Resize an image with Paperclip [Rails]

Question

The Paperclip plugin for Rails has a resize option that keeps the image in proportion. According to Ryan Bates' Paperclip Railscast, to make sure that option is on, you have to add a greater-than sign in the end of the size for the style you're looking to resize, as such:

:styles => { :small => "160x160>" }

I'm looking for Paperclip to resize my image to an exact size, even if that means it being out of proportion, so I figured that removing the greater-than sign would do the trick, as such:

:styles => { :small => "160x160" }

Well, turns out nothing happens. So the greater-than sign is redundant in the first place. I'm still left with the following question, though:

How would I force the image into a set size, ignoring proportions?

Thanks!

Answer 1

You can use "160x160#" which will scale and crop to exactly that size, which is unique to paperclip. Otherwise you can use any of the ImageMagick geometry strings, detailed here:

ImageMagick Geometry

But I'll quote the one you're interested in:

"160x160!"

Width and height emphatically given, original aspect ratio ignored.

Answer 2

is it possible to pass size parameters dynamically? I'm trying to make image cropper, which can zoom images before sending it to server side and I'd like to resize image dynamically on server with paperclip.