Nobody has done this before (and published their findings) - there would be several (Elgg's MVC) files to look at under the Profile PlugIn where the relevant code exists -- which currently allows only square avatars... Look thru the actions directory there for whatever code does the image trix....

Thanks DhrupDeScoop, looks like I'm two for two...two issues shared no available solutions haha 

You would think such a basic thing would have been set as a configurable setting like with 99% of the other scripts I work with.

this is not a cooperative script to work with at all.  

"...simple thing..."
no so b/c first have to grasp Elgg's architecture aka MVC strucs...
Elgg has coded the square avatars and so
litttle hard to change
b/c several files that deal with that...

"not a cooperative script.."
me not agree - just needs some effort to figure the code style, APIs and etc...
The other guy who wanted to change avatars had wanted diff widths...;- )

code to change wil be JS, jQuery ++ Elgg routines.

You’re 100% right DhrupDeScoop, I was having a moment of frustration haha

I'm going to work in areas where I'm winning and come back to this one, once I know how to do it, I'll share it with the community :)

i usually am... lolz ;-)
and you seem to have good attitude re: learning...

elgg177\mod\profile\views\default\profile\editicon.php
has image dimensions --

  //populate the form with the correct coordinates once a user has cropped their image
           $('#x_1').val(selection.x1);
           $('#x_2').val(selection.x2);
           $('#y_1').val(selection.y1);
           $('#y_2').val(selection.y2);

The other code files (i might have missed something')  you wanna look at are :-

• elgg177\mod\profile\actions\iconupload.php
• elgg177\mod\profile\views\default\profile\icon.php
• elgg177\mod\profile\views\default\profile\editicon.php
• elgg177\mod\profile\actions\cropicon.php

watch for code such as

$topbar = get_resized_image_from_uploaded_file('profileicon',16,16, true, true);
$tiny = get_resized_image_from_uploaded_file('profileicon',25,25, true, true);
$small = get_resized_image_from_uploaded_file('profileicon',40,40, true, true);
$medium = get_resized_image_from_uploaded_file('profileicon',100,100, true, true);
$large = get_resized_image_from_uploaded_file('profileicon',200,200);
$master = get_resized_image_from_uploaded_file('profileicon',550,550);

all will have to be changed for new proportions.

hahaha it must be good to almost always be right 

thanks DhrupDeScoop for your kind assistance, I'll keep you posted :)