Batch Problem When Setting File Size with RIOT Plugin

[ptsdprof]

hope this is real bug - new user. I am using the batch to convert and eventually print large Canon 50D files (jpegs) to smaller files. The files are about 6 mg (3200 x 5000). The problem is relatively simple - the program suggests to resample the photos before resizing (no problem) for EACH photo in the batch (problem ). If there are 50 photos in the batch - this means I have to sit there and click each photo through. Is there a way to alleviate this? Can I suggest a " "do this for all files" so that once the process for a batch is determined, the batching can go forward unimpeded? Or perhaps, a box to click somewhere to fix it? thanks for any help from a new but impressed user.

[Bhikkhu Pesala]

Unlikely to be a bug. Since you don't give a proper recipe I am unable to reproduce it. I tried the File, Batch Conversion, Advanced Options, Resize %, No resampling, and ran the batch operation on a load of files. No problem, it just ran without any prompting.

[Mij]

The problem is relatively simple - the program suggests to resample the photos before resizing (no problem) for EACH photo in the batch (problem ). If there are 50 photos in the batch - this means I have to sit there and click each photo through.

I think you misunderstand the instruction. When you are setting the Advanced options in the Batch dialog all you need to do is tick the "Use Resample function" box and the program will do it all for you.

[ptsdprof]

I tried the settings as suggested (File, Batch Conversion, Advanced Options, Resize %, No resampling) and was able to batch the pictures without problems using the resize % and ticking the resampling option.

I also had the RIOT set file size ticked. I think the message was related to that. when I removed it I never got the message again.

Thanks

[luciansabo]

Eearlier RIOT versions (like that 0.7 bundled with the plugins package) ask you to resample large images.
Upgrade your RIOT plugin to the latest stable version (0.2.1) and this problem won't happen again. A series of fixes and improvements were made until now for that particular function of RIOT.

[Bhikkhu Pesala]

Also, make sure that you understand what you're doing when you select the "Set file size" option on the JPG otions dialogue.

The file size on disk depends on the JPG compression quality — smaller file sizes must use lower quality, so even if you resize a high resolution image by 50%, if the "Set file size" is l60 Kbytes, the compression quality will need to be low to obtain such a small file size. However, if you resize to 15% then compression quality can be high and you will still get a file of 60 Kbytes on disk.

How good an image looks at a given comression quality depends on the image content — images of people or landscapes will look OK when highly compressed at low quality settings, whereas images of text or machinery with sharp edges will look blurred at all but the highest quality settings.

The bottom line is, unless your photos all have similar subject matter, compressing them all to the same target size will not give optimal results.

[luciansabo]

The bottom line is many people want this feature, and I don't know why.
Unless you really understand the implications - I think you should not use this feature, because you should not search for a fixed filesize, you should search for the optimal compression quality tradeoff.

[Skippybox]

I think users should understand the implications as well, but I think they understand this isn't magic either. They know they aren't getting perfect quality when they type 0 KB! They just want or need a fixed size so there is no guesswork. It's a quick way to get a lot of images a predictable size for their purpose. It is a reasonable compromise in most situations if done right.