H&M System Software Press Release

H&M System Software Announces StudioLine Photo Classic 3 - New Version of the High-performance Image Database

Rödermark, 31st January-06 – H&M System Software today unveils StudioLine Photo Classic 3. This new version adds major features, including a new user interface, an enhanced descriptor panel, a new load assistant, custom layouts of web galleries, import and export of image descriptions in XML format, management of sound and video data from digital cameras and a search by time spans. This update also marks H&M’s plans to diversify the StudioLine product portfolio. Following the “Classic” version of this software for easy and safe management, editing and presentation of digital photos, a professional version is to be released later in 2006. For beginners H&M continues to offer the new version StudioLine Photo Basic 3 as a free download. StudioLine Photo Classic 3 for Windows XP, 2000, ME and 98 is available from H&M’s online shop at www.studioline.net priced €59 (download), €69 (CD) and coming soon, a boxed product at €89.

The new StudioLine Photo Classic 3 user interface provides great flexibility by allowing the user to optimally arrange the on-screen objects: filters can easily be docked to scalable panes, which can also be hidden. An info pane displays all relevant information at a glance, such as number of images, size, subfolders, backup status, etc.

The enhanced descriptors panel can be docked on any of the four sides of the StudioLine screen. The “Auto-Hide” option will keep the descriptors out of the way while working in other areas of the StudioLine screen. It’s also possible to undock the descriptors panel and move it about freely (e.g., to a second monitor). Customized screen settings are retained when restarting StudioLine.

The new load assistant offers convenient loading of images and media files. While StudioLine Photo is running, it automatically detects the content of the “DCIM” folder of a storage device (e.g., a memory card or digital camera).

The developers have once again focused on management and search functions. The improved search window offers global changing of image descriptions in many images. Searching for time spans has been integrated into the software. For easy metadata exchange with other applications, image descriptions can now be imported and exported in XML format. Also supported for importing is the plain text format.

Other new features include the management of sound and video clips from digital cameras. The slide show has been enhanced with transition effects. For personalised web galleries, special styles allow customisation of the background colour, image size and layout, captions, fonts, etc. The export allows saving frequently-used settings such as crop, sharpen or overlay text. A new toolbar menu offers quick access to the most important sorting criteria.
StudioLine Photo excels once again in managing IPTC and Exif data, which can be edited in the database, and provides extensive support of the RAW formats of most popular camera manufacturers.

Free Updates
H&M System Software issues free, regular updates to ensure that StudioLine Photo is always 100% up-to-date. For example, the updates in Version 2 included additional new file formats such as JPEG 2000, various camera manufacturers’ new RAW formats and the DNG format. New features have also made their way into the product, including a versatile layout tool to freely design collages and other print projects; H&M plans to continue these regular product enhancements with StudioLine Photo Classic 3.

Impressive Technology
StudioLine Photo is entirely database centric. IPTC, Exif and Windows image tags are transferred to the database where they can be edited. Images are categorised using folders, system and user descriptors as well as extensible keyword lists. Favourites are classified using the 5-star rating system. Sorting and searching can be based on 75 system criteria plus any number of user descriptors. StudioLine has elaborate search functions from search and replace of keywords or text, to complex queries and filtered views of the image database. The timeline view automatically organises images by Exif, creation and modification date in calendar form.

Images can be tagged with keywords and descriptions can be added. To efficiently organise extensive photo collections, keywords, categories, image descriptions and filter settings can easily be transferred with a single mouse-click to multiple images using the “Copy” button.

StudioLine keeps the unchanged original together with a stack of revisable filter settings safely in the image database. The edits are not rendered into a final image until a version is needed for exporting, emailing or printing.  This guarantees images without generational loss of quality while protecting the originals. StudioLine’s batch processing capabilities save a lot of time when transferring filter settings, as well as keywords and descriptions, onto multiple images.

StudioLine also includes a sophisticated system for data backup. The database can be saved using the incremental backup onto CD/DVD and can be recovered, including all descriptions, following a system crash from the backup CDs or DVDs.

The unique “Offload” feature conserves disk space. It moves the large originals to CD or DVD and replaces them with proxy images, keeping them available for presentation purposes. StudioLine will prompt for the correct disc, whenever the high-resolution original is needed.

Professional Version Available Later in 2006 and New Basic Version for Beginners H&M System Software has announced that it will release a professional version of StudioLine Photo. The network-compatible version will manage multimedia content, synchronize content with other PCs and will include an integrated FTP upload.
Version 3 is now also available for StudioLine Photo Basic. The free downloadable software is particularly useful for beginners wishing to manage their digital photos. StudioLine Photo Basic 3 is also available to purchase on CD and coming soon as a boxed product with a printed manual.

Prices and Availability
StudioLine Photo Classic 3 for Windows XP, 2000, ME and 98 is available from H&M’s online shop at www.studioline.net priced €59 (download), €69 (CD) and coming soon, a boxed product at €89. An upgrade from Version 2 is free of charge for customers who purchased StudioLine Photo 2 on March 1st 2005 or later. For all other customers the upgrade is available at €20.

A 30-day trial version of StudioLine Photo Classic 3 and the StudioLine Photo Basic 3 freeware are also available from the same website address.

About StudioLine Photo
StudioLine Photo is a convenient and comprehensive product for digital imaging archiving, management, editing and presentation, equally suitable for beginners as for professionals. Innovative technology protects original images against accidental changes and generational loss in quality.

H&M and StudioLine are registered trademarks of H&M Systems Software, Inc.

About H&M Software
H&M System Software has been developing business and productivity software since 1974. The corporate headquarters are located in Germany with subsidiaries in the U.S. and France, and agents in the U.K. and Italy. Additional information at www.StudioLine.net or call +49 6074 9130.