June 2003 Columns
Content Management Using AuthorIT | A Report from the WinWriters Conference | Using Screen Capture for Single Sourcing| STC @ 50: Single-Sourcing Topics at the Annual Conference
Carla Wardin is a technical marketing writer (carlaillinois@hotmail.com). Prior to writing, she taught English Composition and English as a Second Language at Northern Illinois University. She now resides in Cary, NC.
Using Screen Capture for Single Sourcing
We all want to save time. We try to cut corners in every area of life – we eat faster, read faster, drive faster. And of course, we all want to work faster. In some cases, we’ve even given it a name. For instance, the main goal of single sourcing is to save time. When people are able to use one document source to produce multiple outputs, they can decrease repetition.
Likewise, screen-capture tools are specifically designed to save time due to their systematic and automatic features. With screen-capture tools, users are able to capture the exact area of the screen they need, without a lengthy process. With one mouse click, you can easily capture anything on the screen, apply edits and annotation, and send the screenshot to the printer, a file, as an e-mail attachment, the Clipboard, a SnagIt Catalog, or the Web.
Screen-capture tools also help eliminate editing time. With screen-capture tools, you immediately capture exactly the area you want, because they offer the ability to capture regions of the screen. With this ability you can click and drag over the area you want – no need to crop later.
Many screen-capture programs offer special opportunities for people interested in single sourcing. For instance, you’re able to automatically capture objects – which are items such as toolbar buttons, taskbar buttons, icons and menu items. In addition, screen-capture tools assist you in capturing scrolling Web pages. For instance, if you want to capture an entire Web site, but the Web site runs for a few pages, you can capture the entire multi-screen Web page as a single image – no need to copy screen by screen and splice the pieces together.
As a user focused on an automatic approach, you don’t want to concern yourself with changing the configuration each time you change your capture task. Screen-capture programs’ profiles option saves you from this. With capture profiles, you can create and name profiles which store the specific settings, along with a hotkey to start the capture. This way, you can easily switch between different combinations without opening menus and clicking buttons.
Some screen-capture programs offer Web capture mode, which can assist single source-minded individuals in a very effective way. When you use the Web capture mode, you’re able to capture every image from a Web site simultaneously. You can then place those images in a folder for public consumption.
People practicing single sourcing need to know where to go to get their information. For instance, TechSmith’s SnagIt has a Catalog browser that makes this simple, because all of the images can be sent directly to the Catalog. The Catalog folder can then be accessed by everyone. The Catalog even displays SnagIt’s captures as thumbnail images, so it’s easy to locate and organize the images.
Once images are located in the folder, you can make changes to all files – that is, you can perform Batch Conversion. Batch conversion isn't just for changing file formats. You can also perform a number of standard image annotation and editing features, without having to open a single image: resize, change resolutions, add borders, trim, add watermarks - batch conversion has a number of time-saving filters that allow you to edit the attributes of a series of images in one step.
The multiple output feature exhibits the most dedication to the user looking for a systematic and automatic approach. With multiple outputs, you can simultaneously send your captured material to any output destinations you choose. For instance, you can send a capture to the printer, e-mail, and the Web all at the same time.
Finally, screen-capture tools give you the
opportunity to assign automatic filing names when you have to make quick,
numerous captures. This feature automatically generates sequential file names.
As a result, you can capture repeatedly without having to pause, save, and
name your files.
Spend more time eating, reading and driving by using tools that are
specifically designed to make the single sourcing process more effective – try
screen-capture tools today.
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Reference herein to any specific commercial firm, commercial product, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise, does not constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the Society for Technical Communication (STC).
