Thinking in Mexico

So i'm back from a loooooong holiday in Mexico. I spent about six weeks over there and was eating a stockpile of tacos drinking many tequila sangrita and enjoyed the sun. Besides all that and more i also was thinking a lot about the PictureCutter and came to a few conclusions about where the PictureCutter has to go.

Because of that i'm in a huge redesig of the Visual Studio Projects to start a API for output and filter plugins so anyone can extend the PictureCutter with his need. There will be a new Fast Cutting mode and also i have found a successfull way to increase the usability of the settings dialog.
Additionally the WorkingPanel will experience a total redesign to implement the rotation. It will be possible to switch on lines like the golden cut, modulor or others to bring more expression into your cuts.

But till the redesign of the projects, the implementation of new functionality and the release of a new version will be done, some time will pass.

Polaroid - Nothing but Retro

Do you remember these huge polaroid cams which definitively did not fit in any of your pockets. But do you also remember these cool pictures they created. Well here we go, the PictureCutter will do the job for you, nice and easily. Be sentimental and go back in time...

In the above you can see a huge stack of polaroid like images i've allready created. They look great and quite a few people allready got impressed by them.

Now what is to do. With the new Version you can import single destination types. And you can download the one for the polaroid pix here polaroid.xml.

The import is easy. After you downloaded the xml-file to your hard drive, you can go into the properties dialog, switch to the tab 'border/multiimage' and press import. Select the file on your hard drive and lets go cutting.

This is the first of a few DestinationType entries which will help you to find out about the hidden possibilities of the PictureCutter.

New Release 0.3.0.244

Wow, a lot of time has passed since the last release. There have been lots of detail changes and redesigns which had to be done mostly for performance. You'll feel the new behaviour especially with the thumbnail lists. From now on you can import and export destination types and the frame is a little more clever.

Just check out the new version which you can download here : Release 0.3.0.244

PictureCutter start exception

I've heard that by some of you the PictureCutter is not starting correctly anymore. This is a problem i had as well for some times and with the new release most of the problems will be solved.

But here a solution for now:

There are two different files which can be corrupt.

Mostly it is the thumbnail file. In every folder you've ever selected with the PictureCutter, a file named picturecutter.pcprj. Normally this is quite a big file, if it is emtpy just remove it and try to start the PictureCutter again. At best remember the folder you have worked with the last time.

It can also be the PictureCutter settings file called piccut.settings.config and you'll find it in application data folder of your profile. In this file you can also see which folder it is loading on the start. If the removal of the picturecutter.pcprj was not helpful just remove the settings-file and try to start the PictureCutter again.

If both solutions are not working please leave a comment and describe the problem so i'll find and tell you another solution.

This Post is for the Versions 0.2.0.132 and older.

Drop of all dialog settings

Well i was loosing my head over the dialog settings and finally i've thrown back the idea about changing the dialog settings with the next release. Thats the reason why i needed a drink. Vodka, Havana, Tequila... i don't know anymore.

But the new version is comming, there is some bugfixing to do by some new and changed functions but it's comming good and cutting will be more efficient ever.

With the new release i also will publish some prepared DestinationTypes. DestinationTypes define the appearance of the final image. These DestinationTypes will be downloadable as single file and can be imported in the settings dialog. But hey, more about that later...

Next release has to wait

Due to serious development on the settings dialog the next release has to wait for another few weeks. At the moment i've reached over 170 commits and development is going well but it takes more time than i though. So be patient and stop by soon...

Working with the Clipboard

With the Version 0.2.0.132 it is possible to copy and paste images from and to the Clipboard. What that means??? You have a lot of new possibilities and i will list a fews of them here :

• Cut out imageparts with the PictureCutter and use them directly in an other Graphic Software. As example for various filters, textinsertion and other functions. Here the settings of your DestinationType will be used for the output size.


• If you find images from friends in the internet (flicker,blogs,...) you can copy-paste them directly into the PictureCutter and render them as you like them most..


• You can prepare your photos in any kind of Graphic Software and copy/paste them into the PictureCutter. So you can cut out your favourite part and render them as you like them most..


• You can use the clipboard by using Ctrl+C (copy) and Ctrl+V (paste) shortcuts, or use the contextmenu with the rightclick. Imagine the Possibilities to handle any kind of Images with your favourite DestinationTypes.

In the Process of copying pictures from and into the Clipboard there won't be any dataloss, cos there is no jpg or any other conversion involved.

What's comming Next

With the next step i will concentrate on usability and change the property dialog. It is also my idea to make some visualization changes in the thumbnail lists. The free rotation has to wait for another too versions i think. If you have ideas what to do, you're wellcome...

New Release 0.2.0.123

I've built a new PictureCutter release cos i think i've got to a certain level.
Mostly it is to say that the actual version is much more stable than the previous. Improved loading and saving of thumbnails. Less memory problems. And of course a few features i allready mensioned in an earlier post. Context menus and shortcuts for all the available funktioncality.

I did a first step in increasing the usability, so the program will lead you to yor're cutting. Probably this was not so good with the older versions and it will be better in the future... *smile*

Here the link and enjoy Cutting :
PictureCutter Release 0.2.0.123
Just unzip and start the picturecutter.

Revision 100

I'm working on the new Version of the PictureCutter with many new features and just today i comitted files in the revision 100. I hope i'll fix the last bugs within the next two weeks and you can enjoy cutting with the new version.

A little taste of the features of the new version :

• clipboard integration


• shortcuts


• rotation of the frame


• delete/remove from thumbnail list


• and many many more...

How does it work?

This is a basic introduction how you can cut out the best of your images with the PictureCutter. The following 9 steps will help you learn to use the future of picture cutting...

1. Start the Program picturecutter.exe


2. Drag&Drop a folder with your images into the running program window.


3. Wait till all thumbnails are visible on the left side of the picturecutter. This is the input thumbnail list.


4. Doubleclick on a image in the input thumbnail list.


5. The image will appear in the center of the picturecutter. This is the workplace.


6. On the Workplace you can see a frame. With this frame you'll select the area which will be cutted out. You can change the position as well as the size of the frame by moving it around with the mouse. Stretching it by pulling the frame on the dashed borders and corners. And finally expand and reduce the frame with the mouse wheel.


7. If you have the right area selected just doubleclick into the workplace and the window will be rendered into the destination folder and show up in the output thumbnail list on the right.


8. Allways remember, there are no buttons on the screen and the idea about this is to increase the focus as well as the creativity to the maximum level. You can find all possible functions and settings by using the context menu (right click).


9. Enjoy cutting...

Crazy Cutz

I will try to add images from my huge selection which are all cutted by the PictureCutter. Just to get you an impression whats the idea of a nice cut. The image here shows a little streetlife in Quito Ecuador in spring 2006.

First Impression

This is a first impression of the fine work done by the PictureCutter. It is possible to combine multiple images on one single jpg-file. So you can order the images on photographic paper and cut them into small funny pix.

Get the PictureCutter running

The picturecutter is based on .net 2.0. If you don't have the .net Framework allready you can get it by the Windows Update functionality or directly thru the download here :

Download .net 2.0 Framework from Microsoft

After that you can get latest and Zipped version of the picturecutter here :

2007-01-31 - Release 0.2.0.27

Be patient for more details to the picturecutter... ;-)

Welcome to the PictureCutter Blog

In todays world of digital images it is more and more important to cut out the best of it. So thats what the picturecutter is all about. Cutting out the best. And because the picturecutter is doing just that, the performance is GREAT.

On this Blog you'll find informations about the picturecutter, that little fancy program which is cutting out the best of your images.

This Blog is the second place in the web where the picturecutter comes to the public. The first is the home for developers which you can find here :
http://developer.novell.com/wiki/index.php/picturecutter