New custom flag auto-resizing

[[violet]]

Someone test this out for me! You should now be able to upload a much larger image as a custom flag, and have the server resize it.

Don't do this on a nation that currently has a gigantic image or animated GIF because you may not be able to put it back.

[Mahaj WA Seat]

YAY!!!!

IT WORKS!!!

[Improving Birdhouses]

Works well.

[[violet]]

NOTE: Please be aware that this is an old post. It may not be accurate. Please see the Upload Flag for current information (click "More details...").

Okay, here's the skinny, since I'm not sure this will be documented anywhere else.

The server now attempts to resize flags to fit within 214x142 pixels, and generate thumbnails.

Both height and width must fit, so if your image is perfectly square, it will wind up as 142x142.

It will reformat as both PNG and JPEG and store it as whichever one is smaller (in terms of filesize).

If it can't get the image under 50KB after resizing, it will try it as a smaller size. (This is unlikely, though, because files generally aren't that large when the image is that small.)

Be aware that animated GIFs will be reformatted as static, subject to the loopholes below.

Loopholes (i.e. ways to prevent your image from being resized):

• The 12KB Loophole: If the image you upload is under 12KB (i.e. the old limit), and its dimensions are less than 428x284, it will be left alone.
• The Skinny 12KB Loophole: It will also be left alone if it's under 12KB and less than 107x426 (i.e. a tall skinny flag).
• The Little Loophole: Or if it's under 50KB and already 107x71 or smaller.

Note that thumbnails are generated no matter what. If you upload an animated GIF that qualifies for a loophole above, its thumbnails (i.e. the smaller versions displayed everywhere other than the top of your nation page) will not be animated.

This doesn't affect anyone's current flag. This is only for custom flags uploaded from now on.

[Glen-Rhodes]

By "thumbnails" do you mean the small flags next to nations' names? I know that I asked a while ago that those be converted into smaller images, instead of just resizing really big images with HTML/CSS. Just wondering if you remembered this suggestion!

[[violet]]

Yeah, it's been on the to-do list for years. I just finally got around to doing it.

Just Guy's page taking 16 seconds to load was good motivation.

[Evil Wolf]

Hmm, over 400 endorsements? Last time I saw that it was in a feeder and it was years ago. And I do recall the pages for those feeder delegates took forever to load back in the day but then again I was using dial-up at the time, so I guess I thought that it was just my crappy connection.

[[violet]]

Nope, my crappy coding.

[Chaotropia]

I've noticed that some flags that are small and scaled up appear very small on the RMB and in the Nation's history. It also seems to affect some default flags too. I'm using the mobile nationstates.

Just Guy's page for example is about 350kb on my phone, because only some of his endorsements have become tiny flags, a lot of them are still big.

[Winnipeg]

That would be because most of those people haven't uploaded a new custom flag since the new tool was implemented yesterday.

[Sunny Marionette]

You just saved me a lot of work the next time I want a new flag.

[The Galirandi]

Re-uploaded my stupidly large flag and it became less stupidly large. Yay. That saves me the 2 minutes or so it would have taken to resize it in Preview. :/

However,

Grainy.

Is this just the fault of my graphics card or what?

[[violet]]

Yeah, that ain't right. Looking into it.

[[violet]]

If you re-upload your flag, the thumbnails should now come out right.

[Flag Thief]

I just wonder if this will interefere with my ability to steal flags?

[[violet]]

Ooh, yes it will! Some existing flags that are larger than the dimensions above will not be able to be reproduced exactly now. I don't think there are too many of those, but there are some. Also, while you can still steal animated GIFs, the thumbnails will not be animated.

[Hassett]

I love the new 250kb limit, I'll have to re-upload some of my flags

[The Merchant Republics]

Like a charm, which is wonderful, the method I was using to resize my flags before was... time-consuming, to say the least.

[The Most Glorious Hack]

So what's the over/under on how long it'll be before some new player complains that the file size limit is too low and needs to be raised?

[The Merchant Republics]

So what's the over/under on how long it'll be before some new player complains that the file size limit is too low and needs to be raised?

We've got a couple weeks I think, at least three days give or take.

[Syvorji]

Okay, here's the skinny, since I'm not sure this will be documented anywhere else.

The server now attempts to resize flags to fit within 214x142 pixels, and generate thumbnails.

Both height and width must fit, so if your image is perfectly square, it will wind up as 142x142.

It will reformat as both PNG and JPEG and store it as whichever one is smaller (in terms of filesize).

If it can't get the image under 50KB after resizing, it will try it as a smaller size. (This is unlikely, though, because files generally aren't that large when the image is that small.)

Be aware that animated GIFs will be reformatted as static, subject to the loopholes below.

The 12KB Loophole: If the image you upload is under 12KB (i.e. the old limit), and its dimensions are less than 428x284, it will be left alone.

The Skinny 12KB Loophole: It will also be left alone if it's under 12KB and less than 107x426 (i.e. a tall skinny flag).

The Little Loophole: Or if it's already 107x71 or smaller.

Note that thumbnails are generated no matter what. If you upload an animated GIF that qualifies for a loophole above, its thumbnails (i.e. the smaller versions displayed everywhere other than the top of your nation page) will not be animated.

This doesn't affect anyone's current flag. This is only for custom flags uploaded from now on.

Including the forum avatars?

[Swkoll]

All hail [violet], one glitch though, my flag is really blurry...

[Usual People In Life]

Couldnt find this in the thread.

Am I still OK to use the same flag for all of my nations, as long as it keeps within the rules?

[[violet]]

my flag is really blurry...

Can you post the original image you're uploading, e.g. upload it to http://imgur.com? Then I can compare and see what's happening.

[[violet]]

Am I still OK to use the same flag for all of my nations, as long as it keeps within the rules?

Yes, of course.