Make Screen Shots

Chapter 3: Capturing Web Sites

1. Make sure your screen is set to the same color depth as you want the screen shot. For example, if you want a 256 color screen shot, set your screen to 256 color mode.
   
   You can do this, by right clicking on the Microsoft Windows desktop, picking Properties... on the pop-up menu that appears, and then going to the Settings tab.
   
   Please Note: If you plan to put the screen shot on your web site, or in an eBook, then you should save the screenshot as GIF or PNG. If you plan to save the screenshot as GIF, you'll need to set your screen to 256 colors or less, as GIF only allows a maximum of 256 colors.
   
   
2. Load the web page that you want to view into Internet Explorer either by typing its URL into the address bar, or by navigating to it.
   
   
3. In Internet Explorer use the options on the View menu to turn off all the toolbars, status bars, explorer bars, address bars, etc.
   
   
4. When you're ready to capture the web page, press F11 to make the web page go full screen.
   
   There may be a floating toolbar with the browser's buttons at the top of the screen, but if you move the mouse away, it should hopefully disappear.
   
   (On the computers where this technique didn't work, I just couldn't get rid of the toolbar or status bar no matter what I tried).
   
   Press the Print Screen key to capture the entire screen to the Windows clipboard.
   
   You can now press the Esc key to switch Internet Explorer back out of full screen mode (and if you want re-enable the toolbars and so on, using the options on the View menu).
   
   
5. You're now ready to paste from the clipboard into your painting softare.
   
   Start the paint program.
   
   More sophisticated paint programs usually have an option to create a brand new image from the content of the clipboard. Look for an option called something like New from Clipboard (on the File menu), or Paste as New Image (on the Edit menu). Select the option, then Save the image, and you're done. (Don't forget to save as GIF or PNG if you want to use your screenshot on your web site or in an eBook).
   
   If you only have the Paint accessory program that comes with Windows, then do this:
   
   
   • Start Paint.
     
     
   • Click Attributes... on the Edit menu, and change both the Width and Height of the image to 1 pixel, then click OK.
     
     
     
     Paint will now look a little odd, with a very tiny (1 by 1 pixel image).
     
     
   • Click Paste on the Edit menu.
     
     A message box will appear saying "The image in the clipboard is larger than the bitmap. Would you like the bitmap enlarged?". Click Yes in response to this message.
     
     
   • Paint will now contain an image that is the exact same size as your capture. Save your work, and you're done. (Don't forget to save as GIF if you want to use your screenshot on your web site or in an eBook).

• As I have mentioned, this techique may not work on some computers.
  
  
• Furthermore, if you want to capture a really long web page (one you would normally have to scroll to see the whole of), you can't capture it in one go.