Images
To create images for the Web, we recommend using Snapz Pro
(Macintosh) and HiJaak Pro (Windows). There are other applications
available that may work as well as the ones mentioned here.
When capturing images for the Web, make sure the original image is of high
quality (2000-3000 pixels on a side). Capture only the top-most window
or dialog box. Save it as a GIF or JPG,
umcompressed on your hard drive.
Compressing Images
For intermediate users who don't need the complete version of Adobe
Photoshop, we recommend using Adobe Photoshop Elements. It
provides many of the same tools as Photoshop at a much lower cost.
- Open the saved image in Photoshop Elements.
- From the File menu, select Save for Web.
A Save for Web window will appear.
- To the right of the Save for Web window is a variety of options that can be
selected. Make sure GIF and Adaptive are
selected from the drop-down menus that appear. Click on the check box next to
Transparency. In the Colors field, select the
lowest number of colors that retains the high quality of the image. This may
take some trial-and-error.
- If the image size needs to be reduced, click on the Image
Size tab. Enter a number in the Percent field. We
recommend 75 percent; you want the image to be as small as possible, yet
readable and clear to the user. Click Apply.
- Once all the image preferences are set, click the Save
button on the top right-hand corner of the window. A Save Optimized As window
will appear. Enter a short descriptive file name (based on the words that
appear in the image title bar or dialog box) in the Save As
field and select where you want to save the image. At the bottom of the window,
the Format should be set to Images Only,
Settings set to Default Settings, and
Slices set to All Slices. Click
Save.
- The Save Optimized As window will close.
- Close the original Photoshop image. When it asks if you want to
save your changes, click Don't Save. This will leave the
original image intact. If you ever want to create a new version of the file,
you will have the original captured image.
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