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for information about indexed images. The file size can often be quite small if only
a few colors are used.
PNG
With its support for transparency, lossless compression, free availability, and in-
creasing browser support, PNG is replacing GIF as the preferred format for Web
graphics with transparency. An added advantage is that PNG offers partial trans-
parency, which is not offered by GIF. This enables smoother transitions from colored
areas to transparent areas (antialiasing).
To save the image in the chosen format, press Save. To abort, press Cancel. If the image
has features that cannot be saved in the chosen format, a dialog appears with choices
for resolving the situation. Choosing Export, if offered, normally gives the desired re-
sults. A window then opens with the options of the format. Reasonable default values
are provided.
18.5 Editing Images
The GIMP provides a number of tools for making changes to images. The functions
described here are those most interesting for home users.
18.5.1 Changing the Image Size
Once an image is scanned or a digital photograph is loaded from the camera, it is often
necessary to modify the size for display on a Web page or for printing. Images can
easily be made smaller either by scaling them down or by cutting off parts of them.
Making an image larger is much more problematic. Because of the nature of pixel
graphics, quality is lost when an image is made larger. It is recommended to keep a
copy of your original image before scaling or cropping.
Cropping an Image
Cropping an image works like cutting the edges off a piece of paper. Select the crop
tool from the toolbox (it resembles a scalpel) or with Tools > Transform Tools > Crop
& Resize. Click a starting corner and drag to outline the area to keep.
Manipulating Graphics with The GIMP
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Troubleshooting
