wmf trim & conversion

[rogerd]

OK, here's a unique situation for you graphics gurus. I've got a thousand-plus files in wmf format that were output from a CAD program that I need to convert to web graphics. Easy, right? Well, there's one catch: All of the wmf files are the same size in pixels, i.e., the "canvas" is the same size for all. The actual live image is a fraction of the canvas size, and it isn't always in the same place on the canvas. Think of an empty screen, with an engineering drawing in the middle.

This means that if I use autoconvert programs to output jpg or gif files in a specified final size, but there's way too much white space. Pixel-based auto-crop features don't work, because of the variable size of the live area and its variable position on the canvas.

If you convert to jpg format and do a "trim" function in a graphics editor, it works great - it gets rid of all the surrounding empty space and leaves only the image. This image can then be resized to a set width to meet the page design needs. The problem is, who wants to open all these images to trim them manually? It's only a few clicks, but that's a LOT of images.

Anyone know of a graphics converter that can do a trim on these files, either before or after converting from wmf format?

[mivox]

Search for "batch processing" and "auto crop" or some combination thereof on [insert your favorite search engine here]. I've never heard of something that with batch-process a cropping job, but that could very well be just because I've never had to do it.

It seems like there ought to be some kind of utility or plug-in specifically designed for/by CAD users for that sort of processing.

[toadhall]

AutoImager will do batch auto-trim. Handles wmf. Shareware.

[rogerd]

Toadhall, may the wind be ever in your willows! I think that Automimage will do the trick! Thanks!

[mivox]

::snif::

I just love a happy ending...