How to do it? (new software use solutions)

[Eikon]

Hey gang,

Let's use this thread to keep track of instructions on how to do things with the new forum software.
We have another thread for listing problems and fixes: what-needs-to-be-fixed-t488916.html

This thread is for members to help each other with solutions to use the new features of the software.


For example: Avatars. The old software used to downsize your photo dimensions to 125 x 125 for you as long as the file size wasn't too large. So far, I don't think the new forum software does that, plus it appears that the file size allotment is considerably smaller than the old rules. Some users are more computer savvy and have no problem reformatting their avatar picture.. while others (like myself) are not so well versed in resizing files. Can any members post a quick "how-to" to teach members to resize avatar pictures? Can we use MS Paint to do it? Would any members volunteer to help other members do the file conversion?


Another example: "Recent Posts". I'm sure I'm not the only person who was addicted to the "recent posts" button on the old software. It was the simple and easy way to get to the threads that you had "subscribed to by posting in". I've already seen a complaint or two about that button not being in the new software. BUT.. It is here.. just has a different name and location. Look on the right side of your screen.. See the "View your posts" feature.. Click that... it's the exact same as the old recent posts feature... Just a new name and new location.


Anyone else have questions on features or have found solutions to share with the rest of us???

Thanks!!!

[AppleBonker]

For resizing avatars, I've been using GIMP. It's free, but slightly more complicated than Paint (it is similar to photoshop). You can fairly easily use MS Paint to resize an image to 125x125, but this might not compress it to the below 6kb mark.

I have no problem converting images for people, assuming I'm around. PM me if you need help I guess.

[Alfador]

MS paint is an ornery pain in the butt for resizing. The feature is called stretch/skew and is under the "image" category on the toolbar. However, in most versions, it only offers % and not pixels for some reason.

One option for those without the desire to install another program (This does not work on animated gif images very well) is to use photobucket. It has a built in image editor. Upload the pic to your album, then go to the album and click edit above the pic. go to resize and input 125 into the smaller of the 2 numbers, and keep the checkbox for maintaining proportions checked off. It will now fit. Save as a copy, and use that URL. It looks like you may need save to your PC again to upload it here. Filesize seems to consistently be within the limit using that.

[dre1507]

It's not the best idea, but there are file resizing sites that can resize for you. The one i used is a bit simple and only downsizes by percentage. So if your current avatar is too wide or too tall, then you may have some problems. Just google "image resizing sites". Should be a simple fix for the not too big original sized avatars.

[RCA]

OK well I have an avatar issue...

I used paint.
- My avatar is 70x69 pixels
- I used .png with the previous NICO software. With the new one my avatar doesn't show up.
- I went to reload it, and it was bigger than 6kb (which I think is REDICULOUSLY small)
- They I saved it as a JPEG, still too big
- Then I tried 256 color bitmap (terrible quality). Now it is 5.9kb but now NICO doesn't regonize the file type.

So my issue is that I cannot manage to shrink the size of my avatar small enough with a file type that is recognized by NICO. Am I doing something wrong, because this doesn't make sense.

[dre1507]

you could just do what i said i did. if you already have it as .JPEG upload it to re-sizing site, set the percentage, re-save to computer and upload here. takes less than two minutes.

[RCA]

you could just do what i said i did. if you already have it as .JPEG upload it to re-sizing site, set the percentage, re-save to computer and upload here. takes less than two minutes.

Yeah, that will change the physical size of my image...
I want the file size to shrink, not the size of the picture.

[dre1507]

And i'm saying for me, it also changed the size of the file. the size of my avatar was originally 35.1kb and it shrunk it to 3.51 kb, way under the 6kb limit.

[AppleBonker]

And i'm saying for me, it also changed the size of the file. the size of my avatar was originally 35.1kb and it shrunk it to 3.51 kb, way under the 6kb limit.

It will for RCA too, but the image is already 70x69 or whatever. It'll end up much smaller than that and wont be visible to anyone without a magnifying glass.

RCA, ygpm.

[Beancooker]

Use microsoft picture and fax viewer to resize. It tells you dimensions in pixels. Use paint to convert it to .gif (compressed file).

[dre1507]

Oh. Well i don't know much about file sizes and picture sizes separately. I was just wondering if he could use the original big-sized file on the site.

[fiznowler]

I shrank size in mspaint to right dimensions, then saved as a .gif after messing with it that is the only way i could get it small enough. I lost my old avatar picture in the conversion and i don't have it onmy computer anymore. Work computer has very limited programs.