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How to use Paint?

J

Joe User

Flightless Bird
I have Win XP SP3 and the version of the Paint that comes with it (Programs
> Accessories).

Is this the correct NG to ask questions about Paint? If not, what then?

My question....

I use ctrl-PrintScreen to capture the display. Then I run Paint and paste
the image. To copy a subset of the image, I use the box Select tool to
outline the area, then press ctrl-C and ctrl-V.

At that point, I have trouble "selecting" the two different objects: the
original PrintScreen image and the subset I just pasted. By "select", I do
not mean the box Select tool. I mean outlining the object so that I can
move, resize and delete it.

How do I get into that kind of selection mode again? How do I "select" each
object individually?

Paint Help says: "To turn off the selection box, click outside the box". I
have tried clicking all over, to no avail.
 
B

Bruce Hagen

Flightless Bird
"Joe User" <joeu2004> wrote in message
news:%23VnxHKfwKHA.2436@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
>I have Win XP SP3 and the version of the Paint that comes with it
>(Programs
> > Accessories).
>
> Is this the correct NG to ask questions about Paint? If not, what then?
>
> My question....
>
> I use ctrl-PrintScreen to capture the display. Then I run Paint and
> paste the image. To copy a subset of the image, I use the box Select
> tool to outline the area, then press ctrl-C and ctrl-V.
>
> At that point, I have trouble "selecting" the two different objects:
> the original PrintScreen image and the subset I just pasted. By
> "select", I do not mean the box Select tool. I mean outlining the
> object so that I can move, resize and delete it.
>
> How do I get into that kind of selection mode again? How do I "select"
> each object individually?
>
> Paint Help says: "To turn off the selection box, click outside the
> box". I have tried clicking all over, to no avail.


Try this freeware tool for screen shots. You can easily select an area on
the screen to capture with no messing around.

PrintKey:
http://www.freewareweb.com/cgi-bin/archive.cgi?ID=292
--
Bruce Hagen
MS-MVP [Mail]
Imperial Beach, CA
 
J

John Inzer

Flightless Bird
Joe User wrote:
> I have Win XP SP3 and the version of the Paint that comes with it
> (Programs
>> Accessories).
>
> Is this the correct NG to ask questions about Paint? If not, what
> then?
> My question....
>
> I use ctrl-PrintScreen to capture the display. Then I run Paint and
> paste the image. To copy a subset of the image, I use the box Select
> tool to outline the area, then press ctrl-C and ctrl-V.
>
> At that point, I have trouble "selecting" the two different objects: the
> original PrintScreen image and the subset I just pasted. By
> "select", I do not mean the box Select tool. I mean outlining the
> object so that I can move, resize and delete it.
>
> How do I get into that kind of selection mode again? How do I
> "select" each object individually?
>
> Paint Help says: "To turn off the selection box, click outside the
> box". I have tried clicking all over, to no avail.
===================================
Maybe the following articles would be worth a look:

Microsoft Paint : Tools
The Selection Tools
http://www.lkwdpl.org/classes/MSPaint/tools/selection.html

MS Paint : Tools
The Selection Tool
Example: Using selections to combine two images.
http://www.lkwdpl.org/classes/MSPaint/tools/selectionex.html

For a free more advanced editor...have a look
at Paint.NET:

Paint.NET
http://www.getpaint.net/features.html

--

J. Inzer MS-MVP
Digital Media Experience

Notice
This is not tech support
I am a volunteer

Solutions that work for
me may not work for you

Proceed at your own risk
 
J

Joe User

Flightless Bird
Thanks for the pointers so far. I'll follow through in time.

I am beginning to think that the Paint accessory that comes with Win XP
(SP3) is simply brain-dead. Would that be an unfair assessment?

I have used it in the past, but apparently only for the most rudimentary
tasks. Well, I think my current task is rudimentary. Anyway, I do remember
that it was always a struggle; I felt like I was fighting the tool.


----- original message ------

"Joe User" <joeu2004> wrote in message
news:%23VnxHKfwKHA.2436@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
>I have Win XP SP3 and the version of the Paint that comes with it (Programs
> > Accessories).
>
> Is this the correct NG to ask questions about Paint? If not, what then?
>
> My question....
>
> I use ctrl-PrintScreen to capture the display. Then I run Paint and paste
> the image. To copy a subset of the image, I use the box Select tool to
> outline the area, then press ctrl-C and ctrl-V.
>
> At that point, I have trouble "selecting" the two different objects: the
> original PrintScreen image and the subset I just pasted. By "select", I
> do not mean the box Select tool. I mean outlining the object so that I
> can move, resize and delete it.
>
> How do I get into that kind of selection mode again? How do I "select"
> each object individually?
>
> Paint Help says: "To turn off the selection box, click outside the box".
> I have tried clicking all over, to no avail.
 
D

dadiOH

Flightless Bird
Joe User wrote:
> I have Win XP SP3 and the version of the Paint that comes with it
> (Programs
>> Accessories).
>
> Is this the correct NG to ask questions about Paint? If not, what
> then?
> My question....
>
> I use ctrl-PrintScreen to capture the display. Then I run Paint and
> paste the image. To copy a subset of the image, I use the box Select
> tool to outline the area, then press ctrl-C and ctrl-V.
>
> At that point, I have trouble "selecting" the two different objects: the
> original PrintScreen image and the subset I just pasted. By
> "select", I do not mean the box Select tool. I mean outlining the
> object so that I can move, resize and delete it.

After copying, press File>New and paste into that.

--

dadiOH
____________________________

dadiOH's dandies v3.06...
....a help file of info about MP3s, recording from
LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that.
Get it at http://mysite.verizon.net/xico
 
R

RobertVA

Flightless Bird
On 3/12/2010 10:37 AM, Joe User wrote:
> Thanks for the pointers so far. I'll follow through in time.
>
> I am beginning to think that the Paint accessory that comes with Win XP
> (SP3) is simply brain-dead. Would that be an unfair assessment?

Paint wasn't ever meant to be even a moderately powerful graphics
editor. It's more of a demostrator of how to use a mouse with some of
the operating system's built in graphic capabilities.

> I have used it in the past, but apparently only for the most rudimentary
> tasks. Well, I think my current task is rudimentary. Anyway, I do
> remember that it was always a struggle; I felt like I was fighting the
> tool.

Also remember that there are object oriented vs. bitmap oriented
images/graphics. It's the object oriented type that allows various
shapes like lines, circles and rectangles to be easily selected and
manipulated. The object oriented type is sometimes reffered to as
"vector graphics". With a bitmap oriented application like Paint the
image is represented as separate values for each pixel, very much like a
dark panel with an array of holes for translucent colored pegs (remember
a product called "Light Bright"?). A bitmap oriented program translates
the drawing tools into that grid format as soon as you finish drawing
the shape (ussually when you release the mouse button) and doesn't have
any way of translating the array of pixels back into the definition of a
shape.

Some of the bitmap oriented programs permit the user to separate bitmaps
into multiple layers. This has an effect similar to a stack of clear
plastic sheets with different images painted on each sheet. Drawing an
image on its own layer simplifies isolating that group of pixels for
subsequent editing. The Paint program that comes with many versions of
Windows wasn't designed to be that powerful. A multiple layer bitmap
might also require a lot of memory and/or hard disk storage.

A bitmap with a wide variety of colors (like a photo or shaded drawing)
is often best stored in a format with individual data for each pixel and
allowance for a WIDE variety of colors (like a jpeg/.jpg). An image with
a limited number of colors and large areas of the same color, like a
newspaper editorial cartoon or smiley face, will take a MUCH smaller
amount of storage as a lossless compressed format like a Graphics
Interchange File (.gif). That might make a significat differene if your
web site host limits your storage space or you want guests at your site
to see your images quickly.

> ----- original message ------
>
> "Joe User" <joeu2004> wrote in message
> news:%23VnxHKfwKHA.2436@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
>> I have Win XP SP3 and the version of the Paint that comes with it
>> (Programs
>> > Accessories).
>>
>> Is this the correct NG to ask questions about Paint? If not, what then?
>>
>> My question....
>>
>> I use ctrl-PrintScreen to capture the display. Then I run Paint and
>> paste the image. To copy a subset of the image, I use the box Select
>> tool to outline the area, then press ctrl-C and ctrl-V.
>>
>> At that point, I have trouble "selecting" the two different objects:
>> the original PrintScreen image and the subset I just pasted. By
>> "select", I do not mean the box Select tool. I mean outlining the
>> object so that I can move, resize and delete it.
>>
>> How do I get into that kind of selection mode again? How do I "select"
>> each object individually?
>>
>> Paint Help says: "To turn off the selection box, click outside the
>> box". I have tried clicking all over, to no avail.
>
 
J

Joe User

Flightless Bird
"dadiOH" <dadiOH@invalid.com> wrote:
> After copying, press File>New and paste into that.

Perfect! Thanks so much.

I do think it is best if I find some better tools for my (simple) purposes.
But this will allow me to hump along in the meantime.

Thanks again.


----- original message -----

"dadiOH" <dadiOH@invalid.com> wrote in message
news:uXduQjgwKHA.5812@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
> Joe User wrote:
>> I have Win XP SP3 and the version of the Paint that comes with it
>> (Programs
>>> Accessories).
>>
>> Is this the correct NG to ask questions about Paint? If not, what
>> then?
>> My question....
>>
>> I use ctrl-PrintScreen to capture the display. Then I run Paint and
>> paste the image. To copy a subset of the image, I use the box Select
>> tool to outline the area, then press ctrl-C and ctrl-V.
>>
>> At that point, I have trouble "selecting" the two different objects: the
>> original PrintScreen image and the subset I just pasted. By
>> "select", I do not mean the box Select tool. I mean outlining the
>> object so that I can move, resize and delete it.
>
> After copying, press File>New and paste into that.
>
> --
>
> dadiOH
> ____________________________
>
> dadiOH's dandies v3.06...
> ...a help file of info about MP3s, recording from
> LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that.
> Get it at http://mysite.verizon.net/xico
>
>
>
 
B

Billns

Flightless Bird
On 3/12/2010 6:54 AM, Bruce Hagen wrote:
>
> "Joe User" <joeu2004> wrote in message
> news:%23VnxHKfwKHA.2436@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
>> I have Win XP SP3 and the version of the Paint that comes with it
>> (Programs
>> > Accessories).
>>
>> Is this the correct NG to ask questions about Paint? If not, what then?
>>
>> My question....
>>
>> I use ctrl-PrintScreen to capture the display. Then I run Paint and
>> paste the image. To copy a subset of the image, I use the box Select
>> tool to outline the area, then press ctrl-C and ctrl-V.
>>
>> At that point, I have trouble "selecting" the two different objects:
>> the original PrintScreen image and the subset I just pasted. By
>> "select", I do not mean the box Select tool. I mean outlining the
>> object so that I can move, resize and delete it.
>>
>> How do I get into that kind of selection mode again? How do I "select"
>> each object individually?
>>
>> Paint Help says: "To turn off the selection box, click outside the
>> box". I have tried clicking all over, to no avail.
>
>
> Try this freeware tool for screen shots. You can easily select an area
> on the screen to capture with no messing around.
>
> PrintKey:
> http://www.freewareweb.com/cgi-bin/archive.cgi?ID=292

I've been using PrintKey for several years with good results. You can
google for other free screen capture programs. Also consider IrfanView,
another free graphics program, not including drawing features, with
various screen capture options.

Bill
 
J

Joe User

Flightless Bird
"dadiOH" <dadiOH@invalid.com> wrote:
> After copying, press File>New and paste into that.

I forgot: my current problem is that I cannot even select the entire part
of the image that I want to copy. What's up with that?

When I do a screen capture (ctrl+PrintScreen) of the Desktop and paste into
Paint, the image is wider that the edit pane. There is a scroll bar. But
when I click on the box Select tool to outline the area to be copied (the
enter width of the Desktop image), the Select tool does not automatically
scroll the image as I drag the outline to the left or right. I can drag the
outline outside of the edit area, but it will only go as far as the edge of
my screen (4x3 aspect ratio). That does outline more of the Desktop, but
not quite enough.

Bottom line: how can I put a box Select outline around part of a picture
that extends beyond the edit pane?

I did try shrinking the image by first dragging the upper-left corner toward
center, then repositioning image. But being a bitmapped image, that screws
up the resolution to the point where the Desktop titles are no readable. So
that is not a viable approach.

One viable solution would be if I could draw a box Select outline around the
visible part of the image, scroll the image right, then extend the box
Select outline to cover more of the image.

But I have not gotten that to work. If I release the mouse button and
scroll right, I have not found a way to extend the box Select outline. The
next mouse click starts a new Select outline. I've tried left and right
mouse buttons, with and without pressing the Ctrl key. (Hmm, I 'spose I
should try the Shift and Alt keys, individually and together.) I've tried
hovering the mouse over the corner and other parts of the outline, looking
for drag handles. I've tried not releasing the mouse button while
scrolling. None of that has worked so far.


----- original message -----

"dadiOH" <dadiOH@invalid.com> wrote in message
news:uXduQjgwKHA.5812@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
> Joe User wrote:
>> I have Win XP SP3 and the version of the Paint that comes with it
>> (Programs
>>> Accessories).
>>
>> Is this the correct NG to ask questions about Paint? If not, what
>> then?
>> My question....
>>
>> I use ctrl-PrintScreen to capture the display. Then I run Paint and
>> paste the image. To copy a subset of the image, I use the box Select
>> tool to outline the area, then press ctrl-C and ctrl-V.
>>
>> At that point, I have trouble "selecting" the two different objects: the
>> original PrintScreen image and the subset I just pasted. By
>> "select", I do not mean the box Select tool. I mean outlining the
>> object so that I can move, resize and delete it.
>
> After copying, press File>New and paste into that.
>
> --
>
> dadiOH
> ____________________________
>
> dadiOH's dandies v3.06...
> ...a help file of info about MP3s, recording from
> LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that.
> Get it at http://mysite.verizon.net/xico
>
>
>
 
B

Bruce Hagen

Flightless Bird
Have you tried a different Zoom setting, or screen resolution?
--
Bruce Hagen
MS-MVP [Mail]
Imperial Beach, CA


"Joe User" <joeu2004> wrote in message
news:-OosZfTiwKHA.1984@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
> "dadiOH" <dadiOH@invalid.com> wrote:
>> After copying, press File>New and paste into that.
>
> I forgot: my current problem is that I cannot even select the entire
> part of the image that I want to copy. What's up with that?
>
> When I do a screen capture (ctrl+PrintScreen) of the Desktop and paste
> into Paint, the image is wider that the edit pane. There is a scroll
> bar. But when I click on the box Select tool to outline the area to be
> copied (the enter width of the Desktop image), the Select tool does not
> automatically scroll the image as I drag the outline to the left or
> right. I can drag the outline outside of the edit area, but it will
> only go as far as the edge of my screen (4x3 aspect ratio). That does
> outline more of the Desktop, but not quite enough.
>
> Bottom line: how can I put a box Select outline around part of a
> picture that extends beyond the edit pane?
>
> I did try shrinking the image by first dragging the upper-left corner
> toward center, then repositioning image. But being a bitmapped image,
> that screws up the resolution to the point where the Desktop titles are
> no readable. So that is not a viable approach.
>
> One viable solution would be if I could draw a box Select outline around
> the visible part of the image, scroll the image right, then extend the
> box Select outline to cover more of the image.
>
> But I have not gotten that to work. If I release the mouse button and
> scroll right, I have not found a way to extend the box Select outline.
> The next mouse click starts a new Select outline. I've tried left and
> right mouse buttons, with and without pressing the Ctrl key. (Hmm, I
> 'spose I should try the Shift and Alt keys, individually and together.)
> I've tried hovering the mouse over the corner and other parts of the
> outline, looking for drag handles. I've tried not releasing the mouse
> button while scrolling. None of that has worked so far.
>
>
> ----- original message -----
>
> "dadiOH" <dadiOH@invalid.com> wrote in message
> news:uXduQjgwKHA.5812@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
>> Joe User wrote:
>>> I have Win XP SP3 and the version of the Paint that comes with it
>>> (Programs
>>>> Accessories).
>>>
>>> Is this the correct NG to ask questions about Paint? If not, what
>>> then?
>>> My question....
>>>
>>> I use ctrl-PrintScreen to capture the display. Then I run Paint and
>>> paste the image. To copy a subset of the image, I use the box Select
>>> tool to outline the area, then press ctrl-C and ctrl-V.
>>>
>>> At that point, I have trouble "selecting" the two different objects:
>>> the original PrintScreen image and the subset I just pasted. By
>>> "select", I do not mean the box Select tool. I mean outlining the
>>> object so that I can move, resize and delete it.
>>
>> After copying, press File>New and paste into that.
>>
>> --
>>
>> dadiOH
>> ____________________________
>>
>> dadiOH's dandies v3.06...
>> ...a help file of info about MP3s, recording from
>> LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that.
>> Get it at http://mysite.verizon.net/xico
>>
>>
>>
>
 
J

John Inzer

Flightless Bird
Joe User wrote:
>snip<
> Bottom line: how can I put a box Select outline around part of a
> picture that extends beyond the edit pane?
>snip<
=========================================
To view the complete image with no scrollbars...

Go to...Image - Stretch/Skew...or type...Ctrl+W...

Enter smaller numbers in the Stretch panes...
the same number in Horizontal and Vertical /
OK...(or press...Enter)

Some experimentation with the numbers will
yield an image the fills the screen with no scroll-
bars.

--

J. Inzer MS-MVP
Digital Media Experience

Notice
This is not tech support
I am a volunteer

Solutions that work for
me may not work for you

Proceed at your own risk
 
P

Paul Randall

Flightless Bird
One thing you might try is to change your desktop resolution to some larger
size while using MSPaint to select portions of these large images.

Example:
My laptop has a native resolution of 1024 by 768. The video adapter on the
motherboard and its driver allows me to set the resolution at various shapes
of rectangles up to 2048 by 1536. When at these resolutions higher than the
native resolution of the laptop screen, moving the cursor to the edges of
the screen causes the the screen display to scroll, so it is easy to do
these huge selections in MSPaint. Here is how I do it on my laptop with ATI
Radeon XPress 200M video adapter:

Right click on the desktop and choose properties.
On the display properties window click the Settings tab.
Click advanced button on the settings tab window.
On the advanced window, click the monitor tab.
On the monitor tab window, UNCHECK the "Hide modes that this monitor cannot
display" box.


"Joe User" <joeu2004> wrote in message
news:-OosZfTiwKHA.1984@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
> "dadiOH" <dadiOH@invalid.com> wrote:
>> After copying, press File>New and paste into that.
>
> I forgot: my current problem is that I cannot even select the entire part
> of the image that I want to copy. What's up with that?
>
> When I do a screen capture (ctrl+PrintScreen) of the Desktop and paste
> into Paint, the image is wider that the edit pane. There is a scroll bar.
> But when I click on the box Select tool to outline the area to be copied
> (the enter width of the Desktop image), the Select tool does not
> automatically scroll the image as I drag the outline to the left or right.
> I can drag the outline outside of the edit area, but it will only go as
> far as the edge of my screen (4x3 aspect ratio). That does outline more
> of the Desktop, but not quite enough.
>
> Bottom line: how can I put a box Select outline around part of a picture
> that extends beyond the edit pane?
>
> I did try shrinking the image by first dragging the upper-left corner
> toward center, then repositioning image. But being a bitmapped image,
> that screws up the resolution to the point where the Desktop titles are no
> readable. So that is not a viable approach.
>
> One viable solution would be if I could draw a box Select outline around
> the visible part of the image, scroll the image right, then extend the box
> Select outline to cover more of the image.
>
> But I have not gotten that to work. If I release the mouse button and
> scroll right, I have not found a way to extend the box Select outline.
> The next mouse click starts a new Select outline. I've tried left and
> right mouse buttons, with and without pressing the Ctrl key. (Hmm, I
> 'spose I should try the Shift and Alt keys, individually and together.)
> I've tried hovering the mouse over the corner and other parts of the
> outline, looking for drag handles. I've tried not releasing the mouse
> button while scrolling. None of that has worked so far.
>
>
> ----- original message -----
>
> "dadiOH" <dadiOH@invalid.com> wrote in message
> news:uXduQjgwKHA.5812@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
>> Joe User wrote:
>>> I have Win XP SP3 and the version of the Paint that comes with it
>>> (Programs
>>>> Accessories).
>>>
>>> Is this the correct NG to ask questions about Paint? If not, what
>>> then?
>>> My question....
>>>
>>> I use ctrl-PrintScreen to capture the display. Then I run Paint and
>>> paste the image. To copy a subset of the image, I use the box Select
>>> tool to outline the area, then press ctrl-C and ctrl-V.
>>>
>>> At that point, I have trouble "selecting" the two different objects: the
>>> original PrintScreen image and the subset I just pasted. By
>>> "select", I do not mean the box Select tool. I mean outlining the
>>> object so that I can move, resize and delete it.
>>
>> After copying, press File>New and paste into that.
>>
>> --
>>
>> dadiOH
>> ____________________________
>>
>> dadiOH's dandies v3.06...
>> ...a help file of info about MP3s, recording from
>> LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that.
>> Get it at http://mysite.verizon.net/xico
>>
>>
>>
>
 
D

dadiOH

Flightless Bird
Joe User wrote:
> "dadiOH" <dadiOH@invalid.com> wrote:
>> After copying, press File>New and paste into that.
>
> I forgot: my current problem is that I cannot even select the entire
> part of the image that I want to copy. What's up with that?
>
> When I do a screen capture (ctrl+PrintScreen) of the Desktop and
> paste into Paint, the image is wider that the edit pane. There is a
> scroll bar. But when I click on the box Select tool to outline the
> area to be copied (the enter width of the Desktop image), the Select
> tool does not automatically scroll the image as I drag the outline to
> the left or right. I can drag the outline outside of the edit area,
> but it will only go as far as the edge of my screen (4x3 aspect
> ratio). That does outline more of the Desktop, but not quite enough.
>
> Bottom line: how can I put a box Select outline around part of a
> picture that extends beyond the edit pane?

1. Ctrl + A will select the entire image, perhaps you can then drag it so
you can reselect the part that interests you

2. If your interest is only in a defined portion of the desktop - i.e., a
window - make it active and copy just it with Alt + PrntScr

3. A program such as FastStone Capture makes copying parts of the screen
much easier. Used to be free for home users, don't know if it still is.
http://www.faststone.org/FSCaptureDetail.htm

--

dadiOH
____________________________

dadiOH's dandies v3.06...
....a help file of info about MP3s, recording from
LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that.
Get it at http://mysite.verizon.net/xico
 
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