Archive for category Software Tools

Self Made Tools: Proportional Image Resizer

Posted by Matt Kendrick on Monday, 29 March, 2010

I’ve decided to create a new segment on my site called “Self Made Tools.” From time to time, I make software tools to help me through tasks that I can’t find tools for quickly. I’ve decided to really jump on the Open Source movement bandwagon and share my tools with source. This week’s tool is “Proportional Image Resizer.” What? Ok, let me explain.

When coding HTML, you know when you have an image that is one size and you need it to fit within an area that is of another. Say the image is 800 px X 600 px and you need to make it fit into an area that is 500 px wide spot. Easy right? Just change the one dimension in your code to reflect the change. Sure your browser will adjust your image. But it may not pass some web standards for all browsers. It’s just not clean. You need to have both a width and height specified when resizing an image using code.

How do you resize these images proportionally? Use a simple equation to do the job. You know the before image is 800 px X 600 px right? You also know you need the image to fit within a 500 px width. Now you just need the other part of the equation (solve for x).

800 / 600 = 500 / X

Cross multiply and you’re done right? How about we just skip doing the equation every time and just use a tool? That’s how the proportional image resizer tool was born. You can also do the reverse as well (height vs width). I know there are other tools out there to perform the task. But why not use something homegrown? You could even code this yourself in a matter of minutes. I’ve posted the source to the script above. Thanks for reading!

<html>
<head>
<title>Proportional Image Resizer</title>

<script language='Javascript'>
//Matt Kendrick
//March 28, 2010

function resize_by_width(width)
{

var x_before = document.getElementById('x_before').value;
var y_before = document.getElementById('y_before').value;

var x_new = width;
var y_new;

//a / b = c / x

//x = (c * b) / a

y_new = (x_new * y_before) / x_before;

document.getElementById('y_new').value = y_new;

}

function resize_by_height(height)
{

var x_before = document.getElementById('x_before').value;
var y_before = document.getElementById('y_before').value;

var x_new;
var y_new = height;

//a / b = x / c

//x = (c * b) / a

x_new = (x_before * y_new) / y_before

document.getElementById('x_new').value = x_new;

}

</script>

<style>
.dim_box {width:50px;}
</style>

<head>
<body>

<h2>Proportional Image Resizer</h2>

<b>Instructions</b><br>
<p>
Enter the starting dimensions of the image. <br>
Then enter the dimensions you would like to conform the image to. <br>
<br>
ex. You have an image that is 800 x 600, and you need it to fit the image <br>
proportionaly in a 525 pixel wide area. Enter 800 for the width and 600 for <br>
the height in the before dimensions. Then enter 525 in the after dimensions <br>
width. The script will then compute the proportional height for you.
</p>
<br>

<b>Before Dimensions</b><br>
Width: <input type='text' id='x_before' class='dim_box' value=0> Height: <input type='text' id='y_before' class='dim_box' value=0><br><br>

<b>After Dimensions</b><br>
Width: <input type='text' id='x_new' class='dim_box' onKeyUp='resize_by_width(this.value);' value=0> Height: <input type='text' id='y_new' class='dim_box' onChange='resize_by_height(this.value);' value=0><br><br>

</body>
</html>

Cool Text: Logo and Graphics Generator

Posted by Matt Kendrick on Monday, 15 February, 2010

Cool Text: Logo and Graphics Generator

I’ll be the first to admit, I’m not the best at doing my own web graphics in Photoshop. With input from other people, I do very well. But I’m not very creative when it comes doing my own web graphics. I think I have the skills to do the work, just not the creativity. This is partially due to the fact that I’m a coder, not a designer. In other words, I’m a robot. Hehe… Well I’ve found a cheap tool that is perfect for all the other robots out there who need a helping hand!

free

CoolText.com is a online logo and graphics generator. They have tons of predefined designs for logos, buttons, graphics and more. You can change the text, font, fore-ground/back-ground color, size and transparency. Once you’re ready, just click submit to sent it to the rendering engine and presto you have your own graphic! I used it to generate the “Free!” logo above. The best part is it’s free! I’ve already used this site a few dozen times for some mock up graphics for my apps. I thought I would pass on this free tool! Try it out and pass it around! Thanks CoolText.com!

LC ISO Creator – Portable ISO Creation Software

Posted by Matt Kendrick on Wednesday, 17 June, 2009

I’m a big fan of freeware tools. This morning, I found a very simple program to create ISO images of CD/DVDs. ISOs make it really easy to distribute or burn disk images. This app is portable (runs from a usb drive), very lite (52kb) and extremely simple to use.

  1. Open the application
  2. Choose which disc your wanting to convert to ISO
  3. Click “Create ISO”.
  4. Select the location/Name your ISO file.

This one has earned a spot in my usb toolbox. Find out more about it at  http://www.pendriveapps.com/lc-iso-creator-portable-iso-creation/

Software Tools: ISO Recorder

Posted by Matt Kendrick on Tuesday, 2 June, 2009

Have you ever downloaded an .ISO file and wasn’t clear on how to get it onto a disc? Need to make an image from a disc? Have you ever needed to convert a set of files or a folder into a disc image? Sure you could use Nero or one of the other heavy applications to pull this off. But, let me fill you in on a great Windows freeware application for using ISO files.

ISO Recorder takes a lot of pain out of these tasks. To burn an image to disc, it’s as simple as right clicking the ISO file. To make an ISO image of disc, just right click the disc from “My Computer”. Folders can be converted to ISO images just by right clicking the folder and selecting the option from the context menu.

This great little program has saved me hours of time. I’ve converted a lot of my frequently used discs to images. It’s a lot easier then keeping a bunch of discs laying around on my desk at home. I’ve also used it many times for burning ISOs as well. It makes quick work out of getting Linux install discs together. A few times in school, I’ve used it for putting portfolio disc images together.

But enough about that. ISO Recorder is available for download for different versions of Windows XP and Vista. Be sure to pay attention to which version and service pack you’re using. Happy imaging and burning! Kudos to Alex Feinman the developer.

http://www.alexfeinman.com

 

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