Adding Annotations to Assets

Xinet Portal Annotations allows users with proper privileges to add Annotations to any asset for which Xinet creates previews for—single images, InDesign layout files, Illustrator files, Photoshop files, HTML files, PDFs, and Microsoft Office documents. Along with the ability to add annotations, users can also add comments describing why an annotation was added. The example below shows Annotations that have been added to an image file.

Users may also review and track Annotations from other reviewers and search for text and notes that have been included during review. When used in conjunction with Xinet Triggers and Actions (adding or editing an Annotation can trigger an Action), Annotations can simplify and speed up review cycles for clients, creative staff and production teams.

The Annotations resides in the asset’s Web preview, so that the original data remains unchanged—and the layers can be turned on and off individually, according to the viewer’s discretion. Since it is quite possible that a file may undergo several rounds of review and Annotations, Xinet also keeps track of a file’s Annotations history.

Some notes about Annotations tools:

•	A highlighted View Annotations icon indicates that an asset has existing Annotations. Whether or not the icon has been highlighted, clicking on it in Long View or Short View opens the Annotations window.

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Each annotation creates an entry in the Annotations palette, with each having its own layer. You may use the eye icon to temporarily hide an annotation. You will also see a trash can icon associated with each Annotation before it has been saved. You may used it to deleted an Annotation if you change your mind about it; you cannot do this, however, once the Annotation has been saved.

•	The Adjustment/Select (Exhibit theme) or Navigate (Marquee theme) tool allows you to select and move existing Annotations.

•	The Sketch tool (Exhibit theme only) allows you to draw on top of the image. Before using it, select the color you want to use from the Stroke Color pop-up palette. You’ll also be able to establish the thickness of the line by clicking on the plus and minus signs.

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The Text tool allows you to enter text over any area of the preview. Before using it, consider the background where you will place your text and then, use the Text Color pop-up pallet to choose a color with that will show up over the background. When you first select the Text tool, you’ll have the opportunity to establish the font, its size, style and how the words will be justified.

Place the cursor where you want the text to appear, enter it in the box that pops-up, and when your finished click OK. Text annotations have a max length of 65535 in the database. When displayed, they’re bounded by the annotation box that contains them. When the annotation is created, this box is relatively small. However, it can be re-sized with the Adjustment tool by clicking and dragging the corners of the box.  Essentially you can display as much text as the page will contain.

•	You can use the Rectangle tool to draw either a frame without interior color or a solid block of color. Use the Stroke bar to increase or decrease the thickness of the rectangle’s border and use the Fill Color to set the color used inside the rectangle.

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The Stamp allows you to quickly add preprogrammed messages. Xinet Portal ships with a number of them already in the system. Your system administrator can add more. You’ll have an opportunity to select an existing stamp from a pop-up list when you click on the Stamp tool. After selecting the Stamp, move the cursor to the place in the image where you want the Stamp to appear and click once.

•	Click the Save button to register your Annotations. They will be entered in the asset’s Annotations history for later searching and viewing. They may also then trigger other events in the approval or production workflow.

•	Use the Compare button (Exhibit theme only) and the Annotations session pop-up lists to compare historical Annotations side-by-side. (A similar mechanism exists for comparing versions of files too.)

Note: Users will receive warnings any time more than one user begins to add Annotations to a file.

 

Using the Reports button located at the bottom left corner of the Portal interface (Exhibit theme), users can customize reports about the file being viewed Reports can display information about Keywords, provide Previews with Annotations, skip the display of Previews or show All Available Previews associated with files. Reports can also number each annotation to facilitate easier discussion, and be customized to show Small, Medium or Large Thumbnails. Finally Reports can be rendered as Printable PDF in various page sizes and orientations.

With proper permissions, you’ll also be able to generate a Batch Report that includes information about Annotations in multiple assets. The Batch Report option, will appear when you open your Collection and will summarize pertinent information for everything currently in your collection within its report.