Insert the screenshot into a new document

[Lupo76]

Hi,

I have already spent a few hours trying to figure out how to solve the problem without being able to find a solution.
Let me start by saying that I use Windows as my operating system

Here's what I do:

1. For example, I take a screenshot of Windows File Explorer and save it in PNG format
2. I open the PNG in Affinity Photo and set the Zoom to 100% so as to obtain the same pixels as the window I took the screenshot of
3. I overlay the real File Explorer, by dragging it, over the screenshot and the result is perfect, including the resolution.

Up to here everything is ok.
Subsequently:

1. I open a new document using the New feature of Affinity Photo
2. I drag the PNG file into the Affinity Photo window to insert the screenshot into the new document
3. I set the zoom to 100%
4. From a naked eye check, the cloudy screenshot has therefore lost its sharpness

See attached video.
Do you have any advice for inserting a PNG file containing a perfect screenshot into another document?
Thank you.
Lupo76

 

[NotMyFault]

Hi,

several factors could lead to this:

• The new document is A4 and uses millimeters as units. The png file uses pixel as units. Please change the units to pixel. Otherwise you may position layers on fractional pixel units, and this will cause blurriness and other issues, e.g. fractional pixels at right or bottom will be rounded up on export and show light or dark seams.
• use the transform panel (xfm) to inspect size and position.
• activate snapping, set to enforce pixel alignment, and deactivate move by whole pixels. Deactivate other snapping options (grid, etc) when moving pixel layers.

there might be a color profile mismatch. It seems all files are sRGB, but please check the color profile of your display in windows settings.

the A4 and PNG document might use different DPI settings. Please use the pixel grid, and rulers and check that the placed PNG file has the exact amount of pixels in x and y position. Zoom level is interpreted differently depending on context (calculated size in physical units like millimeters vs. actual pixel size on display). If you require pixel. Perfect files, always use pixel as units, round up document size to whole pixels, and use same DPI for all layers (placed files).

[Pšenda]

21 minutes ago, Lupo76 said:

Do you have any advice for inserting a PNG file containing a perfect screenshot into another document?

Position and size is Pixel perfect?

P.S. recommended settings for Pixel perfect design is Force pixel on, and Move by whole pixels off. 

[bbrother]

What else I can add is:
Try using Windows + PrintScreen to take a full screen screenshot and then crop the image as needed. From what I have observed, the SnippingTool (Windows+Shift+S) is very handy, but on the other hand, the image quality it generates is poor. Windows + PrintScreen generates better images. Don't ask me why.

If you don't like post-processing full-screen screenshots, try other dedicated commercial or free tools, I guarantee they will be better than Windows Snipping Tool

 

 

[Pšenda]

5 minutes ago, NotMyFault said:

and check that the placed PNG file has the exact amount of pixels in x and y position.

... for this check, it is advisable to increase the number of displayed decimal places in the application settings (User Interface options, Decimal Places for Unit Types).

[Lupo76]

Hello everyone for the replies.
Let me start by saying that I am not very expert and therefore I need a little patience on your part.

The 986x619 px screenshot I took is perfect so I think it is not necessary to redo it with another software (see attached Screenshot (OK.afphoto) file
I tried to create a new document with 2000x2000 pixels and the same number of DPI=96, inside this document I inserted "screenshot.png".
The size in pixels of the screenshot inside the new document, checking with the rulers, seems correct to me.

I attach the following files so you can check what's wrong:

• Screenshot.png: The quality of this file is perfect and matches that of my monitor
• Screenshot (OK).afphoto I simply opened the previous "Screenshot.png" file in Affinty Photo and saved the project, here too the quality of this file is perfect and matches that of my monitor
• Blurred document.afphoto: new 2000x2000px document with inserted “Screenshot.png” by drag&drop without resizing it

Why is the quality of Blurred document.afphoto lower than that of Screenshot (OK).afphoto/Screenshot.png?

Thank you.

Lupo76

Blurred document.afphoto Screenshot (OK).afphoto

[GarryP]

As mentioned above, you need to make sure that the placed screenshot has integer X and Y values.

See attached video where I fix the values.

Unless/until you need to do otherwise, I would recommend setting, on the Toolbar, “Force Pixel Alignment” to ON and “Move by Whole Pixels” to OFF.

These can be seen at the centre-top of the window in my video – the buttons with red icons to the left of the ‘robot face’ (hover the mouse pointer over each to see which is which). Attached are two screen-grabs, first from V1 next from V2, to show the difference.

Edited January 6, 2024 by GarryP
Added more details.

[NotMyFault]

Hi,

several factors could lead to this:

 

[Lupo76]

I solved the problem!!
Without your help I would never have succeeded!

Thank you.

[Lupo76]

I'm writing again as I obviously haven't solved the problem yet 😞
This time I'm using Affinity Publisher.

I found and set as suggested the settings “Force Pixel Alignment” to ON and “Move by Whole Pixels” to OFF.
When I insert with drag&drop the screenshot image is inserted with a reduced size and therefore a lower quality.

I attach a video in which I show the operations that I perform, at the end of the video, with a zoom = 100% I superimpose the software of which I took the screenshot and you can see that it is larger and with a decidedly higher quality.
I also attach the Affinity project and the screenshot image for your verification.

I really hope I can learn how to solve these problems as I will have to make many more similar images.

Thank you.

Test_01.afpub

[NotMyFault]

The document units are pt (points) in the video.

you need to use px (pixel) to achieve a 100% accurate pixel matching. 
But it seems ok when i changed this in document setup.

Which size of the placed image do you want to achieve?

• identical physical units (e.g. 10*6 cm): use zoom to 100%, and measure the size of the screenshot.
• identical pixel size (e.g. 1613*889px with the rectangle used to crop): use zoom to pixel

https://affinity.help/publisher2/en-US.lproj/pages/GetStarted/zoom.html

 

Note that some displays and/or screenshot tools do not report the correct DPI. Please use a ruler to measure the results for your test image and compare them to what Affinity apps are reporting.

The Publisher document reports 96 DPI, and it is save to assume that you actually use a retina display with much higher DPI. This could explain the difference.

 

[Lupo76]

Hi,

thanks for your help!
I solved!

There was actually only one problem with the unit of measurement.

[NotMyFault]

Just now, Lupo76 said:

Hi,

thanks for your help!
I solved!

There was actually only one problem with the unit of measurement.

great to hear. Can your share the actual solution in your case?