Troubleshooting ROES Retail

Posted by Lauren


Since the last few blog posts I've written have been about ROES, I thought it would be good to continue the series by giving some troubleshooting tips. This article will outline how to troubleshoot ROES retail, particularly how to make sure that Java is installed and updated on your computer. I will include troubleshooting tips for both PCs and Macs.

ROES retail and ROES ordering systems in general run using the programming language, Java.

Most issues that you may have with running ROES can be solved by the following steps:

First, check for multiple versions of Java-

1. Open the Control Panel 

2. Launch the "Add or Remove Programs" control panel

3. Look in the list for any programs with Java in the name. You should only have one version of Java installed, Java(TM) 6 Update 20 (or higher)

4. If you have any other versions then remove them.

If you don't have AT LEAST Version 6 Update 20 then you will need to install the latest version of Java-

1. Go to http://www.java.com.


2. Follow instructions to download the installer.


3. When the download finishes, launch the installer. Follow the steps to install Java.


If you already have Java installed, follow these instructions for clearing your cache.


Clear your Java cache (Windows)-


1. Go to the Control Panel.


2. Double click the Java icon. If you don't see a Java Control Panel, click the "Switch to Classic View" link on the left side of the window.


3. Click the "Settings" button in the "Temporary Internet Files" block.


4. Click the "Delete Files..." button.


5. Leave both boxes checked and click "Ok" in the next window.


Clear your Java cache (Mac)-


1. Launch the Finder.


2. Go to Applications >> Utilities >> Java Preferences.


3. Launch Java Preferences.


4. Select the Network tab >> Click the "Delete Files" button.


5. Leave all items checked and click "Ok".


ROES on Windows-


ROES uses an ActiveX tag on Internet Explorer so Windows can automatically download and install Java. If security settings prevent this, you can change the settings or download and install Java manually.


To change security settings open Internet Explorer and go to Tools >> Internet Options and select the "Security" tab and click the "Custom Level" button. Scroll to "Run ActiveX controls and plug-ins" and click "Enable".


ROES on Mac-


Mac OS X comes with Java installed. For lower memory usage and faster image manipulation, users with 10.2.4 or higher should download the latest Java updates via the Mac Software Update. ROES will work on older versions of Java on OS X too.

10 Quick Tips for Ordering Using ROES

Posted by Lauren

Since many photo labs use a ROES ordering system to process orders, this article will give you some quick tips to help you when ordering. This is more of a hints and tips approach with guidelines for ordering and does not take you through the actual process of ordering. If you need help ordering please see http://blog.photostasher.com/2011/05/how-to-use-roes-ordering-system-in-5.html or contact us.

1. When launching ROES be aware of Java. You may be prompted to download or update Java by your computer. Please do so in order for the ordering system to run smoothly.

2. The "Info" page that you land on has links to products and product categories. Instead of immediately clicking on "Create Order", if you see a product you want to buy then click on it to be taken to that product within the ordering system. You can also click on a product category in the upper left corner or click on the On Sale Now graphic to view the on sale items.

3. My Photos: The "My Photos" category is where you pull your photos into the ordering system by clicking on "Get My Photos" at the bottom of the window. Once you have opened a folder of photos, you will see an upside down triangle in the left corner above the photos. Click on this triangle to minimize that group of photos so you can more easily see other photos. Click on it again to see the photos in that folder. To remove a group of photos, click the X in the upper right corner above them.

4. Product Options: There are two categories under "Product Options", "Print Options" and "Image Options". This is where you select Metallic Paper, textures/surface enhancements, and photo mounts. Please Note: In order to apply a product option to a photo or product you MUST select that option for each item that you want it applied to before clicking "Add to Cart".

5. Under "View My Cart" make sure to look at the various "Order Options" that you can select. This is where you can choose to drop ship your order, enter a promocode, etc. "Do Not Color Correct" should be selected if you do not want the lab to adjust the color of your photos. Otherwise, trained experts will color correct your photos according to Kodak professional standards.

6. Don't forget to select "Save for Future Orders" on the Checkout screen so you don't have to reenter all of your information the next time you order.

7. When you click "Place Order" make sure to select "Go to Uploads" to watch the progress of your order upload.

8. For an itemized receipt of your order, click on "Show Order" beside the yellow page button after you have sent it.

9. If you see a purple arrow button beside "Send" then your order hasn't sent and you must click that button in order to send it.

10. You should receive an order confirmation email within 24 hours of ordering. If not, then most likely your order didn't send due to a payment error, photo sending error, etc. Contact your lab so that they can verify whether or not you need to resend the order.

How to Use the ROES Ordering System in 5 Steps

Posted by Lauren

The ROES ordering systems, both professional and retail, are used by many photo labs across the country. For this reason I thought it would be helpful to give a few quick guidelines and tips on how to most effectively order photo prints and products using a ROES ordering system. Specifically, this article will focus on how to order using ROES retail. If you order from a professional photo lab and do not have an account as a professional photographer, then you're probably ordering from ROES retail.

ROES runs on Java so it is important to make sure you have Java or if you do that it is updated. If updates are necessary or you need to install Java you should be asked when you launch ROES. If you need to install it you can also go to http://www.java.com. Once installed, your computer should automatically look for updates and inform you when Java needs to be updated. Make sure that you install all updates when prompted.

Once you launch the ordering system it will take a few seconds to load. This is because every product, option, and template is loading. Keep in mind that this means that no additional loading is necessary as you click on different products. This is one of the many advantages to ROES. On the "Info" page that you first see you can click on any product, tab/category, or on sale item that you see to be taken to that item in the ordering system. From there you can add your photo(s) and place the item in your cart.

The following is a quick guide to using ROES:

1. Once the ordering system has launched, either click on a product you want to order on the first page or click on "Create Order" in the upper right corner. This will take you to the section where you apply your photos to products. Under the category "My Photos" click on "Get My Photos" in the bottom right corner to choose the location of the photos you want to use on your hard drive. You can choose multiple folders. The photos will then load under the "Get My Photos" section.

2. Under "Select Product" in the upper left corner first select the category of products you are interested in then the actual product you want to purchase. "Prints & Enlargements" is where all the different print sizes are located. Many products can also be found under "Photo Gifts". The product should now be visible in the middle section of the ordering system.

3. Drag and drop the photo(s) you want to apply to the product onto the blank space(s) in the template. In the lower left corner you will find "Product Options". This is where you choose Metallic Photo Paper, surface enhancements/textures, photo mounts, and any other options that you want to apply to that particular item. This must be selected for EACH individual item that you order. Once you are satisfied with that product, click "Add to Cart" below the product in the center of the page.

4. Once you've added each item you want to order to your cart click on "View My Cart" in the top right corner. Under "Order Options" you can enter a promocode, let the lab know if the order is to be drop shipped, etc. Make sure you enter the letter "Y" into the box at the bottom indicating that you agree with the terms & conditions then click "Complete Order".

5. From there you will enter your billing and shipping addresses and credit card information. You can check a box to save the information so you don't have to re-enter it the next time you order. Click "Place Order" then "Go to Uploads" to watch your order upload. It will say "Sent! Thank you!" once it's finished sending. You should receive an order confirmation email within 24 hours of placing your order.

I hope you found this article helpful. Do you have any questions about the ROES ordering system?

The Advantages of Printing Photos Online

Posted by Lauren

Where do you print your photos? For years the only way to print photos was to go to a physical location such as a drugstore or local photo printing company or send off your film to be printed. This became the norm for most people so that when online photo printing came along, they just didn't want to bother with it. Many knew how to print their photos at a drugstore or by sending them off and just didn't see the advantage to going online.

In this article I will highlight 5 reasons that it is beneficial to you to print photos online. I will also give the one and only reason that I think printing photos in a drugstore is more advantageous.

1. You can order in your pj's- Okay, maybe not literally, but when you're ordering from home, you don't have to go out to print your photos. You can order them whenever you want to at your discretion. If you want to order them in the middle of the night when you can't sleep, then you can.

2. You will probably put your photos on your computer or Facebook anyway- The photos that you are printing you will probably want to upload to Facebook to share with your friends or at least put them on your computer. If you know you are going to do this, it makes sense to go ahead and print them online. This saves you time and eliminates the extra steps it takes to print them somewhere else.

3. Drugstores don't have professional photo printing- Because people are so used to going to a local drugstore to print photos, they don't even think about the quality. Most people assume that the quality is just fine if they've never seen their photos printed professionally before. What a difference it makes! I recently had a friend who needed some photos printed quickly and went to a drugstore to have them developed. She told me that the quality was awful and that she would be avoiding printing there at all costs in the future.

4. The photos are delivered to your door- You don't have to pickup photos if you order online, unless of course you choose that option. You can have them delivered to your door without having to worry about them again. You may be thinking about the shipping costs of ordering online which is understandable. However, many online printers offer free shipping if you order a certain amount of prints. Also, shipping prices are usually fairly reasonable and it may be worth it to you to pay a little extra so that you don't have to pick up your order.

5. You can take your time- There is absolutely no reason you have to feel pressured to print your photos all at once. When you're printing from home you can work for a little while, stop and do something else, then come back to it if you like.  You don't have to stand at a kiosk and print those hundreds of photos you've finally decided to print all at once. It's definitely a nice luxury to have.

These are all reasons that I choose to print my photos online from the comfort of my home. There is one exception, though, that would cause me to print them in a drugstore. The only reason I would do this is if I needed prints immediately within the next couple of hours. Otherwise, if you find a reputable online photo printer, your order will more than likely ship out within 1 business day of ordering.

What are some reasons that you choose to print photos online or in a drugstore? Which do you prefer?