Author Topic: Screenshot Captor: A feature I would like added - precise region capture options (Read 18,389 times)

Arthur Menu · « **on:** March 04, 2015, 05:39 AM »

Hi Mouser,

Here's something I would like added to Screenshot Captor. Sometimes when I choose to capture a selected region, I don't quite capture the area I want. I'm really not that good at picking the right starting point for the capture. So I have to cancel and do it again. It would be handy if the area I first capture had handles that allowed me to change the size of the captured area, and maybe a "move" symbol that would allow me to move the selected area. What do you think?

Arthur

mouser · « **Reply #1 on:** March 04, 2015, 05:45 AM »

There's ALMOST a good way to do that now.. But I will try to improve it and make it truly useful in next release, so keep an eye out in the next two weeks.

mouser · « **Reply #2 on:** March 16, 2015, 04:26 AM »

The latest beta will let you adjust the selected region with the cursor keys. Using Shift/Alt/Ctrl and cursor keys will let you nudge the selected region end corners.
Also note that you no longer have to click and hold and drag -- you can simply position first corner then click and let go, and position second corner and click.

Arthur Menu · « **Reply #3 on:** March 17, 2015, 05:42 AM »

Hi Mouser,

Where can I download this beta?

Arthur

mouser · « **Reply #4 on:** March 17, 2015, 05:46 AM »

See the beta link on this thread: http://www.donationcoder.com/forum/index.php?topic=3474.0

mouser · « **Reply #5 on:** March 17, 2015, 06:04 AM »

So just to recap -- there are now probably two different workflows for using the selected-region (shift+PrtScr) capture mode:

If you want a really quick and fast capture, move to first corner, press and hold mouse, drag to end corner, release. This is how I do my captures -- and I crop from within SC if i need it more precise after that.
If you want to perform a very precise capture during selection, hit shift+PrtScr to begin region capture mode, then move your mouse to *approximate* first (upper left usually) corner and press and release mouse button. Now move mouse to *approximate* bottom right corner. Now use cursor keys to nudge entire selection (without changing its sized), holding shift to move just end corner, or alt to move just first corner. Then hit enter to capture.

Arthur Menu · « **Reply #6 on:** March 18, 2015, 04:41 AM »

Thanks, Mouser! I downloaded the beta and am using it. One question. I have made paint.net my external viewer. Is there a way to get a captured image to open in paint.net automatically without my having to open paint.net and paste the image into it?

Arthur

lanux128 · « **Reply #7 on:** March 18, 2015, 06:22 AM »

Quote from: Arthur Menu on March 18, 2015, 04:41 AM

... One question. I have made paint.net my external viewer. Is there a way to get a captured image to open in paint.net automatically without my having to open paint.net and paste the image into it?

there are two ways to do this. one is via the Post-Capture Options, in the "Post Capture Commandline Tools to Run" section where you can specify the path to PaintDotNet.exe with the "%file%" argument. however with this method, paint.net will be invoked after *each* capture.

[attachthumb=#]

the other way is to add to the Tools menu, where you can open the images in paint.net at your convenience.

[attach=#]

hth..

Arthur Menu · « **Reply #8 on:** March 18, 2015, 07:07 AM »

The other way I discovered is to "save and show" and then right-mouse button the image in the left pane and select "open file with".

Arthur

dluby · « **Reply #9 on:** March 18, 2015, 12:52 PM »

My version of SSC is showing as v4.9.5 but the download page says the beta version is 4.9.4: http://www.donationcoder.com/forum/index.php?topic=3474.0

I presume the download page needs to have the beta version updated.

bubbajunk · « **Reply #10 on:** March 18, 2015, 09:24 PM »

Mouser,

Seems like there is a regression in the Selected Region capture in the latest beta compared to the previous version. I am trying the new beta version of SSC and found the recent changes for Selected Region capture to be confusing. My workflow for capturing regions in v4.9.3 is as follows:

1) Use the mouse to place the cursor in the approximate location of the upper left corner
2) Use the arrow keys to fine tune the starting position to a more precise location
3) Press the spacebar to start the region capture
4) Use the mouse to place the cursor in the approximate ending location of the lower right corner
5) Use the arrow keys to fine tune the ending position to a more precise location
6) Press the spacebar to complete the capture

I could skip step #4 if the ending location was not far from the start, and just proceed to #5 to moving to the end position using the arrow keys. What I really liked about this workflow is that the keys were used for precision without having to involve the mouse. This same process doesn't in the same way in the new beta.

Since this is a beta, I assume you are open to suggestions for the final release. Why not keep the existing capability for selection using the process described above and alter the ability to "nudge" the selection using the special modifier keys?

Arthur Menu,

Would the description of my process in v4.9.3 help you with more precise capturing?

mouser · « **Reply #11 on:** March 18, 2015, 09:31 PM »

I understand what you are saying completely -- and i am still unsure whether to change behavior to make it work like it used to.

Let me explain what i changed, how to do what you used to do, and ask people what they prefer.

The only change with the new version to do what you want is step 5 -- you now have to hold SHIFT to nudge the end point position.
The reason for that is that now moving the plain cursor keys will move the entire rectangle.

I could of course swap that, and make plain cursor keys always nudge the current cursor location -- as it worked before. in some ways that seems clearer. The only reason i did it like i did is that it more closely mirrors what happens WITHIN Screenshot Captor when using cursor keys to adjust the current selected region.

Thoughts?

bubbajunk · « **Reply #12 on:** March 18, 2015, 10:01 PM »

Thanks for the quick reply. It seems less intuitive the new way. Also, it seems to go against the concept of "precision capture" to require multiple simultaneous keys to be used. In the v4.9.3 version, after setting the approximate start position, I could be completely key driven after that, pixel by pixel. In the new version, it seems to require the mouse to be involved after setting the start position to offset from that position. Even trying the new process, I'm also getting weird results where extra columns of pixels are added in the capture that weren't part of the selection.

I can't recall which version this new precision "nudging" using arrow came in, v4.9.2 or v4.9.3? But when it did, it vastly improved Selected Region capturing for me. I know no one likes change, but in this case I think the change made things more complicated. And the OP may not even have been aware of the existing functionality to get pixel by pixel precision using the process I described.

mouser · « **Reply #13 on:** March 18, 2015, 10:11 PM »

yes, i think i am pretty much convinced to go back to having plain cursor keys move cursor endpoint.

but please note, the ONLY different between old and new beta is that with the new beta you use SHIFT plus cursor keys to move the endpoint position.

but again, i think i will change it so that you use normal cursor keys as before, and SHIFT+cursor keys will move the entire selection rectangle without changing its size.

Arthur Menu · « **Reply #14 on:** March 19, 2015, 12:00 AM »

Hi Mouser,

Either way works for me. As long as I can adjust the size of the region before capture, I am happy. But you know what would be neat is if you could press the right mouse button and then use the mouse to move the entire region anywhere quickly. Repeatedly pressing a cursor key can be tedious if you decide you want the selected region to move a fair distance.

Arthur

mouser · « **Reply #15 on:** March 19, 2015, 12:06 AM »

not a bad idea.. right click to drag, i'll give that a try.

bubbajunk · « **Reply #16 on:** March 19, 2015, 03:40 AM »

Mouser,

I appreciate your consideration to revert back to the more simple keystroke approach to nudging the cursor without the key modifiers. I agree that it might be nice to use the Shift key in conjunction with the arrow keys to move the selected region, but only after the region had been defined. Then finalize the select with the spacebar as it does in 4.9.3.

I know you said that the only functional change was the addition of the SHIFT modifier. Actually, the selection process did seem to change more. If you try my steps above, one time with #4 and one time without it, you will see what I mean. In the beta, you can still use the spacebar to start the selection, but in order to use the arrow keys directly after hitting the spacebar, you now have to use the mouse to move the cursor, otherwise using the arrow keys before moving the mouse just moves the start point.

In 4.9.3, you could use arrow keys, or mouse or combination of both in succession after selecting the start point. Then finalize the selection using the spacebar again. In the beta, after starting the select with the spacebar, the arrow keys seem to only become active after first moving the cursor with the mouse. Then to finish the selection you have to hit the Enter key (not the spacebar).

Arthur,

If you want to select a region and move it around the screen quickly, you might consider using the Fixed region selection that can be moved freely and quickly around the screen using the mouse. It would be nice if this could be fine tuned using the arrow keys when you got close, but currently the arrow keys don't seem to have effect in v4.9.3. Maybe this could be added to Fixed Region select to make it similar to Select Region.

Arthur Menu · « **Reply #17 on:** March 19, 2015, 04:05 AM »

Thank you, Bubbajunk, for the tip.

Mouser, this may be an ignorant question, but why would it not be possible for any selected region to have handles, as one sees when using the rectangle tool in a graphics program? By selecting and moving the appropriate handle with the mouse one can easily resize or move the rectangular region.

Arthur

mouser · « **Reply #18 on:** March 19, 2015, 04:21 AM »

There is actually a Red Box Capture mode you can select in the options as an alternate way of selecting a region to capture -- that has handles. Give it a try.

Arthur Menu · « **Reply #19 on:** March 19, 2015, 05:44 AM »

Thanks, Mouser.

I found the red box in preferences. Very handy. But as I went through all the options looking for it I realized that SC is a lot more powerful and complicated than I realized. This isn't your Windows Accessories type snipping tool. I really need to study it. I guess I'd better start watching the videos referenced in your help page. It may be a while before I resurface on this forum.

Arthur

mouser · « **Reply #20 on:** March 19, 2015, 02:26 PM »

To answer your question more directly -- the red box capture mode requires more steps but has handles for adjusting capture region during capture -- it was the original method of capturing a region. The newer mode was designed to allow you to select a region much quicker by forgoing the use of drag handles and allowing the user to just very quickly click, drag, and release.

mouser · « **Reply #21 on:** March 19, 2015, 02:40 PM »

Please try redownloading the latest beta. Plain cursor keys now perform as before; hold shift or alt to adjust selection rectangle in dif ways.

bubbajunk · « **Reply #22 on:** March 19, 2015, 05:23 PM »

Yep, the new beta seems to be working as before. Thanks. I was also able to adjust the selection rectangle using the Shift and Alt keys.