VCCA Home Forums GENERAL DISCUSSION Forum Questions Posting Photos

While there is the ability to post photos it is difficult for some of us "non-computer literate " members to do so. One drawback is the necessity to have the correct "size" photo which means resetting the camera or resizing the file. Not the most convenient thing to do especially for those as noted above. I have been made aware of some sites or programs that "automatically" resize the photo when it is necessary so was wondering if that is a big $$$ investment or even possible with the hosting site? Sure would make life easier and perhaps encourage more members to post photos.

I suspect it would be a daunting task to add a 'size the photo' function to the Chat engine.

I use the Paint program that comes with Windows to resize photos. Before opening Paint, know where on your computer the photo is stored. Then, use Paint to change its size or to 'crop' it (get rid of extra stuff in the photo that surrounds the main subject).

Below are some instructions from Microsoft for resizing a photo using Paint in Windows 10.

Hope this helps, Dean

To resize a picture using Paint:

• Open Paint by clicking the Start button, clicking All Programs, clicking Accessories, and then clicking Paint.
• Click on File, click Open, navigate to the folder where the photo is located, select (click on) the picture you want to resize, and then click Open.
• On the Home tab, in the Image group, click Resize.
• In the Resize and Skew dialog box, select the Maintain aspect ratio check box so that the resized picture will have the same aspect ratio (height to width proportion) as the original picture.
• If the Maintain aspect ratio check box is selected, you only need to enter the horizontal value (width) or vertical value (height). The other box in the Resize area is updated automatically.
• Do one of the following in the Resize area, and then click OK:
  
  - To resize your picture by a certain percentage, click Percentage, and then enter a percentage to reduce the width by in the Horizontal box or a percentage to reduce the height by in the Vertical box.
  - To resize the picture so it's a specific size, click Pixels, and then enter a new width in the Horizontal box or new height in the Vertical box.
  
  
• Click File, then point to Save as, and then click the picture file type for the resized image. I ususally use JPEG.
• Type a new file name in the File name box, and then click Save. This saves the photo with a new name and you still have the original photo undisturbed.

Cheers, Dean

Someone showed me the steps to "paint" but I did not write them down. I will Email myself your post. Does not look as simple as: Add photo: Brouse: Click: Done. Thanks for the help.

Yeah, nothing is 'simple' when it comes to PCs. Mostly user antagonistic.

Dean

Here's how to post a photo into the replies on the forum...

You have to have a photo hosting site. Go to www.photobucket.com and sign up. It's free, and doesn't send you any spam. Once you sign up, upload the photos from your computer by clicking the word "Uploader" up at the top. It let's you make various albums. When you are on an album page, it will show thumbnails of all of your pictures. Click on the picture that you wish to post, then the screen will switch to just that picture. On the right side of the screen will be a box titled "image links". Click on the bottom choice,(IMG code) and it will say "copied" In another window, have the VCCA site open and write a post. Hit "Paste" and the URL code will appear. When you submit your post it will appear as a picture. Photobucket has a limit to how many pictures you can upload before you have to pay for the site. If you download their mobile App for your phone it increases your storage by 10X. I think I'm around 5000 photos now, but only at 28% of the capacity.

There is no need to resize pictures, unless you are making an avatar. To upload your pictures to Photobucket at a different size, click the gear wheel in the top right corner of the upload box (after pressing the blue "upload" tab) and select the photo size you want. 100x75 works for our avatars. I use 640x480 to post regular pictures in the threads.

It's way easier to use the Photobucket to post photos here, and easier for the readers on these pages since the photos appear in the threads instead of having to go hunt for them in the photo section later. Also, there is no hosting cost for our club to store the photos, as Photobucket picks up that tab.

That is good information Bruce. It does not however answer my question regarding cost of photos being sized automatically. I am trying to find an easier way of doing it. Some times old dogs refuse to learn new tricks unless it's easier-like using an electric starter instead of hand cranking.

Here's a posting where I discussed a FREE program that I use to resize photos.

https://vccachat.org/ubbthreads.php/ubb/showflat/Number/310738/

Steve... The advantage to it is that it resizes photos automatically. And it's free. And it's easy. And it's not over on the left side of the forum home page. Pretty much covers all of the bases.

Thanks Bill. Good info.

Dean

In light of the recent Photobucket 3rd party hosting problem, many folks might switch to a different site to host their photos.

If (when) image links to pics on Photobucket in the VCCA forums break , I suggest that we add a feature that allows creators of those image links to edit the broken link and change it to their new hosting site.

Maybe a button under 'My posts' that says 'Edit my posts'.

Just a thought,.

Thanks, Dean

Good idea Dean. But it might be difficult to invoke using the permission model that is built into Chat.

On another note, there is a chance the the new Webmaster is going to transfer all of our postings (?) into a new CHAT program in a month, or three or six. So any programming that I do now would be lost. And my time.... well, wasted.

Thanks for the reply, Bill.

Put this idea on the wish list for the future. I suspect the PhotoBucket problem will only repeat in the future with other photo hosting sites.

Best regards, Dean