Screenshot

[Dennis]

Hello all. I am using Word 2003 from my company's network along with XP SP3.
I have been using Excel to edit jpeg photos for a manual I have been working
on. By "editing" I mean I have been adding call-outs, text boxes, and other
such features of Excel, on top of the photo. I usually then take a screenshot
(print screen), paste it back into excel to crop, and drag it into Word via
the taskbar. Once in Word It normally allows me to format picture (to place
it in-line with text), but on certain photos it will not let me. I have
already tried to paste into paint, save as BMP and TFF, but nothing seems to
work thus far. Any ideas?

 

[DeanH]

Why use a spreadsheet application to do what a graphic application will do
better?
Either use a graphic application like Photoshop, or even good'ol PowerPoint.
For general annotation such that you describe, I use PowerPoint (which will
probably have all the Drawing features Excel has and more. Also PowerPoint
has one major advantage, you can then Save the image direct to JPG or PNG
without having to take a screenshot, this new file can then be inserted into
Word. You can play with different formats, but I have found that these two
work very well with Word. The quality is usually better than screenshots,
usually at smaller file size.
Once in Word you should have no problem with these pictures, also you can
dictate to Word that you want all images inserted as In Line With Text, go to
Tools, Options, Edit tab, "Insert/paste pictures as" pulldown menu, select
the option you want, this will now be the default.
Once in Word the Picture toolbar has all the tools to edit this picture
further, ie crop.

I have noticed the problem you describe, I receive many documents from
different authors and sometimes I have a picture that will not change to
InLineWithText, not sure hwo this occurs, but I have found copy, paste
Special Picture can cure this, but sometimes the image quality can be
affected, so beware.

Hope this helps
DeanH

 

[Tony Jollans]

This kind of thing isn't very easy using native Office functionality. Your
best bet is a third party tool; I use SnagIt - see
http://www.techsmith.com/screen-capture.asp - and there is a 30 day free
trial available to see if it suits your needs.

 

[Dennis]

I would have to agree, unfortunately I'm trying to stay within the list of
programs available to me through the company. I am not permitted to download
or install outside programs, but I may be able to get the IT dept. to help me
out with it. Thanks for your input.

 

[Dennis]

Thanks a ton Dean! I have switched to PowerPoint as you suggested (I am
restricted to using the programs that are available to me through the company
network, which doesn't include Photoshop), and it is working out great. It
also seems to be keeping the file size much smaller by saving as jpeg and
using the paste special as an enhanced metafile. These have replaced the
cropped screen captures that I have been dragging into Word via the taskbar,
though I still use Excel on occasion to crop images. Excel seems to have
smaller increments in which the crop lines move; In Powerpoint the lines seem
to jump too far and I often have to settle for coming close to where I wanted
to crop. Without any type of "real" photo-editing program available to me,
using PowerPoint, Excel, and Word in combination accomplish what I am looking
for. Thanks for the help.