I changed canvas size default setting. But I don't know how to change it again.

[Davichad]

I changed the default canvas size from the original number to 2,000 x 1,500 long ago. (2 years maybe?)

 

Evidence link to imgur gif.

 

But I have no idea how to change again to a new size of 1920x1080 so that I don't have to fiddle with the size repeatedly.

 

I've searched every topic in the forum regarding the topic, and seen the tricks there. But I hope just to change the default setting. I mean there must be a number in the code which you can simply change to make this happen right?

 

Anyone can help? Thanks!

[toe_head2001]

You can't set a default size for new images.

 

You're seeing 2,000 x 1,500 because there's an image on your clipboard with that size.

[Lemonade]

Hey @Davichad, here is a workaround for default document size (make sure to use Save as, so you don't overwrite default template file):

 

 

[Tactilis]

On 4/20/2023 at 6:36 PM, toe_head2001 said:

You're seeing 2,000 x 1,500 because there's an image on your clipboard with that size.

Indeed.
 

 

On 4/20/2023 at 6:24 PM, Davichad said:

I've searched every topic in the forum regarding the topic

@Davichad, had you looked at the paint.net Documentation - click the icon top right - you would have seen:

https://www.getpaint.net/doc/latest/FileMenu.html

 

"New
This creates a new, blank, single layered image. The single layer will be filled with white.

The default canvas size is 800 x 600 pixels scaled by the system DPI setting, or the size of any image contained in the clipboard."

 

 

 

[Davichad]

1 hour ago, toe_head2001 said:

You can't set a default size for new images.

 

You're seeing 2,000 x 1,500 because there's an image on your clipboard with that size.

What do you mean? I restart my PC and it's still the same. What is clipboard?

[Rick Brewster]

A default size of 2000x1500 is a result of having a Windows scaling setting of (2000 / 800) = 250%. Has nothing to do with the clipboard in this case. Perfectly normal.

[Tactilis]

Out of interest, what was the design rationale for choosing a default size of 800x600, scaled by the Windows scaling setting?

Is the rationale still as valid as when it was decided many years ago?

 

 

I think there is a reasonable argument to be made (in order of increasing implementation effort) for:

1. The 'New' dialog retaining any user entered Width/Height/Resolution values across invocations of the dialog within the same paint.net session, i.e. in the same way that the 'Maintain aspect ratio' and 'inches/centimetres' settings are retained.

2. The 'New' dialog retaining any user entered Width/Height/Resolution values (plus 'Maintain aspect ratio' and 'in/cm') within the same session and across invocations of paint.net, i.e, the user entered values always set the default size.

3. Adding a 'Set as default size' button (or maybe checkbox) to the New dialog so that the user is given control of when the default is set directly from their entered values.

4. Extending the 'Settings' so that the default canvas size can be specified in the same way that the default Tools settings can be set.

Any thoughts on this please?

[Ego Eram Reputo]

20 hours ago, Tactilis said:

what was the design rationale for choosing a default size of 800x600, scaled by the Windows scaling setting?

 

From memory it goes something like this: Monitors are getting bigger and bigger and scaling is going up to fill these monitors. 800 x 600 on a good sized monitor at 100% now looks tiny.

 

[Tactilis]

4 hours ago, Ego Eram Reputo said:

From memory it goes something like this: Monitors are getting bigger and bigger and scaling is going up to fill these monitors. 800 x 600 on a good sized monitor at 100% now looks tiny.

Understood. And that approach does make complete sense.

But... In view of the fact that many other enhancements have been made to paint.net over the years, is there now merit in reconsidering the decision to have a 'fixed' default canvas size (multiplied by the Windows scaling setting) and give the user the ability to set a default New canvas size via one of the following options?

 

On 4/21/2023 at 9:08 AM, Tactilis said:

1. The 'New' dialog retaining any user entered Width/Height/Resolution values across invocations of the dialog within the same paint.net session, i.e. in the same way that the 'Maintain aspect ratio' and 'inches/centimetres' settings are retained.

2. The 'New' dialog retaining any user entered Width/Height/Resolution values (plus 'Maintain aspect ratio' and 'in/cm') within the same session and across invocations of paint.net, i.e, the user entered values always set the default size.

3. Adding a 'Set as default size' button (or maybe checkbox) to the New dialog so that the user is given control of when the default is set directly from their entered values.

4. Extending the 'Settings' so that the default canvas size can be specified in the same way that the default Tools settings can be set.

 

Furthermore, I would suggest that if one of the above options is implemented, the current behaviour of presetting the New image Width & Height fields from the width and height of an image in the clipboard should be removed. The reasons for this are:

1. The behaviour breaks the simple predictability for the user that the New image size will always be the default size that they have set.

 

2. An image that just happens to be in the clipboard when the user selects New may have nothing to do with the user's intended actions in paint.net and to have this set the New image Width & Height is confusing.
I often encounter this after I have been snipping small areas of screenshots in IrfanView then, some time later, I do New in paint.net and am frustrated to find that the Width & Height is set to 40 x 50 pixels (or whatever size I last copied & pasted in IrfanView).

3. There is no need to preset the New image Width & Height fields from the clipboard image because paint.net already provides the Paste into New Image command (with a convenient shortcut Ctrl+Alt+V) to create a New image canvas, sized according to the dimensions of the image in the clipboard, and then paste that image into the canvas.


Could all of the above be logged as a feature request please.

[Rick Brewster]

@Tactilis, I'm not going to be changing this functionality. Please stop trying to turn this into some big huge redesign meeting.

[Tactilis]

7 minutes ago, Rick Brewster said:

I'm not going to be changing this functionality. Please stop trying to turn this into some big huge redesign meeting.

Noted.

[Davichad]

On 4/20/2023 at 6:25 PM, Rick Brewster said:

A default size of 2000x1500 is a result of having a Windows scaling setting of (2000 / 800) = 250%. Has nothing to do with the clipboard in this case. Perfectly normal.

 

You right, thanks. Problem solved.

[David A James]

Problem solved?

Not by a long stretch. If i let my dev's not do something many users request just because "its always been like that!" - we would never do updates just bug fixes. I dont want to *pout* and say Ricks being a big meanie but...

[Rick Brewster]

1 hour ago, David A James said:

Problem solved?

Not by a long stretch. If i let my dev's not do something many users request just because "its always been like that!" - we would never do updates just bug fixes. I dont want to *pout* and say Ricks being a big meanie but...

 

Excuse me? Don't be condescending to me like that. You clearly have no idea what you're talking about.