Can I Adjust A Selected Area To A Specific Dimension?

[Alvin]

That may be a poor way to ask this. What I mean is I want to select an area, and then make that selection conform to a specified dimension, like 5 x 7, or 8 x 10. I'd also like to move the selected area around before I finally crop it.

I can do this in an old Microsoft product; Picture It!

Thanx.

[SearedIce]

You can always copy the area you want to resize into a new file, resize it there using Image|Resize (Ctrl-R), and then bring it back into the original file.

To move something, select it, then press the Move button (next to the box selection button) or press the M key on your keyboard. When trying to move something, make sure you drag the cursor somewhere away from the thing you are moving or you might grab the handles that let you stretch/shrink the thing you have selected by accident.

[Rick Brewster]

When you select something, just switch to the Move Selected Pixels tool and then move the handles around to resize it. No need to use Image->Resize .......

[SearedIce]

Yes, obviously, but it seems this person wants to give the selected area an exact size.

[Alvin]

...it seems this person wants to give the selected area an exact size.

Well, an exact dimension. :!: 5x7, for example, can be any number of pixels. If the size of a selected area could be increased or decreased in a corner, the dimensions wouldn't change altough the size would.

[SearedIce]

So your original question is answered? I'm confused. I'm going to look up info on Picture It...

Ok...in the Picture It! Photo manual (from Microsoft's website), it seems that the resizing procedures are the same as in Paint .NET. You can either select an image and then drag the resize handles, or you can go to the menu at the top of the screen ("Format" in Picture It!, and "Image" in Paint.NET) and get then click on "Resize Image". It seems that in both programs, the window that shows up should have the same things on it (a percentage increase box, custom # inputs, and unit selections).

If you still can't figure it out, try rephrasing your question.

[Alvin]

So your original question is answered?

No, I was simply explaining there was a difference between size and dimension.

Ok...in the Picture It! Photo manual (from Microsoft's website), it seems that the resizing procedures are the same as in Paint .NET. You can either select an image and then drag the resize handles...

I don't see any resize handles. I'm using Paint.NET v2.6 Release Candidate 2. I thought it was the most current.

...or you can go to the menu at the top of the screen ("Format" in Picture It!, and "Image" in Paint.NET) and get then click on "Resize Image".

I do not want to resize the image. I want to select an area of the picture, make that selection have a specified dimension, possibly resize the selected area keeping that dimension, and then crop the image.

It seems that in both programs, the window that shows up should have the same things on it (a percentage increase box, custom # inputs, and unit selections).

If you still can't figure it out, try rephrasing your question.

I have a better plan. Here's a screen capture from Picture It!:

Photos stored on ImageShack.

(click on the image above to see a bigger image)

You can see the area I selected is clear, the rest of the image is kinda blurred. You can see the pull-down menu on the left which gives me a number of dimension options. If I select any of those options, the selected area in the original picture changes accordingly. Now I can alter the size of my selected area by using the resize handles in the corners, which will not alter the dimensions. I can shift the selected area around the original image by moving my mouse-pointer inside the selected area. When I'm satisfied that I've selected exactly the area I want, I click the Done button in the lower left hand corner. Now I can save the results as a new image, cropped to the dimensions I want.

Does that help?

[SearedIce]

AHHH I get it!

Ok...

At the top of the window, change the "Units:" selection box from "Pixels" to "Inches".

Make a selection with the Rectangle Select tool. At the bottom left side of the Paint .NET window, you can see the dimensions of your selection box as you make the box.

Make the selection the size that you want (5x7 etc.).

Click the button next to the Lasso tool (it is called "Move Selection").

Now, you can move the selection box area around or you can change it's size with the handles at the corners.

When you have it in the place you want, click the "Crop to Selection" button that is at the top of the Paint.NET window next to the Paste button or go to the "Image" menu and click "Crop to Selection" or press Ctrl+Shift+X.

Let me know if this takes care of all of the functionality of Picture It!.

[Rick Brewster]

The resize handles only appear when you switch to one of the Move tools.

[SearedIce]

The resize handles only appear when you switch to one of the Move tools.

...

Click the button next to the Lasso tool (it is called "Move Selection").

Now, you can move the selection box area around or you can change it's size with the handles at the corners.

...

[Rick Brewster]

Right, I was referring to Alvin's comment:

I don't see any resize handles. I'm using Paint.NET v2.6 Release Candidate 2. I thought it was the most current.

Oh, also, to elaborate on this:

Make the selection the size that you want (5x7 etc.).

... The current selection's size is reported in the bottom left, in the status bar.

[Alvin]

Make a selection with the Rectangle Select tool. At the bottom left side of the Paint .NET window, you can see the dimensions of your selection box as you make the box.

Make the selection the size that you want (5x7 etc.).

Click the button next to the Lasso tool (it is called "Move Selection").

Now, you can move the selection box area around or you can change it's size with the handles at the corners.

When you have it in the place you want, click the "Crop to Selection" button that is at the top of the Paint.NET window next to the Paste button or go to the "Image" menu and click "Crop to Selection" or press Ctrl+Shift+X.

Let me know if this takes care of all of the functionality of Picture It!.

First of all, I have been remiss, SearedIce, in not saying thank you for all the time you've spent trying to help me. And also thanx to the other person/people who offered their help as well. It is all much appreciated. :!:

Well, we're REAL close on this. Problem is the 5x7 (for example) I want is more like a ratio, not an actual size. I don't want an image that's 5" on one side and 7" on the other; I want an image that has that proportion. Simple math. Picture It! does the math and locks it in as I change the size of the selected area. Near as I can tell from all that I've seen Paint.NET 'don't do dat.'

I would be happy to hear that that's in the works.

I would be ecstatic to find out that it's there RIGHT NOW.

[SearedIce]

Ah...I thought that might be what you want.

Well...follow what I said until you get to "Make the selection the size that you want (5x7 etc.)."

Now, I will describe how to use this ratio.

Make sure you have the Move Selection tool activated (the button to the right of Lasso).

Grab one of the corners of the selection window, and drag it while holding SHIFT on the keyboard. This keeps the ratio constant.

Line up the selection box how you like on your picture, and then crop the picture with the Crop to Selection button (as I described before).

Now you will have part of the original image that is at the ratio you specified.

Now, if you want to print the image at a specific size, simply use Image->Resize (Ctrl-R) and size the image to what you want.

[Alvin]

Well...follow what I said until you get to "Make the selection the size that you want (5x7 etc.)."

Now, I will describe how to use this ratio.

Make sure you have the Move Selection tool activated (the button to the right of Lasso).

Grab one of the corners of the selection window, and drag it while holding SHIFT on the keyboard. This keeps the ratio constant.

Ouch. It works, but, "OUCH!" :x

Thank you, SearedIce. I don't know how I could have made my original post any clearer, but you really came to bat. Your time and patience are to be commended. Kudos! :!:

Now, here's a little extra insight. When I changed the units to inches, I was frustrated because I couldn't get my selection to exactly 5x7. Close, but one of them was always off. Choosing pixels instead, I tried to select an area 500x700 (or 700x500, whatever). Again I couldn't get it exact, but I was only off on one side by one pixel, plus or minus. One pixel is not a problem. Point is, it didn't matter what my units were as long as I knew what I was working with.

Holding the shift key while changing the size was bothersome, but it certainly worked. Not being able to choose my dimension as easily as in Picture It! was also bothersome. This is the one (actually, the one and only) feature I use in PI, so it doesn't look like I'll be substituting Paint.NET for it anytime soon. Oh, well.

I'm looking forward to exploring some of the other features though.

Thanx again, SearedIce.

[pdefeo]

I also wish there was an easier way to crop. I always crop my pictures to 4x6 before I have them printed and this current technique, which is really just a workaround, is too time consuming. When editing close to 100 pictures and to try and draw a rectangle on each of them?!?! If Paint.NET really wants to compete, there needs to be a way to select an aspect ratio once the crop tool is selected and handles that only move the selection within that ratio. Also, it would be really nice if there was also a way to rotate the selection with a checkbox instead of swapping the aspect ratio. Other than this and a true unsharp mask, this is a great product.

Paul

[Rick Brewster]

FYI, our Sharpen effect does use unsharp mask. It just has a simplified UI and a "friendlier" name.

[pdefeo]

FYI, our Sharpen effect does use unsharp mask. It just has a simplified UI and a "friendlier" name.

I read that in another thread. That's why I said "true" or advanced unsharp mask, with amount, radius, and threshold. There are some images which react very nicely with a large radius and low amount. This can't be done with the simplified UI. Is there any way to maybe add an advanced checkbox which will open up an "advanced" unsharp mask dialog. Thanks for a great product.

Paul

[Alvin]

FYI, our Sharpen effect does use unsharp mask. It just has a simplified UI and a "friendlier" name.

...and this has WHAT to do with the original post? :?

[tk]

First, I just have to say to SearedIce, Chill man, don't take things so personally!

Getting back to the original topic...

Ok, now, I found a different, and maybe simplier way to select a portion of an image...

1) make sure your scale is in inches as specified before.

2) add a layer.

3) on that new layer, start at the top left corner with the rectangle selection tool, and drag down until the status bar shows you have selected a 5x7 (or 7x5, or whatever end size you want) selection.

4) move that selection box where-ever you want it on the image

5) change to the background layer

6) Crop to Selection.

7) you can now delete that extra layer you used to create the selection box.

Downside: when you are moving the selection box (at least on my system) it becomes invisible, so you have to gauge it's location by watching the two rulers (top and left side).

Whaddya think? 8)

tk

[kmoloney]

Over 10 years after this topic was posted, and I'm still curious.  So, what I want is a rectangular select tool that is exactly the size in pixels or inches that I can move around in my image.  Like when a film director holds up his fingers in a rectangle like a viewfinder.  This is because I do not want to zoom in or out of a portion of the actual image, because this results from adding, or removing, pixels, regardless of the method used, like digital zoom.

 

If Facebook says I need a 851 x 315 pixel rectangle, I'd like to be able to set that as the size of my selection area, then crop the best part out of a photo I can.  Can't use a mouse - too much coffee.

[Eli]

Mr MJW did create an effect that perhaps can be used for your purposes. It is called View Framer. 

[Red ochre]

http://forums.getpaint.net/index.php?/topic/22810-composition-tool/

May help?

[IRON67]

If Facebook says I need a 851 x 315 pixel rectangle, I'd like to be able to set that as the size of my selection area, then crop the best part out of a photo I can.  Can't use a mouse - too much coffee.

Can't believe it.

Click under the menu in the options of the selection tool on the pull down menu "normal" → "fixed ratio" → "fixed size" and then put your given numbers for Width and Height and the appropriate unit (pixels, inches, centimeters) and be happy.

Edited March 9, 2016 by IRON67

[Ego Eram Reputo]

Can't believe it.

Click under the menu in the options of the selection tool on the pull down menu "normal" → "fixed ratio" → "fixed size" and then put your given numbers for Width and Height and the appropriate unit (pixels, inches, centimeters) and be happy.

 

^^ this.

 

Over 10 years after this topic was posted...

We treat old threads as deceased because of situations like this.

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