On windoze XP if you want to display a picture on your desktop you can centre it, tile it or stretch it, although there doesn't seem to be any way of expanding the picture and keep the aspect ratio (so tall pictures don't become sqaushed and fat). Any programs to add this function?
-
-
Personally I just increase the size of the picture propertionally to my desktop resolution using a paint program like Fireworks dependant on the size of the height and width.. Then Ill increase the canvas size to the exact resolution of my desktop to ensure the image doesnt stretch. -
I've been doing that but I want it to do it automatically so I don't have to do it all the time.
Comment
-
Is your desktop 1280*1024? If so then most deskop images will look funny since that's a 5:4 ratio when they're usually 4:3. If that's not it then *shrug*Comment
-
which is why I use 1280x960Comment
-
I keep with a 4:3 ratio as having a laptop means you don't get a huge choice of resolutions...
Anyway what I want is a program or something that will stretch pictures to fit the desktop without losing the aspect ratio (so tall pictures look okay, rather then flat squashed blobs or pictures that are too big or small for the desktop...
)
Comment
-
I think you'll just have to resize the image how you need it. For example resize whatever pic you want as the BG so that either the width or the height is the same as your desktop then just choose "center".
The rest of the BG colour can be set via the display thingy in windows IIRCComment
-
I don't want to resize any pictures manually... I just want a program that will scale the picture to fit the desktop without screwing up the aspect ratio or altering the original picture...Comment
-
So basically, you want the greater of the two dimensions to match the desktop resolution (e.g. tall picture matches vertical res.), locking the currently resolution of the picture... almost like a smart resize?!
Will *this* do? It can resize to your specified resolution based on the largest dimension of the picture, maintaining the aspect ratio. You still need to click a few things, but you can perform jobs in batch.
There are a few programs around like this but another suggestion might be the GIMP, which has batch operation like plugins available. There could be something there that'll do this...Comment
-
I see...Originally posted by MD
I don't want to resize any pictures manually... I just want a program that will scale the picture to fit the desktop without screwing up the aspect ratio or altering the original picture...
Comment
-
Yes, but I only want it to do it temporarly... As in I don't want to alter the original image in anyway what so ever (I do seem to be repeating myself here....)Originally posted by Commander MarklarSo basically, you want the greater of the two dimensions to match the desktop resolution (e.g. tall picture matches vertical res.), locking the currently resolution of the picture... almost like a smart resize?!
There are programs like Wallchanger which do what I want, as it put the picture on the desktop and stretch it to the screen, keeping the aspect ratio, however Wallchanger won't allow me to choose which picture I want on the desktop.
To make sure people understand what I want, right click the desktop, click properties click Desktop tab and click a picture and you have three options, centre, tile or stretch. The centre one centres it but doesn't alter the size of the picture and stretch, will expand the picture to fill the screen, messing up the aspect ratio. I would like an option to fit to desktop, so the image is expanded until it fits either vertically or horizontally the desktop keeping the aspect ratio....Comment
-
Maybe you should mail MS then, 'cos I don't think the explorer shell can do that. In fact, replacing the shell in Windows with something decent probably won't do it either as the desktop is... something else
You could always hack a script together to knock out some html and use that as your desktop background though. The scriptage could pull a file in and write out some tags that blow the image up... that'd be doable.
edit: Oh, and I do realise you only want to display this picture and not alter it. I never said you should actually alter the physical file ya miserable s*$# 
Comment
-
Some people are just never happy! not a single thankyou in the whole thread
He could install apache and php with image support and then load the images in a script, manipulate them and make that entire webpage (which would be an image as opposed to a webpage) his desktop background (does windows still let you do that?)
That way the actual desktop image would only be stored in memory... you're a genius Marklar!
As for shell integration... the windows API is fully documented at http://msdn.microsoft.com and they do code samples
Of course now he's going to ask us to write it for him!Comment
-
Heh, cheers mate. I'd probably look at perl, just because Image::Size could be used to read in some basic info and then write out some html to <center> an image with the right width/height. Just a few lines I reckon and then re-sync the desktop with the html and that should do it...
Plenty of ways to go about doing it though, including hacking some C together to set the desktop if one fancies that .php could do it too, and can be installed standalone I think? Dunno :P You do love apache though innit
edit: Actually, one problem could arise from doing this and that is that the display bit of the desktop (i.e. IE components, shlldoc32?) wouldn't resample the image and just blow it up, meaing artifacts may appear in the image. Ah well...
Comment
-
Use paintshop u plebs, you're the kind of folk that adds the bloat to windows
Comment
Comment