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DonationCoder.com Software => Mouser's Zone => Screenshot Captor => Topic started by: mouser on September 08, 2013, 01:28 PM

Title: The Great Screenshot Captor Ruler Debate Thread
Post by: mouser on September 08, 2013, 01:28 PM

We have been debating the value of adding some sort of ruler functionality to Screenshot Captor in a few threads.

There are people who believe rulers would be very useful, and there are others, like me, who don't yet understand the usefulness of them.

I'm hoping we can consolidate the discussion into this thread, and focus on what actual tasks are being done that might benefit from some kind of ruler functionality, and then decide what kind of optional tool i can add to SC that would best help people perform these tasks.

This might mean adding rulers (fixed or floating?) or adding some kind of special panel with extra information, or a customizable grid, etc.

Or it may simply mean finding an external ruler/measuring tool and creating a helpful .sctool entry for it to make it super easy for people to use from within Screenshot Captor.

I think the first step is for people who want "rulers" to help me understand what kind of rulers they think would be useful and what kinds of tasks they would use them for inside SC; and let's try to think outside the box and figure out if a ruler is what is really needed or if something else might help even more with these tasks..

Title: Re: The Great Screenshot Captor Ruler Debate Thread
Post by: tomos on September 08, 2013, 03:15 PM

^is the ruler measuring the pixels?

Title: Re: The Great Screenshot Captor Ruler Debate Thread
Post by: cmpm on September 08, 2013, 03:24 PM

I do not see the benefit of adding things to SC that are not useful. Please do not make SC a candy coated bloatware memory hog like so many others have done.

thanks

Title: Re: The Great Screenshot Captor Ruler Debate Thread
Post by: mouser on September 08, 2013, 03:31 PM

It's measuring pixels yes.
And yeah i'm inclined to not include this ruler thing -- certainly it wouldn't be enabled by default; like i said i just cannot understand how it would be useful.

Title: Re: The Great Screenshot Captor Ruler Debate Thread
Post by: mouser on September 08, 2013, 03:41 PM

While I still think the rulers seem pretty useless, i'm open to ideas for either how to make them useful, or some alternative thing that might be more useful.

For example, while the current selection size is shown on the bottom statusbar, i'm open to the idea of an optional larger panel above the image (where the top horizontal ruler would show) that has in larger font information about current cursor location and selection size in pixels and inches/cm.

Maybe if i could hear some use cases for using a ruler..

Title: Re: The Great Screenshot Captor Ruler Debate Thread
Post by: cathie28 on September 08, 2013, 05:00 PM

Thanks. Tried it in Vista x64. Mostly works - couple tweaks needed.

Got Odd msg from ? SSC, when change prefs to show rulers, about "out of system resources." Definitely NOT out - not even close, nor did SSC hang. After I dismissed msg, went on OK. Got msg again, but then no more (uh-oh, see below). Maybe was because closed / reopened the new "ruler version?" Will see if happens again.

* Yes, it happened again, when resized SSC UI, using SSC "restore down" button. Every time. Haven't rebooted, but using portable version - no need.
Doesn't seem to affect anything, except having to dismiss msg.

Lots of uses for rulers, if using some of more advanced capabilities of SSC or similar apps. That's why many apps in same "class" have them. See screen for ONE example - are many others - BETTER than quick one I picked. Maybe choosing exact size for an icon image; placing an object exactly in middle of existing image or 7 px away from edge. Getting into artistic uses of SSC. It's not a plain Jane screen cap. app.

For plain captures w/ simple text box or arrow, rulers aren't much use.
They're about precise measurements - selecting or placement (on images), not for when "eyeballing" is plenty.

Couple things noticed about rulers look / behavior.
1. When 1st opened an existing file (automatically opened by SSC), the rulers weren't aligned w/ top, L corner of image. Off by 1/2 in. or more.
After I hit auto fit or "100%" for image size, ruler / image suddenly aligned. Didn't catch what size the image loaded at - nothing odd about that image.

2. The '0' on ruler is partly cut off.

3. Cursor should probably be diff color than ruler ticks - makes easier to see exact position of cursor cross hair, when lined up w/ a tick mark.

4. Tick mark for every 5th px (or 1/2 in. mark, if allows scale choice) should probably be a bit longer (upward, as at 0, 10, 20...). Easier / faster to visually find mid value (or other) between marked values.

5. This SSC version allowed me to add a text box that extended past the captured image area (to left)?? Can see when saved, it cut off part of text box. Don't know if had anything to do w/ ruler not being aligned, but ruler misalignment was for a DIFFERENT image.

Couple of screens - just samples how some apps handle crosshairs / rulers. 100 different ways.

Title: Re: The Great Screenshot Captor Ruler Debate Thread
Post by: cmpm on September 08, 2013, 05:12 PM

I guess it's useful for what you are using it for, cathie28.

2. The '0' on ruler is partly cut off.

That's true of most any ruler, or it would be offset from the hash mark.

Title: Re: The Great Screenshot Captor Ruler Debate Thread
Post by: cmpm on September 08, 2013, 05:27 PM

I use Screen Calipers from Iconico if I need that type of precision.
Screen Calipers is dedicated to doing what it does, not much more and certainly not less.

http://www.iconico.com/caliper/

Title: Re: The Great Screenshot Captor Ruler Debate Thread
Post by: cathie28 on September 08, 2013, 05:35 PM

I ~~ain't~~ isn't familiar w/ screen calipers, but thanks. Rulers on image editors (even pdf readers, word processors - w/ image pasting ability) aren't exactly "high tech." I only gave SOME uses, not that everything had to be a matter of + / - 0.05 px, for them to be useful. :) It doesn't have to be for microscopic applications.

You're correct, most rulers (that end at 0), have offset #s.

Title: Re: The Great Screenshot Captor Ruler Debate Thread
Post by: mouser on September 08, 2013, 05:35 PM

Sorry about that out-of-resources error, that seems to be something the rulers are causing -- i'm working on it.

Regarding usefulness of ruler, i still dont quite see it.. It seems if you want precise sizing, the text showing you the exact size of your selection at the bottom seems more useful.

Maybe what would really be useful would be an optional top pabel where the horizontal ruler would normally be, showing in large font the position of the cursor, the exact size of selection (in pixels and inches), and the exact size of the current object being manipulated. Maybe even an option to overlay a grid with a custom origin and grid size?

Title: Re: The Great Screenshot Captor Ruler Debate Thread
Post by: cmpm on September 08, 2013, 05:53 PM

cathie28
I would like to see where you have actually used a ruler to create a finished shot. Not an example but something that you have actually done with possible "another app", using it's ruler.

My request is the same as mouser's. Just simplified a bit.

Can those who want rules try the new BETA i just uploaded and let me know if you think it's actually useful (and how so?).

So, actually useful in what real time screenshot work, How So?

So we can stop wasting time on a useless feature and do more productive thought work.

Title: Re: The Great Screenshot Captor Ruler Debate Thread
Post by: app103 on September 08, 2013, 06:01 PM

Personally, I'd like more people to help light a fire under Renegade's butt to get him to finish this ruler (https://www.donationcoder.com/forum/index.php?topic=5490.0). I have found it to be quite useful for just about anything I could need a ruler on my screen for.

Title: Re: The Great Screenshot Captor Ruler Debate Thread
Post by: cathie28 on September 08, 2013, 06:30 PM

I realize you don't get rulers - guess because you don't do tasks where they're useful. But if no one used them, devs wouldn't put them in & continue doing so for yrs, decades.

I agree, lots of ways to do what you're suggesting - maybe better than rulers. I didn't want to suggest difficult options.

text showing you the exact size of your selection at the bottom

Well... 1) the #s at screen bottom are usually small (in this case - very).
2) (I suppose) many consider looking at a crosshair on ruler ticks as taking less concentration than reading 2 numbers. Just looking at a line - if it's lining up, vs reading 2 #'s. From a "theory of learning" standpoint, the latter takes more concentration.

I'd like to see (in any editing app) values for crosshair location, area, etc., in big, red #s - right above current position or image. Then disappear, once done w/ selection, moving, etc. (& then just show at screen bottom, as usual).

What's an "optional top pabel?" Label? Parable? Pablum? Pablov? Table? :D Any of those would be great for showing cursor position, starting & current cursor / selection line position, area; esp. table, label, pop up box w/ values, etc. Not sure about a pabel.

Figured if I couldn't get the font size at bottom of main GUI increased (cursor selection position, area,...) or Options UI, had no chance for something like you're describing. If you want to bounce ideas off me, that's fine.

Many editors (even simple image viewers w/ some cutting / cropping function) have grids, as well. With varying capabilities. They're also useful for certain things. I have > 1 wrench & screw driver in my (real) toolbox. I can barely pick it up.

CMPM - uh, I already gave some examples of how they'd be useful. If you don't like rulers, you don't have to see them - they're off by default, so they won't cause blindness. :) There are other tools in SSC that I've rarely used - I don't berate others (that's right - I said it :D) when they talk about tools or issues, that don't concern me. Be a tiny bit tolerant.

How can I post an image or created icon, or anything I used a ruler on (or many other functions ), when evidence of using a measuring tool, grids, & many other tools disappears after finished? That goes for a 100 tools in a 100 apps. No one uses rulers present in 100's of apps, incl. screen caps., editors, drawing, PDF, word processing, on & on??

Title: Re: The Great Screenshot Captor Ruler Debate Thread
Post by: cranioscopical on September 08, 2013, 06:39 PM

Personally, I'd like more people to help light a fire under Renegade's butt to get him to finish this ruler (https://www.donationcoder.com/forum/index.php?topic=5490.0). I have found it to be quite useful for just about anything I could need a ruler on my screen for.
-app103 (September 08, 2013, 06:01 PM)

Cor, strike a light, I'll match that request! :onfire:

Title: Re: The Great Screenshot Captor Ruler Debate Thread
Post by: cmpm on September 08, 2013, 06:41 PM

Not a troll?
Yeah, has been and has not stopped talking just like a troll.
Called it the first time.

Title: Re: The Great Screenshot Captor Ruler Debate Thread
Post by: mouser on September 08, 2013, 07:04 PM

just for the record, i think cathie's criticisms can be a bit harsh sometimes, but many of her points have some validity, and some have already led to some improvements. So let's make sure we don't get *too* defensive (which is not to say i don't very much appreciate having SC be defended and praised, because i sure do!).

Title: Re: The Great Screenshot Captor Ruler Debate Thread
Post by: mouser on September 08, 2013, 07:07 PM

Let me look into an optional top panel with clearer information about cusor position, selection size, and maybe some grid options. Surely that's got to be more helpful than the rulers.

Title: Re: The Great Screenshot Captor Ruler Debate Thread
Post by: cmpm on September 08, 2013, 07:19 PM

I'm not defensive or offended or upset. I have more confidence in mouser then that.

I agree mouser, that you have come up with some useful things out of these posts.

But this is what a troll wants to do. To get folks upset over nothing and forget about the actual real topic. Imply and projecting feelings on to another without any proof of thought from anyone except the one projecting.

I've dealt with worse face to face. This ain't nothing.

Title: Re: The Great Screenshot Captor Ruler Debate Thread
Post by: mouser on September 08, 2013, 07:25 PM

Ok but Cathie is a user of the software -- she's taken the time to use it and test new versions. Let's please let's not be insulting users and calling them names.

Title: Re: The Great Screenshot Captor Ruler Debate Thread
Post by: cmpm on September 08, 2013, 07:32 PM

Okay

Title: Re: The Great Screenshot Captor Ruler Debate Thread
Post by: mouser on September 08, 2013, 09:51 PM

I think we should approach this from the opposite angle.

Let's start out by saying that external ruler tools do this job fine, and so SC doesn't need one.
And then we can ask -- what *WOULD* be more useful?

That tasks do you use a ruler for -- can we add a tool to SC that would help you do that even more than a ruler would? That's why i'm thinking along the lines of some custom mode, with a top info panel, and maybe a custom grid and crosshairs? By custom grid i mean a grid where you could easily tweak the grid size and origin.

Title: Re: The Great Screenshot Captor Ruler Debate Thread
Post by: cmpm on September 09, 2013, 09:18 PM

after some thought and time,
I was rude and my comments were not my best nature.
somebody give me a few shots of mouser diplomacy
i don't know how he does it

(i still think the benefit thread is appropriate though)

Title: Re: The Great Screenshot Captor Ruler Debate Thread
Post by: IainB on September 10, 2013, 01:25 AM

...If people can tell me a good usecase for rulers i might implement them.
-mouser (May 07, 2013, 02:10 PM)

Well, quite coincidentally, last night I was doing some seriously careful clipping of SSC captures of scrolling images from my browser. The images were of pages of text from one of those sites that won't let you read more than a couple of pages of stuff without your joining their blasted website. The scrolling capture was really messy because of the proprietary display - SSC could not compensate for it, and there was a lot of duplicated text on either side of the "joins".
My task was to cut out (remove) the duplicate text. I was working at 200% zoom so as to cut out horizontal sections - sometimes cutting some of the lines of text. I wanted to leave the text looking as though it hadn't been cut and joined (invisible joins). After considerable repeated effort, I succeeded. It reminded me how very useful a tool SSC is.

As I was working on the page images though, I did wish for rulers in both axes. This was whilst I was cutting off extraneous borders that had been added to the top, bottom and side margins of the pages. I was trying to ensure that each page ended up as the same height and width. This was quite difficult to do without rulers, and I ended up having to do everything by eye (using my visual judgement). The results were OK, but imperfect and I only managed to get them approximately the same length and breadth - e.g., 788x1309, 785x1272, 785x1285 pixels. Rulers would probably have enabled me to get these spot-on.

This is the 2nd exercise where I have cut and spliced text horizontally with SSC, achieving an invisible join. It is the first time I have needed rulers for cutting to a specific size.

By the way, whilst I was working at 200% I was making much use of the zoomed pixel display, and even dragged it wider so I could spot the relative differences between top and bottom of the cuts, so as to judge when to cut to get an invisible join. It was whilst i was doing this that SSC drove me mad with frustration because the cutting box did not behave nicely and consistently as it should have done. Sometimes it plumb disappeared, or had a mind of its own and snapped back to its previous shape after being dragged to a new shape. Other times, the handles sort of floated in the air, like in this example:
[ You are not allowed to view attachments ]

Title: Re: The Great Screenshot Captor Ruler Debate Thread
Post by: mouser on September 10, 2013, 09:57 AM

Thanks for the post Ian, seems a couple of different things here though.

It sounds like the rulers -- at least as i implemented them in the recent test (just along the top and side and not floating) would not have helped you. Do you know about how the bottom statusbar of SC shows the current selection size? Would that have been what you wanted, to get an exact selection size? You could have also saved the selection size so you could repeat it. I'm sorry to be dense but i don't quite follow everything you are saying.

I do understand the basic task you are describing -- splicing out the overlaps of a scrolling capture on a page where it can't be done automatically. but beyond that i didn't completely follow.

Title: Re: The Great Screenshot Captor Ruler Debate Thread
Post by: mouser on September 10, 2013, 10:02 AM

I hate to beat a dead horse but i really do want to understand. But when you say something like this:

As I was working on the page images though, I did wish for rulers in both axes...I was trying to ensure that each page ended up as the same height and width. This was quite difficult to do without rulers, and I ended up having to do everything by eye (using my visual judgement).

you have to understand that i don't get it. i just don't understand how you are using the rulers, how they help, what you actually use them to do/see, whatever.

right now when you make a selection it tells you the exact size of the selection. I need someone to explain to me some concrete use cases for rulers so i can understand what purpose they solve.

everything i read here makes me think rulers are some magical sticks that you wave around an image and they magically make doing hard things super easy.

i'm not asking for someone to "prove" to me that they are useful, just explain to me how specifically they would be used in SC to help do some task so I can see if there isn't a better solution, or at the very least make sure that the rulers i implement serve this purpose.

Title: Re: The Great Screenshot Captor Ruler Debate Thread
Post by: mouser on September 10, 2013, 02:36 PM

Would it be useful to have a mode where the cursor crosshairs draw full height and width lines? Much like in the region-capture mode?

And I'm still interested in hearing if people think being able to set up a custom grid with a custom size and origin would be useful.. Though please remember that SC is not trying to be a top-echelon illustration tool.

Title: Re: The Great Screenshot Captor Ruler Debate Thread
Post by: Vurbal on September 10, 2013, 02:42 PM

Personally I would rather have editable text fields for origin, width, and height with arrow buttons that also respond to the mouse wheel and keyboard arrow keys. In fact that's typically what I rely on in GIMP.

[ You are not allowed to view attachments ]

I'm jut not sure where you would put them or how they should be laid out. A popup dialog? Or maybe a checkbox at the bottom of the window similar to the one at the top for the thumbnail panel.

Title: Re: The Great Screenshot Captor Ruler Debate Thread
Post by: mouser on September 10, 2013, 03:24 PM

Well that's sort of what i was proposing for an optional special top panel that would only be shown when you want it -- it would have big text showing exact cursor position, selection size, and some of these control for custom grid. It would be a sort of "Precise Control" panel, designed to be toggled on when you need to do precise work. It might also remind you of the keyboard shortcuts for nudging the selection size.

I see it showing:

1. Large font text showing current cursor position in pixels and inches (or cm)
2. Large font text showing selection size in pixels and inches (or cm)
3. Checkbox to enable full-image-size crosshairs.
4. Combobox to set grid mode (None, by size, by divisions).
5. Control to adjust grid horizontal gridsize.
6. Control to adjust grid vertical gridsize.
7. Controls to adjust origin of grid.

Other things it could show:
8. Exact distance of cursor from Right hand and Bottom of image? (would make it easier to get exact middle, etc.)

Now this is a fair amount of work so there's no point in me implementing this unless a bunch of people think it would be useful -- it's certainly not something i would use -- at least not when working with screenshots. But I'm not against implementing it as an optional thing if people think it would be useful and they don't have any other pet features they want implemented first..

It would also mean you would trade off some image screen space to get this top panel -- you'd lose maybe 75-100 pixels of vertical height that used to be used to show the image.

Title: Re: The Great Screenshot Captor Ruler Debate Thread
Post by: Vurbal on September 10, 2013, 03:44 PM

In my extensive experience that's by far the most efficient approach. However that may be somewhat unique to the mass quantity of screenshots I typically deal with at once since it's normally when I'm working on a big software guide. It also may have something to do with my workflow. I use a Nostromo gamepad to speed up my workflow.

Sort of like Douglas Englebart's MOAD presentation in '68. Ironically I hadn't heard of it when I started working this way.

Title: Re: The Great Screenshot Captor Ruler Debate Thread
Post by: mouser on September 10, 2013, 04:55 PM

Title: Re: The Great Screenshot Captor Ruler Debate Thread
Post by: IainB on September 10, 2013, 07:18 PM

OK, I understand now. I was mistaken. :o
I thought I "needed" rulers because, as an inexpert user of SSC I didn't realise that I effectively already had rulers. The rulers are the sides of the actual cutting box/rectangle, whose dimensions are shown in the bottom of the SSC work area:

[ You are not allowed to view attachments ]

I had been trimming off the excess on one side of the page at a time - just like you might use scissors. If I had simply drawn a standard-sized rectangle around each page, and then shifted that rectangle around to align it with the contents of the page (within the rectangle), then I could have just cut all the outside excess on the edges off in one action, and each resulting cut page would be exactly the same size (length and breadth).
If I'd sat and thought about it, I could have done that the first time. :-[
The only thing that I would like is to be able to copy the standard dimensions so as to somehow instantly create the same sized rectangle on each successive image to have its excess trimmed off. That would be less tedious and less error-prone than dragging the rectangle out to that fixed size each time.

How could one do that?

Hope this all makes sense.

Title: Re: The Great Screenshot Captor Ruler Debate Thread
Post by: mouser on September 10, 2013, 07:28 PM

im still not entirely sure why your having to work with multiple images in the task you've described.. the Scrolling Capture function is flexible enough so that even if it can't guess margins and overlaps, it can still do a scrolling capture that you can manually tweak and fix..

The *SPLICE* tool in the SpecialFX2 menu is your friend in this case, designed to easily cut out strips.

However, back to your question:

The only thing that I would like is to be able to copy the standard dimensions so as to somehow instantly create the same sized rectangle on each successive image to have its excess trimmed off. That would be less tedious and less error-prone than dragging the rectangle out to that fixed size each time.

You've got two good options here:

In the Edit -> Select menu you'll see an item labeled "Reselect Last region size" that can be used to reselect the same sized region as you previously selected; you can then move that region around if you need.
You can also set your own custom region sizes any time you want on the MyFavorites option tab, and these are available in the Edit -> Select Preset Region menu and toolbar.

Does that help?

As for your pointing to the status bar showing the currently selected region size -- that's one of the things we have been discussing, whether that info might be displayed in much larger font with additional info, on an optional top panel that would make it easier to read.

Title: Re: The Great Screenshot Captor Ruler Debate Thread
Post by: Renegade on September 10, 2013, 08:27 PM

Personally, I'd like more people to help light a fire under Renegade's butt to get him to finish this ruler (https://www.donationcoder.com/forum/index.php?topic=5490.0). I have found it to be quite useful for just about anything I could need a ruler on my screen for.
-app103 (September 08, 2013, 06:01 PM)

That was a long time ago. I'll need to dig out the project, but it might be a good NANY project too. Every now and then I need to use it, and it has been quite helpful.

Title: Re: The Great Screenshot Captor Ruler Debate Thread
Post by: IainB on September 10, 2013, 08:41 PM

I had 5 separate scrolling screenshots (images) - each is a shot of a different page of a scanned periodical.

I used the splice tool to cut out the sections of text duplication above and below the horizontal scrolling capture gaps, and then to cut off the extraneous bits on each of the 4 sides of each image.
If I hadn't been so unfamiliar with using SSC for this purpose, I would have gone about it differently, using a fixed-size rectangle applied to trim each of the 5 pages after I had spliced out the excess text.

You've got two good options here:
In the Edit -> Select menu you'll see an item labeled "Reselect Last region size" that can be used to reselect the same sized region as you previously selected; you can then move that region around if you need.
You can also set your own custom region sizes any time you want on the MyFavorites option tab, and these are available in the Edit -> Select Preset Region menu and toolbar.
Does that help?
-mouser (September 10, 2013, 07:28 PM)

Yes I think it will! Thankyou. I had not known that.

As for your pointing to the status bar showing the currently selected region size -- that's one of the things we have been discussing, whether that info might be displayed in much larger font with additional info, on an optional top panel that would make it easier to read.
-mouser (September 10, 2013, 07:28 PM)

Yes, I realise that now. I must apologise for entering the discussion at such a late stage and without having previously been following it particularly closely. I only entered it because I had actually been thinking "I need two rulers - one on each axis - here." I was not aware of how best to use the "currently selected region size". Now I am.

That's sorted my problems, and it seems to have established that one doesn't need new rulers, since they are effectively already in place as the currently selected region size (rectangle).

The only remaining issue is probably that the little yellow circles (handles) for the sides of the rectangle, and the rectangle itself, do not behave consistently and sometimes play up a bit as I described previously.

Thanks again.

Title: Re: The Great Screenshot Captor Ruler Debate Thread
Post by: mouser on September 10, 2013, 08:43 PM

The only remaining issue is probably that the little yellow circles (handles) for the sides of the rectangle, and the rectangle itself, do not behave consistently and sometimes play up a bit as I described previously.

if you can find a way to reliably reproduce this or any further clues about it, i'd like to hear (but on a different thread!).

Title: Re: The Great Screenshot Captor Ruler Debate Thread
Post by: cmpm on September 10, 2013, 09:43 PM

Is there a specific requirement for a ruler to be added to the tools menu?
Like open source or something.

Cause I like these-but I don't know how to make 'em tools.

http://www.spadixbd.com/freetools/jruler.htm

http://www.dkpcode.com/downloads.html#DKRuler

And I think this one would be most useful, if I understand some of the things that are requested.

http://www.cthing.com/Meazure.asp

Title: Re: The Great Screenshot Captor Ruler Debate Thread
Post by: lanux128 on September 10, 2013, 10:40 PM

i have this ruler app as an external tool and use it quite often.

• http://sites.google.com/site/rulerhelp/

Title: Re: The Great Screenshot Captor Ruler Debate Thread
Post by: mouser on September 10, 2013, 10:51 PM

It's really easy to add custom tools to the Tool menu -- you can do that entirely from within the program.
You can also create little .sctool files (https://www.donationcoder.com/forum/index.php?topic=18897.0) which can be shared so that others don't even have to do that much.

Title: Re: The Great Screenshot Captor Ruler Debate Thread
Post by: mouser on September 10, 2013, 10:51 PM

It would be nice to have a page where people can share suggested tools to configure for triggering from SC.

Title: Re: The Great Screenshot Captor Ruler Debate Thread
Post by: lanux128 on September 11, 2013, 12:31 AM

It's really easy to add custom tools to the Tool menu -- you can do that entirely from within the program.
You can also create little .sctool files (https://www.donationcoder.com/forum/index.php?topic=18897.0) which can be shared so that others don't even have to do that much.
-mouser (September 10, 2013, 10:51 PM)

it is surreal to see my custom tools menu from 3 years ago. btw, some of the tools are quite obsolete due to advances in SC. however, the idea is still valid.

Title: Re: The Great Screenshot Captor Ruler Debate Thread
Post by: mouser on September 11, 2013, 12:48 AM

it is surreal to see my custom tools menu from 3 years ago.

Show us a screenshot!

Title: Re: The Great Screenshot Captor Ruler Debate Thread
Post by: lanux128 on September 11, 2013, 01:07 AM

it is surreal to see my custom tools menu from 3 years ago.

Show us a screenshot!
-mouser (September 11, 2013, 12:48 AM)

it's on the other thread, meant to copy-paste but forgot about it but here it is now.

Spoiler

(https://www.donationcoder.com/forum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=18897.0;attach=51371;image)

Title: Re: The Great Screenshot Captor Ruler Debate Thread
Post by: mouser on September 11, 2013, 01:15 AM

Nice! :up:

Title: Re: The Great Screenshot Captor Ruler Debate Thread
Post by: mouser on September 11, 2013, 01:29 AM

Here's the kind of thing i had in mind for the optional precision top panel, something like this:
[ You are not allowed to view attachments ]

Note: I have to keep it as compact as possible since I can't anticipate people's screen sizes.

On the left hand it would show the current cursor position (both relative to the top left of image and bottom right, to aid in measuring from any side), and the selection coordinates (last set of coords is selection size). You could select the units from Pixels | Inches | Cm | Percentages.

On the right hand you see controls for a custom grid overlay. You can tweak the origin or use combo box to get origin to be grid center or cell center, and set a custom size of the grid cells in pixels, or tell it that you want a grid of 10x10 cells and it would figure out the appropriate pixel intervals.

Title: Re: The Great Screenshot Captor Ruler Debate Thread
Post by: robbero on September 11, 2013, 01:33 AM

I think rulers can have an importance but not only in a screenshot program but in all programs.
That's why I prefer to have an independent ruler on my pc. Most rulers don't even need to be installed so I don't see why it has to be included in a screenshot software.
Btw, I almost never user my ruler. Sometimes to measure the desktop or a width of a window.

What I think is the most important thing to adapt in Screenshot captor is the preferences menu.
There are too much features, to difficult to find.
I don't see any logic in the sorting of the different features.
I note that always when I need something to change I have to search minutes to find it, or worse, what happens mostly, I do a search online.
This morning I wanted to turn off the sound after capturing.
Couldn't find it immediately.

There is p.e. 2 x a post capture option:
In basic and advanced features.
Why not remove the word basic and advanced and put them all (in a simple way) in Post Capture?

There are also features in preferences, right aligned p.e. in Window capturing 1.
Is that an error?
Btw why Window Capturing 1 and 2?
Post Capture basic and advanced, Window Capturing 1 and 2.
Its all too confusing.

And I think it would be better to remove the word options in most off the words
at the left side in preferences.
p.e. scanner options --> scanner

There is also too much description text in all windows i.m.o.

Sorry, may'be other people see it different or maybe I'm looking too much at this kind of things
because we had years ago a software company who helped companies to make their websites more accessible (usability).

Title: Re: The Great Screenshot Captor Ruler Debate Thread
Post by: app103 on September 11, 2013, 01:41 AM

I take a lot of screenshots of web pages, which often have a main section and a background. What I can never seem to do right is crop it in a way that the same amount of background borders both the left & right sides. Just doing it by eye, it is always uneven. And for the most part, I don't really care. But every once in awhile, it's not for a forum post, and is actually for something that it matters how it looks. For this type of work, rulers would be very useful while cropping. (and for the OCD type of user, they may use it more than I would)

Example of unevenly cropped screenshot:

[ You are not allowed to view attachments ]

I also like the idea of a customizable grid, for sizing and positioning clipart. But if you are going to do that, in addition to being able to set the spacing of the grid lines, don't forget to give us control over the color, too. ;)

Now, I am not saying I want you to add the rulers to sc, since I have stand-alone rulers to do this stuff if I really want to (I am usually just too lazy to use them :-[). I just figured I'd chime in with a use case for you to consider, that could pop up quite frequently among sc users.

Title: Re: The Great Screenshot Captor Ruler Debate Thread
Post by: Epamitut on April 29, 2014, 01:08 PM

Hi.
I see, "Screenshot Captor" don't have an onboard Pixel Ruler or similar feature.

A Ruler Feature: when the user needs a 'less width' before of Snap/Crop/Resize image. Eg: a webpage screenshot using scrolling, and after export this image to Cell phone (small screen), which you know its dimensions.
Fantastic program, catch up the scrolling settings. Good work. Donate.

"Ruler v1.4" (http://ruler.codeplex.com/) is a nice Pixel Ruler (portable), but it doesn't save size.

"Floating Ruler" available: https://www.donationcoder.com/forum/index.php?topic=5490.msg337485#msg337485
Measures don't seem real.

Title: Re: The Great Screenshot Captor Ruler Debate Thread
Post by: IainB on April 30, 2014, 03:31 AM

^^ Well, I thought SC needed a ruler, and then figured out that it didn't, as it effectively already had exactly what was needed (for me at any rate) - Re: The Great Screenshot Captor Ruler Debate Thread (https://www.donationcoder.com/forum/index.php?topic=36085.msg337477#msg337477). That's my "use case" there.
The thing is, I had not realised that this was the case, until I paid close attention to some of the points in this discussion thread. :-[