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Producing an image suitable for video work

Posted: Fri Aug 29, 2008 8:21 pm
by terry dennis
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

Posted: Fri Aug 29, 2008 9:57 pm
by okee
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.

Posted: Fri Aug 29, 2008 10:33 pm
by Ken Berry
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...

Posted: Fri Aug 29, 2008 10:49 pm
by okee
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

Posted: Fri Aug 29, 2008 11:56 pm
by Ken Berry
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?

Posted: Sat Aug 30, 2008 12:53 am
by okee
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.

Posted: Sat Aug 30, 2008 12:59 am
by Ken Berry
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! :lol: 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!

Posted: Sat Aug 30, 2008 11:16 am
by sjj1805
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]

Posted: Sun Aug 31, 2008 10:04 am
by terry dennis
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

Posted: Sun Aug 31, 2008 12:02 pm
by Trevor Andrew
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