Has the minimum thumbnail crop size been increased?

W.W. Webster

A few weeks or maybe a month or two back it seemed a change had been made that allowed image thumbnails to be cropped to a smaller section of the image than had previously been the case. This was very welcome, at least by me, as it allowed a smaller section of the image to be highlighted in the crop. :thumb

However, in the past week or two, it appears this change has been reversed, whether innocently as an unintended consequence of other changes (hence my post in this forum) or, perhaps, by design. :huh

Am I right? If so, is there any reason why a smaller section of the image cannot again be used for the thumbnail - provided, of course, there is adequate definition in the image to allow this? :dunno

Andy

W.W. Webster wrote:

A few weeks or maybe a month or two back it seemed a change had been made that allowed image thumbnails to be cropped to a smaller section of the image than had previously been the case. This was very welcome, at least by me, as it allowed a smaller section of the image to be highlighted in the crop.

However, in the past week or two, it appears this change has been reversed, whether innocently as an unintended consequence of other changes (hence posted in this forum) or, perhaps, by design.

Am I right? If so, is there any reason why a smaller section of the image can again be used for the thumbnail - provided, of course, there is adequate definition in the image to allow this?

give us more deets and a link please. How small do you want it and where?

W.W. Webster

Andy wrote:

give us more deets and a link please.

It took me a few moments to create some evidence!

This image already existed in one of my galleries. I copied the image (the two are now adjacent in the gallery) and then re-cropped the thumbnail of the copy as small as SmugMug will now allow.

Here are the two thumbs of the image, before and after -

Thumbs.jpg

Andy wrote:

How small do you want it and where?

I'd like to have the ability to crop any thumb as small as the available pixels allow! In the case of the example image above, I want to be able to crop in tight enough to identify the player in the image, not just to provide a broad sweep of the image.

Something's changed, I reckon!

Andy

I'll ask Doc to look at this. It'll be Monday, Sorry Ross.

W.W. Webster

Andy wrote:

It'll be Monday, Sorry Ross.

And it's already Sunday here!

Just kidding - there's no need for an apology, it's not urgent!

Thanks for your prompt attention, Andy, and for the implicit assumption I can take from your response that I may not have been imagining it!

docwalker

I just wanted to let you know that I am looking into the issue. I am not sure yet what is going on. My thumbnail crops are failing completely so its making it hard to replicate what you are seeing. If I can replicate, I will send it to the programmers as soon as possible.

W.W. Webster

docwalker wrote:

... its ... hard to replicate what you are seeing ...

Doc - I think I've provided compelling evidence that it is no longer possible to crop a thumbnail as closely as was possible on a previous occasion!

There's no desperate urgency but, like you, I'd like to see it sorted as something has gone awry!

docwalker

I am not doubting you at all. But the first step in creating a bug is to replicate it. So far I cannot. Can you tell me if you used a crop ratio in the crop thumbnail tool? If so, which one? I need detailed steps if you can provide them.

the only thing I can think of is that the limits did change for some odd reason, or possibly it was a temporary glitch.

Can you tell me how you created that image with the 2 thumbs? was that a screen shot? or did you copy the 2 images? I need to wrap my head around what is going on.

W.W. Webster

docwalker wrote:

I am not doubting you at all. But the first step in creating a bug is to replicate it.

That may be a problem because, as I said, one thumb was created with SmugMug as it was a few months ago.

docwalker wrote:

Can you tell me if you used a crop ratio in the crop thumbnail tool? If so, which one? I need detailed steps if you can provide them.

I used the 1X1 ratio. The left hand thumb was created a month or three back. The right hand thumb is the tightest crop I can now get from a copy of the same image I created in response to Andy's request for 'more deets and a link'.

docwalker wrote:

the only thing I can think of is that the limits did change for some odd reason, or possibly it was a temporary glitch.

I'd like to think there is a more rational explanation. If the limits were changed, can you please change them back? As I said, it is no longer possible to crop thumbs as tightly as previously, which is a pity. If pressed, I could find more evidence to demonstrate this was not a temporary aberration.

docwalker wrote:

Can you tell me how you created that image with the 2 thumbs? was that a screen shot? or did you copy the 2 images? I need to wrap my head around what is going on.

It was a screen shot of the two adjacent thumbs as you can see for yourself in the gallery.

docwalker wrote:

I need to wrap my head around what is going on.

I reckon the maximum tightness of 1X1 (and maybe other) thumbnail crops was recently changed. If you start from that point and investigate how it happened, you'll be well on your way.

What about my suggestion that all crops should be allowed as be tight as the available pixels in the relevant image will allow (i.e. to yield a 100x100px thumb)?

Thanks for your ongoing efforts Doc!

W.W. Webster

Any news?

The reported problem still continues.

docwalker

Sorry. Been focused on other pressing issues. I will ask the programmers again if the change was intentional.

W.W. Webster

docwalker wrote:

I will ask the programmers again if the change was intentional.

... and that it will be reversed?

Thanks Doc!

docwalker

That I cannot promise.

W.W. Webster

docwalker wrote:

That I cannot promise.

:cry