[SOLVED] How to add ellipses and rectangles to png screenshots?

[DDR-4]

Hi all,

Is there a simple way to add a coloured ellipse or rectangle to a screenshot image taken with the Take screenshot program please? I want to add a red ellipse or rectangle to a screenshot to highlight where to click on the page.

Gimp is overkill for this and Pinta does not appear to work.

On my Mac I can do this with a couple of mouse clicks easily.

TIA

Keith

SOLUTION: viewtopic.php?f=47&t=263205&p=1442864#p1442864

[phd21]

Hi "DDR-4",

1.) The newly updated and excellent "Ksnip" screenshot and painter application. Download and Install using their AppImage file.

DamirPorobic/ksnip:
Ksnip is a Qt based Linux screenshot tool that provides many annotation features for your screenshots.
https://github.com/DamirPorobic/ksnip

Download link to AppImage file
https://github.com/DamirPorobic/ksnip/r ... 4.AppImage

2.) "Kolourpaint4" in the "Synaptic Package Manager (SPM)".


Hope this helps ...

[DDR-4]

Hi phd21,

Thanks for your reply.

I have downloaded ksnip and that looks good to me.

I found gnome-paint and that does what I want also with an undo feature which gpaint doesn't have now.

So I use Take Screenshot to capture the png image, and then gnome-paint to add to red ellipse or rectangle.

Regards,

Keith

[phd21]

Hi "DDR-4", Keith,

You are welcome...

Ksnip can do both the screenshot and or edit the image (paint) to add colored ellipse or rectangle in one program. It also has an undo feature. You can also open existing image files to edit them to add ellipse or rectangle, and arrows with numbers, and can now scale (resize) an image. The numbers can even be user selected which is great after using the "undo" to start where you want, and I know of no other app that can do this. And, you can upload to your own "imgur" image hosting account. You can create a desktop shortcut launcher or menu item to the AppImage file, or even change the PrintScreen key, or another key like "pause" key, to use Ksnip AppImage file, which is what I do. Works with png, jpg, and other image formats.

Hope this helps ...

Regards,
Phil
phd21

[lmuserx4849]

I know you said Gimp is over kill, but it is really simple and fast.

1. File > Open and browse to your file
2. In the Toolbox there is a Rectangle Select Tool or the Ellipse Tool. Just click one or the other.
3. Make your selection by dragging your mouse.
4. Edit > Stroke Selection (Solid Color uses the FG Color)
5. File > Export As
6. Done

The Tool Options appear below the Tool Box if you need them.
You can use the Move Tool to move the rectangle or eclipse to your liking. You can grow the selection with Select > Grow, and then if you want to crop it, Image > Crop to Selection.

To change the FG color, just click the FG icon and a popup dialog is displayed.
To get rid of a selection, just click on another tool or Select > None.

I use ksnapshot and there is an option to send it directly to gimp.
In a file browser, like dolphin, you can right click and open with.

If you wanted to do it from the command line, I'd look into imagemagick.

PS:

• Did you know that Gimp also does Screen Captures: File > Create >Screenshot.
• If you hover over the tools in Gimp's Toolbox, a tooltip will popup.
• In Gimp, Windows > Single Window Mode makes Gimp much easier to use.

[BenTrabetere]

Shutter is a versatile screen-capture utility. It can be used to take a screenshot of a specific area, a window, the entire screen, or a website. It has a built-in editor with a nice set of image editing tools. And you can upload a screenshot to an image hosting site from within the program. For more information.
http://shutter-project.org

It can be installed from Software Manager or the terminal with

Code: Select all

sudo apt install shutter

[Moem]

Pinta does not appear to work.

How so? I use it all the time.

[catweazel]

Shutter...

Nice find.

[Flemur]

Pinta does not appear to work.

How so? I use it all the time.

I had it working with one big problem: none of the layer effects (like "difference") or percentages (like 50% transparent) would show up unless the layer was moving. It seemed like a nice program otherwise.

[Ozo]

I use the Chrome browser which has an extension called Nimbus. Its full name is Nimbus Screenshot and Screen Video Recorder. It is designed to to do multiple things but and one is the robust annotation feature. It has a couple of other basic features like resize and crop.

The tool bar on Nimbus is very easy to see and use,

[Moem]

I use the Chrome browser which has an extension called Nimbus.

Apparently there is a version for Waterfox too, as well as Opera and Firefox.
http://nimbus.everhelper.me/screenshot.php

[DDR-4]

Thanks for all the replies to this topic.

I've settled on Gnome Paint for now and will take a look at the other available options suggested. Shutter looks good and I need to learn how to use that.

To use Gnome Paint I do the following:

To annotate .png screenshots with red ellipses or rectangles use gnome-paint from Mint menu -> Graphics -> Gnome Paint Drawing Editor.

In Gnome Paint Open the .png image to be annotated then do the following:

Select red brush color from the lower color pallette.

Select the blue circle tool at the LH bottom of the top tool pallette.

Keep the empty rectangle shape highlighted in the next drop down tool list.

From the tool list below that select the 3rd brush stroke size.

You should now be able to annotate images with an ellipse with a red outline.

If you need you can also use the top menu Edit -> Undo to roll back any changes or Ctrl+Z shortcut key and Ctrl+Shift+Z to Redo changes.

I'll mark this as solved for now.

Keith

[Flemur]

I know you said Gimp is over kill, but it is really simple and fast.

1. File > Open and browse to your file
2. In the Toolbox there is a Rectangle Select Tool or the Ellipse Tool. Just click one or the other.
3. Make your selection by dragging your mouse.
4. Edit > Stroke Selection (Solid Color uses the FG Color)
5. File > Export As
6. Done

I think people are put-off by all the functions and menu entries, but once you get used to it - the functions you actually use - it really is simple and fast for these kind of operations.

But! I just tried gnome-paint and it is: simpler and faster!

It has "Draw ellipse/rectangle/etc" with various fill and edge options that are easy to select, so you get a filled ellipse with a different color edge in one operation. Also, drawing straight lines is easy, and IIRC they're a PITA in gimp.

Bad points (deal-breakers for me):
- lines are aliased.
- can't resize or crop image.
- doesn't react to drag-n-drop.
- text "not implemented yet" (v 0.4.0)

[phd21]

Hi "DDR-4", & Anyone Else Interest in this topic,

If you want a really superb and easy to use screenshot (printscreen, screen capture) and "painter" tool application in one, then you should install and try "Ksnip". Not only can it take screenshots, it can also open existing images to edit and you can easily add colored rectangles, ellipses (circles), arrows, numbers, Text, etc.... It can also shrink (scale) images to fit this forum or other websites, you can crop images, and you can upload directly to your "imgur" account or anonymously (& paste imgur direct URL links back to this forum for posts and replies).

I just quickly created a brief tutorial video below on how to easily install "Ksnip" and how to use some of its features, just click the link below.
https://youtu.be/cG5am_x5nAE


Hope this helps ...

ksnip_20180313_173007.jpg

[Ozo]

Thanks phd21, I just downloaded the Ksnip Appimage from Sourceforge with the link below. Just push the big green button and done.

https://sourceforge.net/projects/ksnip/ ... p_redirect

[phd21]

Hi Ozo,

You are very welcome...

FYI: That link you used is a slightly older version of Ksnip v1.4.x whereas the software is up to v1.5.x with many new features and updates. Per my video instructions, here is a link to Ksnip's current AppImage file which works in Linux Mint 18.x or 17.x

Ksnip Current Releases · DamirPorobic/ksnip
- Just click the first AppImage file to download
https://github.com/damirporobic/ksnip/releases

The actual link to current Ksnip AppImage file v1.5.x
https://github.com/DamirPorobic/ksnip/r ... 4.AppImage

Hope this helps ...

[Ozo]

I got it now. I am going to spend some time familiarizing myself with ksnip. I am looking at your video. Thanks for that too.

[JohnFrumm]

I totally get the transition away from Windows. I dropped Windows 7 last March for Linux after years of kicking the Linux tires. My goal was to jump ship before support for Windows 7 ends in early 2020.

It has been a rough year, linux can be challenging at times. Actually I have the same exact problem that you do - taking screen snapshots can be a pain with Linux. The native app is not great.

So I decided to follow your initiative and install something from the list that everyone else provided (nice list!). I wanted something that made it possible to edit right inside the snapshot window, so I installed "Shutter". It required "libgoo-canvas-perl" to work (and here comes the frustrating part) nothing by this name is in the software manager. After a few stalled attempts I found it via a duckduckgo.com search:

https://community.linuxmint.com/softwar ... anvas-perl

I have only had a few minutes to play with the program but it seems ok. Like you I just want something where I can make quick, simple edits, not muck around with layers, opacities, objects, etc.

good luck with your transition!

[Ozo]

I have been using Nimbus for some time now and find it works quite well. Look at my earlier post and you can see it has the best selection of arrows/numbers etc. of any free utility yet mentioned in this thread. It has the best interface too. If you disagree then use the utility to post some photos showcasing your favorite. It does not take screenshots. It takes shots of the browser window.

If you are put off by Nimbus for some reason then ask a question as it is really a powerful and intuitive utility.

This link shows Nimbus features and all the browsers on which it can be accessed.
https://nimbus.everhelper.me/screenshot.php

This is the extension on Chrome.
https://chrome.google.com/webstore/deta ... hagj?hl=en

A screenshot in downloads is opened in the browser. (set as default). IMPORTANT To have the browser window captured in the editor with just one click it must be set in settings. Click the icon and edit.

Once you are happy with the editing result select DONE (upper right) and save. I save "as image" so it is easy to grab by IMgur.

It would be nice to do it all with one utility but this way works just fine especially with some practice. There are some things which I need to find answers for but only a few.

NIMBUS Screenshot and screen video recorder