Multiple file cropping

[ceauke]

Hi guys

Is there a way to make the following procedure easier:

- Open file

- Select rectangle of specific crop size

- Move rectangle to select correct part of picture

- Cut all outside rectangle

- Save file

Repeat 64 times.

The problem I have is that I have to draw the rectangle 64 times with the same dimensions.

Basically, I have a bunch of off-centre photos and I want to crop them all to the same size but I need to select where in the photo to apply the crop size.

I tried a few methods so that I can repeat the rectangle select activity but to no avail:

- Import as new layer

- Mess around with canvas size but it immediately crop the picture

Basically I want that kind of functionality where you past into paint.net but you choose not to expand canvas. And then you can move around the pasted image and save. But how to do when the file is already saved?

[ceauke]

Ok, here's the best I can come up with.

1. Start new picture with a specific canvas size

2. Open file 1

3. Copy file 1 and paste into new picture

4. Select to retain canvas size

5. Move picture around

6. Save as

7 Repeat from step 2.

[Red ochre]

Hello ceauke,

Perhaps my 'composition tool' plug in may help. composition tool - good luck

[Lance McKnight]

Another tip is to create an alpha mask.

Make two layers. Make the bottom layers black, and then on the 2nd layer, draw a rectangular selection with desired dimension, and fill in the selection with white. Flatten the image and save it as a mask.png file. Now all you need to do "cropping" the picture is to run alpha mask and load the mask.png file. Hope this tip might help.

Edited March 3, 2012 by Lance McKnight

[Ego Eram Reputo]

1. Open Paint.NET

2. File | Open

3. Navigate to the folder containing the photos and select them all.

4. Click Open.

Once all photos have opened (hope you have enough memory - do them in smaller batches if you don't):

5. Choose first image (the one on the canvas will do) by clicking on the thumbnail image in the image list.

6. Select Rectangle Select tool . In Tool Bar, choose option Fixed Size (defaults to Normal).

7. In the extended Tool Bar options set the size (Height & Width) you wish your rectangle to be.

8. Click & hold left mouse button on the image. Move the mouse to position the rectangle to suit your image. Release mouse button.

9. Press Ctrl + Shift + x to crop image to rectangle selection.

10. File | Save as... Choose (new) filename and file type (if different from original). Save it. NB if you want to overwrite the original file, just click on Save.

11. Close image.

12. Repeat steps 8-11 for each open image.

Howzat?