How to scale images using percentages?

[MikeW]

3 minutes ago, MEB said:

If the question is knowing if the image keeps the original ratio or was distorted the dpi on the left corner should give you a hint. A button to reset it to the original dimensions should be enough. If you really also need to resize it an even percentage (or whatever) you can do so through the Transform panel.

But the transform panel doesn't expose the percentages. As far as it is concerned, it's always 100% expressed as dimensions.

Resetting to 100% is only half the issue. Any "button" ought to be smart enough to allow the user to either reset to 100% or to equalize the percentages.

Hints are all fine and dandy. But this isn't about hinting...

[timme]

If you notice an image which is distorted, and use the transform panel and percentages to change them, the image is resized, but the distortion remains. Using the transform panel you can't remove the distortion unless you know the original size... 

[Old Bruce]

6 minutes ago, MEB said:

A button to reset it to the original dimensions should be enough.

+ 1

I remember that I forgot to ask for this already.

[fde101]

I can't really imagine percentage of "original size" being as useful as whether or not the image fits the part of the page where I need it to go.

Even the concept of original size is questionable unless the image was scanned from paper, as you could zoom in and out a bunch of times when creating artwork, the distance of an object from a camera might not be consistent if working with a photograph, etc., so the original size in most cases is an imaginary metric and doesn't really equate to anything useful.  The actual DPI it will print at is meaningful for a raster image as it helps to identify whether or not something will start looking grainy due to lack of data...  but that is purely a function of the actual pixel resolution and the placed size, so original size is again irrelevant.

[MEB]

21 minutes ago, timme said:

If you notice an image which is distorted, and use the transform panel and percentages to change them, the image is resized, but the distortion remains. Using the transform panel you can't remove the distortion unless you know the original size... 

timme,
You would have to reset the image first, then set the percentage you want in the Transform panel - that's what I meant. You wouldn't be able to do it directly via the Transform panel if the image was still distorted.

[timme]

Meb, But that would be a great feature ... :-) :-) :-) 

[stmartin]

I totally agree with @MikeW and @timme.

Why do you (Serif) insist on your solution?
I know it's work to make this happen, but it would help a lot of people.
I know I can work around this, but wouldn't it be way better to make it easy for us designers?
You have to stand up to a very strong competitor.

I am just trying to help as I am a big fan of your work.

[Fixx]

1 hour ago, fde101 said:

I can't really imagine percentage of "original size" being as useful as whether or not the image fits the part of the page where I need it to go.

It is useful if you need to maintain original scale (like in architectural drawings) or stretch it to some common scale. This is more about vector images of course.

[Edward Goodwin]

Going back to resizing an image by percentage - someone said that you can type percentages in the transform palette - however, for me, that only adjusts the bounding box of the image rather than the image within it. I presume I'm doing something wrong. So, could someone explain how I can change the size of an image itself (that's been placed inside an image box) by accurate percentage? If I'm not so bothered about getting things exact I can use the slider below the image. But what about if I want two images to be changed by exactly the same amount? Or, indeed, even if I want to change the zoom using the slider but to, say, 100.1% - the slider is 'sticky' to certain zoom levels and jumps from those levels. Make sense?

All thoughts/suggestions gratefully received!

Edward

[Joachim_L]

Have a look at the Layers panel, locate the picture frame and click on the image inside it. Now you can scale the image with the percentage you want in the Transform panel.

[Edward Goodwin]

Thanks Joachim... however, when I click the image within (below) the picture frame on the layers panel, the transform panel options are all greyed-out... Any suggestions? Edward

[Joachim_L]

Is the Move Tool active in your toolbar or perhaps in your case the Node tool? Or post an example file.

[Edward Goodwin]

Ah! I see. Yes, the Node Tool was active. With the Move tool active, the feature works now. Thanks Joachim.

One thing though - the percentage is relative rather than absolute - and by that I mean, if I've changed the size from the original size to, say, 125% then it'll grow by the additional 25%. But if I want it to be 126% instead of 125%, I can't simply say '126%' as that'll then increase it from the already increased size by the additional 26%. Is there anyway that the percentage increase can be absolute relative to the original size? (As per the size slider below the image)

Edward

[Joachim_L]

12 minutes ago, Edward Goodwin said:

Is there anyway that the percentage increase can be absolute relative to the original size?

Yes, have a look at the context bar. Top left right beside the images name you can see a pulldown for changing the scaling.

[Edward Goodwin]

That's exactly what I want! Brilliant! Thanks Joachim! I wish I had found this before. Thanks for all your input and for being so quick to respond - much appreciated.

[dominik]

16 minutes ago, Edward Goodwin said:

One thing though - the percentage is relative rather than absolute - and by that I mean, if I've changed the size from the original size to, say, 125% then it'll grow by the additional 25%. But if I want it to be 126% instead of 125%, I can't simply say '126%' as that'll then increase it from the already increased size by the additional 26%. Is there anyway that the percentage increase can be absolute relative to the original size? (As per the size slider below the image)

Hi @Edward Goodwin,

while it is correct that one can type in percentages in the transform panel, I think what you are looking for is a little hidden in the image toolbar:

• Select the picture frame (not the image itself).
• Look at the left end of the picture frame toolbar. It's a little under the three Publisher Persona icons.
• There's a read out of the image's dimensions ... and a little downward pointing triangle next to it. Click on it and you will get this:
  
   
• This is where you type in image scaling.

Cheers,
d.

 

PS: Well, @Joachim_L beat me by the minute 

[Joachim_L]

3 minutes ago, dominik said:

PS: Well, @Joachim_L beat me by the minute 

But your answer was much more detailed! I was just lazy.

 

[Edward Goodwin]

Thanks both of you. The wonders of user forums never ceases to inspire! 

[prophet]

Took me a while to find this hidden little info nugget in the context bar as well. However, it doesn't give any info for linked PSD, AI or PDF files. Additionally, the file names here and in the Layers pallet leave off the file extension. I can always check in the Resource Manager, but again, it's about having all the info quickly.

[fde101]

3 minutes ago, prophet said:

PSD, AI or PDF files

These are considered document formats rather than image formats and are treated differently.

[prophet]

2 minutes ago, fde101 said:

These are considered document formats rather than image formats and are treated differently.

It is evident that they are treated differently, but if I want to see the scale at which these types of files are placed, there is no way to know.

A real world example from my workflow…

I work in package design and have 3D product package renderings in AI format. Each are built to scale and vary in dimension. I place a rendering into a document, size/scale/move to where I like it… let's say, overlaid on an image of an empty grocery shelf. I then want to place a another product "on the shelf" next to it. It would be great to see the scale at which my first rendering ended up after manipulating it, and just place the next rendering at that same scale.

[carl123]

17 hours ago, prophet said:

but if I want to see the scale at which these types of files are placed, there is no way to know.

Document > Resource Manager will show you the original size and the placed size, you can work out the scaling from that

[prophet]

2 hours ago, carl123 said:

you can work out the scaling from that

Certainly, but as noted further up, the original dimensions are given in pixels and the placed size is given in inches… and really I should not have to have a calculator app pulled up while working to make all this happen. It's a much simpler thing for the application to provide this information in a easily accessible and editable place. That's all I'm saying.

[markabur]

Another example is having a bunch of maps, charts, or diagrams all at the same scale and needing to place them in a document all at the same scale, but at a reduced size. Being able to copy/paste a percentage in that case is super-helpful.

[markabur]

Quote

Document > Resource Manager will show you the original size and the placed size, you can work out the scaling from that

To make it extra-challenging, the Resource Manager disappears whenever you switch to a different program such as Calculator. 😕  It's clearly not designed to be used that way.