Reduce photos size for posting

[Nereus]

There are various posts about this and somewhere a "how to" post. But they are all over the place and hard to find.
I have commented previously about "Shrinkpictures Online", and the fact that I cannot get it to work, despite others posting that they use it. I also have used it for several years previously, but for the last 6 or 8 months it will not work. It loads the photo no problem, accepts any changes that I input, and THEN, just sits there with the icon rotating
ad infinitum. I have tried this at least a dozen times and it is always the same.

I have tried at least 3 other online sites and can only get one of them to work, but it has limited options for size adjustments. I have tried to post the following:

1. 88.1 KB, 457 x 640 the original photo from my computer. It will not fit the post as the green status bar overshoots

2. 117.8 KB, 343 x 480 the same result as above

3. 37.9 KB, 172 x 240 this one will load but the image is way too small to be of any use.

I am starting to think that the problem may be with either Windows 10, 64 bit OS, or True online ISP. Whatever it is it is damn annoying!

I am loath to download any of the programs on offer on the Web for security reasons, would prefer to use an online site.

But I would also like to know just how the Forum software decides what is too big. There is not much point in telling me that a photo can only be xxx number of pixels wide, when the reducing program only gives options of *** x *** along with how many KB is an option. It does not mean much to me.

I am now waiting to post a photo to the Caption Competition thread, and am holding off until I can find out more.

[404cameljockey]

What do the forum admins think of posting links to images that the poster can upload to sites like Imgur? Then the size issue is not a factor. The image appears in the post just as if it had been uploaded with the post. The main requirement is that the poster never delete the image from Imgur or the link would go dead.

[RCer]

I have been using Photoscape for years. No security issues and its free. Very easy to use. I just don't post photo's here because its a hassle resizing just to make a post on this single site.

[Gregjam]

When I need to reduce photos to send I usually just go to the photo in file manager, right click on the photo and click on send to, click on mail recipient and it offers a size to reduce to. When selected it will create a message with the photo as an attachment. Just drag this back to another folder in file manager and use this. Not sure if this is of any help.

[Nereus]

Thanks for replies so far.

I should mention that "Photobucket" has recently imposed a fee if you want to post any photos held on their website to a 3rd party website. And it is not cheap!

I think that Buksida mentioned recently that the forum was looking at a better way of either posting or shrinking. Any result on that yet?

[caller]

What do the forum admins think of posting links to images that the poster can upload to sites like Imgur?

That is already available and what I mainly use to post photos on the forum, although not by using Imgur. Look at the series of small boxes about the post a reply window and you will see one with a view of hills. Click on that and this appears:

[img][img]

Either paste your url in between the two img brackets or just paste your url, highlight it, then click on the box above.

[PeteC]

Big Boy isn't around today it appears but he uses http://www.faststone.org/FSResizerDetail.htm in case you want to try it while waiting. Pete

[pharvey]

Microsoft Paint is by far the easiest to use IMHO. Simply click on "Resize" and you'll be given the choice to adjust the size of the photo in Pixels or Percentage (of it's current size) - job done!

Paint.PNG (7.74 KiB) Viewed 492 times

Resize.PNG (3.86 KiB) Viewed 492 times

[Nereus]

Hmm, have not tried that, but:

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/ ... ng-program

[pharvey]

Hmm, have not tried that, but:

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/ ... ng-program

Yes, I'd seen that, but I believe (well I hope!) it's replacement "Paint 3D" will have the same feature.

[Nereus]

Yes, confusing info:

https://blogs.windows.com/windowsexperi ... aint-stay/

[Lev]

Our official requirements for posting photos as configured in the software are:

Uploading images
Maximum physical image size - 1000x1000 pixels
Maximum image file size - 250 Kilobytes (244,140 actual bytes)
Image formats - jpeg, gif, png, tga, tiff

If your image is not within these parameters it will not upload. These parameters should be suitable for 99% of standard images and photos.

These have been set to prevent the upload of huge 5Mb image files which will rapidly consume our disk space and bandwidth and bring the forum to a grinding halt. There are methods to automatically reduce the image dimensions which we have installed but we have yet to find something that will reduce the file size of what is uploaded (we are still investigating), which is why there is a need for external image compression prior to upload for large photos.

We do allow hotlinking to images on other websites but many of them do not as it uses their bandwidth. The image pixel size must be limited there also to prevent them occupying the entire screen, an 800 pixel thumbnail is created in this instance.

[Nereus]

If your image is not within these parameters it will not upload. These parameters should be suitable for 99% of standard images and photos

.
As posted, the image is well within these guide lines. So, anybody have any idea why I keep getting a "spill" on the status bar? I have tried to take a screen shot of what I have, but yet to succeed.

[404cameljockey]

Big Boy isn't around today it appears but he uses http://www.faststone.org/FSResizerDetail.htm in case you want to try it while waiting. Pete

Faststone Image Viewer is good and free, also has bulk file changing utils. I've used it for years too. Also does screencaps, etc.

[404cameljockey]

What do the forum admins think of posting links to images that the poster can upload to sites like Imgur?

That is already available and what I mainly use to post photos on the forum, although not by using Imgur. Look at the series of small boxes about the post a reply window and you will see one with a view of hills. Click on that and this appears:

[img][img]

Either paste your url in between the two img brackets or just paste your url, highlight it, then click on the box above.

Thanks caller, yes I've used it. I guess my question was redundant then. I just wasn't sure if it was preferred, as after a while the images might not be viewable, just depending on the whims of the original poster. No issue.