Frequently Asked Questions

Manual

To download a copy of the Albumprinter Australian manual, click here

Note: the manual requires Adobe Acrobat Reader. To download and install a free copy, click here.

Questions about the Editor

Questions about your Order

Questions about Production and Delivery

Other Questions

Questions about the Editor 

1. System Requirements

What are the requirements to run the software?
To use the Albumprinter  Album Editor software, you must have a PC with either Windows XP or Vista installed. 
Suggested specifications if you are running Windows XP is a PC with a 1.22 GHz CPU, 512 MB RAM and 32 MB video RAM.
For better performance or if you are running Vista we suggest a machine with spec's at or above 3 GHz CPU, 1 Gig RAM, 64 MB+ video RAM. 

2. Apple Mac operating system

Does the Albumprinter editor run on an Apple Mac computer?
Unfortunately our editor only runs natively on the Windows operating system at this point in time.

If you have one of the new Intel based Macs, you should be able to dual boot your machine with Windows so that it can run Windows applications and therefore our editor.

3. Installation

How do I install the Albumprinter software?
Click here to download the free software. Your browser will automatically download the software. Depending on your settings Windows XP will display a warning and you may have to click the bar at the top of the browser window to enable the download to proceed. Follow the installation prompts specifying where you would like the software installed. Once downloading is finished, double-click the file 'AlbumprinterAUsetup.exe' which was saved to the location that you specified. Once the installation is complete, go to "Start/Programs" and click the Albumprinter icon. The program will then start. You can find answers to most other questions in the manual.

How can I save a photo album or calendar?
You can only save a photo album or calendar if you have inserted at least one photograph or caption in it. The product will be saved automatically when you close the program. You can also save a product by clicking the 'Save' button on the left of the menu. The document will be saved by default in the directory My Documents\Albumprinter Australia\My Projects, unless you specified a different installation location.

5. Find a product on your computer

Where can I find a saved photo album or calendar?
By default the editor creates a folder in the "My Documents" folder on your computer, called "Albumprinter Australia" and within that directory all your projects are stored in "My Projects". However, if you specified a different path during installation, your albums may be stored in a different location on your hard disk.

6. Delete projects

How can I delete a photo album or calendar from Albumprinter Editor?
Saved documents can be deleted as follows:
- Close the Albumprinter Editor
- Browse to Drive:\My Documents\Albumprinter Australia\My Projects
- Windows Explorer will display a list of all your Album Editor projects
- Delete the relevant project
- Close Windows Explorer

7. Supported file formats

What file formats does the software support?
The software supports a wide variety of common file formats, such as JPEG (jpg), GIF, BMP, PNG, RGB and several RAW formats.

8. Resolution and image quality

Is there a minimum quality level for the photographs I use?
The Album Editor will analyse each photo that you would like to use and warn you if the resolution is too low (below 125 dpi printed output) for the size that you are seeking to use. The editor will also warn you if you try and crop a photo too far which could affect the resolution of the printed image. We recommend that you aim for 200dpi. By hovering over the green arrow, which is displayed in the upper right hand corner of each of the photos in your album, you can see the resolution of the output.

I’ve only got a 2 Megapixel camera – can I still make a product?
Yes you can although you can’t increase the size of your images above 6 x 4 inches (15x10 cm) and you need to be careful about how far you crop your images. There is no reason why you can’t create your own beautiful album. The Album Editor will warn you if you try and use shots that are at too low a level of resolution.

What is the minimum photo size to enable me to use it as a background for a) 1 page and b) across 2 pages?
When used as a background images are made transparent, which means, they are given that washed out look to create that great looking contrast effect. This means that the resolution does not have to be as high as full colour image. We recommend that when using a background on an A4 size page that you use at least a 3 Megapixel image and across an A4 double page spread a 6 Megapixel image.

9. Edit pictures

How do I edit photos in the editor?
Simply double click on the photo once it has been dragged onto the page.

10. Select templates

How do I select different templates to use in each page?
On the right hand side of the Album Editor there is a navigation area called “Layout and Background”. If you can’t see this it’s because it has been hidden to give you more screen space to work with. If it's hidden look on the far right hand side of the screen you will see a grey bar that runs almost the full length of the screen with the word "Edit" (lengthways) on it. Just click this bar to open up the Layout and Background area. To change layouts first choose how many images on the page you want (it’s the drop down dialogue box) and then select which of the layouts you want.

11. Appearance of pictures in the editor

My photos look a little grainy in the editor. Why is that?
That’s because we don’t render the images in full resolution to make the editor run faster on lower specification machines. If you double click on the image you can see the image in its full resolution.

12. Dragging pictures over two pages

Can I drag a photo to cover the join between 2 pages?
Yes you can. It’s a nice technique that creates some interesting effects.

13. Fonts

I would like to use text with a background image or a solid background, what do you suggest? What stands out the best?
Font selection is important both in terms of size and type of font. If your font is too small and fancy – elements of the text can be hard for the eye to pick up. The darker or more complex the background then the more cautious you need to be in font size and type.

What fonts are the easiest to read?
Non serifed fonts (a serif is the little tail that you see on characters – the best known serifed font is Times Roman and probably the best known non-serifed font is Arial or Helvetica) are easier to read if the background is coloured or complex. There is the potential for the serifs to get lost in the background. Experiment with what you feel gives you the best contrast.

14. Frames and printing

Will the frame be printed if I don't place any text or photograph in it?
Photographs and text frames are not printed on the background if the frame does not contain a photograph or text.

15. Cropping

How does 'Cropping' in the 'Edit photograph' box work?
If you double-click a photograph it will be displayed in a new window with a number of editing options on the left, e.g. contrast, flip, crop, red eye reduction, etc. If you click 'Crop' a frame appears, with the size and aspect ratio of the frame in which you want to insert the photograph. The aspect ratio (length : width) of the frame is fixed and cannot be changed. However, you can make the frame larger or smaller to include a larger or smaller crop of your photograph. Please note that you have reached the maximum frame size when the top and bottom of the frame touch the edges of the photograph. Once the frame is the right size click 'Apply'. When the 'Apply' button changes to 'OK' your photograph has been cropped. Click 'OK' to insert the cropped photograph on the page. Note: you cannot undo a cropping operation. If you don't like the crop you will need to reinsert the photo into its frame.

16. Album size

Can I change the type of album or the selected album size?
The type of album is selected at the start of the editing process. Unfortunately it is not possible to change this choice when you are working on your product.
By default the albums have 40 pages. You can add extra pages at the end of your work (maximum 20) but you cannot reduce the number of pages (40 pages minimum).

17. Calendar styles

Why can't I change or move the pages in the calendar styles?
The calendar layouts are all fixed to prevent problems with the wrong order or the wrong number of days per month in the calendars.

18. Backgrounds

How can I download new page styles?
Click "options" in the top menu and select 'Download styles'. A window is displayed which lists all of the available styles for each album type. Select the styles you're interested in and then click "download x styles". The download and installation may take some time, so please do not interrupt this process! The newly downloaded styles will be added automatically to your standard styles. The styles are now available for use. Tip: You can also use your own pictures as a background.

19. Insufficient graphics resources

I get an error message 'Insufficient graphics resources. What should I do?
You are probably using an old version of Windows.
Please restart your computer and try again.
If it still doesn't work we suggest upgrading to a newer version of Windows.

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Questions about your Order and payment

1. Uploading

I can't upload/order. Why?
Most uploading problems are related to firewalls not permitting access by the Albumprinter Editor to the Internet. A firewall is security software which protects your computer from external attacks. The latest version of Windows XP includes such a program. When you install new software, the firewall will check if the software can communicate with external systems. Where relevant the firewall will ask you if you want to permit the new software to set up external communications. If you select "Yes" our software should not have any uploading problems. However, if you select "No" the firewall will close the communications port to the Albumprinter Editor Software.

If you are interested in the details: your album file is uploaded via HTTP to our back end servers. If your firewall has not given permission to the Album Editor to access HTTP Port 80 then the Album Editor software is cut off from the Internet. The Albumprinter Editor will display an error as a result.

I placed an order but I didn't receive a confirmation by e-mail. Why?
It could well be that you entered an incorrect e-mail address. If you entered an incorrect or different e-mail address in Options/Settings then the order confirmation e-mail will be sent to the wrong address. As this process is fully automated we cannot resend the e-mail. We suggest you correct your email address and repeat the upload/order process or if you have already submitted your payment please contact the helpdesk at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it and we will manually re-forward the email upon confirmation of your identity.

3. Payment

How do I pay for my uploaded product?
What should I do after placing an order with Album Editor?
You have two options; the easiest way is via the payments page which is integrated into the Albumprinter Editor and which appears after you have uploaded your order. Alternatively you can use the payments link which is contained within the email that is sent to you after you have uploaded your file.

4. Payment Methods

What payment methods do you support?
We support payment by Visa, Amex and Master card. If you don't wish to pay by credit card, you can send a cheque or money order to: Albumprinter Pty Ltd, PO BOX 181, Camberwell, 3124. Don't forget to mention your order ID!

5. Security

What security do you have in place? Are my credit card details secure?
We have two levels of securety in place:

1) We employ 128bit SSL encryption between the Album Printer Album Editor and Albumprinter back end systems. The Album Editor is used to design and order your album, a separate process is then invoked for the payments process. The information passed during the ordering process is your contact details, the address you would like products delivered to and which product you are ordering. All this information is encrypted using SSL.

2) The payments process is framed within the Album Editor software and is provided by Bibit and uses 128bit SSL encryption as well. Bibit is a specialist in online payment processing and is part of the Royal Bank of Scotland (the 5th largest bank in the world), its clients include Dell, Vodafone and many other major corporations. The payment process involves the passing of an AlbumId to Bibit plus your payment details. Albumprinter cannot see this information as the connection occurs only between you and Bibit. We are simply informed by Bibit that payment was successful for a given albumID. This means Albumprinter does not see and does not store any credit card information. You can read about Bibit and their security here.

6. Password

Why is my password not accepted when I try to enter the payment page?
The password is case sensitive. For example, if you have a password with an uppercase (capital) letter, it must be entered exactly like that. It's easiest to cut and paste your password.

7. Internet connection
I only have dial-up Internet access, can I upload my album?
Yes you can but depending on the size of your album it may take a 'fair' while. 

8. Software on CD
I don’t want to download the software; can you send me a copy?
Sure. Just send an email to This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it requesting a copy and we’ll despatch a CD-ROM containing the Albumprinter Editor for you to install.

9. Status of my order

How do I know what the status of my order is?
We send a variety of updates that keep you continually informed about the status of your order. You will receive emails confirming each of the following stages a) successful file upload b) successful payment c) production commencement d) production completion and despatch. If there any delays we will also be in touch.

Can I order more than one copy?
Yes you can! You can order as much orders as you like. It's even possible to send the products to different addresses in one order.

10. Phone contact

I can't find a phone number on your website, why?
We providecustomer service support accross a wide range of hours and email enables us to provide the most flexible response that this level of coverage requires. If you prefer to deal via voice, simply drop us an email to This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it with your phone number and we will call you back as soon as possible. Physically we are located at Level 1, 72 Auburn Pde, Hawthorn East, VIC 3123.

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 Questions about Production and Delivery

1. Print technique and quality

How are the albums printed? What is the technique?
The albums are printed on the latest in digital ink based printing presses (HP Indigo) to carefully defined production standards using 7 colour electrostatic inks. The presses have a colour gamut which matches and in some cases exceeds traditional offset printing. We believe that only liquid inks place the image in the page and provide the beautiful tones that you are looking for and that other digital presses which uses toner rather than liquid inks don't produce products of the quality that we (and you) require.

All our products are printed on a high quality digital press. Please send us an email if you would like to receive a PDF file with quality information on the digital press we’re using.

2. Binding

How are the albums bound?
The albums are hand stitched using an industrial sewing machine and then bound into the hard covers. Each album has a paper lining that is mounted into the inside of the cover and contains a transparent sheet that covers the first page of the album. It’s all the little extra touches that make your album a very special product.

3. Paperstock

What sort of paper do you use? How glossy is it?
For the Albums we use 170 gsm acid-free, semi-gloss paper stock that is the result of a painstaking analysis of different paper alternatives to bring your photos to life.
For the Calendars we use a 260 gsm semi gloss stock.

4. Cover Title

How many characters is the label on the front of the albums and where is it located?
You can select any combination of characters up to 20 characters (including spaces).  The labelling is located in the lower right hand corner of the hard covered albums.

5. Delivery

How long does it take from when I order the product?
Your product will be despatched within 7 working days of ordering and paying. If there any delays for any reason you will be notified via email.

How do you deliver the product?
We deliver via Australia Post Parcel Post with the products packaged in secure parcel packaging to protect your photo product.

What happens if I am not home when my product is delivered?
Australia Post will leave a card at your designated address saying that they attempted to deliver and could you please call a contact number to enable you to pickup the product at your local post office.

6. Guarantees

What happens if my order is damaged in delivery?
Contact us and we will replace the product at no cost.

What if I am not happy with my product?
Simply email us at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it . If we made an error or if you are not happy with the quality, we will at your option, replace the product at no cost or provide you a full refund -no questions asked.

7. Samples

Can you send me some sample sheets?
Sure. Just send an email to This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it with your postal details and we'll post you some A5 print samples to demonstrate the print quality of our products.

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Other questions

Email us at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it for other questions and to contact customer service.

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