Crop + resize combined

[amether]

I know this has been raised a number of times but it's so important to me I do feel it's worth raising again.

I work for a web design company and need to resize the images supplied by the client (all shapes and sizes) to certain dimensions (for instance all 'Event' images on this particular site need to be 700px x 500px). I sometimes have to work on hundreds of images and it requires a little bit of an artistic eye so can't be done with batch processes.

It pains me to say it but as it stands PS wins hands down and it's a dealbreaker for PDN. I specify the dimensions of my final image (700x500 to continue the example), I drag an area (of any size - the aspect ratio is automatically kept) and bang - you're done. It literally saves hours.

I can't see how PDN can do this without resizing and then being very careful to drag the exact dimensions - which anyway is far less accurate as I won't know the new height of the image before I crop...

... unless I'm missing something magical. I've read (afaik) all the threads relating to this but can't see where the resistance to a crop tool has been justified in a particularly satisfactory way. I can clarify/expand if needs be, this really is a biggie for me!

[Rubrica]

Go to the "Image" menu at the top, then click "Resize". Good enough? Also, to crop, select the part you want to crop to, and then go to "Image" and click "Crop to Selection". Does that answer your question?

[Ash]

Magic...

Rick, you really should update the help file, or am I missing it?

[amether]

No.

This is my point - the two processes are separate, and even then aren't as flexible. I'm familiar with both processes.

I have 300 images at various aspect ratios and dimensions.

I want 300 images at 700 x 500. I want to grab the interesting part of the photo. This isn't always in the centre, top left or whatever. It might be a small part, it might take up the whole width. This is why the 'magic' link won't help me either. The part I want to crop to might not have the dimensions 700x500.

The nearest I can get is to crop with a fixed aspect ratio and then resize.

In PS I must drag once with the mouse and hit enter. That is all. This will crop to the interesting portion in the right aspect ratio and resize all at once. Remember I will have do this lots and lots and lots of times.

This is why it is bomb.

Thank you all for your replies, by the way.

[Ash]

Then, Always use Fixed Ratio 7:5

And after selection, resize it to 700x500

[amether]

"The nearest I can get is to crop with a fixed aspect ratio and then resize."

My apologies, I've been editing after I posted. (Trying to clarify!)

It sounds overly picky, but really is one step too many. Remember I've can have over 1000 pictures to do like this!

[Ash]

Well, PDN is Free vs. PS $xxx?

You can do this.

Select at Fixed Ratio 7:5 for all images you need to work on.

Then use another free program to resize them all at once.

Edit: I usually use http://www.fookes.com/ezthumbs/

When I have lots of resizing to do.

[amether]

Well yeah. I know. I love PDN I really do. But you can't use it's freeness as an excuse for not having this, fairly basic, feature. Really. GIMP used to have it - but removed it - (or something?!?!) But anyway we all know how much fun GIMP is to use.

Yeah a batch resize isn't a bad suggestion but we also suggest programs for our clients to use for cropping their own pics and it'd be nice to suggest PDN (which we do already) safe in the knowledge that's this is the easiest it possibly can be.

[Ash]

Let me rephrase that:

PS $xxx + whole team working on it.

PDN free + Rick working on it.

Some funtion will be missing for some users. It's understanable.

Talk with Rick, I'm sure if he feels it's important enough, he will add it down the road.

But I rather he have more time working on PDN4.0

Anywayz, give Ez thumb I mentioned on my last post a try, works well for me.

And good luck on the 1000 images.

[willgoss]

amether...you commented on Gimp and not having it....

Currently in Gimp or GimpPortable, you can uses rectangle select which has a settiing for aspect ratio as well as the a setting to set size in px (high and wide)...then Image crop to selection....both changes in one step...

I would hope this is the approach PDN goes as I find it great for cropping and sizing in one step...

[Rick Brewster]

I'm confused ... can't this be done in Paint.NET already using the Fixed Size selection mode? Set it to 700x500 pixels, drag to the area you want, then press Ctrl+Shift+X to crop. Done?

[Crazy Man Dan]

I'm confused ... can't this be done in Paint.NET already using the Fixed Size selection mode? Set it to 700x500 pixels, drag to the area you want, then press Ctrl+Shift+X to crop. Done?

He mentioned that the part he wants may not always be only 700 pixels wide and 500 pixels tall:

I want to grab the interesting part of the photo. This isn't always in the centre, top left or whatever. It might be a small part, it might take up the whole width. This is why the 'magic' link won't help me either. The part I want to crop to might not have the dimensions 700x500.

I was going through something like this the other day - I installed Google Desktop, and the Photos slideshow widget to keep my Desktop fresh. I copied about 100 images from various directories into one "Slideshow images" folder to be referenced by the widget, but the reduced size of the widget screen and the varied aspect ratios of the images made for some poor auto-cropped display. I went through and cropped the interesting bits into a frame of a fixed ratio, then resized each to 500 px wide to save on disk space (no use having a 2000px wide image just to be scaled down to a 200 px display window).

Since the images were anywhere from 1000px to 3000px wide, the width of the "interesting bit" varied. What he's looking for is a script that auto-resizes the image to 700px by 500px after a crop action, since cropping out the desired area may yield one of a larger than desired size.

As for you, amether, I'd recommend either using Photoshop or using the shortcuts to save as much time as possible. Click-drag-release-[Ctrl][shift][X]-[Ctrl][R]-700-[Enter]. To save even more time, I just let go of [shift] and [X] and hit [R] to activate resize, keeping my finger on [Ctrl]. If that's still too many steps, then, for now at least, PS is your program.