Keeping callouts while replacing the underlying image

[ucogavin]

I frequently have to replace screen shots that have callouts. Typically the image only changes slightly but the callouts remain the same. How can I replace the underlying screen shot without having to redo the callouts? Can they be on two different layers so that it's easy to swap out the old image and keep the same call outs? I've tried using a palette but that is still too much effort.

[Andrew]

The quick-n-dirty method is to simply capture your new screen, and copy all the elements to it. To do so easily and quickly, capture the new image. Open the old image, click inside the image somewhere, and press Ctrl-A, which will select all your "additions" -- all the callouts, arrows, and anything else other than the base image. Then copy (Ctrl - C), switch to your new image, and paste (Ctrl - V).

The other, simpler, cleaner option is to File > Recapture, which gives you a capture region of the same size and position as the original, allowing you to capture a new image while maintaining all of your callouts, etc. The one problem with this is that it doesn't work for images you capture using the Flare <> Capture integration. So if you capture using Flare's Insert > Screen Capture (like I do), the quick-n-dirty method is what you need (and it's damnably annoying). If you share that problem with me, I encourage you to report it as a bug to MadCap:
https://www.madcapsoftware.com/bugs/submit.aspx
You can reference case 11046, which I submitted on this a while back.

Hope that helps,
Andrew