Corel PaintShop Pro - 9.0 User Manual

User Guide

Copyright © 2004 by Jasc Software, Inc. All rights reserved. No portion of the contents of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without the express written permission of Jasc Software, Inc.

Trademark Information

Animation Shop, ImageCommander, Media Center Plus, Paint Shop and the Jasc orbit logo are trademarks of Jasc Software, Inc. Jasc, Paint Shop Pro, and The Power to Create are registered trademarks of Jasc Software, Inc. Acrobat, PostScript, Photoshop, Photoshop Elements are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Adobe Systems Incorporated. The Postscript language is copyrighted by Adobe Systems Incorporated. Macintosh is a registered trademark of Apple Computer, Inc. Autodesk is a registered trademark of Autodesk, Inc. MacPaint is a product and trademark of Claris Corporation. GIF is a service mark property and Graphic Interchange Format is copyright property of CompuServe Inc. CorelDRAW, Ventura Publisher, WordPerfect are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Corel Corporation. GEM, GEM Paint are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Digital Research Inc. Digimarc is a registered trademark of Digimarc Corporation. Deluxe Paint is a registered trademark of Electronic Arts. Kodak Photo CD is registered trademark of Eastman Kodak Company. OS/2, Lotus 1-2-3 are registered trademarks of International Business Machines Corporation. Dr. Halo is a registered trademark of Media Cybernetics. Micrografx Draw is registered trademark of Micrografx, Inc. Microsoft, Windows, Microsoft Paint, Microsoft Word, Video For Windows are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. CT is a registered trademark of Scitex Corporation. ZSoft Paintbrush is a registered trademark of ZSoft Corporation. Portions copyright © 2003 Access Softek. Portions copyright © 2004 Bengt, Inc. Portions copyright © 2001-2003 Python Software Foundation. All rights reserved.

All other trademarks or registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners. We have done our best to ensure that the material found in this publication is both useful and

accurate. However, please be aware that errors may exist in this publication, and that neither the authors nor Jasc Software, Inc. make any guarantees concerning the accuracy of the information found here or in the use to which it may be put.

Printed in the United States of America First Printing

2004

Contents

Chapter 1 Getting Started . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Chapter 2 Getting to Know The Program . . . . . . . . . . . 9

What’s New in Version 9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

System Requirements. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Installing the Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Learning Paint Shop Pro. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Starting and Exiting Paint Shop Pro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Exploring the User Interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Using Shortcut and Function Keys. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Using Toolbars and Palettes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Working with Dialogs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Viewing Images . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Viewing Image Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Chapter 3 Getting Images into Paint Shop Pro . . . . . . 29

Importing Images from Digital Cameras and Scanners. . . . . . . . 30

Opening Existing Images . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

Creating Images . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Capturing Images from the Computer Screen. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

Opening Frames from Animation Shop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

Using the Paint Shop Pro Browser . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

Saving Image Files. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

Closing Image Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52

Contents

Chapter 4 Customizing Paint Shop Pro . . . . . . . . . . . . 53

Using Custom Workspaces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

Customizing Toolbars and Menus. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56

Setting General Program Preferences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59

Setting Autosave Preferences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67

Setting File Locations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67

Setting File Format Preferences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73

Setting File Format Associations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79

Resetting Application Preferences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80

Assigning and Viewing Shortcut Keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81

Adjusting Monitor Display Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84

Chapter 5 Improving Photographs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87

Basic Steps in Improving Photographs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88

Using the Digital Camera Noise Removal Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89

Using the Chromatic Aberration Removal Filter. . . . . . . . . . . . . 92

Using the Fill Flash Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95

Using the Backlighting Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96

How to Approach Color, Contrast, and Saturation Adjustments . 96

Fixing Photos in One Step. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97

Correcting Image Distortions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97

Improving Colors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100

Improving Contrast . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106

Improving Image Clarity. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107

Improving Saturation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109

Removing Image Defects and Noise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110

Removing Source Defects. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114

Retouching Photographs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117

Chapter 6 Making Color and Tonal Corrections. . . . . 125

Key Points to Know Before Making Corrections . . . . . . . . . . . 126

How Corrections Relate to Color Depth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127

Adjusting the Color Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128

Adjusting Brightness and Contrast . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134

Replacing Colors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140

Reducing or Removing Colors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142

Using the Histogram to Analyze Images . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145

Contents

Chapter 7 Editing Images . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151

Adding Borders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152

Changing the Canvas Size . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152

Combining Two Images . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153

Correcting Image Perspective. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155

Cropping Images . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157

Cutting, Copying, and Pasting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160

Deleting Images . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164

Flipping and Mirroring Images. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164

Repeating Commands. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165

Resizing Images . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166

Rotating Images . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168

Scaling and Transforming Images . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171

Using Rulers, Grids, and Guides . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173

Using Undo/Redo. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177

Warping Images Using the Mesh Warp Tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178

Using the History Palette . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181

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Chapter 8 Making Selections in Images . . . . . . . . . . 191

Using the Selection Tools. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192

Using Edit Selection. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201

Adjusting Selection Borders. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202

Converting a Selection into a Layer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204

Creating Custom Patterns from Selections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205

Modifying Selections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205

Clipping a Selection to the Canvas. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212

Moving Selections within an Image . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213

Saving and Loading Selections. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214

Working with Standard and Floating Selections. . . . . . . . . . . . 218

Chapter 9 Applying Effects. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219

Choosing Effects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220

Using Effects Dialogs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220

Adding Noise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225

Adding Picture Frames. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226

Creating Your Own Effects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228

Using the Displacement Map Effect. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228

Using the Radial Blur Effect . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230

Mathematically Combining Two Images . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231

Contents

Chapter 10 Working with Colors and Materials . . . . . . 233

Basics of Using the Materials Palette . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 234

Using the Materials Palette . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236

Choosing Colors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239

Choosing Gradients. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 244

Choosing Patterns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 246

Choosing Textures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247

Working with Swatches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249

Editing Gradients . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 251

Understanding Color and Color Models . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 256

How Monitor and Print Colors Differ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 258

Working with Color Channels. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259

Understanding Color Depth. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 260

Working with Image Palettes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269

Making a Palette Color Transparent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272

Chapter 11 Raster Painting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 275

Setting Brush and Paint Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 276

Painting with the Paint Brush or Airbrush . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 278

Creating Brush Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 280

Using the Brush Variance Palette . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 282

Filling Areas with Colors, Gradients, Patterns, or Textures . . . 284

Warping Images With the Warp Brush . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 286

Erasing Parts of an Image . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 287

Cloning Parts of Images . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 290

Painting with Picture Tubes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 290

Replacing Colors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 293

Retouching Images . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 294

Contents

Chapter 12 Art Media Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 297

Art Media Layers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 298

Using the Mixer Palette . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 299

Using the Art Media Brushes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 305

Using the Oil Brush . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 308

Using the Chalk Tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 310

Using the Pastel Tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 311

Using the Crayon Tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 312

Using the Colored Pencil Tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 313

Using the Marker Tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 314

Using the Palette Knife Tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 315

Using the Smear Tool. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 316

Using the Art Eraser Tool. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 317

Chapter 13 Drawing and Editing Objects . . . . . . . . . . 319

Drawing Objects. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 320

Drawing Lines with the Pen Tool. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 321

Drawing Bezier Curves with the Pen Tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 325

Drawing Freehand Curves with the Pen Tool. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 326

Using the Rectangle Tool. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 328

Using the Ellipse Tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 329

Using the Symmetric Shape Tool. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 330

Using the Preset Shape Tool. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 331

Creating Custom Line Styles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 334

Editing Vector Object Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 336

Adding and Closing Contours . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 338

Aligning and Arranging Vector Objects. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 343

Resizing and Reshaping Vector Objects. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 347

Editing Paths and Contours . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 349

Editing Nodes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 351

Chapter 14 Working with Layers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 359

About Layers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 360

Adding New Layers to Images . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 366

Editing Layer Properties. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 368

Modifying Layers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 378

Using Adjustment Layers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 382

Using the Layers palette. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 385

Contents

Chapter 15 Working with Masks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 389

About Masks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 390

Creating Masks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 391

Deleting Masks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 396

Editing Masks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 397

Loading Masks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 399

Saving Masks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 402

Chapter 16 Working with Text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 405

Creating Text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 406

Formatting Text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 410

Editing Text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 411

Moving Text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 412

Applying Effects to Text. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 413

Converting Text to Curves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 413

Creating Text on Object Paths. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 414

Creating Text with Image Patterns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 418

Scaling and Transforming Text. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 418

Chapter 17 Automating Tasks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 419

Using and Creating Presets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 420

Processing Multiple Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 422

Renaming Multiple Files. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 424

Scripting Basics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 425

Running a Saved Script. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 427

Stopping or Undoing a Script . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 427

About Restricted Script Mode. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 428

Recording and Saving a Script . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 429

Editing Scripts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 430

Binding Scripts to Icons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 433

Contents

Chapter 18 Printing Images . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 435

About Printing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 436

About Printing Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 437

Printing Multiple Images on a Page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 439

Printing a Single Image . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 446

Printing Images from the Browser . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 446

Printing Images Using a Template . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 448

Placing Text Captions on the Layout . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 451

Printing with CMYK Color Separations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 452

Saving Images for Printing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 456

Chapter 19 Sharing and Creating Images for the Web 457

Sending Images via E-Mail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 458

Uploading Images to a Photo Sharing Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . 458

Saving Images for the Web . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 459

Saving Images for Use In Animation Shop. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 470

Previewing Images in a Web Browser . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 470

Creating Image Rollovers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 471

Mapping Images. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 472

Slicing Images . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 476

Using Digital Watermarks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 480

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Contents

CHAPTER 1

Getting Started

Paint Shop Pro sets the standard for affordable, professional image editing. Version 9 builds on Paint Shop Pro’s legacy of creative innovation with a new set of art media tools, professional photo correction filters, and precision graphic design capabilities to offer users limitless creativity. You can greatly reduce time spent on production tasks with Paint Shop Pro’s streamlined production tools. Edit photos, create graphics, draw, paint, and animate, all within a highly customizable workspace environment. Paint Shop Pro 9 provides advanced tools for advanced imaginations.

Contents

What’s New in Version 9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

System Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Installing the Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Learning Paint Shop Pro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Chapter 1: Getting Started

What’s New in Version 9

Briefly described below are the new features in Paint Shop Pro 9 that will enhance your ability to work with digital photographs, create and enhance artwork and graphics, and boost your productivity.

User Interface Enhancements

Although similar to the version 8 interface, Paint Shop Pro 9 has been updated to include the following.

 The History palette lists each command you apply to the active

image. The most recent action appears at the top of the list. The History palette gives you the ability to quickly undo and redo actions applied to the current image. In addition to its basic Undo and Redo To Here functions, the History Palette also offers the ability to save selected actions as the Quickscript, which you can then apply to other open images. Refer to Chapter 7 for more information.

 The Mixer palette offers a more natural, intuitive way for artists

to create and pick colors. Working in conjunction with the new Art Media brush tools and the new Art media layer, the Mixer palette provides artists with the best way to digitally simulate real-world painting. Refer to Chapter 12 for more information.

 What was labeled the Layers palette in previous versions is now

called the Layers palette.

 What was labeled the Material palette in version 8 is now called

the Materials palette. Additionally, the Materials palette now contains the Frame tab, offering a new (and for some users a more intuitive) method of choosing colors. Refer to Chapter 10 for more information.

 Open images can optionally be displayed in a tabbed format

across the top of the workspace. To make an image active, click the desired tab. When many images are open, use the forward and backward buttons to scroll among the tabs. Refer to Chapter 2 for more information.

 The docking behavior of palettes has been modified. Palettes can

be set to slide open and closed from a tab along the right side, roll up at a user-selected speed, or roll up into the nearest quadrant of the workspace. Refer to Chapter 2 for more information.

Chapter 1: Getting Started

 The Customize dialog now contains a new tab called Scripts.

This tab lets you easily bind a script to one of 50 icons. The icon can then be dragged onto a toolbar or into a menu. Refer to Chapter 17 for more information.

 The General Program Preferences dialog has new options for the

Crop tool's shading area, as well as the number of steps to save for the History palette. Additionally the main workspace rightclick context menu now contains the command to access this dialog in a single click. Refer to Chapter 4 for more information.

 In the Adjust menu, the three Automatic correction commands

(Color Balance, Contrast Enhancement, and Saturation Enhancement) have been pulled out of their former submenus and now reside as standalone items. Additionally, the Adjust menu contains a Photo Fix item loaded with helpful commands geared toward quickly correcting common problems with digital photos.

New Art Media Tools

 Working in conjunction with the new Mixer palette, the new Art

Media tools let you create digital artwork that closely mimics real-world media, pigments, paints, and artist's tools. The Oil Brush creates realistic paint strokes, while the Chalk, Pastel, Crayon, Colored Pencil, and Marker tools are used for making dry-pigment works of art. Refer to Chapter 12 for more information.

Chapter 1: Getting Started

Image Browser Updates

 The Image Browser now contains two tabs, Find and Info, in the

left side of the Browser window. The Find tab contains the familiar Windows Explorer-like navigation view, and the Info tab displays image information, creator data, and EXIF data. Additionally, with the Browser active you can choose File > Sort and use the Sorting dialog to sort images by EXIF data. Refer to Chapter 3 for more information.

Raw Camera Image Support

 You can now open Raw (unprocessed) images from high-end

digital cameras in Paint Shop Pro. Additionally, a new File Format Preferences tab contains an option for displaying a dialog that allows for further Raw image editing before the image opens in Paint Shop Pro. Refer to Chapter 4 for more information.

New Digital Photo Correction Filters

Four new filters provide innovative methods of correcting common problems with digital photos:

 The Digital Camera Noise Removal filter scans your photo and

removes image noise often inherent to digital cameras while intelligently preserving normal image textures. You can even customize noise removal by defining specific regions or color ranges to focus on or ignore, and then save settings as a Preset that can be applied to photos taken from the same camera.

 The Chromatic Aberration Removal filter helps eliminate the

colored glow that often appears in digital photos, especially in an image's high contrast images.

 The Fill Flash filter corrects underexposed, shadowy areas of

your photos.

 The Backlighting filter corrects the opposite problem by

compensating for overexposed areas surrounding the photo's subject.

Refer to Chapter 5 for more information on these filters.

New Effects

Two new powerful and interesting effects include:

Chapter 1: Getting Started

 The Displacement Map effect lets you create two or three-

dimensional surface effects using a different, underlying image as the basis for the effect.

 The Radial Blur effect lets you add interesting and fun spin,

twist, and zoom effects to an image.

Refer to Chapter 9 for more information on these effects.

Vector Drawing Tool Updates

Creating vector shapes has never been easier or more powerful.

 The Pen tool's functionality has been simplified to offer a clearer,

more intuitive way to create and edit curves and lines.

 Three new tools, Rectangle, Ellipse, and Symmetric Shape,

provide all the controls you need to create buttons, banners, polygons, any kind of rectangle or ellipse or custom shape.

 The Preset Shape tool provides you with a variety of arrows,

flowers, gears, and other miscellaneous shapes.

Refer to Chapter 13 for more information.

Text Tool Updates

 The Text tool now provides a vertical text layout option, updates

to the text on a path feature, as well as new anti-aliasing rendering options that generate cleaner text at smaller font sizes. Refer to Chapter 16 for more information.

Crop Tool Updates

 The Crop tool now provides the option of shading the area

outside the crop box. This option can be set in the Transparency and Shading tab of the General Program Preferences dialog. Refer to Chapter 7 for more information.

Print Layout Feature Updates

 The Print Layout feature now lets you draw a text box on the

layout to easily add custom captions or titles to your printed pages. Additionally, you can create elliptical cells and apply edits to multiple cells simultaneously. Refer to Chapter 18 for more information.

Chapter 1: Getting Started

System Requirements

Before installing Paint Shop Pro, make sure that your computer meets the minimum system requirements, or matches/exceeds the recommended configuration:

Minimum System Requirements

 Windows® 98SE / 2000 (SP4)/ ME / XP  300 MHz processor or faster  256 MB RAM  500 MB free disk space  16-bit display adapter at 800 x 600 resolution  Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0 or later

Recommended System Configuration

 Windows XP  1.0 GHz processor or faster  512 MB RAM  500 MB free disk space  32-bit display adapter at 1024 x 768 resolution  Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0 or later

Installing the Software

Before installing Paint Shop Pro, close any programs or applications that you have running on your computer.

To install the software:

1 Insert the Paint Shop Pro CD in your CD-ROM drive. The

installation program starts automatically.

Note: If the installation program does not start automatically, use Windows Explorer or double-click the My Computer icon, navigate to the contents of the Paint Shop Pro CD, and doubleclick the file Autorun.exe.

2 Follow the prompts to install the program.

Learning Paint Shop Pro

Learn Paint Shop Pro in a variety of ways: in addition to reading this User Guide, we encourage you to use the Help system, follow the Quick Guides in the Learning Center palette, and visit our Web site for even more learning resources.

Using the Quick Guides to Learn Common Tasks

Quick Guides are short, fast tutorials that guide you through new tasks and projects using your own image. Perform each step yourself, or have the program show you where to find the tools needed to complete the task.

To use Quick Guides:

1 Choose View > Palettes > Learning Center or press F10 to open the

Learning Center window.

Chapter 1: Getting Started

2 Click the title of a Quick Guide to view the selected topic.

Using the Help System

When you start up the Paint Shop Pro Help system (by choosing Help > Help Topics, or by pressing the F1 key) it will open to the Welcome to Paint Shop Pro page. The left side of the Help window contains the Contents tab (listing all the main Help pages), the Index tab, the Search tab, and the Favorites tab. The right side of the Help window displays the currently selected Help topic.

Most command dialogs have a Help button located along the bottom of the dialog. Click that button to open a Help topic associated with the dialog.

Context-Sensitive Help Tool

To display Help about a particular user interface item, such as a tool or button or menu item, use the Context Help button as follows:

1 Choose Help > Context Help. The cursor shape changes to: 2 Drag the cursor over the item you want to display Help for, and

then click the mouse. The Help file will open and display the Help topic associated with what you clicked.

Chapter 1: Getting Started

Using the Jasc Software Learning Center

The Jasc Software Learning Center shows you how to use Paint Shop Pro’s features to create amazing photograph enhancements and sophisticated graphics. Jasc and third-party tutorials walk you through the steps for everything from restoring old photographs to creating metallic text.

To access the Jasc Software Learning Center, use your internet browser to got to www.Jasc.com, and then click the Support link. In addition to Learning Center tutorials, you'll also find Knowledge Base articles and other helpful materials.

Using Web-Based Resources

On the Help menu of Paint Shop Pro, you can access a number of Web site pages dedicated to support issues. In the Help menu select one of the following Web site links:

 Online Support and Resources Access the Jasc Customer Care

Center to search for answers in our Knowledge Base, submit questions to Technical Support, or give us feedback.

 Register Product Online Register your copy of Paint Shop Pro

online.

 Check for Updates Check the Jasc.com Web site for updates to

Paint Shop Pro.

 Contact Information Send an e-mail message to Technical

Support.

Getting in Touch with Other Paint Shop Pro Users

Millions of people use and love Paint Shop Pro. There are many independent (non-Jasc) Paint Shop Pro communities where users share tips and tricks, ask questions, and get answers about Paint Shop Pro. There are Web sites, newsgroups, and chatrooms devoted to Paint Shop Pro. As a starting point, search online for “Paint Shop Pro.”

Popular newsgroups include forums.jasc.com as well as the Usenet newsgroup, comp.graphics.apps.paint-shop-pro. You can access newsgroups using your favorite news reader such as Microsoft Outlook Express, or an on-line news reader such as Google Groups.

CHAPTER 2

Getting to Know The Program

The Paint Shop Pro workspace includes menus, tools, toolbars, and palettes that you use to create and edit images. Becoming familiar with this workspace will help you accomplish your photo editing, painting, and drawing tasks.

Contents

Starting and Exiting Paint Shop Pro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Exploring the User Interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Using Shortcut and Function Keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Using Toolbars and Palettes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Working with Dialogs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Viewing Images. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Viewing Image Information. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Chapter 2: Getting to Know The Program

Starting and Exiting Paint Shop Pro

To start Paint Shop Pro:

 If you chose to place the Paint Shop Pro icon on your desktop

during installation, you can start the program by double-clicking this icon.

 If you chose not to place the Paint Shop Pro icon on your

desktop, start the program by clicking the Start button and choosing All Programs > Jasc Software > Jasc Paint shop Pro 9.

The first time you start Paint Shop Pro, the program displays the File Format Associations dialog. This dialog lets you assign file formats to the program so that your computer always uses Paint Shop Pro to open files in those formats. You can change associations at any time by choosing the File > Preferences > File Format Associations menu commands. For more information, see “Setting File Format Associations” on page 79.

To exit paint Shop Pro:

Exit Paint Shop Pro using one of the following methods:

 Choose File > Exit; or  Click the Close button in the upper right-hand corner of the

main window's title bar; or

 Click the Paint Shop Pro icon in the upper left-hand corner

of the main window title bar and choose Close from its menu.

Note: Note: If there are unsaved images open in the

workspace, you'll be prompted to save them before closing the program.

Exploring the User Interface

When you open Paint Shop Pro, it displays the main program window. This window is your work area. It contains the commands and tools used to create, edit, print, and export your images.

The Paint Shop Pro workspace includes the following components: Menu bar The menu bar displays commands for performing tasks.

Menus are organized by topic. For example, the Effects menu contains commands for applying effects to images.

Chapter 2: Getting to Know The Program

Toolbars The toolbars display buttons for common commands. See “Using Toolbars” on page 14.

Palettes The palettes display information and help you select tools, modify options, manage layers, select colors, and perform other editing tasks. See “Using Palettes” on page 15.

Status bar The Status bar displays text about the selected tool or menu command as well as image information, including the dimensions and color depth. See “Viewing Image Information” on page 28.

Browser Displays thumbnail previews of image files. You can open, delete, copy, and perform other file commands in the Browser. For more information, see “Using the Paint Shop Pro Browser” on page 44.

Print Layout window Displays a window on which you can arrange and size multiple images, add text captions, apply templates, and then print the images. For more information, see “Printing a Single Image” on page 446.

Using Shortcut and Function Keys

To work quickly and easily in Paint Shop Pro, learn the shortcut and function keys for common tasks. Key combinations like Ctrl + Z (Undo) and Ctrl + C (Copy) become second nature as you work, and they save time over using the mouse.

Customizing Shortcut Keys

If you don’t like the assigned function keys, you can customize the function keys to suit your needs. See “Assigning and Viewing Shortcut Keys” on page 81.

To view all assigned keys, including custom shortcuts, choose Help > Keyboard Map.

Here are the ways you can use shortcut and function keys in Paint Shop Pro:

 Use shortcut keys to execute menu commands, display palettes,

edit nodes on vector objects, and execute Browser commands. All menu commands list their shortcut keys on the menu. Shortcut keys for palettes are listed on the View > Palettes menu.

 Use shortcut keys to select tools. Move the cursor over a tool to

display a ToolTip with its shortcut key in parentheses.

 Use function keys to display a menu by pressing Alt plus the

underlined letter of the menu name (for example, press Alt + F for the File menu). Then, press the underlined letter of a menu command or scroll through menus using the arrow keys. Press ESC to return to your image without executing a command.

To display all default shortcut keys, choose Help > Keyboard Map.

Chapter 2: Getting to Know The Program

Using Toolbars and Palettes

One aspect of customizing your workspace involves the ability to dock, float, resize, and move the toolbars and palettes. The sections below describe how to work with palettes and toolbars.

To allow for palette docking:

1 Choose View > Docking Options. The Palettes tab of the

Preferences dialog appears.

2 In the Allow docking of section, mark the palettes you want to be

able to dock.

Note: Even if a palette is set for docking, by holding down Ctrl and then dragging the palette you can place it anywhere in the workspace.

Pushpin Button in a Toolbar or Palette Title Bar

Be aware of the pushpin button in the toolbar/palette's title bar as it relates to floating and docking:

When the toolbar/palette is floating:

 When the pushpin is pointing down, the toolbar/palette will

remain fully displayed when you move the cursor away from it.

 When the pushpin is pointing to the left , the toolbar/palette

will roll up so that only its title bar is visible.

When the palette is docked:

 (For palettes only) When the pushpin button is pointing down,

the palette will remain fully displayed in its docked position when you move the cursor away from it.

Chapter 2: Getting to Know The Program

 (For palettes only) When the pushpin is pointing to the left, the

palette will slide into the workspace side. You'll then see a tab with the palette name. To display the palette again, move the cursor over the tab.

The Animate Auto Hide and Quadrant Rollup Options

The way in which floating palettes roll up can be modified by two settings in the Options tab of the Customize dialog. (Choose View > Customize to display this dialog.)

 To set the speed in which floating palettes roll up, mark the

Animate Auto Hide check box, and then drag the Speed slider to the desired setting.

 To have the title bar of rolled up floating palettes move into the

nearest workspace quadrant, mark the Quadrant Rollup check box. (The Quadrant Rollup check box is marked by default.) When this box is not marked, floating palettes will roll up and their title bar will not move.

To dock a toolbar or palette:

 Double-click its title bar; or  Drag its title bar to one edge of the workspace. The toolbar or

palette snaps into place.

To float a toolbar:

 Double-click its handle; or

Chapter 2: Getting to Know The Program

 Place the cursor over the handle (you'll get the four-sided mover

icon) and drag the handle to move the toolbar away from the workspace edge. Note: The handle size and position will vary depending on the toolbar's size and whether it is vertical or horizontal.

To move an undocked toolbar or palette:

Drag its title bar to a new position.

To resize a toolbar or palette:

Click and drag the sides or corners of a toolbar or palette to change its size.

To display all toolbars and palettes:

Press Ctrl + Shift + T.

Note: To hide a specific palette, click the Close button on its title bar.

Status bar

The Status bar displays text about the selected tool or menu command, as well as image information including the dimensions, color depth, and cursor position. For more information, see “Viewing Image Information” on page 28.

Using Toolbars

The toolbars display buttons for the most common tasks. Position the cursor over a button to display a ToolTip with its name. The Status bar displays more information about the command.

Display or hide toolbars, or arrange them on the workspace. Dock a toolbar to snap it into place at an edge of a workspace, or to float it to move it anywhere on the screen.

Paint Shop Pro contains these toolbars: Standard toolbar Displays the most common commands, such as

saving images, undoing a command, and cutting items. Paint Shop Pro automatically displays this toolbar when you first run the program.

Tools toolbar Crop, paint, draw, type, and perform other image editing tasks. See “Using the Tools” on page 17.

Browser toolbar Displays commands for using the Paint Shop Pro Browser.

Effects toolbar Displays commands for applying effects to your images.

Chapter 2: Getting to Know The Program

Customizing toolbars

You can add and remove buttons from toolbars and create your own toolbars. For more information, see “Customizing Toolbars and Menus” on page 56.

Flyout menu displaying toolbars

Photo toolbar Displays commands for enhancing photos. Script toolbar Displays commands for creating and running scripts. Web toolbar Displays commands for creating and saving images for

the Web.

To execute a toolbar command:

Click the command button. If the button is greyed out, it is not available.

To display or hide a toolbar:

Do either of the following:

 Choose View > Toolbars and choose the toolbar from the menu.  Right-click any toolbar or palette, choose Toolbars, and then

choose the toolbar from the context menu.

Note: To hide a specific toolbar or the palette, click the close button on its title bar.

Using Palettes

Use palettes to choose tools and tool options, select colors, and manage layers. Display or hide palettes, or arrange them on the workspace. Dock a palette to snap it into place at an edge of a workspace, or to float it to move it anywhere on the screen.

Paint Shop Pro contains these palettes: Materials palette Select colors and materials for painting, drawing,

filling, and retouching. Refer to Chapter 10 for more information. Tool Options palette Modify options for the currently selected tool.

See “Setting Tool Options” on page 17. Layers palette View, organize, and edit image layers. See “About

Layers” on page 360. History palette Lists the actions taken on the current image, allows

you to undo and redo adjacent or non-adjacent actions, and allows you to create Quickscripts. Refer to Chapter 7 for more information.

Mixer palette Place and mix pigments for use with the Art Media tools, allowing you to create realistic oil paint strokes, as well as chalk, colored pencil, and marker strokes. Refer to Chapter 7 for more information.

Learning Center palette Displays tutorials for common tasks. See “Using the Quick Guides to Learn Common Tasks” on page 7.

Chapter 2: Getting to Know The Program

Flyout menu displaying pallets

Histogram palette Displays a graph of the distribution of red, green, blue, greyscale, hue, saturation, and lightness values in an image. Analyze the distribution of detail in the shadows, midtones, and highlights to decide how to make corrections. See “Using the Histogram to Analyze Images” on page 145.

Overview palette Displays a thumbnail view of the active image, as well as information about the image. See “Using the Overview Palette” on page 18.

Script Output palette Displays actions you take and the results of running scripts. See “About the Script Output Palette” on page 427.

Brush Variance palette Sets additional brush options. This palette is particularly useful if you have a 4D mouse or a pressure-sensitive tablet. For example, you can vary the opacity of a brush stroke by applying pressure with the stylus. You can use some options with a mouse.

To display or hide a palette:

Do one of the following:

 Choose View > Palette and choose the palette name.  Type the palette’s shortcut key (listed to the right of the name).  Right-click any palette and choose the palette name from the

context menu.

To set the docking preference of palettes:

Choose File > Preferences > General Program Preferences and click the Palettes tab of the dialog. In the Allow docking of group box, mark the check boxes of the palettes you want Paint Shop Pro to dock automatically when you drag them to the edge of the workspace.

Note

You can also open the Palettes tab of the Paint shop Pro 9 Preferences dialog by choosing View > Docking Options.

To resize a palette:

Click and drag a corner or an edge, or use the Minimize and Maximize buttons in the upper right corner.

Using the Tools

Chapter 2: Getting to Know The Program

Flyout menu displaying tools

Why some tools are inactive (greyed out)

Some tools work only on raster or vector layers. For example, the Paint Brush and Clone Brush work only on raster layers; the Object Selection tool works only on vector layers.

For information on raster and vector layers, see “About Layers” on page 360.

Use the Paint Shop Pro tools to perform actions such as crop, paint, draw, add text, and perform other image editing and creative tasks. Select a tool by clicking its button on the Tools toolbar. Some tools (for example Crop, Move, and Text) reside in their own space on the Tools toolbar. Most other tools, however, are grouped with other tools that perform similar tasks. A group of tools is denoted by a small arrow on the right side; click the arrow to reveal the other tools.

To view information about a tool, hold the cursor over it. A tool tip displays the tool name and shortcut key, and the Status bar (located along the bottom of the main Paint Shop Pro window) displays hints for using the tool.

To use a tool:

1 Click its button on the Tools toolbar. For tools that share a flyout

with other tools, click the down-arrow next to the tool and select the tool.

2 Specify options using the Tool Options palette. See “Setting Tool

Options” below.

3 Use the tool on the image.

For information on moving, hiding, and displaying the T ools toolbar , see “Using Toolbars” on page 14.

Resetting Tool Options to Default Values

To reset the Tool Options palette to the default values, click the Presets drop-list and then click the Reset to default button .

Setting Tool Options

After you select a tool from the Tools toolbar, set its options in the T ool Options palette. Options include such settings as brush size and shape for painting tools and line width for drawing tools. By default, the palette is below the Standard toolbar. The palette displays options grouped into bands, which you can minimize and drag within the palette. To display a minimized band, click its handle or right-facing arrow.

Set the options before you use the tool. You cannot edit settings in the Tool Options palette for brush strokes or objects you have already created.

Chapter 2: Getting to Know The Program

Although the items in the Tool Options palette depend upon the active tool, here are features common to all or some of the tools:

Presets Scripts that load specific settings for a tool. For more information, refer to Chapter 17.

Arrow button When more tool options are available than there is room to show them, click these buttons to reveal the additional options.

Apply button Some tools (Crop, for example) have this button. Click it to apply the changes you have made or execute the action.

Here is an example of an un-docked Tool Options palette for the Oil Brush tool:

The Overview palette

Using the Overview Palette

Display the Overview palette to preview the entire active image or to view image information. The Overview palette displays a rectangle over the part of the image visible in the image window. To show other areas of the image, click and drag this rectangle.

The Overview palette contains two tabs: Preview Displays the image preview. The image updates after you

complete an action. Transparent areas of the image appear as white. Info Displays image status information including height and width,

color depth, memory used, cursor position, rotation, and other information.

Chapter 2: Getting to Know The Program

Using Context Menus

Context menu for the Layers palette

Context menus provide quick access to commands specific to the active tool, selection, or palette.

Note

For a complete list of Context menus, choose View > Customize to open the Customize dialog. Click the Menu tab, and select a context menu from the Select context menu drop-down list.

To use a context menu:

1 Position the cursor over an image, an empty area of a palette, a

layer name on the Layers palette, a thumbnail in the Browser, or a toolbar.

2 Right-click to display the context menu. 3 Choose a command from the menu.

Working with Dialogs

The Average dialog

Dialogs are windows that open when you choose certain Paint Shop Pro commands. Use them to select and preview command options. All dialogs remember where you last positioned them on the screen and re-open in the same location.

Most dialogs have the following features in common: Preview windows Zoom and navigate to see before and after views

of changes. Presets Saved settings, or scripts, that you can use to make quick

changes to images. Use the presets that come with Paint Shop Pro or create your own. For more information on creating and using presets, refer to chapter 17.

Numeric edit controls The controls that you use to select a value. Color boxes The box you click to select a color. Randomize parameters button A button you click to try out random

settings in the dialog. Resize Handle A handle in the lower right corner of the dialog used

to change the size of the dialog.

Chapter 2: Getting to Know The Program

Using Preview Windows

The preview windows

Size the dialog

In each Paint Shop Pro dialog with preview windows, you can size the dialog by clicking and dragging a corner. Expand a dialog when you want the preview windows to be large enough to see detailed changes. You can also doubleclick the dialog title bar to maximize the dialog.

Exceptions to panning in the left preview window

In a few dialogs, the left preview window is used for making selections (such as selecting a red eye in the Red Eye Removal dialog). In these dialogs, the cursor does not change to a hand over the left preview window. Use the right preview window for panning instead.

Most dialogs that correct images, apply effects, or modify selections have two preview windows that show the image before and after changes are applied. Use the window controls to zoom the preview in or out, pan it, or proof changes on the actual image.

You can show or hide the prev iew windows. When you hide previews, use the main image window to proof changes.

To display or hide preview windows:

Click the Show/Hide Previews button .

To zoom the image preview:

Click the Zoom In or Zoom Out buttons. The zoom percentage displays next to the Zoom buttons.

To pan the image:

Do either of the following:

 Move the cursor over either preview window (the cursor changes

to a hand), and then click and drag the image.

 Click and hold the Navigate button , and then center the

selection rectangle over the part of the image you want to display.

To proof changes in the main image window:

Click the Proof button . All settings in the dialog are applied to the main image window. Each time you change settings, click the Proof button to view the changes in the main image window.

To set automatic proofing:

Click the Autoproof button . Paint Shop Pro automatically applies all dialog settings to the main

image window each time you change a setting.

Chapter 2: Getting to Know The Program

Using Preset Settings

Presets in a dialog

Numeric edit controls

Edit box

Meter bar

Using sliders to select values

Spin controls

Slider button

Presets are saved settings, or scripts, that you can use to make quick changes to images. Use the presets that come with Paint Shop Pro or create your own. For more information on creating and using presets, refer to Chapter 17.

Editing Numerical Values

To edit numbers in Paint Shop Pro dialogs, you use the Jasc numeric edit controls, which provide an easy way to edit numbers and change settings.

To edit numbers:

Do one of the following:

 To enter a specific value, click the edit box, use the Delete or

Backspace key to delete the number as needed, and then type a new value. You can also double-click the number to highlight it, and then type a new value.

Note: If you type a value in the edit box that is out of range for the control, the box turns red.

 To increase or decrease the number by one, click the up or down

arrow of the spin controls.

 To choose an approximate value, click once at a position on the

meter bar.

The color box in the New Image dialog.

 To choose from the range of possible settings, click and hold the

mouse button down on the meter bar or the slider button, drag to select a desired setting, and release the mouse.

Using Color Boxes

In some dialogs, a color box displays the currently selected color. When you move the cursor over the color box, the cursor changes to a dropper and displays the RGB values. Click the color box to select another color:

 Left-click the color box to select from the Color dialog.  Right-click the color box to select from recently used colors.

Chapter 2: Getting to Know The Program

Viewing Images

Randomizing Parameters

Many correction and effect dialogs have a Randomize parameters button. Click this button to update all dialog settings with random values. To try out a variety of settings, click the button multiple times.

To randomize settings within a dialog:

Click the Randomize parameters button .

Resizing a Dialog

All dialogs contain a Resize Handle in the lower right corner of the dialog. Click and drag the handle to resize the dialog.

An image window

Does the image have a watermark?

If the image has an embedded watermark, a copyright symbol is displayed in front of its name. For more information on watermarks, see “Using Digital Watermarks” on page 480.

The image window displays your image. You can move or size the image window or open the same image in multiple image windows (for example, to see the image at different magnifications).

The title bar at the top of the image window shows the file name and the magnification percentage. An asterisk after the filename indicates the image has been modified since you last saved it.

To see a thumbnail of the entire image, display the Overview palette.

To move an image window:

Click and drag the title bar to move an image to a new position in the workspace.

To resize an image window:

Click an edge or a corner of the image window and drag it to a new position.

If the image is larger than the window, use the scrollbars to view another area of the image.

To minimize or maximize an image window:

T o minimize an image window so that only its title bar appears, click the Minimize button located in the upper right corner of the image's title bar. Click the Restore button to display the image window at its previous size.

Chapter 2: Getting to Know The Program

To maximize an image window that it fills the Paint Shop Pro workspace, click the Maximize button located in the upper right corner of the image's title bar.

To close an image window:

Click the Close button located in the upper right corner of the image's title bar. If you have unsaved changes to the image, you'll be prompted to save the changes.

Save time by saving workspaces

Did you know that you can save entire workspaces, not just images? The workspace includes open images, their magnifications and screen positions, as well as the positions of palettes, toolbars, and windows.

For more information, see “Using Custom Workspaces” on page 54.

To open multiple views of the same image:

Choose Window > New Window or press Shift + W. A new window opens with another view of the active image. When

you make changes in one window, the other is updated.

To make a copy of the active image:

Choose Window > Duplicate or press Shift + D. A copy of the active image opens and can be edited independent

from the original image.

To arrange multiple windows:

Do either of the following:

 Choose Window > Cascade to display windows stacked and

cascading from the upper left to the lower right of the workspace.

 Choose Window > Tile Vertically or Window > Tile Horizontally to

display windows side by side vertically or horizontally. Windows are resized to fit within the workspace.

To close an image window:

Do either of the following:

 T o close an active window, choose File > Close or click the Close

button on the title bar of the image.

 To close all windows, choose Window > Close All.

If there are any unsaved changes in the images, you will be prompted to save the files.

Chapter 2: Getting to Know The Program

To see a list of all open images:

At the bottom of the Window menu the file names for all open images appear. The file names are listed in the order they were opened in Paint Shop Pro.

Tabbed Image Windows

Paint Shop Pro 9 gives you the option of displaying open images in a tabbed format.

To set this option, choose Window > Tabbed Documents. To turn off this feature and go back to the floating image windows, choose this option again.

When this option is on, the active image covers the entire workspace, and its bolded file name appears in a tab across the top of the workspace. Each open image has a separate tab. To view another image, click its tab. To access an image tab not in the current view, click the and buttons.

To close an image in tabbed format, click the Close button . Note: When the Tabbed Document option is on, the concept of

minimizing and maximizing the image window no longer applies.

Chapter 2: Getting to Know The Program

Navigating the View Area

When an image is too large to fit within its window, scroll bars appear on the bottom and right sides of the image.

To view another area of the image:

Do one of the following:

 On the Tools toolbar, choose the Pan tool , and then click and

drag in the image.

 Click and drag the horizontal or vertical scroll bar.  Press the arrow keys to move the image by small increments.  Display the Overview palette (choose View > Palettes >

Overview), and then drag the preview rectangle to a new position.

To fit the window to the image:

Choose Window > Fit to Image or press Ctrl + W.

Zooming in and out

Automatic resizing

By default, when you zoom in or out the image window is automatically resized to fit the image. To change this preference setting, see “View Preferences” on page 60.

Magnifying and Reducing the View

Magnify the view of an image (zoom in) to view and edit image details or reduce the view (zoom out) to see the overall image. The title bar of the image window displays the zoom percentage.

To zoom in:

Do one of the following:

 Zoom with the mouse wheel, roll the optional wheel on your

mouse to zoom in or out quickly.

 On the T ools toolbar choose the Zoom tool (if necessary, click

the down-arrow next to the Pan tool), and then left-click the area you want to magnify. The view magnifies to the next preset percentage with each click, up to the maximum magnification of 5000%.

 Choose the Zoom tool or the Pan tool, and then in the Tool

Options palette select a zoom percentage or click the Zoom In or Zoom In More buttons.

 Choose View > Zoom > Zoom In to magnify the view to the next

preset percentage.

 Choose View > Zoom > Zoom In More to magnify the view by five

preset percentages.

Chapter 2: Getting to Know The Program

To zoom out:

Do one of the following:

 On the T ools toolbar, select the Zoom tool (if necessary, click

the down-arrow next to the Pan tool) and then right-click the area you want to reduce. The view reduces to the previous preset percentage with each click, down to a minimum magnification of 1%.

 Choose the Zoom tool or the Pan tool, and then in the Tool

Options palette select a zoom percentage or click the Zoom Out or Zoom Out More buttons.

 Choose View > Zoom > Zoom Out to reduce the view to the next

preset percentage.

 Choose View > Zoom > Zoom Out More to reduce the view by five

preset percentages.

To magnify a specific area:

1 Choose View > Magnifier. This puts the cursor in magnifier mode. 2 Place the cursor over the part of the image you want to magnify.

The selected area is displayed at the highest percentage that will fit within the window.

3 To turn off magnifier mode, choose View > Magnifier again.

Chapter 2: Getting to Know The Program

Previewing and Editing Using the Full Screen

Previewing on the full screen

Editing using the full screen

Use the Full Screen Preview command to preview an image without any of the menus, toolbars, or palettes visible.

Use the Full Screen Edit command to expand the entire workspace, giving you the largest possible space for displaying and editing images. The palettes and toolbars are visible but the menus, Paint Shop Pro title bar, and Status bar are hidden.

To preview an image on the full screen:

1 Choose View > Full Screen Preview or press Ctrl + Shift +A. The

workspace disappears and the image displays at its current magnification.

2 To return to the Paint Shop Pro workspace, press any key.

To edit using the full screen:

1 Choose View > Full Screen Edit or press Shift + A. The menu bar

and status bar disappear. To select from a menu when using the full screen, move the

cursor to the top of the screen and left-click. The menus appear as you move the mouse along the top.

2 To return the window to its previous size, press Shift + A.

Chapter 2: Getting to Know The Program

Viewing Image Information

As you work with an image, you may want to view information about it. There are several ways to do this, as described in the sections below.

To view general image information:

 Look at the Status bar (along the bottom of the main Paint Shop

Pro window) to see the cursor position, image height and width in pixels, and the color depth.

 Display the Info tab of the Overview palette to view information

about the image. Choose View > Palettes > Overview, and then click the Info tab. The information displayed depends on what tool is selected.

To view image color information:

Choose Image > Count Image Colors to display the number of unique colors in the image.

To view detailed image information:

1 Choose Image > Image Information, or press Shift + I. 2 Do one of the following:

 Click the Image Information tab to view the file name and

format, image dimensions, resolution, and color depth, modification status, number of layers and alpha channels, and the amount of RAM and disk space used for the image as well as its selections, masks, alpha channels, and undo storage.

 Click the Creator Information tab to view or edit the image

title, artist name, copyright, description, date created, and date modified.

 Click the Watermark Information tab to view and enter

information on Digimarc watermarking.

 Click the EXIF Information tab to view information for images

taken with digital cameras. In the Section group box, mark the check boxes for the information you want to display: Input Device, Artist, Date, Image, Shot Conditions, and GPS.

CHAPTER 3

Getting Images into Paint Shop Pro

You can get images into Paint Shop Pro in a variety of ways: import images (from a digital camera, card reader, or scanner), capture images from the computer screen, duplicate an existing image or layer, or create a new image.

Contents

Importing Images from Digital Cameras and Scanners. . . . . . . . . 30

Opening Existing Images . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

Creating Images . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Capturing Images from the Computer Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

Opening Frames from Animation Shop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

Using the Paint Shop Pro Browser . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

Saving Image Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

Closing Image Files. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52

Chapter 3: Getting Images into Paint Shop Pro

Importing Images from Digital Cameras and Scanners

Running scanning software

In addition to running the scanning software from Paint Shop Pro, you can also run the software from the Windows Start menu. After you perform the scan, you then need to run Paint Shop Pro.

With Paint Shop Pro you can access and manage your images while they are in your digital camera. You can also load the images directly into Paint Shop Pro.

Before you can view and download images from a digital camera, card reader, or scanner you must install the special software (called drivers) that enables your computer to connect to the camera, card reader, or scanner. You must install this software before connecting the camera, card reader, or scanner to the computer. Refer to the documentation supplied with your camera, card reader, or scanner for more information about this software.

Determine which type of connection your camera, card reader, or scanner uses:

 WIA The default for WIA compatible computers running the

Windows XP and ME operating systems. Your camera, card reader, or scanner must support WIA.

 Mounted Drive The default for non-WIA computers, and the most

common type of connection. Some cameras and scanners, and most card readers are viewed as an additional disk drive when they are connected to the USB port of your computer.

 TWAIN Most cameras and scanners are TWAIN-compliant. Use

this setting if your camera, scanner, or card reader is TWAINcompliant.

Chapter 3: Getting Images into Paint Shop Pro

Downloading Images Using Windows XP, ME and a USB Cable

Paint Shop Pro supports the WIA connection protocol. If your computer has the Windows XP or ME operating system, your camera or scanner uses the WIA connection system, and you connect your camera or scanner to the computer using a USB cable, then Paint Shop Pro and Windows XP or ME will automatically detect when you have connected your camera to your computer.

To download from a WIA camera or scanner with Windows XP or ME:

1 Connect the camera, card reader, or scanner to the computer using

the USB cable.

2 Choose File > Import > From Scanner or Camera to download the

images to your computer.

Downloading Images From a Mounted

Viewing EXIF Data

EXIF stands for Exchangeable Image File Format. If your camera supports this standard, it will record the time & date the image was taken, exposure information (ISO, shutter, aperture) and other camera details in the header of each image file. To view EXIF data, choose Image > Image Information to open the Current Image Information dialog, and then click the EXIF Information tab.

Drive

Some cameras, card readers, and scanners display as a separate drive (assigned a drive letter) on your computer. For example, your camera may display as My Computer\Removable Disk (G:).

To download from a camera, card reader, or scanner that appears as a mounted drive:

1 Choose File > Open to open the Open dialog. Or choose File >

Browse and use the browser to locate the images on the mounted

drive.

2 Navigate to the drive for your camera, card reader, or scanner. 3 Locate the images that you want to download in a folder or sub-

folder of that drive.

4 Select the images that you want to download and click Open to

open the images in Paint Shop Pro.

Chapter 3: Getting Images into Paint Shop Pro

Importing Images Using the TWAIN Interface

To import images using the TWAIN interface:

1 Choose File > Import > TWAIN > Select Source. The Select Source

dialog lists the TWAIN-compliant devices connected to your computer.

What does your image need?

Here are some edits your digital photograph may need:

 Crop the image. Cropping

reduces the amount of memory the image uses and eliminates extra areas of color, which may allow you to make better color corrections.

 Correct colors or retouch parts of

the image.

Note: You only need to select the source the first time you connect to the camera, card reader, or scanner.

2 Click the name of the device, then click Select. 3 Choose File > Import > TWAIN > Acquire to run the device’s

software.

4 Do one of the following:

 For scanners, perform the scan using the device’s software.

(Refer to the scanner manufacturer’s documentation for details.)

 For digital cameras, an Import dialog displays. Select the

images that you want to download, and then click Download.

When the device and software finish processing the image, the image is sent to Paint Shop Pro and placed in an image window. The software remains open so you can continue to acquire images or close the software.

5 Click the Paint Shop Pro icon in the Windows task bar to display

Paint Shop Pro and your image.

6 Choose File > Save As to save the image.

Opening Existing Images

You can open images in a variety of file formats. The list of formats you can open in Paint Shop Pro appears in the Open dialog.

You can select which formats Paint Shop Pro displays as available to open.

You can open a file using the Open dialog or the Browser or by choosing a recently used file from the File > Recent Files menu. With the Open dialog, you can view a preview of each image file that you select. With the Browser, you can view previews of all image files within a folder. When you open a file via the Browser, the Browser window stays open until you close it.

To open an image file using the Open dialog:

1 Do one of the following:

 Choose File > Open.  Click the Open button .

Chapter 3: Getting Images into Paint Shop Pro

From open to browse

While opening a file from the Open dialog, you may decide you want to preview all files in a folder. Click the Browse button to open the Browser.

 Press Ctrl + O.

2 In the Look in drop-down list, select the folder where the file is

stored.

3 Click the name of the file you want to open. To select multiple

files, press Ctrl and click each name.

4 To view information or a preview of the image, choose an option:

Details Click this button to open a pop-up that displays

information about the selected image. Click OK to close this popup.

Show preview Mark this check box to display the selected image in the preview area. If you have selected multiple files, no preview is displayed; use the Browse window instead.

5 Click Open.

To open an image file using the Browser:

1 Do one of the following:

 Choose File > Browse; or  Click the Browse button ; or  Press Ctrl + B.

Chapter 3: Getting Images into Paint Shop Pro

The Browse window opens. Note that the Paint Shop Pro menu bar displays commands specific to when the Browse window is active. The Browse menu is active until you open a new file or click an open image.

2 In the left side of the Browse window you’ll see the Find and

Info tabs. Use the Find tab like you would Windows Explorer to navigate and then select the folder that contains the file you want to open. Use the Info tab to display image information on a selected image. The right side of the Browse window displays thumbnails of image files located in the selected folder.

Explore the Browser

For more information on using the Browser, see “Using the Paint Shop Pro Browser” on page 44.

3 Select files using one of these methods:

 Click a thumbnail image; or  To select non-adjacent files, hold down Ctrl and click each

file; or

 To select adjacent files, click the first file, hold down Shift,

and click the last file.

Note: To deselect a file, press Ctrl and click its thumbnail.

4 Open the selected file(s) using one of these methods:

 Double-click a single file’s thumbnail or Ctrl + double-click

one thumbnail when multiple files are selected; or

 Select a file or multiple files and then drag them onto a blank

part of the work space; or

 Press Enter; or  Right-click and select Open from the context menu; or  Choose Image File > Open.

After the file or files open, you can close the Browse window by clicking its Close button. You may also want to leave the Browse window open in the workspace.

To open a recently used file:

Choose File > Recent Files and then choose the file name. By default, the Recent Files menu lists four recently used files. You

can include up to 10 files. For more information, refer to the Miscellaneous Preferences details in Chapter 4.

Creating Images

Chapter 3: Getting Images into Paint Shop Pro

About Raster and Vector Graphics

Computer graphics are of two types: raster (also called bitmap) or vector. With Paint Shop Pro, you create both raster and vector images, as well as images with Art Media content. You can also create an image with both raster and vector layers (or Art Media layers). It’s important to understand the differences between the two data types.

Raster Images

Raster images are composed of individual elements, called pixels, arranged in a grid. Each pixel has a specific location and color. If you magnify raster data, you can see the individual pixels as squares of colors.

An object in a raster image is defined by its pixels. For example, the front door in an image of a house is made up of a mosaic of pixels at certain locations in the image. In bitmap images you edit pixels rather than objects or shapes.

Raster images can display subtle changes in tones and colors, so they are most often used for images like photographs and digital artwork. Raster images contain a fixed number of pixels, so when you magnify the image you are magnifying the display size of the pixels. As a result, raster images can display jagged rather than smooth edges if magnified on screen or printed at a large magnification.

Vector Graphics

Vector graphics or images use geometric characteristics—lines, curves, and their locations—to define objects. For example, a door in a graphic of a house is made up of a rectangle with a certain width and height at a specific location and filled with a certain color. In vector images you edit objects or shapes rather than pixels.

Vector graphics do not lose clarity or detail when scaled to any size or printed at any resolution. They work well for technical illustrations or corporate logos.

Chapter 3: Getting Images into Paint Shop Pro

Choosing Raster or Vector

In Paint Shop Pro, you create and edit raster and vector data on separate layers. With some tools you create raster data (like brush strokes with the Paint tool) and with other tools (like the Text and Preset Shapes tools) you can choose whether you want to create raster or vector data.

In general, use vector objects when you’ll need to edit the object as an element separate from other parts of the image. For example, if you add a star to an image, you may want to change its size, color or location. This is easier if the star is a vector object. You can create raster data on separate layers so you can easily edit or move them.

To apply tools or commands to vector objects that work only on raster data (such as the painting tools or the effects commands), you can create a raster selection of a vector object. Then, paste the selection to a new raster layer.

About Image Size, Resolution, and Color Depth

Before you create a new image, think about how you will use it. For example, will you display the image on a Web site, send it as an email attachment, or print it? How you use the image helps you determine the image’s size, resolution, and color depth. All three elements also contribute to the file size of the image.

Image Size The physical dimensions of the image. In Paint Shop Pro you define image height and width in pixels, inches, centimeters, or millimeters.

 For printed images for which you know the size you need, use

inches, centimeters, or millimeters. By starting with the final image dimensions, you can produce an image that will fit the page.

 For printed images that you will import into another software

package (such as a word processor) and resize as needed, use whichever unit is easiest for you.

 For images to be displayed on screen, use pixels.

You can resize an image after you have created it, but doing so may result in loss of image data. For more information, refer to the Resizing Images details in Chapter 7.

Chapter 3: Getting Images into Paint Shop Pro

Image Resolution The number of pixels per inch (ppi) or pixels per centimeter in images. It is important to select an appropriate resolution. Too low a resolution causes pixelation, or large pixels that produce coarse output. Too high a resolution adds to an image’s memory requirements without producing a proportional increase in its quality.

Typical image resolutions are as follows:

 For images displayed on Web pages, use 72 or 96 ppi.  For images printed to a high-quality printer, set the image

resolution to one-half to one-quarter of the actual printer resolution. For example, for a laser printer with a resolution of 600 dots per inch (dpi), use an image resolution of 150 to 300 ppi.

Color Depth The number of colors that a pixel can display. Each pixel’s color information is stored in a certain number of computer bits—from 1 bit to 24 bits. In a 1-bit image, each pixel can display only one of two colors (black or white). In a 24-bit image, each pixel can display one of 16 million colors. Images with a color depth of 16 million colors look best because they contain the most colors, but they also require the most memory to store and edit. Not all computer monitors can display 16 million colors, so some file formats limit the number of supported colors. For example, GIF images, a popular format for the W eb, contain up to 256 colors (8-bit depth).

Many of Paint Shop Pro’s effect and correction commands work on 16 million color images only. Therefore, its best to create most images using 16 million colors. When you have finished working on the image, you can decrease its color depth and save it in another format.

For more information, see “Understanding Color Depth” on page 260.

Chapter 3: Getting Images into Paint Shop Pro

Creating an Image

You can create a new image by creating a blank image or by using another image as a starting point.

For information on using other images, see “Creating New Images from Existing Images” on page 39.

When you create a new blank image, you select the image size and resolution, along with the color depth and background color and material. It’s important to choose a size and resolution that fits with your desired output type and output quality. For more information, see “About Image Size, Resolution, and Color Depth” on page 36.

To create a new image:

1 Do one of the following to open the New Image dialog:

 Choose File > New; or  Press Ctrl + N; or  Click the New Image button on the toolbar.

2 Choose the image dimensions:

 To select a preset size for the new image, in the Presets drop-

list choose a standard size for print materials (such as 4” x 6” or letter) or computer screens (such as 640 x 480 pixels). The Presets list defaults to the Last Used option, which specifies the settings that were used the last time you created a new image.

 To create an image using specific dimensions, in the Image

Dimensions group box, set the following options:

Units The units of the dimensions (pixels, inches, centimeters,

or millimeters).

Width The width of the new image. Height The height of the new image. Resolution The resolution of the new image. Specify the

resolution units (pixels/inch or pixels/cm) in the drop-down list.

3 In the Image Characteristics group box, select from these

options:

Chapter 3: Getting Images into Paint Shop Pro

Raster Background, Vector Background, or Art Media Background The type of the bottommost layer. Choose a raster

background for most photographic applications. Choose a vector layer if you are creating vector graphics. Choose an Art Media layer if you are creating an image with the Art Media tools.

Color Click in the Color box and set the background color or material.

 For raster images, click the color box to select from the

Material dialog (for 16 million color images) or the image palette (for images of all other color depths). To choose a transparent background (for greyscale or 16 million color images only), mark the Transparent check box. For more information on choosing colors or materials, refer to Chapter

10.

 For vector images, you only need to choose the color depth.

Vector images start with a transparent vector layer. Note: The Memory Required field displays the amount of

memory required for the image. Your computer should have at least two to three times this amount of RAM. To reduce the memory requirement, reduce the resolution or the dimensions of the image.

Canvas texture This is available only when Art Media

Background is selected. Select a canvas texture from the droplist, and then a fill color for the texture. (Uncheck the Enable fill color option if you do not want a fill the chosen texture with a color.) Art Media tool strokes applied to the texture will take on the properties (bumpy, smooth, etc.) of the texture you choose.

4 Click OK. The new image opens in the work space.

Creating New Images from Existing Images

You can use a copy of an existing image or a layer to create a new image. You can also create an image from any graphic data copied to the Windows clipboard from Paint Shop Pro.

To duplicate an entire image:

1 Open the image you want to duplicate. 2 Choose Window > Duplicate or press Shift + D. A new window

containing the image opens in the work space.

Chapter 3: Getting Images into Paint Shop Pro

To create a new image from a layer of another image:

1 On the Layers palette, click the layer you want to copy. 2 Choose Edit > Copy.

Note: If you use the Cut or Copy commands, the current selection

or layer is placed on the clipboard.

3 Choose Edit > Paste > As New Image. A new image window

opens in the work space. The layer you copied is now the background of the new image.

To create a new image from a layered image:

1 On the Layers palette, click a layer. 2 Choose Edit > Copy Merged.

Note: All layers are merged into one layer and placed on the

clipboard.

3 Choose Edit > Paste > As New Image. A new image window

opens in the work space. The new image contains all layers merged into one raster layer.

To create a new image from clipboard data:

1 Cut or copy a selection or layer of an image, or an item from

another program.

2 Choose Edit > Paste > As New Image. The clipboard data is

pasted as a new image. If this command is greyed out, then the data you have copied to the clipboard cannot be pasted as a Paint Shop Pro image.

Note: A dialog may appear requesting additional information such as width and height of the new image window. You can change your preferences so that Paint Shop Pro does not prompt for size and options when you paste data. Refer to the preferences information in Chapter 4.

Chapter 3: Getting Images into Paint Shop Pro

Capturing Images from the Computer Screen

You can take a picture, called a screen capture, of all or part of the computer screen. You can then edit and save the screen capture in Paint Shop Pro. Before you capture screens you should configure the screen capture options.

Setting Screen Capture Options

Use the Capture Setup dialog to select how you want to capture, how

Add the capture icons to a toolbar

If you frequently capture screens, you may want to create a new toolbar containing the icons for the screen capture command. Refer to Chapter 4 for details.

you activate the screen capture, and to set other options.

To set screen capture options:

1 Choose File > Import > Screen Capture > Setup to open the

Capture Setup dialog.

2 In the Capture group box, select the type of capture:

Area Captures an area of the screen that you select by clicking

once at one corner of the area and clicking again at the opposite corner.

Full screen Captures the entire computer screen. Client area Captures the contents of the active program. Window Captures the active window. If a dialog is open, this

option captures the dialog. If no dialog is open, this option captures the active application.

Object Captures an object within a program, such as a menu bar, toolbar, icon, or a document window. When you initiate the capture, you move the cursor over an object and it is highlighted with a rectangle.

3 In the Activate capture using group box, select the method for

activating the screen capture:

Right mouse click A right mouse click activates a capture. Hot key A key (such as F11) or key combination (such as Shift +

F1) activates a capture. Select the option, then click the dropdown list to select a key or key combination.

Delay timer The screen capture is taken a certain number of seconds after you start the screen capture.

Chapter 3: Getting Images into Paint Shop Pro

Note: These options select the method for activating the capture

after you have started the screen capture feature. To start the screen capture, you click the Capture Now button on this dialog, or at the Paint Shop Pro work space press Shift + C or choose

File > Import > Screen Capture > Start.

4 In the Options group box, select from the following options:

Include cursor Mark this check box to include the cursor in

screen captures. This check box is not available for area captures. Multiple captures Mark this check box when you want to take

multiple captures one after the other. S tart the screen capture, and then press the hot key to activate it multiple times. Clear this check box to have Paint Shop Pro display after you take one screen capture.

5 Do one of the following:

 To start the screen capture feature immediately, click Capture

Now. Screen capture settings are saved and Paint Shop Pro

minimizes to the task bar. Use the hot key to activate the screen capture. See “Capturing Images from the Computer Screen” on page 41.

How do I capture a Paint Shop Pro screen?

Open two copies of Paint Shop Pro. In one copy, set up the screen capture options and start the capture feature (press Shift + C), which minimizes the software. Display the other Paint Shop Pro and press the hot key to activate the capture.

 To save the settings, click OK.

Capturing a Screen

Once you have configured the screen capture settings, you can begin capturing screens.

When you are finished, you can edit the screen captures as needed and save the image in Paint Shop Pro. For information about saving images, see “Saving Image Files” on page 49.

To capture a screen:

1 Open or display Paint Shop Pro. 2 To start the screen capture feature, do one of the following:

 Choose File > Import > Screen Capture > Start.  Press Shift + C.

Paint Shop Pro minimizes to the Windows task bar.

3 Open or display the image or window that you want to capture.

Chapter 3: Getting Images into Paint Shop Pro

4 To activate the screen capture, right-click or press the hot key

(such as F10) you chose during setup. If you chose Full Screen, Client Area, or Window during setup,

the screen, area, or window is captured.

5 For Area and Object captures, select the area or object to capture:

 For Area captures, click at the top corner of the area you want

to capture, then move the cursor to the bottom corner and click again. As you move the cursor a rectangle displays the selection area.

 For Object captures, move the cursor until the area you want

is highlighted (with a black rectangle around it), then click to activate the capture.

6 If you selected to take multiple captures during setup, you can

now take another capture. Right-click or press the hot key for each screen capture. When you are finished, click the Paint Shop Pro button in the Windows task bar.

Opening Frames from Animation Shop

Paint Shop Pro allows you to bring in selected frames from Jasc Animation Shop. After exporting the frames, you can use Paint Shop Pro's image editing arsenal to modify the frames before sending them back to Animation Shop.

Before opening Animation Shop frames in Paint Shop Pro, be aware of the Export option in the Animation Shop Preferences (this option affects how selected animation frames open in Paint Shop Pro).

To set the export options in Animation Shop:

1 In Animation Shop, choose File > Preferences > General Program

Preferences, and choose the Layered Files tab. The first option is a

check box labeled "Export frames to Paint Shop Pro as layered images."

2 Your choices are:

 If you mark this check box, when you subsequently select

multiple animation frames for export to Paint Shop Pro, the frames will be contained as individual layers within one Paint Shop Pro image.

 If you do NOT mark this check box, when you subsequently

select multiple animation frames for export to Paint Shop Pro, each frame will open as its own Paint Shop Pro image file.

Chapter 3: Getting Images into Paint Shop Pro

To open frames from Animation Shop:

1 In Animation Shop, select the frames you want to export to Paint

Shop Pro. Only selected frames will be exported.

2 Choose File > Export Frames > To Paint Shop Pro.

If Paint Shop Pro is already open, it will become the active application, and the selected frame(s) will appear. If Paint Shop Pro was not open, it will start up, and the selected frame(s) will appear.

Important Notes about Interactivity

 While animation frames are open in Paint Shop Pro, the two

programs are “linked,” meaning that modifications made on the frames in Paint Shop Pro can be automatically updated to the associated animation in Animation Shop. (To do so, in Paint Shop Pro, choose Edit > Update Back to Animation Shop). You can, however, break this link. To do so, in Animation Shop, choose File > Export Frames > Break Link with Exported Frames. You can also break the link by closing the images in Paint Shop Pro without saving changes.

 If you also have an older version of Paint Shop Pro, be aware that

Animation Shop will export selected frames to the most recently used version of Paint Shop Pro.

Using the Paint Shop Pro Browser

With the Paint Shop Pro Browser, you can view, open, sort, and manage your files.

When you open the Browser window (or when the Browser is the active window), you'll notice that the menu bar instantly changes into Browser mode. This provides a variety of options for selecting files to open and for renaming, moving, copying, and deleting files.

The Image Browser contains two tabs, Find and Info, in the left side of the Browser window. The Find tab contains the familiar Windows Explorer-like navigation view, and the Info tab displays image information, creator data, and EXIF data. Additionally, with the Browser active you can choose File > Sort and use the Sorting dialog to sort images by EXIF data.

Chapter 3: Getting Images into Paint Shop Pro

To open the Browser:

Choose File > Browse, or press Ctrl + B, or press the Browse button on the Standard toolbar.

To select all files in a folder:

On the Browser menu, choose Edit > Select All or press Ctrl + A.

To deselect all files in a folder:

On the Browser menu, choose Edit > Select None or press Ctrl + D .

To select files by file characteristics:

1 On the Browser menu, choose File > Select.

In the Select dialog, you can select files that have specific file or image attributes, such as name, file extension, size, width, bits per pixel, and date.

2 Select the file and image attributes, then click OK.

To change the order of thumbnails:

Click the file’s thumbnail and drag it to a new position within the same folder.

To sort thumbnails by file characteristics:

While in Browser mode, the Sorting dialog contains options for sorting images via their EXIF data.

1 Choose File > Sort to open the Thumbnail Sort dialog. 2 In the Sort condition drop-list of either the Primary sort order or

the Secondary sort order sections, choose the desired options to sort by (for example, you can sort by EXIF data), and then click

OK.

Note: Sorting thumbnails is a one-time operation. The thumbnails

will not remain sorted if you add new images or change the properties of the existing files. New images are always added to the end of the list.

To invert which files are selected:

Choose Edit > Invert Selection. All selected thumbnails are deselected and all unselected thumbnails are selected.

Chapter 3: Getting Images into Paint Shop Pro

To rename files:

1 Press Ctrl + R or right-click the thumbnail and select Rename from

the context menu.

2 Type the new filename. The Browser does not automatically add

an extension.

3 Click OK.

To copy files:

1 Press Ctrl + Y or right-click the thumbnail and select Copy To from

the context menu.

2 Select the folder to copy the file to. 3 Click OK.

Copying one image into another image

You can copy the layers of one image into another image. See “Cutting, Copying, and Pasting” on page 160.

To paste files to other applications that support OLE functions:

Press Alt and click the file’s thumbnail, drag it to the application’s button in the Window task bar until the application opens, then move the cursor to the application and release the mouse button.

You can paste images into any applications that support meta files, DIBs, and BMPs, such as Microsoft Word. If the image has more than one layer, all layers are automatically merged.

To move files:

Do one of the following:

 Click the file’s thumbnail and drag it to a different folder in the

left pane of the Browse window. You can also select several thumbnails and drag them to a new folder.

 Select the file or files, then press Ctrl + M or right-click the

thumbnail and choose Move To from the context menu. At the Browse for Folder dialog, select the desired folder and click OK.

To delete files:

1 Select the file or files you want to delete. 2 Press Ctrl + Delete or right-click the file’s thumbnail and select

Delete from the context menu.

To find files:

1 Choose File > Find Name to open the Find dialog.

Chapter 3: Getting Images into Paint Shop Pro

2 Enter the search criteria and click Find Next or Find All to display

the search results in the Browser window.

To rotate files:

1 Select the files that you want to rotate. 2 Choose ImageFile > JPEG Lossless Rotation, and then choose an

option to rotate the selected files.

Using the Find Tab in the Browser

The Image Browser includes two tabbed panes on the left side, the Find tab (for navigation) and the Info tab (for displaying image information).

Use the Find tab's familiar Windows Explorer-like controls to navigate to the folder containing the desired images. To use the tab:

1 If it is not already open, start up the Image Browser. The Find tab

will be the active tab.

2 Using the Windows Explorer-like interface, navigate to the folder

containing the desired images. Thumbnails of the folder's images will appear on the right side of the window.

Note: To modify how the thumbnails are displayed, choose File > Preferences > General Program Preferences (or right-click in the

workspace and choose General Program Preferences from the context menu) and then choose the Browser tab. Make the desired settings in this tab to affect the Image Browser.

Using the Info Tab in the Browser

Use the Info tab to display pertinent image information, such as creator details as well as EXIF details for digital photos. To use the tab:

Chapter 3: Getting Images into Paint Shop Pro

1 If it is not already open, start up the Image Browser. 2 Click the Info tab located in the upper left portion of the Browser

window.

3 Click an image thumbnail to view its details in the Info tab. If

you're browsing digital camera images, the EXIF data associated with the image will appear in the Details section of this tab.

Updating Thumbnails

When you open a folder in the Browser, Paint Shop Pro creates thumbnails for all supported graphic images and stores them in a file called PspBrwse.jbf. Every folder you have opened in the Browser has a copy of this thumbnail file. Paint Shop Pro uses this file to display thumbnails more quickly each time you open a folder.

The default preference setting is to have the thumbnails file update automatically every time you open the folder. To change this preference, use the Browser tab in the General Program Preferences dialog.

Occasionally you may want to update the thumbnails with the Update Thumbnails command. For example, if you have used Windows Explorer to delete or add a file in a folder, you can choose File > Update Thumbnails, or press F5 to update the thumbnails file. (You can also open the folder again in the Browser for Paint Shop Pro to update it automatically.)

After a thumbnail file is created, new files are appended to the end of the thumbnails list. To sort the list alphabetically or by other characteristics, choose File > Sort.

Saving Image Files

Paint Shop Pro has a native .PspImage format that supports layers, alpha channels, and other features you use to create images. You will find it convenient to save an image in this format while you are working on it and then convert it to a different format after you have finished.

Using Autosave

You can use the Autosave feature to save your files automatically at specified intervals. This can prevent you from losing your work if your computer shuts down unexpectedly. For more information, please refer to “Setting Autosave Preferences” on page 67.

Compressing a .PspImage File

Chapter 3: Getting Images into Paint Shop Pro

Always save a .PspImage version of your file

To be able to use all Paint Shop Pro features, we recommend you save and edit your files in .PspImage format with a color depth of 16 million colors. You can then use the Save As or Export command to save a copy of the file in the desired output format. Your original image stays intact in case you need to make changes to it later.

An image file in the .PspImage format can be saved without compression, or it can be compressed to save space. Both of the compression methods that Paint Shop Pro uses are lossless, and reduce the file size without losing any image information. Saving a file without compressing it is the quicker method, but it requires more hard disk space.

Paint Shop Pro uses two compression methods:

 Run length encoding (RLE), which is fast and compresses most

multi-layered images to about 75% of their original sizes. It works well with images that contain large areas of the same color.

 LZ77 compression, which is slower than RLE, but can compress

an image to a smaller size than RLE. It works well with photorealistic images.

Choose a compression option by clicking the Options button in the various save dialogs.

Saving an Image

You can easily save an image with the same file name and location. Note that this will overwrite the original image with the modified image. To save the image using a different name or file format, choose File > Save As.

Chapter 3: Getting Images into Paint Shop Pro

To save an image:

To automatically save the image with the same file name and location (overwriting the original image with the modified image):

 Choose File > Save.  Press Ctrl + S .  Click the Save button on the toolbar.

Saving a New Image File

The first time you save an image, Paint Shop Pro automatically opens the Save As dialog, where you select a location, name, and format for the image. After this, Paint Shop Pro saves changes to the original image without opening the dialog.

To save a new image:

1 Choose File > Save, press Ctrl + S, or click the Save button on

the toolbar to open the Save As dialog.

2 Use the Save In drop-down list to navigate to the folder in which

you want to save the image file. If you frequently save files to the same folder, click the Favorites folder and select a folder from the list.

3 In the File Name field, type a name for the file. 4 To save the file in a new format, select the format from the Save

As Type list.

5 If the file format has save options, click the Options button to

open the Save Options dialog. Select new settings, if appropriate. If you are unsure of the settings, use the default values. Click OK to return to the Save As dialog.

6 Click Save to close the dialog and save the file.

You can have Paint Shop Pro display the last used file type when opening this dialog. Select this option in the Dialogs and Palettes Preferences tab of the General Program Preferences dialog.

Chapter 3: Getting Images into Paint Shop Pro

Saving an Image File in its Original Format

When you save an image and then edit it, the image title bar displays a Modified tag (an asterisk) after the file’s name to indicate the file has been modified. This tag disappears each time you save the file; it reappears when you again edit the image.

Saving an Image in a New File Format

If you want to save a file in another format, use the Save As command.

To save a file:

1 Choose File > Save As or press F12 to open the Save As dialog. 2 Navigate to and open the folder in which you want to save the

image file.

3 To rename the image file, type a new name in the File name field.

4 In the Save as type drop-down list, select a new format. 5 If the file format has save options, click the Options button to

open the Save Options dialog. Select new settings, if appropriate. If you are unsure of the settings, use the default values. Click OK to return to the Save As dialog.

6 Click Save to save the image file and close the dialog.

Saving a Copy of an Image

When you save an image using the Save Copy As command, you are copying the original file, not saving it. Use this command to save a version of a file without affecting the original. The dialog contains all the same features as the Save As dialog.

Note

When using the Save Copy As command:

 The modifier tag is not affected. It does not disappear from the

title bar.

 The file name does not change. The copy is titled “Image Name.”  Paint Shop Pro saves the copy to the same directory and in the

same format that was last used with the Save Copy As command (not the Save As command).

Chapter 3: Getting Images into Paint Shop Pro

To save a copy of an image:

1 Choose the File > Save Copy As or press Ctrl + F12 to open the

Save Copy As dialog.

2 Use the Save In drop-down list to navigate to a new folder if you

want to save the copy in a different folder. If necessary, use the Up One Level button to help navigate, or the Create New Folder button to create a new folder.

3 In the File Name box, type a name for the file. 4 To save the file in a different format, select the format from the

Save As Type drop-down list.

5 If the file format has save options, click the Options button to

open the Save Options dialog. Select new settings, if appropriate. If you are unsure of the settings, use the default values. Click OK to return to the Save As dialog.

6 Click Save to save a copy of the file.

Note

 For information about saving several images in a new file format,

refer to Chapter 17.

 For information about optimizing images for the Web, refer to

Chapter 19.

Closing Image Files

To close an Image, choose File > Close, or click the Close button on the image window's title bar. If you haven't saved changes to the image, you'll be prompted to do so.

CHAPTER 4

Customizing Paint Shop Pro

By setting up Paint Shop Pro to appear and respond in ways that best suit your work, you’ll not only create a better user experience, but you’ll likely find yourself working faster and more efficiently. This chapter describes the various ways you can customize Paint Shop Pro.

Contents

Note

CMYK Conversion Preferences are covered in Chapter 16, Printing Images.

Using Custom Workspaces. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

Customizing Toolbars and Menus. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56

Setting General Program Preferences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59

Setting Autosave Preferences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67

Setting File Locations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67

Setting File Format Preferences. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73

Setting File Format Associations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79

Resetting Application Preferences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80

Assigning and Viewing Shortcut Keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81

Adjusting Monitor Display Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84

Chapter 4: Customizing Paint Shop Pro

Using Custom Workspaces

The Paint Shop Pro workspace is made up of all the program’s palettes, toolbars, and open images. You may find that the way you arrange the workspace while editing photos may differ from your arrangement for using the Web tools. Fortunately, Paint Shop Pro allows you to save any number of workspace arrangements, allowing you to load the specific workspace that best suits the work you intend to do.

Saving Workspaces

When you save a workspace, Paint Shop Pro saves the information in a .PspWorkspace file. The following information is stored:

 Ruler, grid, and guide information  Menu, palette, and toolbar settings, locations, and docking status  Browser window position (if open)  Full screen edit mode status  Open images, including the images zoom levels and scroll bar

locations

Note: Workspace files do not include an actual copy of any open images. Workspace files only reference the name and location of an image. If you delete an image from your computer, it will not display in a workspace.

To save the current workspace:

1 Choose File > Workspace > Save or press Shift + Alt + S to open

the Save Workspace dialog.

2 To save the workspace in a folder other than the program default

folder, click the File Locations button.

3 In the New Workspace Name field, type a name for the new

workspace.

4 Click Save.

If your workspace contains any modified images that you have not saved, you will be prompted to save the changes to your image. Choose from these options:

Yes Saves the image changes and saves the workspace.

Chapter 4: Customizing Paint Shop Pro

No Saves the workspace, but does not save the changes to your image.

Cancel The workspace is not saved.

Loading Workspaces

Quick Access to Workspaces

Load a recently used workspace by choosing it from the list of recent workspaces located at the bottom of the File > Workspace menu.

To load a workspace:

1 Choose File > Workspace > Load or press Shift + Alt + L to open

the Load Workspace dialog.

2 Select the workspace file you want to load.

Note: To load a workspace not displayed in the dialog, click the

File Locations button and use the File Locations dialog to make the desired workspace folder the active directory.

3 Click Load.

Workspace files do not include an actual copy of any open images. W orkspace files only reference the name and location of an image. If you delete an image from your computer, it will not display in a workspace.

If you had two windows open for the same image when you saved the workspace, they both open again.

If an image from the workspace is already open, Paint Shop Pro applies the workspace settings to the open image.

Deleting Saved Workspaces

To delete a saved workspace:

1 Choose File > Workspace > Delete or press Shift + Alt + D to open

the Workspace dialog.

2 Select the workspace file you want to delete. 3 Click Delete.

Chapter 4: Customizing Paint Shop Pro

Customizing Toolbars and Menus

Paint shop Pro 9 gives you almost total control over the program’s toolbars, allowing you to:

 Move commands from toolbar to toolbar.  Add almost any command to any toolbar.  Add your own custom scripts to toolbars (Refer to Chapter 17).  Create your own custom toolbar.

Customizing Toolbars

When you display the Customize dialog, the entire Paint Shop Pro workspace transforms into customize mode. You can click and drag almost any menu command or tool to any other menu or toolbar. You can add or delete commands from the menus on the Menu Bar. All this can be done with the Commands and Toolbars tabs of the Customize dialog.

Right-click access to Customize dialog

Another way to access the Customize dialog is to right-click in the Menu bar, Tool palette, or Tool Options palette, and then choose

Customize from the context menu.

To access the toolbar customize mode:

1 To open the Customize dialog, choose View > Customize. You can

click back and forth between tabs to access the controls you need.

2 After making your changes, click Close.

To select which toolbars are displayed:

 Choose View > Toolbars, and select the toolbar that you want to

display; or

 Choose View > Customize to open the Customize dialog. Click

the T oolbars tab, and mark the checkbox for the toolbars that you want to display, and then click Close.

To select which Menu Bar is displayed:

1 Click the Menu tab. 2 In the Application Frame Menus group box, select an option from

the Show Menus for drop down list: Default This set of commands displays when no images are open. Image This set of commands displays when images are open. Browser This set of commands displays when the Browser is the

active window.

Chapter 4: Customizing Paint Shop Pro

To reset a Menu Bar:

1 Click the Menu tab. 2 In the Application Frame Menus group box, select the menu you

want to reset from the Show Menus for drop-down list.

3 Click the Reset button.

To move a command button or tool:

While in Customize mode, drag the item to another palette or toolbar.

To add commands or tools to a toolbar:

1 Click the Commands tab of the Customize dialog. 2 From the Categories list, select a category. Paint Shop Pro groups

related commands into categories. For example, click the File category to display all File menu commands. To list all Paint Shop Pro commands at once, choose All Commands.

3 From the Commands list, click and drag a command to a toolbar.

To remove commands or tools from a toolbar

 Drag the item to an empty workspace area or an empty area

outside a toolbar. Release the mouse button when you see the cursor change to this shape: ; or

 Right-click on the item and choose Delete from the context

menu.

To reset all toolbars:

1 Click the Toolbars tab. 2 Click the Reset All button. All toolbars will revert to the

program’s default settings.

To reset a specific toolbar:

1 Click the Toolbars tab. 2 In the Toolbars list, select the name of the toolbar to reset. 3 Click the Reset button. The selected toolbar will revert to the

program’s default settings.

Chapter 4: Customizing Paint Shop Pro

To add a separator to a toolbar:

1 Choose View > Customize to display the Customize dialog. 2 Right-click a button in the toolbar to which you’ll be adding the

separator, and then choose Include Separator from the context menu that appears. This adds a separator to the left of the button you clicked.

Note: To rearrange a button relation to the separator, hold down Alt and drag the button to the desired location.

To delete a separator from a toolbar:

1 Choose View > Customize to display the Customize dialog. 2 Right-click the toolbar button directly to the right of the

separator. This displays the context menu. Notice the check mark next to the Start Group item.

3 Select the Include Separator item to remove the check mark and

the separator.

Creating a New Toolbar

You can create a custom tool bar with your favorite commands and tools.

To create a new toolbar:

1 Choose View > Customize to open the Customize dialog. 2 Click the Toolbars tab. 3 Click New to open the Toolbar name dialog. 4 Type a name for the new toolbar and click OK. You’ll see a small,

empty toolbar.

5 Drag this new toolbar off to the side of the Customize dialog so

you can see it better.

6 To add commands to it, choose the Commands tab in the

Customize dialog.

7 Under Categories, choose the menu containing commands you

want to load onto your custom toolbar.

8 Drag command icons into the new toolbar. Add separator bars, if

necessary, as described above.

9 When you’re done adding commands, click Close. Your custom

toolbar is now listed when you choose View > Toolbars.

Chapter 4: Customizing Paint Shop Pro

To delete a custom toolbar:

1 Choose View > Customize to open the Customize dialog. 2 Click the Toolbars tab. 3 In the Toolbars list, select the name of the custom toolbar you

want to delete.

4 Click Delete. 5 Click Close.

Customizing Context Menus

Context menus open when you right-click with a certain tool or right-click over a certain area of the workspace.

To customize a context menu

1 Choose View > Customize to open the Customize dialog. 2 Click the Menu tab.

3 From the Select context menu drop-down list, choose a context

menu. The context menu will display in the workspace. Edit the menu just like any other toolbar. For instructions see, “Customizing Toolbars” on page 56.

Setting General Program Preferences

General Program Preferences define the behavior of various features.

To set General Program Preferences:

1 Choose File > Preferences > General Program Preferences to

open the Paint Shop Pro Preferences dialog.

2 Click the tab containing the preference information you want to

change.

3 Modify the desired settings, and then click OK.

Undo Preferences

The Undo tab controls some settings of the Undo and Redo commands, as well as one setting for the History palette

Chapter 4: Customizing Paint Shop Pro

Undo and Redo Settings

To enable Paint Shop Pro to undo actions, mark the Enable the undo system check box. This enables you to set all the items in this area of the Undo tab.

When the undo system is active, you can set the following options:

 Limit undo/redo disk usage to n MBytes of storage per open

image Sets the maximum amount of disk space each images undo/redo steps can use.

 Limit undo/redo to n steps per open image Sets the number of

undoable/redoable steps in each open image. The default value is

250. Steps older than 250 will become undoable steps, only 10 of which will be retained as defined by the Non-undoable steps after last undoable step setting.

 Compress undo/redo information Marking this check box saves

disk space, but slows down undo and redo operations.

 Enable the redo system Activates the Redo command, allowing

you to redo actions you have undone.

History Palette Setting

 n Non-undoable steps after last undoable step Sets the number

of non-undoable steps that will be retained after the last nonundoable step limit has been reached. The default value is 10.

View Preferences

The View tab controls some image window behaviors.

Zooming

These options determine if Paint Shop Pro automatically resizes an image window when you zoom in or zoom out. A window is resized to include as much of the image as will fit.

New Images

Auto size With this check box marked, Paint Shop Pro automatically

zooms out to fit the entire image in the window if you open an image that is too large to fit in its image window.

Chapter 4: Customizing Paint Shop Pro

After Changing Size

Fit window to image check box is selected, Paint Shop Pro

automatically resizes the image window whenever you resize an image.

Auto Size With this check box marked, if you increase an image’s size to more than can fit in its window, Paint Shop Pro reduces the image’s magnification accordingly.

Display and Caching Preferences

About color pickers

In previous versions of Paint Shop Pro, you could use the Jasc Color Picker or the Windows Color Picker. In Paint shop Pro 9, the Windows Color Picker is not available.

The Display and Caching tab controls presentation and caching.

Presentation Options

Re-use last type in save-as dialog When you mark this check

box, the last file format used to save an image automatically appears in the Save as type field.

Display all color dropper ToolTips Clear this box to hide the color information that appears next to the dropper tool when it is positioned over a color.

Use precise cursors Mark this check box to use a cross hair for tool cursors instead of the tool’s icon.

Show brush outlines Clear this check box to hide the outline (shape, size) of the current brush as the cursor moves over an image.

Thumbnail/Preview Enter a size for the thumbnails in the Effects Browser and the preview images that display in the Layers palette.

Zoom/Rescaling Quality Adjust the slider between Faster and Better. Faster will zoom images faster, but will display less fine detail. Better will zoom images more slowly, but display more fine detail.

Caching Options

These options allow for faster image redraws after you make changes. By default, they are all marked. Turning these options off will likely slow image redraws.

In the Image group box:

Merged Image Clear this check box to stop saving an image cache of your entire merged image.

Chapter 4: Customizing Paint Shop Pro

Merged Below Active Layer Clear this check box to stop saving

an image cache of all the layers below the active one.

Group Layers Op ti o ns

Merged Group Clear this check box to stop saving an image

cache of the merged image for each group. Merged Below Active Layer Clear this check box to stop saving

an image cache of all the group layers below the active one.

Palettes Preferences

The Palettes tab controls behaviors of the materials palette as well as how palettes dock.

Materials Palette Options

Display colors in RGB format or Display colors in HSL format

This option controls the color information that appears in the materials palette and with the dropper tool.

Why use hexadecimal?

Web browsers use the hexadecimal format to specify colors.

Decimal display or Hexadecimal display This option controls how color values will display throughout the program.

Show rainbow picker or Show document palette For images with limited palettes (8-bit, 256 color), the document palette shows only colors that are actually in the image.

Docking Options

Clear the check box beside each palette to prevent the palette from docking. This will allow you to drag the palette anywhere in the workspace.

Browser Preferences

The Browser tab controls the appearance and operation of the Browser.

Thumbnail Size

Enter values (in pixels) for the thumbnail size the Browser displays. The size range is from 50 to 150 pixels. Clear the Symmetric check box to adjust thumbnail width and height independently.

Color choice tip:

Right-click the Selection color box to pick from the Recent Colors dialog.

Chapter 4: Customizing Paint Shop Pro

Appearance

Choose Use Windows colors to highlight thumbnails with the current Windows selection color. Or, choose Use classic colors and choose a thumbnail highlight color form the Selection color box.

Clear the Display flat style thumbnails check box to display thumbnails that look like raised button bars.

Other Options

Display tooltips over thumbnails Clear this check box to hide the

image information that appears when the cursor is over thumbnails.

Save browser files to disk Clear this check box to stop the Browser from creating a cache file in folders you browse. By default, when you view a folder using the Browser, Paint Shop Pro saves a file called pspbrwse.jbf in that folder. This cache file allows you to view the thumbnails more quickly the next time you browse the folder.

Grid Preferences

To set grid preferences, see Chapter 6, Editing Images.

Automatically update the thumbnails Mark this check box to automatically update a folder’s cache file every time the folder is browsed. When you view a folder with the Browser, the Browser displays the contents of the folder’s cache file. If you make changes to the images in the folder, the thumbnails will not show the results unless the cache file is updated.

File Format Exclusions Click this button (located in the lower right corner of the Browser preferences tab) to display a dialog allowing you to exclude selected file formats from appearing in the browser.

Units Preferences

The Units tab controls ruler options and the default resolutions for new images.

Rulers

Choose a measurement system for the rulers from the Display units drop-down list.

Choose Toolbar colors to have the ruler color match Paint Shop Pro’s toolbars or choose Black on White rulers.

Chapter 4: Customizing Paint Shop Pro

Default Resolution

Choose a measurement system from the drop-down list and enter the default resolution for new images. You can override this resolution on an image-by-image basis by modifying the settings in the New Image dialog.

Vector Coordinates

When this check box is marked, objects will snap to the center of pixels while they’re moving. You will have to zoom in very far to see this.

Transparency and Shading Preferences

Color choice tip:

Right-click the Selection color box to pick from the Recent Colors dialog.

The Transparency and Shading tab controls the grid size and color representing transparent backgrounds and transparent areas of layers. Additionally, this is where you set the color and opacity of the Crop shading area.

Setting Transparency Options

Grid size Chose one of the four grid sizes from the drop-down

list. Grid Colors Choose a color scheme from the Scheme drop-down

list. To customize the grid colors, click inside the Color 1 or Color 2 boxes and select new colors.

Preview displays your proposed changes to the transparency grid.

Setting Crop Shading Options

Enable crop shading area Mark this check box to activate

shading outside the crop rectangle.

Color Click inside the Color box to choose a shading area color. Opacity Use the Opacity setting to control how opaque the

shading area color will be.

Warning: When crop shading is enabled and you attempt to crop an 8-bit (256 colors) or less image, the area outside the crop rectangle will be black. Thus when cropping these types of images, you may want to disable this option.

Chapter 4: Customizing Paint Shop Pro

Warnings Preferences

The Warnings tab controls how warning dialogs will display. By default, Paint Shop Pro displays a warning dialog whenever you

are about to perform an operation that will result in lost information or one that can not be applied to the image in its current state.

 To prevent a warning from appearing, clear the check box in

front of its description.

 Click the Enable All button to mark all the check boxes in the list.  Click the Disable All button to clear all the check boxes in the

list.

Photo Sharing Preferences

The current photo sharing service provider is shown in the Select a photo sharing service list. When you choose File > Export > PhotoSharing, that provider’s site will be accessed via your Web

browser.

Auto Action Preferences

Common actions that need to be performed in order to further edit an image can be automated.

For example, you can only apply effects to 24-bit images. However, most of the Effects menu items are active even if the active image is 8-bit. When you select an effect in an 8-bit image, the Auto Actions dialog opens telling you Paint Shop Pro must convert the image to 24-bit to proceed with the effect.

To set the preferences for an Auto Action:

1 Select an Auto Action from the Auto Action Prompt list. 2 Choose one of these options for each action:

Never Prevents the action from happening. Choosing Never will

make certain menu commands inactive if an Auto Action is required to complete the command. Note that some items in the list do not have this option available.

Always Performs the action silently (without prompting you). Prompt Asks if you want to perform the action.

Chapter 4: Customizing Paint Shop Pro

Set all the actions in the list to a certain option by clicking Always All, Never All, or Prompt All.

Reset all the actions in the list to the program’s default settings by clicking Reset.

Miscellaneous Preferences

The Miscellaneous tab controls a variety of preferences.

Recently used file list Set the maximum number of files that will appear when you choose File > Recent Files. For example, if the value is set to four, only the last four saved files will appear on the list.

Note: You must restart Paint Shop Pro before the new settings will take effect.

Tolerance to background color when pasting a transparent selection When you paste data as a transparent selection, Paint

Shop Pro adds it to the current image, defines it as a selection, and then deselects all the pixels that match the current background color. The tolerance value you enter determines how closely the background color must match the transparent color for it to become transparent. The tolerance scale is 0% to 200%.

 Zero percent indicates that only image pixels with a perfect

match to the current background color are made transparent.

 200 percent indicates that all image pixels are made

transparent.

Clipboard Data on Exit Choose how Paint Shop Pro will handle any clipboard data when you exit the program.

 Ask Whenever you exit, Paint Shop Pro will ask you what to

do with the clipboard data.

 Delete Clipboard data will be deleted on exit.  Leave Data will remain in the clipboard on exit.

Force full window redraw when positioning image elements Mark this check box to redraw the information in the active window whenever you move objects in the image.

Show splash screen when application starts Clear this option to hide the Jasc Software, Inc. splash screen which appears at program startup.

Disable pressure support for puck-type pointing devices Mark this check box to turn off the pressure sensitive features of pucktype pointing devices included with graphics tablets.

Setting Autosave Preferences

Paint Shop Pro can automatically save all open images on a set schedule. These autosaved files can help you recover your work if your computer crashes. When Paint Shop Pro starts after a crash, it will open any autosaved files it finds.

Note

To find where Paint Shop Pro saves the autosaved files, select File > Preferences > File Locations and select the Undo/Temporary Files folder from the File Type list.

To set the autosave preferences:

1 Choose File > Preferences > Autosave Settings to open the

Autosave dialog.

Chapter 4: Customizing Paint Shop Pro

2 Set the options:

 Enable autosave Mark this check box to activate the autosave

feature.

 Minutes Set the number of minutes between each autosave.

Setting File Locations

Paint Shop Pro resources include such items as scripts, picture tubes, patterns, gradients, displacement maps, and workspaces. The full listing of resources displays along the left side of the File Locations dialog. Paint Shop Pro saves and searches for resources in several default folders on your computer. By changing File Locations preferences, you can change where Paint Shop Pro looks for and saves these resources. You can also control how plug-ins are used and which Web browsers are used to preview your images.

Note: By default, all new files you create are saved in the appropriate folder of the ...My Documents\My PSP Files folder. Most default program resources are stored in the appropriate folder in the path ...\Program Files\Jasc Software Inc\Paint Shop Pro 9.

Chapter 4: Customizing Paint Shop Pro

Editing File Locations

Edit Paths: another way to view file locations

You can open the File Locations dialog by clicking the Edit Paths button which appears in many Paint Shop Pro dialogs.

The File Locations dialog controls where Paint Shop Pro looks for and saves important files.

Changing File Locations

You can change where Paint Shop Pro to stores and retrieves specific resources.

To change file locations:

1 Choose File > Preferences > File Locations to open the File

Locations dialog.

2 From the File types list on the left side, select the resource that

you want to change file locations for.

3 At the top of the dialog's right side you'll see the default folders

where the specified resource can be saved to. Add Select a listed folder and then click this button (or click the

Browse for Folder button at the end of the selected folder) to add another folder to the list. This will display the Browser for Folder dialog, allowing you to navigate to and select another folder. To create a new resource folder, click the Browse for Folder dialog's Create New Folder button and then enter the folder name.

Remove Select a listed folder and then click this button to remove the folder for the current resource category.

Select a folder and then click this button to move the folder

up the list.

Select a folder and then click this button to move the folder

down the list.

4 Use the options in the Folder options section to enable the folder

system as well as the subfolders. When these items are unchecked, Paint Shop Pro will not be able to search for folders and their subfolders.

5 In the Save to field, click the drop list and then click on the folder

where you want the current resource saved to.

6 Click OK to save your settings and return to Paint Shop Pro.

Important: To create a custom category for a particular resource, Refer to the Creating a Custom Category section in this chapter.

Chapter 4: Customizing Paint Shop Pro

Using the Resource Manager Dialog

Paint Shop Pro resources include such items as scripts, picture tubes, patterns, gradients, displacement maps, and workspaces. The full listing of resources displays along the left side of the File Locations dialog. Using a consistent method for managing these resources can make your workflow easier. This is where the Resource Manager dialog comes in.

Accessing the Resource Manager Dialog

Wherever you find a Presets control (such as in the Tool Options palette's Presets drop list for any tool, or in the Presets drop list for a dialog), or the visual resource drop-list for resources such as Preset Shapes, Gradients, etc., you'll find the Resource Manager button

. Click this button to access the Resource Manager dialog.

Deleting a Resource

1 If necessary , from the Category drop-list choose the category where

the resource resides.

2 Click the resource from the list. 3 Click the Delete button. You'll be prompted to verify that you

wish to proceed.

4 Click Yes to delete the resource.

Renaming a Resource

1 If necessary , from the Category drop-list choose the category where

the resource resides.

2 Click the resource from the list. 3 Click the Rename button. The Rename Resource dialog appears. 4 Enter the new name for the resource and then click OK.

Copying a Resource to Another Location

1 If necessary , from the Category drop-list choose the category where

the resource resides.

2 Click the resource from the list. 3 Click the Copy button. The Save As dialog appears.

Note: At this point, you could also rename the file via the Save As dialog's File Name field.

Chapter 4: Customizing Paint Shop Pro

4 Navigate to the folder where you want to move the resource, and

then click Save.

Moving a Resource to Another Location

1 If necessary, from the Category drop-list choose the category where

the resource resides.

2 Click the resource from the list. 3 Click the Move button. The Browse for Folder dialog appears. 4 Navigate to the folder where you want to move the resource, and

then click OK.

Note: If you move the resource to a location not currently listed in the File Locations dialog, you won't see the resource in the visual resource drop-list, nor in the Resource Manager dialog.

Creating a Custom Category

Create your own categories that will appear for a given resource as follows:

1 Access the File Locations dialog using one of the following

methods:

 Choose File > Preferences > File Locations; or  From the Presets area of a dialog, or Presets area of the Tool

Options palette, or from a resource's visual drop-list, click the File Locations button.

2 In the File types list on the left side of the dialog, click the

resource for which you wish to create a new category folder.

3 In the File folders list, click once on the folder under which the

sub folder will reside.

4 In the Folder Options area of the File Locations dialog, make

sure the Enable and Use sub folders check boxes are marked, and then click the Create Sub Folder button. This displays the Enter Name dialog.

5 Enter a name for the sub folder, and then click OK to close the

Enter Name dialog.

6 (In the Save to field toward the bottom of the File Locations

dialog, note that the category you created automatically becomes the folder where new resources of that type will be saved.) Click OK to close the File Locations dialog.

Chapter 4: Customizing Paint Shop Pro

To have the new category appear in the Categories drop-list, you must first save a resource in the folder you just created, or use the Copy or Move buttons described above to place a resource file in the new folder.

Setting Plug-in Locations

Paint Shop Pro allows you to use Adobe compatible plug-ins. Use the File Locations dialog to choose folders containing plug-ins and control how plug-ins are used.

To control plug-in functions:

1 Choose File > Preferences > File Locations to open the File

Locations dialog.

2 From the File types list, select Plug-ins. 3 Set these options:

Enable plug-ins Mark this box to allow Paint Shop Pro to use

plug-ins.

Limit Loaded plug-in files to those with an .8B* extension

The .8B* extension is the most common plug-in extension. Clear this check box to load plug-ins with other extensions.

Allow file format plug-ins to request pre-filtering of support file types Some plug-ins can open files that Paint Shop Pro also

supports. Mark this check box to allow a plug-in to try to open (pre-filter) the file before it opens in Paint Shop Pro.

To add plug-in locations:

1 Choose File > Preferences > File Locations to open the File

Locations dialog.

2 From the File types list, select Plug-ins. 3 Click the Add button. The Browse for Folder dialog appears. 4 Type the full path name of the folder you want to add and click

OK. This takes you back to the File Locations dialog.

5 Make sure the Enable option is checked in the Folder Options

section of the File Locations dialog, and then click OK.

Chapter 4: Customizing Paint Shop Pro

Selecting a Web Browser

Paint Shop Pro allows you to preview your images with Web browsers. Use the File Locations dialog to select which browser(s) to use.

Another way to select Web browsers:

Select View > Preview in Web Browser to open the Preview in Web Browser dialog. Click the Edit Web Browser button.

To delete or edit Web browsers:

1 Choose File > Preferences > File Locations to open the File

Locations dialog.

2 From the File types list, select Web Browsers. 3 Select a browser from the list. 4 Click Edit to change the browsers location or Delete to remove

the browser from the list.

5 Click OK.

To add Web browsers:

1 Choose File > Preferences > File Locations to open the File

Locations dialog.

2 From the File types list, select Web Browsers. 3 Click Add to open the Browser Information dialog. 4 Type the full path name of the Web browser you want to add or

click the Browse button to find and select the program. Type a different name in the Web Browser Name field if desired and Click OK.

5 Click OK.

Setting File Format Preferences

With File Format Preferences, you can specify how Paint Shop Pro handles images in the following formats: Windows Metafile, Kodak PhotoCD, PNG, PostScript, RAW Graphics, and Raw Camera Data.

Setting Raw Camera Data Preferences

To better support the prosumer digital camera user, Paint Shop Pro 9 now supports Raw camera data images. These images contain unprocessed sensor data captured by high-end digital cameras from Canon, Fuji, Kodak, Minolta, Nikon, Olympus, and Pentax.

Raw Camera Data Images vs. RAW (Graphics) File Format Images

In order to avoid confusion, be aware that there is quite a difference between Raw (unprocessed) camera data images and images in the RAW graphics file format.

Chapter 4: Customizing Paint Shop Pro

Raw Camera Data Images

This help topic focuses on Raw camera data images produced by high-end digital cameras. The data from these images in no way resembles or responds like RAW graphics image data.

RAW (Graphics) File Format Images

RAW graphics images are basic raster data format images with no compression, and may include an optional non-standard header which is not supported by Paint Shop Pro. These graphics images are used primarily by game developers and by the scientific community. Game developers use RAW graphics images for custom image texturing, bumpmapping, and shading. The scientific community uses these images for custom application-based image analysis.

Paint Shop Pro is used not only to create and edit RAW graphics images, but also to provide conversion from standard formats (such as TIF, JPEG, or TGA) into the RAW graphics format.

Chapter 4: Customizing Paint Shop Pro

Opening Raw Camera Data Images and RAW Graphics Images

When you choose File > Open, and then check the options in the Open dialog's Files of type field, you'll notice that RAW graphics files are differentiated from Raw camera data images as shown here.

Setting Raw File Format Options

You may want the option of displaying a separate dialog for setting sharpening, white balance, and exposure levels before the Raw camera images open in Paint Shop Pro. Do this in the Raw Camera Data tab of the File Format Preferences dialog.

1 Choose File > Preferences > File Format Preferences. 2 Click the Raw Camera Data tab. 3 Make sure the Prompt for override settings each time a raw

camera format is opened check box is marked.

4 Click OK to close the File Format Preferences dialog.

Now when you now attempt to open a Raw camera data image, the Raw Camera Data dialog will appear, allowing you to override the camera settings.

If this check box is not marked, the Raw Camera Dialog will not appear prior to opening a Raw camera image.

Chapter 4: Customizing Paint Shop Pro

Using the Raw Camera Data Dialog

1 If necessary, use the zoom in and zoom out buttons to modify the

image preview, and use the Pan button to determine what portion of the image is shown in the preview area. You can also use one of the Zoom level presets from the drop-list. To set the image zoom level to 100 percent, click the button.

2 If you want to rotate the image, use the Rotate Left and Rotate

Right buttons to rotate in 90-degree increments.

3 If you expand the size of the dialog, click the button to

proportionally scale the image to fit the new window size.

4 The Sharpen Mode setting controls the contrast between adjacent

image pixels. Be aware that applying sharpening may introduce noise in the image. Click the Sharpen Mode drop list and choose a setting:

Low: applies a minor level of sharpening. Normal: applies a moderate level of sharpening -- in some case

this may introduce image noise.

High: applies a high level of sharpening -- may introduce image

noise.

Standard: this is the camera-specific default level of sharpening. Off: no sharpening will be applied.

5 The White Balance settings provide options for correcting the

color cast certain types of lighting may cause. If the photo was shot indoors in fluorescent lighting, for example, and the camera was set for outdoor lighting conditions, the photo may have a green color cast. In this case, you could choose Fluorescent to correct this problem. Click the White Balance drop list and choose a setting:

As Shot: uses the camera settings enabled when the photo was taken.

Incandescent: applies correction for a photo taken in incandescent light.

Fluorescent: applies correction for a photo taken in fluorescent light.

Sunny: applies correction for a photo taken in sunlight. Cloudy: applies correction for a photo taken in cloudy conditions. Shade: applies correction for a photo taken in the shade. Flash: applies correction for a photo taken with camera flash.

Chapter 4: Customizing Paint Shop Pro

6 Use the Exposure compensation numeric edit control to set an

exposure value. (The default value is 1.0.) The values range from

-2.0 to 2.0; lower values will darken the image, while higher values will lighten the image.

7 When you're satisfied with the settings, click OK to open the Raw

camera image into the Paint Shop Pro workspace.

Setting Kodak PhotoCD Preferences

The Kodak PhotoCD format (PCD) is used by many photo developers. This format can provide multiple image resolutions in one file.

To set PCD file format preferences:

1 Choose File > Preferences > File Format Preferences to open the

File Format Preferences dialog.

2 Click the PCD tab. 3 Choose:

 A default resolution setting. For example, 1536 x 1204 pixels.  Ask when loading each file PSP will ask you to pick a default

resolution each time you open a PCD file.

4 Click OK.

Setting Postscript File Preferences

Paint Shop Pro can read PostScript files (including multi-page files) through level 2 and open them as raster images. When converting, Paint Shop Pro can anti-alias objects and retain transparency information.

To set PostScript file import preferences:

1 Choose File > Preferences > File Format Preferences to open the

File Format Preferences dialog.

2 Click the PostScript tab. 3 Choose a prompt setting:

Chapter 4: Customizing Paint Shop Pro

Prompt for size and options each time a PostScript file is opened When you mark this check box, Paint Shop Pro will ask you to choose settings for each PostScript file you open. Clear this check box to use the Size and Options when not prompting settings for all opened PostScript files.

4 If necessary, choose non-prompting options:

Resolution Set the resolution for the converted raster image Image mode Select a mode from the drop-down list. Page Size Select a page size from the drop-down list.

By default, if a PostScript file has a bounding box, the program will match the canvas size to the bounding box.

Landscape Mark this check box to switch the page orientation to landscape. The default is portrait. This option does not rotate your images; only use this option for landscape PostScript files.

Anti-aliasing Mark this box to anti-alias PostScript objects as they are converted to raster images.

Render transparency Clear this check box to use a white background instead of the default transparent background.

Setting RAW Graphics File Preferences

Paint Shop Pro can read and save RA W graphics image formats. This format (which is not to be confused with Raw Camera Data images) is commonly used in graphics images in the scientific and computer gaming industries.

To set RAW graphics file preferences:

1 Choose File > Preferences > File Format Preferences to open the

File Format Preferences dialog.

2 Click the RAW (Graphics) tab. 3 Set the Save options:

Header size Sets header size of the file. Flip top and bottom Mark this box to flip the image upside down.

4 Set the 24 bit options:

RGB order or BGR order Choose the color order. Planar mode Clear this box to turn off planar mode.

Chapter 4: Customizing Paint Shop Pro

Setting Metafile Preferences

Windows Meta File (WMF) is the Microsoft Windows native vector format.

To set WMF image preferences:

1 Choose File > Preferences > File Format Preferences to open the

File Format Preferences dialog.

2 Click the Metafile / Import tab. 3 Choose from the two Load options:

Prompt for size and options each time a file is opened When you

choose this option, Paint Shop Pro will ask you to choose settings for each WMF image you open.

Use file header information when available Some WMF files have a file header containing default size information. Choose this option to use the file header default size (if available). If you open a file without a header, the size defaults to the values you type in the Default size when file header is not available group box.

4 Choose the following options:

Import vector data Mark this check box to import WMF vector

data as objects you can edit with vector tools. Clear this check box to convert all vector objects to raster images.

Apply smoothing Mark this check box to smooth curved polylines (vector data only).

Setting PNG Preferences

Set preferences for opening and saving PNG files as described below.

1 Choose File > Preferences > File Format Preferences. The File

Format Preferences dialog appears.

2 Click the PNG tab. 3 Mark the Load and Save transparency to/from Alpha channel

option to enable feature for PNG files.

Setting File Format Associations

File format associations control how Paint Shop Pro will interact with many types of file formats.

Adding and Removing Associations

Chapter 4: Customizing Paint Shop Pro

What if I want to open a file in another program?

When you associate a file format with Paint Shop Pro, you can still open that format in other programs. Just use the other program’s Open command.

You can have certain file formats automatically open in Paint Shop Pro. For example, when you associate the JPEG file format with Paint Shop Pro, all JPEG files will open in Paint Shop Pro when you double-click them from the Windows desktop. The associated JPEG files will also display Paint Shop Pro icons.

To associate a file with Paint Shop Pro:

1 Choose File > Preferences > File Format Associations to open the

File Format Associations dialog. Do any of the following:

 To associate a specific file format, mark the format’s check

box.

 To associate all listed formats, click the Select All button.  To associate all listed formats that are not already associated

with other applications, click the Select Unused button.

 To associate no file formats with Paint Shop Pro, click the

Remove All button.

2 Click OK.

Note

To add or remove file extensions you want associated with the selected format, see “Changing File Format Extensions” below.

Changing File Format Extensions

Note

File format extension changes will not take effect until the next time you start Paint Shop Pro.

To set file extensions:

1 Choose File > Preferences > File Format Associations to open the

File Format Associations dialog.

2 Select the file format that contains the extensions you want to

set.

Chapter 4: Customizing Paint Shop Pro

3 Click the Extensions button to open the Extensions dialog. The

preferred extension (the extension that Paint Shop Pro will use to save files) is at the top of the list.

4 Do one of the following:

 To add a file extension, click the Add button. Type in the new

extension and click OK. Note: File extensions that have been associated with Paint

Shop Pro will have an asterisk (*) after the name.

 To delete a file extension, select the extension from the list

and click Delete.

 To reset a format to its default extension(s), select the

extension from the list and click Reset.

 To make an extension the preferred choice, select the

extension and click Preferred. The extension will move to the top of the list.

5 Click OK.

Resetting Application Preferences

Various program preferences can be reverted back to their defaults.

To reset application preferences:

1 Choose File > Preferences > Reset Preferences to open the Reset

Application dialog.

2 Select from these choices:

Reset general preferences Mark this check box to reset all

general program preference settings to the program defaults. Reset file locations Mark this check box to reset all file location

settings to the program defaults. Reset workspace to default configuration Mark this check box to

reset the current workspace to the program defaults. Reset dialog positions and last used settings When you mark

this check box, any dialogs that open will appear in their default locations. Also, Paint Shop Pro will forget the last settings you used in all dialogs.

Chapter 4: Customizing Paint Shop Pro

Delete all cache files Mark this check box to delete (reset) all existing cache files. Paint Shop Pro saves cache files on your computer to improve program performance. Cache files can become corrupted by computer errors.

Make all toolbars/palettes visible and on screen Mark this check box to view all toolbars and palettes.

3 Click OK.

Assigning and Viewing Shortcut Keys

You can view existing keyboard shortcuts, assign a keyboard shortcut to menu commands, bound scripts, and tools, and even modify keyboard shortcuts.

To assign shortcut keys to commands and tools:

1 Choose View > Customize to open the Customize dialog. 2 Click the Keyboard tab.

3 In the Set Accelerator for drop-list, pick which application’s

shortcuts you want to assign. Choose Default (for Paint Shop Pro’s main workspace) or Browser (for when the Image Browser is active)

4 In the Category drop-list, select a category. Paint Shop Pro

groups related commands into categories. For example, if you pick the File category, all the commands in the file menu are displayed. To list all commands at once, choose All Commands.

5 In the Command list, select a command name. 6 The description of the command and any assigned shortcut keys

are displayed.

7 Click in the Press New Shortcut Key field. 8 Press the new keyboard shortcut you want to assign to the

command. The shortcut will appear in the Press New Shortcut Key field. If the shortcut is already assigned to another command, this will display above the field.

9 Click Assign to assign the new shortcut to the selected command.

10 Assign more shortcut keys, or click Close.

To assign a shortcut key to a bound script:

1 Choose View > Customize to open the Customize dialog.

Chapter 4: Customizing Paint Shop Pro

2 Click the Keyboard tab. 3 In the Set Accelerator for drop-down list, pick which

application’s shortcuts you want to assign. Choose Default (for Paint Shop Pro’s main workspace) or Browser (for when the Image Browser is active).

4 In the Category drop-list, select Bound Script. (Note that the

Bound Scripts that appear in the Commands list match what appears in the Bound Scripts list of the Scripts tab.)

5 In the Commands list, select the bound script to which you want

to assign a keyboard shortcut.

6 Click in the Press New Shortcut Key field. 7 Press the new keyboard shortcut you want to assign to the bound

script. The shortcut will appear in the Press New Shortcut Key field. If the shortcut is already assigned to another command, this will display above the field.

8 Click Assign to assign the new shortcut to the selected bound

script.

9 Assign more shortcut keys as described above, or click Close.

To view all shortcut keys:

1 Choose Help > Keyboard Map to open the Help Keyboard dialog. 2 In the Show Accelerator for drop-down list, pick which

application’s shortcuts you want to view. Choose Default (for Paint Shop Pro’s main workspace) or Browser (for when the Image Browser is active)

3 In the Category drop-down list, select a category. Paint Shop Pro

groups related commands into categories. For example, if you pick the File category, all the commands in the file menu are displayed. To list all commands at once, choose All Commands.

The commands and their shortcut keys are displayed in the list, sorted by command name. Click any column heading (Command, Keys, or Description) to sort alphabetically by that column.

Note: T o print the list of the current category of shortcut keys, click Print in the Keyboard Map dialog’s toolbar. To select commands and copy their information to the clipboard, click Copy .

4 When you are finished viewing keys, click the Close button in

the upper right corner of the dialog’s title bar.

Chapter 4: Customizing Paint Shop Pro

To modify a keyboard shortcut:

1 Choose View > Customize to open the Customize dialog. 2 Click the Keyboard tab. 3 In the Category drop-list, choose the menu associated with the

command, script, or tool for which you want to modify the keyboard shortcut.

4 In the Commands list, click the item for which you want to

modify the keyboard shortcut.

5 In the Current Keys field, click once on the shortcut to highlight

it, then click the Remove button located along the bottom of the dialog.

6 Click inside the Press New Shortcut Key field so the cursor is

blinking, and then press the desired keyboard keys you wish to assign as the new shortcut. (For example, hold down the Alt key and press Q; you'll then see Alt + Q in the Press New Shortcut Key field.) If the keyboard combination you entered is already assigned, this will be displayed above this field. If the keyboard combination is not assigned, you'll see "Assigned to: " above this field. If you make a mistake entering the keyboard combination, just start over with the correct key since pressing Delete or Backspace will not erase what you entered.

7 When you're ready to assign the keyboard combination, click

Assign.

8 Click Close to close the Customize dialog.

Adjusting General View Options

The Menu and Options tabs of the Customize dialog control a variety of general menu and toolbar features.

Menu Tab

Menu animations Choose an animation style for menu opening

and closing from the drop-down list. Menu icons Clear this check box to hide the Menu Bar icons.

Chapter 4: Customizing Paint Shop Pro

Options Tab

Toolbars and Palettes

Show Screen Tips on toolbars Clear this check box to hide the

ToolTips that appear over tools and buttons. Show shortcut keys in Screen Tips Clear this check box to hide

the shortcut key (if available) that appear in ToolTips.

Large icons Mark this check box to display larger toolbar icons. Use Quadrant Rollups Mark this check box to have floating

palettes roll up toward the nearest quadrant of the workspace.

Personalized Menus and Toolbars

Menus show recently used commands first Mark this check box

to have Paint Shop Pro simplify its menus to show only recently used commands. You can expand the menus by clicking the expansion button.

Show full menus after a short delay If menus are only showing the most recent items, all items will appear in a moment.

Reset my usage data Click this button to erase the memory of your recently used menu commands.

Adjusting Monitor Display Options

Calibrating Your Monitor

To get the best results when working with Paint Shop Pro, you need to properly calibrate your monitor. Calibrating the monitor improves image quality and allows others to view your images as you intend.

How often should I calibrate my monitor?

Monitor performance can change over time, so it’s best to calibrate your monitor every few months.

To calibrate your monitor, you need an on-screen aid that helps you adjust the monitor’s brightness and contrast. The Jasc Web site provides an on-screen aid as well as detailed instructions for calibration. Go to the Support section of www.jasc.com.

Chapter 4: Customizing Paint Shop Pro

Adjusting the Monitor Gamma Setting

Note about Color Management

If you enable Windows Color Management, Paint Shop Pro ignores the monitor gamma preference setting.

Paint Shop Pro’s monitor gamma setting adjusts how colors display in Paint Shop Pro. This setting does not affect how your monitor displays colors in other applications.

Most users should not adjust the monitor gamma setting. If you make color corrections after you change the monitor gamma, the colors may look distorted on other monitors or in applications other than Paint Shop Pro.

To adjust the monitor gamma:

1 Choose File > Preferences > Monitor Gamma to open the Monitor

Gamma Adjustment dialog.

2 Lean away from your monitor and look at the red, green, blue,

and grey rectangles. Each color contains an inner, solid color rectangle and outer, patterned rectangles. On a correctly adjusted monitor, the inner rectangles are difficult to distinguish from the outer rectangles.

3 Do one of the following:

 To adjust the red, green, and blue values in unison, mark the

Link channels check box.

 To adjust the values individually, clear the Link channels

check box.

4 For each color (or for all colors if they are linked), drag the slider

until the inner rectangle seems to blend into the outer rectangle.

Note: If you have difficulty getting the inner rectangle to blend into the outer rectangle, your monitor may be too old and faded.

5 Click OK.

Note: Click Reset to return no gamma adjustment (1.00).

Using Windows Color Management

Color Management is a feature in Windows 98 or later that improves color consistency and accuracy between images displayed on monitors and printed on paper. Color Management also allows you to preview how images will look when printed on a specific color printer. Color Management is generally not used for Web images because most Web browsers don’t use Color Management.

Chapter 4: Customizing Paint Shop Pro

When to use Color Management

You need to use Color Management if any of the following are true:

 Your pre-press provider requires

specific color values for a known set of printing conditions.

 You are using the same color

graphics for printing on a printer and displaying on a monitor.

 You plan to use international and

domestic printing presses.

In order for Windows Color Management to work effectively, you must have proper color profiles for all the devices you are using.

To create proper monitor and printer profiles, you must use thirdparty color profiling tools that include software or hardware for determining how your monitor and printer produce color. If you do not have custom monitor and printer profiles, using Color Management is not recommend. For more information on Color Management, please refer to your Windows documentation.

To use Color Management:

1 Choose File > Preferences > Color Management. 2 Mark the Enable Color Management check box. 3 Choose an option:

Basic color management Adjusts how the monitor displays

colors and how the printer produces colors. Most users should choose this option.

Proofing Previews on the monitor how colors will appear on a particular device. This option is best at representing the limitations of a particular output device, such as a printer.

4 Select the printer and monitor profiles for your devices in the

drop-down lists.

5 For Rendering Intent, select the approach used to map image

colors to the color gamut of your monitor or printer. The available options depend upon your Windows system. For detailed descriptions, see your Windows documentation.

6 If you selected the Proofing option, select the Emulated device

profile (the profile of the output device) and the Rendering Intent.

7 Click OK.

CHAPTER 5

Improving Photographs

Once you have photos in Paint Shop Pro, the next step is to correct any problems with the images. Sometimes the problems are obvious, such as when the subject is too dark. Sometimes, you know that the picture could look better, but you don’t know what to fix. This chapter will help you determine what needs improvement in a photo and show you how to improve it.

Contents

Note

All commands mentioned in this chapter work on 16 million color and greyscale images only. To increase the color depth of an image, see “Increasing the Color Depth of an Image” on page 261.

Basic Steps in Improving Photographs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88

Using the Digital Camera Noise Removal Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89

Using the Chromatic Aberration Removal Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92

Using the Fill Flash Filter. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95

Using the Backlighting Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96

How to Approach Color, Contrast, and Saturation Adjustments . . 96

Fixing Photos in One Step . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97

Correcting Image Distortions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97

Improving Colors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100

Improving Contrast . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106

Improving Image Clarity. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107

Improving Saturation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109

Removing Image Defects and Noise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110

Removing Source Defects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114

Retouching Photographs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117

Chapter 5: Improving Photographs

Basic Steps in Improving Photographs

Paint Shop Pro contains many features you can use to enhance your photos. Whenever you work on photos, you should follow the same basic steps in a specific order to get the best results. This is necessary because some later actions remove image data that is needed to successfully complete earlier steps.

Improving Photographs

Identify the steps you may need to take to improve your photos.

1 Calibrate your monitor to ensure that screen and print images

match as closely as possible and that colors are consistent from image to image. For more information, refer to Calibrating Your Monitor in Chapter 4.

Analyzing images using the histogram

For image editing professionals, the histogram and its accompanying adjustment features are powerful tools for understanding and correcting images—especially those with contrast or brightness problems.

For casual users, getting familiar with the histogram may not be necessary because Paint Shop Pro offers many simpler ways to adjust images. For information about using the histogram to analyze your photos, see “Using the Histogram to Analyze Images” on page 145.

2 Improve colors, contrast, and saturation. Use Paint Shop Pro’s

automatic adjustment commands or use the manual adjustments to make initial corrections to your images. Refer to How to Approach Color, Contrast and Saturation Adjustments later in this chapter.

3 Remove "noise" image artifacts often present in digital photos.

Refer to Using the Digital Camera Noise Removal Filter later in this chapter.

4 Remove color aberrations often present in digital photos. Refer to

Using the Chromatic Aberration Removal Filter later in this chapter.

5 Quickly correct problems caused by too much flash or not

enough flash. Refer to Using the Fill Flash Filter and Using the Backlighting Filter later in this chapter.

6 Correct defects caused by the image source, including unwanted

patterns on scanned images and undesirable lines on video frames. Refer to Removing Source Defects later in this chapter.

7 Correct image defects, such as black or white specks, and image

distortions caused by camera lenses. Refer to Removing Image Defects and Noise later in this chapter.

8 Retouch photos, including removing scratches and red-eye

effects on people and animals. During this step you can also remove unwanted highlights and objects from your photos. Refer to Retouching Photographs later in this chapter.

Chapter 5: Improving Photographs

9 Clarify and sharpen images. Refer to Improving Image Clarity

later in this chapter.

10 Remove red eye from your photo. Refer to Removing Red Eyes

later in this chapter.

Using the Digital Camera Noise Removal Filter

The tiny, non-uniform speckles that can sometimes appear in digital photos are referred to as "noise." These unwanted image artifacts usually derive from inevitable sources such as JPEG file compression, or even as a result of electronic fluctuations inside a digital camera. A good example would be a photo of a clear blue sky. Zooming in may reveal tiny specks of color that you know are not present in the sky. You can use this filter to identify and remove noise while preserving detail smaller than the noise itself.

In addition to scanning and identifying three potential noise regions (in the highlight, midtone, and shadow regions of the image), the Digital Camera Noise Removal filter lets you target additional image areas for noise removal. This filter works on the entire image, or on a selection.

Camera Presets and Standard Presets

This filter gives you the option of creating a Camera preset. When a Camera preset option is checked, the Presets drop-list will only display these special types of presets. When you load a camera preset, the image is not sampled at all, but instead the camera preset settings are applied. You can still create additional sampling regions, however. Using a camera preset is recommended when your camera produces consistent noise patterns across each image. Camera presets tend to work well on similar photos, such as photos of people.

When you do not use a camera preset, the filter will scan your image (or selection) and determine potential areas needing correction by placing sampling regions in the highlight, midtone, and shadow regions.

Like other dialogs and tools, you can also save and load standard presets for this filter. When you load a standard preset, the filter will use the preset's dialog settings, but will still scan the image and place the three sampling regions.

Chapter 5: Improving Photographs

Typical Uses for this Filter

Here are some scenarios in which this filter could be an ideal solution:

 For photos you know are going to contain excessive noise (such

as a video whiteboard capture), use the filter with low settings to help make the overall image clearer without excessive blurring.

 For photos taken with normal settings yet still having image

artifacts surrounding the subject area, use this filter to target just these key areas needing correction.

 For photos taken with the same camera that tend to have noise in

the same area, use this filter to create a camera preset that can be applied to all images from the camera.

 For higher-end photography, use the options in the filter's Protect

Image tab to specify the color ranges to preserve or discard.

 Lower-end cameras tend to produce more noise than higher-end

cameras.

 Note that in some cases, using the JPEG Artifact Removal filter

before using this filter (or instead of using this filter) can yield good results. Be aware also that the Digital Camera Noise Removal filter is not designed to remove moire patterns.

Accessing and Using the Filter

1 Choose Adjust > Photo Fix > Digital Camera Noise Removal. 2 Note the three crosshairs placed on the image preview in the

Remove Noise tab (not in the normal preview area in the top half of the dialog). These represent noise samples (as determined by the filter) located in the image's light, midtone, and dark areas.

 Click a crosshair to view its sampling region in the upper left

preview window.

 To move a crosshair, hold down the right mouse button and

drag the crosshair to a new position. The sampling region will move accordingly.

Corel PaintShop Pro - 9.0 User Manual

Specifications and Main Features

Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual