How do I post a copy of my 3rdPlanIt track plan to a thread?

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

Hi all you computer savy types!

I know this will be embarrassingly simple. I have been asked to post a copy of my 3rdPlanIt track design to the forum. I know I did it once before but that was several years ago and my memory just isn’t that good. In addition to posting the track plans I would like to also post the list of layers but I can’t seem to get either to copy.

Thanks for your help.

Dave

2

Set the view so that everything fits on the screen, then under file there is export view to file and you can save as a JPG to post same as any picture.

–Randy

3

Hi, Dave

Sometimes, like when I want to post a screen shot of, say, a Google satelite photo I will use the “print screen” key. This puts your monitor view into the clipboard. Then open your photo editing software, Photoshop even has a command for open file from clipboard, or do ctrl-v to paste.

Then you can edit the image (crop your toolbar off, etc.) save it as a .jpg then post away…

I don’t know if 3rd planit has an export function but you might be able to export as- .jpg?

Ed

4

Randy and Ed:

Thanks for the quick responses. 3rdPlanIt does have an export function but I didn’t have a clue as to how to use it.

I’ll give it a shot!

Thanks

Dave

5

The 3rdPlanIt export function does not list .jpg as an option. It offers ‘DXF’, ‘DWG’ and ‘V8.02’ only, so I have run into a dead end. I can’t bring up the ‘print screen’ function either when the track plan is on the screen.

Help!

Dave

EDIT: Cancel that!! I just discovered how to create the .jpg file! Only took about 30 minutes![(-D][D)]

6

Dave, thanks for all your efforts.

I like what I am seeing.

Rich

7

It kinda’ works in the background, you get no acknowlegement that it “copied” but it’s there on your “clipboard” and then you can “paste” it into nearly any kind of document, even right into an email or into MS Word but I usually want to clean the image up by cropping.

A handy function when there is absolutely no other way to capture an image.

Glad you finally whacked your way out of the jungle of bytes & bits… Ed

8

Ed:

Thanks, but apparently I’m still waist deep in the jungle.[D)][banghead][xx(]

I couldn’t find any command that said ‘print screen’.

Can you clarify where I should be looking?

Thanks

Dave

9

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Print_screen

I hope you folks in the Provinces are using the same keyboard? [:D]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Print_screen#mediaviewer/File:KeyboardWithPrintScreenRinged.svg

[edit]

Oh, and I forgot to mention until I refreshed MY memory that it copies as a bitmap so you would have to use “save as” to convert the image to .jpeg for sending to the WWW

Aren’t computers FUN!

Ed

10

OK Ed:

How simple is that!?!

Now I am really feeling like a dinosaur! What you are telling me is that I should have studied all these extranious keys on my new keyboard. The thought boggles my mind!

I have just decided to start hating technology! How can it be soooooo simple and yet so hard? Bitmap, .jpeg… I wish I was 20 years old again, at least mentally. If I was really 20 years old again I’d be just as broke as I was the first time round![(-D][(-D]

Seriously, thanks for your help and your patience! VERY much appreciated.

Dave

11

It’s all about sharing ideas, Dave!

Someone here mentioned the “Home” key to zoom me to the top of the page (when the MR wizards introduced this new format the “return to top” arrow was missing in some browsers!) and I have been using it on lots of web sites ever since!

Print Screen comes in handy when I want to post a Google street view or satelite image. I can zoom to a pretty comfortable view, tap Print Screen, open Photoshop, click “new image from clipboard” and there is an exact copy of my screen.

Then a little cropping, I can even add text and graphics, sharpen the image, etc. then “save as>.jpg” then upload it to Photobucket or whatever your hosting site is.

Easy Peesey as Mr. Shron would say!

Glad to help out! Ed

12

Under the Export menu is “View to a file”. That’s where you get a JPG (or BMP or TIF). That gets just the drawing area, NOT the rest of the screen you get with a print screen.

–Randy

13

Randy:

Thanks for the clarification.

Dave

14

If you’re using Windows, you can skip the Photoshop and cropping by opening the Clipping Tool located in your Accessories folder. The screen will turn whitish, then you just drag the cursor to form a rectangle around the part of the screen you want to capture. When the new window pops up, go to File:Save As to save it as a JPEG.

Steve S

15

Thanks, Steve

That will save time for the quick & dirty screen shots I might want. I just mentioned PS since it’s what I usually go to but, of course, just about any program that manages graphics will work.

Thanx and a Tip o’ the hat!

16

Sorry, it’s called the Snipping Tool, not clipping tool.

Steve S