How to convert into jpeg bitmaps that were copied over from Paint

[Stefano Gatto]

Hello,

I am copying from Paint (mspaint.exe) portions of bitmaps and am pasting
them into the text flow in a word 2003 document.

In order to decrease the file size, does someone know how to convert these
bitmaps into jpeg format so they take less space?

It looks like it's possible to install a converter. When I right-click on
the pasted image I can choose "Bitmap Image Object / Convert...", but I have
no jpeg option (I have only PBrush and Picture choices).

Thank you.

Stefano Gatto
Geneva (CH)

 

[macropod]

Hi Stefano,

Word will have already converted the bitmaps to jpeg format upon the images being embedded.

If they've got more resolution than you need, you can extract the images again, then resize them with an image editor. The easiest
way to extract the images for this is to scale them all to 100% then save the document as a web page. This will create an html copy
of the document with an image folder having the document's name. All your images will be in that folder and you'll be able to see
both the file size of each image and, by selecting/opening it, its dimensions.

 

[Stefano Gatto]

Thank you for your answer.

Actually I am looking for a fast and cheap way to include portions of screen
shots into Word documents. Therefore I want to minimize the number of
keystrokes and possibly reduce to zero the mouse moves & clicks.

I select the application window to capture, alt-PrintScrn, alt-tab to
MSPaint, ctrl-V, select the rectangle to import into Word with the mouse,
ctrl-c, alt-tab to Word, ctrl-v.

However this method creates huge doc files.

Ideally I would like this data stream to be converted into a lighter format,
anywhere in its path from MSPaint to MSWord. It is not important for me where
this conversion exactly takes place. Most probably MSPaint cannot Copy in
jpeg format, so my hope is that Word could paste & convert or allowed the
user to paste and to subsequently convert with the mean of one simple command
(what i describe below).

I know that I can save to disk in jpeg format from MSPaint and then insert
the file in Word. However this solution is slow since it implies using the
disk, choosing a filename, and eventually erasing this file... I would prefer
not to go through the disk.

Also, I would like to use standard products only, since I am called to do
this job on different computers, where i cannot install additional programs...

I do not have the impression to ask something that is very compex or so
unusual as a need. I think many many people have this same need to insert
portions of screen shots in Word docs and would like to do this rapidly
without purchasing any additional software.

I am pretty sure there is a rapid way, probabyl a macro converting all
images into a given document could be the solution, but I wanted to be sure
that something simplier does not exist first.
--
Stefano Gatto

Hi Stefano,

Word will have already converted the bitmaps to jpeg format upon the images being embedded.

If they've got more resolution than you need, you can extract the images again, then resize them with an image editor. The easiest
way to extract the images for this is to scale them all to 100% then save the document as a web page. This will create an html copy
of the document with an image folder having the document's name. All your images will be in that folder and you'll be able to see
both the file size of each image and, by selecting/opening it, its dimensions.

--
Cheers
macropod
[MVP - Microsoft Word]

Hello,

I am copying from Paint (mspaint.exe) portions of bitmaps and am pasting
them into the text flow in a word 2003 document.

In order to decrease the file size, does someone know how to convert these
bitmaps into jpeg format so they take less space?

It looks like it's possible to install a converter. When I right-click on
the pasted image I can choose "Bitmap Image Object / Convert...", but I have
no jpeg option (I have only PBrush and Picture choices).

Thank you.

Stefano Gatto
Geneva (CH)

 

[macropod]

Hi Stefano,

I'll say it again: the images you've pasted into Word are already in jpeg format. The only thing you can do to reduce Word's file
size while keeping the images embedded is to reduce the image size (ie pixel count) or, possibly, increase the amount of jpeg
compression. If you extract the images, you could link to them to reduce the Word file's size, but you'll still have a set of image
files that you should take into account when calculating the overall storage requirements.

--
Cheers
macropod
[MVP - Microsoft Word]

Thank you for your answer.

Actually I am looking for a fast and cheap way to include portions of screen
shots into Word documents. Therefore I want to minimize the number of
keystrokes and possibly reduce to zero the mouse moves & clicks.

I select the application window to capture, alt-PrintScrn, alt-tab to
MSPaint, ctrl-V, select the rectangle to import into Word with the mouse,
ctrl-c, alt-tab to Word, ctrl-v.

However this method creates huge doc files.

Ideally I would like this data stream to be converted into a lighter format,
anywhere in its path from MSPaint to MSWord. It is not important for me where
this conversion exactly takes place. Most probably MSPaint cannot Copy in
jpeg format, so my hope is that Word could paste & convert or allowed the
user to paste and to subsequently convert with the mean of one simple command
(what i describe below).

I know that I can save to disk in jpeg format from MSPaint and then insert
the file in Word. However this solution is slow since it implies using the
disk, choosing a filename, and eventually erasing this file... I would prefer
not to go through the disk.

Also, I would like to use standard products only, since I am called to do
this job on different computers, where i cannot install additional programs...

I do not have the impression to ask something that is very compex or so
unusual as a need. I think many many people have this same need to insert
portions of screen shots in Word docs and would like to do this rapidly
without purchasing any additional software.

I am pretty sure there is a rapid way, probabyl a macro converting all
images into a given document could be the solution, but I wanted to be sure
that something simplier does not exist first.
--
Stefano Gatto

Hi Stefano,

Word will have already converted the bitmaps to jpeg format upon the images being embedded.

If they've got more resolution than you need, you can extract the images again, then resize them with an image editor. The
easiest
way to extract the images for this is to scale them all to 100% then save the document as a web page. This will create an html
copy
of the document with an image folder having the document's name. All your images will be in that folder and you'll be able to see
both the file size of each image and, by selecting/opening it, its dimensions.

--
Cheers
macropod
[MVP - Microsoft Word]

Hello,

I am copying from Paint (mspaint.exe) portions of bitmaps and am pasting
them into the text flow in a word 2003 document.

In order to decrease the file size, does someone know how to convert these
bitmaps into jpeg format so they take less space?

It looks like it's possible to install a converter. When I right-click on
the pasted image I can choose "Bitmap Image Object / Convert...", but I have
no jpeg option (I have only PBrush and Picture choices).

Thank you.

Stefano Gatto
Geneva (CH)

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

You might want to consider a dedicated screen capture utility such as SnagIt
(www.techsmith.com), which will allow you to format your screen shots as
desired before inserting them in Word.

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA

Thank you for your answer.

Actually I am looking for a fast and cheap way to include portions of
screen
shots into Word documents. Therefore I want to minimize the number of
keystrokes and possibly reduce to zero the mouse moves & clicks.

I select the application window to capture, alt-PrintScrn, alt-tab to
MSPaint, ctrl-V, select the rectangle to import into Word with the mouse,
ctrl-c, alt-tab to Word, ctrl-v.

However this method creates huge doc files.

Ideally I would like this data stream to be converted into a lighter
format,
anywhere in its path from MSPaint to MSWord. It is not important for me
where
this conversion exactly takes place. Most probably MSPaint cannot Copy in
jpeg format, so my hope is that Word could paste & convert or allowed the
user to paste and to subsequently convert with the mean of one simple
command
(what i describe below).

I know that I can save to disk in jpeg format from MSPaint and then insert
the file in Word. However this solution is slow since it implies using the
disk, choosing a filename, and eventually erasing this file... I would
prefer
not to go through the disk.

Also, I would like to use standard products only, since I am called to do
this job on different computers, where i cannot install additional
programs...

I do not have the impression to ask something that is very compex or so
unusual as a need. I think many many people have this same need to insert
portions of screen shots in Word docs and would like to do this rapidly
without purchasing any additional software.

I am pretty sure there is a rapid way, probabyl a macro converting all
images into a given document could be the solution, but I wanted to be
sure
that something simplier does not exist first.
--
Stefano Gatto

Hi Stefano,

Word will have already converted the bitmaps to jpeg format upon the
images being embedded.

If they've got more resolution than you need, you can extract the images
again, then resize them with an image editor. The easiest
way to extract the images for this is to scale them all to 100% then save
the document as a web page. This will create an html copy
of the document with an image folder having the document's name. All your
images will be in that folder and you'll be able to see
both the file size of each image and, by selecting/opening it, its
dimensions.

--
Cheers
macropod
[MVP - Microsoft Word]

Hello,

I am copying from Paint (mspaint.exe) portions of bitmaps and am
pasting
them into the text flow in a word 2003 document.

In order to decrease the file size, does someone know how to convert
these
bitmaps into jpeg format so they take less space?

It looks like it's possible to install a converter. When I right-click
on
the pasted image I can choose "Bitmap Image Object / Convert...", but I
have
no jpeg option (I have only PBrush and Picture choices).

Thank you.

Stefano Gatto
Geneva (CH)

 

[Stefano Gatto]

Hello macropod.

Thank you for insisting on this point (format of embedded data stream) I was
apparently disregarding...

I tested the following:

Starting from a screen shot I have pasted into MSPaint, I have:
1. selected All from MSPaint, ctrl-C, switched to Word, ctrl-n (new doc),
ctrl-V, saved into file test1.docx
2. saved as type JPEG into file screenshot.jpg, switched to Word, ctrl-n
(new doc), insert/picture/selected file screenshot.jpg, saved into file
test2.docx.

test1.docx is 253 Kb
test2.docx is 128 Kb

Since you say that in both cases Word stores jpeg data streams, these two
files contain one jpeg data stream each. The file size difference is then due
to either a different number of pixels or a different jpeg compression.

Note that the new option "Picture Tools Format"/"Compress Picture" does not
help file test2.docx to reach the file size of test1.docx, even if I choose
96ppi!...

I believe your second option is the one to go, since the number of pixels of
the source data stream must be around 100dpi (the one of the monitor), which
is already not very high since low end printers already yield 300dpi... so i
need to tackle the compression.

My dream is to have a command in Word that PASTEs into the document in the
format and the definition I choose upfront in some settings. I need to know
if I can add options in the Paste Special dialog box and hook in there my own
code... just dreaming!

Thank you for your help.
--
Stefano Gatto

Hi Stefano,

I'll say it again: the images you've pasted into Word are already in jpeg format. The only thing you can do to reduce Word's file
size while keeping the images embedded is to reduce the image size (ie pixel count) or, possibly, increase the amount of jpeg
compression. If you extract the images, you could link to them to reduce the Word file's size, but you'll still have a set of image
files that you should take into account when calculating the overall storage requirements.

--
Cheers
macropod
[MVP - Microsoft Word]

Thank you for your answer.

Actually I am looking for a fast and cheap way to include portions of screen
shots into Word documents. Therefore I want to minimize the number of
keystrokes and possibly reduce to zero the mouse moves & clicks.

I select the application window to capture, alt-PrintScrn, alt-tab to
MSPaint, ctrl-V, select the rectangle to import into Word with the mouse,
ctrl-c, alt-tab to Word, ctrl-v.

However this method creates huge doc files.

Ideally I would like this data stream to be converted into a lighter format,
anywhere in its path from MSPaint to MSWord. It is not important for me where
this conversion exactly takes place. Most probably MSPaint cannot Copy in
jpeg format, so my hope is that Word could paste & convert or allowed the
user to paste and to subsequently convert with the mean of one simple command
(what i describe below).

I know that I can save to disk in jpeg format from MSPaint and then insert
the file in Word. However this solution is slow since it implies using the
disk, choosing a filename, and eventually erasing this file... I would prefer
not to go through the disk.

Also, I would like to use standard products only, since I am called to do
this job on different computers, where i cannot install additional programs...

I do not have the impression to ask something that is very compex or so
unusual as a need. I think many many people have this same need to insert
portions of screen shots in Word docs and would like to do this rapidly
without purchasing any additional software.

I am pretty sure there is a rapid way, probabyl a macro converting all
images into a given document could be the solution, but I wanted to be sure
that something simplier does not exist first.
--
Stefano Gatto

Hi Stefano,

Word will have already converted the bitmaps to jpeg format upon the images being embedded.

If they've got more resolution than you need, you can extract the images again, then resize them with an image editor. The
easiest
way to extract the images for this is to scale them all to 100% then save the document as a web page. This will create an html
copy
of the document with an image folder having the document's name. All your images will be in that folder and you'll be able to see
both the file size of each image and, by selecting/opening it, its dimensions.

--
Cheers
macropod
[MVP - Microsoft Word]


Hello,

I am copying from Paint (mspaint.exe) portions of bitmaps and am pasting
them into the text flow in a word 2003 document.

In order to decrease the file size, does someone know how to convert these
bitmaps into jpeg format so they take less space?

It looks like it's possible to install a converter. When I right-click on
the pasted image I can choose "Bitmap Image Object / Convert...", but I have
no jpeg option (I have only PBrush and Picture choices).

Thank you.

Stefano Gatto
Geneva (CH)

 

[Tim Murray]

You might want to consider a dedicated screen capture utility such as SnagIt
(www.techsmith.com), which will allow you to format your screen shots as
desired before inserting them in Word.

Plus, SnagIt supports LZW compression in TIFF. JPEGs end up with artifacts;
TIFFs are crisp and, when compressed with LZW, quite small.

 

[macropod]

Hi Stefan,

The ppi value for an embedded image is mostly irrelevant: all you need to be concerned with is that you've got the required number
of pixels for the output you want to produce.

Using a graphics program to increase the pixel count (so that you end up with around 300dpi in the output) isn't going to add any
more details to the image - just more pixels.

--
Cheers
macropod
[MVP - Microsoft Word]

Hello macropod.

Thank you for insisting on this point (format of embedded data stream) I was
apparently disregarding...

I tested the following:

Starting from a screen shot I have pasted into MSPaint, I have:
1. selected All from MSPaint, ctrl-C, switched to Word, ctrl-n (new doc),
ctrl-V, saved into file test1.docx
2. saved as type JPEG into file screenshot.jpg, switched to Word, ctrl-n
(new doc), insert/picture/selected file screenshot.jpg, saved into file
test2.docx.

test1.docx is 253 Kb
test2.docx is 128 Kb

Since you say that in both cases Word stores jpeg data streams, these two
files contain one jpeg data stream each. The file size difference is then due
to either a different number of pixels or a different jpeg compression.

Note that the new option "Picture Tools Format"/"Compress Picture" does not
help file test2.docx to reach the file size of test1.docx, even if I choose
96ppi!...

I believe your second option is the one to go, since the number of pixels of
the source data stream must be around 100dpi (the one of the monitor), which
is already not very high since low end printers already yield 300dpi... so i
need to tackle the compression.

My dream is to have a command in Word that PASTEs into the document in the
format and the definition I choose upfront in some settings. I need to know
if I can add options in the Paste Special dialog box and hook in there my own
code... just dreaming!

Thank you for your help.
--
Stefano Gatto

Hi Stefano,

I'll say it again: the images you've pasted into Word are already in jpeg format. The only thing you can do to reduce Word's file
size while keeping the images embedded is to reduce the image size (ie pixel count) or, possibly, increase the amount of jpeg
compression. If you extract the images, you could link to them to reduce the Word file's size, but you'll still have a set of
image
files that you should take into account when calculating the overall storage requirements.

--
Cheers
macropod
[MVP - Microsoft Word]

Thank you for your answer.

Actually I am looking for a fast and cheap way to include portions of screen
shots into Word documents. Therefore I want to minimize the number of
keystrokes and possibly reduce to zero the mouse moves & clicks.

I select the application window to capture, alt-PrintScrn, alt-tab to
MSPaint, ctrl-V, select the rectangle to import into Word with the mouse,
ctrl-c, alt-tab to Word, ctrl-v.

However this method creates huge doc files.

Ideally I would like this data stream to be converted into a lighter format,
anywhere in its path from MSPaint to MSWord. It is not important for me where
this conversion exactly takes place. Most probably MSPaint cannot Copy in
jpeg format, so my hope is that Word could paste & convert or allowed the
user to paste and to subsequently convert with the mean of one simple command
(what i describe below).

I know that I can save to disk in jpeg format from MSPaint and then insert
the file in Word. However this solution is slow since it implies using the
disk, choosing a filename, and eventually erasing this file... I would prefer
not to go through the disk.

Also, I would like to use standard products only, since I am called to do
this job on different computers, where i cannot install additional programs...

I do not have the impression to ask something that is very compex or so
unusual as a need. I think many many people have this same need to insert
portions of screen shots in Word docs and would like to do this rapidly
without purchasing any additional software.

I am pretty sure there is a rapid way, probabyl a macro converting all
images into a given document could be the solution, but I wanted to be sure
that something simplier does not exist first.
--
Stefano Gatto


:

Hi Stefano,

Word will have already converted the bitmaps to jpeg format upon the images being embedded.

If they've got more resolution than you need, you can extract the images again, then resize them with an image editor. The
easiest
way to extract the images for this is to scale them all to 100% then save the document as a web page. This will create an html
copy
of the document with an image folder having the document's name. All your images will be in that folder and you'll be able to
see
both the file size of each image and, by selecting/opening it, its dimensions.

--
Cheers
macropod
[MVP - Microsoft Word]


Hello,

I am copying from Paint (mspaint.exe) portions of bitmaps and am pasting
them into the text flow in a word 2003 document.

In order to decrease the file size, does someone know how to convert these
bitmaps into jpeg format so they take less space?

It looks like it's possible to install a converter. When I right-click on
the pasted image I can choose "Bitmap Image Object / Convert...", but I have
no jpeg option (I have only PBrush and Picture choices).

Thank you.

Stefano Gatto
Geneva (CH)

 

[macropod]

Hi Tim,

None of that is much use for an image that's to be embedded in a Word document - you'll still end up with an embedded jpeg.

 

[Bob Buckland ?:-\)]

Hi Macropod,

I usually use Insert=>Picture from disk over a screen shot, primarily because you can use it again if something happens to the
document or if you just need it again but also because when resizing a graphic in Word there can be 2 copies saved, the original
and the resized one (i.e. better to do all the finish work outside <g>.

For the last several versions of Word when GDI+ was introduced, if I recall correctly the Word internal default graphic save format
for bitmaps (at least on the Windows versions) has been PNG (which support an alpha channel), although Word would 'double up' on
formats for compatibility, with an adjustment in the registry helpful in some cases to reduce file size
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/224663?FR=1

With the Office Open XML formats used by Word 2007 it may not be true that you'll have a JPG internally when a document is saved
using OOXML as .docX/.docM file formats.

If, in Word 2007 you start a blank document, then use the PrntScrn key, then paste into Word, sthe save, the only image in the
..docX file is a PNG of the screen shot. In my case the graphic is 100K in size and is saved with 220PPI embedded resolution when
copied out of the .docX file.

If, in Word 2003 you start a blank document and then use the Prnt Scrn key, then paste into Word 2003, then save as .docX the only
image in the docX file is also a PNG of the screen shot. When using the compatibility pack the graphic was only 56K, and had no PPI
value saved in the graphic. I don't know, however, if the latter is a Word 2003 + compatibility pack difference or that the machine
I tried this on for Word 2003 is Win2K rather than WinXP for Word 2007. If I open the file in Word 2007 and resave the graphic
properties did not change.

Back in Word 2007 - with portions of a screen shot using MS Windows Paint.

I used Alt+PrntScrn to capture the Word Window then pasted it into Paint.
Since Paint doesn't have a zoom down, only a zoom up in the menu, went for 100% and sliced out a ribbon slice from Office button
down to bottom of Ribbon and right to the end of the 'Change Styles' icon and copied it to the clipboard.

Using Paste Special in Word used each of the three choices in a different document.

Bitmap Image Object

Device Independent Bitmap

Picture(Windows Metafile)

Saved each document in .docX format. Each one contained only a PNG image. When extracted all three had the same properties
(compression is listed as PNG - ZIP) properties:

Disk size: 46K.
Stored in graphic resolution: 96 PPI
Stored size: 907pxW x 140 pxH

but, when pasted, the 'object' extended off of the page in Word. It's properties showed it was displayed at 100% size. Once resized
in WOrd then there is both the PNG in the 'Media' part of the .docX file and now an oleObject.bin in the 'embedding' part of the
..docX file.

When pasting either in the DIB or WMF it came in came in sized to fit between the margins (approx 69% in this case) and
resetting/resizing, Word only stored the 100% size PNG but the .docX file has information on what display scaling to use (i.e. there
wasn't a 2nd graphic for the 'other' size.

=============
Hi Tim,

None of that is much use for an image that's to be embedded in a Word document - you'll still end up with an embedded jpeg.

Cheers
macropod >>
--

Bob Buckland ?
MS Office System Products MVP

*Courtesy is not expensive and can pay big dividends*

 

[macropod]

Thanks for that Bob,

I was aware that Word can embed png files, but was under the impression that TIFFs etc were stored as jpegs by default and (at least
with older versions) there was no way to change this, notwithstanding Word's ability to output graphics in png format when the
document is saved as a web page.

With the new XML formats, I had also wondered whether it might be possible to embed other file types by modifying the XML files
directly. I don't know what effect that might have on Word, but it might be interesting to see whether it opens up any new
possibilities - way beyond my current skills, though.

 

[Bob Buckland ?:-\)]

Hi Macropod,


If you insert a picture from file then Word will retain the file type that you added (such as TIF). There are some changes in
behavior, or perhaps the effectiveness of the behavior, relative to both picture storage and target PPI resolution for pictures in
Word documents, that also make it nice to have the 'original' picture on disk instead of a screen shot pasted in, if you're doing
more than a 'once only' task.

In the scenario with an inserted TIFF file, if your picture is being handled by the OfficeArt engine [picture has white sizing
handles] then if the AutoCompress settings are turned on under
Picture Tools=>Format=>Adjust=>Compress Pictures=>Options
(select a picture to get to them <g>)
the target PPI is inserted into the graphic, and if it's resized, it's the resized graphic that is stored in the document rather
than the original.

Note that if your picture (or in the previous scenario a 'Bitmap object' has the black (inline) or blue (Old engine) graphics that
you get a different Compress Pictures dialog) and choices, but those choices can be used to help reduce file size as well, but there
are some tradeoffs in the results you may get if you later want to further manipulate the picture.

Yes, you can add pictures to the XML files, it's where Word gets the right click 'change picture' capability. If you do it manually
to add pictures, you'd probably need to also add the XML to the 'document' portion and a relationship (relID) to tell Word to do
something with the picture other than just store the picture in the file If you just drag and drop an additional graphic to the
docX file's \document\media\ folder Word will probably squack about the file being corrupted, but will usually offer to let you open
it, then resave it, at which time it may toss out the extra picture from the folder tree.

=====
Thanks for that Bob,

I was aware that Word can embed png files, but was under the impression that TIFFs etc were stored as jpegs by default and (at least
with older versions) there was no way to change this, notwithstanding Word's ability to output graphics in png format when the
document is saved as a web page.

With the new XML formats, I had also wondered whether it might be possible to embed other file types by modifying the XML files
directly. I don't know what effect that might have on Word, but it might be interesting to see whether it opens up any new
possibilities - way beyond my current skills, though.


Cheers
macropod >>
--

Bob Buckland ?
MS Office System Products MVP

*Courtesy is not expensive and can pay big dividends*