Capture... Raster vs Vector

This thread expresses a pet peeve and asks a question that I would like to hear more about, especially from members of the forum who are designers or have any programming experience.

MS’ Screenshot (Window/Shift/S) and other programs (notably, for me, SnagIt) are designed to enable users to generate partial or full screenshots and annotate them. (resulting in pictures with circles and arrows and a paragraph on each one…).

It is the annotations I have questions about.

(10+) Years ago, a program came out called SnagIt that was, for my money, the cats-and-pajamas of all ‘Capture’ applications. It was fast, clear, versatile, etc., AND allowed annotations that were generated using vector (not raster) tools. In case you are wondering, vector differs from raster in that the objects generated (rectangles, ellipses, text balloons, etc. are perfect and can be inspected, detected, changed, neglected, and selected so that you can end up with the perfectly annotated image—a priceless asset for the technical illustrator or anyone wanting to express themselves clearly using a photograph. Another way to think of the distinction is: the raster image is like one created in Photoshop and the vector image like an Illustrator file.

• Vector files are smaller, more precise, faster to compile, and generally more superior to depict lines, objects, etc.
• Forcing people to draw ellipses, rectangles, parallelograms, objects like text balloons, etc. freehand is ridiculous (and impossible!) using raster tools.
• Trying to change or delete raster objects or change portions or those objects is impossible if they are raster and usually results in damage to the underlying photo.

I used to be able to take a photograph, display it on screen, annotate it with specificity, email it to the company who’s help I was seeking (in this case, Bosch, the On-demand heater I was having problems with), change the vector-drawn lines or text if necessary, call Bosch on the phone and send them the image and immediately we were both on the EXACT same page…

Can’t do that with Window/Shift/S and its image modification tool set. Can’t do that with SnagIt anymore.

Q1) Why for gxd’s sake are these capture programs designed this way? Is it less expensive to program? only requires cheap (programmer) labor programmers (the algorithms are all in books – have been for over a decade)? Why?

Q2) Are there any capture programs that employ vector graphic tools?

thanks

jro11 said:

Years ago, a program came out called SnagIt that was, for my money, the cats-and-pajamas of all ‘Capture’ applications.

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So buy Snagit.


Snagit saves files as a completely different format. (SNAGX) until you save the image as a png or jpeg
The way I see it is it isn’t any different to ShareX (which is probably cheaper) which also allows for annotations, as do other free software's. I love ShareX
Edwin has a bit of knowledge about these available softwares.

I get that you may already understand this, but Snagit is not a native Windows app. So comparing it to Snipping Tool doesn’t make sense. Most every screen capture software has annotations like squares, bubbles, circles, and yes, they (the annotations) are vector (hence being able to resize the annotations) until you save the image.

As for the actual screen capture; You can’t take a screenshot of what is on your screen and expect it to behave like an actual vector image which has a particular function. A screen capture of a pixilated screen doesn’t amount to a vector image.

I'm just not seeing that, at least not in Snagit. As antspants noted, Snagit uses their own format, the SnagX format. So long as you save a copy in that format, you can go back to that image and resize all your added objetcs (arrows, bubbles, callouts, etc.). But once you flatten the image by saving it in a format such as .jpg, .png, .bmp, etc. then you can no longer modify those objects. You then need to go back to the original snagx copy of the image.

Actually, I thank you for the reminder. My Snagit and Camtasia licenses are due for renewal on May 1st and you have reminded me that I need to talk to them about bumping up the number of Snagit licenses I have.

The way I see it is, whether the application uses raster, vector or other graphics, you need a program that will save as a template, .snagx or .fsc (FastStone) or even .svg.

ANY screen capture software will ONLY save as raster, period. Believe me, I know, I've been a professional Graphic Designer for over 40 years and counting...
Now, you might have been able to ADD annotations that are vector elements to snagit screen captures, but the actual screen capture itself is still just a raster file.
Snagit most likely removed that option due to licensing issues with Adobe

Dannydet said:

Snagit most likely removed that option due to licensing issues with Adobe

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I’m not sure that Adobe has any say in Vector image use. It was actually first created for design, for Sketchpad graphic design software.

This is in fact how old vector images are.



Vector graphics are from way back… waaaaaaay back.

Here is a brief history. Interesting reading.

Dannydet said:

ANY screen capture software will ONLY save as raster, period. Believe me, I know, I've been a professional Graphic Designer for over 40 years and counting...
Now, you might have been able to ADD annotations that are vector elements to snagit screen captures, but the actual screen capture itself is still just a raster file.
Snagit most likely removed that option due to licensing issues with Adobe

Click to expand...

They did NOT remove it. The OP was mistaken in that assertion.

hsehestedt said:

They did NOT remove it. The OP was mistaken in that assertion.

Click to expand...

I agree, I looked it up earlier, Snagit still uses Vector annotations. Not sure what Jro was talking about and didn’t want to poke the bear

@Jro, pretty much every screen shot software uses vector for annotations (until imageis saved/exported?, hence being able to resize objects without ending up with a blurry annotation. Snipping too included.

As much as I dislike Snagit, between it and FastStone and Screenpresso, they all have awesome graphics!