You can type stuff in now: saving is automatic. Please explore the option to Install Drive for your Computer (bottom left of main Drive page). This installs a bit of software which creates a folder or directory on your computer with all your Drive stuff. You can set this up so you can work on Drive documents while off-line (if you don't have internet access). It is worth your time to learns how to do this exciting stuff: Use your brains and I bet you can figure out what you need to. Or, let me know and I will be happi to halp.

The following information is organized assuming you will...

• find graphics/maps on the web or have a paper copy of the graphics/maps
  
• save the graphics/maps as a digital file
• create a digital document and share it on the web
• insert the digital files into your document along with text
• make sure (email) I know when your document is complete, and respond that I found it

Graphics: Getting graphics off the Web

Most of the exercises and take-home exams in this course require finding or making maps on the web. This means familiarizing yourself with how to get graphics from the web and into your documents.

Most of you are familiar with graphics file formats like JPG and GIF and PNG. To keep things simple, stick to these basic file formats. Other formats may also work, and feel free to experiment if you want to.

Always document the source of any image or map you save from the Web. See Citing Maps you use in your submissions.

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Windows Option 1: Click and drag the image to the computer's desktop. Or right-mouse-click on the image: from the pop-up window select Save Image As.... If the file is one of our basic file formats (JPG, GIF, PNG) it will have the file extension .jpg (or .jpeg), .gif, or .png.



Navigate to and save the file somewhere you will remember. If using the GIS Lab computers, save it in the Geog 222 folder on the C drive, in a folder with your last name on it.

When I do this the file does not have a file extension! This can be for many reasons: best to use Windows Option 2 (below).

When I do this the file extension is weird! You can look up file extensions here, but if it isn't one of the basic file formats it is best to use Windows Option 2 (below).

I don't see the file extension at all! This may be Windows trying to help you and instead making life hard for you. You need to adjust Windows so it shows file extensions. Find Folder Options in Windows: Start >> Settings >> Folder Options, then select View from the options at the top of the window, and un-check the box next to the text that says "hide file extensions for known file types." Hit the Apply button and you should be able to see the file extensions.

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Windows Option 2: Print Screen: This works with all Windows computers.

1. Get your map (or graphic) in a browser window, so you can see all of it, but not any extra stuff around it. Move the cursor is off the map and close or minimize other windows.

2. Simultaneously hold down the ALT key + PRT SCRN key on the keyboard for a few seconds. This captures all the graphics in the foremost window. [On some computers, you must hold down the FUNCTION + PRT SCRN key]. You can also just press the PRT SCRN key: this copies everything on the computer screen.

3. Open Paint (included free with Windows), and usually found in the Programs >> Accessories folder. Create a new document then Paste and Save as a JPG, GIF, or PNG somewhere you will remember. If there is excessive junk around your map/graphic, select just the area you want, then select the crop command. Your saved file can be brought into Word (with the Insert menu).

4. It is possible to directly paste a PRT SCRN image into Word, or right mouse click and copy from the web, then paste into Word. Don't do it! This tends to create a really large graphic, and can make your final document way too big. If you do this, once the map is in your document, double click on it. Under the Picture tab is a button Compress. Click this, then from under Change Resolution select Web/Screen. This should compact your pictures so that they look good on the screen but are not too big.

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Mac Option 1: Click and drag the graphic to your computer's desktop. Or, if you have a two-button mouse, Right-mouse-click on the image. From the pop-up window select Save Image As.... If the file is one of our basic file formats (JPG, GIF, PNG) it will have the file extension .jpg (or .jpeg), .gif, or .png. Navigate to and save the file somewhere you will remember.






When I do this the file does not have a file extension! This can be for many reasons: best to use Mac Option 2 (below).

When I do this the file extension is weird! You can look up file extensions here, but if it isn't one of the basic file formats it is best to use Mac Option 2 (below).

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Mac Option 2: Print Screen: This works with all Mac computers.

1. Get your map in a browser window, so you can see all of it.

2. Simultaneously hold down the COMMAND key + SHIFT key + 4 key on the keyboard. A cross-hair cursor appears on the screen.

3. Move the cross-hair cursor to the upper left corner of the map, click and drag to the lower right and release the mouse button. A graphic file, in PNG format, will be created on your desktop.

4. You can view the image in the Mac's Preview application and save it as a JPG or GIF if you want.

5. Open your word processor and import the image.

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The easiest way to get a digital copy of a paper document is using your phone. Find an app that is designed to generate readable copies of paper documents. I use Scanner Pro on my iPhone (but there are many other options).

As an alternative, the AV Center in the basement of Beeghly Library has a scanner and staff to help you use it. Check the Media Center hours before you go.

In addition to the basic graphic file formats (JPG, GIF, PNG) you must be familiar with file size when scanning paper maps. File size refers to the dimensions (length, width) as well as the resolution.

Scanning software packages and scanners have many options, a few are important for our purposes:

• Dimensions: typically just scan at 100% of original. You can often scan a smaller (say 80%) or larger (say 130%) file of your paper map.

• Color: most scanners offer options for scanning color photos, black & white photos (grey scale images), and line drawings. Use the setting for photos, scanning in black & white if your original is black & white as the file size will be smaller.

• Resolution: IMPORTANT: You will be tempted to scan stuff at too high a resolution: this creates files that are way bigger than you need, and will make working with and uploading your file a pain in the keester. The resolution of the scanned file refers to how many dots per inch the file contains. The higher the resolution the better the quality, but the bigger the file. If you are going to use a scanned image on a computer screen (a web page, blog, or PowerPoint presentation) scan it at 100 or 130 dots-per-inch. If you are going to use a scanned image to print scan it at 200 to 300 dots-per-inch. For Geography 222 scan your maps at 150 dots-per-inch. This looks pretty good but the files are not too big.

• Orientation: if your scan is upside down, please find the tool in the scanning software to flip it to the correct orientation.

• Scan your map and save the file somewhere you can find it. Then import the image into your document.

Back-up Plan: If you are unable to use the scanner for some reason, an alternative is to take a photo of the map with your cell phone. Not optimal (usually somewhat blurry) but better than nothing.

Inserting Graphics in your Word Processor Document

Inserting graphics in a Drive document is easy as long as you know how to do it and do it correctly. When in a Drive document, click the Insert menu, then select Image and either drag and drop your image, or navigate and upload it. That's it! Don't just paste an image copied from the internets - that can cause problems (sometimes Drive tries to link to the image on the web, and the image does not show up properly).

Once you insert the image, and it is on the screen, click once to select the image. Grab the blue box in a corner to scale the image so it is a reasonable size. You can also experiment with inline text (wrapping text around the image) options that pop up when an image is selected.

If you are really set on going old-school and using Microsoft Word or OpenOffice the procedure is somewhat similar.

Windows, Word: get your graphics in order:

• Under the File menu, select Options then Advanced then Image Size and Quality and make sure the setting is 150ppi. Anything more will make a bloated file. If you need to create a high quality document for printing, change the PPI to something higher - like 220ppi. But don't do this for this class!

• Open Word and under the Insert tab select Pictures. Navigate to your file and select it.

• Don't cut and paste graphics into Word. Use Insert instead. Cutting and pasting creates larger files.

• Don't insert graphics upside down! Right-mouse click on the image, select Size & Position, then Rotate.

• Click once on the graphic. You can grab the corners and scale it to fit on the page.

• Double-click on the graphic. A bunch of options appear on the menus above. Feel free to experiment to improve your graphic. For example, you can crop your image.

Mac, Word: get your graphics in order:

• In the Home tab, under Insert select Picture then Picture from File. Navigate to your file and select it.

• Click once on the graphic. You can crop, rotate, and do other exciting stuff to your graphic. Make sure the graphic fits on the page, is not rotated, and does not have lots of junk around it. Fix your graphic if need be.

• When all your graphics are inserted, Click once on the graphic. Select Compress from the menu, and change the setting to Best for Viewing on Screen (150ppi). Make sure the Apply to: All Pictures in File option is selected.

Open Office: Try and figure it out, or ask me!

E-mail: jbkrygier@owu.edu

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