Intermediate images - poor image quality

[PPUser]

Hi,

I am trying to configure PhotoPost Pro and I am having a serious problem with the quality of the intermediate images.

The original images are 640 pixels on the longest side and about 120kb. They have been sharpened and optimized for the web and look fine.

However once the images are resized by PhotoPost to 600 pixels on the longest side they look very blurred even though the file size has increased to somewhere between 150kb and over 300kb.

I also tested the system with the intermediate image set to 639 pixels (and the same 640 pixel original files) and the result was the same – a blurred image and a much larger file size.

I am using GD because I can’t use ImageMagick with PhotoPost on my server (security issues apparently) however I am testing Gallery on the same server and it runs fine with ImageMagick.

I am wondering if I would see a dramatic improvement in the quality of the intermediate images if I were to use ImageMagick.

To test this myself I would have to take out hosting with another provider and do the setup again so I’d like to know it there is a real chance of success before doing this.

Also if ImageMagick is significantly better I would like to know if there is a way to use my own parameters with it when running it from PhotoPost.

EDIT: I forgot to say that I am using GD2 and the image quality is set at 100%.

Thanks.

[Chuck S]

I would actually need to see your site and a test login to upload thanks.

If Imagemagick is being used on the same server I do not understand why you cant use that as well for photopost. That makes no sense.

[PPUser]

Originally Posted by Chuck S

I would actually need to see your site and a test login to upload thanks.

If Imagemagick is being used on the same server I do not understand why you cant use that as well for photopost. That makes no sense.

I think that this resizing issue can be seen with any PhotoPost site using the same versions of the software. I saw another post about it here but there was no resolution to the problem and the author just stopped using the intermediate images.

So far the only change I've made is to the alignment of the thumbnail strip and this problem was visible before that. However let me know if you still need access to the site.

Gallery and PhotoPost must work very differently. With PhotoPost I get these errors:

Warning: escapeshellarg() has been disabled for security reasons in /home/euimages/public_html/photopost/image-inc.php on line 374

and:

Error creating thumbnail! Error code: 126

Command:

"/usr/bin" +profile "*" -size 57x100 -quality 100 -geometry 57x100 -unsharp 10

With Gallery I have no problems at all.

[Chuck S]

No those errors would not be seen with any photopost site if things are properly setup. That is why when asking for support you must provide the information asked for.

Warning: escapeshellarg() has been disabled for security reasons in /home/euimages/public_html/photopost/image-inc.php on line 374

Well for one on this site your noting your host have disabled certain functions which make using Imagemagick impossible for you in Photopost.

[quote]
Error creating thumbnail! Error code: 126

Command:

"/usr/bin" +profile "*" -size 57x100 -quality 100 -geometry 57x100 -unsharp 10
[/code]

You have the wrong path to Imagemagick that is what that error means

You might want to try something like this

/usr/bin/mogrify

/usr/local/bin/mogrify

As far as GD as we noted we need to see your site and a test login.

[PPUser]

[quote=Chuck S;1236599]No those errors would not be seen with any photopost site if things are properly setup. That is why when asking for support you must provide the information asked for.



Well for one on this site your noting your host have disabled certain functions which make using Imagemagick impossible for you in Photopost.

Error creating thumbnail! Error code: 126

Command:

"/usr/bin" +profile "*" -size 57x100 -quality 100 -geometry 57x100 -unsharp 10
[/code]

You have the wrong path to Imagemagick that is what that error means

You might want to try something like this

/usr/bin/mogrify

/usr/local/bin/mogrify

As far as GD as we noted we need to see your site and a test login.

I was not saying that I thought that those errors would be seen on any site, I was saying that I thought that the blurry intermediate image problem would be seen on any site using the same versions of PhotoPost and GD2.

I have just seen the place to modify the path to ImageMagick I didn't see it when I looked before posting so I will change that and then see what happens.

[Chuck S]

No the same error would not be seen on any site using photopost and GD2. This is why support for any one individual pertains to their specific issue and site.

[PPUser]

Originally Posted by Chuck S

No the same error would not be seen on any site using photopost and GD2. This is why support for any one individual pertains to their specific issue and site.

I've changed the path to ImageMagick to be /usr/bin/mogrify and it is found but can't be used due to security constraints.

I have set the system back to GD2 with quality at 100 and resize at 639 pixels.

I will PM you with login details.

[Chuck S]

You can email us through the contact us link in the header.

[digifusion]

I am having a similar problem with thumbnail quality. GD produces a reasonable TN but could be better, while Imagemagick produces a poor quality TN, even at 100% setting (both produce good quality large size images). I would prefer to use Imagemagick as it can produce a standard size cropped TN, which looks good from a presentation point of view, but because of the poor TN quality, I feel the need to use GD.

After looking at my web hosts FAQs, I think I might be able to set up IM in my own directory space, and wondered if this might give me more options as to how it can be configured to work. But before trying that, do you have any suggestions as to how TN quality might be improved through PhotoPost settings (other than using the quality % settings)?

Phil

[Chuck S]

What is a TN? THUMBNAIL?

The only thing I know about quality is for instance GD if you select the wrong version 1 or 2 for your server you will get bad quality

You can place a link to your gallery for us to look at the pic and tell you what we think.

[digifusion]

Hi Chuck, yes TN = thumbnail.

I've just uploaded these 2 images using Imagemagick, quality of the large images is very good, but the thumbnails looks rather poor:

Digital-Fotofusion Gallery - MG_9609-1200x800

Digital-Fotofusion Gallery - MG_3007a-1024x768

The other 2 images in the 'Phil Preston' gallery were uploaded with GD, again the main image is good, and while the thumbnail is not great, its reasonable quality.

All were uploaded with quality setting of 100%

[digifusion]

Getting better thumbnails now. In the Upload Photos Options, I previously entered numbers for both the 'Uniform thumbnail height' and 'Uniform thumbnail width', eg 120 for both settings. I've just uploaded 2 images with a value for just one setting, eg height, but not width, and the thumbnail quality is much better. Still a little on the soft side, but much better than previously. Seems the worst quality arises when values are entered for both those settings. Based on these last 2 uploads, thumbnail quality now looks reasonable.

[Chuck S]

Uniform thumb may have its own limitations. I know Michael puts in 78x120 as that looks good. To make sure thumbnails are working correct as they should and its just an issue of getting the uniform thumbs to work like you want turn that feature off do thumbs work right?

[digifusion]

Just tried uploading a file with no value in the 'uniform thumbnail size' fields, but got an error message, so will continue with a standard width setting, which is good for presentation of the gallery. The thumbnails are acceptable now, and main image quality is very good. Problem solved!

[Chuck S]

Okay have a good day