My Picture Helper App

[dugdiamond]

i have noticed that many people are posting bandwidth-destroying pictures onto this website, and I realised that there is not an easy-to-use FREE app available that can take the hassle out posting efficient pictures to forums and other sites.

So I decided to write one

here is a WIP screenshot:

it will automatically resize (scale) pictures greater than 800x600 to a ratio that fits inside that size, and will give the end-user the ability to choose the compression ratio (1-100%).

YES! the app is a freebie

NB (to staff): i could place a button (OC3D logo) on here, that once clicked takes the user here in their preferred browser. This would be helping the community

 

[dugdiamond]

forum member input pending...

 

[ruthless_villain]

wow did you make this whole thing today?

 

[dugdiamond]

took about 4hrs - so far

 

[SPS]

This would be very useful, especially for newer forum users

 

[hmmblah]

I'm liking this app so far. I also think the OC3D logo/link would be a nice touch. Have you tried giving Tom a PM to get it OK'd?

I have some space too where this could be hosted if you don't or OC3D doesn't. More mirrors won't hurt anyway.

 

[AMDFTW]

thats awsome

 

[dugdiamond]

@hmmblah

excellent - i don't have a dotcom host for it (yet). i was hoping it could be hosted here. but, failing that, i will take you up on the offer. the app is less than 20Kb in size

i am about to make an app_ICON for it... in this fashion:

OC

3D

 

[SPS]

What's it written in?

 

[sheroo]

I like it - always end up mailing the photo and then saving the attachment to resize it - its a pain... Nice work.

 

[Scoob]

That's cool. I was just faffing around in Paint the other day to trim my picture.

I did have a tool that allowed me to do something similar, you'd select a size, i.e. 200x150 then you'd select a desired size. I obviously didn't re-install it last time I rebuilt the PC and I've forgotten what it was called!

Cool util, maybe something that could be incorporated into the site for all to use? Maybe make it a web app.

Scoob.

 

[ruthless_villain]

so this basically does what sqish does?

 

[Scoob]

so this basically does what sqish does?

Sqish...rings a bell...

Checks forum thread...doh!

I'd not actually read that topic as didn't realise quite what it contained!

Scoob.

 

[dugdiamond]

so this basically does what sqish does?

no.

sq.ish only resizes - it does not compress

 

[Scoob]

no.

sq.ish only resizes - it does not compress

Ah, I see. Though any non-bmp image would likely have a reasonable compression already. I mean, generally something like WinRar won't compress pictures much more, depending on format. Saying that, depends how lossy you want a picture to be I guess.

I'll give your app a try!

Scoob.

 

[dugdiamond]

just some aspect ratio-ing code to do, and it is done

 

[dugdiamond]

here it is:

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/dugdiamond/binaries/ForumPicBuddy2011.exe

at the moment, if any picture is bigger than 800pixels wide, they will be resized to 800x600 pixels (regardless of ratio)

it is getting late... i have other things to do

i will finish it tomorrow

PLEASE LEAVE YOUR FEEDBACK

 

[KaraMurat]

Just tried it out, works fine and I realise this is still WIP, but I would suggest additional options such as ratio and multiple sizes the picture can be resized to instead of just 800x600. Good work all the same Dug.

 

[SPS]

Just a small question on the compression. 1% makes it smaller (file size) I thought that that's what 100% would have done? I maybe completely wrong and never known this

 

[dugdiamond]

Just a small question on the compression. 1% makes it smaller (file size) I thought that that's what 100% would have done? I maybe completely wrong and never known this

okay here is the science bit (lol):

JPG compression works with quanternions within a self-calling function (subsampling like mandelbrot)

the values i have given for compression are equal to the quanternion factoring... but are given, in layman terms, as to how close the new image will resemble the original

eg:

• 1= best compression (lots of artefacts)
  
• ...
  
• 35= moderate compression (few artefacts)
  
• ...
  
• 100= no compression... the picture will just be resized
  

i hope this explanation helps ???

besides that, i have tried to make the app as easy to use as possible... as you move the compression slider the preview updates

also, if a picture is too large to see a detailed part of the image, clicking and dragging the the original picture 'pans' both images.