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> -----Original Message-----
> From: Cedric Simard [SMTP:cedricns -at- hotmail -dot- com]
> Sent: Sunday, October 28, 2001 2:00 PM
> To: TECHWR-L
> Subject: Screenshot Parameters, using SnagIt
>
> Hi all,
>
> Talking about screenshots, what are the best formats to use for:
> - printed documentation?
>
EPS for CMYK output (bear in mind, you are starting with an RGB image).
Otherwise, who cares. Try PNG, I find it supports 24-bit color, which opens
up a bunch of image-editing options, and it compresses smaller than TIFF and
BMP.
> - online documentation?
>
Anything but JPEG. Bear in mind, GIF only supports 8-bit color--but that's
all I use anyway because 24-bit color adds size that is typically not
needed.
> Can anyone give me advice for setting SnagIt parameters for my
> screenshots?
> My problem is:
> - For getting some graphics really clean, I need to set the resolution to
> 300dpi.
>
I doubt 300dpi is necessary. Most monitors display about 100ppi resolution
and most printers have a linescreen around 150lpi. 300dpi might be necessary
for some high-end imagesetters, if that's where you are going.
> - But when I use this resolution for small screenshots, they are too tiny
> to
> be used in my final document.
> - If I do not use the same resolutions for all my graphics, their printed
> outputs have quite different qualities.
>
At 100% zoom, only 72ppi images display crisply in PDF, at 200% zoom, only
144ppi images display crisply in PDF. Is this a concern? Otherwise, use a
resolution that is evenly divisible into the output of your printing device,
I use 120ppi and 150ppi for a 600dpi laser printer.
> What do I have to do to get all my graphics having the same output
> quality,
> and being also good for both printed and online documentation?
>
You cannot control the display resolution of your cusomers' video devices. I
recommend you shoot for making sure the printed stuff is okay and not sweat
the details for on-screen display. If you are down around 100dpi, screen
display should be legible and crisp enough. As you say, 300ppi is too small.
> Thanking you in advance.
>
I set SnagIT to resample my color to 8-bit optimized and my resolution to
120ppi at the time of capture.
HTH,
Sean
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