Producing an image suitable for video work

terry dennis · Post by **terry dennis** » Fri Aug 29, 2008 8:21 pm

How can I get a Google map downloaded from the internet into a form suitable for annotating and then into image form for incorporating into a VS project ?

I hope that I have explained that adequately !

Please , guys , simple step-by-step instructions !

Thanks in advance !

Terry Dennis

okee · Post by **okee** » Fri Aug 29, 2008 9:57 pm

Press the Alt Gr and Print Screen buttons on your keyboard
and a snapshot of your screen will be saved to your Clipboard. then open a graphics package and select Edit - Paste and the image will be there for editing then just add text and resize etc.

Post by **Ken Berry** » Fri Aug 29, 2008 10:33 pm

You might want to explain what key is the 'Gr' key ... I don't recall ever seeing such a key on any of my keyboards since about 1990...

There are also a variety of screen-grab programs out there. I happen to use one called SnagIt. With them, you can select smaller sections of the screen or window, as well as the entire screen if you want... But I am not aware of any that are free. There very well may be, though...

okee · Post by **okee** » Fri Aug 29, 2008 10:49 pm

The Alt Gr key is to the right of the space bar or the Right Alt key.
If you don't have a graphics package you could try paint.net

Post by **Ken Berry** » Fri Aug 29, 2008 11:56 pm

All I can do is repeat that I have never had a keyboard since I first started using a computer in 1990 that had such a key. Moreover, you can use either Alt key with the Prt Scr key and get a screen grab... I just did so with the left hand Alt key and opened the grabbed file in Photoshop. Are you using a non-US standard keyboard?

okee · Post by **okee** » Sat Aug 30, 2008 12:53 am

Sorry probably making a simple thing more complicated, On a UK/Irish and probably other Non US keyboards the right Alt key is marked as Alt Gr Alternate Graphics it allows you to access the 3rd symbol of a key, eg the £á on the 4 key (which contains the symbols 4 $ and £á ) i suppose it's like Ctrl and Alt combined.
Yeah, you can take a screenshot with just the Alt and Print Screen, just i'm so used to using the Alt Gr key

Actually it'll probably have made sense to terry as he more than likely has that key.

Post by **Ken Berry** » Sat Aug 30, 2008 12:59 am

Thanks for the clarification. Makes sense. And in fact, I found that I *do* have a keyboard with that key. But it is on a Hebrew keyboard which came with a computer someone who had been living in Israel recently gave me!

In fact, I wish I had a usable key (apart from Alt + Ctrl + E) which could quickly insert the Euro symbol as I use it a fair amount!

sjj1805 · Post by **sjj1805** » Sat Aug 30, 2008 11:16 am

Just for completeness.
If you press the [PrtSc] key by itself you will save the entire computer screen to the windows clipboard and then you can paste it into a graphics program of your choice (Photshop/PhotoImpact/Paint shop Pro etc)

if you press the [Alt} key and the [PrtSc] key together you will save the active window to the windows clipboard which can then be pasted into a graphics editor of your choice.

Ken,
Regarding your "wish" does your keyboard(s) have an [alt] key on each side of the spacebar? If so try setting your keyboard to UK and then open notepad and compare the results of pressing the left hand [Alt] key & [4]
and then do the same using the right hand [Alt] key and [4]

terry dennis · Post by **terry dennis** » Sun Aug 31, 2008 10:04 am

Thanks for all that information !

Yes , I do have an Alt Gr key and I have managed to donwload the required snapshot to various pieces of software including Paint.net. So thanks , Okee , for that particular piece of advice.
Having not used a graphics software before , I struggled with the concept and use of 'layers' but it is coming slowly.
Steve's bit about 'completeness' was particularly useful , so thanks for that as well !

Terry Dennis

Trevor Andrew · Post by **Trevor Andrew** » Sun Aug 31, 2008 12:02 pm

Hi Terry

You should be able to save the Google Earth map as a file.

First set the view size from the google earth menu.

View-View size¡XTV playback¡X720 x 576 for pal.

Then:-

File Save¡XSave Image

Shortcut keys Ctrl-Alt-S

This opens a save as window, saves direct to the hard drive.
Give the image a name