How to resize image width and height in php?

A common feature that you will come across in websites is the ability to resize an image to fit an exact size so that it will be displayed correctly on your design. If you have a very large image and you are going to place it on your website in a space that is only 100px x 100px then you will want to be able to resize this image to fit in the space.

One option is to just set the width and height attributes on the image tag in your HTML, this will force the image to be displayed at this size.

<img src="image.png" height="100" width="100" alt="Example of resizing an image" />

This will work perfectly fine and the image will fit in the 100px x 100px space but the problem is that when the browser loads the image it will not resize the image but will just display it in the limited size. This means that the image will still need to be downloaded at full size, if the image is very large it can take some time for you to download a large image just to be displayed in a small space.

A better solution would be to resize the image to 100px x 100px which will reduce it's size so that the browser doesn't need to download a large image just to display it in a small space.

In this tutorial we are going to create a PHP class that will allow you to resize an image to any dimension you want, it will allow you to resize while keeping the aspect ratio of the image. When the class has resized the image you can either save the image on the server or download the image.

Class Methods

First lets plan out the class we are going to create:

• We need to pass an existing image to the class, this is the image that we will use to resize.
• We need to pass in the desired image dimensions so the class can work out what's the new size of the image.
• Then we need to be able to save the image to a location on the server, and choose to download the image.

  <?php
  /**
   * Resize image class will allow you to resize an image
   *
   * Can resize to exact size
   * Max width size while keep aspect ratio
   * Max height size while keep aspect ratio
   * Automatic while keep aspect ratio
   */
  class ResizeImage
  {
  	/**
  	 * Class constructor requires to send through the image filename
  	 *
  	 * @param string $filename - Filename of the image you want to resize
  	 */
  	public function __construct( $filename )
  	{
  	}
  	/**
  	 * Set the image variable by using image create
  	 *
  	 * @param string $filename - The image filename
  	 */
  	private function setImage( $filename )
  	{
  	}
  	/**
  	 * Save the image as the image type the original image was
  	 *
  	 * @param  String[type] $savePath     - The path to store the new image
  	 * @param  string $imageQuality 	  - The qulaity level of image to create
  	 *
  	 * @return Saves the image
  	 */
  	public function saveImage($savePath, $imageQuality="100", $download = false)
  	{
  	}
  	/**
  	 * Resize the image to these set dimensions
  	 *
  	 * @param  int $width        	- Max width of the image
  	 * @param  int $height       	- Max height of the image
  	 * @param  string $resizeOption - Scale option for the image
  	 *
  	 * @return Save new image
  	 */
  	public function resizeTo( $width, $height, $resizeOption = 'default' )
  	{
  	}
  }
  ?>

The Constructor

This class relies on an original image being found and set on the class, without this the class will not work correctly. Because of this we should pass the image filename into the constructor of the class. This will then check if the file exists on the server, if it does then we can call the set image method where we can get the image and create a resource of the image and store this in a class variable.

/**
	 * Class constructor requires to send through the image filename
	 *
	 * @param string $filename - Filename of the image you want to resize
	 */
	public function __construct( $filename )
	{
		if(file_exists($filename))
		{
			$this->setImage( $filename );
		} else {
			throw new Exception('Image ' . $filename . ' can not be found, try another image.');
		}
	}

Set The Image

The set image method is used to create a image resource based on the image given to the class this uses the PHP functions imagecreatefromjpeg, imagecreatefromgif, imagecreatefrompng to create the image resource from the given image. We can then use this with the functions imagesx and imagesy to return the current width and height of the image.

This will allow us to resize the image easier later in the script.

/**
	 * Set the image variable by using image create
	 *
	 * @param string $filename - The image filename
	 */
	private function setImage( $filename )
	{
		$size = getimagesize($filename);
		$this->ext = $size['mime'];
	    switch($this->ext)
	    {
	    	// Image is a JPG
	        case 'image/jpg':
	        case 'image/jpeg':
	        	// create a jpeg extension
	            $this->image = imagecreatefromjpeg($filename);
	            break;
	        // Image is a GIF
	        case 'image/gif':
	            $this->image = @imagecreatefromgif($filename);
	            break;
	        // Image is a PNG
	        case 'image/png':
	            $this->image = @imagecreatefrompng($filename);
	            break;
	        // Mime type not found
	        default:
	            throw new Exception("File is not an image, please use another file type.", 1);
	    }
	    $this->origWidth = imagesx($this->image);
	    $this->origHeight = imagesy($this->image);
	}

The resize function is what we will use to calculate the new values for the image width and height. This takes 3 parameters the new width, new height and the resize option, this will allow us to resize the image to exact dimensions, use the defined width with the height and keep aspect ratio, use the define height keeping the aspect ratio or let the class decide the best way of resizing the image.

Once we have the new width and height of the image we can create a new image resource by using the PHP function imagecreatetruecolor(). Now we can create the new image from the old image resizing it to the new dimensions by using the imagecopyresampled() function.

/**
	 * Resize the image to these set dimensions
	 *
	 * @param  int $width        	- Max width of the image
	 * @param  int $height       	- Max height of the image
	 * @param  string $resizeOption - Scale option for the image
	 *
	 * @return Save new image
	 */
	public function resizeTo( $width, $height, $resizeOption = 'default' )
	{
		switch(strtolower($resizeOption))
		{
			case 'exact':
				$this->resizeWidth = $width;
				$this->resizeHeight = $height;
			break;
			case 'maxwidth':
				$this->resizeWidth  = $width;
				$this->resizeHeight = $this->resizeHeightByWidth($width);
			break;
			case 'maxheight':
				$this->resizeWidth  = $this->resizeWidthByHeight($height);
				$this->resizeHeight = $height;
			break;
			default:
				if($this->origWidth > $width || $this->origHeight > $height)
				{
					if ( $this->origWidth > $this->origHeight ) {
				    	 $this->resizeHeight = $this->resizeHeightByWidth($width);
			  			 $this->resizeWidth  = $width;
					} else if( $this->origWidth < $this->origHeight ) {
						$this->resizeWidth  = $this->resizeWidthByHeight($height);
						$this->resizeHeight = $height;
					}
				} else {
		            $this->resizeWidth = $width;
		            $this->resizeHeight = $height;
		        }
			break;
		}
		$this->newImage = imagecreatetruecolor($this->resizeWidth, $this->resizeHeight);
    	        imagecopyresampled($this->newImage, $this->image, 0, 0, 0, 0, $this->resizeWidth, $this->resizeHeight, $this->origWidth, $this->origHeight);
	}
	/**
	 * Get the resized height from the width keeping the aspect ratio
	 *
	 * @param  int $width - Max image width
	 *
	 * @return Height keeping aspect ratio
	 */
	private function resizeHeightByWidth($width)
	{
		return floor(($this->origHeight / $this->origWidth) * $width);
	}
	/**
	 * Get the resized width from the height keeping the aspect ratio
	 *
	 * @param  int $height - Max image height
	 *
	 * @return Width keeping aspect ratio
	 */
	private function resizeWidthByHeight($height)
	{
		return floor(($this->origWidth / $this->origHeight) * $height);
	}

Save The Image

With the new image now set in a class variable we can now use this to save the image on the server. This function will take 3 parameters the save path, the image quality and if we want to download the image.

For each mime type PHP has a function imagejpeg(), imagegif(), imagepng() that will allow you to save the image by passing in the new image resource and the path the image is going to be saved.

Once this image is saved on the server and we decided to download it we can change the headers to allow the browser to download the image on the clients machine.

/**
	 * Save the image as the image type the original image was
	 *
	 * @param  String[type] $savePath     - The path to store the new image
	 * @param  string $imageQuality 	  - The qulaity level of image to create
	 *
	 * @return Saves the image
	 */
	public function saveImage($savePath, $imageQuality="100", $download = false)
	{
	    switch($this->ext)
	    {
	        case 'image/jpg':
	        case 'image/jpeg':
	        	// Check PHP supports this file type
	            if (imagetypes() & IMG_JPG) {
	                imagejpeg($this->newImage, $savePath, $imageQuality);
	            }
	            break;
	        case 'image/gif':
	        	// Check PHP supports this file type
	            if (imagetypes() & IMG_GIF) {
	                imagegif($this->newImage, $savePath);
	            }
	            break;
	        case 'image/png':
	            $invertScaleQuality = 9 - round(($imageQuality/100) * 9);
	            // Check PHP supports this file type
	            if (imagetypes() & IMG_PNG) {
	                imagepng($this->newImage, $savePath, $invertScaleQuality);
	            }
	            break;
	    }
	    if($download)
	    {
	    	header('Content-Description: File Transfer');
		header("Content-type: application/octet-stream");
		header("Content-disposition: attachment; filename= ".$savePath."");
		readfile($savePath);
	    }
	    imagedestroy($this->newImage);
	}

Full Resize Image Class

<?php
/**
 * Resize image class will allow you to resize an image
 *
 * Can resize to exact size
 * Max width size while keep aspect ratio
 * Max height size while keep aspect ratio
 * Automatic while keep aspect ratio
 */
class ResizeImage
{
	private $ext;
	private $image;
	private $newImage;
	private $origWidth;
	private $origHeight;
	private $resizeWidth;
	private $resizeHeight;
	/**
	 * Class constructor requires to send through the image filename
	 *
	 * @param string $filename - Filename of the image you want to resize
	 */
	public function __construct( $filename )
	{
		if(file_exists($filename))
		{
			$this->setImage( $filename );
		} else {
			throw new Exception('Image ' . $filename . ' can not be found, try another image.');
		}
	}
	/**
	 * Set the image variable by using image create
	 *
	 * @param string $filename - The image filename
	 */
	private function setImage( $filename )
	{
		$size = getimagesize($filename);
		$this->ext = $size['mime'];
		switch($this->ext)
	    {
	    	// Image is a JPG
	        case 'image/jpg':
	        case 'image/jpeg':
	        	// create a jpeg extension
	            $this->image = imagecreatefromjpeg($filename);
	            break;
	        // Image is a GIF
	        case 'image/gif':
	            $this->image = @imagecreatefromgif($filename);
	            break;
	        // Image is a PNG
	        case 'image/png':
	            $this->image = @imagecreatefrompng($filename);
	            break;
	        // Mime type not found
	        default:
	            throw new Exception("File is not an image, please use another file type.", 1);
	    }
	    $this->origWidth = imagesx($this->image);
	    $this->origHeight = imagesy($this->image);
	}
	/**
	 * Save the image as the image type the original image was
	 *
	 * @param  String[type] $savePath     - The path to store the new image
	 * @param  string $imageQuality 	  - The qulaity level of image to create
	 *
	 * @return Saves the image
	 */
	public function saveImage($savePath, $imageQuality="100", $download = false)
	{
	    switch($this->ext)
	    {
	        case 'image/jpg':
	        case 'image/jpeg':
	        	// Check PHP supports this file type
	            if (imagetypes() & IMG_JPG) {
	                imagejpeg($this->newImage, $savePath, $imageQuality);
	            }
	            break;
	        case 'image/gif':
	        	// Check PHP supports this file type
	            if (imagetypes() & IMG_GIF) {
	                imagegif($this->newImage, $savePath);
	            }
	            break;
	        case 'image/png':
	            $invertScaleQuality = 9 - round(($imageQuality/100) * 9);
	            // Check PHP supports this file type
	            if (imagetypes() & IMG_PNG) {
	                imagepng($this->newImage, $savePath, $invertScaleQuality);
	            }
	            break;
	    }
	    if($download)
	    {
	    	header('Content-Description: File Transfer');
			header("Content-type: application/octet-stream");
			header("Content-disposition: attachment; filename= ".$savePath."");
			readfile($savePath);
	    }
	    imagedestroy($this->newImage);
	}
	/**
	 * Resize the image to these set dimensions
	 *
	 * @param  int $width        	- Max width of the image
	 * @param  int $height       	- Max height of the image
	 * @param  string $resizeOption - Scale option for the image
	 *
	 * @return Save new image
	 */
	public function resizeTo( $width, $height, $resizeOption = 'default' )
	{
		switch(strtolower($resizeOption))
		{
			case 'exact':
				$this->resizeWidth = $width;
				$this->resizeHeight = $height;
			break;
			case 'maxwidth':
				$this->resizeWidth  = $width;
				$this->resizeHeight = $this->resizeHeightByWidth($width);
			break;
			case 'maxheight':
				$this->resizeWidth  = $this->resizeWidthByHeight($height);
				$this->resizeHeight = $height;
			break;
			default:
				if($this->origWidth > $width || $this->origHeight > $height)
				{
					if ( $this->origWidth > $this->origHeight ) {
				    	 $this->resizeHeight = $this->resizeHeightByWidth($width);
			  			 $this->resizeWidth  = $width;
					} else if( $this->origWidth < $this->origHeight ) {
						$this->resizeWidth  = $this->resizeWidthByHeight($height);
						$this->resizeHeight = $height;
					}
				} else {
		            $this->resizeWidth = $width;
		            $this->resizeHeight = $height;
		        }
			break;
		}
		$this->newImage = imagecreatetruecolor($this->resizeWidth, $this->resizeHeight);
    	imagecopyresampled($this->newImage, $this->image, 0, 0, 0, 0, $this->resizeWidth, $this->resizeHeight, $this->origWidth, $this->origHeight);
	}
	/**
	 * Get the resized height from the width keeping the aspect ratio
	 *
	 * @param  int $width - Max image width
	 *
	 * @return Height keeping aspect ratio
	 */
	private function resizeHeightByWidth($width)
	{
		return floor(($this->origHeight/$this->origWidth)*$width);
	}
	/**
	 * Get the resized width from the height keeping the aspect ratio
	 *
	 * @param  int $height - Max image height
	 *
	 * @return Width keeping aspect ratio
	 */
	private function resizeWidthByHeight($height)
	{
		return floor(($this->origWidth/$this->origHeight)*$height);
	}
}
?>

Using The Resize Image PHP Class

Because we have created this to allow you to resize the image in multiple ways it means that there are different ways of using the class.

• Resize the image to an exact size.
• Resize the image to a max width size keeping aspect ratio of the image.
• Resize the image to a max height size keeping aspect ratio of the image.
• Resize the image to a given width and height and allow the code to work out which way of resizing is best keeping the aspect ratio.
• You can save the created resize image on the server.
• You can download the created resize image on the server.

Resize Exact Size

To resize an image to an exact size you can use the following code. First pass in the image we want to resize in the class constructor, then define the width and height with the scale option of exact. The class will now have the create dimensions to create the new image, now call the function saveImage() and pass in the new file location to the new image.

$resize = new ResizeImage('images/Be-Original.jpg');
$resize->resizeTo(100, 100, 'exact');
$resize->saveImage('images/be-original-exact.jpg');

Resize Max Width Size

If you choose to set the image to be an exact size then when the image is resized it could lose it's aspect ratio, which means the image could look stretched. But if you know the max width that you want the image to be you can resize the image to a max width, this will keep the aspect ratio of the image.

$resize = new ResizeImage('images/Be-Original.jpg');
$resize->resizeTo(100, 100, 'maxWidth');
$resize->saveImage('images/be-original-maxWidth.jpg');

Resize Max Height Size

Just as you can select a max width for the image while keeping aspect ratio you can also select a max height while keeping aspect ratio.

$resize = new ResizeImage('images/Be-Original.jpg');
$resize->resizeTo(100, 100, 'maxHeight');
$resize->saveImage('images/be-original-maxHeight.jpg');

Resize Auto Size From Given Width And Height

You can also allow the code to work out the best way to resize the image, so if the image height is larger than the width then it will resize the image by using the height and keeping aspect ratio. If the image width is larger than the height then the image will be resized using the width and keeping the aspect ratio.

$resize = new ResizeImage('images/Be-Original.jpg');
$resize->resizeTo(100, 100);
$resize->saveImage('images/be-original-default.jpg');

Download The Resized Image

The default behaviour for this class is to save the image on the server, but you can easily change this to download by passing in a true parameter to the saveImage method.

$resize = new ResizeImage('images/Be-Original.jpg');
$resize->resizeTo(100, 100, 'exact');
$resize->saveImage('images/be-original-exact.jpg', "100", true);

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