Optimize Image Files
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This utility is available from the Utilities option on the main screen and is used to reduce the pixel size of images attached to specifications. It should only be used if you experienced distorted images in PDF files, which can occur where high-resolution images have been attached and the PDF report is a long one (more than a hundred pages). This is uncommon, but has been reported on the "Illustration Sheet" formats on reports exceeding 200 pages.  

If you experience problems with images and it is limited to only a few, another option is to edit just those image files, cropping them (especially unnecessary white space) to reduce their pixel area—see below.

The Optimize Image Files utility is only available when other users are not using FF&EZ, since it needs exclusive use of the Specifications table. 


Resize eligible images with a pixel area larger than

Use this option to set the upper limit for the images to be processed. The value is set in multiples of 100 square pixels. If your reports for a specific project are not very long, you may wish to start with a larger size than the default shown.

Convert all BMP and TIFF images to JPEG

These two formats are not compressed, so you can save space by including these in the processing scope. BMP and TIFF images will be included automatically if they meet the pixel area setting above.

Scope

You can process all images in the system (except those not referenced in a project) or just those for a specific project. We recommend using the "project" option, since there may not be a reason to optimize other images. 

Other information about the utility:

  • When the utility runs, it makes a backup copy of the original image in a sub-folder named "Originals." 
  • If you run the utility again to reduce the size further, the original image in the "Originals" folder is used to create new images. 

Editing Individual Images

If a single image is causing a problem, you may be able to resolve it by cropping the image or reducing its resolution with a simple photo editor like Microsoft Paint.

Remember that if an image is shared by more than one project, editing it will affect all of those projects. 

You can edit a single image by following this procedure:

  1. One the Specification screen, locate the specification with the image you want to edit.
  2. Click on the usual Edit button under "Commands" to edit the specification (this is required for the next step).
  3. Select Edit... (just beneath the image to open the image file in Windows Paint, or Locate... to open a File Explorer window with the image file highlighted (use this method if you wish to open the image with another type of software):

  1. Important: When you return to the Specification screen, be sure to save the spec so that FF&EZ records any changes that were made to the image's size and proportions. FF&EZ will remind you about this.

If you create a new image from the original (different file name), the specification needs to be updated if you want to use that image instead. Use the Clear button to detach the existing image, then use the Select... button to locate the new one. If you saved the new image in the FF&EZ image library folder, use the Select from the Image Library... button to locate it.