Mike Chaney's Tech Corner

I used to be very particular about having 100% of the captured images printed only - no cropping. Then in the last few sessions of printing i somehow discovered Auto Crop was on and i love how it uses up all printable areas of the paper and yet my 'vision' of the image is still pretty much intact. My prints actually looked much better with Auto Crop on. ;D

Thank-you Qimage.

OK but to add to Qimage's talents, let's say that the auto crop was a bit off on centering the subject you want. After all, it doesn't really know whether if cut off anything that you wanted to keep.

Go into the PAGE editor,click the cropping tab, and using the mouse, slide the small image around a bit to suit the position you need.
See attached screen snaps, and then the video below.

https://youtu.be/BFwh267tgs0

Fred

yes - thanks for the tip. I was trying to move it around but couldn't find a way to do it. Now i know. The functionality is really good - I like it. I like how you it prevents you from simply sliding the image off the paper.....only when i have enlarged the image do i get more room to move it around - makes sense.

What does the red bar at the side signify?

It indicates that there is room to move the image in that plane; horizontal/vertical.
If you use the zoom bar, you will have 4 red bars indicating that you have squeezed the image and have room to slide in any of the 4 directions.

Now if you are ready to really get confused like I am, here's another crop tool which has recently been added.
Right click on the large live image center of screen and select the sixth item down. Guess what; a cropping tool.
Use this tool if you are more comfortable sliding the "FRAME" around the image, rather than sliding the image around in the frame.
It opens with the aspect ration of the image, and holds that as you adjust the crop area. You can enlarge or shrink, but the aspect ratio holds.
This is excellent for making sure you get the size print you want, remembering that crop scissor on with an 8 x 10 print size selected will lock that ratio as the aspect ratio, and as you drag a corner, it will hold as 5:4.

Have fun
Fred

can't find it - can u please name the function.

Is that you Fred?

Jeff

Here is a screen snap of it
Right click on the big image in the center of the screen and you get that  menu.

Fred
If still not good, I will be happy to make a video for you.

Yes, but Jeffie, The attachment to this post is Marilyn...
The one of us on the bench is both, BUT, what year?
The one on that balcony was taken in Germany in 1955.
I am not sure of the bench shot as to date.
Anyway, (need Terry, he is an engineer) converting from metric.... that is about 63 years ago.
Fred
PS When we had a meal with someone, we actually spoke to them across the table, looking them in the eye.

Oh yes - i get it now....WOW.....great functionality - this could be fun!!! This is something not done easily without qimage. It's good that it holds the aspect ratio of the image also - very clever.

Thanks v much qimage.

Some thinking stuff.
You can change the aspect ratio by changing the print size (4 x 6 print is 3:2) and an 8 x 10 print is 5:4.
My camera shoots a 3:2 image, and likely yours does too.
So, if I am printing an 8 x 10, If I have the crop scissor off, my aspect ratio is 3:2. If I turn on auto crop, my aspect ratio becomes 5:4...
So if you crop your print using the Page Editor way (Small image in the little box and drag it around), or this new way, Qimage will remember it for that size ratio. The purpose being.... should you decide you need another two prints next week for grandma, they will be cropped identically and no guesswork.

One last comment.... I generally would crop my "IMAGES" in the image editor. I learned to do it that way when Qimage was a baby.
The image is cropped...  No matter what size print I make (scissor off) all have the same crop. 
On the downside, my odd size crop might look great on an 8 x 10, but turns to drek on a 5 x 7. A very poor ratio match.
Then I have to revise the image crop, and to preseve the 8 x 10, I have to make a second copy of the image with a different crop.
I have been weaning off the image crop. It is easier in 95% of the time to do print crop.

You have really not changed or spoiled anything.  One click on the red X (see screen snaps below) and all is back to normal as before. you cropped.
Hope someone got a little insight into how much is silently built into Qimage, courtesy of Mike.

Fred