2001.05.13:
  - "Define Frame Parameters" (right mouse button popup menu) extended
    with direct crop specification. Allows exchange of crop parameters
    via copy and paste with other applications such as cPicture.
2001.05.07:
  - Added Zoom View option to support handling of large images.
2001.05:
  - Added "Edit - Select All" menu command to reset selection.
2001.02:
  - Preserve File Time option added. Default is on.
2001.01:
  - Improved Exif operation. Avoid problem with the Fuji Exif Viewer.
    Thanks to Sebastian Djupsjbacka <basse@iki.fi> for the feedback.
2K.07:
  - It is now possible to overwrite the original file. Use with care!
    Thanks to Michael Timler <Michael.Timler@online.de> for the hint.
2K.06.10:
  - 16-Bit Dither (FixPix) option added in "Preferences".
    See http://sylvana.net/fixpix/ for explanation.
    Thanks to Pierre Geneves <pierre@pierresoft.com> for the suggestion.
2K.06:
  - "Crop Mask" mode added.
    Thanks to Harald Margraf <h.margraf@ge.bergbau-bg.de>
    for the suggestion.
2K.05:
  - Lossless transformation (rotation, flipping, etc.) operations added.
2K.04:
  - Option "Endpoint Snap" added:
    While dragging the frame snap the endpoint on the block grid.
    This is recommended and is therefore the default setting now.
    It results in complete MCUs in the output image, which is
    advantageous under certain conditions.
    Thanks to Jim <greenlevel@aol.com> for the suggestion.
2K.01:
  - Save and Load of Preferences added.
99.11:
  - Added "Preferences" Feature: Allows selection of "Entropy Coding
    Method" (Huffmann default/Huffman optimized) and "Marker Copy
    Option" (None/Comments/All).
    Thanks to Jann Traschewski <jann@gmx.de> for the suggestion.
99.07:
  - Initial version.


     Subject: Jpegcrop (Was: best way to crop a jpeg picture ???)
        Date: Tue, 20 Jul 1999 02:28:29 +0200
        From: Guido Vollbeding <guivol@labsoft.de>
Organization: Labsoft GmbH
  Newsgroups: rec.photo.digital


Dominic Chan wrote:
> 
> I am not aware of any program that would crop a
> jpeg file without recompression.  Some would do
> a rotation without recompression.

Well, some guys from the Independent JPEG Group which brought
you the lossless rotation feature are currently working on
the 'lossless' cropping feature (avoiding recompression, as
you note).

We have a nicely working beta version so far which is ready
for release, but may need some further testing.

So I have just prepared a small Windows application which may
be used quite easily and straightforward for this purpose:

  http://www.reporter.de/digifoto/jpegcrop/jpegcrop.zip

The ZIP file is 187 KB to download, and extracts to a single
373 KB EXE file for Win32 systems.

It should be considered as a "quick-and-dirty" beta version
at the moment.  The basic function seems to work ok, so it
should be quite useful (as it is for me and co-workers).

You simply select a frame in the displayed image and save it
as new file without recompression (see also right mouse popup
menu).
The left and upper border of the cropped frame are automatically
restricted to the MCU boundaries (16*8 in most digicam pics,
16*16 or 8*8 otherwise) by the program in all selection processes,
so you see directly the effective crop area.  Well, this automatic
adaption is actually the main feature regarding the lossless
cropping.  The visible block margin grid (toggle by menu/button)
in the displayed image is also an important feature in this regard.

In the status bar the actual selection coordinates are tracked,
in the same format as used with the commandline "jpegtran" utility
("-crop WxH+X+Y" : width, height, x-offset, y-offset).
Well, actually the "Jpegcrop" program uses the original (beta)
transformation support code of the IJG software, with direct
function calls.  (Note that the "Save Frame As" action will cause
the file to be re-read and processed in "jpegtran" manner which
avoids the recompression.)

Some minor points are left for completing the program:
- Image information display (Image size, MCU size [Pixel]);
- Appropriate program icons;
I would appreciate if somebody could prepare and send me a suitable
program icon (current icons are from MFC "DibLook" sample program,
where this one is derived from).  I'm better in code than graphics
design and thus can spend my time more effectively for other code
features :-).  (Some full days of working are already spent on this
program, which should be enough for the purpose.)
Extensions in the selection handling are also possible.

It is also possible to share the source code of the program (VC++ 5.0
with MFC) with competent people.  The copyright status of the program
is kind of "open" at the moment, may be more specified in a future
version.

Here is what the "About" box of the program says:

"This software utilizes actual beta code of
 the Independent JPEG Group for 'lossless'
 cropping of JPEG files.

 Reports, comments, and questions
 regarding this software may be directed
 to Guido Vollbeding <guivol@workaholics.net>."

So please try it out and let me know...

Regards,
Guido
