Need a few software testers

cowtown · 05:52 PM

Hi guys,
I've thrown together a little utility that lets me compress, resize, and crop JPG files, mainly so I can upload digital photos to Pelican really quickly.

I was going for a "one click" kind of thing...it will let you enter your desired dimenstions and file size, then find the best quality setting given your specs. It's really easy to use.

I'd like to get maybe 5-10 people to play with it and let me know if they find bugs or problems with it. I've been using it for about 3 weeks and it's pretty stable. Here's a shot of it:

If you want to try it out, you can get it here. There is an HTML file with it that has help. You can also start it up, press SETUP, then HELP.

Please do post a followup here so that I know you have it, and let me know how it works. I'm not charging for this - it's a hobby when my garage is too cold to be in.

And remember...it's a beta.

Thanks!
Colin

cstreit · cstreit's Garage

Looks cool. I just downloaded but haven't tried it out. I'll let you know soon... It would be great to have a "batch mode" where you could select a group of files for compression and then save-as with an appended name...

Then again, maybe you did this already...

Adam · Adam's Garage

I'll try it out for you tonight, Colin!

Our work server doesn't allow *.exe files...

BlueSkyJaunte · 10-30-2003, 05:12 PM

That's great that you developed your own app, but what's wrong with irfanview?

cowtown · 10-30-2003, 06:12 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by BlueSkyJaunte
That's great that you developed your own app, but what's wrong with irfanview?

Irfanview's great, but I did this:

-to optimize image quality given a desired file size (dunno if Irfanview does that or not)

-to get true one-click operation. Drag the jpeg to the app, click the button, and you're done. 10 seconds to crop, compress, resize, and post to Pelican.

-Just for the hell of it. I was done with my engine rebuild and got bored. We've all got to do something for creative outlet.

Colin

cstreit · cstreit's Garage

Hmmm I crashed it with a Runtime Overflow '6'. When I went to rezie with "Go" it stuck on "finding optimum quality settings...

cstreit · cstreit's Garage

Okay, so other than that I like it... But defintiely if you could do a Multi-select on the file list on the right to convert them all at once, instead of doing it one at a time, I'd use it ALL the time...

Thanks!

BlueSkyJaunte · 10-31-2003, 11:15 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by cowtown

-Just for the hell of it. I was done with my engine rebuild and got bored. We've all got to do something for creative outlet.

That is always an acceptable answer.

I can't even begin to count the number of times I've "reinvented the wheel"!

cowtown · 11:29 AM

oops...

cowtown · 11:46 AM

Hmmmm. Were the dimensions of your original image really huge? I thought I had cured all the overflows.... I've tested with images up to 2300x1500 or so, but maybe I need to go bigger. Does it crash every time or was it just once?

About the multi-select, I had thought of doing that, but never got around to it, mainly because I like to crop each image individually before saving. But I'll revisit it when I get the chance.

Hey Bluesky, this isn't a reinvention of the wheel...you can pick the file size you want, and get the best quality level automatically. This comes in handy because you are limited to 100K with Pelican posts. You don't have to guess. Try it out...or not.

Thanks for the report back Chris!
Colin

cstreit · cstreit's Garage

It was just the one time. Ran fine after that.... Picture was 1600x1000 or something like that...

I really like the auto-file size thing... Set mine at 99k for Pelican.

Let me know if you do the multi-select thing. I asked for it because I often post 7-10 pictures at a time on pelican and it takes a long time on my slow computer to wait for each one to re-size then go to the next one.

I to like the auto-rename feature. Tres Chic!

MBAtarga · 10-31-2003, 03:31 PM

Not problem, but suggestion. Tie the windows together. I wanted to move the app in the window, found I had to move 3. Also, I'd recommend an hour glass cursor while the app is resizing images. I couldn't tell when it was done.

This is one sharp little app though! I like it a lot.
Thanks

cowtown · 10-31-2003, 05:28 PM

Hi MM, thanks for the feedback. The windows actually should move together automatically (the main form is subclassed and tied to the others).

What system are you running? Win 2000, XP, 95? Maybe the API call I used is not supported under one of the operating systems? I've tested under Win2000 and XP Home.

Thanks, and keep the comments coming!
Colin

PS Chris, there's a batch mode now if you want to download again

BlueSkyJaunte · 10-31-2003, 07:21 PM

Thanks, but unless it runs under Wine I won't be able to try it out until I get back to work on Monday.

MBAtarga · 11-01-2003, 03:18 PM

Colin, I'm running this from home with Win 98.

911SC Pilot · 11-02-2003, 04:51 PM

I downloaded it today, Ill play with it tonight or tomarrow.

ronin · 02-07-2005, 07:35 PM

just in case you're still checking, I've been using it for quite some time now with great results. however, tonight no matter what I do, it comes back with run-time error '13', type mismatch. any suggestions? I was contemplating an un- and re-install. but it's not on your site anymore

cstreit · cstreit's Garage

I also use this tool regularly. I think I liked the previous version better though. My screen even at 1024 res. can't fit the whole menu.

M.D. Holloway · 02-07-2005, 09:04 PM

Can I test drive your car instead?

ronin · 02-07-2005, 09:10 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by cstreit
I also use this tool regularly. I think I liked the previous version better though. My screen even at 1024 res. can't fit the whole menu.

really? which version is that? I got mine from the "get it here" link above, and it fits the screen just fine

soooooo. you wouldn't happen to have a copy of the install file, would ya?