Change the size of a picture frame without altering image in Publisher

[SeanG_OR]

I'm switching from Quark and InDesign, and I've done my best to search for this answer, please point me in the right direction if it has been answered. 

Feeling a little dumb, but is there a way to resize a picture frame without stretching or altering the contained image? I use this technique all the time in other programs to crop out parts of an image I don't need. For example, in the attached image I need to crop the text off the bottom. In Quark I'd just drag the bottom of the picture box up. I've tried everything I can think of in Affinity Publisher, but everything alters the image including all of the different scaling options. Thanks for any help. 

[walt.farrell]

Welcome to the Serif Affinity forums.

If you look at the Frame properties on the Context Toolbar while you have the Frame selected, perhaps the "None" setting will do what you want?

[SeanG_OR]

Additional info: after poking around more, this problem only occurs when trying to use a picture frame on a master page or when placing an image without a frame. If a create an individual frame on a singe page it works as I'm expecting. I was hoping a master page frame would save me time. Is there then a way to 'detach' a master page frame from individual pages? 

[SeanG_OR]

Thanks Walt, but that didn't work. See my reply I must have been writing at the same time. Seems related to using frames on master pages. 

[walt.farrell]

17 minutes ago, SeanG_OR said:

Is there then a way to 'detach' a master page frame from individual pages? 

You would have to look for the Master Page's layer in the Layers panel, and then either select it, and select Edit Detached in the Context Toolbar. Or right-click it, and choose Edit Detached in the right-click context menu.

Then click Finished when you're done.

[thomaso]

1 hour ago, SeanG_OR said:

Is there then a way to 'detach' a master page frame from individual pages? 

If you have a series of picture frames which need to get adjusted on their various pages it might be more efficient not to use a master frame at all to avoid a repeated need to detach.

For already placed images: in detached mode you can move them out of their master layer to enable more direct access permanently.

[SeanG_OR]

23 hours ago, thomaso said:

If you have a series of picture frames which need to get adjusted on their various pages it might be more efficient not to use a master frame at all to avoid a repeated need to detach.

For already placed images: in detached mode you can move them out of their master layer to enable more direct access permanently.

Thanks for the help. That seems to be the case, a frame on the master page isn't a timesaver like it was fo me in Quark. 

[thomaso]

4 hours ago, SeanG_OR said:

isn't a timesaver

Just in case: Instead of converting an image into a Picture Frame or creating one separately, you alternatively can use a cropping mask, either via the Vector Crop Tool or with any shape object. For the tool just select an image, press 'C' to switch the tool, drag the image edges as wanted and press 'C' again to go back to your previous, e.g. Move Tool.
Pro: It's often faster than the picture frame way. No frame property settings to consider. Keeps the image as parent layer in the Layers Panel and thus displays the image file name on top.
Contra: It doesn't offer the scaling UI of a picture frame. More cumbersome to rotate the image without its mask. You can't simply apply a border to the cropped image.

[walt.farrell]

9 hours ago, thomaso said:

You can't simply apply a border to the cropped image.

On the other hand, I think you could apply a border if you clipped the image into a rectangle.

[thomaso]

15 minutes ago, walt.farrell said:

On the other hand, I think you could apply a border if you clipped the image into a rectangle.

Sorry, I was misleading. With "not simply" I meant that I may get confused by unexpected results, especially if I apply a stroke with "Align to Outside" to avoid the stroke to cover image parts. For instance:

Compare the screenshot in this post with a bit more variation and details:

[walt.farrell]

1 hour ago, thomaso said:

Sorry, I was misleading. With "not simply" I meant that I may get confused by unexpected results, especially if I apply a stroke with "Align to Outside" to avoid the stroke to cover image parts.

That's still masking; I was suggesting clipping.

For Clipping the rectangle is the parent, and can be given a stroke.

[thomaso]

7 minutes ago, walt.farrell said:

For Clipping the rectangle is the parent, and can be given a stroke.

Ah, I see what you mean, yes, that's possible, too.

But since it was about "a timesaver" as mentioned by the OP I didn't consider this workflow because this clipping procedure can be more cumbersome than with both Picture Frame and masking rectangle. For instance it would require to use the "Lock Children" option for adjustments to the mask dimensions – or move the image in/out instead.

[walt.farrell]

9 minutes ago, thomaso said:

For instance it would require to use the "Lock Children" option for adjustments to the mask dimensions – or move the image in/out instead.

There is no mask in this technique. But yes, if you want to adjust the size of the rectangle without adjusting the size of the image, you need to click Lock Children in the Context Toolbar. But that's just one click, and simple/quick to do.

[thomaso]

2 minutes ago, walt.farrell said:

But that's just one click, and simple/quick to do.

Theoretically. In practise not really. Not only this option can permanently be hidden in the outer space at the context toolbar's right edge (thus I need two clicks to set it) but also, like with detaching of master page objects, the layout process often requires several adjustments and thus requires switching "Lock Children" on & off repeatedly. For instance moving such an image with its clipping parent demands to de-activate the children lock.

But since you mentioned it: A clipping rectangle allows easier adjustments to the image itself (e.g. rotate, scale), compared to a masking object which needs the Children Lock for these modifications.

[tasetta]

I'm coming to Affinity Publisher from Adobe's InDesign and seeking the same answer as the Original Poster here; how to resize a frame on a image to choose what is visible without affecting the image within the frame. 

Am I correctly understanding this thread that the answer do so in Affinity Publisher is limited to either clipping or masking?  

 

Nevermind.  I finally found the Vector Crop tool.   Yay.  

Edited October 24, 2022 by tasetta
found my answer.

[Pšenda]

7 minutes ago, tasetta said:

how to resize a frame on a image to choose what is visible without affecting the image within the frame. 

As previously stated:

[thomaso]

5 hours ago, Pšenda said:

6 hours ago, tasetta said:

how to resize a frame on a image to choose what is visible without affecting the image within the frame. 

As previously stated:

@Pšenda, your bottom right handle hint is for resizing the image without resizing the frame. Vice versa than requested. EDIT: Sorry, I misread the screenshot.

@tasetta, you need to activate the "Lock Children" checkbox in the Context Toolbar. Or use the setting shown by @Pšenda while it may be useful / wanted to additionally deactivate the anchor (currently centred in the screenshot above) to avoid any movement of the containing image.

Edited October 24, 2022 by thomaso

[Pšenda]

4 hours ago, thomaso said:

your bottom right handle hint is for resizing the image without resizing the frame. Vice versa than requested.

Really? Are you sure?

 

 

[thomaso]

45 minutes ago, Pšenda said:

Really? Are you sure?

I was, and I wasn't watching carefully. The picture frame larger than the image in your screenshot was misleading me, thinking the image was selected. – I am sorry, you were / are right with both of your hints!

[somnolentsurfer]

On 10/24/2022 at 6:11 PM, Pšenda said:

As previously stated:

When I click that option Publisher moves and rescales the image to a different position with the frame. I want the image to stay locked exactly where it is and just resize the frame from the lower edge. This looks like it might work if I was setting up the frame for the first time, but I'm working on an IDML document imported from one of our old InDesign files.

[NewEdgeSwordAndSorcery]

Hi all,

I don't seem to have the Properties option to the right of the Replace Image. Feels like maybe I accidentally made it vanish with haphazard mouse action, but I can't find a way to make it re-appear. Can anybody please help?

Overall I'm happy with the software, but the complexity involved in changing an image frame size is off-putting, I have to admit. InDesign was much simpler for this.

[walt.farrell]

1 minute ago, NewEdgeSwordAndSorcery said:

I don't seem to have the Properties option to the right of the Replace Image

Check whether you have the image selected or the Picture Frame selected in the Layers panel.

[dinah]

I am also (coming from quark ) struggling to change size of frame without reducing size of image - I just want a part of on image in my frame but that seems very difficult to achieve 

[walt.farrell]

31 minutes ago, dinah said:

I am also (coming from quark ) struggling to change size of frame without reducing size of image - I just want a part of on image in my frame but that seems very difficult to achieve 

1. Make sure you have the Picture Frame selected, not the image.
2. Click the Frame Properties in the Context Toolbar.
3. Make sure to select None.
4. Resizing will then not affect the Frame contents.

[dinah]

thank you - all these things I have done but I can't seem to get the bit of the photo that I want in the place I want on the page