Photo Resizing

System

This discussion was created from comments split from: What size should my posted forum photos be?.

Homebodyatheart

@Michigan_Mike the admins will be pleased to know that Mrs. @2Cougs shared a free resizing app with me at the Spot@b breakfast this morning, Image Size. Yes, you get an ad at some point but I was able to change the settings to 600x800 pixels and it also saved my resized pic back to my phone camera roll. You can thank her for this act of public service since I seem to be a repeat offender! 

Verna

Thank you, @Homebodyatheart and Mrs. @2Cougs.  Finally one that works on the iPad. Now to get it to load on the iPhone.

Sharon_is_SAM

I have been using Crop Size on my iPad.  Took me a few times to get the hang of it, but now it is straight forward.

Michigan_Mike

@Homebodyatheart that's the app I use on my iPhone.  

2Cougs

It is the app I use on my iphone... Very intuitive and straight forward.

Homebodyatheart

@Verna I put it on my iphone with no problems. If I can do this I KNOW you can! 

Verna

I have it set to not use cellular data for updates. The WiFi was slow for a while yesterday, so I changed it use cellular instead of the WiFi.  After I figured that out, @Homebodyatheart, it loaded in seconds.  Thanks for checking. 

GreatWhiteNorth

I've been using this one, a freebie from Microsoft for Windows 10.  I just resize to 800 wide, select save and rename, done.

https://www.microsoft.com/en-ca/p/image-resizer-for-windows-10/9nwwmh081ddb?activetab=pivot:overviewtab

pthomas745

I just posted a couple of photos into the "Post up Photos of Your Campsite" thread.  When I clicked on the photo, I was given the "photo handles" that let me resize the photos directly inside my post.  In fact, they didn't seem over size to me at all.  If someone could look at them for me and tell me if they are correctly sized and work ok?

Sharon_is_SAM

@pthomas745, your pics certainly looked to be the appropriate size, if not smaller than most, but my iPad slowed down as it tried to load them.  I resized to 800 x600 and they look bigger!  Go figure.  

pthomas745

I crop shots in "wide screen" 16x9 and stuff like that, so the 800x600 would "zoom in like that.

  So, obviously, the "photo handles" might change the crop value, but not the .jpg pixel count, which is the important issue.  Thanks!

ScottG

I believe you are correct. I haven't specifically experimented with it here, but in most applications the "handles" only change the size at which the photo is displayed in the document. The underlying image file remains unchanged.

zeppelfahrt

When you resize to 800x600 do you select the pixels or precentage box?

pthomas745 said:

I crop shots in "wide screen" 16x9 and stuff like that, so the 800x600 would "zoom in like that.

Sharon_is_SAM

@zeppelfahrt. I resize to pixels.  What device are you using?  
Thanks for making an effort to resize.  It is very time consuming for the Mods and Admins to do this!

zeppelfahrt

Microsoft "Paint". I just right-click on the image and select "open with" on the drop down menu. Then just click-on "Paint." Once it opens you should see the "resize" button and go from there.  Hope this helps.

Sharon_is_SAM

Thanks for pointing that out.  I use 3 different devices and find it more difficult to resize from the PC, but this will help.

dyp

I do need help.  I have an IPAD AIR and do not know how to resize

Sharon_is_SAM

@dyp, I use an iPad mini and use the app Image Size which is very simple.  Just go to the app store and download the free app, then open the link and follow the directions.  I think you can do only 1 photo at a time.  After you resize, be sure to place your cursor exactly where you want your picture to land.  (I use Crop Size, too, however I find it less intuitive.)

https://www.imore.com/how-crop-resize-photos-your-iphone-and-ipad#resize

Sharon_is_SAM

All you new members - PLEASE resize your photos.  It really is easy!  

Michigan_Mike

BUMP!!!

DigitalSorceress

Due to the size limitation, I find it very difficult to post pictures "on the fly" when out and about..  so I tend to only be able to post images when I'm back in front of my PC..

Not complaining, but just mentioning that the restriction makes it difficult to post quick updates etc.. and I imagine that others are also thus discouraged..

Is there not a way for the forum system to either 

1) auto-limit image sizes to 800 pixels on long edge (HTML tags forcing the display size regardless of the actual image size)

2) auto-down-size images posted to 800 on long edge? (actual image resize on post)

I know I've written tools to do similar operations to this on my own forums "back in the day", but i also know Vanilla is a bit more "turn key" but I'm curious if there's some kind of mod or addon you can get or settings you could do that would handle auto -sizing so that you wouldn't be always stuck having to remind folks to resize and/or folks wouldn't have to do resizing.. there absolutely should be a way to automate this on the server side so that folks who are wanting to do a quick post on the road don't have to choose between to post or not to post.

Again, I don't personally feel I have anything so earth-shakingly-important to post.. but for instance if I post a note about a mod I did and someone asks "hey can you post a picture" etc.. it's a bit of a process which.. I'm happy to do but .. it's just extra steps that tend to discourage active posting/contribution

DougH

I appreciate the 800x600 or 600x800 limit.  When in a campsite with iffy 2G or 3G service, or the slowest wifi on the planet, I can still enjoy reading the forum without waiting a minute for a new page to load. 

DigitalSorceress

@DougH  Yeah that is true.. actual image resize down to 800 px for long edge would not be too hard to implement.. but based on the fact that this is hosted "vanillacommunity.com" I am assuming that this forum doesn't have full access to the sources (I tried out the host your own open source vanilla project once and it was standard PHP.. so not too hard to mod up.. but being hosted, they'd either need it to be a feature built in or something they add on and might get spendy or just outright told no)

ScottG

Automatic photo resizing has been on the top of the wish list for a long time. However, unless something has changed recently, you are correct that it is a feature that is not available (and cannot be added by us) in the pre-packaged Vanilla platform.

In the meantime, we just keep asking people to please resize on their own...

Michigan_Mike

DigitalSorceress said:

@DougH  Yeah that is true.. actual image resize down to 800 px for long edge would not be too hard to implement.. but based on the fact that this is hosted "vanillacommunity.com" I am assuming that this forum doesn't have full access to the sources (I tried out the host your own open source vanilla project once and it was standard PHP.. so not too hard to mod up.. but being hosted, they'd either need it to be a feature built in or something they add on and might get spendy or just outright told no)

We have had discussions with Vanilla in the past and they do not have an auto-resize option available.  We would love to have this option, as with two forum areas we do hear from members frequently and we agree that it would make life easier.  I use the “Image Resize” app on my iPhone and although it takes a few steps it’s relatively easy to reduce photo size and post things up to the forum.    

Sharon_is_SAM

Just a reminder to new forum members to please resize your photos.  It does make a difference for everyone’s viewing pleasure and it’s not hard to do.  Thanks for remembering!

Michigan_Mike

Interesting stuff Doug but you lost me 4 paragraphs back!  🤣

The parameters for photos listed is an approximate rough fit but works for this platform.  As moderators and admin we have in the past resized photos as time permitted but with two forums running and new members joining daily it’s impossible to keep up with hundreds of postings and this is why we ask folks to help out.  Otherwise it creates issues with the pages loading.  

TabberJohn

Michigan_Mike said:

..but with two forums running and new members joining daily it’s impossible to keep up with hundreds of postings..

What's the other forum?

DougH

TabberJohn said:  What's the other forum?

Oh goody, I can write another script, then parse the data analytics to see what are the defining characteristics of T@G vs. T@b people!  

Sharon_is_SAM

The TaG forum is the other nuCamp forum @TabberJohn.

@DougH, now you’re just showing off!  All kidding aside, I am glad your program only shows 25% of over-sized pictures.  I’ll take a look when I have more time.  My efforts to help teach forum members about resizing have been limited to occasional group reminders coupled with multiple, polite messages requesting members to resize and offering assistance.  Most active members step up to the task with the occasional oops from their phone camera.  Members who join to only sell their TaB or equipment are not as committed to the forum operation and account for some of those stats.  The sale posts are eventually deleted, so our time is better spent reminding and correcting regular contributors.  Ok, I’m going to get some coffee before I trigger my OCD so I can concentrate on the detail!  BTW, the only code I know about is my zip code😂