Browsers and images

Email browsers can accept attachments, which tend to stay with the message, at least as long as the message is retained in the recipient’s browser.  Attachments are files, and users should be aware of a few issues with some kinds of files.

If a user wants to send or to archive the content of a web page in toto (with all the “window dressing” images and secondary sidebar data), there is a way to incorporate all of the associated image files that accompany the basic HTM or HTML textual data.  Microsoft has provided a program called Web Archive, a free download to users who have an installed Office 2000 program.  With the desired HTM program name being displayed in Windows Explorer, do a right-click on the program name and a left-click on the menu item which says save as a Web archive.  It takes a short while for the resulting MHT file to form.  The MHT file can be used as a file that is easier to manage for archiving, and as a file that can carry the complete “dressed up” page as an email attachment.

Most modern web browsers and many other applications that are capable of displaying the more common image formats will support the viewing of animated GIFs.  Note that animated GIFs will also display in the body of an email message.

JavaScript provides some interesting features in graphic displays that can be animated, interactive, etc.  Note that JavaScript coding is contained with HTM files, and can be sent as email attachments.  When the recipient chooses either Open file OR Save to disk, the HTM file will open in a web browser, and the JavaScript content will be displayed.

Email browsers tend to have the capability to insert picture files into a message.  Those familiar with inserting stationery or colored backgrounds may be aware that if you use a small image as a background picture in an email message, it will replicate itself, tile fashion – to fill up the entire background of the browser screen.  The commands are Format|Background, then use the small browser box to find the image file to insert.

A user can also send a picture (animated GIF, for example), as a direct picture image within the body of an email, in which case you get just one image in the message box.  The commands are Insert|Picture – but note that to make Picture available as a menu item you must first set HTML format to apply to the message box of the composition window.  You can place text in the message box and can position the image with some of the composing screen tools.

A person generally can capture individual image files from the net (usually an HTM or HTML file or its equivalent) by right-clicking on them and left-clicking on  “Save Picture As,” which provides a dialog box for browsing for the desired folder in which to place it.

A person can always capture the content presented on the screen by using Alt + Prnt Scrn, which places the screen image data on a clipboard.  They can then open MS Paint and do an Edit|Paste to import the image data into a temporary BMP form in MS Paint.  If the user wishes to capture more than the image data shown on the screen, they can do so by modifying the effective “zoom” of their screen by selecting more pixels for the screen to display.

Most users have their monitors set to display at 800 x 600 pixels, and alternate settings may be selected, within the range of the values supported by by their video card and other aspects of their computer, which can include their operating system.  To access these settings, open the desktop, right-click on any portion of the desktop background, left-click on Properties, click on the Settings tab, a small panel on the low right side of the this dialog box will say Screen area, and will have a slider that can be dragged left or right.  If you wish to capture a screen that would contain about 10 inches of printed height, it is likely that you may do so if you re-set to 1280 x 1024 pixels.  However, you may find a need to temporarily do away with the toolbars at top and bottom that mask the upper and lower edges of your screen.  Such a function is available and is called Full Screen, which is accessed in View or Tools.  To recover from a full screen presentation so you can access tools to proceed with other steps, you can press the Esc. button.

Fancy web displays often make use of Java Script files, which produce interactive images which can be embedded within HTM files.  Java Script files will appear in web browsers, but not in email browsers.

Word 97 and Word 2000 readily accept images for insertion, and even allow you to re-size them when they are embedded.  They can be positioned quite accurately if you know the tools and techniques for doing so.  These Word programs can also view or create HTML files.  Normally, an HTML file would open in a web browser.  However, if you open the Word application first, then open an existing HTML file in the Word application, it will display okay.

Animated GIFs that are inserted into Word files act differently, depending on whether the Word application is viewing the Word file in the DOC format or in the HTML format.  In the latter, the animated GIF remains animated, in the former, the GIF is not animated.

A user might have a reason to save a page layout as an image file.  This is one of the options available in Publishing software.  Multi-column Word fles with small text may not remain stable in their layout unless some strong measures are taken to make them more stable.  The problem lies in a feature of how the specific width characteristics with proportional fonts is not retained.  If the first column on a page grows to have additional lines dues to a few words that have expanded to create this change, the first column will not end at the designated place, as the bottom margin determines the last row of text to be accepted.  The page can take on a most unfortunate upset of its layout.

Alternate means for obtaining stability is to take a “snapshot” of the displayed file by doing a web capture, as described above.  This usually results in an image file that retains most of the clarity of the file as it was presented in the Word application.  A user can import a word or text file into MS Paint, also with little loss of clarity.  Another method is to create a PDF file by using an Adobe PDF Writer application.  PDF does not display small point sizes of text with much clarity – also – PDF files are usually much bigger than Word DOC files.  In each of the above cases, you lose the ability to edit the text in the new file format.

Kinko’s  prefers to work with PDF files than with Word DOC files because they are more stable.  Both file types carry the layout margins with them, but PDF files are better at retaining the exact text layouts.

An older or limited edition version of PDF Writer is included with all versions of Adobe Photo Deluxe, and usually gets installed unless you find a way to decline it.  It may not be obvious whether you have it installed or not.  The best way to check on its presence is to take an inventory of the “printers” installed on your computer.  That’s where you may find the PDF Writer.