Aoraki Macintosh User Group Home Page

Snippets from Previous Meetings

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Several computing queries and suggested solutions included:

RECEIVING PDF FILES

I send out to PC users a number of e-mail messages with PDF files attached, but one of the recipients tells be he can't open them. Why not?

• As only one person is unable to open your PDF (Portable Document Format) files and the others can, it indicates that there isn't anything wrong with the files. The most likely reason is that this person's PC doesn't have an application to read the files - Macs come loaded with Preview as a default PDF reader, but PCs don't necessarily have one. Free download from Adobe: http://www.adobe.com/products/reader/

SELECTING MORE THAN ONE IMAGE

I can print a single image from iPhoto OK, but how do I select two (non-consecutive) images to print at the same time?

• Select non-consecutive images in the same way that you are able to select non-consecutive files from any list on your Mac: by holding down the Apple key while you click on each image.
• Also, select consecutive images by holding down the Shift key, then click the first and last images in the sequence. Shift-clicking also works with other listed files on your Mac.

EXPORTING IMAGES FROM iPHOTO

How do I export images from iPhoto after I've renamed then? They seem to revert to their original file-name.

• This query, together with several other related questions, led to an informal discussion covering several iPhoto-related aspects. Answers to most of these are contained in the reprinted Exporting Images From iPhoto session report.

Sessions

EXPORTING IMAGES FROM iPHOTO

REPRINTED FROM AMUG MINUTES AUGUST 2006]

Dragging to the Desktop:

This places a full-sized copies of the selected image files on the desktop. If you have retitled the image (either in the Library or in an Album, be aware that the copy will be labelled with the original filename (NB. If you want to refer back to the original filename of a retitled image, got to Photo/Get Info menu), complete with the appropriate extension.

Exporting via the File/Export Menu:

This enables you to send copies of the selected images to your chosen destination (desktop, folder, disk, etc), and also gives you options regarding format, size and name - unlike when dragging, are able to keep the titles with images you have renamed (by selecting the Use Title option). Be aware that if you are sending image files to a non-Mac user, you will need to check the Use Extension box (see below) so that the extension (eg. .jpg) will be added in order for their PC to know how to handle it:

If you export to QuickTime (by clicking on the QuickTime button in the Export Photos window) you are able to export a series of images in the form of an instant QuickTime movie, which presents a times slide show complete with dissolve transitions and background music.

Exporting to E-Mail:

• Tell iPhoto which e-mail application you wish to use by going to the iPhoto Preferences/General pane and selecting your e-mail program.
• You cannot select and album to be exported from iPhoto - you have to select the photos within the album.

Many people make the mistake of e-mailing full-sized copies of images, when smaller compressed versions would do - not everyone is on a Broadband Internet connection! Before sending it is advisable to consider what the recipient is likely to do with the images - if they are only to be viewed on-screen, then a small image size is usually sufficient (eg. about 60KB, instead of the original 1MB file-size). However, if the recipient is going to print the images, then you must send full-sized copies if they are to get good printing results - even a large image which looks good on-screen (at 72 pixels per inch) will not print out well.

If you want to send a large quantity of thumbnail-type (small picture/small filesize) images, then iPhoto already contains them - if you know where to find them. They're in your Pictures folder in the iPhoto Library folder - the actual location depends on the version of iPhoto you have: in iPhoto 6 they're in the Data/Year/Roll No. folder, and most are about 20KB. DO NOT MOVE these files if you wish to use them as iPhoto will not appreciate it; make copies of them instead.

MacBASICS: QUICKTIME

Tony described the QuickTime application, which basically allows Mac (and Windows) users to play back audio and video content. It recognises a variety of formats, and enables them to be shown in a high-quality player which acts as a 'container' for whatever type of medium is being used: audio, movie, still image, streaming files (audio or video) from the Internet.

New in QuickTime 7 is the access to audio and video Playback Controls. With them, you can easily adjust:

• audio balance and volume or make changes to bass and treble response.
• (Mac OS X Tiger with a capable video card) adjust brightness, color, contrast and tint with sliders in the same control palette.
• speed up a movie, or really s l o w t h i n g s d o w n: set playback speed from 1/2x to 3x normal speed.
• use Jog Shuttle to adjust the speed at which you search through individual movie frames.

Your computer comes with QuickTime Player installed, and you are able to use its basic playback and presentation functions, including viewing of movie trailers from the QuickTime website: http://www.apple.com/quicktime/ However, it also contains many advanced features to which you do not have access unless you purchase a QuickTime Pro registration key ($NZ38) which 'unlocks' them. With QuickTime Pro you can also

• Convert QuickTime movies to a variety of formats for viewing on iPod, mobile phone, email or the web.
• Export to over a dozen different video and audio formats.
• Use the cut, copy, and paste capabilities to edit your movies or add a new sound track.
• Add annotations, rotate your video, etc.
• With iSight or other FireWire camera connected, create video with a single click.
• Build a library of movies by saving them from the web to your computer.
• View movies shot with camera phone, digital camera, or camcorder. QuickTime 7 Pro supports major video formats including H.264, MPEG-4, and Motion JPEG; etc.
• Capture audio to as a podcast.

Visit the Apple website for detailed information and FAQ's: http://www.apple.com/quicktime/player/

APPLICATIONS

Ricky shared several applications that can be used to customise your Mac:

PIXADEX

This is an application for organising collections of fonts, and describes itself as being to icons what iPhoto is to images. Pixadex lets you import, organize and search categories of icons quickly and easily, and therefore is of interest to those who like to customise their desktop and folder with their own choice of icons, rather than those included in the Operating system.

Similar to iPhoto in appearance, Pixadex includes smart collections, nested folders and integration with Spotlight. It supports the importing of various image files which it formats for use as desktop icons. It requires MacOS 10.3.9 or later, and costs about $NZ24.75 to buy.
For trial download and/or purchase visit: http://iconfactory.com/software/pixadex

CANDY BAR

Trick out your Trashcan. Decorate your Drives. Mix up Mail.

CandyBar 2 lets you change the Mac OS X icons you usually can't!

Another icon application - this one lets you change system and volume icons, and also enables a return to the former or default icons. It requires MacOS 10.3.9 or later (and also, its website says, requires a love of change!). It costs about $NZ17.00, and is available from: http://www.panic.com/candybar/

DESKTASTIC

More fun from the same company! This application lets you draw on your desktop, if you should want to! - or type a message (phone numbers, reminder notes, etc) and stamp any picture in a variety of arrangements on the screen. Like Candy Bar it costs about $NZ17.00, and is available from: http://www.panic.com/desktastic/

TRANSMIT

Transmit provides you with a number of features relating to Finder views and operations, giving you alternative appearances and enhanced control or sidebars, windows, folders, dock, searches, etc. See its website for further details. It costs about $NZ17.00, and is available from: http://www.panic.com/transmit/

Thank you Ricky for introducing these fun applications - plenty of scope for imagination!

SCREEN CAPTURE

Barry outlined several procedures for Screen Capture, which is the process of making a copy of anything (icon, graphic, photo, text...) which appears on the screen. This copy can then be pasted into documents, e-mail messages, etc. Either Shortcut Keys or applications such as Grab can be used to capture from the screen:

SCREEN CAPTURE SHORTCUT KEYS

These are part of the operating system of all Macs, and the copies image is saved as a PNG (Portable Network Graphics) format file on your Desktop. Use the following keys to capture images:

• Command-Shift-3 takes an entire screen-shot.
• Command-Shift-4 gives cross-hairs to select a specific area to capture.
• Command-Shift-4, then hit space-bar, to capture a whole window.

If you want the picture saved on the Clipboard, help down the Control (ctrl) key as well as the keys shown above.

Grab

Grab, an application which comes with MacOS X. It is found in the Hard Drive/Applications/Utilities folder, and can be used for taking pictures of either part or the whole of the screen. A further option is to take a timed shot, which operated 10 seconds after starting, so changes can be made before taking the picture. Grab Preferences give the choice of hiding the cursor during screen shots, or changing it to other kinds of pointer, including a hand. The resulting image files, which immediately appear in their own windows, are in TIFF (Tagged Information File Format).

[Comparing the above methods of Screen Capture, be aware that the TIFF files produced by Grab are considerably larger than the Shortcut Keys' PNG files - a Grab screen-shot came out at 804KB, whereas a keyboard screen-shot was 588KB. For general use, or if file-size is an issue, PNG files are fine, but for quality printing TIFFs are preferable Ð T.C.]

Thank you Barry for showing us these useful features.

FAVOURITE WEBSITES

• Ricky told members that he makes use of Neowin, a website which offers general computer news, information on featured software and games, and a variety of forums. The news pages are able to be filtered by platform, so Apple news can be displayed separately. Visit http://www.neowin.net/

• Barry frequently uses the facilities available on the Inland Revenue website which, according to its description, “provides access to information and interactive services like calculators and returns, so you can learn about, understand and easily manage your obligations and entitlements”. Some of the services available include the following:

• Barry also uses the MetService website for detailed information on a variety of aspects of weather forecasting, including skifield reports:

The Met Service site provides weather information which is local, comprehensive and customisable - you can choose which aspects you wish to appear: local forecast, 15-day forecast, weather map, mountain forecast, etc. Visit: http://www.metservice.co.nz/default/index.php

Thank you to the contributors of this session.
Please feel welcome to contribute your favourite sites at future meetings.

COMIC LIFE

Tony gave a demonstration of the updated version of Comic Life, an application first mentioned at an AMUG meeting two years ago. This is an application for presenting pictures, graphics and photos in a comic-type format, and offers layouts of panels into which the images can be placed by drag-and-drop.

First designed for Mac-users (an PC version is now available also), it integrates with iPhoto and the iSight camera. The iPhoto libraries and albums appear in a selection panel, and from which images can be dragged into panels on the page being constructed. They are automatically resized to fit, and can be zoomed and even rotated. Speech bubbles, captions and graphic headings can be added. The application is very user-friendly and intuitive, which makes it very suitable for use by children (of all ages!)).

Tony incorrectly said that Comic Life was freeware - sorry, it's not (my apologies!- T); a free download is available as a 4.3MB download on 30-day trial from http://www.plasq.com , but the application costs about $NZ35 to buy. Also available is a deluxe version, which contains larger collections of fonts, templates and styles.

This application has scope for endless fun! Well worth a look.