Screenshot
A screenshot is a picture taken of a computer screen.
Basic Screenshot Procedure
This section details a very basic method of how to take and edit a screenshot without any additional programs. You can either follow the text below or watch the video on the right for instructions.
Print Screen
Windows has a built-in method of screen capture activated by the Print Screen key (usually abbreviated on the keyboard "Prn Scr"). This key will capture the entire screen as an image when pressed. If pressed a second time, it will overwrite the previously captured screen image. So you need to save in between each screen capture.
Microsoft Paint
Once you have a screenshot captured, you need to save it using a graphics editing program. If you don't have one you can use Microsoft Paint, which is installed on every Windows operating system. Microsoft Paint can usually be found in Start → Programs → Accessories → Paint. You can also access it by Start → Run, then type in "mspaint" and press Ok.
Go to Edit → Paste to insert your image into the program.
Cropping
Select Tool
One of the most important things most people neglect when saving screenshots is cropping out white space/unneeded portions of their image. It only takes a few seconds to crop down to the area you want to show.
Activate the select tool and draw a box around the part of the image you want to keep. Go to Edit → Cut. The area you selected will disappear. Open a new Microsoft Paint document and Edit → Paste your cut image into it. Now everyone will be able to enjoy your image without it being unnecessarily large.
White Space
If your original document was too large for your pasted image, it will cause white space. This is especially common after cropping an image. The way to solve it is very easy. Go to Image → Attributes menu. Set the width and height fields to 1 pixel and press Ok. Now Edit → Paste your image into the document again. No more white space!
Saving
Now that you have your image cropped and white space removed, it is time to save. Go to File → Save As menu. Browse to the directory you wish to save the image in and name it. But wait, there is one more very important thing you need to do. By default, images are saved as BMP. This format preserves the image perfectly, but it causes a huge file size and is not suitable for uploading to websites or sending by email. You should change the "save as type" to either JPEG or PNG. A JPEG image is perfect for full size UO screenshots due to its small file size. A PNG image is better for small images or if you want the image to have perfect quality.
Programs
Useful programs related to screenshots.
Screen Print & Capture 32
A free program with a lot of screen capture options. You can set it to capture only a specific portion of your screen (for example, your UO play area). It will auto-save the image in the location and format you choose.
- http://download.cnet.com/Screen-Print-Capture-32/3000-2384_4-10135610.html
IrfanView
A free program that will allow you to manipulate a group of images at once. Useful for cropping and renaming any amount of screenshots in a few clicks.
- http://www.irfanview.com
Category: Guides