JPEGS and OSX

GW
Posted By
greg_wallis
Jul 22, 2004
Views
493
Replies
13
Status
Closed
Does anybody know a way to ensure that jpegs display as thumbnails when you open a folder rather that just a small icon with a filename. For some reason sometimes they download from my camera this way and sometimes the other…..without having the thumbnail to refer to it makes it very difficult to organise my pictures!!

Thanks
greg
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KW
Kyle_White
Jul 22, 2004
Hi Greg

JPEG’s, in and of themselves, don’t usually contain thumbnails, the thumbnails have to be generated. The easiest way I’ve found is to use GraphicConverter’s browse folder mode. When you select the appropriate folder, GC will generate thumbs for all the images in the folder. You can then use GC to help organize your photos or Finder, except now Finder will have thumbnail icons.

HTH
Kyle

Pardon Me!
I blindly assumed you’re on a Mac, but I believe IrfanView will do the same for MS-Windows users. (Sorry ’bout ‘dat! 😉 )
MR
Mark_Reibman
Jul 22, 2004
This is a Mac OS question so you’re not blind. 🙂

You can view the images in your finder window but you need to get out of your icon view mode. At the top of the finder window (you need to select the folder or you can do this on the top of your folder’s window) on the upper left you will see three symbols in a row just to the right of the arrow boxes. Of the three, select the right one. Now select an image and you should see a thumbnail view. Use your down/up arrow on your keyboard to move up and down the list.
KW
Kyle_White
Jul 22, 2004
Thanks Mark!

(Note to self: read the title!)
Obviously insufficient caffine intake so far this morning! 8)

Is there any other way (other than GC etc) to automagically replace the generic JPEG icon with an thumbnail icon? (i.e.: anybody got a "Folder Action" that will do this?) Column view in finder only gives you the preview in the next column on a file by file basis. (Although the preview is usually much larger and easier to see than an icon thumb)
MR
Mark_Reibman
Jul 22, 2004
Kyle,

I’m not sure if this is what you’re asking but if you open a folder with jpeg icons and select view options you can select ‘show icon preview’ and you will get an icon thumbnail of the image, jpeg, psd.. whatever. I didn’t know you could do this but the question got me curious. I’m thinking, ‘there must be a way’. And there is.

Maybe this is what Greg was searching for.
KW
Kyle_White
Jul 22, 2004
Thanks Mark!

It may be what Greg is looking for and it’s definitely going to be help for me! (No more opening GC unecessarily!)

You’re right, I should’a known – there almost always a ‘way’ with a Mac!

TTFN

Kyle
JH
Joe_Henry1000
Jul 22, 2004
For those times when the file has no thumbnail, this little contextual menu plug-in, QuickImageCM <http://www.pixture.com/macosx.php>, is very handy for creating them as well as a host of other functions. From the developers web site:

QuickImage is a Contextual menu plugin that makes it possible to view/edit/print/convert image files without launching any applications.

I have Finder windows set as Mark suggested as well although if you use Image Capture to download from your camera thumbnails are automatically created. Or this might just be the default behavior of OS X, I’m not sure. About the only time I need to create thumbnails is if I’ve manipulated image in another program, PSE Save For Web or iPhoto Export for example. For some reason this results in a generic .jpg icon.

Joe
KW
Kyle_White
Jul 23, 2004
Yup, PSE2’s "Save for Web" creates a generic JPEG with no resource fork, ergo no icon thumbnail. Probably the same for iPhoto Export.

TTFN
Kyle
MR
Mark_Reibman
Jul 23, 2004
Thank you Joe,

This is really useful for me as I have images all over the place on my computer and this makes viewing really quick.

All mac users: This is freeware, easy to install and goes right into the bottom of your contextual menu (control + click) Lets say you have an icon for Photoshop Elements image on your desktop. You can’t remember what it is or you want to see it again in full view. Just Control click this image, select Quickimage>view and presto, it’s there. There are more features but this is what I find the most useful… so far.
RR
Raymond Robillard
Jul 23, 2004
Mark,

What’s the difference between this utility and Preview ?

Ray
JH
Joe_Henry1000
Jul 23, 2004
Ray,

You should download it and see. For one thing, it’s a contextual menu item so you don’t have to open a program (Preview) to view and/or manipulate an image for example. Just right click and the image pops open. You can also print (although there are some unresolved issues with Panther), crop, rotate, create thumbnails and even apply a number of effects/filters without ever opening the image in any application.

Mark,

You’re welcome. Have you tried any of the other CM plug-ins?

Joe
MR
Mark_Reibman
Jul 23, 2004
Mark, You’re welcome. Have you tried any of the other CM plug-ins?

Joe,

No, but I bookmarked his page.

Ray,

For me, it is definitely faster than Preview. But also, if I have a psd, tiff, etc file and I can’t remember what it is, I can look at it quickly without waiting for it to open it in Photoshop. It has other goodies as well. You can turn an icon file into the image thumbnail or reverse it. And it’s freeware. Every Mac user on this forum should install it and try it out.

It appears right at the bottom of your contextual menu (Control+click) so it doesn’t get in the way, and doesn’t require any time to open it as a separate application.
RR
Raymond Robillard
Jul 23, 2004
Thanks to both of you.

Ray
GW
greg_wallis
Jul 25, 2004
Thankyou all for your input……the ‘view show options’ was all i needed to help me get around this problem….so quick and easy…..although now my interest has been aroused in some of the freeware that you suggested.

cheers

greg

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