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Alliecat · 09-22-2011, 04:59 PM

I need to make a bunch of contact sheets fairly quickly. I have PS Elements 5 which will print but not save, & doesn't offer the required format. I've wasted hours messing around with Publisher through PDF converters, which will work but is tedious, got XNView which won't give me a page size in anything but pixels & even though I've done the math with dpi & pixels, it won't give me the right size page... Picasa was useless...
Somewhere, there has got to be a simple little free program that lets you make and save PDF contact sheets, lets you choose how many pix on a page, includes filename, & allows for multi-page files...! Sorting by orientation would be a bonus but I can live without it...
What do you guys use? Any recommendations?
Thank you!

**paulh** · 09-22-2011, 05:16 PM

I've used Picasa to make contact sheets in the past. Not sure if it has pdf export - I think it does html. Anyway, it's free and might be worth a look.

iTod · 09-22-2011, 05:51 PM - **1 Like**

Not sure if it does what you need or not, but Faststone *might* work...
Good luck!

Wheatfield · 09-22-2011, 08:38 PM

Originally posted by Alliecat

I need to make a bunch of contact sheets fairly quickly. I have PS Elements 5 which will print but not save, & doesn't offer the required format. I've wasted hours messing around with Publisher through PDF converters, which will work but is tedious, got XNView which won't give me a page size in anything but pixels & even though I've done the math with dpi & pixels, it won't give me the right size page... Picasa was useless...
Somewhere, there has got to be a simple little free program that lets you make and save PDF contact sheets, lets you choose how many pix on a page, includes filename, & allows for multi-page files...! Sorting by orientation would be a bonus but I can live without it...
What do you guys use? Any recommendations?
Thank you!

This will be tedious the first time you do it, but you could write an action in Photoshop that would do most of what you want. How recent is Elements 5? Photoshop had an automated process built in for the longest time that would make contact sheets, but I don't know if it ever made it into Elements, and I think they took it away in CS4. It's certainly gone in CS5.

Playing in Lightroom a bit allows exactly what you want. You could download the trial of it and see if it's right for you.

Alliecat · 09-22-2011, 10:19 PM

Originally posted by iTod

Not sure if it does what you need or not, but Faststone *might* work...
Good luck!

iTod, are you quite familiar with this program? I've had a look at it. WHY do all these programs give you page size in pixels & not inches?

Anyway, can you tell me -- in the sheet size options... it gives you pixels, you click the thingy on the right which gives you "print size to pixels", but this seems to have no relation to what you finally get. Again, even though I pick 8.5 x 11 page size, & "thought" I'd done the math with the dpi (the default is 8.5 x 11 at 150 dpi) it still gives me a 13 x 17 page. ????
I mean, I guess it'll view ok at whatever size, & if they want to print they can use the shrink to fit page option, so, maybe it's not that big a deal?
Just wondered if you knew how to make the thing give you a specific page size.
And how to interpret caption height -- is pixels equal to "points", the usual type size standard?
And how do I interpret the spacing between header/footer & thumbnails, again with an idea of inches?
Sorry for all the questions... and thanks for the suggestion of the program; it does look like it will be useful.

Alliecat · 09-22-2011, 10:26 PM

Originally posted by Wheatfield

How recent is Elements 5?

Dunno, but it came with my scanner 2 1/2 years ago. A friend who has Photoshop mentioned they eliminated the contact sheet option. I kind of doubt Elements ever had it; isn't it the 'lite' version?
Unfortunately Lightroom isn't in the budget. And I need something that will last longer than a 30-day trial.

**GerryJM** · 09-24-2011, 05:55 PM

Try Irfanview; does a great job on contact sheets for me.

IrfanView - Official Homepage - one of the most popular viewers worldwide

Alliecat · 10-04-2011, 05:42 PM

Originally posted by iTod

Not sure if it does what you need or not, but Faststone *might* work...
Good luck!

The program I wound up using. I never got a letter-size page out of it but you can fit to page when you print anyway. I really like the fact that this program lets you pull in files from anywhere on your computer to add to the contact sheet, which the other programs I'd tried didn't do, & you can add & remove really easily, preview before creating, etc. Very quick & handy once I played with it a bit.
Thanks!

pencilnink · 10-06-2011, 07:02 PM

You should check out adobe bridge. You can resize to whatever page size you need and save to pdf as well.

09-22-2011, 04:59 PM	#1
Alliecat Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: East of Everywhere, Canada Posts: 740	Best contact-sheet program? I need to make a bunch of contact sheets fairly quickly. I have PS Elements 5 which will print but not save, & doesn't offer the required format. I've wasted hours messing around with Publisher through PDF converters, which will work but is tedious, got XNView which won't give me a page size in anything but pixels & even though I've done the math with dpi & pixels, it won't give me the right size page... Picasa was useless... Somewhere, there has got to be a simple little free program that lets you make and save PDF contact sheets, lets you choose how many pix on a page, includes filename, & allows for multi-page files...! Sorting by orientation would be a bonus but I can live without it... What do you guys use? Any recommendations? Thank you!

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09-22-2011, 05:16 PM	#2
paulh Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: DFW Texas/Ventura County, CA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 33,319	I've used Picasa to make contact sheets in the past. Not sure if it has pdf export - I think it does html. Anyway, it's free and might be worth a look.

09-22-2011, 05:51 PM - 1 Like	#3
iTod Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Omaha, NE Photos: Albums Posts: 43	Not sure if it does what you need or not, but Faststone might work... Good luck!

09-22-2011, 08:38 PM	#4
Wheatfield Moderator Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: The wheatfields of Canada Posts: 15,991	Originally posted by Alliecat I need to make a bunch of contact sheets fairly quickly. I have PS Elements 5 which will print but not save, & doesn't offer the required format. I've wasted hours messing around with Publisher through PDF converters, which will work but is tedious, got XNView which won't give me a page size in anything but pixels & even though I've done the math with dpi & pixels, it won't give me the right size page... Picasa was useless... Somewhere, there has got to be a simple little free program that lets you make and save PDF contact sheets, lets you choose how many pix on a page, includes filename, & allows for multi-page files...! Sorting by orientation would be a bonus but I can live without it... What do you guys use? Any recommendations? Thank you! This will be tedious the first time you do it, but you could write an action in Photoshop that would do most of what you want. How recent is Elements 5? Photoshop had an automated process built in for the longest time that would make contact sheets, but I don't know if it ever made it into Elements, and I think they took it away in CS4. It's certainly gone in CS5. Playing in Lightroom a bit allows exactly what you want. You could download the trial of it and see if it's right for you.

09-22-2011, 10:19 PM	#5
Alliecat Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: East of Everywhere, Canada Posts: 740 Original Poster	Originally posted by iTod Not sure if it does what you need or not, but Faststone might work... Good luck! iTod, are you quite familiar with this program? I've had a look at it. WHY do all these programs give you page size in pixels & not inches? Anyway, can you tell me -- in the sheet size options... it gives you pixels, you click the thingy on the right which gives you "print size to pixels", but this seems to have no relation to what you finally get. Again, even though I pick 8.5 x 11 page size, & "thought" I'd done the math with the dpi (the default is 8.5 x 11 at 150 dpi) it still gives me a 13 x 17 page. ???? I mean, I guess it'll view ok at whatever size, & if they want to print they can use the shrink to fit page option, so, maybe it's not that big a deal? Just wondered if you knew how to make the thing give you a specific page size. And how to interpret caption height -- is pixels equal to "points", the usual type size standard? And how do I interpret the spacing between header/footer & thumbnails, again with an idea of inches? Sorry for all the questions... and thanks for the suggestion of the program; it does look like it will be useful.

09-22-2011, 10:26 PM	#6
Alliecat Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: East of Everywhere, Canada Posts: 740 Original Poster	Originally posted by Wheatfield How recent is Elements 5? Dunno, but it came with my scanner 2 1/2 years ago. A friend who has Photoshop mentioned they eliminated the contact sheet option. I kind of doubt Elements ever had it; isn't it the 'lite' version? Unfortunately Lightroom isn't in the budget. And I need something that will last longer than a 30-day trial.

09-24-2011, 05:55 PM	#7
GerryJM Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Toronto Photos: Albums Posts: 53	Try Irfanview; does a great job on contact sheets for me. IrfanView - Official Homepage - one of the most popular viewers worldwide

10-04-2011, 05:42 PM	#8
Alliecat Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: East of Everywhere, Canada Posts: 740 Original Poster	Originally posted by iTod Not sure if it does what you need or not, but Faststone might work... Good luck! The program I wound up using. I never got a letter-size page out of it but you can fit to page when you print anyway. I really like the fact that this program lets you pull in files from anywhere on your computer to add to the contact sheet, which the other programs I'd tried didn't do, & you can add & remove really easily, preview before creating, etc. Very quick & handy once I played with it a bit. Thanks!

10-06-2011, 07:02 PM	#9
pencilnink Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: San Jose, CA Posts: 192	You should check out adobe bridge. You can resize to whatever page size you need and save to pdf as well.

Best contact-sheet program?

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