Resizing images

[handrawn]

I did wonder....

[browj2]

Maybe I am misunderstanding something here, but this is what I see and do.

In the image below, I have an imported image. Note the end of the arrow that points to the circular rotation handle at the mid top. When you see this, you are in Resize mode. The corner handles will resize the image; the side handles will squish the image, the mid top and bottom handles will squash the image.


If you see the above, click on the image once and the mode will change to the image below - what I call crop mode. The rotation handle is now at the upper right corner. The mid side handles and the mid top and bottom handles will crop, the top left handle will round the corners, and the bottom right handle will resize the image. Mouse over the handles to see what they do.


Thus to change modes, click on the image.

An interesting use is to take the mid left handle (or any other crop handle) and drag outwards. The top and bottom get cropped as the image gets wider and larger.

[Acorn]

@John, 'fraid you have.

In your case, you have Smart transform (ST) set Off.

It is not obvious to many how to determine ST's state.

1. It has a toggle shortcut key - 7. This has not obvious indicator anywhere.
2. If you are diligent, you can find a right-click on the Lock aspect ratio icon.

Your other detail is not quite right.
A click on the image toggles the Rotate/Skew handles.
Your "crop mode" is a move from the Selector tool to the Photo tool and its Clip mode and requires a double-click.
Unfortunately, another double-click is not a toggle, it open your chosen Photo Editing > Bitmap editor.

Other right-click actions on the application furniture are a day's discovery and joy.

Acorn

[browj2]

Hi Acorn,

Hmmm. Whether or not Smart Transform is on or off, the behaviour is the same for the second image. Also, I have the Selector tool on. Import a photo. Click once, the mode changes, click again, the mode changes back. The Selector tool stays on for both modes and Photo does not come on (it did once, but usually does not).

I understand about the Smart Transform. With my first image, if Smart Transform is off, then the middle handles will squash the image; if on, then middle handles will crop but both sides together or top and bottom together.

However, clicking once changes the mode. In this mode, it doesn't matter whether or not Smart Transform is off or on, the middle handles crop. Thus, I never worry about Smart Transform off or on. I just check the mode by looking to see if the rotation handle is at top middle. If not there, then crop, if there, click once, then crop.

Here is what I see:

https://youtu.be/SEcV5eYgDmo

I'm using Xara DPX19.

[handrawn]

but croping is not what the OP wants to do, he just wants to squish and as you said, smart transform off for that... your second image is another question...

[browj2]

True, I got off track somewhere. I guess it was the grab a middle handle to resize that threw me, which doesn't work of course. The corner handles have to be used and aspect ratio locked in mode 1. This works for me no matter if Smart Transform is on or off but only in the state where the rotation handle is at the middle top. With the other mode/state with the rotation handle at the upper right, only the bottom right handle resizes the image, and does so irrespective of the settings of Smart Transform and Aspect Ratio. I think the point is that there are two states/modes as I showed and they do things differently.

So for the OP, with aspect ratio locked, why not just move the upper left corner of the image to where it should go and then use the bottom right handle to resize the image to fit - same aspect ratio.

Also in mode 1 with rotation handle at middle, aspect ratio locked, or in mode 2 with rotation handle at the top right, aspect ratio locked or unlocked, if the OP knows the size (width or height) just type it in the box,enter.

[browj2]

I recall now why I was on about cropping.

...rather than grabbing a handle and compressing the image, for me the latter is a much easier way to accomplish making an image fit into the available space.

Mode 1 aspect ratio locked or unlocked, Smart transform off, the image gets squished by the side handles. Smart Transform on, side handles crop the image and move it towards the far side at the same time, keeping the far edge at the same location.

Mode 2 - Smart transform/Aspect ratio has no import - the side moved gets cropped, the image doesn't move. This is what I use as I don't want my images to be squished or squashed to make them fit.

The OP has to decide whether or not to squish or crop (crop one edge or crop both sides).

[handrawn]

can't speak for CC, but when i squish i do it on the fly until it 'looks right' by just moving the one handle; anything more complicated is not going to cut it

[Chris M]

My take:
Smart Transform on, nothing changed from Xara's default settings, version 23.8, using browj2's mode /mode2.

Single click the image until Mode 1 is achieved
Drag side, or top/bottom handles to crop
Drag side, or top/bottom handles + ALT to squash

99% of the time I use the crop method to preserve ratios, and use the Push Photo Inside Frame handle to position it.