Timely Tips February 2009 -- Yet Another Killer Keystroke Combo

CTRL-ALT-PrtSc Captures Those Computer Screens!

Well, that pretty much sums it up! Press down the "Ctrl", "Alt" , and "PrtSc" keys down simultaneously on your Windows-based PC, and whatever active window you are working in on your PC will get copied as a graphic image into your computer's clipboard. Go into any document (like an MS Word or MS PowerPoint document), get to an active page, and then either do an "Edit" - "Paste" combo from your program's drop down menus, or just do a "Ctrl-V" keystroke combo (Paste), and that graphic image will get pasted into your document. Try it - very cool!

Many times, you can edit these graphics files right inside MS Word or PowerPoint, but sometimes those photo editing options are pretty basic, so here's the PLUS part of this month's Timely Tips. Open up your MS Paint tool (usually hiding inside of your "Accessories" menu in your full "All Programs" list near your "Start" button), and paste the selected graphic into your MS Paint tool (once again with a "Ctrl-V"). Then, immediately do a "SAVE AS" in MS Paint and save the file as a JPEG (.jpg) to your "Pictures" folder in your documents files. Then, close Paint and open your favorite photo editing software (I use Kodak EasyShare and also HP ImageZone). Then, I can manipulate the picture to exactly the image I want it to be using the onboard photo editing options.

Now, if you are doing this stuff on just a rare occasion, the suggestions above work great. But if you are doing this kind of stuff all the time, I recommend you use one of the commercial screen capture software tools. Probably one of the very best is from a company based in nearby Okemos, Michigan. TechSmith's SNAG-IT is a GREAT screen capture software tool that will allow you to quickly automate the suggestions I gave you above, and allow you to do much more.

So, grab those screen images and have some fun!


IN CLOSING ...


Keep an eye out for me in coming weeks at client events at Central Michigan University, Wayne County CCD, U. Michigan, and conference events in Detroit, DC, Chicago, San Diego, as well as another visit to Prague. Wish some warm weather up our way in Michigan - we need it!!

Until next time, Stay Timely!