Suggestion for X10: Screen Calipers

[Djard007]

When adding borders or cropping and the like, I find that use of screen calipers is handy, more accurate than the eye. Maybe Corel X10 will include the addition that would be a plus over the competition.

[Kathy_9]

Not calipers, per se but PSP does have both rulers and guides that can be enabled via the View menu.

[Djard007]

Thanks. I still prefer the calipers for work that requires precision as they are more accurate; they do not depend on the eye so much. I visited your page. Nice!

[Kathy_9]

Thanks for the Flickr visit and compliment. We can only hope that Corel will take your suggestion for a future version.

[hartpaul]

You could also set up rulers. Then apply straighten command with line along the length you want to measure. Note the measurement and then do Undo.
This could be set up as a script that operates in interactive mode to give you time to note the measurement.

But the question could be asked how often would the average user require this for Corel to devote efforts to provide it?
How many times a session do you use or need this function?

[Djard007]

Once I started using screen calipers, I found them handy for a variety uses; for instance when placing four faces on one canvas that I copied from four differently sized photos, I measured the face size--hairline to chin--of each person and used the Pick tool to make all the subjects appear pretty even...better than estimating by eye or using the PSP ruler that works only if you are able to drag the image close to the ruler. If a face is angled, diagonal measurement is only possible with screen calipers. I have a pretty good eye, but the calipers remove all guess work, not that everybody's head is identical in size. But the procedure speeds up workflow. Unfortunately the freeware version I have is old and does not move smoothly, hence my wish for PSP to include one.

[hartpaul]

To make four faces have the same vertical dimensions I would place guides top and bottom of the face I want to match then move the other faces between these guides and scale them down or up using the Pick tool to match.

Another way would be to have the faces on different layers and firstly overlap them and use pick tool again to match the sizes. Turning visibility on and off of layers being compared and not compared would also assist in comparisons.

[Djard007]

Thanks for the great suggestions. I can see the options being useful.