Software screen shots

[WildComputer]

I am doing some screen shots of software to put in an E-Book (same as an Internet Explorer web page). Some of the screens are quite big, but the book needs to be readable on people with small monitors, and there has to be room for thext around the screen shot.

Here is what I'm doing:

1. Capture screen shot in 256 colors (Alt+PrintScreen)

2. Save to GIF

3. Convert to IE color palette (Corel PhotoPaint)

4. Resample at 54 dpi are (72 dpi is the original the GIF files) also using Corel Photopaint. Anti-alias needs to be on for these to be readable.

5. Save back to GIF

The screen shots are okay, but they aren't as good as some people's screen shots.

Any tips?

BTW this is a lot of screens, so whatever process I use needs to be quick screen.

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[Drastic]

Here is what I do (using photoshop):

I capture at my regular screen res/colors (true color.)

Paste into PS, which starts out as an RGB color image.

Manipulate to the size you want, THEN export to gif.

The key is keeping your colors/resolution and staying in RGB until you get what you want and then export to gif. You will retain much more clarity and depth of the image, and "jaggies" will be smaller. That way you aren't working with a subpar image to start with, and you export to gif from your best quality at the size you want.


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[gallery]

Hi wildcomp,

Could you show me one example ?

Or if you can, send me one captured screen and I'll see what I can do.

my email : webmaster@cartoons4fun.com

[WildComputer]

I trying capturing at highcolor, or reducing to 256 color later in the process. I can't see the difference at all.

I'm wondering if photopaint's resample is not as good as photoshop.

Unfortunately I don't own photoshop, so can't compare (maybe I should go buy a copy?)

Here's a sample http://www.answers2000.freeserve.co....000ilink_t.gif

Most of my pics look better than this... this is a worst case

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[JDF000]

Hmm, try using a sharpen filter on it a couple times. The text, specifically, should sharpen up quite dramatically.

[Tyme]

I have to take screenshots for the software site, so I know what you are talking about.

I am using PSP (Paint Shop Pro) and I have the resize set to bicubic resample. The end result, no matter what the size, is a crisper shot than just taking a shot and manipulating it.

Download a demo copy and try it out. I think you will immediately see the difference. http://geekvillage.com/ubb/smile.gif

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Tyme
SoftwareTyme

[WildComputer]

Sharpening seems to work, within limits. Too much and the text is unreadable for the opposite reason.

Here is an example (can you tell the difference?)
http://www.answers2000.freeserve.co....000ilink_t.gif

http://www.answers2000.freeserve.co....00ilink_t2.gif

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[This message has been edited by WildComputer (edited 01-25-2001).]

[Drastic]

I tried using PS on a similar looking program with about the same results.

Bummer, that usually works well on sharp images cut down to gifs.

You can get it a little better playing with brightness and contrast levels, but that may be too time consuming.