Making thumbnails

[squirellplaying]

I have a folder with 40 images, all the same size, that I need to make thumbnails for. It seems that my teacher mentioned away to resize all the images in a folder with photoshop. How do I do it?

[bradyj]

I have CS installed, but this is available on versions 6 and 7 as well.

Go to file > automate > web photo gallery

Choose the folder that you have with only the images in.
Create an empty folder that you can use as your 'destination' for these files.

In the options section, you can adjust sizes for thumbnails and large photos... but you're simply using it for the thumbnails, so select that in the drop down menu if it isn't already, and type in your dimensions, border if you want one, and any of the other specs you would like.

Once it's done, select 'OK' and it will automatically create an HTML web gallery (rather poor one mind you) in your empty folder you created. In there will be a folder called 'thumbnails' with your new thumbnails to use.

This is the quickest way:)

[Jan]

I'd like to extend this question a bit, if you don't mind. Would it be possible to automatically create thumbnails from images of different shapes (horizontal and vertical) that fit inside a box that is, say 100 x 100 pixels, while keeping proportions intact and centering the image inside the box? It's a hazzle to do this manually in Photoshop, but I don't know of any other way. Is there?

[bradyj]

You could create an 'action' to handle this -- however, my directions for this might be a bit confusing I'd play around with the action feature a bit and post up with questions. The trick is to only record actions that you absolutely want to apply - like opening one of the images, resizing the canvas to 100 x 100, select all, then center the layer horizontal, then center vertical (under layer > arrange > then the center you want), then scale the image at a percentage, then flatten, then save to a new location.

[squirellplaying]

Thanks bradyj! Worked like a charm.

[Jan]

bradyj: Thanks for your reply! I actually managed to create an 'action', but it only works for the image I used to create it. How can I make the action do the same operations for different images?

[mindlessLemming]

Jan: Goto File > Automate > Batch Process, select the action, the source and destination folders and you should be good to go. To be certain, go through your recorded action's steps (in the Actions Pallete) and make sure none of the steps reference a layer by name or any other oddities that would restrict the action to only working on one image. You can also download my action set here (http://leftjustified.net/journal/2004/08/08/program-ps/). Those are for working though, not for batch processing.

h.t.h. :)

[Jan]

mindlessLemming: Thanks for your help; I got it to work! :thumbsup:

[SolidWing68]

I know in Macromedia Dreamweaver MX you can insert an image resize it to whatever size you like, say 100x100 like you want, and then it will be resized to that BUT, in the link section at the bottom, just put the picture name in the link so the thumbnail is linked to the actual untouched sized image.

*** I've included directions with pictures if you'd like to do so how I did with Macromedia Dreamweaver MX ***

1) In the program select Insert > Image at top of the menu. Then add your picture.(See my picture for details)

http://img131.exs.cx/img131/1285/insertimg4mg.jpg

2) After thats done, look in the properties window and set all your options and you should be set( See my picture for details)

http://img131.exs.cx/img131/5742/imgprop0hw.jpg

[bradyj]

Not a good idea. All you are doing is defining a width/height in the html, not actually sizing the image down. This keeps a significantly larger file (depending on your original size/pixel dimensions), while just making it look larger.

Give it a test. Make an image that's 2000x2000 pixels, and do just what you posted. All your doing is sizing it down via the html, not resizing the image, creating a larger file than needed. The download time will be much larger, it's a common mistake people make when they post up their family pictures from their digital camera or scan.

[SolidWing68]

I never knew that, I just that that feature in dreamweaver was there for convienence or something like that, I'll be damned..