How To...Create And Share Screen Shots
By Jeff Snyder
As the topic of posting screen shots comes up often, I thought it would be easiest and most beneficial to create a how to for those interested in posting screen shots in message forums.
Before we begin, it is important to note that all files uploaded to the FlightSim.Com forums must be no larger than 100k in file size and preferably no larger than 700 pixels wide to eliminate the need to scroll horizontally to view the shot. Although other file formats may be used (such as *.zip files), images must be uploaded in either *.jpg or *.gif format.
Anyway,
let's jump right into it. 
Basically the process of posting a screen shot involves:
· "taking" the picture,
· saving it in *.bmp format,
· resizing it to less than 700 x 525 (preferably),
· converting it to a *.jpg file that is no larger than 100k (mandatory),
· uploading it to the forum, and
· posting the link in your message.
Simple,
eh? 
Although
you can take the picture by simply hitting the "PrtScn" button
on your clipboard and then pasting the image into MSPaint, it is often
easier to use one of the many freeware screen capture utilities, such a
Grabber2k,
ScreenShooter,
RapidShot,
FSScreen. FSScreen is available here at FlightSim.Com and is
the one I use. It enables you to automatically take and save the image in
one simple keypress of the "PrtScn" button--very convenient.
You can get FSScreen by first logging in to FlightSim.Com...
... go to the 'Search File Libraries' section on the Main Menu ...
... and enter 'FSScreen.zip' in the file name section and then hit the 'Start Search' button at the bottom of the page ...
...
this will find only one file...The one you want to download... Click
download at the top of the file description and follow the instructions
to download it and install it ...
... Now
go flying and capture as many pictures as you'd like by simply pressing
the 'PrtScn' key repeatedly... 
Once you have captured the screen shots, which were automatically saved in the FSScreen folder, we need to now resize them to 700 x 525 and convert them into *.jpg format. You can use any photoediting software that you'd like (such as Photoshop, Photosuite, Paint Shop Pro, or some of the available freeware versions). I have chosen to use Paint Shop Pro Version 7.04, which is available from www.jasc.com .
First we simply open the file we want to resize and convert (as shown below) or you can use the Browse option shown below the Open option. The Browse option will enable you to see a thumbnail image of all of the images in a selected folder.
For this example, we will work with only one image...click 'Open' ...
... Select the FSScreen folder ... and the *.bmp file ...
... we then go to the 'Image' pulldown menu and select 'Resize'...
... we then enter 700 x 525 in the appropriate boxes and hit 'OK' ...
... we must then convert the image into the *.jpg format and make sure it is not over 100k in size ... So we select 'Save As' from the 'File' pulldown menu ...
... we select the *.jpg file type and ...
... then click the 'Options' button in the lower right hand corner to allow us to use the PSP Optimizer feature ... Click 'Run Optimizer' ...
... this feature enables us to select the appropriate amount of compression to get the file below the 100k limit, while maximizing image quality ... in this case a value of 10 was fine...we then need to simply save it...
Once you have saved your screen shot as a *.jpg image, which is preferably about 700 X 525 pixels in size and less than 100K in file size, you need to upload it to the FlightSim.Com forum.
Beginning with the conventional 'Post Form', you will need to click on the 'Click here to choose your file'...
... this will bring up another window in which you then select the format of the file you wish to upload...in this case select JPEG picture...
... and you then enter the path to the picture or simply click the 'Browse' button and direct the uploader to your image file...
... once you have selected the file to be uploaded, click the 'Upload file' button ...
... depending on your Internet connection, it may be between a few seconds to a minute before you receive a URL address to your image ... You will notice that the URL address is simply a unique file name with the *.jpg extension. This will appear in the 'Attachment' window (see arrow).
If you'd like, you can leave the file name in the attachment window and the screen shot will automatically appear at the end of your post. This is by far the simpliest method of uploading your screen shots.
However, some people prefer to have the screen shots in the body of their post and, thus, would prefer to cut and paste the file name into the body of their post (as I am doing here in this tutorial). This will allow you to add text before or after each screen shot. If you would like to do this, you must first add a 'URL prefix' to EACH file name as you cut and paste the file name from the Attachment window to your message body. In this case, add http://www.flightsimnetwork.com/dcforum/User_files/ before each file name so that it would appear something like this: http://www.flightsimnetwork.com/dcforum/User_files/3f1d47b94176c877.jpg ...
... if you want to confirm that everything went okay, just click the 'Preview' button, which will show you what it will look like once you finally click the 'Post Message' button ... (Please see the Notes at the bottom of this post for additional details regarding 'Preview') ...
... once you are happy with it... post away...
... and it should look like this ... (without the border, of course).
NOTES:
1) PLEASE NOTE THAT IF YOU CHOOSE TO SIMPLY UPLOAD YOUR SCREEN SHOTS TO THE ATTACHMENT WINDOW AND, THUS, HAVE THEM AUTOMATICALLY APPEAR AT THE END OF YOUR POST, YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO PREVIEW THEM BEFORE POSTING.
2) PLEASE NOTE THAT IF YOU CHOOSE TO INSERT URL'S FOR EACH SCREEN SHOT INTO THE BODY OF YOUR POST, REMEMBER TO DELETE THE ONES IN YOUR ATTACHMENT WINDOW. OTHERWISE YOU WILL HAVE A DOUBLE SET OF SCREEN SHOTS POSTED.
Hope this helps!!
Regards,
Jeff_S_KDTW@yahoo.com
Visit
the FlightSim.Com screen shot forum.
