Is there software that will automatically pad JPGs of odd dimensions so I can print to 4x6 format without losing image area?

I have a couple hundred JPG files of different aspect ratios. Hardly
any two are alike in dimension. Mostly they are approx 4:5, but that
is rough. They were just cropped over the years for best display on
the screen.

Now I want to make prints of them, and the prints need to be 4x6 inch
because that is the standard and cheapest, and will fit into the most
common albums.

The places that print JPGs allow me to crop the pics to fit 4x6, but
in most cases that will crop picture area that I don't want to lose.
Instead I would like the whole file printed, leaving white margins (or
some other color) on either side. But those places won't allow me to
do that.

I can go into software and edit the pic to do this, leaving nice gray
margins on either side. But it's not practical to do a couple hundred
like this.

Irfanview supports batch jobs, and allows setting the canvas size to a
desired size in pixels. But that won't work for me, because the
original files don't have consistent dimensions.

Paint Shop Pro seems to be similar - I can set the required dimensions
in pixels or in length units, but that won't work if the origs have
many different sizes.

So I'm wondering if anyone has suggestions on how I can run a few
hundred pics through a software that only pads the pic with blank
areas to achieve an aspect ratio of 2:3.

Wally

On Tue, 27 Nov 2012 00:27:40 -0700, Wally wrote:

I have a couple hundred JPG files of different aspect ratios. Hardly
any two are alike in dimension. Mostly they are approx 4:5, but that
is rough. They were just cropped over the years for best display on
the screen.

Now I want to make prints of them, and the prints need to be 4x6 inch
because that is the standard and cheapest, and will fit into the most
common albums.

The places that print JPGs allow me to crop the pics to fit 4x6, but
in most cases that will crop picture area that I don't want to lose.
Instead I would like the whole file printed, leaving white margins (or
some other color) on either side. But those places won't allow me to
do that.

I can go into software and edit the pic to do this, leaving nice gray
margins on either side. But it's not practical to do a couple hundred
like this.

Irfanview supports batch jobs, and allows setting the canvas size to a
desired size in pixels. But that won't work for me, because the
original files don't have consistent dimensions.

Paint Shop Pro seems to be similar - I can set the required dimensions
in pixels or in length units, but that won't work if the origs have
many different sizes.

Paint Shop Pro will do what you want and let you print to either a
printer or a file.

So I'm wondering if anyone has suggestions on how I can run a few
hundred pics through a software that only pads the pic with blank
areas to achieve an aspect ratio of 2:3.

Wally
--

Regards,

Eric Stevens

This isn't exactly what you're looking for, but may
be of interest. I wrote a program some years ago for
a friend who travels a lot and gets lots of pictures
printed. She wanted an easy way to prepare 100s of
photos for printing. I wrote a program that provides
batch cropping and resizing, figuring that most photos
could stand a bit of cropping to achieve the necessary
dimensions. In the cases where auto-cropping is a problem,
the image can be "mounted" on a background of the
necessary dimensions. Additionally, a background color
can be picked from the photo to improve the overall
effect.

But... While the software does batch cropping and
auto-mounting to a specific dimension with custom
background color, it does not do what you're asking
for: batch background mounting.
I hadn't thought, at the time, of a case where
someone might want to just fit all photos to a generic
background.

If what I'm describing is of interest, see he

http://www.jsware.net/jsware/pprep.php5

(The software is not free, but I don't mean to run
an ad here. It can be used without paying. The only
difference is that the trial version opens with a
"nag screen". It's a simple program, but an attempt
was made to operate at as high a quality as Windows
allows. Resizing up uses bicubic resampling. JPG
saving uses Microsoft's gdiplus.dll library.)


--
--
"Wally" wrote in message
...
|I have a couple hundred JPG files of different aspect ratios. Hardly
| any two are alike in dimension. Mostly they are approx 4:5, but that
| is rough. They were just cropped over the years for best display on
| the screen.
|
| Now I want to make prints of them, and the prints need to be 4x6 inch
| because that is the standard and cheapest, and will fit into the most
| common albums.
|
| The places that print JPGs allow me to crop the pics to fit 4x6, but
| in most cases that will crop picture area that I don't want to lose.
| Instead I would like the whole file printed, leaving white margins (or
| some other color) on either side. But those places won't allow me to
| do that.
|
| I can go into software and edit the pic to do this, leaving nice gray
| margins on either side. But it's not practical to do a couple hundred
| like this.
|
| Irfanview supports batch jobs, and allows setting the canvas size to a
| desired size in pixels. But that won't work for me, because the
| original files don't have consistent dimensions.
|
| Paint Shop Pro seems to be similar - I can set the required dimensions
| in pixels or in length units, but that won't work if the origs have
| many different sizes.
|
| So I'm wondering if anyone has suggestions on how I can run a few
| hundred pics through a software that only pads the pic with blank
| areas to achieve an aspect ratio of 2:3.
|
| Wally

On Tue, 27 Nov 2012 22:35:55 +1300, Eric Stevens
wrote:

On Tue, 27 Nov 2012 00:27:40 -0700, Wally wrote:

I have a couple hundred JPG files of different aspect ratios. Hardly
any two are alike in dimension. Mostly they are approx 4:5, but that
is rough. They were just cropped over the years for best display on
the screen.

Now I want to make prints of them, and the prints need to be 4x6 inch
because that is the standard and cheapest, and will fit into the most
common albums.

The places that print JPGs allow me to crop the pics to fit 4x6, but
in most cases that will crop picture area that I don't want to lose.
Instead I would like the whole file printed, leaving white margins (or
some other color) on either side. But those places won't allow me to
do that.

I can go into software and edit the pic to do this, leaving nice gray
margins on either side. But it's not practical to do a couple hundred
like this.

Irfanview supports batch jobs, and allows setting the canvas size to a
desired size in pixels. But that won't work for me, because the
original files don't have consistent dimensions.

Paint Shop Pro seems to be similar - I can set the required dimensions
in pixels or in length units, but that won't work if the origs have
many different sizes.

Paint Shop Pro will do what you want and let you print to either a
printer or a file.

How?

Wally

On Tue, 27 Nov 2012 08:53:34 -0700, Wally wrote:

On Tue, 27 Nov 2012 22:35:55 +1300, Eric Stevens
wrote:

On Tue, 27 Nov 2012 00:27:40 -0700, Wally wrote:

I have a couple hundred JPG files of different aspect ratios. Hardly
any two are alike in dimension. Mostly they are approx 4:5, but that
is rough. They were just cropped over the years for best display on
the screen.

Now I want to make prints of them, and the prints need to be 4x6 inch
because that is the standard and cheapest, and will fit into the most
common albums.

The places that print JPGs allow me to crop the pics to fit 4x6, but
in most cases that will crop picture area that I don't want to lose.
Instead I would like the whole file printed, leaving white margins (or
some other color) on either side. But those places won't allow me to
do that.

I can go into software and edit the pic to do this, leaving nice gray
margins on either side. But it's not practical to do a couple hundred
like this.

Irfanview supports batch jobs, and allows setting the canvas size to a
desired size in pixels. But that won't work for me, because the
original files don't have consistent dimensions.

Paint Shop Pro seems to be similar - I can set the required dimensions
in pixels or in length units, but that won't work if the origs have
many different sizes.

Paint Shop Pro will do what you want and let you print to either a
printer or a file.

How?

Wally

Yes please, how!. I've been using Paint Shop Pro for years. I'm currently using
PSP X, version 10. I often run into the same problem the OP is asking about. How
can you force PSP to create a 4x6 or maybe 5x7 size print? Thanks in advance.

On 11/26/2012 11:27 PM, Wally wrote:
I have a couple hundred JPG files of different aspect ratios. Hardly
any two are alike in dimension. Mostly they are approx 4:5, but that
is rough. They were just cropped over the years for best display on
the screen.

Now I want to make prints of them, and the prints need to be 4x6 inch
because that is the standard and cheapest, and will fit into the most
common albums.

The places that print JPGs allow me to crop the pics to fit 4x6, but
in most cases that will crop picture area that I don't want to lose.
Instead I would like the whole file printed, leaving white margins (or
some other color) on either side. But those places won't allow me to
do that.

I can go into software and edit the pic to do this, leaving nice gray
margins on either side. But it's not practical to do a couple hundred
like this.

Irfanview supports batch jobs, and allows setting the canvas size to a
desired size in pixels. But that won't work for me, because the
original files don't have consistent dimensions.

Paint Shop Pro seems to be similar - I can set the required dimensions
in pixels or in length units, but that won't work if the origs have
many different sizes.

So I'm wondering if anyone has suggestions on how I can run a few
hundred pics through a software that only pads the pic with blank
areas to achieve an aspect ratio of 2:3.

Wally


I often use a program called Perfect Resize when I need to enlarge a
small cropped (or otherwise reworked) picture. The pictures can be made
to be 4x6 in size (or any size within reason that you may choose). I
can't say the output is always perfect but more times than not, it'll do.

Nick

On 2012-11-27 12:42:07 -0800, said:

On Tue, 27 Nov 2012 08:53:34 -0700, Wally wrote:

On Tue, 27 Nov 2012 22:35:55 +1300, Eric Stevens
wrote:

On Tue, 27 Nov 2012 00:27:40 -0700, Wally wrote:

I have a couple hundred JPG files of different aspect ratios. Hardly
any two are alike in dimension. Mostly they are approx 4:5, but that
is rough. They were just cropped over the years for best display on
the screen.

Now I want to make prints of them, and the prints need to be 4x6 inch
because that is the standard and cheapest, and will fit into the most
common albums.

The places that print JPGs allow me to crop the pics to fit 4x6, but
in most cases that will crop picture area that I don't want to lose.
Instead I would like the whole file printed, leaving white margins (or
some other color) on either side. But those places won't allow me to
do that.

I can go into software and edit the pic to do this, leaving nice gray
margins on either side. But it's not practical to do a couple hundred
like this.

Irfanview supports batch jobs, and allows setting the canvas size to a
desired size in pixels. But that won't work for me, because the
original files don't have consistent dimensions.

Paint Shop Pro seems to be similar - I can set the required dimensions
in pixels or in length units, but that won't work if the origs have
many different sizes.

Paint Shop Pro will do what you want and let you print to either a
printer or a file.

How?

Wally

Yes please, how!. I've been using Paint Shop Pro for years. I'm currently using
PSP X, version 10. I often run into the same problem the OP is asking
about. How
can you force PSP to create a 4x6 or maybe 5x7 size print? Thanks in advance.

I don't see it happening without a downsize and a crop, unless the
native aspect ratio is obtainable out of the camera. All that would be
needed then, is a batch resize. Then you are also making the assumption
that every one of those shots has the composition you desire, and
doesn't need a custom crop.

The problem that exists is the random nature of arbitrary crops not
meeting the shooter's vision of his/her prints.

Just setting up PSP, LR4, or any other editing software to batch crop
and resize 100's of images, removes the editing power of the crop from
the shooter, much as any print lab would. If that is what you are
prepared to sacrifice then go ahead.

I believe you could selectively apply a batch crop to a large
percentage of images in a 100 shot batch without seriously damaging
composition intent. However, you will certainly have to review the
entire shoot to select those for batch cropping and those for custom
cropping. There is no free ride if you want to retain some control of
your work.

The OP has some work to do.

The magic wand is a nice idea, but it doesn't exist.

--
Regards,

Savageduck

On 2012-11-27 13:49:57 -0800, nick c said:

On 11/26/2012 11:27 PM, Wally wrote:
I have a couple hundred JPG files of different aspect ratios. Hardly
any two are alike in dimension. Mostly they are approx 4:5, but that
is rough. They were just cropped over the years for best display on
the screen.

Now I want to make prints of them, and the prints need to be 4x6 inch
because that is the standard and cheapest, and will fit into the most
common albums.

The places that print JPGs allow me to crop the pics to fit 4x6, but
in most cases that will crop picture area that I don't want to lose.
Instead I would like the whole file printed, leaving white margins (or
some other color) on either side. But those places won't allow me to
do that.

I can go into software and edit the pic to do this, leaving nice gray
margins on either side. But it's not practical to do a couple hundred
like this.

Irfanview supports batch jobs, and allows setting the canvas size to a
desired size in pixels. But that won't work for me, because the
original files don't have consistent dimensions.

Paint Shop Pro seems to be similar - I can set the required dimensions
in pixels or in length units, but that won't work if the origs have
many different sizes.

So I'm wondering if anyone has suggestions on how I can run a few
hundred pics through a software that only pads the pic with blank
areas to achieve an aspect ratio of 2:3.

Wally


I often use a program called Perfect Resize when I need to enlarge a
small cropped (or otherwise reworked) picture. The pictures can be made
to be 4x6 in size (or any size within reason that you may choose). I
can't say the output is always perfect but more times than not, it'll
do.

Nick

Perfect Resize (PR formerly Genuine Fractals) does a good job of
extrapolating to larger and oversized files, but it still has the
problem or dimensional distortion as the OP has already informed us
there is no consistency regarding file dimensions and aspect ratios.
Only those images at 2:3 will do well with PR to get to 4''x 6''
without distortion of image loss due to crop.

--
Regards,

Savageduck

On Tue, 27 Nov 2012 13:53:48 -0800, Savageduck
wrote:

On 2012-11-27 12:42:07 -0800, said:

On Tue, 27 Nov 2012 08:53:34 -0700, Wally wrote:

On Tue, 27 Nov 2012 22:35:55 +1300, Eric Stevens
wrote:

On Tue, 27 Nov 2012 00:27:40 -0700, Wally wrote:

I have a couple hundred JPG files of different aspect ratios. Hardly
any two are alike in dimension. Mostly they are approx 4:5, but that
is rough. They were just cropped over the years for best display on
the screen.

Now I want to make prints of them, and the prints need to be 4x6 inch
because that is the standard and cheapest, and will fit into the most
common albums.

The places that print JPGs allow me to crop the pics to fit 4x6, but
in most cases that will crop picture area that I don't want to lose.
Instead I would like the whole file printed, leaving white margins (or
some other color) on either side. But those places won't allow me to
do that.

I can go into software and edit the pic to do this, leaving nice gray
margins on either side. But it's not practical to do a couple hundred
like this.

Irfanview supports batch jobs, and allows setting the canvas size to a
desired size in pixels. But that won't work for me, because the
original files don't have consistent dimensions.

Paint Shop Pro seems to be similar - I can set the required dimensions
in pixels or in length units, but that won't work if the origs have
many different sizes.

Paint Shop Pro will do what you want and let you print to either a
printer or a file.

How?

Wally

Yes please, how!. I've been using Paint Shop Pro for years. I'm currently using
PSP X, version 10. I often run into the same problem the OP is asking
about. How
can you force PSP to create a 4x6 or maybe 5x7 size print? Thanks in advance.

I don't see it happening without a downsize and a crop, unless the
native aspect ratio is obtainable out of the camera. All that would be
needed then, is a batch resize. Then you are also making the assumption
that every one of those shots has the composition you desire, and
doesn't need a custom crop.

All the shots have been edited and are as desired, for viewing on
screen -- but are mostly not 2:3, therefore not suitable for printing
to 4x6".

The problem that exists is the random nature of arbitrary crops not
meeting the shooter's vision of his/her prints.

Just setting up PSP, LR4, or any other editing software to batch crop
and resize 100's of images, removes the editing power of the crop from
the shooter, much as any print lab would. If that is what you are
prepared to sacrifice then go ahead.

No, I don't want to crop at all. Instead of cropping, I want to fill
or pad to get the images to 2:3.

This is harder than I thought.

Maybe I could use Irfanview to batch upsize them all so the short
sides are all of consistent size, say 2000 pixels... then fix the
canvas size so the other side is 3000 pixels. Might have to run that
twice since vertical and horizontal shots might be treated
differently.

W.

On 2012-11-27 14:33:17 -0800, Wally said:

On Tue, 27 Nov 2012 13:53:48 -0800, Savageduck
wrote:

On 2012-11-27 12:42:07 -0800, said:

On Tue, 27 Nov 2012 08:53:34 -0700, Wally wrote:

On Tue, 27 Nov 2012 22:35:55 +1300, Eric Stevens
wrote:

On Tue, 27 Nov 2012 00:27:40 -0700, Wally wrote:

I have a couple hundred JPG files of different aspect ratios. Hardly
any two are alike in dimension. Mostly they are approx 4:5, but that
is rough. They were just cropped over the years for best display on
the screen.

Now I want to make prints of them, and the prints need to be 4x6 inch
because that is the standard and cheapest, and will fit into the most
common albums.

The places that print JPGs allow me to crop the pics to fit 4x6, but
in most cases that will crop picture area that I don't want to lose.
Instead I would like the whole file printed, leaving white margins (or
some other color) on either side. But those places won't allow me to
do that.

I can go into software and edit the pic to do this, leaving nice gray
margins on either side. But it's not practical to do a couple hundred
like this.

Irfanview supports batch jobs, and allows setting the canvas size to a
desired size in pixels. But that won't work for me, because the
original files don't have consistent dimensions.

Paint Shop Pro seems to be similar - I can set the required dimensions
in pixels or in length units, but that won't work if the origs have
many different sizes.

Paint Shop Pro will do what you want and let you print to either a
printer or a file.

How?

Wally

Yes please, how!. I've been using Paint Shop Pro for years. I'm currently using
PSP X, version 10. I often run into the same problem the OP is asking
about. How
can you force PSP to create a 4x6 or maybe 5x7 size print? Thanks in advance.

I don't see it happening without a downsize and a crop, unless the
native aspect ratio is obtainable out of the camera. All that would be
needed then, is a batch resize. Then you are also making the assumption
that every one of those shots has the composition you desire, and
doesn't need a custom crop.

All the shots have been edited and are as desired, for viewing on
screen -- but are mostly not 2:3, therefore not suitable for printing
to 4x6".

The problem that exists is the random nature of arbitrary crops not
meeting the shooter's vision of his/her prints.

Just setting up PSP, LR4, or any other editing software to batch crop
and resize 100's of images, removes the editing power of the crop from
the shooter, much as any print lab would. If that is what you are
prepared to sacrifice then go ahead.

No, I don't want to crop at all. Instead of cropping, I want to fill
or pad to get the images to 2:3.

This is harder than I thought.

Maybe I could use Irfanview to batch upsize them all so the short
sides are all of consistent size, say 2000 pixels... then fix the
canvas size so the other side is 3000 pixels. Might have to run that
twice since vertical and horizontal shots might be treated
differently.

W.

Yup! If that is the case then setting the appropriate canvas size to
center place the uncropped, resized images on the 4'' x 6'' canvas. All
images would have to be at 4'' x 6'' or resized smaller, that could
certainly be done as a batch or action. You would end up with some
borderless prints and some 4'' x 6'' prints with odd borders, but all
would be 4'' x 6''.

My next question is, why would you want to print 100-200 prints this way?

I believe you could send the files with layout and sequence
instructions, to a service such as MPix (there are others) to produce a
photobook with all the images at their current uncropped size.
http://www.mpix.com/products/photobooks#cat=224


--
Regards,

Savageduck