Screen shots make your posts much more interesting and easy to understand. Here's how to do it.

1. There are many sites which host free images; I use http://www.imageshack.us

2. With standard Windows you can capture the screen to the clipboard by hitting the Print Screen button (Control+Print Screen, or Shift+Print Screen do variations - one is entire screen, one is current window or something like that.) Once captured to the clipboard, you can paste it into an image editor such as the standard Paint utility (on the Accessories menu) and then save it as a JPG.

3. From the imageshack (or equivalent) website, there will be an upload mechanism; you browse to specify the JPG file, click upload; then it will display some links which you can cut and paste into the forum post to attach the image to the forum. I prefer the "thumbnail for forums" version.

4. The above can be further simplified by using a tool that allows you to capture a selected rectangle of the screen (rather than the whole thing or even an entire window). I happily use Gadwin PrintScreen - it's free and gives you the option to capture by dragging the mouse to form a rectangle; it then launches your image editor and pastes the image, so all you need to do is close it, and then the image will be saved as My Documents\PrintScreen Files\ScreenShot.jpg, greatly streamlining the procedure.

I have been using PrintKey 2000 for screen captures. It is also free. I don't know how it compares to Gadwin but I have never felt the need to try anything else. It is invoked when you hit the Print-Screen Key.

Jack, in #3 above, when I paste the link, but the image does not show on the forum as in other posts until you click the link. Any suggestions?

You need to make sure you copy the "Hotlink for forums" link. This will have tags.

Thanks Stephen.

Using Imageshack Herman did you use the "Thumbnail for forums (1)" URL/link? or one of the others?

Like this?


In this example you should then get the thumbnail of some character eatting cheese..

Dam I spent too long on my examples (or hunting for a photo) and Stephen beat me..

Steve, I think you could have picked a better example!

For once, Steve, i do believe i agree with Herman...

Steve, you should at least post one of Frank eating tapioca...

Sadly Herman Frank would not pose in front of the Camera while he slowly enjoyed his tapioca.

Ashamed as he should be.

Never leave a magnetic trail, Herman!!