contact sheets / thumbnails

Hello, I am looking for a good program that can generate contact sheets / thumbnails from a folder of images. I used to use iView that worked through my OS-9 classic, but it simply stopped working one day. I understand Microsoft now owns iView, and the program no longer really what it used to be.

I tried ThumbPrinter, but it's not enough. (and it didn't seem to work 100% correctly, either.)

I need something where I can also view the thumbs on screen. Also, I need it to give pixel dimensions and DPI. (which is what iView did).

Anybody know of anything?

jediracer said:

Hello, I am looking for a good program that can generate contact sheets / thumbnails from a folder of images. I used to use iView that worked through my OS-9 classic, but it simply stopped working one day. I understand Microsoft now owns iView, and the program no longer really what it used to be.

I tried ThumbPrinter, but it's not enough. (and it didn't seem to work 100% correctly, either.)

I need something where I can also view the thumbs on screen. Also, I need it to give pixel dimensions and DPI. (which is what iView did).

Anybody know of anything?

Click to expand...

You will find that Preview that came on your Mac will do all kinds of things if you learn to use it. Preview can be used for much more than just a quick glance at an image file when you get out of the habit using it like on a windows machine. To open up the power of Preview I keep it on the dock so it is handy all the time (doesn't have to be open and running). Select the group of files you want to see or just drag the whole folder to the dock and drop on Preview. Preview will open with all the images in a side bar and some buttons will appear on the bottom right. One of these buttons is "Contact Sheet" when you click on it a Slider will appear and you can adjust the size of the thumbnails. By dropping multiple files on Preview you can now do Batch operations too, like Adjust the size or flip and rotate. To see the pixel dimensions and DPI go to the tools menu and select "Show Inspector"

What version of preview do you have? Looks like I'm running 4.2 and I don't seem to have all those features. I can view the size and dpi if I go to Tools --> Inspector, but I don't have any of those other features. Not even if I go to customize toolbar or preferences....

http://i51.tinypic.com/2pehj.png

jediracer said:

What version of preview do you have? Looks like I'm running 4.2 and I don't seem to have all those features. I can view the size and dpi if I go to Tools --> Inspector, but I don't have any of those other features. Not even if I go to customize toolbar or preferences....

http://i51.tinypic.com/2pehj.png

Click to expand...

I'm using Preview 5.0.3, i'm not sure when those features were added, so you may not have them. Have you clicked on the little Gear icon under the side bar? Seems like you could send the image from email there and some other things but I don't remember what else. Also I noticed you don't have the annotate button in the menu bar, if you add it from " customize toolbar" you will be able to annotate images otherwise Annotate just works on PDF's.

I used IrfanView when I was using Windows and here is a comparison between it and Preview. Many people think they have to start downloading a lot of Apps like they did on a PC to do things and over look all the great apps that came on their Mac. I try to use Apple's apps due to a good UI, plus they are well integrated into the operating system.


Some IrfanView features:
▪ Many supported file formats (click here the list of formats)
▪ Multi language support Preview does
▪ Thumbnail/preview option Preview does
▪ Paint option - to draw lines, circles, arrows, straighten image etc. Preview Annotates with arrows, boxes, circles and text
▪ Toolbar skins option No
▪ Slideshow (save slideshow as EXE/SCR or burn it to CD) Preview does slide shows, but to save or burn use iPhoto or iMovie
▪ Show EXIF/IPTC/Comment text in Slideshow/Fulloes etc. Preview No, iPhoto yes
▪ Support for Adobe Photoshop Filters No
▪ Fast directory view (moving through directory) Preview does
▪ Batch conversion (with image processing) Preview does somethings like resize or rotate
▪ Multipage TIF editing Don't know
▪ File search Preview does
▪ Email option Preview does
▪ Multimedia player Preview No, Quicklook yes
▪ Print option Preview does
▪ Support for embedded color profiles in JPG/TIF Preview does
▪ Change color depth Don't kmow
▪ Scan (batch scan) support Preview does
▪ Cut/crop Preview does
▪ IPTC editing Preview does
▪ Effects (Sharpen, Blur, Adobe 8BF, Filter Factory, Filters Unlimited, etc.) Preview does Sharpen and Color Correction but no Adobe filters
▪ Capturing Preview does
▪ Extract icons from EXE/DLL/ICLs No EXE, DLL's or ICL's on a Mac
▪ Lossless JPG rotation Preview does
▪ Unicode support Preview ?
▪ Many hotkeys Preview does
▪ Many command line options No
▪ Many PlugIns No
▪ Only one EXE-File, no DLLs, no Shareware messages like "I Agree" or "Evaluation expired" Preview is only one file, there are no DLLs on a Mac and of course no Nag screens
▪ No registry changes without user action/permission! No registry on a Mac
▪ and much much more Preview does PDF's as well as images

When I click the gear I only get options to send or sort. And I don't really need annotation. What I need is something where I can also view the thumbs on screen, along with pixel dimensions and DPI. And since I am in a obviously on a Mac, IrfanView is not much help.

So if anyone else knows of anything, suggestions would be appreciated.

This is what iView used to give me:



Unfortunately, as I mentioned, iView is somethign that is no longer available.

I can't believe there is nothing out there similar to the way iView worked...

Anyone??

I'm not familiar with iView, so I can't say ... but there must be a least a DOZEN Mac programs that do contact sheets, starting with iPhoto itself. GraphicConverter (shareware), JAlbum (free), Portraits & Prints (free).

Try visiting MacUpdate and type in "contact sheet" into the search bar and watch what happens. There's no shortage of options.

Sorry for dragging up an old thread, but in searching for another topic, I saw this. Turns out, I ended up using automator to create my own little contact sheet maker myself. works lovely.