trim function not working

Stephen Frisch

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Mar 19, 2003, 1:33:55 PM3/19/03

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I don't seem to be able to get the "Image, Trim" function to work.

I have an image with a black wedge top and bottom right. I go to the Trim dialogue box and check "Based on bottom right" and "Top" and "Right", then click the eyedropper in the black area in bottom right, then "o.k." Nothing happens. I've tried duplicating the layer.

I'd love to be able to make an action from this and batch process, as I often have scans with extra black edges.

Using PS 7.01, Win, Win2K.

Steve

LenHewitt

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Mar 20, 2003, 3:57:47 AM3/20/03

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Stephen,

The eyedropper can play no part in the TRIM function.

The trim will be based upon one of 3 things, transparent pixels, the colour
of the topmost left pixel or the colour of the bottommost right pixel. It
will ONLY reduce the canvas size where that nominated colour exists on the
side(s) that have been checked

YrbkMgr

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Mar 20, 2003, 9:00:23 AM3/20/03

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When I first read this post, I tried to trim the white off of an image (photo on a white background, flattened). It did nothing. So I'll be reading with great interest....

Ed A. Ortiz

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Mar 20, 2003, 8:56:43 AM3/20/03

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LenHewitt,

What exactly would you use the Trim Function for?

What is the difference between the Trim Function and the crop tool?

I can't find anything in the manual about the Trim Function.

Ed A. Ortiz

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Mar 20, 2003, 9:10:54 AM3/20/03

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I tried adding some color to the top left corner of an image, and use that Trim thing with one layer then with two, nothing.

Shank Williams

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Mar 20, 2003, 11:19:59 AM3/20/03

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Trim is "autocropping", and I have used it for cropping to web buttons that
I made on a large working canvas. May it be necessary to have the image
surrounded by a given b.g. color, or transparency, for it to work? I wonder
if a single gray pixel in a black border would set the cropping limit for
that dimension. It is useful for finding out just how big an object really
is, which is hard to tell if there is a shadow or outer glow, or faded edge.
Sometimes I have applied it, then increased canvas size to bring the image
back to a desired, or "round number" size.
(no real detail, but basics here)...
http://www.cbtcafe.com/photoshop/trim/

Ed A. Ortiz

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Mar 20, 2003, 11:46:41 AM3/20/03

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Thanks for the link, Shank.

I'll be reading it just as soon as I finish this little project.

YrbkMgr

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Mar 20, 2003, 11:47:45 AM3/20/03

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Interesting. I've been playing with it....

My original test image was an array of images (looks like a contact sheet). Trim had no effect whatsoever.

I copied one of the images from the array, then pasted into a new image. I had two layers, a white background and the pasted photo. I increased the canvass size by 20%, then filled the background with white. I then flattened the image.

I ran the Trim command on the above test image and it trimmed it just as I would have expected - in essence, an autocrop.

Now to figure out why it doesn't trim the array of images....

[edit] In my array, the background color (white) is in between the images. I think that's why it won't work - it doesn't know how to crop around the array...

Ed A. Ortiz

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Mar 20, 2003, 2:55:22 PM3/20/03

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I still can't see how the trim function would benefit me or anyone else for that matter. I'd use the crop tool before I use it. I feel like I have more control of the crop tool. (My opinion)

hanford lemoore

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Mar 20, 2003, 4:43:27 PM3/20/03

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Ed wrote:

I feel like I have more control of the crop tool.

Actually, that's the point. You use trim when you don't need control becuase it's faster. When used correctly, it crops perfectly to the edges of your image. It's handy mostly for web buttons and icons.

I have a workflow for GIFs that allows the anti-aliasing of an image to stay even though it's got a transparent background. Trim is a vital step in that process. If I were to use crop I'd have to spend a lot of extra time aligning it to the bounding-box of my image. Trim saves me a lot of time.

~Hanford

Ed A. Ortiz

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Mar 20, 2003, 4:53:35 PM3/20/03

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Ah haaa! I get it, very good point.

I would imagine you can apply that to an action as well. Hey! hold on, I'll give it a shot.

Ed A. Ortiz

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Mar 20, 2003, 5:25:33 PM3/20/03

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Well, it's almost time to go home so I'm going to quit for now.

But my point was, the Trim function would probably be better in an action then the Crop Tool. Simply because the crop tool, like you said, requires more control. I know I can insert a stop somewhere within the action to enter values, but, I guess that would defeat the purpose of the action. And, you would almost always have to enter a value due to differances in image size.

Stephen Frisch

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Mar 21, 2003, 7:38:16 PM3/21/03

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Hi Len -

I'd like to be able to make it part of an action where I've batch scanned a bunch of slides, and ended up with several having black edges. It sounds like it should sense the black (if it's in a corner), and trim (or crop) that edge.

I only tried the eyedropper in an attempt to get it (the trim function) to work.

The crop tool ceratinly offers more control, but that's not what I currently need.

In any case, do you have any idea what I'm missing?

Steve

LenHewitt

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Mar 22, 2003, 3:52:07 AM3/22/03

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Stephen,

>>It sounds like it should sense the black<<

It will only trim if the EXACT colour that is in the selected corner is
present throughout the area you are intending to crop. From a scan that is
highly unlikely...

YrbkMgr

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Mar 22, 2003, 12:02:06 PM3/22/03

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Len's right - you're probably better off selecting the black with the magic wand tool (contiguous) and Edit|Crop, or, just use the crop tool.