Expert: Ken Black - 9/1/2010

Question
QUESTION: Hi Ken,

I know the question I am about to ask has been asked a million times but the answers I am finding with a Google search do not seem to point to a solution for me.

I work with many screen captured imaged (using Snagit's latest version, output to best quality) and have until now used MS Word, Photoshop and Illustrator to create huge tutorials and other such materials. I have decided to use InDesign CS4 for a new type of project (Tips for the CAD program I use) and have decided that InDesign's master sheet capabilities will make this process easier. However, no matter what settings I use in InDesign, my placed screen captured images look terrible at their captured size, even when display performance settings are set to quality. If I shrink the images by about 10 –20% they seem much better, but I'd rather not have to shrink them. See attached image. Output to PDF shows the same poor quality if the images are not shrunk, even with no compression of any kind used.

I can create the same type of project with Illustrator using a number of art boards with beautiful results, but there are no master page capabilities in Illustrator, that I am aware of.

I am using Windows XP with a relatively new HP computer and a graphics card capable of running dual screens and my CAD system.

Can you offer any suggestions?


ANSWER: Hi Don,

What is the actual and effective resolutions of the images? You can check these numbers from within Indesign CS 4 by clicking on the link in the Links Palette and expanding the Link Info window at the bottom of the palette.

Thanks,

Ken Black

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hi Ken,

All screen captures are at 96 for actual and they go up to 105 - 120 for effective, depending on how much they get shrunk. I know these are pretty low, but that is the best I can get with screen captures.

Answer
From what I can tell, the resolution is the problem. As you already know the more you shrink the image, the higher the resolution. This is why they look better when shrunk. Unfortunately, I believe you will be needing higher resolution captures if you want to avoid shrinking the image.

Thanks,

Ken Black