Today, I'll give a little info on how to achieve the process of creating a thumbnail using PHP, GD and the text from a text file. It is really pretty simple, so lets get started.

The trick behind the translation is in reading in the contents of the (plain) text file and pushing it into a string value of a newly created GD-generated image. He includes the code to make using it in your own app simple (a cut and paste version) - his method FileToThumb.

Today's example originates from a question asked by a user. How do I thumbnail the image inside given dimensions proportionally and fill the "blank" areas with a color? Well, the answer is here.

His code pulls in the source image, generates a thumbnail from it and makes a new image (the background) that's a bit bigger than the thumbnail. From there, the thumbnail is laid on top and the whole thing is output as another PNG. An example of the input and output image is included.

Today's example is about making pretty thumbnails by combining a drop-in shadow with round corners. The image is first scaled down to create a thumbnail. [...] The next step is to round the corners of the image. [...] The final step is to create the drop-in shadow and composite the thumbnail over it.

Both the code block to create the thumbnail and a before and after image to show how it translates in the post.

• Load Balancing and MySQL Master and Slaves - If you are currently using MySql master/slave replication for load balancing and wish to transport to cakePHP, it really couldn't be easier.
• Request Information Component - Need more insight into how a controller structures a CakePHP request? This little component will log important information and variables for each request to your application's debug log.
• Uuid Behavior - I have a requirement to use UUID's as primary keys. I was initially using MySQL triggers to call uuid() on insert but in the end decided a behavior makes more sense. This behavior adds a UUID to the field specified in your models.
• Improved Upload Behaviour with Thumbnails and Name Correction - This is an improved version of Chris Partridge's upload behaviour (http://bin.cakephp.org/saved/17539). The behaviour is able to generate thumbnails if used for images (JPEG/PNG only).

CakePHP users can check out these and more great articles, tutorials and more on The Bakery.

Built-in PHP library gd does not have ready-to-use function for photo(jpeg) thumbnail generation. Although there are many such examples on the net, they are usually not suitable for effective generating series of thumbnails (240x240, 140x140, 80x80). This article provides php function thumbnail_generator and trivial image uploading script, which generates series of thumbnails.

They start with the creation of two functions, one to calculate the new thumbnail's size and the other to work to create it. They explain it briefly then move on to a useful application - a file upload that automatically creates a thumbnail for an uploaded image.

Since Alexa stopped offering their free thumbnail service last year a lot of thumbnail services are available now. Some of them offering limited free services and others only a paid premium version. On of the bigger and better services is Girafa, a thumbnail service with a free service and also premium services for users with more then 2000 image requests a month.

He includes the simple code needed to make the request (inside of a thumbnail() function) and shows an example of how to fetch and store the resulting image.

The WebThumb contest ends on the 15th. I know there are couple projects out there that haven't officially entered. If you want to have a chance to win an upgraded Webthumb account make sure to get your entries in, the contest website has all the details.

The WebThumb service is a web service that allows remote users to request a thumbnail of a site and, when it's ready, automatically fetch it to be used however they want. You can even defined custom heights and widths for the browser to use.

Like the rest of webthumb its still in beta but it makes adding thumbnails too a site much easier. Easythumb gives you a simple interface to WebThumb letting people with minimal PHP skills integrate WebThumb into there site.

He includes a basic example script to get you started with the new feature as well as a bare-bones code example for the same kind of thing.

It's a simple service on the surface. You hand it a URL, it gives you back a thumbnail of that web site. At first glance you may think..."ok, why?" The answer to that is of course, "it depends".

He gives examples of reasons it would be needed (designers wanting to show off screenshots of a site or a replacement for Alexa's thumbnailing service) and the code that is needed to make things work. The script asks for the three properties the API needs - a URL for the target site, the height of the browser "window" taking the shot, and the width of this same "window".

Cal show examples of the messages sent back and forth and includes the code for the PHP 5 class to make the request along with some sample usage code. The class makes a basic HTTP request to the API with the XML payload and waits for the response - an estimate of the time for the job and the URL that the results can be found at.

Using WebThumb API, you can generate a thumbnail in three steps. First you have to place a request containing the URL. As soon as your request is successful, WebThumb store your request in queue. That means you are not getting the thumbnail instantly (well, there are other factors also. to fetch an url requires time, so it is not possible to generate the thumbnail in real time).

In second step you have to check whether your thumbnail has been generated or it is still in the queue. If you get a green signal, you will proceed to the third step where you have to request a download URL of your thumbnails.

He shows how to make a request to the API, check how your request is doing (status), and grabbing the thumbnail it's generated. Then, it's on to the code, and a complete PHP script (using cURL) to make the complete request to the API, including waiting for the image to be finished to grab it.