Q: How do I print or save an image I created
with the data visualization applets?
Applets running from a web browser are not able to access your
computer's storage devices or printers. Java was designed this way
for security -- otherwise a malicious programmer could write an
applet that could use up your printer paper and fill your hard drive
with garbage.
So, to save your work you need to be a little creative. Here are
some ways to do it. (These instructions are written for Windows.
Similar techniques and programs are available for other operating
systems -- send us the details of what works for you and we'll add
it to this page.)
Method 1: Use "Alt - Print Screen"
While holding down the "Alt" key on your keyboard, press
the "Print Screen" key.
This will copy the current window to the Clipboard. Switch to a
program that supports pasting images from the Clipboard, such as
Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, or Excel. Paste the image and edit,
save or print it from here. You can paste into the Paint program
that comes with Windows (usually found in the Start >> Programs
>> Accessories menu). From Paint you can edit and print the
image, or save it as a bitmap file.
This method is quick and easy, but the image is of the entire window
-- including the borders and title and status bars -- see example:
It is possible to edit this image to remove the borders, but it
is a little cumbersome using the image editing tools found in Paint
or most word processor programs. And Paint only allows you to save
the image as a bitmap -- the file size is much smaller if these
images are saved as GIF or JPG files. It is easier to do it in PowerPoint.
Click on the image and if you're really lucky a Picture toolbox
pops open with a lttle crop tool. If not, go to View, Tools, and
select the Picture toolbox. You can use this crop tool to cut out
the borders.
So if you plan to be doing much of this you might want to consider
using a screen capture utility.
Method 2: Use a Screen Capture Utility
There are many programs that include screen capture features that
will work very well for our needs. Here are several examples, but
there are many more programs available that work just as well. If
you have some other graphics program already installed on your computer
check to see if it can handle screen capturing.
Paint Shop Pro (PSP)
Many schools have this program installed on their computers. It
is available for evaluation at http://www.jasc.com/products/psp/.
In the PSP menu go to Capture >> Setup to set the options.
Then press the Capture Now button.
.
With the settings shown above, PSP will create an image of the
client area (the contents of the current window -- excluding the
window title and borders) every time Ctrl-F11 is pressed.
The new images can be printed, and saved in a wide variety of
graphics formats.
Irfanview
This program is free for noncommercial use (and only $10 for anyone
else). It's hard to beat at any price. It does a lot more than screen
captures.
In the Irfanview menu go to Options >> Capture.
ScreenHunter 1.0
This little utility only does screen captures, but it does them
well, it's small, and it's free.
It can be set to capture the client area to the clipboard, to
a file, or both.
Download it from the Wisdom-soft website
They also have other versions of ScreenHunter that have more features,
but are not free. Compare them here.
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