Resize an image with Paperclip

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.