How to use Paint?

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Joe User

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I have Win XP SP3 and the version of the Paint that comes with it (Programs

> Accessories).



Is this the correct NG to ask questions about Paint? If not, what then?



My question....



I use ctrl-PrintScreen to capture the display. Then I run Paint and paste

the image. To copy a subset of the image, I use the box Select tool to

outline the area, then press ctrl-C and ctrl-V.



At that point, I have trouble "selecting" the two different objects: the

original PrintScreen image and the subset I just pasted. By "select", I do

not mean the box Select tool. I mean outlining the object so that I can

move, resize and delete it.



How do I get into that kind of selection mode again? How do I "select" each

object individually?



Paint Help says: "To turn off the selection box, click outside the box". I

have tried clicking all over, to no avail.
 
"Joe User" wrote in message

news:%23VnxHKfwKHA.2436@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...

>I have Win XP SP3 and the version of the Paint that comes with it

>(Programs

> > Accessories).

>

> Is this the correct NG to ask questions about Paint? If not, what then?

>

> My question....

>

> I use ctrl-PrintScreen to capture the display. Then I run Paint and

> paste the image. To copy a subset of the image, I use the box Select

> tool to outline the area, then press ctrl-C and ctrl-V.

>

> At that point, I have trouble "selecting" the two different objects:

> the original PrintScreen image and the subset I just pasted. By

> "select", I do not mean the box Select tool. I mean outlining the

> object so that I can move, resize and delete it.

>

> How do I get into that kind of selection mode again? How do I "select"

> each object individually?

>

> Paint Help says: "To turn off the selection box, click outside the

> box". I have tried clicking all over, to no avail.





Try this freeware tool for screen shots. You can easily select an area on

the screen to capture with no messing around.



PrintKey:

http://www.freewareweb.com/cgi-bin/archive.cgi?ID=292

--

Bruce Hagen

MS-MVP [Mail]

Imperial Beach, CA
 
Joe User wrote:

> I have Win XP SP3 and the version of the Paint that comes with it

> (Programs

>> Accessories).

>

> Is this the correct NG to ask questions about Paint? If not, what

> then?

> My question....

>

> I use ctrl-PrintScreen to capture the display. Then I run Paint and

> paste the image. To copy a subset of the image, I use the box Select

> tool to outline the area, then press ctrl-C and ctrl-V.

>

> At that point, I have trouble "selecting" the two different objects: the

> original PrintScreen image and the subset I just pasted. By

> "select", I do not mean the box Select tool. I mean outlining the

> object so that I can move, resize and delete it.

>

> How do I get into that kind of selection mode again? How do I

> "select" each object individually?

>

> Paint Help says: "To turn off the selection box, click outside the

> box". I have tried clicking all over, to no avail.

===================================

Maybe the following articles would be worth a look:



Microsoft Paint : Tools

The Selection Tools

http://www.lkwdpl.org/classes/MSPaint/tools/selection.html



MS Paint : Tools

The Selection Tool

Example: Using selections to combine two images.

http://www.lkwdpl.org/classes/MSPaint/tools/selectionex.html



For a free more advanced editor...have a look

at Paint.NET:



Paint.NET

http://www.getpaint.net/features.html



--



J. Inzer MS-MVP

Digital Media Experience



Notice

This is not tech support

I am a volunteer



Solutions that work for

me may not work for you



Proceed at your own risk
 
Thanks for the pointers so far. I'll follow through in time.



I am beginning to think that the Paint accessory that comes with Win XP

(SP3) is simply brain-dead. Would that be an unfair assessment?



I have used it in the past, but apparently only for the most rudimentary

tasks. Well, I think my current task is rudimentary. Anyway, I do remember

that it was always a struggle; I felt like I was fighting the tool.





----- original message ------



"Joe User" wrote in message

news:%23VnxHKfwKHA.2436@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...

>I have Win XP SP3 and the version of the Paint that comes with it (Programs

> > Accessories).

>

> Is this the correct NG to ask questions about Paint? If not, what then?

>

> My question....

>

> I use ctrl-PrintScreen to capture the display. Then I run Paint and paste

> the image. To copy a subset of the image, I use the box Select tool to

> outline the area, then press ctrl-C and ctrl-V.

>

> At that point, I have trouble "selecting" the two different objects: the

> original PrintScreen image and the subset I just pasted. By "select", I

> do not mean the box Select tool. I mean outlining the object so that I

> can move, resize and delete it.

>

> How do I get into that kind of selection mode again? How do I "select"

> each object individually?

>

> Paint Help says: "To turn off the selection box, click outside the box".

> I have tried clicking all over, to no avail.
 
Joe User wrote:

> I have Win XP SP3 and the version of the Paint that comes with it

> (Programs

>> Accessories).

>

> Is this the correct NG to ask questions about Paint? If not, what

> then?

> My question....

>

> I use ctrl-PrintScreen to capture the display. Then I run Paint and

> paste the image. To copy a subset of the image, I use the box Select

> tool to outline the area, then press ctrl-C and ctrl-V.

>

> At that point, I have trouble "selecting" the two different objects: the

> original PrintScreen image and the subset I just pasted. By

> "select", I do not mean the box Select tool. I mean outlining the

> object so that I can move, resize and delete it.



After copying, press File>New and paste into that.



--



dadiOH

____________________________



dadiOH's dandies v3.06...

....a help file of info about MP3s, recording from

LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that.

Get it at http://mysite.verizon.net/xico
 
On 3/12/2010 10:37 AM, Joe User wrote:

> Thanks for the pointers so far. I'll follow through in time.

>

> I am beginning to think that the Paint accessory that comes with Win XP

> (SP3) is simply brain-dead. Would that be an unfair assessment?



Paint wasn't ever meant to be even a moderately powerful graphics

editor. It's more of a demostrator of how to use a mouse with some of

the operating system's built in graphic capabilities.



> I have used it in the past, but apparently only for the most rudimentary

> tasks. Well, I think my current task is rudimentary. Anyway, I do

> remember that it was always a struggle; I felt like I was fighting the

> tool.



Also remember that there are object oriented vs. bitmap oriented

images/graphics. It's the object oriented type that allows various

shapes like lines, circles and rectangles to be easily selected and

manipulated. The object oriented type is sometimes reffered to as

"vector graphics". With a bitmap oriented application like Paint the

image is represented as separate values for each pixel, very much like a

dark panel with an array of holes for translucent colored pegs (remember

a product called "Light Bright"?). A bitmap oriented program translates

the drawing tools into that grid format as soon as you finish drawing

the shape (ussually when you release the mouse button) and doesn't have

any way of translating the array of pixels back into the definition of a

shape.



Some of the bitmap oriented programs permit the user to separate bitmaps

into multiple layers. This has an effect similar to a stack of clear

plastic sheets with different images painted on each sheet. Drawing an

image on its own layer simplifies isolating that group of pixels for

subsequent editing. The Paint program that comes with many versions of

Windows wasn't designed to be that powerful. A multiple layer bitmap

might also require a lot of memory and/or hard disk storage.



A bitmap with a wide variety of colors (like a photo or shaded drawing)

is often best stored in a format with individual data for each pixel and

allowance for a WIDE variety of colors (like a jpeg/.jpg). An image with

a limited number of colors and large areas of the same color, like a

newspaper editorial cartoon or smiley face, will take a MUCH smaller

amount of storage as a lossless compressed format like a Graphics

Interchange File (.gif). That might make a significat differene if your

web site host limits your storage space or you want guests at your site

to see your images quickly.



> ----- original message ------

>

> "Joe User" wrote in message

> news:%23VnxHKfwKHA.2436@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...

>> I have Win XP SP3 and the version of the Paint that comes with it

>> (Programs

>> > Accessories).

>>

>> Is this the correct NG to ask questions about Paint? If not, what then?

>>

>> My question....

>>

>> I use ctrl-PrintScreen to capture the display. Then I run Paint and

>> paste the image. To copy a subset of the image, I use the box Select

>> tool to outline the area, then press ctrl-C and ctrl-V.

>>

>> At that point, I have trouble "selecting" the two different objects:

>> the original PrintScreen image and the subset I just pasted. By

>> "select", I do not mean the box Select tool. I mean outlining the

>> object so that I can move, resize and delete it.

>>

>> How do I get into that kind of selection mode again? How do I "select"

>> each object individually?

>>

>> Paint Help says: "To turn off the selection box, click outside the

>> box". I have tried clicking all over, to no avail.

>
 
"dadiOH" wrote:

> After copying, press File>New and paste into that.



Perfect! Thanks so much.



I do think it is best if I find some better tools for my (simple) purposes.

But this will allow me to hump along in the meantime.



Thanks again.





----- original message -----



"dadiOH" wrote in message

news:uXduQjgwKHA.5812@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...

> Joe User wrote:

>> I have Win XP SP3 and the version of the Paint that comes with it

>> (Programs

>>> Accessories).

>>

>> Is this the correct NG to ask questions about Paint? If not, what

>> then?

>> My question....

>>

>> I use ctrl-PrintScreen to capture the display. Then I run Paint and

>> paste the image. To copy a subset of the image, I use the box Select

>> tool to outline the area, then press ctrl-C and ctrl-V.

>>

>> At that point, I have trouble "selecting" the two different objects: the

>> original PrintScreen image and the subset I just pasted. By

>> "select", I do not mean the box Select tool. I mean outlining the

>> object so that I can move, resize and delete it.

>

> After copying, press File>New and paste into that.

>

> --

>

> dadiOH

> ____________________________

>

> dadiOH's dandies v3.06...

> ...a help file of info about MP3s, recording from

> LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that.

> Get it at http://mysite.verizon.net/xico

>

>

>
 
On 3/12/2010 6:54 AM, Bruce Hagen wrote:

>

> "Joe User" wrote in message

> news:%23VnxHKfwKHA.2436@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...

>> I have Win XP SP3 and the version of the Paint that comes with it

>> (Programs

>> > Accessories).

>>

>> Is this the correct NG to ask questions about Paint? If not, what then?

>>

>> My question....

>>

>> I use ctrl-PrintScreen to capture the display. Then I run Paint and

>> paste the image. To copy a subset of the image, I use the box Select

>> tool to outline the area, then press ctrl-C and ctrl-V.

>>

>> At that point, I have trouble "selecting" the two different objects:

>> the original PrintScreen image and the subset I just pasted. By

>> "select", I do not mean the box Select tool. I mean outlining the

>> object so that I can move, resize and delete it.

>>

>> How do I get into that kind of selection mode again? How do I "select"

>> each object individually?

>>

>> Paint Help says: "To turn off the selection box, click outside the

>> box". I have tried clicking all over, to no avail.

>

>

> Try this freeware tool for screen shots. You can easily select an area

> on the screen to capture with no messing around.

>

> PrintKey:

> http://www.freewareweb.com/cgi-bin/archive.cgi?ID=292



I've been using PrintKey for several years with good results. You can

google for other free screen capture programs. Also consider IrfanView,

another free graphics program, not including drawing features, with

various screen capture options.



Bill
 
"dadiOH" wrote:

> After copying, press File>New and paste into that.



I forgot: my current problem is that I cannot even select the entire part

of the image that I want to copy. What's up with that?



When I do a screen capture (ctrl+PrintScreen) of the Desktop and paste into

Paint, the image is wider that the edit pane. There is a scroll bar. But

when I click on the box Select tool to outline the area to be copied (the

enter width of the Desktop image), the Select tool does not automatically

scroll the image as I drag the outline to the left or right. I can drag the

outline outside of the edit area, but it will only go as far as the edge of

my screen (4x3 aspect ratio). That does outline more of the Desktop, but

not quite enough.



Bottom line: how can I put a box Select outline around part of a picture

that extends beyond the edit pane?



I did try shrinking the image by first dragging the upper-left corner toward

center, then repositioning image. But being a bitmapped image, that screws

up the resolution to the point where the Desktop titles are no readable. So

that is not a viable approach.



One viable solution would be if I could draw a box Select outline around the

visible part of the image, scroll the image right, then extend the box

Select outline to cover more of the image.



But I have not gotten that to work. If I release the mouse button and

scroll right, I have not found a way to extend the box Select outline. The

next mouse click starts a new Select outline. I've tried left and right

mouse buttons, with and without pressing the Ctrl key. (Hmm, I 'spose I

should try the Shift and Alt keys, individually and together.) I've tried

hovering the mouse over the corner and other parts of the outline, looking

for drag handles. I've tried not releasing the mouse button while

scrolling. None of that has worked so far.





----- original message -----



"dadiOH" wrote in message

news:uXduQjgwKHA.5812@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...

> Joe User wrote:

>> I have Win XP SP3 and the version of the Paint that comes with it

>> (Programs

>>> Accessories).

>>

>> Is this the correct NG to ask questions about Paint? If not, what

>> then?

>> My question....

>>

>> I use ctrl-PrintScreen to capture the display. Then I run Paint and

>> paste the image. To copy a subset of the image, I use the box Select

>> tool to outline the area, then press ctrl-C and ctrl-V.

>>

>> At that point, I have trouble "selecting" the two different objects: the

>> original PrintScreen image and the subset I just pasted. By

>> "select", I do not mean the box Select tool. I mean outlining the

>> object so that I can move, resize and delete it.

>

> After copying, press File>New and paste into that.

>

> --

>

> dadiOH

> ____________________________

>

> dadiOH's dandies v3.06...

> ...a help file of info about MP3s, recording from

> LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that.

> Get it at http://mysite.verizon.net/xico

>

>

>
 
Have you tried a different Zoom setting, or screen resolution?

--

Bruce Hagen

MS-MVP [Mail]

Imperial Beach, CA





"Joe User" wrote in message

news:OosZfTiwKHA.1984@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...

> "dadiOH" wrote:

>> After copying, press File>New and paste into that.

>

> I forgot: my current problem is that I cannot even select the entire

> part of the image that I want to copy. What's up with that?

>

> When I do a screen capture (ctrl+PrintScreen) of the Desktop and paste

> into Paint, the image is wider that the edit pane. There is a scroll

> bar. But when I click on the box Select tool to outline the area to be

> copied (the enter width of the Desktop image), the Select tool does not

> automatically scroll the image as I drag the outline to the left or

> right. I can drag the outline outside of the edit area, but it will

> only go as far as the edge of my screen (4x3 aspect ratio). That does

> outline more of the Desktop, but not quite enough.

>

> Bottom line: how can I put a box Select outline around part of a

> picture that extends beyond the edit pane?

>

> I did try shrinking the image by first dragging the upper-left corner

> toward center, then repositioning image. But being a bitmapped image,

> that screws up the resolution to the point where the Desktop titles are

> no readable. So that is not a viable approach.

>

> One viable solution would be if I could draw a box Select outline around

> the visible part of the image, scroll the image right, then extend the

> box Select outline to cover more of the image.

>

> But I have not gotten that to work. If I release the mouse button and

> scroll right, I have not found a way to extend the box Select outline.

> The next mouse click starts a new Select outline. I've tried left and

> right mouse buttons, with and without pressing the Ctrl key. (Hmm, I

> 'spose I should try the Shift and Alt keys, individually and together.)

> I've tried hovering the mouse over the corner and other parts of the

> outline, looking for drag handles. I've tried not releasing the mouse

> button while scrolling. None of that has worked so far.

>

>

> ----- original message -----

>

> "dadiOH" wrote in message

> news:uXduQjgwKHA.5812@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...

>> Joe User wrote:

>>> I have Win XP SP3 and the version of the Paint that comes with it

>>> (Programs

>>>> Accessories).

>>>

>>> Is this the correct NG to ask questions about Paint? If not, what

>>> then?

>>> My question....

>>>

>>> I use ctrl-PrintScreen to capture the display. Then I run Paint and

>>> paste the image. To copy a subset of the image, I use the box Select

>>> tool to outline the area, then press ctrl-C and ctrl-V.

>>>

>>> At that point, I have trouble "selecting" the two different objects:

>>> the original PrintScreen image and the subset I just pasted. By

>>> "select", I do not mean the box Select tool. I mean outlining the

>>> object so that I can move, resize and delete it.

>>

>> After copying, press File>New and paste into that.

>>

>> --

>>

>> dadiOH

>> ____________________________

>>

>> dadiOH's dandies v3.06...

>> ...a help file of info about MP3s, recording from

>> LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that.

>> Get it at http://mysite.verizon.net/xico

>>

>>

>>

>
 
Joe User wrote:

>snip<

> Bottom line: how can I put a box Select outline around part of a

> picture that extends beyond the edit pane?

>snip
 
One thing you might try is to change your desktop resolution to some larger

size while using MSPaint to select portions of these large images.



Example:

My laptop has a native resolution of 1024 by 768. The video adapter on the

motherboard and its driver allows me to set the resolution at various shapes

of rectangles up to 2048 by 1536. When at these resolutions higher than the

native resolution of the laptop screen, moving the cursor to the edges of

the screen causes the the screen display to scroll, so it is easy to do

these huge selections in MSPaint. Here is how I do it on my laptop with ATI

Radeon XPress 200M video adapter:



Right click on the desktop and choose properties.

On the display properties window click the Settings tab.

Click advanced button on the settings tab window.

On the advanced window, click the monitor tab.

On the monitor tab window, UNCHECK the "Hide modes that this monitor cannot

display" box.





"Joe User" wrote in message

news:OosZfTiwKHA.1984@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...

> "dadiOH" wrote:

>> After copying, press File>New and paste into that.

>

> I forgot: my current problem is that I cannot even select the entire part

> of the image that I want to copy. What's up with that?

>

> When I do a screen capture (ctrl+PrintScreen) of the Desktop and paste

> into Paint, the image is wider that the edit pane. There is a scroll bar.

> But when I click on the box Select tool to outline the area to be copied

> (the enter width of the Desktop image), the Select tool does not

> automatically scroll the image as I drag the outline to the left or right.

> I can drag the outline outside of the edit area, but it will only go as

> far as the edge of my screen (4x3 aspect ratio). That does outline more

> of the Desktop, but not quite enough.

>

> Bottom line: how can I put a box Select outline around part of a picture

> that extends beyond the edit pane?

>

> I did try shrinking the image by first dragging the upper-left corner

> toward center, then repositioning image. But being a bitmapped image,

> that screws up the resolution to the point where the Desktop titles are no

> readable. So that is not a viable approach.

>

> One viable solution would be if I could draw a box Select outline around

> the visible part of the image, scroll the image right, then extend the box

> Select outline to cover more of the image.

>

> But I have not gotten that to work. If I release the mouse button and

> scroll right, I have not found a way to extend the box Select outline.

> The next mouse click starts a new Select outline. I've tried left and

> right mouse buttons, with and without pressing the Ctrl key. (Hmm, I

> 'spose I should try the Shift and Alt keys, individually and together.)

> I've tried hovering the mouse over the corner and other parts of the

> outline, looking for drag handles. I've tried not releasing the mouse

> button while scrolling. None of that has worked so far.

>

>

> ----- original message -----

>

> "dadiOH" wrote in message

> news:uXduQjgwKHA.5812@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...

>> Joe User wrote:

>>> I have Win XP SP3 and the version of the Paint that comes with it

>>> (Programs

>>>> Accessories).

>>>

>>> Is this the correct NG to ask questions about Paint? If not, what

>>> then?

>>> My question....

>>>

>>> I use ctrl-PrintScreen to capture the display. Then I run Paint and

>>> paste the image. To copy a subset of the image, I use the box Select

>>> tool to outline the area, then press ctrl-C and ctrl-V.

>>>

>>> At that point, I have trouble "selecting" the two different objects: the

>>> original PrintScreen image and the subset I just pasted. By

>>> "select", I do not mean the box Select tool. I mean outlining the

>>> object so that I can move, resize and delete it.

>>

>> After copying, press File>New and paste into that.

>>

>> --

>>

>> dadiOH

>> ____________________________

>>

>> dadiOH's dandies v3.06...

>> ...a help file of info about MP3s, recording from

>> LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that.

>> Get it at http://mysite.verizon.net/xico

>>

>>

>>

>
 
Joe User wrote:

> "dadiOH" wrote:

>> After copying, press File>New and paste into that.

>

> I forgot: my current problem is that I cannot even select the entire

> part of the image that I want to copy. What's up with that?

>

> When I do a screen capture (ctrl+PrintScreen) of the Desktop and

> paste into Paint, the image is wider that the edit pane. There is a

> scroll bar. But when I click on the box Select tool to outline the

> area to be copied (the enter width of the Desktop image), the Select

> tool does not automatically scroll the image as I drag the outline to

> the left or right. I can drag the outline outside of the edit area,

> but it will only go as far as the edge of my screen (4x3 aspect

> ratio). That does outline more of the Desktop, but not quite enough.

>

> Bottom line: how can I put a box Select outline around part of a

> picture that extends beyond the edit pane?



1. Ctrl + A will select the entire image, perhaps you can then drag it so

you can reselect the part that interests you



2. If your interest is only in a defined portion of the desktop - i.e., a

window - make it active and copy just it with Alt + PrntScr



3. A program such as FastStone Capture makes copying parts of the screen

much easier. Used to be free for home users, don't know if it still is.

http://www.faststone.org/FSCaptureDetail.htm



--



dadiOH

____________________________



dadiOH's dandies v3.06...

....a help file of info about MP3s, recording from

LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that.

Get it at http://mysite.verizon.net/xico
 
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