Wizard Mode

Wizard mode strips the full Capture interface down to “press the button when ready.” For high-volume production lines and barely-trained junior operators, this is the difference between a 4-hour onboarding and a 4-day onboarding. The wizard designer (studio manager, consultant) does the thinking once; every operator after that just follows the steps.

1. What Wizard Mode is

In standard CAPP, the full Capture interface (m06) gives the operator total control: every menu, every option, every preset. Power user friendly. Junior operator overwhelming.

Wizard mode simplifies this. The operator sees a guided, step-by-step interface — typically just “take a photo when ready” with maybe a checkbox to confirm. Adjustable settings are hidden; the wizard designer pre-configured them. The operator’s job becomes mechanical: position object → press button → next item.

Where it fits in PhotoRobot’s product strategy:

• High-volume production lines (200+ SKUs/day per operator)
• Junior / temporary operators (seasonal hires, training rotations)
• Studios with mixed-experience teams (senior designs wizard, junior runs it)
• Specialty workflows that need consistent execution (medical product photography, regulated industries)

Wizard mode is a CAPP feature — runs inside CAPP local desktop. Operator sees CAPP launch directly into wizard, not into the full Capture interface.

Related: PhotoRobot Touch (iOS app, m18) is fundamentally wizard-driven — every step uses the same wizard infrastructure.

2. Who creates wizards

Wizard configuration is not an operator task. Operators run wizards; they don’t create them. Wizard designers are typically:

• Studio Managers — design wizards for their team’s daily production
• PhotoRobot consultants — design custom wizards as part of customer onboarding (advanced workflows)
• Integrators — script wizards as part of customer ERP / PIM integration projects

If you’re an operator and want a new wizard, request it from your studio manager or PhotoRobot Support. Don’t try to edit production wizards mid-shoot.

3. Wizard configuration — overview

To create a new wizard:

1. In CAPP local app → Settings menu
2. Click Add Wizard (top-right)
3. Fill in the wizard configuration:
   • Wizard name — descriptive (e.g., “Apparel-Spin-Plus-Detail”)
   • Item name — naming pattern for items created by this wizard
   • Notes — internal documentation
   • Presets — which presets (m06 Section 14) the wizard uses
   • Workspace — which workspace (m05) the wizard operates in
   • Wizard steps — the ordered list of steps the operator follows (next section)

Validation requirement: before a wizard can launch, it must have valid Presets, a complete Workspace configuration, and matching folder names (the wizard steps must reference folders that exist or will be created). If any of these is missing or mismatched, the wizard won’t run — CAPP will block launch with an error.

4. The 5 wizard step types

A wizard’s logic is a list of steps. CAPP supports 5 step types:

A complete production wizard typically chains several of these. Example:

1. create-item — operator enters product name + barcode
2. liveview — operator confirms object positioning
3. capture-folder — Spin folder, 36 frames
4. capture-folder — Stills folder, 1 hero image
5. (end of wizard, ready for next item)

The operator clicks through the steps; each step ends when its task completes (item created, capture done, etc.).

5. Step configuration — JavaScript-like format

Wizard steps are defined in a JavaScript-like format (JSON-style objects). This is what the wizard designer writes; the operator never sees it.

Example: create-item step

{
  "type": "create-item",
  "fields": [
    { "name": "name" },
    { "name": "note", "optional": true }
  ],
  "design": {
    "bgImage": "https://hosting.photorobot.com/images/.../background.png"
  }
}

This step asks the operator to fill in Name (mandatory) and Note (optional), with a custom background image on the wizard screen.

Available fields for create-item:

• name — item name (most common)
• barcode — barcode value (scan or type)
• trackingCode — internal tracking
• link — URL associated with item
• note — free text
• tags — comma-separated tags
• workspace — associate with specific workspace

Each field can have "optional": true to make it skippable.

Example: select-item step

{
  "type": "select-item",
  "design": {
    "bgImage": "https://hosting.photorobot.com/images/.../background.png"
  }
}

This step shows existing items, operator picks one. Common after CSV import — all items pre-exist, operator just selects each one to shoot.

Example: capture-folder step

{
  "type": "capture-folder",
  "title": "Capture interior",
  "note": "Capture interior with handheld camera.",
  "dirName": "Stills"
}

This step captures into the Stills folder. The title and note are shown to the operator as instructions. dirName must match a folder that exists or will be created in the item.

capture-folder advanced options:

• optional: true — operator can skip this capture
• copy: { toDir: "...", filter: { swingAbs: ..., turnAbs: ..., label: "..." } } — automatically copy captured images into another folder (e.g., copy the hero frame from a Spin to a separate Hero folder)

Example: import-images step

Operator uploads files (handheld photos, custom angles) into a designated folder. Useful for hybrid workflows where some shots are PhotoRobot-captured and some are handheld.

Example: liveview step

Operator sees live camera feed. Used for composition / focus verification before triggering an actual capture. Doesn’t produce captured images — just visual confirmation.

6. Wizard launch — operator’s view

Once configured, a wizard can be launched in CAPP. The operator sees:

• A focused interface showing the current step’s prompt (e.g., “Enter product name”)
• A single primary action button (e.g., “Next” or “Take photo”)
• Optional background image (per wizard’s design)
• No menus, no other settings, no distractions

The operator works through the wizard sequence: complete step → next → complete → next. Each item progresses through the full wizard, then resets for the next item.

This is the value: an operator who doesn’t know what a preset is, hasn’t memorized which folder is Spin, doesn’t understand swing angles — can still produce production-quality images by following the wizard’s prompts.

7. Designing a good wizard — patterns

For Studio Managers / consultants writing wizards:

7.1. Match the wizard to the production line

If your line produces handbags + jewelry + apparel, you likely need separate wizards per product category. Each has different folder structure, different camera angle, different lighting preset. One wizard per product type is the canonical pattern.

7.2. Front-load identification

Always start with create-item or select-item. The item must exist before captures can happen. Putting identification first means an operator can’t accidentally capture images “loose” without an item attached.

7.3. Use liveview before high-stakes captures

If a particular capture must be perfectly framed (hero image, regulated photography), insert a liveview step before the capture-folder. Operator visually confirms framing before triggering.

7.4. Mark optional steps clearly

If a step is optional (e.g., “import additional handheld shots”), use "optional": true and label the step clearly. Operators interpret unmarked steps as mandatory.

7.5. Use background images for brand / context

Wizard’s design supports bgImage. Use a clear visual context (the studio’s logo, a product reference photo, a customer’s brand color) so operators know they’re working on the right product line.

7.6. Test the wizard with a junior operator before deploying

If a junior operator can complete the wizard without help, it’s well-designed. If they stop and ask “what should I do next” — the wizard isn’t self-explanatory enough.

8. Wizard mode vs. Full Capture mode — when to use which

Most large PhotoRobot studios run both — wizards for the daily production line, full capture mode for special projects.

9. Custom scripting — for advanced users

The JavaScript-like format opens the door to custom logic beyond what’s documented. Advanced wizards may use:

• Conditional steps (skip step X if condition Y)
• External data lookups (fetch item metadata from API mid-wizard)
• Custom validation (operator input must match a pattern)
• Multi-camera orchestration (different cameras per step)

These are PhotoRobot consultant territory, not standard documentation. If you need custom wizard logic, engage PhotoRobot consulting or contact Support for guidance. Don’t attempt to script complex logic in production wizards without testing.

10. For full reference

This module is the operator-level + designer-level overview. The canonical references on photorobot.com:

• Wizard Mode — User Support Manual — full configuration reference: step types (create-item, select-item, capture-folder, import-images, liveview), JavaScript-like format with detailed object specifications, examples
• Getting Started — User Support Manual — operator-level wizard mode in production-line context
• PhotoRobot Touch iPhone App User Manual — Touch app is wizard-driven natively; see m18 for Touch app deep dive

When designing a wizard, open the wizard-mode manual for full step-type reference and examples. When operating a wizard, the wizard itself is your reference — no manual needed.

Module check

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