Trim the images


You can use one of three strategies to trim the imported images.

1.      If all your images already have the same width and height (in pixels) you may not need to trim them. Go directly to Classic step 2 – Stitch the images into a panorama.

2.      If you’ve scanned negatives or prints and the corners of the frames are visible, open each imported image in turn using the Trim marking corners command.

3.      If neither of these approaches works, open each imported image in turn using the Trim rectangle command.

You’ll need to have the images in left-to-right order in the computed thumbnails pane or the imported thumbnails pane. You can either trim them in this order, or trim them in whatever order is convenient and use click-drag to rearrange them.

If you are stitching a 360 degree panorama, this is a good time to plan how you want to frame the finished image. You can rearrange the thumbnails to try different ways of unrolling the cylindrical panorama into a rectangle. You may want to make it more than 360 degrees wide by duplicating one or two images at either end of the panorama with the Duplicate selected command (Edit menu). This gives you the freedom to make framing changes later.

Do not duplicate any images if you plan to use the Stitch 360 command (New image menu)..

It’s probably a good idea to save the project each time you change to a new imported image. This lets The Panorama Factory move the previous imported image out of main memory.


Trim marking corners
Trim rectangle



 

Trim marking corners

Use this command if you want to trim your imported images by marking the four corners of each image. This is particularly useful for trimming frames from a strip of negatives or from a scanned print. To use this command, you must have overscanned the negatives or prints so that the edges of the frames are visible.

In this mode, selecting an imported image displays it for trimming.

The cursor changes to show which corner should be marked next. You click with the cursor near the corner of the frame and The Panorama Factory attempts to automatically locate the corner. If you agree with The Panorama Factory’s location, you just go on to the next corner. If you disagree, you place the cursor over the corner marker and drag it to a better position. When you let go of the mouse button, The Panorama Factory will try again to automatically locate the corner.

You can disable the automatic location by holding the ALT key (Windows) or OPTION key (Mac) key when you release the mouse button.

To delete a corner, click it with the mouse to select it and then click the delete button on the toolbar, press the DELETE key, or select the Delete selected command from the Edit menu.

This cursor

   

   

Means this

Indicates which corner will be placed next. After each corner is placed, The Panorama Factory advances to the next corner in clockwise order. If you want to skip a corner, press the space bar to advance to the next corner without marking the current one.

Indicates that the cursor is over one of the corners. Dragging moves the corner to a new position.

When you have the four corners where you want them, use the Approve command (Image menu) to generate the trimmed image. The trimmed image is added to the end of the computed thumbnails list. If you want to change the corners later, select the trimmed image and use the Show source command (Image menu) to redisplay the corner markers.

After trimming the image, The Panorama Factory leaves the imported image showing rather than changing to the trimmed image.  This is intended to make life easier when you are trimming multiple frames out of strips of negative.  With the same imported image showing, you can scroll to the next fame for trimming.  If you need to change to another imported image, use the Show imported images command (View menu) to return to the imported thumbnails pane or use the Next image command (Image menu) to advance to the next imported image.  You can also move from one imported image to another by holding the ALT key (Windows) or OPTION key (Mac) key and pressing the left or right arrow key.

The Panorama Factory examines the first image you trim to determine the output size of the trimmed images. It transforms the marked areas to rectangles using the average width and average height of the first marked region. This guarantees that all trimmed images will have the same size—a requirement of the stitching method.


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Trim rectangle

Use this command if you want to trim your imported images with a fixed size rectangle. This is useful when you don’t need to square up your imported images or when the corners of the frames are not visible. You use the Trimming properties dialog box (Tools menu) to set the width and height of the trimmed images.

In this mode, selecting an imported image displays it for trimming.

Clicking within the imported image places the upper-left corner of the fixed size trimming rectangle. You can position the rectangle from its upper-left corner before releasing the mouse button or place it roughly and then use any of its sides or corners to move it to a better position.

To delete the rectangle, click it with the mouse to select it and then click the delete button on the toolbar, press the DELETE key, or select the Delete selected command from the Edit menu.

This cursor

Means this

Indicates that the cursor is over one of the sides or corners of the trimming rectangle. Dragging moves the rectangle to a new position.

Indicates that clicking will place the upper-left corner of the trimming rectangle. This cursor appears only when there is no trimming rectangle present. If you have a trimming rectangle, you must delete it in order to get this cursor.

When you have the rectangle where you want it, use the Approve command (Image menu) to generate the trimmed image. The trimmed image is added to the end of the computed thumbnails list. If you want to change the trimming rectangle later, select the trimmed image and use the Show source command (Image menu) to redisplay the rectangle.

After trimming the image, The Panorama Factory leaves the imported image showing rather than changing to the trimmed image.  This is intended to make life easier when you are trimming multiple frames out of strips of negative.  With the same imported image showing, you can scroll to the next fame for trimming.  If you need to change to another imported image, use the Show imported images command (View menu) to return to the imported thumbnails pane or use the Next image command (Image menu) to advance to the next imported image.  You can also move from one imported image to another by holding the ALT key (Windows) or OPTION key (Mac) key and pressing the left or right arrow key.

This trimming technique guarantees that all trimmed images will have the same size—a requirement of the stitching method.



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Updated: March 6, 2009