Cropping Images
Use
The MDM Client’s powerful image-cropping tools make using a separate image-editing application virtually unnecessary. You can use the mouse to select, move, and resize the crop region of an image, or enter pixel or percent measurements directly into the crop edit controls.
The MDM Client behaves as follows as you move the mouse cursor over the image preview in the Crop and Rotate tab:
● Cursor type. The mouse cursor assumes different shapes according to the different cropping operations that can be started from the current mouse position.
● Cursor position. The status bar is continuously updated with the current coordinates of the mouse cursor according to the format (x, y) (where ‘x’ is the horizontal distance in pixels from the left border and ‘y’ is the vertical distance in pixels from the top border).
● Crop region. As you hold down the mouse button to define a crop region or to resize or move an existing crop region, the status bar is continuously updated with the coordinates and size of the current crop region according to the format (x1, y1) -> (x2, y2) = (m x n) [r] (where ‘(x1, y1)’ and ‘(x2, y2)’ are the top-left and bottom-right coordinates of the crop region respectively; ‘(m x n)’ is the width and height of the crop region in pixels; and ‘r’ is the aspect ratio of the crop region in decimal), as shown in the figure below.
When no crop region has been defined, MDM automatically selects the entire image in the image preview.
You cannot define a new crop region if a crop region has already been defined and the cursor is within that region. To start a new crop, first reset the existing crop region by either: (1) clicking outside the current crop region; or (2) right-clicking within the region.
Cursor |
Description |
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Crosshairs. Indicates that you can start a crop by holding down the mouse and dragging to define the crop region. Appears when the mouse is outside the current crop region or when the crop region is the entire image. |
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Two-headed diagonal arrows. Indicates that you can resize the current crop region by dragging the corresponding corner. Appears when the mouse is over one of the four corners of the crop region. |
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Two-headed horizontal/vertical arrows. Indicates that you can resize the current crop region by dragging the corresponding edge. Appears when the mouse is over the center of the left or right edge (horizontal arrow) or the top or bottom edge (vertical arrow) of the crop region. |
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Four-headed arrow. Indicates that you can move (drag-and-drop) the current crop region without resizing it. Appears when the mouse is inside the current crop region and the crop region is not the entire image. |
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Procedure
To crop an image using the mouse (with no cropping constraints):
1. In the Records pane, select the image you want to crop.
2. Select None from the Cropping Constraint drop-down list.
3. Move the mouse cursor over the image preview until the cursor changes to the crosshairs and is located at one of the four corners of the desired crop.
4. Click and hold down the mouse button while you drag the crosshairs until the desired crop region has been selected.
5. Release the mouse.
You can reset the crop region either by: (1) clicking outside the current crop region; or (2) right-clicking within the region.
You can adjust the size of the crop region by moving the mouse cursor over a corner or the center of an edge to be moved until the cursor switches to one of the two-headed arrows, clicking and holding down the mouse button, and dragging the corner or edge to the desired position.
You can adjust the position of the crop region by moving the mouse cursor over the crop region until the cursor switches to the four-headed arrow, clicking and holding down the mouse button, and dragging the crop region to the desired position without resizing it.
6. Press Shift + Enter to save the new crop region. MDM immediately updates the thumbnail in the Records pane.
To crop an image by aspect ratio:
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1. Select Aspect Ratio from the Cropping Constraint drop-down list to enable the Aspect Width and Aspect Height edit controls.
2. If necessary, set the Unit to Pixel or Percent, as appropriate.
3. Enter the desired width:height ratio into the edit controls, and tab away to refresh the crop region outline with the specified aspect ratio.
4. As you move or resize the crop region using the mouse, MDM enforces the specified aspect ratio.
5. Press Shift + Enter to save the new crop region. MDM immediately updates the thumbnail in the Records pane.
To crop an image by size:
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1. Select Size from the Cropping Constraint drop-down control to enable the Width (W) and Height (H) edit controls.
2. If necessary, set the Unit to Pixel or Percent, as appropriate.
3. Enter the desired width and height into the edit controls, and tab away to refresh the crop region outline with the specified size.
4. You can move (but not resize) the crop region using the mouse.
Or press Shift + Enter to save the new crop region. MDM immediately updates the thumbnail in the Records pane.
To crop an image by Left/Right/Top/Bottom measurements:
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1. Select an equality from the Cropping Constraint drop-down control to enable the Left (L), Right (R), Top (T), and Bottom (B) edit controls.
2. If necessary, set the Unit to Pixel or Percent, as appropriate.
3. As you move or resize the crop region using the mouse, MDM enforces the equality constraint.
4. Press Shift + Enter to save the new crop region. MDM immediately updates the thumbnail in the Records pane.
To move the current crop region without resizing it:
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1. Move the mouse cursor over the crop region until the cursor switches to the four-headed arrow.
2. Click and hold down the mouse button.
3. Drag the crop region to the desired position without resizing it.
4. Press Shift + Enter to save the new crop region. MDM immediately updates the thumbnail in the Records pane.