Enchanged rectangular selection functionality

[rprimrose]

I have previously used Micrografx Picture Publisher and there is a feature that it had which I really miss. When using the rectangular selection, you could have freestyle type selection which Paint.Net has, or you could select fixed size selection or aspect ratio selection.

With fixed size selection, you would enter the height and width into textboxes in the toolbar (next to the selection type buttons) and left mouse button down would create a selection of the specified dimensions on the image.

With aspect ratio selection, you would enter the height and width in the same way and it would, on left button down, create (and resize on drag) a section using the height/width ratio specified.

A great reason for the ratio selection is I have an image that I want to resize to a screen resolution without stretching. By entering the height and width of the resolution and selecting aspect ratio selection, I can select as much of the image as possible to get an image that would fit the screen. So useful I almost want to install MPP again.

Cheers

[Helio]

Unfortunately, there is no way to get the selection size you want by typing. That said, you can watch the bottom of your window where it gives you the real-time dimension size of your selection, when it is to the size you need, simply use the move selection tool (below move selected pixels tool) to position it where ever you need it.

You can resize with good quality while maintaining aspect ratio size using the Resize window under the Image tab. Plus you can adjust by absolute size or percentage.

[Crazy Man Dan]

Another alternative is to create the selection in the ratio you want in pixels. For instance, for a 4:3 ratio, create a selection 4 pixels wide and three pixels tall.

Then, use the Move Selection tool to scale the selection while holding [shift] to maintain the original aspect ratio of the selection. Then, just move it where you need it.

[xenon2000]

The biggest shocker here, is that this fuctiontion is not on the Feature Request list. This is a HUGE missing feature. And an easy one to add as well. Polygon selection is much easier than Magnetic lasso, but still more of a programming challenge than ratio and fixed size selection tool.

Man, I was really hoping that Paint.net had ratio selection. Working with digital pictures, this is about the biggest requirement.

And so that means that if I have to use another tool to do ALL my cropping, because freehand cropping is almost 99% useless for just about everything. Web work, images for wallpapers, photos for standard print sizes, document images for standard paper size, etc.... all require ratio or fixed sizes. Freehand cropping is worthless 99% of the time.

So if I need to use another imaging tool for cropping, I may as well use that other tool for everything else. Just thought it would be cool to use a freeware tool instead.

[Rick Brewster]

I thought it was in the popular feature request list? Hmm, I should probably add it, as it is a popular request.

And an easy one to add as well.

Also, please do not state that a feature is "easy". That's a pet peeve of mine. There is much more involved in adding a feature than just hacking out some code in an hour.

[BoltBait]

This is a HUGE missing feature.

Maybe to you. But, seriously, I could care less about this feature.

I'm not trying to be mean, I'm just trying to give you a little perspective.

[xenon2000]

I thought it was in the popular feature request list? Hmm, I should probably add it, as it is a popular request.

And an easy one to add as well.

Also, please do not state that a feature is "easy". That's a pet peeve of mine. There is much more involved in adding a feature than just hacking out some code in an hour.

I didn't see it in the locked Feature Request list. If there is another list, I didn't see it.

Sorry about using the term "easy", maybe that pet peeve should be at the top of your Requested Features list in bold. LOL, I did not know that would annoy any programmer.

Easy is a relative term, especially in the world of programming. But come on, you have to admit, a ratio and fixed selection tool would be much easier than a magnetic lasso and polygon selection tool.

But seriously, it's all relative. I didn't mean to imply that is was easy in an absolute term and that anyone could do it. Just saying that with all the app does now, it's all relative. Thanks for all the work by the way. I think it's off to a great start. It's just this particular feature that prevents me from using it. But I will try every update as they happen.

[xenon2000]

This is a HUGE missing feature.

Maybe to you. But, seriously, I could care less about this feature.

I'm not trying to be mean, I'm just trying to give you a little perspective.

Fair enough. But curious... what do you use a graphic editing program for 99% of the time that you don't need control of cropping? With all the Web work, monitor display work such as wallpapers, and all the print work. All require specific ratios. So I am curious what type of graphics work you do that you don't use ratio controlled cropping.

Again, fair enough that my original comment was from my perspective and that I made a large assumption on what are common graphics workflows. I did not search for any statistics on the subject and I understand that my simple statement is out of perspective without that research.

[barkbark00]

Fair enough. But curious... what do you use a graphic editing program for 99% of the time that you don't need control of cropping? With all the Web work, monitor display work such as wallpapers, and all the print work. All require specific ratios. So I am curious what type of graphics work you do that you don't use ratio controlled cropping.

I think what he was saying(and I concur) is that, use of the functions already available in PDN(Resize and Canvas size adjustments via the Image menu) suffice for those graphical purposes.

[Rick Brewster]

I didn't see it in the locked Feature Request list. If there is another list, I didn't see it.

Yeah, it just isn't in the list yet. Probably because I just forgot it or something.

[sagedavis]

Here's a tip on how to create specific aspect ratios.

This is just a work around, until (if ever) this feature gets added.

Create a new image of the size that you want (4:3 or whatever)..

CTRL+A (select all) Copy.

In the image you are working on, paste into new layer.

Your selection now shows up in white, with the rest of the image transparent (to maintain the size of the main image).

Now, you can always select the white box, and then move to the layer you wish to work in.

Shift and drage your selection to grow or shrink it and maintain the aspect ratio.

It's a work around, but it works.

Sage