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After I import a GIF of a screenshot, everything appears nice and crisp. However, when I export that same image it comes out fuzzy and out of focus. I've searched this forum and followed suggestions from other users, but nothing I try seems to help. This is really frustrating -- other programs have never acted like this.
Any more ideas?
The screenshot is probably 96dpi which is Windows screen resolution (1:1)
If you make the image larger, it will become less sharp. Keep the screenshot same size or smaller. Check the DPI in the status bar. If the resolution is less than 96dpi then the image will not be as sharp.
Also if the imported image is a GIF, and you have not modified the size, then export it as a PNG or GIF and not a JPEG.
Without seeing the image, this is my best guess.
H, the trick on this forum, welcome by the way, is to provide more information.Quote:
Originally Posted by Hurricane1951
What are its native pixel dimensions and dpi.
What scale are you displaying.
Why would you export something you already have?
What export format?
Why would anyone GIF a screenshot?
It has a limited colour palette.
[DELETED]**
A lot of the time asking similar questions gets you to the answer.
Acorn
**DELETED as I was wrongly referring to a different product:
Quote:
Photo & Graphic Designer is only 32-bit so are you comparing like-with-like?
It is also quite old as Xara stopped it at v11 and we have moved through 64-bit, v12, v15, v16, v17 & v18 since.
acorn - you may wish to revisit your photo and graphic designer details - I have p&g16 .... screenshot as gif is atypical for sure
handrawn - OOPS! I was thinking about Page & Layout Designer 11.Quote:
Originally Posted by handrawn
Sorry @H, my OP corrected.
Acorn
OK, I've tried all of the suggestions before.
Acorn, the main reason to use GIF for screenshots (NOT Photos) is quality. Any of the lossy formats lose quality on the text first. That's the reason screen shots containing text on web pages are nearly universally poor, to the point where you can't read the text. GIF is a lossless format, thus it maintains its quality. And you don't need more than 256 colors to represent most screenshots. Try it and compare to JPG. Anyway, this problem is not restricted to GIFs. PNG, JPG, all exhibit this problem.
However, I've found a fix to my problem. If I Open the GIF file instead of Importing it, it comes out perfectly. Bizarre, I know, but maybe it provides a clue to the root problem. At least I have a workaround for now.
I have never had that problem with a PNG screenshot, provided the screenshot app is saving lossless PNG
JPG I would never use, agreed
sorry no offence, but whilst that statement may apply to you, it surely does not to me; i would have thought it all depends on what you are capturing, and whyQuote:
And you don't need more than 256 colors to represent most screenshots
in the program options view tab check to see if you have resize imported photos set, which might be your issue - if you open the gif, rather than import it, that option does not apply afaikQuote:
Originally Posted by Hurricane1951
@H, I am mightily confused.
If you are screenshotting text that is anti-aliased then forcing the image into 256-colours is an immediate loss-making process.
Your analysis need account for resolution, colour depth and anti-aliasing.
I don't take issue with Importing as I do not believe the Xara Filter is all that robust for GIFs.
If I drag onto the design page, I get fine results with some, Linked out the the GIF or a complete fail with others.
Can you explain your method to "open" a GIF?
I open in another product and copy across from that.
Acorn
I click Open on the File menu and navigate to the filename.gif file and open it that way.
As far as screenshots, you are using a lossless format, which would by its nature retain the quality. 256 colors is certainly not enough for photograph quality, but for me, probably 95% of the screenshots I've done over 20+ years are simple graphics on web pages or inside programs. Clarity over color depth is my goal (as well as keeping it small).
At any rate, other graphics programs have never shown this problem. I import the file, do a little cropping or editing, then save\export it.
Now that I've found a workaround, I'm happy. I don't use this program often, but it's been invaluable over the years.
Thank you for your explanation.Quote:
Originally Posted by Hurricane1951
When I use File > Import on a GIF, the image loads into an Animation design file. This is great for animated GIFs. It does preserve the original 'definition'.
If I use File > Import, it is added to any current document.
I took the first approach and then did the second into the Animation page; both images were identical.
If I just drag and drop, I have the same result.
Copy & paste through a third-party application (MS Photos), Xara 'optimises' the image.
If I link to the graphic file (the GIF), I get the same presentation.
Have you run you Xara application with 'Run as administrator'?