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TICKET ARCHIVE -> mac image resizer

ToFishTeacher - Jan 11, 2008 - 5:26 pm

Like joe862 (see post of Aug 26, 2005 - 10:52 pm), I, too, am a new Mac user coming from the "dark side" (PC), but I just got my new Mac Mini for Christmas 2007. I installed the Leopard OS CD that came in the package and have set about re-learning the fundamentals of computing.

Also like joe862, I need an image resizer like I use on my PC (Microsoft provides the tool as part of their "power toys", an optional Windows download.) I see that I can select the photo I want to resize in iPhoto and then say I want to email it, which then gives me the option of small medium or large. But I don't want to email it. I just want to make a copy of the image in a lower resolution, and then be able to find the new file wherever it went on the hard drive (I still haven't figured out how to create a directory and then find the directory I created,)

Is there a way, in iPhoto or elsewhere, or maybe in some optional dashboard utility or freeware or ? that I can select one or more photos and then just create lower resolution copies of those photos? In the perfect world, I'd like the new photos to be stored in the events with their originals with the same name as the original plus "(small)" added to the end, like the PC image resizer does.

earthsaver - Jan 11, 2008 - 11:34 pm

Preview, one of the applications that comes with your Mac, has image resizing built into it, which is useful for scaling individual images stored in your folder hierarchy outside of iPhoto, that you would resave manually, renaming as you like. But there's a much easier way to do what you want…

Check out Automator. This app simplifies the process of scripting a set of actions into a workflow that can be repeated for multiple files, or in this case, all those that fit particular criteria.

When you open Automator, you'll be presented with a few choices to help you get started. Since you'll be dealing with photos, choose that template and select from the popup menus below how you want to begin. You want to source from you're iPhoto Library and you can choose how and when photos get selected.

Then, you'll want to use the categories on the far left to narrow your search for various actions. Below the initial photo choosing action, you'll want to Copy Finder Items (from Files & Folders) and Rename Finder Items (same category). Just drag the actions to the workflow pane on the right. You can choose where those photo copies get saved. Choose Other if you want to create a new folder in a particular place. And then for renaming, you can choose Add Text and type " (small)" to be added after the name. (Don't forget the leading space.)

Finally, you get to Scale Images (Photos category) and choose the size or percentage to scale, and Import Files into iPhoto, where you can choose the destination.

Let me know if you get lost anywhere along the way. Easiest way to make a new folder in particular place is to navigate there in a Finder window (find New Finder Window in the File menu or just click on the Finder icon in the Dock) and create a new folder (also File menu). Give it a name and press Return. To rename a file or folder, select it and press Return. Type the name you want and press Return to save it.

- Ben