Archive. This is an archive of the Apple Support Community. Discussions are being restored and soon you will be able to read and post here again.

Combining 2-4 jpeg files on the desktop making one new file to print

Mac, Sequoia-15.8.1, I used to be able open 3 different jpeg files at once on my desktop. Now for some reason, If I open one file, and then open the second file, the first one disappears. What I want to do is take 2-4 files, resize them, align them one over the other vertically and then coping all 2-4 using "Command-Shift, 4", and make a new page file which pops up on the desktop, which I then can print. I did try highlighting 3 files at once- then clicking "Command+o" didn't work. I used a different iMac and it works fine. As I mentioned, I used to be able to use this system. Thanks!

8 replies

You can skip the screenshot step, Preview will put them on one sheet for you. Select the 2–4 pictures on the desktop and press Command-O. They should open together in one Preview window with thumbnails down the side (View > Thumbnails if that strip isn't showing). That's probably where your first picture "disappeared" to as well: it went into that strip instead of a window of its own. If they open in some other app, right-click one and use Open With > Preview.


Then choose File > Print, scroll down to Layout and set Pages per Sheet to 2 or 4. The preview on the left of the print window shows how they'll land on the page before anything prints, so you can try both.


— Dmitry · developer of ComfortFiles

Thanks- I have found that if I open the files (one at a time)using "Preview" I can accomplish my task!! I can resize, stack as needed!

Thanks again for the assistance!


If you happened to have a current version of imagemagick installed, you can take your 2 - 4 input images, rescale them to a specific size, stack them vertically using the append command and then pipe that result to standard output and open in Prevew:

magick image1.jpeg image2.jpeg image3.jpeg image4.jpeg -resize 800x600! -append JPG:- | open -f -a Preview


Then print from Preview. Here is the result using three different size jpeg images as input:



If you don't have imagemagick installed, then the simplest approach is using the free GIMP, or free Affinity v3 tools.

I'm unaware of any built-in feature that would have ever done that. You'll need to use an image tool like Pixelmator for something like that.

DmitryRyzhkin wrote:
— Dmitry · developer of ComfortFiles

What's this? Another developer who's read the Terms of Use forbidding links to one's own apps?


Well I'm not the developer of ComfortFiles! So here's a link to that cool-looking utility!


I have used this method for a few years- Honest- I tried my method (lining up 2 or 3 photos) and then using command-Shift 4 , makes a box with all items- Now I print the new file which is on my desktop. I have used this command to copy any area on any page. I used to use it- and just tried on a newer Mac and it worked fine ??

Thanks-

Yes, I could use Affinity, Gimp- Photoshop, however my method was so easy no external program needed. I sized, put each file (opened) one over the other, then used command-shift-4 and it made one new file with all stacked in order as one page - Now ready to print.

Thanks-

"Command+o" didn't work. I used a different iMac and it works fine. As I mentioned, I used to be able to use this system. Thanks!

I will try your suggestions- May be a litter-

Thanks!