Workbook

Wizard Mode

45 min·BASIC·Operator|Studio Manager

Wizard mode has two audiences: operators run wizards; designers create them. Exercises 1-3 are for everyone. Exercises 4-5 are designer-track (Studio Manager / consultant). Pick what matches your role.

Exercise 1 — Wizard vs Full Capture

For each scenario, decide: Wizard mode or Full Capture mode?

#	Scenario	Mode
1.1	Junior operator hired for seasonal help, will shoot the same 50 handbag styles repeatedly
1.2	Senior photographer doing creative product photography for a luxury brand campaign
1.3	Daily production line — 200 SKUs of identical packaging boxes per day
1.4	One-off custom photoshoot of a rare antique item with unusual angles
1.5	Warehouse receiving operator — scan + photograph + done
1.6	Studio with mixed-experience team where all roles share the same equipment

Tip: Section 8 of textbook.

Exercise 2 — Wizard step types

For each task, identify which step type fits: create-item, select-item, capture-folder, import-images, or liveview.

#	Task	Step type
2.1	Operator scans an unknown barcode → wants to start a new item
2.2	Operator needs to check camera focus before triggering capture
2.3	Operator captures 36 frames into the Spin folder
2.4	Operator picks an item from a list of 500 pre-imported via CSV
2.5	Operator uploads 3 handheld macro shots (taken with a phone) into the item
2.6	Operator captures 1 hero still image into the Stills folder

Tip: Section 4 of textbook lists all 5 step types.

Exercise 3 — Wizard launch prerequisites

A studio manager wrote a new wizard but CAPP refuses to launch it. Which of the following are valid reasons CAPP blocks the launch? (Mark all that apply.)

The wizard name contains spaces
The wizard has no presets assigned
The wizard’s workspace configuration is incomplete
The wizard’s step references a folder name that doesn’t exist
The wizard has too many steps (more than 10)
The wizard’s design uses too high-resolution bgImage

Tip: Section 3 of textbook lists validation requirements.

Exercise 4 — Design a wizard (designer track)

Scenario: You’re a Studio Manager. Your team has 5 junior operators arriving Monday for a 2-week seasonal contract. They’ll photograph 80 SKUs / day of small cosmetics (lipsticks, mascaras, blushes). Each SKU needs:

36-frame 360° spin

2 detail shots (top-down macro of label + side label)

Items will be pre-imported via CSV (with name + barcode + dimensions). Design the wizard step sequence.

List the steps in order. For each, specify the step type + the key configuration:

Step 1:

Type: Config:

Step 2:

Type: Config:

Step 3:

Type: Config:

Step 4:

Type: Config:

Step 5 (if needed):

Type: Config:

Plus answer: Why is this design good for junior operators?

Answer:

Exercise 5 — Write JSON for a step (advanced)

Write the JSON for a capture-folder step that:

Captures into folder named “MainSpin”
Has the title “Capture 360 spin”
Has the note “Position object on turntable center before pressing Start.”
Is mandatory (not optional)
Does not require copy filter

Tip: Section 5 of textbook has examples.

Exercise 6 — Pre-flight checklist

Before your first hands-on session or before designing a production wizard:

I can explain what Wizard mode is and how it differs from Full Capture mode.
I know wizard designers (Studio Managers, consultants) create wizards; operators don’t.
I know the 5 step types (create-item, select-item, capture-folder, import-images, liveview) and what each does.
I know the 3 validation requirements that must be met before a wizard can launch (presets, workspace, folder names).
I can list 3 reasons a Studio Manager would design a wizard for their team.
I know that PhotoRobot Touch (iOS app) is wizard-driven natively.
I know that custom wizard scripting is PhotoRobot consultant territory — not for ad-hoc operator changes.

If you can’t tick all seven, re-read the relevant section of textbook.md before moving on.

Solutions

Don’t look here until you’ve finished the exercises.

Exercise 1 — Wizard vs Full Capture

1.1 — Wizard mode. Junior operators + repetitive workflow → wizard reduces onboarding time and ensures consistency.
1.2 — Full Capture mode. Creative work needs full flexibility; wizard would constrain.
1.3 — Wizard mode. Production line + identical products → wizard maximizes throughput consistency.
1.4 — Full Capture mode. One-off custom shoots need ad-hoc decisions; wizard adds friction.
1.5 — Wizard mode. Scan + photograph workflow is exactly what wizards optimize.
1.6 — Both — depends on what’s being shot. Mixed team typically runs wizard for production, Full Capture for special projects.

Exercise 2 — Wizard step types

2.1 — create-item (new item with barcode field)
2.2 — liveview (camera preview before capture)
2.3 — capture-folder (Spin folder, 36 frames pre-configured via preset)
2.4 — select-item (existing items from CSV import)
2.5 — import-images (file upload, handheld shots)
2.6 — capture-folder (Stills folder, 1 frame)

Exercise 3 — Wizard launch prerequisites

Valid reasons CAPP blocks launch:

Wizard name contains spaces — no, names are flexible
Wizard has no presets assigned — YES, presets are mandatory
Workspace configuration is incomplete — YES, workspace must be complete
Step references a folder name that doesn’t exist — YES, folder names must match
Too many steps (>10) — no, no documented step limit
bgImage too high-res — no, design is decorative; resolution doesn’t block launch

Exercise 4 — Design a wizard (cosmetics production)

Canonical wizard for the scenario:

Step 1: select-item

Type: select-item Config: bgImage with cosmetic-product brand color; items pre-imported via CSV; operator picks today’s SKU

Step 2: liveview

Type: liveview Config: title “Position lipstick on turntable center, confirm focus”

Step 3: capture-folder

Type: capture-folder Config: dirName “Spin”, title “Capture 360 spin”, note “Press Start when ready. Sequence will run automatically.”, mandatory (no optional flag)

Step 4: capture-folder

Type: capture-folder Config: dirName “Stills-Top”, title “Capture top-down label shot”, note “Reposition camera to top-down angle. Click Capture when ready.”, optional: false (mandatory)

Step 5: capture-folder

Type: capture-folder Config: dirName “Stills-Side”, title “Capture side label shot”, note “Capture side angle of label”, optional: false

Why this design is good for junior operators:

Starts with select-item (eliminates “what should I create?” decision — items are pre-defined)
liveview before capture (operator visually confirms before committing)
Each capture-folder has a clear title + instruction note
Linear flow — no branching, no skippable steps until end
Consistent naming (Stills-Top, Stills-Side) makes folder structure predictable for downstream editing

Junior operator can complete this without ever opening Full Capture interface. After 5-10 items, they’re at full production speed.

Exercise 5 — JSON for capture-folder step

{
  "type": "capture-folder",
  "title": "Capture 360 spin",
  "note": "Position object on turntable center before pressing Start.",
  "dirName": "MainSpin"
}

Notes on the answer:

optional is not included → defaults to mandatory (which is what we want)
copy is not included → no copy filter (which is what we want)
The 4 keys (type, title, note, dirName) are all required for this scenario
Quotation marks around all string values; objects use curly braces

Done?

When you’ve worked through all exercises and reviewed the solutions, ask your instructor (or self-administer) the module knowledge check: 5 questions drawn from a pool of 10.

Knowledge check is not graded for certification — it’s diagnostic. If you score low, re-read the relevant textbook section and try again. Then proceed to module m08 — Camera configuration, m11 — Editing images, or m18 — PhotoRobot Touch (iPhone app) for the wizard-driven mobile counterpart.