EDIT media library thumbnails

Uncheck “Crop to exact dimensions” in Settings->Media.

it is unchecked, but that still doesn’t help me choose what part of the picture I want as a thumbnail. I think this is just one of those few things WordPress really needs to develop better.

I think this is just one of those few things WordPress really needs to develop better.

How exactly? I don’t think that psychic software will be available for a while yet…

Psychic? have you ever used Nextgen? they have a fantastic thumbnail editing system. you view the original image and select what you want. you can also bulk redo all of your thumbnails etc…

you can’t even select the thumbnail area in media library. its done for you whether you like the outcome or not… you have no say.

You’d have to either edit after you upload or during (i.e. before it makes thumbnails but after initial upload) … I know BuddyPress can do that for group images, so in theory it could be adapted to a plugin for WP…

you have no say

That’s because the core only offers a basic image upload/editing system. Currently anything more than that is firmly within plugin territory – which is why some people use plugins such as NextGen.

That’s because the core only offers a basic image upload/editing system. Currently anything more than that is firmly within plugin territory – which is why some people use plugins such as NextGen.

which is why I said….. ” I think this is just one of those few things WordPress really needs to develop better. ”

It doesn’t need to because there are plugins to handle it.

It doesn’t need to because there are plugins to handle it.

I’m shaking my head with a blank smirk on my face. So you’re saying WP’s motto is create the minimal functionality, let the plugin coders deal with it? i don’t think so.

The motto is to limit the amount of new development per release, yes. And right now, that places your needs in plugin territory.

Ipstenu

You’d have to either edit after you upload or during (i.e. before it makes thumbnails but after initial upload) … I know BuddyPress can do that for group images, so in theory it could be adapted to a plugin for WP…

yes I was afraid of this….

I would say more that WP’s motto is “Keep things small and simple, make sure they work on the vast majority of systems, provide for the majority of users, and try not to break things.”

NextGen works, but not for everyone and not on every system. It’s like ‘caching.’ It’s something SOME people want, but it’s not quite at the tipping point for an ‘everyone needs this!’ moment. It’s probably pretty close, though. It’s a ‘Not yet.’ answer.

I don’t know if there’s a more recent thread about this – but here’s what drives me crazy – they developed a UI that doesn’t do anything. If you go to the media library, click Edit on an image. Click the Edit Image button. Drag the mouse cursor around the image – a small box appears, and the pixel amounts change in the Selection text boxes. Under “Apply changes to:” select “Thumbnail”. Click the Update Media button. What does all this UI do? Absolutely nothing!

Why did the developers spend all of the time to create this UI if it isn’t supposed to work? I’m on 3.2.1. How’s anyone supposed to know that they were just joking around about editing thumbnails?

According to one of the moderators, ESMI, wordpress doesn’t have to develop anything for it because

“It doesn’t need to because there are plugins to handle it.”

I assume that’s not an OFFICIAL wordpress answer, but, maybe “why should we when someone else did it” is an official wordpress stance. That I don’t know.

I’ve had my own issues with featured image as well, there are NO options for that either, whatsoever.

Fortunately, there are plugins that do help.

Try this one. I really like it

https://www.ads-software.com/extend/plugins/post-thumbnail-editor/screenshots/