A screenshot editor needs to do a few things - but it must do these three things easily and well:
1. Draw curved and straight arrows, dotted or solid line, with various end dots and points 2. Draw open circles of various shapes to highlight areas of interest 3. Text easily without having to pre-define a bounding box for the ad-hoc text
By far, the most powerful easy-to-use freeware screenshot editor is Paint.NET, which isn't on Linux.
On Linux, a distant second place goes to Kolourpaint; and a far distant third place to The GIMP (based on ease of performing those three items above).
I was told today that Pinta is a Linux replacement for Paint.NET features - so I am going to install it to test it out: http://www.pinta-project.com
Looking for an RPM ... $ uname -a ==> Linux snafu 2.6.32-358.6.2.el6.x86_64 #1 SMP Thu May 16 20:59:36 UTC 2013 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux $ yum --noplugins --showduplicates --enablerepo * --disablerepo c6-media, *-source,*debug* provides "*/pinta" ==> nothing found
http://pkgs.repoforge.org ==> pinta not found http://pkgs.org ==> finds pinta in Fedora packages 17, 18, 19, and Rawhide http://pbone.net ==> finds pinta in Fedora packages 14,15,16,17,18, and 19
Pinta source is also available here: http://pinta-project.com/pinta/download.ashx
Given that information, what avenue would you pick to install Pinta on a 64-bit CentOS 6.4 laptop to test it out?
On 06/20/2013 08:34 AM, Rock wrote:
A screenshot editor needs to do a few things - but it must do these three things easily and well:
- Draw curved and straight arrows, dotted or solid line, with various
end dots and points 2. Draw open circles of various shapes to highlight areas of interest 3. Text easily without having to pre-define a bounding box for the ad-hoc text
By far, the most powerful easy-to-use freeware screenshot editor is Paint.NET, which isn't on Linux.
On Linux, a distant second place goes to Kolourpaint; and a far distant third place to The GIMP (based on ease of performing those three items above).
I was told today that Pinta is a Linux replacement for Paint.NET features
- so I am going to install it to test it out: http://www.pinta-project.com
Looking for an RPM ... $ uname -a ==> Linux snafu 2.6.32-358.6.2.el6.x86_64 #1 SMP Thu May 16 20:59:36 UTC 2013 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux $ yum --noplugins --showduplicates --enablerepo * --disablerepo c6-media, *-source,*debug* provides "*/pinta" ==> nothing found
http://pkgs.repoforge.org ==> pinta not found http://pkgs.org ==> finds pinta in Fedora packages 17, 18, 19, and Rawhide http://pbone.net ==> finds pinta in Fedora packages 14,15,16,17,18, and 19
Pinta source is also available here: http://pinta-project.com/pinta/download.ashx
Given that information, what avenue would you pick to install Pinta on a 64-bit CentOS 6.4 laptop to test it out?
You can try installing package for Fedora 14 and see if there are solvable dependencies.
You can also take .src.rpm from Fedora 14 and try to recompile it for CentOS 6.x.
On Thu, 20 Jun 2013 10:05:29 +0200, Ljubomir Ljubojevic wrote:
You can try installing package for Fedora 14 You can also take .src.rpm from Fedora 14 and try to recompile
Someone much smarter than I am already failed today due to dependencies:
"Pinta looks interesting. I had been using Jshot, but it uses bounding boxes, sorry. I unsuccessfully tried to compile (rpmbuild --rebuild) the pinta-1.4-1.fc18.src.rpm with dependency issues. The biggest issue was mono > 2.8 *and* a couple of others. I could not find a repo that had the correct combination to: $ yum install mono-devel gtk-sharp2-devel mono-addins-devel and get what was needed. The closest was using a repo from: http://download.opensuse.org/repositories/Mono:/EL6/RHEL6/ but they seem to be missing the "gtk-sharp2-devel" requirement (but they have gtk-sharp2). With any luck, one of the real developers will step up with info."
https://www.centos.org/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=43470&start=...
On Thu, 20 Jun 2013 15:11:32 +0000, Rock wrote:
Someone much smarter than I am already failed today due to dependencies:
Here's a response from the Pinta Developer's Group today: https://groups.google.com/forum/?fromgroups#!topic/pinta/JiJoNTNCGFA
[quote] IgorZ Currently there is no RPM package available from Pinta maintainers, but this has been discussed as it would be nice feature.
For a starting point, you can try to convert the deb to rpm as described at: http://www.thegeekstuff.com/2010/11/alien-command-examples/
Also, Pinta can also be installed using the tarball. 1. Download the tarball: $ wget http://www.pinta-project.com/download.ashx 2. Then use the classical: $ ./configure $ make $ sudo make install 3. Run pinta with the command: $ pinta
Regarding:
- Arrows (curved, dashed, dotted, straight, pointy, solder dots, etc.)
This is planned for Google Summer of Code 2013 by Andrew: https://groups.google.com/forum/?hl=en&fromgroups=#!topic/pinta/sjEXOTwS...
The plan is to get this done to mid September and probably a month or two later before the new Pinta releases.
- Open boxes and circles to highlight areas of the screenshot
Can you please describe in more detail what do you mean?
- Intuitive ad-hoc text that doesn't need a pre-defined bounding box
Also don't understand what is your idea? Can you create print-screen or something to demonstrate idea.
Hopefully Pinta will do those three things too!
Can you please be so nice and report this ideas on Pinta's idea web page: https://pinta.uservoice.com/forums/105955-general
I you get more votes then it is more likely the idea will get implemented. But please when reporting idea write more details, maybe add some print-screen or step-by-step instructions from the other tool.
By the way we are currently approaching 1.5 release (only one single bug to solve). This release will make it way more easy to write plug-ins. So if someone is interested to implement some additional features, then a plug-in can be written. [/quote]
On Fri, 21 Jun 2013 01:14:16 +0000, Rock wrote:
Can you please be so nice and report this ideas on Pinta's idea web page:
For the record, I did post this screenshot summary to the Pinta Developers Group:
--- < warning > .... long ... slightly off topic < / warning > ... ... --- Hi IgorZ, Thanks for responding to our request. I'll update the Centos.org forum with your additional information. As Paint.NET is probably the best freeware screenshot editor on Windows, it would be useful for these features to be in an RPM installation form. I will gladly comply with your request for more information as screenshot editing is a common set of tasks, which pan does some of the best in the world! I'm on CentOS at the moment, so I will provide the Paint.NET screenshot examples separately.
In addition to arrows, which Paint.NET does better than any freeware program on the planet, or texting (which Paint.NET does nicely without the need for setting a pre-defined bounding box), one needs the following 10 activities to be as efficient as possible: Screenshot editing: 1. The users snaps a screenshot (various methods exist so I'll simply show what I currently use on CentOS): http://www4.picturepush.com/photo/a/13372357/640/13372357.png Note: I use the gnome-screenshot tool on CentOS; on Windows, I use the Print-Screen button and then I paste into and crop in IrfanView because nothing is better than IrfanView for cropping as described further below).
2. Depending on the screenshot capture utility, a separate step may exist to select the three types of screenshots, and to capture to a file: http://www1.picturepush.com/photo/a/13372374/img/13372374.png Note: It's VERY helpful if "mistakes" can be rectified in a single click. For example, say the default is yellow for text but that it doesn't look good once I start typing; it's helpful if the color change is as simply as clicking on another color without having to switch out of texting mode. In the case of Kolourpaint, which is what I'm using on Linux for these screenshots, it's trivially easy. Paint.NET is "not" so easy mainly because I close the rather large and obnoxious rainbow window most of the time; so I have to bring it back up.
3. Open that screenshot in your favorite editor program (the fastest program on Windows for this is IrfanView but I'll be using Kolourpaint on Linux for this): Note: I control-V paste into IrfanView because Paint.NET cropping isn't as intuitively easy or as few steps as IrfanView's click-sweep-click cropping. http://www5.picturepush.com/photo/a/13372403/img/13372403.png Note: Saving to a file should be intuitive! That means it should select a file name like Gnome-Screenshot does, and then it should append a number to the file name if that file name already exists. This saves the user mouseclicks. It's helpful if the file naming is intelligent (as Gnome-screenshot is, which will name the file based on the type of screenshot and the window opened); but the most important feature is to make file naming easy and intuitive in the fewest clicks possible - and of course, it should default to the same directory after one has been chosen!
4. Cropping should be as simple as click->sweep->click (it's helpful if cropping is settable as the default starting mode) Note: Most programs, including Paint.NET enforce an additional (unnecessary) 4th cropping step (see IrfanView cropping for the canonical method). http://www2.picturepush.com/photo/a/13372415/img/13372415.png
5. Moving things around should be as simple as click->sweep->click->grab and let go. Note: Most programs, including Paint.NET enforce an additional (unnecessary) move step (see Kolourpaint moving for the canonical method). http://www1.picturepush.com/photo/a/13372779/img/13372779.png Note: It's nice if the move also has the option of transparency, which KolourPaint has so that you can "see partially through" a moved object when placed.
6. Cutting things out, and repairing the damage also must be easy to perform, as KolourPaint is: Cutting out should be click-click-cut and repairing "can" be via the eye dropper + paint can (which should switch instantly since that's what you're always doing). The easiest way to fill in damage is to select an adjacent area and simply stretch it (as Kolourpaint does nicely): http://www2.picturepush.com/photo/a/13372800/img/13372800.png
7. Of course, texting should be intuitive, and Paint.NET has that one solid. You simply type. No need to draw a bounding box. If you make a mistake, you merely correct it directly. There is no additional text-editing window like The GIMP or Shutter has.
8. A nice feature is being able to stretch the canvas which KolourPaint does intuitively (for the right side & bottom anyway). You just grab the stretch dot and drag it to where you want it to go. http://www4.picturepush.com/photo/a/13372817/img/13372817.png Note: I never could understand Paint.NET's canvas stretching mechanism.
9. Then, pasting an additional file into that stretched canvas is easy with the "Edit->Paste from File" command: http://www4.picturepush.com/photo/a/13372952/img/13372952.png Note: You can turn similar colors on such that the pasted or moved image is "see through".
10. At this point, you need to resize the image easily, which should have standard options, e.g., 640x480 pixels: http://www2.picturepush.com/photo/a/13373110/img/13373110.png
In summary, for screen editing, nobody beats Paint.NET for its arrowing capabilities or texting abiltity; but some beat Paint.NET on the following: a. SCREENSHOT: Gnome-Screenshot for intuitive screen capture and saving the file (Paint.NET doesn't have this feature, AFAIK) b. FILE->OPEN: IrfanView for sheer speed of opening the file (much faster than Paint.NET) c. EDIT->CROP: IrfanView for the intuitive crop (one fewer step than Paint.NET) d. MOVE: KolourPaint for intuitive move (one fewer step than Paint.NET) e. CUT & REPAIR: KolourPaint (two fewer steps than Paint.NET) f. GROWING THE CANVAS: KolourPaint does this nicely simply by selecting the edge dots and stretching them. g. PASTE FROM FILE: KolourPaint has a nice paste-from-file but I'd prefer the canvass to grow automatically according to the new dimensions of the old & new file.
On 20.06.2013 07:34, Rock wrote:
A screenshot editor needs to do a few things - but it must do these three things easily and well:
- Draw curved and straight arrows, dotted or solid line, with various
end dots and points 2. Draw open circles of various shapes to highlight areas of interest 3. Text easily without having to pre-define a bounding box for the ad-hoc text
Forget that mono %^&* and install Shutter; does what you said and more. http://shutter-project.org/downloads/third-party-packages/
On Thu, 20 Jun 2013 09:32:41 +0100, Nux! wrote:
install Shutter; does what you said and more.
I have had Shutter all along on my CentOS 6.4 laptop.
Here's how Shutter compares to Paint.NET on those 3 key annotation items: (IMHO)
1. Curved & dashed arrows: Shutter arrows are primitive and don't come close to what Paint.NET does with arrows. Even Kolourpaint does a better job with curved arrows than does Shutter; but neither can do dashes, dotted lines, or solder dots, or various arrowheads like Paint.NET does. Kolourpaint can curve an arrow; but once you've seen how Paint.NET does curves, you'll never be happy with anything else. <=== this is the key usability feature of Paint.NET, IMHO!
2. Open boxes & ellipses: Shutter does a fine job of drawing open boxes and ellipses; just as nicely as does Paint.NET or Kolourpaint.
3. Ad-hoc texting: Shutter does not need a bounding box for ad-hoc texting; and you can move the results around the screen, and rearrange the margins; however, Shutter brings up an annoying unnecessary duplicate editing window, where you have to make all your changes in *that* extra editing window (and not in the spot you're actually texting). So, you have to look with one eye where you're typing and with the other eye you have to see what's going on in the screenshot (and, some of us, use our third eye to see what we're typing on the keyboard!). :)
In summary, Shutter is a nice tool, and I use it myself, as I do KolourPaint (and a few others, including The GIMP); however, once you've seen how well Paint.NET does arrows - you'll be amazed at the power & usability of that one key feature for annotating screenshots.
I do not know if Pinta handles arrows like Paint.NET did; but if it does, that alone would make Pinta a keeper on any CentOS system that does annotation!
On 20.06.2013 16:30, Rock wrote:
On Thu, 20 Jun 2013 09:32:41 +0100, Nux! wrote:
install Shutter; does what you said and more.
I have had Shutter all along on my CentOS 6.4 laptop.
Here's how Shutter compares to Paint.NET on those 3 key annotation items
Well, Shutter is more than enough for my needs, but if you _must_ use Pinta, have you tried running it in Wine?
On Thu, 20 Jun 2013 16:37:42 +0100, Nux! wrote:
Well, Shutter is more than enough for my needs, but if you _must_ use Pinta, have you tried running it in Wine?
I abhor Wine, and feel that, over time, I should strive to find the best native Linux programs to do the job.
At the moment, nothing on Linux (or Windows) compares to Paint.NET; so that's the only reason I'm interested in Pinta (which is apparently based on Paint.NET).
On Thu, Jun 20, 2013 at 11:19 AM, Rock Rocksockdoc@gmail.com wrote:
On Thu, 20 Jun 2013 16:37:42 +0100, Nux! wrote:
Well, Shutter is more than enough for my needs, but if you _must_ use Pinta, have you tried running it in Wine?
I abhor Wine, and feel that, over time, I should strive to find the best native Linux programs to do the job.
At the moment, nothing on Linux (or Windows) compares to Paint.NET; so that's the only reason I'm interested in Pinta (which is apparently based on Paint.NET).
Have you looked for or tried anything in java like http://www.heliospaint.com/. I haven't tried it myself, but I always look for cross platform tools as a first choice rather than being locked into any single OS and there are a lot of things available in java.
-- Les Mikesell lesmikesell@gmail.com
On Thu, 20 Jun 2013 11:43:08 -0500, Les Mikesell wrote:
Have you looked for or tried anything in java like http://www.heliospaint.com/.
The description looks enticing. I couldn't find anything in the aforementioned repos; so I downloaded the java applet.
But nothing happened when I ran: $ java -jar HeliosPaint.jar
No error whatsoever. Reminds me of the last java applet I tried to run, which had the same problem. So, it's probably something on my system that is amiss.
On 06/21/2013 02:06 AM, Rock wrote:
On Thu, 20 Jun 2013 11:43:08 -0500, Les Mikesell wrote:
Have you looked for or tried anything in java like http://www.heliospaint.com/.
The description looks enticing. I couldn't find anything in the aforementioned repos; so I downloaded the java applet.
But nothing happened when I ran: $ java -jar HeliosPaint.jar
No error whatsoever. Reminds me of the last java applet I tried to run, which had the same problem. So, it's probably something on my system that is amiss.
Have you set proper java alternative (default java to use)? Maybe it requires specific java version.
On Sat, 22 Jun 2013 18:16:44 +0200, Ljubomir Ljubojevic wrote:
Have you set proper java alternative (default java to use)? Maybe it requires specific java version.
Unfortunately, I've set up nothing overt with respect to Java, so this is all I know about the java that is installed currently:
$ java -version ==> java version "1.6.0_24" ==> OpenJDK Runtime Environment (IcedTea6 1.11.11) (rhel-1.61.1.11.11.el6_4-x86_64) ==> OpenJDK 64-Bit Server VM (build 20.0-b12, mixed mode)
On 06/22/2013 08:13 PM, Rock wrote:
On Sat, 22 Jun 2013 18:16:44 +0200, Ljubomir Ljubojevic wrote:
Have you set proper java alternative (default java to use)? Maybe it requires specific java version.
Unfortunately, I've set up nothing overt with respect to Java, so this is all I know about the java that is installed currently:
$ java -version ==> java version "1.6.0_24" ==> OpenJDK Runtime Environment (IcedTea6 1.11.11) (rhel-1.61.1.11.11.el6_4-x86_64) ==> OpenJDK 64-Bit Server VM (build 20.0-b12, mixed mode)
You performed this: granting execute permissions first if needed using command "sudo chmod 775 HeliosPaint.jar". first ???
It works for me...
[root@kancelarija /]# java -version java version "1.7.0_25" Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment (build 1.7.0_25-b15) Java HotSpot(TM) 64-Bit Server VM (build 23.25-b01, mixed mode)
On Thu, 20 Jun 2013 06:34:38 +0000, Rock wrote:
Given that information, what avenue would you pick to install Pinta on a 64-bit CentOS 6.4 laptop to test it out?
Now that I know the arrowing isn't implemented yet; and that it's problematic to install on CentOS, I'll give up.
I do appreciate the help, as I had stumbled against a wall in trying to install this. It's nice to know help exists. Thanks.
-
Les Mikesell -
Ljubomir Ljubojevic -
Nux! -
Rock