Tuesday, September 10, 2013

Techie Query: GIMP2 Book References, Anyone?

My latest Tech Photo Challenge: Using GIMP2

Have I mentioned that I use Pinterest? Ha, ha. Of course. Countless times, you will remind me - you with an exasperated eye roll. Sigh. Well, someone might have missed the Pinterest mentions I have sprinkled throughout recent posts.

Sometimes, I have not been able to pin an image to Pinterest. Oh no, you think. Oh, yes, I reply. Or maybe the image is not what I would like it to be. Like when my Amazon review pin shows the Amazon shopping cart. Audio: sound of teeth grinding. Sigh again. The default pin mechanism does not produce the desired result.

What's a blogger to do?

Research and find a way around the problem.

So I've copied and pasted a PrintScreen image into a Microsoft Paint file. Saved that image on my computer then cropped that image using Microsoft Office Picture Manager to remove the website title, tabs, other non-relevant details. Then I save that edited image. Close the Picture Manager program. Open GIMP2 program and export the image as a jpeg - change the extension to ".jpg" and choose JPEG as the file type. Then I save that image. Close that image to my computer and close GIMP2 program. Open Pinterest and upload that last version of the image onto the board of my choice. Add the original website to the Pinterest pin description.  Several steps but mission accomplished. Yay me!

So what is my problem? Sometimes, I cannot save the extension to a jpeg file. So I would like to see an official - or unofficial - manual on GIMP2. Not the "help" file that came with the program. Something created or ahem processed for end-users without computer programming backgrounds. Any suggestions on a book preferably so that I can read it while I am in transit, etc.

Thanks in advance for your responses.

6 comments:

Anderson's All-Purpose said...

I'm pretty sure I've seen a book on gimp, but it might have been just a print version of the online help (which imo isn't particularly useful). What does the program tell you when you try to save as a .jpg?

If you're feeling adventurous, you could try to import the screenshot directly into Gimp (with File-> New-> Create from clipboard) and then do your editing there before you export as a .jpg, that might cut out a few possible problem sources.

D7ana said...

Thanks, Anderson's All-Purpose! I have to check what the program states when I try to save as a .jpg.

I like the idea of pasting the screenshot directly into GIMP. I like that indeed ;-) Gonna try it tomorrow.

Anderson's All-Purpose said...

Oh, and I just realized the official GIMP site has a list of reference books! http://www.gimp.org/books/

D7ana said...

Thanks, Anderson's All-Purpose! I should have thought of that myself ;-D

I've put in a library request for the GIMP for Beginners book :-)

batwrangler said...

I second the recommendation to try pasting your screencap right into GIMP. Another thing to check would be the image mode. If it is "Indexed Color" instead of "RGB" you can't save to jpg.

D7ana said...

Thanks, Batwrangler. I used the EXPORT function in GIMP2 to change the formatting of a TIFF file into a JPEG. The original document had been scanned via my HP scanner/printer and then saved as a JPEG file through GIMP2. I was pleased with the results.

I'll see about the Indexed Color / RGB terms; so far, I have not noticed that crop up ;-)