## QPix v2.2x | ## An image database step by step

Chapter index | Step: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6

# Step 4: Creating a thumbnail

It's about time we can start seeing things. Good thumbnails are vital to image databases and QPix lets you create great thumbnails easily using QPx_GetImageFileThumbnail.

In our example we will create a 160x160 thumbnail from the image file specified in the path name. The result will be an uncompressed picture stored in a 4D picture variable:

``Create a thumbnail from the image file` `C_PICTURE``($thumbnail) `The thumbnail` `C_LONGINT``($thumbWidth;$thumbHeight) `Thumbnail width and height` `$thumbWidth:=160` `$thumbHeight:=160` `$error:=QPx_GetImageFileThumbnail($imagePath;$thumbnail;$thumbWidth;$thumbHeight)` `If``($error=qpx_noErr)` ``do here what you want with the thumbnail` `End if`

Rotating and flipping

In some cases the original image does not have the right orientation. This can happen during batch scanning of slides: not all of the slides have the same orientation but there is usually no time for setting them correctly in the scanning device. As a result some thumbnails will come out rotated and users will not be able to see them properly in the database.

QPix can rotate pictures by any angle using the QPx_RotatePicture command.

Another command, QPx_FlipPicture, can be used to flip pictures horizontally and vertically. This can be useful with slides or transparencies that have been scanned with the wrong side facing the scanner's "eye".

| Rotate and Flip commands can be invoked from a form object acting as rotation and flipping control, or the corresponding QPix menu items can be used directly by end-users.

Goto Step 5