Resize Bitmap Fill To Exactly Fit Thumbnail Frame?

[jimhanus]

When I enlarge or rotate a bitmap fill in a thumbnail, the size can change slightly, intentionally or unintentionally. Is there a way to return the fill to original size, or for 1 dimension to be 100% of the frame? If I put a square bitmap fill into a rectangular thumbnail frame, one dimension is 100% and the other gets cropped. I can then move the fill around to my liking. If I experiment by moving or increasing the size of the bitmap fill is there a way to return it to original, other than Undo? Sometimes I have to rotate a fill 90 degrees then resize, and it's hard to tell when all edges of the bitmap fill are exactly to the edge of the thumbnail frame without cropping.

Jim

[Boy]

You can enter in the "Bitmap Resolution" field (in the Fill toolbar on top) the default value of 96 dpi. If you can't enter a value because the field is grayed out (and mentions "Begin Color" or "End Color"), click anywhere on the picture other than on the handles. The dpi values is shown again and you can enter 96 dpi.

[jimhanus]

Boy,
That doesn't help. That changes the size to 96dpi only, it doesn't take into account the size of the thumbnail it needs to fill. The attached photos show 96dpi (zoomed fill) and 253dpi (which is what it changed to when imported, and fills the thumbnail with the entire photo correctly). If I look at the thumbnail after importing and remember the dpi number I can return to that number, but if I rotate the thumbnail and then adjust to fill it the dpi is now 186dpi and I have to play with the size and rotation to get it to touch the long edge without cropping. As there are no borders on the thumbnails, it's hard to tell exactly where the edge is. I was looking for a way to fill the thumbnail exactly without a lot of trouble. The reason this is important to me is that I use hundreds of thumbnails with shadows, mostly from the templates. If I take an existing horizontal thumbnail and rotate it, change the fill to bitmap, the default Xara bitmap always comes up rotated 90 degrees. In rotating it back you have to play with the size and rotation to get it just right. By holding CTL, it will rotate 90 degrees but the zoom needs to be adjusted to touch the edges of the thumbnail. It's not too bad to do one, but sometimes I have a dozen to do and it takes a lot of work to get each one just right. Sorry for being so long-winded

Jim

Jim

[Boy]

Sorry that this didn't help. I'm not really sure I understand your workflow, but I'll give it another try.

If I look at the thumbnail after importing and remember the dpi number I can return to that number

What about importing the same picture to a new, temporary thumbnail for reference?

As there are no borders on the thumbnails

What about giving them one temporarily?

If I take an existing horizontal thumbnail and rotate it, change the fill to bitmap, the default Xara bitmap always comes up rotated 90 degrees.

Why not create a vertical thumbnail, adjust the fill accordingly and then make copies of it when you need other vertical thumbnails?

Again, I'm not really sure what your workflow is and if any of what I'm saying here is relevant. Let me know.

[jimhanus]

I guess making one vertical and one horizontal thumbnail template would work the best. Thanks for the suggestion, that would work the best from now on. My workflow on this current project is such that I may have 24 photos to convert to thumbnails with shadows and curved corners. If I take a page with vertical thumbnails already made, I can marquee select all 24 thumbnails and convert to flat fill then bitmap fill. Unfortunately all the default Xara logo bitmaps are rotated 90 degrees and have to then be rotated. You can't rotate the entire thumbnail as the shadow won't be in the correct orientation.

Jim

[Boy]

I'm happy that at least one suggestion helped you a bit Good luck!

PS: What about using a vertical thumbnail, rotating the Xara picture, then copy the thumbnail enough times until you have your page filled, et voilà, you have your template page?