Author Topic: Are there any simple graphic editors? (Read 16220 times)

rdjw · « **on:** April 26, 2014, 06:16 PM »

Howdy, Forum. first ever post, just joined today.

I am sysadmin for a large and fairly boring document management system, I am responsible for all training design and delivery. I make heavy use of static screen captures as illustrations. Back in the 90s (yeah, I'm old) we had a simple but effective tool to edit static screen graphics, but the company did not survive, and the last release runs on 64 bit OS (Win 7), but it got over-ambitious and became sludgy rather than nimble. Won't run on Win 8 at all. Sigh. I don't need layers or fancy texturing or "special effects," - just the basic stuff that educators need to make simple, clear, uncluttered images:

* highlighting
* foreground, background and transparent color settings.
* Select and move selections within an image
* add text
* add shapes like ovals, circles, rectangles, etc, filled or unfilled.
* fill a selection with a different color
* re-size, re-dimension, rotate
* multiple images open at same time
* nice but not essential, select similar on a specific color and replace with different color.

and so on. I found some threads here from a few years ago that gave suggestions, but nothing recent. I do not need a photo editor - I have tried paint.net and several others, but are way overly complex. I am just now trying PickPic, which might be as close as I can get to simple with the features I need.

Does anyone have favorites for this kind of work? I have just installed SSC, which I think is way cool and I love all of Mouser's videos, but SSC does not seem to have the editing features I need.

Edvard · « **Reply #1 on:** April 26, 2014, 10:10 PM »

Welcome to DonationCoder!!

I was going to suggest Paint.net, but you beat me to it. I have found that anything more advanced than mspaint eventually wants to grow up to be a Photoshop clone, so it may be difficult to find a good editor that likes to stay small and simple.
That said, I can suggest:

OpenOffice/LibreOffice Draw.
Yes, you have to download the whole suite to use this one component, but it excels at doing the basics; shapes, text, photo resizing and cropping, etc.:
https://www.libreoff...e.org/discover/draw/
http://www.openoffic...rg/product/draw.html
(never mind the LibreOffice website's 'Modern' look; the software is functionally identical to OpenOffice for the most part)

RealWorld Paint.
Written by our very own forum member Vlastimil:
https://www.donation...ex.php?topic=34402.0
http://www.rw-designer.com/image-editor

Lazpaint.
Actually more of an exercise in programming graphics manipulation with FreePascal/Lazarus, but has pretty good basic functionality:
http://sourceforge.n...t/projects/lazpaint/

The only drawback to Open/LibreOffice Draw is the size of the suite, but it will probably work as you intend.
RealWorld Paint and Lazpaint have support for layers, special effects, etc. but not to the extent of advanced editors like Gimp, Photoshop, Paintshop Pro, etc.

Hopefully, you will find one of these to your liking.

rdjw · « **Reply #2 on:** April 28, 2014, 06:10 AM »

Thanks so much! I will try these.

jpfx · « **Reply #3 on:** April 28, 2014, 02:02 PM »

deleted

TaoPhoenix · « **Reply #4 on:** April 28, 2014, 04:30 PM »

Thanks so much! I will try these.
-rdjw (April 28, 2014, 06:10 AM)

I'd like to know what you think of Real World Paint. It looks like it can do both your basics and a couple of the fancy things as well! But speaking of Simple, my use case is even more stripped than yours, so Vlastimil experimented with making a toggleable simple interface. One of the main features I discovered in Excel 2010 was a universal toggleable toolbar, so you put your favorite 9 things in a row.

I think he had to make mine by hand, but depending how long it took him and if he's still around he might be able to make you one too.

MilesAhead · « **Reply #5 on:** April 28, 2014, 06:56 PM »

It may have fewer features than a full blown editor. But Irfanview is lightweight and does most if not all of the functions you listed. It also has a bunch of free plug-ins available for download.

And of course there is always gimp for those willing to trade learning curve for a zero cost full featured editor.

Edvard · « **Reply #6 on:** April 28, 2014, 07:49 PM »

I think full-featured monoliths like Gimp are exactly what OP was trying to avoid. I understand completely, as Gimp mystified me for years because I couldn't figure out how just click-drag to draw a damn circle or rectangle. Then I got a book on Gimp from the library and my eyes were opened; this was not a drawing program, this was photo-manipulation.

Irfanview and XnView were my go-tos when I needed batch conversion or fast-and-clean graphic file treatments like cropping/lightening/darkening/color manipulation, etc. but the drawing functions in IrfanView and XnView Legacy are about as limited as MSpaint, and there is no paint functionality in XnViewMP (... yet).

MilesAhead · « **Reply #7 on:** April 28, 2014, 08:46 PM »

Seems to me I've done most of the functions in the OP's list using Irfanview so I have to wonder if you installed the plug-ins.

Paint.NET sounds about right for a freebie. Irfanview toolbox isn't exactly intuitive. But I flunked stick figures so a big grain of salt with my suggestions.

Shades · « **Reply #8 on:** April 30, 2014, 08:21 AM »

A new...or rather old contender: PaintStar

A piece of freeware that is not hard to learn, not too excessive in options if you don't want to and the website has tutorials and links for beginners. After it has been installed once, you can copy the installation folder to a pen-drive to make it portable. It works on both 32-bit and 64-bit Windows. Also, it's around 3Mbyte to download.

rdjw · « **Reply #9 on:** May 04, 2014, 09:08 AM »

Thanks to everyone for great suggestions. I am excited to know that there are so many possibilities. My old favorite was LView Pro. The really old Rev 2 was the absolute best for this kind of stuff. Due to unexpected loss of loved one, I have not had time to try any of these, but I certainly will. Life sure likes to throw curve balls, don't it?

But hey, it's spring, skies are blue, and life is sweet.

Dirhael · « **Reply #10 on:** May 04, 2014, 05:10 PM »

How about Faststone Capture? It ticks most of those boxes, and is both easy to use, and have been updated regularly over several years. Do note that it's not free though, so if that's a requirement then you'd have to look elsewhere.

kilele · « **Reply #11 on:** May 10, 2014, 06:33 AM »

Photofiltre, fast and easy to use

MilesAhead · « **Reply #12 on:** May 10, 2014, 07:08 AM »

Photofiltre, fast and easy to use
-kilele (May 10, 2014, 06:33 AM)

I forgot about that one. I remember it was the first freeware I found that I could figure out how to do layers. Does the free one still support layers? I'm just curious.

kilele · « **Reply #13 on:** May 10, 2014, 10:35 AM »

Photofiltre, fast and easy to use
-kilele (May 10, 2014, 06:33 AM)

I forgot about that one. I remember it was the first freeware I found that I could figure out how to do layers. Does the free one still support layers? I'm just curious.

-MilesAhead (May 10, 2014, 07:08 AM)

Yes, it does. I use the version 7 for non-commercial use though I think the X pro version wasn't expensive.

MilesAhead · « **Reply #14 on:** May 10, 2014, 11:02 AM »

Photofiltre, fast and easy to use
-kilele (May 10, 2014, 06:33 AM)

I forgot about that one. I remember it was the first freeware I found that I could figure out how to do layers. Does the free one still support layers? I'm just curious.

-MilesAhead (May 10, 2014, 07:08 AM)

Yes, it does. I use the version 7 for non-commercial use though I think the X pro version wasn't expensive.
-kilele (May 10, 2014, 10:35 AM)

Thanks for the info.

rdjw · « **Reply #15 on:** May 11, 2014, 09:13 AM »

Now I am really spoilt for choice! You folks are incredible. I'm just going to have to make a donation, I can see that now!

I've been playing around with some of these, and am back to the beginning with Screenshot Captor. Thing is, I want to use it at home on personal PC, and at work on company PC. "Free" is not a requirement at all, so I would want to pay for the one I use at work. How do I buy just one commercial license?

rdjw · « **Reply #16 on:** May 11, 2014, 09:15 AM »

D'Oh! Message to self "Read the screen, Idjit." I found the answer right on the Home page.

pinewater · « **Reply #17 on:** May 19, 2014, 11:21 AM »

i would go with gimp for pure functionality. it is stable, free and offers a tool set that does what you want. there are tutorials and lots of help if you want to learn how to take advantage of what it has to offer.
the seemingly simple paint programs didn't do even the simple tasks and give only frustration

app103 · « **Reply #18 on:** May 19, 2014, 01:26 PM »

You might already have something, if you own a printer or scanner. Check the disks that came with it for photo editing software. Many come with something simple & easy to use. If you get really lucky, you'll have one that came with a copy of Paintshop Pro.

I know some Lexmark scanners came with a link to download a free copy of Paintshop Pro X.

davidqxo · « **Reply #19 on:** May 20, 2014, 09:38 AM »

What a lovely demo for Faststone Capture, Dirhael. Impressive.

brotman · « **Reply #20 on:** May 23, 2014, 01:29 PM »

I've Always liked products from Serif. (no affiliation , etc..) examples are Page Plus, Draw Plus, Photo Plus Web Plus , etc. There is some overlap in function, but I think Page Plus Might be exactly what you need. THESE ARE WELL DESIGNED COMMERCIAL SOFTWARE, AVAILABLE AT REASONABLE PRICES/UPGRaDES. The GOOD News is they have "starter editions" which are Free, with some functional limitations. You can try them out and see what fits. I understand the free ones are still pretty complete.

Good Luck,
Chuck