On Aug 27, 2012, at 12:16 PM, Graeme wrote:
Hi All,
This has probably been discussed in the past. However, does anyone have any ideas about how to incorporate a business card maker on a website?
I did an example a while back showing how you could make a preview for engraving: Custom Engraving – the file is here: http://scripty.walterdavisstudio.com/engrave/custom.freeway.zip
What I’d need is to show a bunch of templates. The user would select one, add their details and see how it looks on the screen. They would then pick a quantity and submit it for print.
I think if you’re not going to go crazy here, you’ll need to make some HTML templates that simulate your InDesign or QuarkXPress templates, then use a form to capture the details (including which template was chosen) and have a junior typesetter copy the data into the appropriate print template. I would make a separate form for each design, and use the technique from the engraving example to create the preview at the same time that you’re capturing the data. Add a hidden form field to that page with the name of the template, and you’re done. Your index page would show a generic card in each design, when they click on one of those, they go to the specific form for that design.
One thing to figure out here will be fonts. If you use Web fonts, you’ll want to use the same fonts to print as you do on the Web, so you’ll want to choose real fonts rather than the free but non-standard Google type. Look at your options at a good font sales site.
It is possible to programmatically make a PDF on your server, which would make it absolutely correct, but it’s way above most people’s level to write and configure, and frighteningly tricky to get exactly right in terms of typography.
I know Vistaprint and other print companies do this, but is there a simple way of doing something similar in Freeway. Or is there a website that can offer this service so that I can integrate into a site?
You may find a cheap and cheerful “internet” printer out there that offers this sort of reseller program. If you’re showcasing your own designs, then I doubt it will work for you. But if all you’re after is a simple card as a product that people can buy, that might be enough.
Walter
Thanks,
Graeme
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