Taking screen shots with Microsoft Paint

[wildman424]

Hello guys n gals,

I found this tutorial on the net and wanted to share it. I tried to put it in the PC Self Help Articles and Guides forum figuring that's were something like this belongs but it seem I don't have permission to post there so I'll just put it here and you guys can move later it if ya want Enjoy

Taking screen shots with Microsoft Paint on Windows Operating Systems

**This article tells you how to take screenshots of your internal computer problems, so that the people at Microsoft and other troubleshooting services can help you solve your problems much faster and more efficiently

NOTE - This trick applys to Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7 (excluding Home Basic versions) (- an edit may be required if it does let me know so I can edit my copy this)

NOTE - This trick works on all newer versions of Windows. However if you are running a Windows 7 or a

Windows Vista, you can also use the "Snipping Tool" method mentioned below.

-Windows XP

1. Press the "Prnt Scrn" button.

NOTE- Laptop users and some keyboard users may find their "Prnt Scrn" shared with another key read

Tips section below for more information.

2. Open Microsoft Paint. To do this, click Start > All Programs > Accessories > Paint. Click inside the

white part of the screen.

(shortcut- launch run command start > Run > type "mspaint" )

(shortcut- launch run command press windows key & R >type "mspaint" )

3. Go to the Edit menu and click Paste or you can press and hold "Ctrl" and tap V. Then you may crop if

you like.

4. Click File > Save As. In the box that pops up, change the "Save As Type" to PNG or JPG. Type in a

filename for your image. Choose a place to save, like the Desktop, and click save.

5. You have now successfully taken a screenshot! If you want to send your image to somebody, simply attach

the .png file that you just saved to an email and send it along. Alternatively, you can upload it onto

the internet

-Windows Vista or Windows 7

1. In Windows Vista or Windows 7 (except in Vista Home Basic), there is a tool called the "Snipping Tool".

* To open it, click on the Start button and in the box in the bottom of the Start Menu, type snip,

then hit enter (Windows Vista\Windows 7 updates the search results as you type each letter).

2. Click on Snipping Tool.

3. The Snipping Tool opens, and a white mask is applied on the screen. In the drop-down menu for the 'New'

button, choose from a free-form snip, rectangular snip, window snip, or full-screen snip.

4. In free-form snip mode, draw around the area you want to be captured. Drag a rectangle in rectangular

snip mode. For window snip mode, select the window you want to capture. In full-screen mode, just

selecting it from the drop-down menu makes the capture.

5. The snipped image is then opened within the Snipping Tool, but is also copied to the Windows clipboard

for use in other applications.

Tips

-If you want to take screenshot of just the active window (usually the one that's in front of all the

others and activated), press "Alt - Print Screen". This means, you should hold down the Alt key and then

press the Print Screen key.

-A quicker way of accessing Microsoft Paint can be achieved by pressing the Windows key (Between "Ctrl"

and "Alt" on many keyboards") and "R", then typing 'mspaint' in the box that appears.

-Many laptops, to conserve keyboard space, have mapped the "PrtSc" key as a primary or secondary function

on a shared key. To take a screenshot with "PrtSc" mapped to a key as a secondary function, you will need

to locate your notebook's function key (usually labeled "Fn" and located along the bottom row) and engage

it before touching "PrtSc."

-Depending on your version of Windows, Paint will allow you to save the screenshot in different formats

* BMP is the default option (a lossless uncompressed format)

* PNG is a lossless compressed format

* JPEG is a lossy, compressed image format, specifically developed for photographic images. For these

images, it allows for the smallest file size. When used for non-photographic images, file size is

larger than e.g. PNG and GIF and the image has a lower quality.

* GIF is good for applications windows with a limited number of colors

-If you plan on putting your screenshot on a website, be sure it does not exceed a suggested size limit

-It is also possible to pause an internet video and make a screenshot of it. In this way you can create a

still from a video, e.g. from youtube.

-As a rule your video player allows to make the video full screen and high quality, and to stop at the

frame you want.

-This capturing method may not work if you play the video from version 11 or newer from Windows Media

Player.

-You can use additional software to simplify process of screenshoting. For instance free tools [Light Shot]

can capture any area as shown here to clipboard with one click. Another suitable software is [snagIt]

however please note that SnagIt is a commercial tool.

Warnings

-Saving a screenshot in some file types (such as bitmaps) will result in a very large file.

-Some people will be annoyed if you email them a large attachment, remember to crop and convert

[YoKenny1]

In XP I use MWsnap

MWSnap is a small yet powerful Windows program for snapping (capturing) images from selected parts of the screen.

Current version is capable of capturing the whole desktop, a highlighted window, an active menu, a control, or a fixed or free rectangular part of the screen. MWSnap handles 5 most popular graphics formats and contains several graphical tools: a zoom, a ruler, a color picker and a window spy. It can be also used as a fast picture viewer or converter

http://www.mirekw.com/winfreeware/mwsnap.html

On Windows 7 I use Snipping Tool

Snipping Tool captures a screen shot of anything on your desktop, like a picture or a section of webpage

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-CA/windows7/products/features/snipping-tool

Snipping Tool is available in Vista:

http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/tutorials/tutorial135.html

[goldhound]

I have used Snagit for years, built in editing and resize functions along with a mini "photoshop", video capture also.

[Couposn]

Like goldhound I have always been using SnagIT got an academic version from my college years ago

[mountaintree16]

I still use prnt screen & paint

I'll look into those links though, YoKenny1

[DarkSnakeKobra]

Just found it. Wasn't looking in the right place.