IMAGE TRANSMISSIONS...GENERAL INFORMATION

1) Optimal Image Size

The governing factors in size of images to be sent over the 'Net are
a) image LOADING time and b) server file space to store images. The "best" range for images to minimize impact in these areas is around 100 Kb, with 150 to 200 Kb being the practical maximum.

For those of you who, like the Author, cannot remember which file size is bigger, Kilo or Mega-bytes, here are two mnemonic aids. Alphabetically "K" comes before "M", so is smaller; or "Kilo" is 1000 (as in Kilometer), and Mega is 1,000,000 (or any BIG thing like a megopolis). Remember a kilometer is measurable, and there ain't no such thing as a "megameter"; it's just too BIG. (Of course there is "Gigabyte", which is a billion, I think...it doesn't fit the alphabetical progression above, but that needn't bother us at the moment!)

2) Adjusting Image Size
Most Image Processing software (PhotoShop, PaintShop, and digital camera image handling software, etc.) gives you the option of sizing images by pixel size and pixels per inch. The maximum practical pixel WIDTH of an image for an Internet page is 600. If you have a single image, and wish it to display at maximum size, it IS NOT necessary to transmit an image that size! Display dimensions can be set as part of your Message!

To size an image for transmission in JPEG (.jpg) or GIFF (.gif) format with an image size below 150 KB:
a) Photos can be sent and viewed at a final resolution of 72 px/in, and line art usually needs 144 px/in resolution.
b) When reducing image size in image processing software, it is usually best to start at a scanning resolution of 300 px/in. Do whatever editing/cropping/brightness and contrast work you wish at "full resolution", then begin to scale the image down in DIMENSION.
For example: an original image of 300 px/in in a 4 x 6" size will be 1200 x 1800 pixels. Reducing that image (still at 300 px/in) to 2 x 3" will reduce PIXEL SIZE to 600 x 900, resulting in a file about one-third the size of the original! You can figure this easily yourself: total width (or length) in inches times px/in gives PIXEL SIZE. This size reduction DOES NOT change the image resolution! To check how the reduced size image will appear when "magnified", use the software's "expand view"/"Zoom in" feature to make image on your screen tabout the original 4 x 6" (or whatever) size.
c) Be sure to save your file in stages as you work downward, particularly until you "master" the technique. This will save a lot of re-scanning!
d) With the screen view zoomed to roughly the size of the image you wish to see when image is posted on a 'Net page (and file saved), adjust the resolution downward from 300 px/in (or dots per inch; just about the same thing) to 144 px/in (maximum .jpg resolution), and view (and SAVE) results. For line art such as catalogue images, this may be as far as you can go. For photos, try to reduce the resolution down to 72 px/in, zoom the image backto desired view size, and see if image is still clear enough to post. If so SAVE it; if not, return to last saved 144 px/in file.
e) Now check the file size in Mbs. If you are in the 100 or 150Mb range, and the image is acceptable when zoomed to display size, you're done! If you are still above 150 to 200 Kb, try to reduce the overall dimension of the image some more. If you were at 2 x 3", try to reduce to 1.5 x 2.25", check total file size, and if OK, zoom out to display size to check appearance.

3) Sending Embedded Images to the Internet
a) Lets assume you now have an image that looks fine when zoomed out to a display size of 500 pixel width (for a 72 px/in image, that's about 7" wide!) and is of managable file size. You wish to place this image IN your message. At whatever point in the message you wish the image to appear, you need to insert the following:

 <IMG SRC="filename.gif [or .jpg]" WIDTH="xxx" HEIGHT="yyy" 
BORDER="0" ALT="image name">

where "xxx" is the desired DISPLAY width in pixels, "yyy" is the matching height in pixels (note: these dimensions in PIXELS are NOT necessarily the same as the actual file size! They indicate the size you want the image to appear on the page!) and "alt" is the wording that will appear before the image itself loads, or will identify what is supposed to be in that location should a viewer's browser be incapable of displaying the image. To see an example of how this is used on THIS page, for the Guild page Logo image, click the BROWSER'S "View" button, and then "Document Source". What will appear on your screen is the entire HTML language text of this page. To the right of the "tag" <CENTER VALIGN=TOP> you will see the image source tag for the "pagelogo.gif" file. When you enter your own IMG SRC="whatever" tag for your image, be sure you have ALL the " " and other HTML etc. in place as in the example!
b) You now have embedded an image into your message that will display on the finished page just as you wish it to!

c) An easier way to include an image with your Inquiry or Response is to use the "IMAGE/PHOTO URL" box below the Message Box. Simply enter the file name of your image like:
http://www.youraddress@server.net/directory/filename.jpg (or .gif) . The image will be sent with the message, and a copy kept in our server's files for call up when needed. The image will appear at the end of the message on the View Inquiry/Response Page. NOTE: You MUST use a SERVER image file, or one of the image repository URL's for this! When your computer is off line, there will be no image to find!

More image preparation data will likely be added to this "User's Manual" as time passes. This isn't "Official Poop", and is somewhat wordy, but these are techniques that Guild Members have found useful in sending images to their own, or other Internet pages. With a little creative thinking applied, these techniques can be used for LOTS of Internet applications!

See Question 677 in the Archives for a method of producing transmittable image without using a camera!

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