Resizing screenshots - with Paint.NET

[Hagar]

This is intended as a brief walkthrough on resizing images & saving them in a format & optimum size for posting on the Simviation forum. I don't claim to be a screenshot expert & assume that you already know how to take shots & save them to your hard drive. Everyone has their own pet methods for taking screenshots & there are numerous utilities for taking multiple screengrabs. Whichever method or utility you use I strongly suggest saving the shots in an uncompressed format like Windows BMP.

I'm only concerned here with free software. There's plenty of suitable examples available which compare favourably with expensive commercial software. This is how it's done in Paint.NET.

First go here & download Paint.NET v3.5.4 (or latest version) http://www.dotpdn.com/downloads/pdn.html

Installation is quick & simple. Extract the zipfile & run Paint.NET.3.5.4.Install.exe. I chose the Quick install option.

Before we begin I would like to emphasize that you will get the best results from working with the original screenshots saved in an uncompressed format. Every time you open & save an image in a compressed format like JPEG the quality suffers.

OK, now we're ready to make a start. Let's suppose you've taken a masterpiece & wish to post it on the forum. Like most things on the computer this takes much longer to describe than actually do. Run Paint.NET from the desktop Shortcut & open the saved shot - (File > Open). My example was taken in FSX with the onboard screengrab feature (V key). It was saved in BMP format at the native resolution of my monitor which is 1440 x 900 pixels. It will need resizing to meet the forum limit of 1024 pixel width.

Click Image > Resize on the Paint.NET menu bar. This option window will open.


Leave the Resampling option on the default 'Best Quality' setting. Make sure the 'By absolute size' radio button

[Hagar]

This is the last in the series for now as I'll be away for a few days. If anyone would like a similar walkthrough using different software I'll be happy to look at it.

In the meantime, please tell me if you found this useful. Also let me know if anything is not too clear & I'll try to do something about it.

[Flying Trucker]

Thanks Doug...

I find your tutorials and posted information always a help.   ;)

Cheers...Happy Landings...Doug

[a1]

That's the way you do it. 8-)

Great Photoshop replacement for all those who can't afford Photoshop.

[olderndirt]

Never realized that something was lost each time a JPEG file was opened and saved.

[Bob70]

[quote]Never realized that something was lost each time a JPEG file was opened and saved.

[Hagar]

[quote][quote]Never realized that something was lost each time a JPEG file was opened and saved.

[Shane14]

Thank you very much, I appreciate your help!