Tag Archives: customizer

3D Capability Now Available

Welcome to 3D

We are proud to announce that we now have 3D capability available on the MyStyle Customizer V5.1 or higher. This feature allows our users to fully view their custom products in a fully functional three dimensional model. Directly in our customizer software. Your users will be able to upload, design, and then preview their creations in fully functional 3D!

How to use

For this example we will be using makecanvasprints.com

Select a Product

The first step is finding the product you want to customize and the selecting our customize option.

product,custom,3d,design

Add a Custom Design

After selecting customize you will move to our Customizer software where you, or your users, can choose to create a custom background within our software. Users can also upload their own images from the web or personal libraries.

Click For 3D Preview

Once the image or background has been uploaded and edited simply select the preview button and view your product in fully functional 3D!

Additional Functionality

While inside the 3D preview the user will have the added functionality of zooming in to have a closer inspection or rotating in any direction desired. The 3D preview feature adds a layer of immersion for the user and gives a better sense of what the final product will look like before it arrives. This feature will be available for our Premium Members here at Mystyle Platform!

Implementation

To have the new software available, Standard and Managed licenses should contact us to have this enabled for their mystyle sites or customizers.

Major Updates for Customizer 4.1.0 and WP Plugin 3.17.4

Spring Cleaning is in Full Effect!

Yesterday we shipped some major updates with bug fixes for various issues that have been reported in the Customizer as version 4.1.0, and also in the WordPress plugin 3.17.4.  The bugfixes, features, and/or updates include:

  • Text bug fix for duplicating text objects
  • SSL fixes for some non-SSL URL assets
  • Template Masking updates
  • Preloader updates (faster / more stable startup)
  • New Feature: Multi-Side Preview Mode (switch sides while in preview mode)
  • Multi-Side Product bug fix
  • New Feature: before-after animation for preview mode transition
  • Auto Drop Shadow bug fix
  • Duplicate Image bug fix
  • Background gradient vs Background Image rotations fix
  • Email skip fix for logged in users
  • Re-Selection of existing objects from menu bug fix
  • Auto-saving update (new delay time)
  • Various small performance updates
  • Author page “my designs” error fix
  • Private designs images in public author carts bug fix
  • Various CSS Style fixes and updates
  • Various small details updated

This is a cumulative update for the Customizer 4.1.0+ that is automatically remotely updated on our platform for all deployments – nothing for you to update there.

However, the MyStyle Custom Product Designer 3.17.4 WP Plugin itself will require an update from your WP Admin > Plugins page to apply that update.

As with any major update, please test your Customizer after updating and report any issues that you find in the support channel for your license and we’ll investigate right away.

We are continuing to push minor updates this week as any reports are made.

In the mean time, enjoy the new speed and updates!

Feature Upgrade: Background Libraries Category Browser

The backgrounds browser is Step 1 in almost all MyStyle apps for good reason. It’s an easy step that anyone can do and doesn’t require any content from the user, only choices. It’s fun and shows what you can do quickly and provides instant gratification to users by giving them great colors and stock backgrounds to choose from to get them on their way to creating an awesome design that they love.

The Issue with Long Lists and Pagination

The only problem is, sometimes digging through that backgrounds library seemed daunting and unorganized, and naturally the images at the very end of the list didn’t get very much action (very few people press previous page first to go through the list in reverse order, almost everyone just goes page 1, 2, 3 etc). So this UX needed to be updated to make it easier to find the content you love in the BG library.  Well, that’s where the Category browser comes in.

Enter the Library Category Browser

We’ve launched a new and improved component recently that is already proving to give users more control to get design they love.

Now in step 1 when you browse backgrounds, you’re greeted with a scrolling single page list of thumbnails that represent each category, and are labeled as such to make it easy to understand what each category tile is a collection of.  Now, a customer can see “Fine Art” for example without ever having to click to a next page, and they can click that to see our collection of great fine art images without having to dig through a whole list to find them.  This is way easier and more fun, and immediately makes it so much faster to create a design you already start to like in the first step.

Live and Doing Great!

This feature automatically updates in your app so you should already have it live on your own MyStyle enabled sites if you have a Step 1 for backgrounds (it’s the default, so you probably do).

Stats Show Increased Performance

We’ve already seen an increase in the amount of designs and purchases that make use of background assets that we do not normally see many sales on.  This is the proof that the new feature is getting used on designs that make it all the way through to sale, and that customers are happier than ever using MyStyle to personalize their designs with our collections of free graphics.

That’s great news for everyone using MyStyle!

MyStyle Custom Product Designer Version 3.0 Released

The MyStyle team is excited to announce a minor change in the code but a major update for the plugin. The plugin will now use our HTML5 Customizer by default, as opposed to the Flash customizer. This marks the official deprecation of the Flash version and strong recommendation to update your MyStyle plugins and switch your own Customizer apps entirely over to HTML5.

You’ll see the Settings tab switched to say “Enable Flash (Not Recommended)”. Make sure this is NOT checked to always use HTML5.

Our team has been working around the clock to update our HTML5 customizer with new standards for mobile usability and the core feature list from our legacy Flash Customizer. We’re happy to say that between our new versions of the HTML5 Customizer and Renderer combined we are now printing at higher resolutions than ever with the SVG and JPG formats with 300dpi and vector quality.

MyStyle Plugin Order Queue Add On Version 2.1.0 Released

The entire family of MyStyle plugins are being updated to support the new Render links! This updated is for the MyStyle Order Queue Add On, and includes:

  • Added ability to search the Order Queue using the order id.
  • Now only showing the Print Image link for jpg and png files.
  • Added the Renderer link to the Order Queue page.

This is another step forward toward full HTML5 support including print ready files.

Update v 2.1.0 for MyStyle Custom Product Designer for WordPress WooCommerce

We’ve recently released version 2.1.0 of the MyStyle Custom Product Designer plugin for WordPress / WooCommerce. This is a non-critical update that addresses the following features or points:

Feature Updates

  • The main product link for customized cart items now goes to the regular product page (it was previously going to the design profile page).
  • Added a system for theming the output of the plugin.
  • Added a theme-able template file for the output of the cart item thumbnail for customized products.

Update Easily in Seconds from your WP Admin

Update by pressing “update” on the main MyStyle Custom Product Desginer plugin in your WordPress plugins list.

Custom Color Palettes

Many people do not realize that we can change the color palette to be a custom color palette for any app. So, instead of the default color palette containing our standard set of common web colors, you can have your own set of colors for users to choose from.

Where Are The Color Palettes?

Color palettes can be found in the solid Background color UI, the Background Fade (Gradient) UI, the Edit-Text UI, Edit Monogam UI, Patterns UI, and special UIs for things like frame colors, vehicle paint colors, etc.  Basically, anywhere the user can choose a color for something in their design.

How is This Useful?

If you or your manufacturer or fulfillment partner uses a CMYK printer, as most do, you may want to use a CMYK color palette to be sure that users are not able to select colors that are only possible in the RGB color space.  Generally speaking, this means RGB colors are so bright and saturated on screen where there is light projecting the color to that extra bright range, that they generally cannot be printed with traditional CMYK printers.

Curated Colors

Some sites use a curated color palette where they have hand selected a set of colors they know work well with their products, and match well with each other, and can be printed well.

Conversely, if you know certain colors do not work well for your products or your printer, you can use a custom color palette to be sure you can’t use them!

Where to Buy

If you need a new UI entirely or complex color palette, or if you have a Standard or Managed license, talk to your account manager about what’s best for your site.

If you have a Developer License and want this upgrade with a set of color codes you have yourself, you can find this upgrade in the MyStyle Marketplace:

Custom Background Color or Text Color Library

 

 

MakeCustomSigns Launches! Design Your Own Signs and Custom Signs!

MakeCustomSigns is Live! Make, Design, and Create Your Own Signs!

MyStyle Platform is excited to announce the launch of our latest partner property where you can design your own sign, MakeCustomSigns! Using the MyStyle Platform custom product designer MakeCustomSigns allows users to create outdoor signs, yard signs, banners, flags, and business signage. MakeCustomSigns is the most advanced custom sign site online and uses all the features of our MyStyle Customizer to let you add images, text, pictures, colors and get your design printed on any sign. We even use them in our own offices for our own signage!

What Kind of Custom Signs Are Available on MakeCustomSigns?

MakeCustomSigns has all of the most popular types of signage including banners, vinyl banners, outdoor signs, yard signs and even indoor signage like posters. MakeCustomSigns also specializes in signage like flags and a-frame signs for small and large businesses. If you want to design your own sign you’ll find multiple sizes of each of their designs and some of the lowest possible prices. They also do custom bulk signs and wholesale signs so you can get your own logo printed on your sign. Check out MakeCustomSigns and design your own custom sign!

New Feature: Editable 3D Canvas Wrap View for Design Your Own Canvas

Making Canvas Wraps Easier Than Ever with this Awesome New Feature: 3D Wrap Views

We’re happy to announce the availability of a new feature for Canvas Wraps Customizer (or any custom rectangular printed product where the graphic wraps around the squared edges). The 3D Wrap view helps users understand instantly where the “bleed” and “wrap” zones are instantly, without having to think about what a “bleed” is or read the help bubble trying to explain the concept. This makes accuracy of print images increase significantly, as many users previously were a bit confused about where their text should and shouldn’t go.

Customizing a Canvas Print in the 2D Full Template View Mode

3 Automatic View Modes In Customization

The feature consists of automatically switching between a 3D-Wrap View, a 2-D Full Template view including outer bleed/wrap areas, and the final Cropped Straight-On View. The first two, the 3D wrap view and the 2D Full Template view, switches back and forth automatically as the user works on their design. When they mouse over the canvas, they see the full view, to position their objects inside the red bleed/wrap guide line, keeping their text inside the “safe zone”. When they reach step 4 to complete their order, the outer areas of both views are cropped off and hidden to show the final product straight on, eliminating any question of what will be cut off around the edges vs on the front face of the canvas. This final straight on view sends thru as their main image, staying consistent with the traditional artwork view that is expected on art print and canvas sites.

Completed Custom Canvas - in 3D Wrap View Feature

DPI, Accuracy, Inches & Pixels

Our manufacturers’ specs are met to the inch and pixel with exact settings to ensure accuracy. Users can’t be bothered with understanding DPI, PPI, bleed in inches, or any of that. The information is there for them in a help bubble if they are curious, but really they want to know what they see on screen is what they get in the mail, and that’s exactly what our accuracy can ensure.

Try It Out at MakeCanvasPrints

Our Beta release is testing now on MakeCanvasPrints.com – perhaps the easiest custom canvas print design tool on the web today.  MCP enables happy customers who design their own canvas prints with photos, effects, and tons of cool custom text additions every single day:

Design a Custom Canvas Print

 

Latest MyStyle Site Has Launched – Fly Discs! Design Your Own Disc Golf Disc!

Custom Disc Golf Discs, Ultimate Frisbee Discs, and Frisbees!



Ever wanted a custom disc golf disc? Us too! So we went ahead and launched the latest super cool MyStyle Site: Fly Discs – Design Your Own Disc Golf Disc!

This is another one of our signature sites and we’re really proud of how well its turned out, (not to mention how cool our discs look!) We partnered with some of the top brands to make sure that every disc from our site is top quality and ready for course. This was one of first sites to go live with the mobile HTML5 customizer at the same time and we love the site design. A completely circular product makes for some interesting designs and we’ve already seen some great ones using everything from spirals to pepperoni pizzas. Definitely a great site to check if you’ve ever wanted a custom disc or ultimate disc and we’re confident this has to be one of the cooler brands in customization. FORE!



Missed the link? Click here to get custom disc golf discs from Fly Discs!

Mobile Customizer Is Launched! Design Your Own Products in HTML5!

We’re excited to announce the launch of our new product customizer for mobile web! We’re pushing the boundaries of HTML5 and web tech to bring mobile customization and mobile personalization to the MyStyle Platform. You’ll see our new mobile product design tool rolling out across many of our sites as we test the waters and launch new features. So far so good and the designs are looking great. If you want to see it in action head over to design your own skateboard on your phone at Whatever Skateboards or try it out by getting your phone pictures printed on canvas and MakeCanvasPrints.

Screenshots of Our Mobile Customizer

Want to take a peek at our mobile customizer? Here’s a few screenshots we snapped so you can take a look:

Whatever Skateboards Mobile Customizer
MakeCanvasPrints Mobile Customizer

So… What’s It Like? How Are The Designs?

We’ve tested this on multiple devices and the experience is great on both phones and tablets. We’re super happy with the performance on iPhone 5 and iPads in particular and the experience is the the current best in class. We’ll be adding more spice to our mobile customizer coming soon; new features are on their way! It is definitely exciting to see mobile tech and HTML5 break through previous performance and UX barriers to become a viable option for mobile customization apps and mobile personalization apps. The designs on the products coming out look great!

What Products Are Available?

Using our MyStyle API we’re able to provide nearly our entire product catalog from all manufacturers and printers to be designed on cell phones and other devices. That’s a staggering number of products that are live for people to design! We have to admit, its pretty fun to try the mobile customizer so give it a whirl and let us know what you think.

Greatest Skateboard Ever Was Made With MyStyle

Cats + Lasers FTW

One of the best parts of MyStyle is seeing the creative and incredible art and products that are made using using our platform. This skateboard is exactly one of those situations and we had to share it here on our MyStyle blog. Using the MyStyle platform running over at Whatever Skateboards to design their own skateboard one of our genius friends created this masterpiece which has to be seen to be believed…

Actual Printed Skateboard

Original Design on Website

YEP. Cat on a skateboard deck shooting laser beams from its eyes. Does it get any better than that? We submit that is does not and thusly why we dubbed this the great skateboard ever made. And it was made with MyStyle using the MyStyle Customizer and the MyStyle API. Here’s a link to the original design on Whatever Skateboards – design your own skateboard

Check Out This Sweet Sneak Peek!

You Want The New Jams? HERE IS THE NEW JAMS.

Hot off the presses and tearing up this West Coast Art and Frame 2014 is the latest and greatest in personalization technology: a frame customizer. If you’re out in Vegas for this year’s show be sure to roam around and find our demo. To keep you satisfied if you couldn’t make it out this year we’ve dropped some screenshots in to this article for you.

Why Is This Cool?

This is the only frames customizer. The. only. one. The reason is simply that a frames customizer is too difficult to program. Our specialty here at MyStyle is taking on new R&D projects is customization and even this one was a huge challenge for us. Thankfully we have a lot of experience in this space and have worked with the best partners in the industry. While this isn’t quite ready for full public release it is live and working at WCAF 2014 and you can design your own frame.

Since When Does MyStyle Do Expos and Tradeshows?

Since Day 1! Our tech is regularly featured on large screens, kiosks, laptop, and any other way you can demo a product at a tradeshow. If you’ve seen a demo of a designer or design tool, or even if you just designed your own product at a booth, odds are it was running on MyStyle and you didn’t even know it. Our tech is a staple of the tradeshow circuit and a proven win when it comes to making a splash with a memorable booth. Contact us to hear what we can do for your next industry event!

Screenshots

Customizer and Designer and Editor, Oh My!

What Do You Call That App?

It goes by many names, but it turns out there isn’t a common word for the type of app we call our MyStyle Customizer™. Lots of people contact us asking about our “Customizer”, but a lot of people also ask if we have a customizer but just don’t know the right word to describe it.

Here’s some of the phrases we’ve seen that describe what we here call our MyStyle Customizer.

MyStyle Customizer Names:

  • designer
  • visualizer
  • configurator
  • personalizer
  • design editor
  • design tool
  • personalization editor
  • photo editor
  • photo manipulator
  • product editor
  • image maker
  • image editor
  • picture maker
  • previewer
  • preview tool
  • product preview
  • print preview
  • design app
  • editing app
  • customization app
  • image uploader
  • customization app
  • text editor
  • personalizer
  • personalization software
  • design-your-own
  • DIY

What is the Mystyle Customizer?

Our customizer is the visual tool that people use to create new designs on their products. Our customizer is extremely diverse and comes in many different forms. At times the customizer may only be a simple upload or text field and at other times the customizer is a full blown visual UI/UX for creating customized and personalized products. This is one of the key parts involved in personalization and customization because for every app, every product, every design, and every person is everything can be different. That is also why there are so many ways of describing a customizer.

Customizers are typically contained within an exterior website, application, kiosk, or display case and are a subsection of an overall customization or personalization website. In many cases people using our customization app are actually using it on other people’s websites! This can also make it hard to define precisely where the boundaries are on the MyStyle Customizer as it is seamlessly integrated with existing solutions.

There are always new ways of describing this type of app because there is no standard word for it! With all these options we wanted a single word that describes it best and went with customizer. So whether you’re looking for a “designer” or a “print previewer” or an “image maker” you’ve come to the right place. But around these parts we just call it the Mystyle Customizer :-)