scaling down fotographs

[JensMahlmann]

Hi,

scaling down fotographs (reduction in size):
PI7 produces much better results than PI11. See example:

What can I do about this issue?

Thanks, Jens

[keenart]

Jens,

I will assume you did not change the aspect ratio, nor used a compression algorithm, and used Bicubic resampling when resizing. I have encountered this problem more frequently as well, and do not know why, but assume changes in programming when handling images.

I have tried with some success turning the image in 45 or 90 degree increments and then saving until I get the best image. This sometimes gets rid of the jaggies.

I also select those bad areas with the Lasso tool, use Guassian Blur, and Unsharp the Mask in several back and forth combinations smoothing things out. If the offending area is bad, I make a copy of that area send to a layer and then motion blur, change opacity and other adjustments until I can hide the defect.

The above is one of many ways you can alter an area, you can pick out individual pixels and change the color so they will fade into the background and so on.

If the image is bad you can try using a conversion program that will convert the image to small sized pixels which will hide the defect better, such as Imagener.

If none of the above works, you could always blow-up the image to 1600 percent and hand paint the individual pixels with the Clone Tool.

[JensMahlmann]

Keenart,

thanks for your quick response.

Both with PI7 and PI11 I have simply installed the program and started work. Haven't changed anything.

If there ain't a kind of button to fix the issue in PI11 I think I'll just switch back to PI7. Seems to be the easiest way to get good results.

Very disappointing, though, isn't it ...

Regards, Jens

[keenart]

Jens

I understand your frustration.

The world of today, nothing works as well as it used to. I still have my old Ulead 3.0 but it only runs on Win 95.

Unfortunately with Microsofts new Security techniques the world of Winodws XP has degraded miserably. Many programs find it difficult to keep up. Microsoft vowed it will kill any appllication that misbehaves.

Better luck with PI7

[heinz-oz]

Jens,

please explain step by step how you go about reducing the image size and what settings are selected.

I'm sure PI 11 (don't use it much) has different settings as a default than your PI 7.

If you could give me the details about your images and the way you down size them, I'm sure we will find where you go wrong.

[JensMahlmann]

Heinz,

that's very simple:

1)
Create a new (empty) ufo-file.

2)
Then open an existing jpg-file (i.e. a photograph). Mind: it may just as well be a bmp-image.

3)
Copy the entire jpg-image into clipboard (Strg C).

4)
Change back to empty ufo-file. Paste jpg-image from clipboard (Strg V). This will create a new object in the ufo-file.

5)
Edit properties of this object (taken from the jpg-image) via context menu. Reduce object size ("Position & Size" tab), thean click OK. Mind: You can just as well use the mouse for this step.

That's all! Above, you can see the different results in PI7 and PI11. Again: after installation I haven't manipulated the settings of either program version. It's all as it comes from Ulead.

Thanks for your help! Regards, Jens

Important note:

PI11 produces perfect results as long as you reduce the size of the original jpg-file right before the copy&paste action.

That means: PI11 would handle differently the original image and the object derived from this same image. Whereas PI7 would handle them identically. That's the difference.

[heinz-oz]

Strange way of resizing a picture Why don't you just open the image from PI, click "Adjust" >”Resize” and resize to your new size? If you don't want to alter your original image, click Ctrl+D (Strg+D on German keyboard?) after the original loads. Your image is going to be duplicated. Close the original and do your adjustments on the duplicate. Save to a new file name.

Which work space are you working in? Don't just accept the default settings, they may not be what you want. What is important to you? Quality or small file size? Are you just reducing the dimensions of your image or do you also want to reduce the file size for web use?

If the file size is irrelevant, reduce the image dimensions but select "Nearest Neighbour" rather than “Bicubic” or “Bilinear”

If you prefer, you can send me a PM in german. Don't want to post here in german because the official language here is english

[JensMahlmann]

Heinz,

the reason for my "strange way" copy&paste action is easily explained:

I copy more than just one image into the new ufo-file. Only then (seeing all objects together in one file) can I define the final necessary size of the single objects. I can't resize beforehand!

Thing is: PI7 works fine that way.

Regards, Jens

Note: Had a terrible PI11 crash yesterday, leading to most annoying data loss. So I think I'm done with PI11 anyway ...

[heinz-oz]

Can't say I blame you, have not used 11 much either. Never noted that strange behaviour with it though, just don't like it very much. Still think the default settings in 7 must be different to the ones in 11.

Either way, it's your call.

[Bobed2121]

PI11 has an autosave feature that when enabled will restore you edits in case of such a crash. Sorry to hear so many with PI11 problems. Mine has been performing quite nice thank you.

[JensMahlmann]

Hi Bobed2121,

problem is: after the crash PI actually did "repair" the damaged ufo-file. The program even asked me beforehand.

But surprise: afterwards all objects were lost. I practically had a bitmap: could see everything but no longer edit. Very sad ...

Had I only said "no"! I had saved the file a couple of minutes before. But the "repair" action left me no way back.

Regards, Jens

[keenart]

It isn't fulproof, but sometimes when I have an important design, I turn on the Script Recorder, and do the same thing similar to the Auto-Save every few objects. Then I have 2 possible outs if a crash occurs and can usually rcover pretty quick.

[heinz-oz]

My experience tells me that the autosave feature can be to blame for some crashes of PI also. Haven't had a crash since I turned that useless piece of code off.

[JensMahlmann]

Right Heinz, I'll turn autosave off and see ...

[heinz-oz]

Right Heinz, I'll turn autosave off and see ...

One thing though, don't forget to do a manual save every time you did something to your image. I save under alternate names so I can get back to a previous stage if I don't like the latest alterations I did. I need to do that because I have PI preferences set to 5 Undo levels only.

It can put a strain on your system if you have too many undo levels because the program needs to keep track of changes you made. I think, in your case, that might be an area you should look at also. Because you add large images to an even larger image, there is a lot of stuff kept in the undo history, putting a strain on your RAM space.

I have also learned to turn off PI after I added a few large images to my collages. PI will ask me, before closing, if I want the large amount of data stored on the clip board available to other programs or if I want to clear it. My sytem runs a lot smoother since I do that. I'm sure there is a way in WIN XP to clear the clip board also but I use this way because it also clears the PI temp files.

Good luck