in your web page or online venue. In order to utilize the PhotoShow Circle embedding tool, the show you wish to embed must first be saved in your PhotoShow Circle account. Once you have uploaded the PhotoShow to your Circle account, follow these steps to embed your show in your chosen online location: 1. Go to your PhotoShow Circle home page and sign into your account. 2. Click the My PhotoShows tab. 3. On the My PhotoShows page, click the Shared tab. 4. In the Shared list, find the show you wish to embed and click the show icon to open the PhotoShow Details page for that show. 5. Click the Info tab to bring it forward. 7. Under the Display on other sites heading, use the Site drop-down menu to pick the destination for your embedded PhotoShow. Then use the Player Size drop-down menu to select the player size for your embedded PhotoShow. 8. When you have made your selections, the HTML code needed to embed your show will appear in the field below. 9. Copy the full block of text from within the field. 10. Paste the block of HTML code into the HTML or online editor for your chosen destination, save it, and/or upload it to the web if necessary. Your embedded PhotoShow should now appear in your chosen online location, and will remain viewable as long as the original show remains saved in your PhotoShow Circle account. If you delete the original show, any embedded copies will no longer function, so be sure to delete them as well. Remember: any changes made to the original online show will be reflected in the embedded copy. One more tip: if you want your embedded show to play continuously and you are using PhotoShow Deluxe 4.5 or higher, set your PhotoShow to " Loop " before you upload it to PhotoShow Circle . Then, when you embed the PhotoShow in your destination, it will play over and over again. Account PreferencesClick the My Account link in the upper right corner of your PhotoShow Circle site to edit your account preferences. The My Account page features two tabs: Profile and Email Addresses. Click the Profile Tab to edit your PhotoShow Circle profile in the following ways: In the Your Name field you can set or edit the name you use when you share online PhotoShows via email invitation. In the Web Address field you can change the custom URL which acts as the web address for your PhotoShow Circle site. It's best to use only lowercase letters. Do not include spaces or punctuation. In the Password fields you can change the password associated with your account by entering it in the upper field, then confirming it again in the lower field. When you are satisfied with the changes you have made to your account preferences, click OK. Click the Email Addresses Tab to change the primary email address associated with your account, or to add secondary email addresses to your account. Note: if you have a Comcast branded PhotoShow Circle website, you cannot change the primary email address associated with your PhotoShow Circle account. In the Primary email field, you can edit the main email address for your PhotoShow Circle account. Shows you share are sent "from" your primary email address. Only a verified email address can be entered in this field. To apply your changes, click OK. In the Your email addresses field, enter any secondary email addresses which you would also like associated with this account, then click the Add button. By adding all your email addresses to your account, you insure that PhotoShows sent to any of your email addresses will always end up in your Received Shows list, and that you will be able to view other people's private shows if they have granted viewing permission to any of your email addresses. To delete a certain email address, click the Delete button next to that address in the Email addresses list. If you have multiple email addresses, your PhotoShow Circle account can receive shows sent to any of them. The Help GuideThe PhotoShow Circle Help Guide can be accessed at any time by clicking on the Help link in the upper right corner of the screen. If you have any further questions please visit our customer support center. |