This informative relates to Windows XP users only.

These instructions may be downloaded in a pdf should you wish to pass it on.

Portable Version (1.11mb).

N.B. When I mean to make photos smaller, I am referring to the actual kilobyte file size,

and not so much the viewing size although this will be affected to a smaller extent.

A large kilobyte size as in 1200kb, will take 10 times longer to send

than a photo that is 120kb – this is our goal for this lesson.

We won’t lose quality, but we will send a smaller representation of the original.

Be aware however that this smaller file will not handle being enlarged at the other end.

First I will cover what's normally done in Windows XP,

second I will touch on when this fails,

and last I will offer a lessor alternative – a tool for making photos smaller for documents.

Option 1. Normally in My Pictures, you highlight photos by holding the Ctrl key down

and click each photo you want to send, the left margin offers options which

includes Email this file, or Email selected items.

After clicking the link, you will then get this choice...

Click OK and a new email letter opens up with your pictures attached in a smaller form.

Their size is by the way, for a 640x480 window.

If you happen to click on the "Show More Options...", you'd get more choices,

but most will settle with not having to decide, and the default setting is usually adequate.

N.B. This will not work if Outlook Express is not your Default programme.

If you are using Incredimail mainly, it will not work.

How to change your Default email Client – the primary program that handles your email.

Option 2. What happens if you never get the above choice, i.e. the chance to make things smaller?

This can happen because of a glitch, or maybe it has never been turned on.

This was very hard to find, but here is how to turn it on.

Q: When I select a photo from a folder in my pictures and choose email this
photo, the option to make it smaller or keep same size no longer appears.

A: Click on Start Button>Run,. Type the following in the opening text box:
REGSVR32 SHIMGVW.DLL
and press the Enter key.

N.B. there is a space between REGSVR32 and SHIMGVW.DLL,

so copying and pasting the bold letters above may make it easier.
This will take a second to run and will bring back this function.

Option 3.A Handy Utility (tool): the Image Resizer.

If you download and install this little tool, you will be able to right click over any

picture file - click Resize in the Options, and make a smaller copy to live in the same folder.

If you want to email this new (smaller) version, you will have to attach it manually to a new email.

I would use this tool to make a smaller version for placement inside a document,

otherwise my document would become too big to email.

Image Resizer (this is a direct download)

This PowerToy enables you to resize one or many image files with a right-click.

Additional steps to using this tool.

1.      Right click over a photo, and in the options that appear, choose Resize Pictures.

2.  In most cases the Small option is all you want, so Click OK.

Now you will have a duplicate photo that has a different name in the same folder.

Where as the original was 1240kb,the small one is 43.7kb.

3.      To attach this to an email, start a new message, Click Attach, and browse until you have found

the folder that holds both photos. Highlight the small one and Click Attach.

You can see the size listed in the Attach field .

This is the actual size of the small version.

Conclusion:

When you take a photo, you really want to take the biggest size your camera will make,

because that is also the best quality, but this is also too big to email without Broadband.

Using the first option is an easy way to email your large photos as a small version.

What would you use the third option for, to insert smaller files into documents.