Posting Photos to This Board Made EASY

[Stu Jackson]

This starts off with older stuff, newer operating systems are in later posts.


The recent computer topic http://c34.org/bbs/index.php?topic=3699.0, and an article in today's newspaper, got me thinking about the need to reduce the photo sizes to post pictures.

The article notes that Image Resizer is a neat tool to use to make pictures smaller and make them easier to post without having to use the resample feature found in programs such as Photoshop, which require you to open the application, rename the picture and then resize it.

Image Resizer is a quick download from the Microsoft home page.  http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/downloads/powertoys/xppowertoys.mspx

THIS LINK DEOSN'T WORK ANYMORE, SINCE MICROSOFT DECLINED CONTINUED SUPPORT OF XP.  So...Google "image resizer windows XP" and it will send you to cnet and you can download it for XP.   {Stu -- Dec. 26, 2013}

Go to the right side of the screen and scroll down to PowerToys Image Resizer.  Install it.  The way to install it is to go to the downloaded file (remember where you put it!) and double click on it.  The Wizard will explain how to install it.  It is NOT a regular applications program in that you do NOT have to open the program to use it, just RIGHT click on a JPG file in Explorer and a NEW line item will appear on the menu called "Resize Picture."  That option did not appear before you downloaded and installed Image Resizer.

Then, instead of opening any application program, just right click on the filename in Explorer and the pop up menu has a new feature: "Resize Pictures" which allows you to resize single or groups of pictures.

Using the Advanced button gives you options on sizes.

What happens is that the same file name is used and modified like this:

photo123.jpg

becomes

photo123_redcd.jpg  (redcd seems to mean reduced - how clever of Microsoft!) In some cases it is the same filename with a (Small) (Medium) or (Large) after the original filename.  It depends on whether or not you have chosen to show or hide filename extensions in your Explorer (Tools, Options).  Your computer, your choice!!!

Please note that this is not a standard "application" that you expect a download to give you an icon or a shortcut or even and .EXE file.  It only works in Explorer when you show your list of JPEG files, and then you right click on the one you want to resize.  You don't even have to rename it!

This should make it easier for you to post photos.  The "small" makes them 38 KB, which fits within the 75 KB size limits.

[rirvine]

Stu piece assumes you come from the Intel/Microsoft world.  From those MAC people the same effect can be achieved by using one of the many available MAC photo managment packages - eg iPhoto to reduce the size of an image.  Another way is to open a Flickr account (they are free), post you images there and include the URL in your message board piece.

Ray

[Stu Jackson]

To post photos, go to "Additional Options" at the bottom of the same page where you type your replies.  Click on it and you'll find it expands and shows the box to browse for selection a photo to include.

[Stu Jackson]

Vista does not support Image Resizer.

Just learned from the same good newspaper guy that there is something you can use with Vista.  It's called www.vso-software.fr

Check out the box on the left side of this web page for Image Resizer.

I don't have Vista, so can't try it.  Please let us know if it works.

[Stu Jackson]

I also noticed Bob Kuba's great description of image resizer, here:  http://c34.org/bbs/index.php/topic,4053.msg23050.html#msg23050

Has anybody come up with a Vista fix?

[Momentum M]

Stu...I've been looking for a while to find a "resizer" for Vista.After reading you post above, I went to VSO and did the download but that was it...I didn't or couldn't find a way to use 'cause it had disappear somewhere in my computer.
Now I just found it and tried it and it work very well.  It appears that there's lot of thing to modify your picture as your resizing but I'm not there yet !!!
I found it in "start" (lower left hand corner...Microsoft logo).

I've tried it only ounce but it seems that it's not as user friendly as the resizer.  With XP all you have to do is right click on your picture...even with a bunch of pix and it's done.
This Vista resizer:  you have to click on start, click on VSO and when open you have to retrieve the picture that you want to resize.  Then you have to get back to you picture album to retrieve it.

Maybe it sound more complex to use..maybe someone as found a more direct approach....but IF I do get better or find a shortcut I let you guys know.

But at last I now have a resizer.

Thanks Stu.

[Ken Juul]

in MS office, tools, picture manager.  In the edit picture menu is the option to compress the picture.  Gives 4 preset sizes.  Not as handy as the Risizer tool, but works ok.

[Stu Jackson]

Windows 7 64 bit system update for image resizer:

http://imageresizer.codeplex.com/releases/view/51338

[Noah]

If you are using Mac mobile IOS try free app. "ImageResizer".

[Indian Falls]

It can be done in MS Paint which is in all MS products
Resize

stretch/skew 50% 50% (or whatever you need)

save as xxx.jpg

Done

[KWKloeber]

If using Windows, a nice alternative to MS Paint's very limited options (no ability to lower the resolution or to reduce quality when saving the file) is the freeware Paint.Net (with no ads or malware.)

http://download.cnet.com/Paint-NET/3000-2192_4-10338146.html

It downloads as a ZIP file that you unzip and double-click the "install" file.

Under Image > Resize
You can reduce the resolution or resize the photo (they are interactive -- i.e., lower resolution increases the photo size - so toggle between them until you get the result you want).  It computes the 'new' file size as you make your changes.

Also, when you save the file back, you can lower the quality from 100%.  Again, it shows you the "new" file size -- usually 75% substantially reduces the size - without a noticeable change in quality for web or email viewing.



If you are using a windows PC, here's a simple/quick resizer that I use regularly. 
http://www.bricelam.net/ImageResizer/

One downside is that the options don't tell you the Kb of the resized file, so it's trial and (hopefully the first time,) success. 



Here's a more complicated one that I also use.  Its upside is that you can specify the desired reduced file in Kb and it does what it needs to to get you there.

http://www.obviousidea.com/windows-software/light-image-resizer/

Ken

[Stu Jackson]

Thanks, Ken, for the update.

[Sue Clancy]

Some recent updates have made it so that image resizing is done automatically when large files are posted so some of these tools are not needed.

[KWKloeber]

Dave S

Can you check the photo resizer? 
It won't let me attach a jpg, single photo, 800kb

kk

[Noah]

Ken/Dave: I had the same issue the other day. Had to resize in Photoshop.