webgraphics optimizer

[jamesthiago]

Hope someone could offer their 2 cents.
Has anyone been using Webgraphics Optimizer?
http://www.webopt.com/

Would it be of any value for someone to own this program in conjunction with Paint Shop Pro and Xara X for optimizing web images?

Personally I think Webgraphics Optimizer compliments/enhances Paint Shop Pro, by being able to do a side-by-side comparison of the image in several formats before you save is ideal (which PSP should have itself). I've seen the way Photoshop does the 'save for web' thing and wanted Paint Shop Pro to do that but PSP seems really unintuitive and difficult to compare images before you save them so I went looking for a way to do re-create a Photoshop 'save for web' experience without having to buy Photoshop.

Any other ideas?

[jamesthiago]

Or instead of adding Webgraphics Optimizer to my toolkit would my $$ be better spent purchasing Real-DRAW Pro.
I know, apples to oranges they're not comparable.

[joroho]

James, You mentioned that you wish PS had a side-by-side comparison for optimizing images from XaraX, but I believe XaraX does offer side-by-side comparisons when exporting raster images. Have you tried that?

Personally, because your version of PSP does optimize graphics, albeit not in a manner you'd like, I'd recommend you use the money instead to add the Real-Draw Pro tool to your arsenal. It takes a little getting used to how it functions (for example, it draw bitmaps -- not vector objects), but it can produce some outstanding images.

.joroho.

[jamesthiago]

Joroho thats a good point,
I didnt really think of Xara X in that way. Perhaps i'll do some testing between that and PaintShop Pro to see if that works for me.
Thank you for the view.
As for realDraw i am tempted to get it. Just from what I have been reading about it here and with the demo I am trying, it's impressive at that price.
webgraphics optimizer is also impressive. I really like the expanded exporting features it touts.
Tough choices when there are so many great programs for good prices.

[Loris]

I use this program a lot for web pages, or for reducing graphics file sizes in general, and find it very useful. In my opinion a great program.
As for PSP, (not sure what version you have) in psp7 there is a function to optimize your images, under "File/Export". It doesn't do a side by side comparison, but does a good job of compression. For jpeg files, around 40% compression (default, I think) gives good results. A little trial and error testing for the other formats to your liking.

[gidgit]

The good part is... all of these fine apps have trials thus one is able to choose just which one fits the best for their personal preference

Let us know what you decide and why ok?

Happy Optimizing eh..

[RAMWolff44]

is very good at optimizing the images. Currently I am downloading the Photo-Brush by MediaChance and I'm sure he must have the same export functionality built in. There are 3 files to download, the main program and then an update and then the PDF owners manual. I think I may go ahead and purchase it, it's a lousy $38.00, not too bad considering his RealDraw program is such a wonderful tool in web image and vector type of image creation, not to mention that the entire set of programs were all written by ONE guy, just amazing. You gotta support someone that is writing such spectacular software for such amazingly low prices.

Serif's DrawPlus is also good for exporting images at very high quality but small file sizes. I was very impressed with this program, but version 7 is greatly needed, it's got some glitches and needs some more tweaking with the shadow tool and a few others. No Feathering tool and needs some other export file options added in, BADLY!!

I have a funny feeling that XaraX 2.0 and DrawPlus are going to be released very close to each other around the end of this year!! Just speculating, mind you!!

Richard

---Wolff On The Prowl---

[RAMWolff44]

While Photo-Brush is a really cool application, it's image file handling is very limited. More than I imagined. JPG and PNG are the main default handlers. It can load just about any imge file of any type (the ones used most, .jpg, .gif, .bmp, .png, .tif, ext......) but it converts them into either a jpg or png format, which is fine and then if you want to save it in the original file format there are some issues there. .gif export is not supported. What is supported are: .jpg, .png, .bmp, .tif, .psd, .tga, .wmf and .emf exportation. But JPG is the only file format with any save options. So that's not so good. I played with an imported .gif and it was 40Kb's (already low file size) and got it down to half of that and it still looks the same to the naked eye. No little banding issues or anything like that. So that's a really good thing.

The effects and what you can do with the program is quite fun and exciting. I could spend the day playing with this one. Serif's PhotoPlus's program hasn't gotten anything on this program. The only thing that is quite dissapointing is that there is no floating of images. You can float a selection of the image, whole or just a part and then move it around, even outside of the work area but I definitely think it's an area that needs work.

It's a fun program and useful too. I like the tools. The stamps or brushes are much better than XaraX's in that there is no crashing or issues like that and they are totally configurable. Very nice and you can make your own too!! This same feature is within the RealDraw program as well.

A bit off topic but it's worth mentioning. I think I would stick with Real-Draw though for any type of exportation of image compression for the web!!

Richard

---Wolff On The Prowl---

[jamesthiago]

Well i went with Webgraphics Optimizer.
I decided on that over realdraw for now because
1. I need it just for optimizing, (which is the whole point of Webgraphics Optimizer)
2. Like the simple layout, and like the ability to compare 5 of the same image side by side easily
3. It did a pretty good job vs. .jpegs I compressed in my friends version of Photoshop. Not quite as clean but pretty close.
4. Even though realDraw looks quite interesting and I'll probably get it at some point it was not going to fit into my toolbox as well. I think if I was bringing things into RealDraw from other programs I would become distracted and start noodling with them.

But alot of good advice showed up here and I thank everyone who contributed. I'll be sure to stick around this forum and ask questions if they come up.

[RAMWolff44]

I have to say the way the images are displayed is a little messy but the optimation options are really good and it does what it says it does. I got one image from 11/2 Mb's down to 40Kb's and it's still very good looking. I think some of the file formats that it can work with are a bit outdated in some cases, like, for instance, Mac Paint but then I found by playing with the GEM Image and Mirosoft Paint settings (Dithering Method: Jarvis and Palettes: Fixed) produced a really cool stippled effect, riminded me of an artist that I greatly admilre named Virgil Finlay. So that's cool.

So maybe, I'm thinkin about it. Maybe I should check out ULeads SmartPro a bit more before I do. Almost twice as much $$ but it does allot more too.

Richard

---Wolff On The Prowl---