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Cyber Skill #12
Capturing images using SnagIt

Introduction
If you've been wondering how we create the graphics that display the various steps in these lessons, then you will LOVE a little program called SnagIt of which we here at CoachVille are big-time fans.

SnagIt lets you capture any part of a web page or screen shot with just a single command. This comes in handy if you're creating an ebook and want to capture some images or dialog boxes. And it comes in handy if you want to quickly capture part of a graphic, logo or web page to send to someone without having to send the entire file/page or send the URL. And more -- see the uses below.

This is one of those little programs that you don't realize how useful it is until you buy it and start using it. Cost is $39. (No, we don't get a cut. We just believe in this little -- but powerful -- piece of software. Something anyone who's going to be Certified Cyber needs to have, even if you don't think you need it now.

Key Features
--SnagIt is the only screen capture software that captures images, text, and video from your Windows desktop.
--Capture anything you read. Snag text from all applications - even those that don't offer Cut and Paste.
--You can easily configure SnagIt to grab only the area you want, whether it's the whole screen, a region, a window or just a menu.
--Send your captures to a file, the clipboard, the Web or as an e-mail attachment. SnagIt will even send captures to multiple outputs simultaneously.

Use SnagIt to capture:
--A video of you accessing e-mail - send the video to a friend for instruction purposes
--An error message - send it to a helpdesk
--An image - manipulate it, and use it in a graphics application
--Text - import it into a spreadsheet
--Menus, icons, and screen information - print in training manuals
--A web page - send to clients for review
--An entire screen - use in training presentations

Before you start
You'll need to download and install SnagIt first, from http://www.techsmith.com. Cost is $39 with immediate delivery/use. Or, use their free 45-day evaluation period! Definitely download this.

Step 1
Launch SnagIt

Step 2
Decide what you want to capture
From your browser, Word, whatever. It doesn't matter. Just make sure that you can see what you want to capture and that it's on the 'front' of your screen meaning that it's the 'top window.' You won't be able to see the SnagIt software at this point, but that's ok.

Step 3
Shift+Control, then P (for print)
Hold down your shift key and your control key and keep them both held down and then click on the letter P on your keyboard. You'll see a little screen pop up and you'll see that your cursor becomes a cross hair.

Place this cursor at the top left of the area you want to capture, hold down your mouse and drag to the bottom right of the area you want to capture, then release the mouse. Hit the Return button and a box will pop up that prompts you to name and save this file (gif or jpg usually).

Step 4
You're done!
That's it. You've saved that part of your screen into a gif or jpg file and now you can send this file others, imbed it in your web page, etc. We use SnagIt to produce our ezines -- that's how we grab the logos and images. (Much easier -- guaranteed -- with SnagIt than trying to download the images by right-clicking them from the browser.)

Optional
You can set options on SnagIt to capture even more than you can see on your screen (scrolling pages) and lots of other cool stuff. SnagIt also comes with Studio which lets you 'add' stuff like circles, text, etc. to the images you've captured.

Was something not clear? Was there a typo or other error?
While we aren't able to provide 1-1 tech support, please email confusion-questions-corrections-improvements to reply@coachbrian.com. Again, we won't reply to your email but it will be read and this course will be improved as a direct result of your assistance.