IMAGES: Unable to upload/use most of the time

[briggszilla]

I just got a new Macbook, brand new to Macs in general. I've been trying to figure this out on my own for days now and it's KILLING me, even though I'm probably making a very obvious mistake.

Basically the problem is that the only images that are "usable" on my computer are images that 1) were taken with the webcam or 2) uploaded using a digital camera.

I am completely unable to use images that I've saved from elsewhere. For example, if I went into my online photo storage album and saved images of myself into a folder on my Mac...when I go to use it later on (emailing it, upload to social network, or even just use it in a program like NeoOffice) it won't even let me click on the filename. I can navigate to the folder, and see the file names there, but they are not clickable. OR when they are clickable (the only time I've noticed they are is for email), when I go to send it I am told by the recipient that they can't see the image.

When I go to the Finder and look at the file names in there, and Get Info, it tells me that the file type is "Plain Text", though I can see a preview of the picture...but why the heck is it being saved to plain text when I'm saving them? When I ctrl-command and select Save Image As... I name them and select the dropdown and save it as jpeg/gif rather than leaving it as "All Images"...I thought that was the problem at first, but I just tested it out again and it's still not saving them in the correct format.

Cliff's Notes:

- Can't figure out how to save on-the-web images in an image format rather than "plain txt"

- Since I am unable to do this, I cannot email/upload/share/ images on the Internet or use images in documents successfully.

Please for the love of god help my retarded soul.

 

[BlueRevolution]

Strange. Try doing Get Info on one of the images, then going to Open With. Is Preview listed there? What happens if you select that and choose Change All?

 

[briggszilla]

Strange. Try doing Get Info on one of the images, then going to Open With. Is Preview listed there? What happens if you select that and choose Change All?

This is very strange. I'm relieved I'm not the only one who is confused, though.

Yes preview is listed and shows a thumbnail of the image(s).

If I go to Get Info -> Open With, and then change the program from "TextEdit" (which is what is default on them!!! wtf??) to iPhoto, it changes the type from Plain Text to Document.

Is my computer a dud? I'm a web developer, I haven't been using this computer for work yet but when I do I cannot have this happening! If nobody here can think of a possible solution within the next few days, I guess I'll have to take a hike to my nearest Apple store an hour away at the end of the week.

 

[BlueRevolution]

And when Preview is selected, what happens when you double-click on the image?

 

[briggszilla]

And when Preview is selected, what happens when you double-click on the image?

It opens the image in iPhoto, but it is still in "document" format. Ugh.

While I was in iPhoto, I tried an experiment to email a photo after I imported it into iPhoto and it did allow me to email it to myself, though it embedded into the email rather than attach (though I'm not sure if this is normal for any image you email through iPhoto since I have not tried it with pictures that are in correct image format).

This still will not do as I need images to be in image format to use them for other things..

 

[jackerin]

It opens the image in iPhoto, but it is still in "document" format. Ugh.

He asked what happens when you have "Open with Preview". If it opens in iPhoto even if it is set to open with Preview (which sounds sort of unlikely) something is really wrong.

 

[briggszilla]

He asked what happens when you have "Open with Preview". If it opens in iPhoto even if it is set to open with Preview (which sounds sort of unlikely) something is really wrong.

By default, the images are in Plain Text. So, when I go to Get Info to see what they are to open with by default, it says TextEdit. I have tried to change that to Preview, but it's faded out and won't even let me select Preview to open it with. However, it will let me select iPhoto. And as I said above, when that is done, it changes the format to Document.

So I guess the bottom line here is that there is probably something seriously wrong and I should take it in to the Apple Store? Maybe I should try re-installing OS/Programs first to see if that resolves it???

 

[jackerin]

Do these files have the correct extension? (Ie. *.jpg, *.png...)

 

[spinne1]

By default, the images are in Plain Text.

There's your problem. Generally most images will be in .jpg format. If they were in .jpg they would be openable and viewable by Preview, or Photoshop, or iPhoto, etc. When you get images from the web, you have to make sure you are downloading the actual image (try right clicking the images and saving them to your hard drive.) Some images are "hidden" on the web in that they are not easily saved. Many use programming tricks to not allow easy copying. In those cases, I've found it best to simply take a snapshot of the pic using Shift-Command-4 and then use the crosshairs to select what you want to capture. It will capture by default in .png mode, which is fine and will open in Preview. If you prefer the captures be in .jpg mode, download and run TinkerTool (http://www.bresink.com/osx/0TinkerTool/download.html) and you'll be able to change this setting in the General tab.

Your screen captures will be on your Desktop by default and will be named, Picture 1, Picture 2, etc.

PS Shift-Command-3 captures your entire screen.

 

[briggszilla]

There's your problem. Generally most images will be in .jpg format. If they were in .jpg they would be openable and viewable by Preview, or Photoshop, or iPhoto, etc. When you get images from the web, you have to make sure you are downloading the actual image (try right clicking the images and saving them to your hard drive.) Some images are "hidden" on the web in that they are not easily saved. Many use programming tricks to not allow easy copying. In those cases, I've found it best to simply take a snapshot of the pic using Shift-Command-4 and then use the crosshairs to select what you want to capture. It will capture by default in .png mode, which is fine and will open in Preview. If you prefer the captures be in .jpg mode, download and run TinkerTool (http://www.bresink.com/osx/0TinkerTool/download.html) and you'll be able to change this setting in the General tab.

Your screen captures will be on your Desktop by default and will be named, Picture 1, Picture 2, etc.

PS Shift-Command-3 captures your entire screen.

I'm certain I have been saving the images correctly, I am knowledgeable about image formats...I am right clicking and "Save Image As..." onto my hard drive, one of the problems is that sometimes, there isn't even an option to save it as a jpeg from the file type drop down menu, it will just say "All Files". And even if I am able to choose a different format (gif, jpeg), it will still save it on my harddrive as a Plain Text file.

EDIT: actually I just realized that this only happens with jpeg files. If I am able to select jpeg from the drop-down menu, and save it as that, it will save as Plain Text on my hard drive. I know that this is not because of an image protection, because it is happening no matter where I find the jpeg file from, even my own websites where I know none of the images are protected in anyway.

This has never, ever happened to me on a PC, so unless there's some magical step that I'm missing here, something's wrong.

But your idea for taking screen captures is worth a try. It's a tad inconvenient compared to right clicking and saving the file that way. But it could do for now until I figure out what is really wrong. I will report back..

 

[jackerin]

What browser are you using? And can you give an example of where it is happening (exact site/image helps)?