Picasa gettin' uppity

[Pogo]

I've used Picasa for years to process pictures with outstanding results. I still can, but suddenly, as of the last time I loaded pics and again on this load, it's giving me images I'm seeing for the first time, randomly cropped to some weird and useless frame I never would have cropped to or wanted. I can get the original image back, but to do so I have to use an option now called "Recrop" (it used to be called "crop" until I cropped it).

Also when I do so it wants to pick all manner of equally random frame parameters, none of which I've ever used, instead of "Manual" which I always use to have control over what I'm doing. So I can undo both of the damages but have no clue why it's doing this in the first place. It's just being a PITA.

WHO is altering my photos before I see them? Ideas?

I despise "automatic" things.

NB -- also (this just in) it seems to be creating finished images WAY bigger than it ever did before.

 

[S.J.]

Perhaps you just don't understand the program.

 

[Pogo]

Perhaps you just don't understand the program.

Perhaps you just don't understand the OP.

Thanks truckloads for your scintillating contribution. I never thought of that. What a Eureka moment. My head spins.

 

[Ringel05]

I've used Picasa for years to process pictures with outstanding results. I still can, but suddenly, as of the last time I loaded pics and again on this load, it's giving me images I'm seeing for the first time, randomly cropped to some weird and useless frame I never would have cropped to or wanted. I can get the original image back, but to do so I have to use an option now called "Recrop" (it used to be called "crop" until I cropped it).

Also when I do so it wants to pick all manner of equally random frame parameters, none of which I've ever used, instead of "Manual" which I always use to have control over what I'm doing. So I can undo both of the damages but have no clue why it's doing this in the first place. It's just being a PITA.

WHO is altering my photos before I see them? Ideas?

I despise "automatic" things.

NB -- also (this just in) it seems to be creating finished images WAY bigger than it ever did before.

Google owns Picasa but has not supported it since 2016 so I have no idea who's updating Picasa if anyone is which could be the problem. It could have been hacked or it simply just finally broke with the latest Win10 update.
I think it's time to move on from Picasa (which I also used to use and love).
15 Best Google Picasa Alternatives 2020

7 Best Google Picasa Alternatives You Should Use (2019) | Beebom

 

[Pogo]

I've used Picasa for years to process pictures with outstanding results. I still can, but suddenly, as of the last time I loaded pics and again on this load, it's giving me images I'm seeing for the first time, randomly cropped to some weird and useless frame I never would have cropped to or wanted. I can get the original image back, but to do so I have to use an option now called "Recrop" (it used to be called "crop" until I cropped it).

Also when I do so it wants to pick all manner of equally random frame parameters, none of which I've ever used, instead of "Manual" which I always use to have control over what I'm doing. So I can undo both of the damages but have no clue why it's doing this in the first place. It's just being a PITA.

WHO is altering my photos before I see them? Ideas?

I despise "automatic" things.

NB -- also (this just in) it seems to be creating finished images WAY bigger than it ever did before.

Google owns Picasa but has not supported it since 2016 so I have no idea who's updating Picasa if anyone is which could be the problem. It could have been hacked or it simply just finally broke with the latest Win10 update.
I think it's time to move on from Picasa (which I also used to use and love).
15 Best Google Picasa Alternatives 2020

7 Best Google Picasa Alternatives You Should Use (2019) | Beebom

I'm painfully aware it's a Google product which is why I've refused all updates. And I know I could just reinstall (I save all install EXEs) but that wouldn't tell me what went awry or if it might do so again, besides which I walk in fear that it would install an 'updated' version and there goes the contents of my fourth-grade copybook to Google Drive

I won't do Win10 at all. I have a background tool running to prevent it converting without my permission, like it did a couple of years ago wiping out a good hour and a half of work in progress. so it's not that.

These alternatives would be a handy way to transition out of it though so thanks for that. I guess there's no way around a disruption without a PITA.

 

[Ringel05]

I've used Picasa for years to process pictures with outstanding results. I still can, but suddenly, as of the last time I loaded pics and again on this load, it's giving me images I'm seeing for the first time, randomly cropped to some weird and useless frame I never would have cropped to or wanted. I can get the original image back, but to do so I have to use an option now called "Recrop" (it used to be called "crop" until I cropped it).

Also when I do so it wants to pick all manner of equally random frame parameters, none of which I've ever used, instead of "Manual" which I always use to have control over what I'm doing. So I can undo both of the damages but have no clue why it's doing this in the first place. It's just being a PITA.

WHO is altering my photos before I see them? Ideas?

I despise "automatic" things.

NB -- also (this just in) it seems to be creating finished images WAY bigger than it ever did before.

Google owns Picasa but has not supported it since 2016 so I have no idea who's updating Picasa if anyone is which could be the problem. It could have been hacked or it simply just finally broke with the latest Win10 update.
I think it's time to move on from Picasa (which I also used to use and love).
15 Best Google Picasa Alternatives 2020

7 Best Google Picasa Alternatives You Should Use (2019) | Beebom

I'm painfully aware it's a Google product which is why I've refused all updates. And I know I could just reinstall (I save all install EXEs) but that wouldn't tell me what went awry or if it might do so again, besides which I walk in fear that it would install an 'updated' version and there goes the contents of my fourth-grade copybook to Google Drive

I won't do Win10 at all. I have a background tool running to prevent it converting without my permission, like it did a couple of years ago wiping out a good hour and a half of work in progress. so it's not that.

These alternatives would be a handy way to transition out of it though so thanks for that. I guess there's no way around a disruption without a PITA.

Yeah, I was a little pissed when I found out Picasa was being phased out. Microsoft caught major shit with the auto upgrade to Win 10 feature, huge backlash and they got rid of it quickly. I'm using Win 10 but mine looks like Win 7 without Cortana or their telemetry with three third party programs.
StartisBack ($4) gives back the old Menu, Winaero Tweaker turns off Cortana and Microsoft's telemetry (as well as a boat load of other tweaks) and Winaero's Win 7 Games for Win 8 & 10.
Microsoft has stopped trying to push Cortana so updates no longer override my tweaks and settings.
Of course to upgrade one really should backup all personal files, folders and browser settings/bookmarks, make a list of all programs one has that will need be re-downloaded and reinstalled, copy of all licenses (just in case) and anything else deemed important.
If it doesn't give the option to do a clean install the first time reinstall it as a clean install once the first install is done. This is not a requirement but I believe clean installs are better than upgrades, less potential problems.