ppImage size to print size

rbuser

I'm trying to determine the best HxW size for images to be saved in order
to get best print quality. That is, I have a simple product catalog where
I'd like to limit image size to some value (say for example 1" x 1").

It is simple to set a ppImage to a fixed size and place in a detail band
(and grab the image off disk during "beforePrint"), but what size should
I save the image to maximize quality? I was thinking if printer
resolution is 300x300 DPI then the image should be saved at 300x300 as
well (and set DirectDraw?). I'd like to avoid letting the ppImage
stretch (internal scaling not great) when viewed on-screen. Do I need to
load separate versions of images based on pprinting/viewing?

Cheers,
EdB

nicocizik

Hi Ed,

Basically a rule of thumb with images is that the more information you can
save about an image with the least amount of compression, the better. The
larger you can save the image on the database without stretching, granted
you have enough hard drive space and memory, the more quality you will be
able to get out of the image.

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rbuser

Well, my problem isn't stretching larger per se. I have a library of
images at 200x200 (not necessarily square images, the largest of W or H
is 200 pixels, and the source images are 2Kx2K average) I can resize
these images to anything I want with a very good interpolating resize
routine.

I'm wondering what the best size should be in order to get a paper output
of 1.25inch x 1.25inch without letting the ppImage perform an aspect-
ratio corrected resize - which ISN'T interpolating...

Cheers,
EdB



In article <3f707feb$1@dm500.>, "Nico Cizik \(Digital Metaphors\)"

nicocizik

Hi Ed,

If you want to see the same size image on screen as the one on paper with
roughly the same quality, you will need to either save down two different
versions of the image as you said in your first post or save the larger of
the two and shrink-stretch the other one into an area of your specification.
In other words if you wanted to save an image that printed 1" x 1" then you
would need an image 96 x 96 pixels on screen and one 600 x 600 for printer
(depending on your printer). Or you could save a single image down at 600 x
600 and shrink it to fit in a 96 x 96 area on screen.

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