Grid Size

[Linda Lou]

Via Preferences, I have my grid size set to Large. Is there a way to adjust that to an even larger size? I'm sure I can do it by drawing lines on a layer and hiding the layer when the design is finished, but I'm hoping there is an easier way.

[Jean-Luc]

You may use :
-> View -> Grid

[JoeB]

I'm not sure how you use the grid for your designs, but when PSP was Jasc software, Jasc created 2 scripts (PSP8 I believe), one of which lets you set the number of cells of the grid across and down, the other which allows you to set the number of cells across and down as a percentage of your image.

I don't know if those scripts come with Corel versions of PSP so I have posted them in the Scripting sub-group. I find them easier to use than the View Grid or the Grid Properties dialogue and, in fact, have bound them to icons and placed them under the Grid option in the View menu. If you think they would be useful, you can get them at this link to the Scripting sub-forum:

viewtopic.php?f=104&t=63882

[Linda Lou]

@Jean-Luc, View>Grid gives me something that looks like a window screen. I need cells that are much larger.
For large blocks of text, I might want to see only 6 or 8 large cells across my image in order to align things in a design.
@JoeB, your scripts seem exactly like what I need. Yes, I recall seeing an option long ago. You're right. Perhaps that was in my PSP8. Nevertheless, thank you for those.
Just to confirm, once I unzip them to Scripts Restricted, they will appear under the View menu in 2018?

[JoeB]

Just to confirm, once I unzip them to Scripts Restricted, they will appear under the View menu in 2018?

No, they will appear in the Scripts dropdown where all of your scripts can be found once they are placed (unzipped) into any scripts folder in which you place them and to which you have pointed PSP in your File Locations. But then, if you want to make access to them more convenient, you can right click anywhere in the workspace and select Customize from the context menu and then bind the scripts to an icon and drag that bound script to any toolbar or menu that you wish to place them. Clicking on the icon will activate the script the same way that selecting the script in the dropdown and then hitting the Run Script button does. See the images attached.

[Linda Lou]

Thank you for the wonderful detailed info. The screen shots will be helpful.

[JoeB]

You're welcome. If you're not sure how to bind scripts to an icon, in PSP click the Help menu icon, select Help topics, and type the words Assigning icons to scripts into the search box of the help file that opens and you'll find the instructions there.

[Jean-Luc]

@Jean-Luc, View>Grid gives me something that looks like a window screen. I need cells that are much larger.

They are if you tell them to be larger :
-> View -> Grid, Guides & Snap Properties
And the Snap permits to align easily each letter or object.

[TimW]

This is what Jean-Luc is talking about. You will have your Default settings & your Current settings. The Current settings is what you want to change. I use inches but pixels work the same.

[Linda Lou]

Super!
Joe's instructions worked well first time around, so I'm going keep using those as needed. The added info by Jean-Luc and TimW helps, too! That is what I wanted to do in the first place. Thank you, all. I love this community!

[Linda Lou]

I have been resizing grids in an attempt to get the grid to line up the way I want it to. I cannot seem to get it centered.
All I can do is change the size of the cells. It would be great if I could move it around when I need X and Y to intersect in the center of whatever image I am using. How do I move it to center it? I tried to open a transparent image, apply the grid, paste it into the image as a layer but that didn't work because as long as Grids was checked, the same one ended up on the new image.

In addition, how do I make the grid lines wider/thicker? It's hard on the eyes when I'm working a grey or beige background.
Edit: Same problem with rulers. The numbers are so light and small that I cannot read them well.

[hartpaul]

To get the lines to cross at a given point you are better off using Guides.
And while you cannot change the size of the guides, you can at least change their color to one that contrasts with your subject.

if you want to use a set of guides for the same positions for different images, then you can record and save a script for that placement.

If you want to be able to move a set of guide type lines or have thisker ones then you will need to use the paint brush on a separate transparent layer and perhaps with the help of guides draw straight lines which can be a number of pixels wide. You can have these of different colore, move then around and also save as a pspimage or png for later use. You can also change the transparency if they are two strong. Also set the blend mode to diference or try some other blend types to make them more visible.

You could also post that for a wish list for 2020 to have the text size for thumbnails in the Organiser and teh Rulers adjustable.

[JoeB]

There is a script available that will draw a grid on a vector layer. You can set the color of the lines, the thickness of the lines, and the number of lines or the spacing between the lines. As it is drawn on its own vector layer you can move the grid around. The only disadvantage of moving it is that the lines are drawn to the size of the canvas, so if you move the grid in one direction then lines on the opposite side won't extend to the edge of the canvas.

If interested, I can post it in the Scripting sub-group.

Otherwise, if you want a grid to intersect exactly in the middle of the canvas and you are using the Grid by Cells script you have to set the number of cells to an even number. If you want the lines drawn by the vector script (or any other method where you set the number of lines you want) to intersect at the middle you have to set the number of lines to an odd number.

[Linda Lou]

Thank you, both. I'll have to wrap my brain around all that tomorrow when I am more rested.
@hartpaul:
"if you want to use a set of guides for the same positions for different images, then you can record and save a script for that placement."
Is this done in the same way it was in PSP 8.1? If so, I'll get my books out and figure out how to do that. At this point, if I check Guides, nothing happens.

"If you want to be able to move a set of guide type lines or have thisker ones then you will need to use the paint brush on a separate transparent layer and perhaps with the help of guides draw straight lines which can be a number of pixels wide."
Can this be done with the pen tool? I've never been able to draw a perfectly straight line with the paint brush.

It's incredible that the text on rulers cannot be made larger.

@JoeB, Yes, I would like that script - as long as I know where to put it and how to use it. When I reinstalled Windows a few months ago and had to reinstall PSP I lost the few scripts that I had saved from this site.

[hartpaul]

You can record a script showing how you set up the guides. View > Toolbars > Script
then load your first image View > Rulers
Now start your recording. Drag your first Guide over to 1000 on teh top ruler , then drag your second guide down to say 400 on your left side ruler .
Save the script.
Make that the current script in your Script tool bar.
Load another image and make it active.
Play the script and you should get the guides in the same place.


For a movable painted guide I placed guides in place (1000, 400) as above with a new transparent layer active. Then chose the paintbrush tool with square and 1 pixel size. Zoome in so you can see the pixels and click once on the guide line to leave a paint square. Zoom out and scroll to the other extreme of your quide line , zoom in and with the shift key held down click in the corresponding position and you should then get a straight painted line. You can set uout paint brush larger eg 2 pixels , 4 pixels and so long as the dots are made in corresponding positions along the guide line then you should finish with a straight line.