Using custom thumbnails?

I have a new page with a gallery that contains images with a great variation in image size: horizontals, verticals, square shaped and narrow panoramics etc.

I would like to use MaxiGallery for the uploads, but use a different jQuery script (Fancybox) for the presentation.

The question is with the thumbnails: I want to use my own custom cropped thumbnails (that are 75x75 px) instead of the auto generated thumbnails that MaxiGallery creates. Is there a snippet call that will use my thumbnails that are contained in the same holding folder that I made for the full size images?

Thanks!

I guess one way would be to not use the drop shadow in the snippet call and then physically replace all the tn_ files in the gallery database with my files using the same exact names?

**EDIT: in this particular case this proved a fairly straight forward solution for me...

I custom cropped each full size image to the exact thumbnail composition I wanted them (at 75x75 pixels in size) using Photoshop. I then did a save-as with each thumbnail into the appropriate Maxigallery folder using the same tn_filename.ext name that MaxiGallery generated.

This is an extra step, all manual, without any fancy PHP, scripts or other snippet modifications. As I will be managing this site (and the gallery in question is not huge) this seems like a pretty good solution. The thumbnails are the same size, look even, and are custom cropped for content.

If there is another way I would like to learn the procedure for future larger galleries or sites that I hand over to others... **EDIT

Max

Yes, that’s the only way if you want the thumbnails to be fully custom cropped.

If they can be cropped from some static point, you could use phpThumb phx modifier in maxigallery templates to create the square thumbnails automatically.

Thanks, I will look into that.

Its all about weighing the extra steps to create your own thumbnails versus the convenience of the automated script.

There are a lot of considerations when it comes to thumbnails:
* size
* borders: yes or no?
* drop shadows: yes or no?
* full image (mix of horizontals and verticals becomes an issue)
* square cropped thumbnails (rows and columns look neat)
* if square you are cropping content of the image (left, middle, top, bottom etc?)
* custom cropped thumbnails (best presentation but more steps)
* with cropped thumbnails do you want to present as much of the full size image as possible or present just a portion of the image: becomes a partially hidden "teaser" of the full size image?

Max

I guess you have already checked this sticky thread? From my last post you can find help in getting phx:phpthumb working. If you don’t know what features phpThumb offers, check http://phpthumb.sourceforge.net/