possibly moronic computer question re: saving images

[oustemnow]

Hey, as someone who's just barely computer-literate enough to log onto DU, I have a question.

I've been collecting photos from the Web to save onto my computer, and I've noticed that, when I save them, I'm only given the opportunity to save them as .ART or .bmp files, even when they're labeled as .jpg at the source. I'd really prefer to save them as .jpg files. Am I missing some completely obvious step, or perhaps some bit of software? I use a PC with Windows, and AOL (I know, I know) for Internet.

Anyone with more computer savvy that I who can guide me in the right direction?

[bucknaked]

1. You have to clear your temp internet files.

If you have an IE (internet explorer) icon on your desktop, right-click and choose "internet properties"

Under the "Temporary Internet Files" bracket, click on "delete files" and that should clear up enough crap to save images appropriately.

[oustemnow]

4. I'll try that out, thanks

I think for some reason my IE was activated at the time (I was registering some software, and for some reason the computer always prods me to go through IE when I do so). At the time, it struck me in the back of my mind that the IE might've had something to do with it. I have some .jpg images on my computer, so I must have been able to download them as such at one point, but it was so long ago I don;t remember if I had to do anything special to achieve it.

Thanks again.

[NewHampster]

2. aol oy

aol is forcing the Art thing I think.

When saving you can overwrite the name it assigns and call it whatever you want. so if it is a jpg, then high light the file name it wants to save and change the extension to jpg. You can also change the name of the file to something that makes sense to you

[oustemnow]

5. I tried changing the filename extension

sure enough, it changed the end of the name to .jpg, but when I tried to open it I got "not a valid .jpg file" message--even though, in fact, the image started out as a valid .jpg.

the problem with those .art files, I'm finding, is that to open it you have to do so through some goofy paint program or some such.

[Geo55]

3. save pics

Get & install a graphics program....I use an older copy of paint shop pro

[oustemnow]

6. as a matter of fact, I installed that program today

sadly, when it tried to open one of the images (which, to backtrack, WAS a .jpg when I tried to download it, the computer tried to convert it to an .art file, I renamed the extension .jpg) on Paint Shop Pro, I got the "not a valid .jpg file" message. Can I download images directly into Paint Shop Pro as .jpg files, or can Paint Shop Pro convert .art files into .jpg?

[Geo55]

11. Paint Shop

Not sure of your version but .....up top click File...choose Preferences...then File Format associations. check all the boxes.
now PSP will open with almost all extentions (jpg. bmp. etc.)
BTW....you can't convert pic formats just by changing the extention.

[oustemnow]

13. that seems to have partially done the trick, thanks

the two download options I have are .art and .bmp and, while Paint Shop Pro won't accept the .art files I CAN convert .bmp files to .jpg files in it. Definitely solves the problem for the time being, but I think I'm still looking into why I can't directly download .jpg files as such. Thanks again.

[Geo55]

15. PSP

"but I think I'm still looking into why I can't directly download .jpg files as such. "

when you a pic on a web page you want....Right click the pic...choose Save Picture As.....your default folder will pop up...(remember what the save says at the top of the dialog box 'cause that's where your pic is going) ...click save...lower right

[Wilber_Stool]

7. Get Irfan view

Its free and works great.

[William Seger]

8. Ditch the AOL browser

I know that AOL uses the .art file format for all of its own graphics, so I guess their browser must be converting the downloaded graphics to that format. Changing the file extension won't help -- it won't convert the file back to .jpg.

I cringe at the thought of recommending Microsoft software, but you'll have a lot fewer problems on the Web using IE for your browser, mainly because virtually all sites these days are developed or at least tested with IE. Once you've connected to AOL, you can just start IE from your desktop and it will use the AOL connection.

[starroute]

9. I've seen references to IE only wanting to save bitmaps

Heres a Google Groups search on the topic:
http://groups.google.com/groups?q=internet+explorer+only+save+bitmap&ie=UTF-8&hl=en&btnG=Google+Search

Maybe something there will help.

[William Seger]

10. No, IE will save .jpg, .gif, and .png, no problem

If the image file is any of those standard browser formats, IE will give you the option of saving the image in its original format or as a .bmp file. (It just won't let you save a .jpg file as .gif, for example.)

In fact, oustemnow mentioned using Paint Shop Pro, and you can click and drag an image displayed in an IE window directly into an open PSP window, without downloading it first. From there, you can save it in any format that PSP supports.

[NMDemDist2]

12. is there a little pull down menu next to the box where the name is?

you should be able to choose what to save it as there

[oustemnow]

14. Thanks, all!

This place offers quite the brain trust; I knew there's a reason I keep coming back here!

The problem's taken care of for the time being, and while it's not entirely solved you've given me many paths of troubleshooting to pursue.