BS: Opening Picture Files

Subject: BS: Opening Picture Files
From: Jeep man
Date: 11 Nov 04 - 08:48 PM

My computer lately will not open JPEG files. I downloaded some pictures to Floppy Disc, it automatically changed them to JPEG and wont't open them.

What do I do? I have PICTURE IT, and Microsoft Platunim. Help Please. Jim

Subject: RE: BS: Opening Picture Files
From: GUEST,Bardford
Date: 11 Nov 04 - 11:10 PM

Are they on your hard drive? How arre you trying to open them - by dragging them to a program icon, or from within the program itself? Or just double-clicking?

As an alternative to the preloaded picture software, try this freeware. It can open almost any image file.

Irfanview

Subject: RE: BS: Opening Picture Files
From: mack/misophist
Date: 11 Nov 04 - 11:32 PM

Windows usually insists on 3 letter file extensions. Change JPEG to JPG. It usually works. You might go to Start -> Settings, I think that's where file associations is, and try adding jpeg to the list. If that's not right, try Help -> File Associations. Sorry for that. I don't use windows any more.

Subject: RE: BS: Opening Picture Files
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 12 Nov 04 - 12:12 AM

"try adding jpeg to the list." This sounds like the first thing to do...

Irfanview will also do simple picture editing - cropping, cutting etc.


Irfanview also will play lots of sound and video files too.

Irfanview will also display ASCII Text files too.

Subject: RE: BS: Opening Picture Files
From: mack/misophist
Date: 12 Nov 04 - 09:19 AM

And Irfanview is free. Get it, it's worth it and there are no hidden shags in it.

Subject: RE: BS: Opening Picture Files
From: NH Dave
Date: 12 Nov 04 - 09:38 AM

Later versions of MS Windows includes a build of MS Paint/Paintbrush that will open JPEG files. Just drag the file you wish to view to the MS Paint icon on your desktop and the program will open and show yo the picture. Of course the later versions of MS Windows include the "viewer" which should give you a preview of the picture shortly after your cursor lands on it.

Cerious Software markets a program called ThumbsPlus that will open many different picture file types, perform editing operations on them like cropping, and allow you to save them back to your drive in a number of different file formats. The program can be downloaded as a deliberately "crippled" evaluation copy, that allows you to use it for a bit and see if it will do what you need before you pony up the registration fee for the complete version.

Dave

Subject: RE: BS: Opening Picture Files
From: Jeep man
Date: 12 Nov 04 - 08:51 PM

I have downloaded IrFanview and it does help. It won't open art files, referring them to Explorer or you can chang to file name and it will usually open. Jim

Subject: RE: BS: Opening Picture Files
From: Bill D
Date: 12 Nov 04 - 09:37 PM

Most better programs will read the code in the file, rather than just reading the extension, so they KNOW what a jpeg or jpg is, no matter how you label it. This is 'probably' why it works now.

the other well known and free image viewer is XNView , which has a slightly different feel, but may actually open more image types than Irfanview.

Subject: RE: BS: Opening Picture Files
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 13 Nov 04 - 03:28 AM

Actually one of the most versatile "viewers" in Windows, if all you need to do is look at something, is Internet Explorer. Just right click on the file in WinExplorer, and pick "open with" and unless you've changed things from the defaults, IE will be one of the options. If it's not, there's a "choose program" box at the bottom, at least in recent WinExplorer versions. I've never seen a "definition" of filetypes IE can handle, but if you saw it on the web you should be able to view again just about anything downloaded from the web, in IE (and you don't have to be online to look).

Once you get a picture open in IE, you can right click the picture and you may see some options in "save picture as" to save it back in a more usable format. The save as format choices are limited, usually to the "original" format or bitmap, but all you need is one that works with another viewer you want to use, and nearly any viewer will open a .bmp if for some reason the original format is giving you problems.

John

Subject: RE: BS: Opening Picture Files
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 13 Nov 04 - 07:49 AM

I have had a utility since Win95 days - it's a bit old now - but you dump the DLL in the WIN/SYSTEM Dir, and every image file that it recognises - mainly bmp, gif & jpeg - as I said it's a bit old now - displays in its screen icon on screen as a thumbnail of the image! Cool! Not sure if it will work in XP - another thing delaying my upgrade... not sure that I want to live without it, it's just too useful....

I can't seem to recognise the file name at the moment... the DirectStuff has so many DLL's in there nowadays....

I note that I've also got the MS THUMBVW.DLL there as well, but damned if I know how to make it work....

Subject: RE: BS: Opening Picture Files
From: Bill D
Date: 13 Nov 04 - 11:25 AM

that's a bit like hotwiring your car every time you want it to start, or stomping on nuts to crack the shell, isn't it?
I'll confess, I'm a fan of programs which are dedicated to the process and have an intuitive GUI to do what I want. DLLs like that were once quite useful, and I used to have programs in Win3.1 which would decode UUencoded graphics, and boy, was I glad when I didn't have to use them anymore! (John...do you remember UUdeview?)

Modern image viewers seem to me far superior to things which 'will' do the job, but require extra steps and awkward actions. I can open most images in ANY browser, but I like having all the options available after it's open.