How to change image sizing? Which of the 3 settings?

[CATERAF]

Hi,

I have been using Flare for around 6 months and have got things happening over there (exciting!).. Capture, however, is baffling me... I'll kind-of throw my questions out there in the hope that you can make sense of my situation (sorry for so many questions!).

I'm trying to make sure that all my photograph images are the same size initially (i.e., before they're in Flare) so that when I apply my style in Flare the images all respond the same. I'd like the base image size to be 1024 x 768.
However, where do I specify that (and/or check that) in Capture please?

I have tried changing the image effects, the format screen and the flare print format. I'm confused as to why there are so many places to change my settings though? Which one do I do? I try one, then the other, then back to the first.. (it's like when i try and work out a maths answer by randomly trying different combinations on the calculator..)

I understand that Print Format only comes up if the image is used in my Flare Project. I also read somewhere that the Flare Print Format overrides the Format.. but why would I enter it into the Print Format if it's already in the Format? hmm..
Also, I can change the pixel size in 'Format' but also in 'Image Effects'.. but which one is the right one? Do I do the size in image effects (does it set the 'baseline' size of the image?) and then format is used to change the size that the image appears? And, if I change the size in image effects, does that change the size in the format screen?

To be safe I figured I would just do my best guess at getting them to be 1024 x 768 in Capture (read: fiddle with pixel settings) and then I would use Flare styles to do what I fancy to the images. But then I read that print dpi is important and that I should change the image in Madcap Capture. So, do I set the print dpi first (and again, in Format or in Flare Print Format?) and then use styles to do fancy things to my images in Flare?

Also, should I be using a profile to change the size? Is that a better way to do things? (again though, where would i specify that?)

My other thought was to 'crop' to the right size. But I can't find a way to specify the 'crop' size.. is this something that is doable?

Perhaps an easier question is, what do each of the windows (Image effects, format, and flare print) do please?

Sorry for asking so many questions.. I had a minor brain explosion..
Thank you for all your help

[smokeycorm1]

It would be really nice if someone could reply. Anybody know some answers?

[smokeycorm1]

Just to add another factor into this discussion. When I go to capture a screen (using Capture), near the red icon that I click are dimensions. Is this one way to capture at 1024x768? See attachment.

[CATERAF]

That is one way, but the images I needed at that size are photos which I don't capture on the screen.

I'm still not super confident on images since I last posted but with Tech Support I have got some more information which may help.

The Format Tab and the Print Format tab are slightly redundant apparently (hence some confusion). The Flare Print Format tab will only show up if the image appears in Flare. In this case, the Flare Print Format tab will override the Format tab.
Also, I seem to remember something about being told to change the images settings (such as DPI) in Capture (i.e., in one of these tabs) rather than in Flare with styles. However, to me I can't single source that so it's not as useful as I'd like.

I also tried getting Capture to crop to a specific size but it doesn't have that function. I've submitted a feature request for that one.

I'm still stumped on how to change an image to be 1024 x 768 correctly but I managed to work my way around that. Unfortunately my images are way too big though (I think the image size reduction is superficial only) and I have so many that the idea of going through and reducing them all is going to chew time which I don't really have.

So all in all, I'm still confused to some extent and just hope for the best! That said, I like that Capture and Flare work together so in that sense, I'll battle on!

[DocuWil]

I do work a lot with images.
With Capture I use most of the time CTRL+SHIFT+R (Region) to make a screenshot. Before I press the red button I click the left-top and the bottom-right handle to fine tune the area with the cursor. That works great and very precise!
This way I avoid cropping (I hate that) and it works even faster.

After taking the screenshot I do nothing with the image itself besides adding some blabla (call outs etc.). After all, I might use the image at different places in a different way, but the basis is there.

Then in Flare I use the easiest way by right-clicking the image and then select Edit Image: Setting the Width to a certain length and the Height to Automatic or vice versa.
And that is all.
Sometimes I have to recapture the image. When I do that the size in Flare remains the same and the image changed.
Of course, there are many ways to handle images, but I am very satisfied with this method.