Add a border around this oval?

[terrypin]

Hi Terry

Do you need the black oval with a red border
1 / magic wand to select black
2 / Selection – Modify – Expand – try 10 pixels
3 / Flood Tool – Flood border with red

Wouldn’t that make the whole shape red?

[ehume]

One thing I used to do was to build SVG's in Inkscape, which is a free Scalable Vector Graphics creator/editor. I would save a whole variety of.svg files in a folder. When I needed one I could pull it out and save to varying .png images. I would then pick them up in PSP. Or you can open a large image (I saved a lot of arrow images). One common trick was to do a ctrl-A to select the shape, then ctrl-C copy. Then ctrl-E paste the image in the master image where I wanted it to be (think arrow images). After you paste you can use the Pick tool to move the pasted selection around and shape it and size it to your satisfaction. I think this method would work for overlying red lozenges on a map.

[hartpaul]

Try creating the red letterbox then Export it as a Picture tube.
You can now scale this up a little when you place it on your map and if needed use the Pick tool to size it down to suit.
Bit of work to start with but so easy after that .

[terrypin]

@hartpaul,

Thanks. I have no serious picture tube experience but that looks promising. Screenshots show what I did:





As you see, I'm surprised that it saved the picture tube, which seems to contradict the restriction about greyscale? But it did, and imported it onto a fresh image. However, I don't see how to select it for sizing/positioning. I'm presumably missing some other obvious step?

Note that, although this will prove very handy once I've got it right, my usual approach is to do final manipulation of images in my video editor, not beforehand in PSP. (Placing/animating/fading/etc.)

[lata]

Hi Terry
Create a new raster layer from the Layers menu
Select the Picture Tube Tool
At the top are the tools properties where you can adjust the size, marked Scale
With the raster layer selected click the mouse once.
To large – hit undo then adjust the scale, a bit of trial and error.
Apply the Picture tool again.
Move tool to reposition
I think you need a new layer for each

There may be other ways to do this?

[terrypin]

Thanks Trevor. However I'm unclear what starting point you're assuming? Is it the same as I showed in my screenshots, i.e. with the transparent red lozenge open (which is a raster), followed by opening the map? If so, I don't see why I need a new layer'?

I hadn't seen the Picture Tube tools! But it seems that means I have to choose a scale before opening the tube on the map, then using Undo and re-setting the scale several times, which is not an attractive approach. I had assumed from @hartpaul's post that I could make both size and position adjustments when the tube was in the map, but it looks like that's my mistake.

However, no real problem. As described my previous post, I already have the lozenge (albeit created by some method I have yet to repeat!) and I can do all the necessary editing after placing it in my video editor over the background map.

[lata]

Hi Terry
With your map image open
Create a new raster layer, when I did that I used the default settings, the layer was transparent
Select the Picture Tube Tool and locate your tube made from the red lozenge
Click the raster layer to apply the tube red lozenge.
If the lozenge needs resizing first try the Scale option, default at 100 ( immediately to the right of the settings cogwheel)
Apply the tube again
Once you have the approximate size you can resize from the Pick Tool (K)

You could ignore the Tube option
Simply add the lozenge to the map, I assume it is the correct size at least its height.

With the Lozenge open
CTRL + A will select all
Ctrl+ C will Copy
Select the map – Ctrl + V will paste the lozenge to the map
The length may need adjusting to match the length of the word.
Resize and position the lozenge layer using the Pick (K) tool

[terrypin]

Got it, thanks for your patience Trevor!

I still rarely leave my comfort zone of PSP 8. It has no Pick tool but its direct equivalent seems to be Deform.




After a little practice this Picture Tube method does indeed seem a very handy way to place frequently used images like my lozenge, now that I realise they need a new layer first.

Thanks to both @hartpaul and you for the heads up.

[hartpaul]

Hi Terry, I failed to mention that as it seems such a regular thing to do.
If you want to move an object , or resize it independently of other background images or objects , you must have it on its own layer otherwise any action affects the whole layer.
This should be taken and noted as a basic rule.
In PSP2018 you can have a box ticked to place each tube on its own layer. That would enable you to have a map and then click say 5 times to put your 5 lozenge near different names on the map and each on their own layer and then relocate and stretch or reduce in size each lozenge using the pick tool.
Give it a try and you will see another reason for becoming familiar with PSP 2018. I suggest this because the day will come when a change to Microsoft Windows may make your earlier version PSP 8 inoperable.
Thats how I moved from PSP8 to PSP X2 / X3. By doing activities in both versions you become more familiar and then one day you will find yourself so familiar that you will reach for the later version first and start ignoring PSP8.

[terrypin]

Thanks @hartpaul, I’ll make another effort to ‘parallel process’. I did try a few times but impatience to get a task done usually had me quickly back in PSP 8. Extra functionality (like the picture tube flexibility) increases the motivation. And the sound point you make about future security. Quite a few of my Macro Express Pro macros will need editing though...

[lata]

Apologies Terry, I had not noticed that you were working with the older version PSP8

[ehume]

You found what is now called the Pick tool. It was called the Deformation tool in PSP7. I don't know what it's called in PSP8 (it is called the Raster Deform tool in PSP 9), but it looks like the same tool. It made its debut in PSP5. Hover over the icon to get its name.

In terms of layer analysis, PSP7 tells me I have a background layer and a floating selection. That means I can move it around. To deform it -- make it larger, stretch it out -- I have to invoke the Deform tool. Simple. It's part of why I used PSP7 from 2000 to 2015, despite the upgrades. I imagine you feel the same about PSP8.