Photos all resized to 320x240 pixels despite selecting "large"

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Level 1

8 points

Photos all resized to 320x240 pixels despite selecting "large"

I have an issue with Apple Mail where all photos attached to an email (either by clicking "email" in iPhoto, or dragging the photo onto a new email message window) automatically resize to 320x240 pixels.

Changing the "size" dropdown at the bottom of the compose window has no effect.

The photos are of a large resolution before being attached to an email. For some reason this has only just started happening and was not happening 12 hours ago. I have not installed any new software or updated any software during this time.

Any suggestions most appreciated!

iMac G5, Mac OS X (10.5.6)

Posted on Apr 23, 2009 3:02 AM

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Answer 1

Apr 24, 2009 6:10 AM in response to masaclaw

Tom,

Do this -- remove the com.apple.mail.plist file from Home/Library/Preferences. For safety, make a duplicate of the Mail folder (Home/Library/Mail) and drag that copy to your Desktop for temporary backup. Quit Mail, remove the plist file, relaunch Mail and Decline to import anything, instead simply re-enter your account(s) setup info. Mail should then rediscover the existing account folder(s), but hopefully not be stuck on the one Image Size setting.

Before doing this think back on whether any of you email providers have changed the name of their servers since you first set up an account with them. Additional factors could be involved with re-entering the account setup data.

Ernie

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Answer 2

Apr 23, 2009 6:31 AM in response to masaclaw

In iPhoto, export one of the large resolution images to the Desktop. Check that the size of that exported file is what would be expected.

Next, drag that file Icon onto the Mail icon in the Dock. In the resulting New Message window, what does the Image Size button show as the selected size? If other than Actual Size, change that, and see if it sticks.

Ernie

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Answer 3

masaclaw Author

Level 1

8 points

Apr 23, 2009 6:54 AM in response to Ernie Stamper

Hi Ernie - thanks for the reply.

The image on the desktop, once exported, is the correct size (when opened in preview, it retains the correct size - the resolution is greater than the screen resolution).

When this image is dropped into mail, it seems to automatically be resized to 320x240. Changing the "Image Size" dropdown has no affect on the image in the new message window or the resulting image when sent. The "Image Size" dropdown defaults to what was previously selected - I have tried leaving it on "Actual Size" but this does not make a difference.

The odd thing is that the resulting image when sent has a different physical size (ie, it went from 80KB to 120KB) if sent using "Large" instead of "Small" but the pixel resolution remains at 320x240, so it is doing something with the image.

I have tried multiple images and also confirmed that these images do not cause a similar issue on a different mac running a similar setup.

Thanks!

Tom

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Answer 4

masaclaw Author

Level 1

8 points

Apr 23, 2009 7:07 AM in response to Ernie Stamper

Hi Ernie

About Mail: Version 3.5 (930.3)

I have tried the test with an image which has not originated from iPhoto but the same problem is occurring.

Perhaps this is something which will go away when the next apple update comes out.

Thanks,
Tom

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Answer 5

Apr 23, 2009 7:14 AM in response to masaclaw

Tom,

We may need to purge the plist for Mail, but first see if you have any email message sent to you with a fairly large JPEG attachment. Open that message, click on Message in the menubar, and choose Send Again. In the resulting Compose window, what does the Image Size button read?

Ernie

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Answer 6

masaclaw Author

Level 1

8 points

Apr 24, 2009 12:57 AM in response to Ernie Stamper

Hi Ernie

Thanks for your continued help.

When clicking "Send Again" on an email which contains a large photo, the photo becomes resized in the compose window and also in the resulting email.

What is involved in purging the plist file for Mail?

Thanks,
Tom

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Answer 7

Selil

Level 1

0 points

May 10, 2009 9:58 PM in response to masaclaw

I had this problem tonight. The mail preferences plist has a value MaxImageSize that gets set to small some how. I tired two different things. One very carefully I removed any value which got me my sizing selection back, and the second is I put "Actual Size". I still have another issue I'm chasing. The .me mail account won't take a photo attachment over 3.8mb and downsizes the 4.0mb test image. This edit is a lot faster though "more dangerous" than rebuilding the plist from scratch.

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Answer 8

Apr 23, 2009 6:58 AM in response to masaclaw

In the Mail window, click on Mail in the menubar, and choose About Mail -- what is reported, exactly?

Do you have any images that have never been in iPhoto to make this same test with?

Ernie

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Answer 9

masaclaw Author

Level 1

8 points

Apr 25, 2009 5:03 AM in response to Ernie Stamper

Thanks Ernie - that has fixed the problem!

What a strange one ...

Many thanks for all your help.

Tom

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