Cropping Snapshots?

JJones

Is there a way to crop a snapshot to remove unwanted content without flattening, or taking a new snapshot?

My use case is to use a single snapshot multiple times, then crop each of them once pasted and placed in position. I appreciate i may need to just take multiple snapshots, however this would mean i am required to have the original content open to take the snapshot from.

bcostlow

I think the real answer to your question is no, but I think the method outlined below can give you a nice way to accomplish what you stated you want to do, with few limitations.

1. Take a snapshot
2. Paste it into a blank PDF.
3. Save that PDF as an image file.
4. Return to the original PDF
5. Use the Image markup tool to add the image from the file created in step 3.
6. Right-click the image
7. Crop image
8. Done

Once brought in, the original image can be copied and pasted as needed, and each image can be cropped independently of the others. The one drawback to this method that I foresee is that the image will have different display properties from a snapshot such as the background. Your image will be saved with the background included, while the snapshot itself will omit the background and so it would be much easier to overlay than the image file.

Edit: As the image is a markup, just like the snapshot is, it can be saved to your tool chest for use in and out of the original PDF, even if you lose the slot in your clipboard.

Jes Stafford

Is the second snapshot concern one of image quality?

Could you paste it into a blank page (temporary) to re-crop it, then go from there without too much sacrifice of quality?

A more cumbersome crop method would be to frame the images with rectangles matching the background color. This would effectively blank out the areas not desired in the final and could be adjusted with each use. This might also require using ORDER/BRING TO FRONT to make sure the masking rectangles are over the pasted image.

bcostlow

@Jes Stafford - when you say to paste and re-crop, you mean to save the new PDF as an image, right? I don't understand how else a second PDF could allow cropping of the snapshot.

Jes Stafford

Sorry, I should clarify, @bcostlow . I meant to take another snapshot of the pasted image, therefore re-cropping it, then pasting the new snapshot where it is needed. Different cropping would require new snapshots. Also, a blank page could be inserted into the document where this work is occurring.

bcostlow

I see. Thanks for clarifying, @Jes Stafford. That would certainly work to an extent. If the PDF is saved, would that create problems for the process you outlined or would you still be able to get the same image quality? I know @JJones wanted to be able to move between files while still using the cropping technique, so I'm curious how to best allow for long-term use of the different approaches to their problem.