Using Single Source Imaging you only have to provide a single high resolution source image for each image used on a website. The Imaging Server dynamically generates all required image resolutions and image sections based on the source image. Read more about Dynamic Single Source Imaging here.
3 How can I upload test images to the demo server?
Please feel free to upload some test images to our demo server (*.tif, *.jpg, *.fpx or *.pdf). To upload and test your own images to our demo server you need to:
Click "FSI Products" => "FSI Server" in the menu to the left. Click the scheme to open FSI Server interface. Log in using username "guest" and password "guest".
Click the "Public Uploads" folder in the list of folders on the left.
Click the "Upload Images" button (located at the right of the window).
Click "Browse" and select some TIFF, JPEG, FlashPix, EPS or PDF file(s) to upload. You can alternatively select a ZIP archive containing multiple images to upload. Please note that the server converts the images when the upload is complete.
Click "OK" at the bottom of the upload window.
When the upload is finished and conversion is complete you can access the image(s) by selecting the "Public Uploads" folder. Please note that we regularly remove images from the demo server and that the images are publicly available.
4 Does FSI Viewer require a special browser Plug-in?
No. FSI Viewer is based on Adobe FlashTM plug-in and requires Flash 6 or above. More than 97% of all internet users already have the Flash plug-in installed on their computer (source: Adobe) and can start using FSI Viewer right away.
5 Why do I need FSI Server?
The concept of dynamic single source imaging allows a single high resolution image to be used to retrieve images in different sizes based on that single high resolution image. FSI Server Software provides the necessary functionality to scale, rotate and/or enhance any image before delivering it to the User. In contrast to normal Webserver Software, where each image has to be stored once in every resolution needed (e.g. Thumbnails and alike), FSI Server Software creates each image requested on the fly.
Due to the different possible magnification states for each image displayed in FSI Viewer, FSI Server Software is mandatory.
6 What is required to integrate FSI Viewer into a website?
Besides FSI Viewer itself, you additionally need access to a compatible Single Source Imaging Server. You can obtain FSI Viewer and an FSI Server bundle. Currently FSI Viewer supports the following Imaging Server software:
FSI Server
YaWah eRez Imaging Server
iseemedia Imaging Server
TrueSpectra Imaging Server.
7 How much network traffic does FSI Viewer add compared to static images?
Loading FSI Viewer itself causes network traffic only once per client due to the caching behavior of FSI Viewer. FSI Viewer itself causes about 56 kb per client for Flash plug-ins. Optional plug-ins add approx. 2-10 kb each and are cached as well.
Network traffic caused by image data depends on the viewer size and level of interest of an image and can be estimated by the following rule of thumb: The initial view of FSI Viewer does not cause more traffic than a static jpeg image. Additional traffic depends on the users behaviour (how many different image sections are viewed). Each different image section being viewed causes about the same amount of traffic as a static jpeg of the size of the FSI Viewer would. Reviewing image sections does not cause extra traffic as image data is cached by the browser.
8 How does FSI Viewer display 3D presentations? What is required?
To create virtual 3D presentation you need images showing your object from different viewing angles. For example, if you want to create a 360° rotation around the y-axis in 8 steps, you have to rotate your object and take an image every 45°. You can find companies specialized in this kind of product photography here.
9 Can FSI Viewer and its Add-ons be integrated into CMS / database systems?
Of course. Regarding HTML integration and compatibility, FSI Viewer is just like any standard Flash movie clip. So any website, CMS system or application that is capable of integrating a flash movie can be extended by FSI Viewer. You can find sample HTML source code here. As FSI Viewer can be configured using either XML files or HTTP queries, automated integration via server-side script can be easily accomplished. See the HTTP Queries Tutorial for more detailed information. Examples for integrating FSI Viewer into some commonly used CMS are given in the tutorials.
10 What is the difference between FSI Viewer, FSI Showcase and FSI Pages?
FSI Viewer offers the core functionality for communication with the Imaging Server and the user interface for interaction. While FSI Viewer alone is capable of displaying zoomable images, FSI Pages and FSI Showcase are both add-ons to FSI Viewer, which extend the functionality of FSI Viewer and can be purchased separately. FSI Showcase extends FSI Viewer adding the possibility of displaying multiple images within one FSI instance. FSI Pages adds functionality for online brochures, catalogs and shop integration.
11 Do I need a seperate machine for running FSI Server Software?
A seperate machine to run the FSI Server Software is not needed. It can be installed aside of e.g. an Apache webserver on the same machine. Please refer to the system requirements in the related FAQ section.
12 Do I need any further software besides FSI Server?
No. FSI Viewer and FSI Server Software is all that is required to make use of the FSI Viewer capabilities and its add-ons.
13 Are there any repeating fees?
As you obtain a full license of FSI Viewer, no repeating fees apply.
14 What do I get with the FSI Software bundle?
As the name suggests, you receive a valid FSI Server Software license and a valid FSI Viewer license. This software bundle allows you to add the following features to your website:
The bundle contains the free plug-ins for FSI Viewer as well, which are: BackgroundImage, Chapters, ClockProgress, Contextmenu, CustomButton, ExtendedUI, History, Magnifier, MaxZoom, MouseModeSelect, Music, PageSounds, Resize, SoftwareCursor, TextBox and ZoomMeter.
IPTC defines a set of metadata attributes related to images. Using IPTC headers this metadata can be stored in the header of a JPEG and TIFF image files. The Imaging Server in interaction with FSI Viewer makes use of this IPTC data i.e. to offer search capabilities in FSI Pages, store descriptive texts to display as a tooltip and alike.
2 What are the system requirements on the client side?
Almost every internet user can use FSI Viewer right away without any special preparation or the need to download a plug-in, as FSI Viewer is based on Adobe FlashTM. The Flash plug-in is by far the most popular browser plug-in worldwide. More than 97% of all internet users already have the Flash plug-in installed on their computer (source: Adobe). FSI Viewer requires Adobe FlashTM plug-in version 6 or above.
3 What are the system requirements on the server side?
There are no special requirements regarding the web server hosting FSI Viewer. FSI Viewer requires access to an Imaging Server though. Currently FSI Viewer supports the following Imaging Server software:
FSI Server
YaWah eRez Imaging Server
iseemedia Imaging Server
TrueSpectra Imaging Server.
4 Do I have to configure my firewall for FSI Viewer?
FSI Viewer interacts with the Imaging Server using standard HTTP Requests on Port 80. Therefore no other ports need to be opened.
5 Can I run Imaging Software on a shared webhoster?
Shared webhosters usually have very restrictive policies regarding additional software being installed. These policies do not allow additional software being installed on the webserver, as other websites on the same server might be influenced. Implementing FSI Viewer into a website run from a shared webhost will therefore require a standalone machine running the Imaging Server Software.
6 Can I run Imaging Software on a managed server or server with root access?
If you have a server with managed administration, please contact the servers administrator about installing FSI Server Software on your machine. If you have administrative or root access to your server, you can install the software on your own.
7 How does FSI Viewer communicate with Imaging Servers?
FSI Viewer accesses Imaging Servers using HTTP requests. The communication is based on the Internet Imaging Protocol (IIP) or similar protocols, depending on the type of Imaging Server being used.
Order & Register
1 How to order?
You can either purchase your copy of FSI Viewer from one of our resellers or directly from NeptuneLabs.
2 What is Maintenance?
When ordering FSI Viewer, you can optionally purchase Software Maintenance.
Purchasing Maintenance grants you free access to all Minor and Major updates released within 12 months after the date of purchase. Maintenance can only be purchased on the first order or when upgrading your FSI License. Your Maintenance can be prolonged after it has expired. The cost of maintenance depends on the license and add-ons purchased.
3 What licenses are available?
FSI Viewer and FSI Server licenses are available for different purposes.
Besides licenses for standard commercial organizations, we offer special licenses for non-profit organizations and also service provider (ASP) licenses. The editions differ in the maximum number of images you can use on the server at a time. Please refer to Editions & Pricing.
4 Where do I find my Product Identification (PID) Key ?
The PID will be sent to you after you have purchased the product. The PID is required to complete the registration.
5 Is it possible to upgrade the license later?
Yes. Its possible to upgrade your license from i.e. Basic Editon to Standard Edition later if needed. In this case, updating to the latest major version is mandatory.
Support & Maintenance
1 Do you offer customer training?
Under certain conditions, training customers to set up and configure FSI Viewer is possible. Please contact us to discuss the details.
2 Does NeptuneLabs offer enterprise-level support services?
No, NeptuneLabs itself does not offer enterprise-level support, but you might want to ask your reseller.
3 Do you offer installation service?
If you are unsure about the installation of FSI Server Software on your machine, we offer installation service.
4 Where do I download updates?
Minor updates are freely available and can be downloaded in the download area of your FSI Viewer account. Major updates may require a new license key. If your license is covered by software maintenance you will receive a new license key free of charge.
5 What is the difference between Minor and Major Updates?
Minor updates may add additional functionality to FSI Viewer or fix some known issues and are available for free. A minor update increases the 2nd or 3rd digit in the version number, e.g. version 4.0.6 to version 4.1.5.
Major Updates increase the 1st Number of the version number, e.g. version 4.1.5 to version 5.0.0 and contain new features and functionality that has not been implemented before.
You can check your current FSI Viewer version by enabling the debug window.
Customization & Skins
1 Is it possible to customize the design and layout of FSI Viewer or FSI Showcase?
Yes, FSI Skin Option and FSI Skin Option Plus offer this possibility. The possibilities in modifying the design of the FSI Viewer / FSI Showcase user interface are virtually unlimited. You just have to provide a design sketch representing the desired layout and design and you will receive a corresponding FSI Skin file.
2 How do I configure FSI Viewer for my needs?
FSI Viewer can be configured by XML files. XML is short for extensible markup language and is pretty much like HTML, syntax-wise. These XML files contain parameters and values which FSI Viewer loads and interpretes on startup. Making use of different XML configuration files lets you have different appearances of FSI Viewer. Most parameters can also be set in the HTTP Request if needed.
Currently the FSI Viewer, with its add-ons and all the available plugins offers a total of over 400 parameters, allowing you to configure FSI Viewer to your needs and preferences. Further functionality and layout can be implemented with FSI Skin Plus if needed. Please refer to the FSI Parameters library for a list of available parameters.
3 Do I have to brand my FSI Viewer?
FSI Viewer comes with a few default skins. These default skins contain the FSI Viewer Logo and NeptuneLabs information in the "About" box of FSI Viewer. When purchasing FSI Skin Plus Option, the logo and "About" box content is freely customizable. There is no requirement to display a logo or link to either fsi-viewer.com or neptunelabs.com
Catalogs with FSI Pages
1 What do I need to publish catalogs on my website?
To have online brochures and catalogs, you need at least the FSI Viewer and the FSI Pages AddOn and one of the supported imaging servers.
FSI Viewer provides the functionality to zoom into high resolution images. The FSI Pages add-on extends FSI Viewer to display images in an online catalog style. FSI Viewer relies on Imaging Server Software. Please see the related FAQ entry for details.
2 What steps are required to publish a catalog with FSI Pages?
First you need to convert your PDF document into high resolution TIFF images. (The FSI Pages add-on comes with NeptuneLabs "FSI Pages Converter", which can automatically convert PDF files into such high resolution TIFF images. Please see the related FAQ entry.) Once these images have been created, you need to upload them to the Imaging Server. The Imaging Server webinterface lets you generate the Basic HTML Code to display the FSI Pages instance in your website with a few mouseclicks. Finally copy the HTML Code to your website.
3 How to make links available in FSI Pages?
FSI Pages converter can extract links out of the PDF and save the link information inside the IPTC data of the images. If you publish your images from the FSI Server webinterface, please select e.g. "Catalog w. links" from the "Configuration Preset" dropdown on the screen.
4 How can we convert PDF to images?
The FSI Pages Add-On comes with NeptuneLabs "FSI Pages Converter".
FSI Pages Converter is a multi-platform tool, which can automatically convert a single or multiple PDF files into multiple high resolution TIFF images. (TIFF is the prefered file format for zoomable images.) Besides that, FSI Pages Converter detects links in PDF files, which can be used to add Hyperlinks to any given URL for each link found in the PDF file(s) or add search functionality to FSI Pages using IPTC data and more
5 Are there any additional fees per Catalog or Page?
No. Within the limits of your license, you can publish as many images and catalogs as you like.
6 How to split a PDF into single pages?
If your PDF documents security settings are not restricted, you can choose the "Extract Pages" option from the "Documents" menu, to have Adobe Acrobat save your multi-page PDF as single page PDF files, which you can offer for download from within FSI Pages.
FSI Server
1 What is the default login of FSI Server?
The default login of a newly installed FSI Server is
user: admin password: admin
Please change this immediately for security reasons by editing WEB-INF/config/users.xml Each user has an entry made up of the username and either a plaintext password or a password hash. To add a user named "user" with the password "user" simply add the following line:
<user name="user" plain="user" />
or use a SHA-256 hash of the password and add the following:
The new user will immediately be able to log in, a restart is not necessary
2 What are the system requirements for FSI Server?
The hardware requirements depend on the amount of images being hosted and the amount of hits and image requests the server has to handle. The FSI Server Software will require:
1 CPU Core (Quadcore or above recommended)
1 GB free RAM memory (1 GB per CPU Core recommended)
5 GB free hard disk space + image data
Operating System: A Sun Java 6 SE enabled operating system, such as:
Linux (Intel x86, Intel x86 64 Bit, PowerPC and others)
BSD
Microsoft Windows® 2000, 2003, XP or Vista (32 or 64 Bit)
Sun Solaris 10 (SPARC or Intel x86)
Mac OS X or Mac OS X Server
Web Application Server: Apache Tomcat 5.5.26 (or above)
*The FSI Server software itself takes about 150 MegaBytes of diskspace, without any images. Additional space required depends on the amount and dimensions of your images. As a rule of thumb, around 100 images require one GigaByte of disk capacity.
3 Which image formats are supported?
Source image pools will not be modified and performance is independent of the source image format. The server software will support the following source image file formats: PNG, TIFF, JPEG, BMP, GIF, FPX
4 Benchmarking / Machine Sizing
If you are unsure about what machine setup is needed to fit the needs of your website, don't hesitate to contact us. We have wide experience in this matter and can help determine your required setup in detail. We can also run benchmarking tests if needed.
5 Do I need a Database for my images to use the functionality of FSI Server?
No. You can organize your files in a directory structure. Additional information can be added to each picture and folder, but it is stored inside the images itself as IPTC data.
6 Does FSI Server work with vector based graphic files?
No. FSI Server uses rasterized images. If you want to use a vector based graphic on it, save a copy of the vector based image format as a rasterized image format e.g. TIFF.
7 What is FSI Cache and when would I need it?
FSI Cache provides disk caching of image data from Imaging Servers, it stores all images requested from FSI Server in the exact way it delivers them. Once an image is cached, FSI Cache delivers the image, without the need for FSI Server to render the same image again for the next request. This way, using FSI Cache reduces server load especially regarding highly frequented websites and is optimized to provide image data for FSI products. As FSI Cache can be installed on a seperate machine optionally, delivering and rendering can be handled on different machines, increasing performance even more. The caching capacity of FSI Cache is only limited by the available disk space. Older versions of FSI Cache (formerly known as ZoomCache) can be upgraded to the latest version. Please contact your reseller for details.
eRez Imaging Server (Obsolete)
1 What are the system requirements for eRez Imaging Server?
The hardware requirements depend on the amount of images being hosted and the amount of hits and image requests the server has to handle. The eRez Imaging Software will require:
2 GHz Pentium 4 or better
1 GB free RAM memory (2 GB recommended)
200 Mb free hard disk space*
Operating System: A Sun Java 5 enabled operating system, such as:
Linux (Intel x86, Intel x86 64 Bit, PowerPC and others)
BSD
Microsoft Windows® 2000, 2003, XP or Vista (32 or 64 Bit)
Sun Solaris 10 (SPARC or Intel x86)
Mac OS X or Mac OS X Server
Web Application Server: A Java Servlet 2.3 compliant Server, such as:
Apache Tomcat (recommended)
IBM WebSphere
Caucho Resin
BEA Weblogic
*The eRez software itself takes about 150 MegaBytes of diskspace, without any images. Additional space required depends on the amount and dimensions of your images. As a rule of thumb, around 100 images require one GigaByte of disk capacity.
2 Which image formats are rendered in realtime?
JPEG, Flash, PNG, GIF, PDF and TIFF can be delivered to any webpage in real time. For optimal processing speed, master images must be saved with an embedded "Image pyramid". EPS, AI, INDD, PDF and PSD are supported indirectly, this means eRez will generate a TIFF file when a file of such format is uploaded. eRez also supports 8 and 16 Bit TIFF images and color management.
3 Benchmarking / Machine Sizing
If you are unsure about what machine setup is needed to fit the needs of your website, don't hesitate to contact us. We have wide experience in this matter and can help determine your required setup in detail. We can also run benchmarking tests if needed.
4 Do I need a Database for my images to use the functionality of eRez?
No. You can organize your files in a directory structure. Additional information can be added to each picture and folder, but it is stored inside the images itself as IPTC data.
5 Does eRez work with vector based graphic files?
No. eRez uses rasterized images. If you want to use a vector based graphic on eRez, save a copy of the vector based image format as a rasterized image format e.g. TIFF.
6 Does eRez Imaging Server Software run on 32 / 64 Bit?
Yes, eRez Imaging Server software runs on both 32Bit and 64Bit based systems. Please note, that on 32Bit systems, no more than 2 GigaBytes of RAM can be allocated.
7 What is ZoomCache and when would I need it?
ZoomCache provides disk caching of image data from Imaging Servers, it stores all images requested from eRez in the exact way eRez delivers them. Once an image is cached, ZoomCache delivers the image, without the need for eRez to render the same image again for the next request. This way, using ZoomCache reduces server load especially regarding highly frequented websites and is optimized to provide image data for FSI products. As ZoomCache can be installed on a seperate machine optionally, delivering and rendering can be handled on different machines, increasing performance even more. The caching capacity of ZoomCache is only limited by the available disk space.
8 How to add watermarks to eRez/FSI Viewer?
Log into the eRez management console. Choose the menu entry "Real-time templates".
By default there is a template defined named "Overlay". You can use this template as a guide on how to set up Overlays for Watermarks in images retrieved from eRez Imaging server. If you like to use watermarks in FSI Viewer, please make sure the realtime template you use for FSI Viewer is set to a width and height of 2000 by 2000 pixel.
The watermark should be in TIFF format and contain alpha transparency.
Using the template will require the parameter FPXSERVERTEMPLATE being set to the templatename in FSI Viewer accordingly. If you use single source imaging, the parameter "&tmp=[templatename]" must be appended to the URL of the IMG SRC tag. Please change "[templatename]" to the name of the template you defined.
General Questions