Export to sized files for printing elsewhere

[someothername]

I'm sure this can be done, if I can describe it correctly. I have a couple hundred images that I want to print someplace cheap like one of the WAL* because I need to give them away.

Last year I just put the images on CD and asked them to print and they happily did, cropping to their machine's happiness. This year I want to prepare the files so that files that don't fit 4x6 have white space added rather than image cropped. I would think the machines used at the WAL* can do that, but when I try to explain it to the clerks, they obviously have no idea how to do it, if possible.

I can export from lightroom, setting fit within 12''x18'', but there I run into vertical vs horizontal. Still, I suppose selecting vertical format for one fit within and horizontal for another will be not too hard. I don't suppose there is any magic trick for sorting according to image dimensions?

However, the hard part is putting appropriate white space around the image so that the machine thinks it sees exactly 4x6 and prints what I want. Is there anyway to enlarge the canvas so that the actual image I put on the CD for printing is 12''x18'' pixels? (or 18''x12'' pixels as needed).

I've looked in CS2, but I'm not sure the scripting would support what I want to do.

Any pointers or links to somewhere that explains what I want to do would be most appreciated.

Thanks,
Brandon

 

[Victoria Bampton]

I'd have thought you could just tell the Walmart machine 'do not crop to fit', but hey...!

I wonder if LR/Mogrify might do it, but seeing as you have CS2, we should be able to get round this quite easily.

For a start, to save complications, I'd save out the horizontal and vertical into different folders temporarily. Scripting would do it intelligently with them all in the same folder, but an action on split folders would be easier.

Fit within 12''x18'' doesn't pad the canvas with white, but we can do it with an action/droplet. Go ahead and export one - ideally a funny crop.

Now you want to create an action in CS2.

Open an 18'' horizontal image - ideally an odd crop so you can
Set it recording - called 'pad 12'' 18'' horizontal' or something equally logical.
Go to Image > Canvas Size and set the canvas to 12''x18'' with a white background colour.
Hit OK.
Go to File > Save As and save it in the same location, with quality setting of your choice. Don't rename it otherwise it won't save back over the top in the droplet. Hit OK.
Then close the file.

Repeat for the vertical image, setting the canvas size the other way round.

Run the actions on a couple of test images to make sure it's working right, and then go ahead and create the droplet. Here's the instructions: http://www.victoriabampton.com/lightroom/droplets.htm

Finally, set the appropriate droplet as the post processing action in the export dialog for each export (one horizontal export, one vertical export).

Hey presto, the export for horizontal should run, then it'll run the horizontal canvas size action in Photoshop automatically. Then repeat for the vertical ones.

 

[Andrew Hayton]

You could try setting up a print in the print menu to the correct size and dpi and then print from there to JPEG. uncheck size to fit and you should be ok.

 

[Victoria Bampton]

Neat workaround Andrew! It'll only work in 2.', but it's a great idea!

 

[someothername]

I'd have thought you could just tell the Walmart machine 'do not crop to fit', but hey...!
...
Finally, set the appropriate droplet as the post processing action in the export dialog for each export (one horizontal export, one vertical export).

Hey presto, the export for horizontal should run, then it'll run the horizontal canvas size action in Photoshop automatically. Then repeat for the vertical ones.

Very clear instructions, thank you,
Unfortunately, Windows (Vista) doesn't seem to want to allow that droplet to execute. I doubt you are interested in what it says, but maybe a lightroom tech might be. A coder will recognize the exception code, I've seen it myself in years past, but it it is one of those that gives no clue as to what the real problem is. Most likely something to do with permissions I'd guess.

Event Name: APPCRASH
Application Name: pad18''horiz.exe
Application Version: 9.'.'.'
Application Timestamp: 423fa72e
Fault Module Name: pad18''horiz.exe
Exception Code: c''''''5


However, running the action in batch works fine, so that's what I'm doing.

I also have a little utility called iWatermark that lets me fit the image to within 18''x18'' and drop a proportionally sized watermark on it at the same time. So I take my horizontals and kick them into a step1 folder then run the action against them.

Thanks again,

 

[someothername]

Neat workaround Andrew! It'll only work in 2.', but it's a great idea!

That would be LR 2? I poked around in 1.3 but didn't see anything quite like that.

 

[Andrew Hayton]

Sorry Brandon,

Yes my idea is in the new public beta of 2. Although you could do it with 1.3 if you get a jpeg printer driver, although I haven't done this but have heard about jpeg printer drivers.

 

[Victoria Bampton]

Weird crash - I'd guess it's a CS2/Vista incompatibility, as it's obviously crashing at droplet point (CS2) rather than LR. Oh well, glad you've sorted a workaround!

 

[Halfje-Bruin]

There are more issues with CS2 and Vista if I recall correctly. Search the Adobe U2U forums for compatibility issues.