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Question

How to reduce captured image size without losing resolution?

Forum|Forum|16 years ago
June 17, 2009
8 replies
12983 views

Hi all,

I've used RoboScreenCapture extensively in caputring web application screen shots for my webhelp pages. However, I'll be creating another manual soon that will require smaller sized versions of screen shots, both as a preference by my co-workers and to minimize space and topic length. Does anyone know of a good way to accomplish this and still maintain quality images?

I've tried editing and resizing, but the resolution becomes distored.

Thanks!

Classic

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leighm70187088

Participant

Despite having both PhotoShop and SnagIt, the results were sub-optimal. The final deliverable is a PDF generated from a PowerPoint, and the objective to place the resized screenshot inside a tablet surround. The text worked well when resizing separate images in PowerPoint rather than trying to create a composite one outside and then importing it. PowerPoint seems to handle the screenshot resizing well.

A

Anonymous

Hi,

A good way is to import a gif image into Visio where you can re-size with minimal resolution loss. I know this is not in RH but I've found this the most effective way...

R

RightOarAuthor

Known Participant

Hi there,

I'll be getting Visio soon, so I'll definitely have to give this a try - thanks for the heads-up!

A

Anonymous

No problem,

To use this method, simply import the image into visio, then select that image within visio and resize.

Then use File | Save As to save the file as gif or whatever format is required.

Hint: When you do the "Save As" you need to select the image on the visio page first then use the menu option.

D

disneeprincess

Known Participant

Hi,

I am new to robohelp 7 and photoshop cs3, so I will admit that I just don't know much at all! Here's my latest problem: I need to take screen shots and reduce them to fit in robohelp. If I just use the windows screen print and then copy it into photoshop and try to reduce it, the text is fuzzy. From reading the answers to the original question posted here, photoshop is supposed to be good for reducing screen shots. So I guess I'm doing something wrong. Is it because I'm using the windows screen print to capture the shot? Or am I not doing something in photoshop? If anyone can point me to an article on the web for step-by-step directions, I would be grateful. I also have gotten photoshop books from the library, but they seem more geared towards editing photos. I also have access to adobe illustrator, if that product would be better. We have 3 licenses for snag-it, but of course, there's not one on my computer. I can see if I can borrow someone's computer with snag-it if I should use that product for the screen shot capture. Any advice is appreciated. Thanks,

Julie

RoboWizard

Inspiring

Hi Julie

I'd be shocked if Photoshop produced a crystal clear image. The thing to understand here is that any computer screen is divided into a grid. Each segment of the grid is called a Picture Element or Pixel. The size of a Pixel cannot be changed. So if you take an image of a screen and shrink it, you must expect some reduction in clarity. (or fuzziness/blurriness of text)

I'll have to leave it to my colleague Peter to explain perhaps how to achieve a decent result using Photoshop. I use SnagIt and am happy with its results. However, I stick with version 8 for a couple of reasons.

I find it's easier to use than 9 is with it's new "ribbon" interface. Blech! (Thanks Microsoft!)
I find the resizing seems better in 8 than in 9. I'm aware TechSmith changed the algorithm they used. Unfortunately it's hard to describe to a softare engineer that this image looks a bit clearer than that and advise why. It's a bit on the ethereal side.

Cheers... Rick

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Peter Grainge

Community Expert

First of all try working with GIF images.

When you save in Photoshop, set the quality to the highest, the wheel spins to 10, you can manually enter 12.

See www.grainge.org for RoboHelp and Authoring tips

Help others by clicking Correct Answer if the question is answered. Found the answer elsewhere? Share it here. "Upvote" is for useful posts.

R

RightOarAuthor

Known Participant

Roger that, Peter. I have to admit that I was a little confused by Colum's response, so thanks for the clarification.

I agree that doing a screen capture from a resized image in Word does make a difference. However, I'm hoping that I can test out SnagIt and possibly ugrade to the Tech Comm. Suite v2 for all the advantages of RH8, Captivate, and Photoshop. But it may be out of our budget.

R

RightOarAuthor

Known Participant

Ok, I really appreciate all of the advice. It seems that SnagIt and Photoshop (Tech Com) may be worthwhile looking into.

R

RightOarAuthor

Known Participant

Wow - I really appreciate all of your responses. Besides the use of SnagIt and Photoshop, I'm glad to hear that I've been taking advantage of most of the options available (resize, Word to RoboScreenCapture, and re-sizing my browser window before capturing a shot). I don't think it will be a problem getting SnagIt, and because my department is seriously considering upgrading to RH8 (from RH6), I now have a good reason to consider Tech Communication Suite v2 for the Photoshop advantage.

Rick and Peter, as I was looking for an example of a Microsoft screen shot, I realized that with all the printouts I've been accumulating in my research, that the example I was referring to was, in fact, a Word doc about Microsoft help options - sorry for the confusion on my part. No wonder there was better clarity! Word does a great job of re-sizing, but unfortunately when I paste a Word image into RoboHelp there's a significant loss of clarity. Looking forward to trying SnagIt or Photoshop.

Thanks again for all of your help!

Peter Grainge

Community Expert

Are you saving that image from Word and then using it in RH? Wrong.

Use a screen capture tool to recapture what is in Word.

See www.grainge.org for RoboHelp and Authoring tips

Help others by clicking Correct Answer if the question is answered. Found the answer elsewhere? Share it here. "Upvote" is for useful posts.

RoboColum_n_

Legend

No. I resize my window to as small as possible, use RoboScreenCapture to get the shot (excellent clarity), then paste it into Word, resize even smaller (good clarity), and then use RSC to re-capture the shot in Word, paste it into RH, and the image (text) becomes blurry (bad clarity).

As Peter says, resizing in Word is a bad idea. I use the in-built Resize tool for most images and it works really well.

Read the RoboColum(n) for mutterings on RoboHelp, Technical Communication Suite and technical communication.

R

RightOarAuthor

Known Participant

Thanks, Rick and Peter, for your quick replies.

I tried some of what you suggested (Word, resize tool, and gif/jpg), and although there is some improvement, the smaller sized image still affects the clarity of the text.

I've been researching different help page formats for my new manual, and I've noticed that Microsoft has help topics that show smaller sized screen shots with good clarity. Their full page images are 1.5'" by 4" and the text is still clear. I'm not sure how they're doing this, and I was hoping there was a way to duplicate it using RoboHelp and RoboScreenCapture.

Unfortunately, I don't have Adobe Photoshop - do you think the resizing effects are worth purchasing the software?

Captiv8r

Legend

Hi there

Are you able to point us to one of these topics? Or perhaps post screen captures of them?

If you choose to post a screen capture, please do so using the camera icon and don't attach it. (if attached, we don't see it straight away and must wait for it to become approved)

Cheers... Rick

Captiv8r

Legend

Hi there

Regardless of how you choose to resize you are going to lose a bit of clarity plain and simple. The trick is to minimize the loss. Some ways accomplish it better than others.

Some folks claim to achieve pretty decent results by pasting the image into Word and allowing Word to rescale it on the screen. Then they screen capture the image as it appears within Word on the screen.

Personally I use TechSmith's SnagIt and use it to rescale. The results are about the same as what I just listed with using Word. In addition to these approaches, RoboHelp HTML ships with a tool called the Graphics Resizer that may do a pretty good job. It's in the Toolbox tab or pod depending on your RoboHelp version.

Cheers... Rick

Peter Grainge

Community Expert

Just to add to Rick's information, try with both GIFs and JPGs. You will get different results when you reduce the size. Photoshop also does an excellent job if you have that.

See www.grainge.org for RoboHelp and Authoring tips

Help others by clicking Correct Answer if the question is answered. Found the answer elsewhere? Share it here. "Upvote" is for useful posts.

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