Avatar Help

[redpaint]

Ok This is not my first rodeo. I have posted Avatars befor. I know they can only be 250X250. and you have to have at lest 100 post.

Why doesn't my Avatar show up?

Do I need to find a place like Photobuck post it there then bring a link to it here to get it to work?

Becouse it does not seem to be working uploading it from my computer.

Help me please this is going to drive me nuts trying to find out what I am doing worng...

 

[SweetErika]

IF you have the AV option enabled (sometimes it takes a bit to recognize you're over the 100 post mark; you might want to log out, clear your cookies and log back in, just in case), take note of this at the bottom of the page:

Note: The maximum size of your custom image is 150 by 150 pixels or 15.0 KB (whichever is smaller).

Once your image meets the dimension and file size requirements, you can either upload it from your computer or paste the URL of the image into the proper box if it's hosted somewhere on the web. I think you'll get a message about the file being too large if that's the problem, but I can't recall if that applies to AV's, or just attachments to posts. Make sure you're using the 'Browse' button to find the file if you're trying to upload from your computer.

 

[redpaint]

Thank you for your help. I did what you siad. But will double check size in the morning.

 

[SweetErika]

Thank you for your help. I did what you siad. But will double check size in the morning.

You're welcome. If the image's largest dimension is 150 pixels, be sure to make sure the filesize is under 15.0 kb. If not, you'll have to reduce the image quality until it makes the requirement (usually it's an option when you use the Save As... feature in your editing software). The file size is often what trips people up.

If all else fails, attach it here, and someone will take a look or help you resize it.

 

[VelvetDarkness]

I got so pissed off with not being able to master resizing pics and keeping the file size down. I tried photoshop and other programmes but never figured it out. Now, I use good old microsoft paint. Just paste the pic in, crop it if necessary, resize it and save it. Lo and behold, the pic will be the right size and the file size will be minimal.

Also, when you try to upload a pic and fail, the reason is always displayed. I just keep resizing or cropping and tweaking and trying to upload multiple times until I'm successful.

 

[infinity706]

This also applies to profile pictures in addition to avatars and attachments if anyone cares.

 

[redpaint]

Thanks Everone. I got to figuer out how to reduce KB Size so I'll have to use this one for now.

 

[Weird Harold]

Thanks Everone. I got to figuer out how to reduce KB Size so I'll have to use this one for now.

one of the resons for recommending IrfanView is that it's exceptionally easy to adjust JPeG compression to reduce file size -- see attachment.

The only catch is that you have to use Save As to get the Jpeg/Gif Options pane becaue it assumes a simple save back into the same format would use the same compression setting.

Other programs have similiar Options dialogues but you have to explicitly bring them up, but in alomost every case, the secret is the "Save As" function even though you're saving to the same format.

You should be using Save As or Save A Copy anyway, to save the original image as the ultimate "Undo" function if you screw things up.

 

[redpaint]

Thanks for the link. I am checking it out now... well going back and forth

 

[SweetErika]

You should be able to make your AV 150x150 AND still get the file size small enough to meet the 15.0kb requirement.

Open the original pic, crop out anything that's not necessary, then use the Save As... feature. There should be a popup window with a slider bar that gives you the option to reduce the "Image Quality" (or similar) and save it as a jpeg. You can usually go down a fair amount in quality without the image being noticeably worse at the 150x150 size.

I'm sure Harold can give you more detailed help with Irfanview, if that's the program you're using. I use GIMP (a free, photoshop-like program) because I'm running Linux and find it to be more intuitive to use and powerful overall, but Irfanview is a fine program.

I admire you for trying to get it on your own, instead of asking someone else to do it for you right off the bat! I'm sure you'll get it soon.

 

[infinity706]

Well, it looks like it didn't take long to get the problem fixed.

 

[Weird Harold]

I'm sure Harold can give you more detailed help with Irfanview, if that's the program you're using. I use GIMP (a free, photoshop-like program) because I'm running Linux and find it to be more intuitive to use and powerful overall, but Irfanview is a fine program.

The thing I like about Irfanview, is that the screen capture I posted is about all the help anyone should need to meet the byte limits -- that 70% quality setting is what I use to make avatars and it usually squashes them far below the 15KB limit.

Gimp is a good program, but it's an image editor, which Irfanview is NOT. Irfanview is an Image Manager and is optimized for doing things like hitting a pixel dimension limit without exceeding a byte limit as well.

Redpaint, with Irfanview, open the original image for your avatar.

Click Image/Resize and enter 150 in the larger dimension.

Clicke File/SAve As; choose JPPeg and set the quality at 65-70%; change the name to avoid overwriting the original and click "Save."

All done and the avatar should be the full 150 pixels allowed and about 8-10KB.

 

[redpaint]

Thanks agine for the help. I think I am going to go ahead and download Irfanview I have Adobe Photoshop. I like using it but somethings it can be a real headach to use. I know it can do alot more than I know how to do with it one reason I never updated the vreison I have.

Now thats better

I admire you for trying to get it on your own, instead of asking someone else to do it for you right off the bat! I'm sure you'll get it soon.

Ahh I'm nothing but a hard headed male that keeps at it even if I don't know what I am doing.
But I do kind of know when to throw in the towl and ask for help...... Sometimes....