RockPlot2D | File | Export | Paint Program
Use this tool to quickly display the current RockPlot2D image in your computer's default "paint" program (such as Windows "Paint") or other program of your choice. The export will occur via BMP format.
Menu Options
Step-by-Step Summary
Menu Options
- Size (Inches): You can use these Width and Height prompts to change the actual size of the picture contained in the BMP file. (Note that the Pixels per Inch times the Size in Inches will determine the total number of pixels stored for the image horizontally and vertically.)
- If the Keep Same Proportions box is checked, then the program will be sure the same height:width aspect ratio is maintained. This means that if you edit one of the values, the other one will be updated automatically. Editing either Size prompt will also cause the Scale prompts to be updated. This will take into account the current vertical exaggeration.
- If the Keep Same Proportions box is not checked, you can vary the width and height independently.
- Scale (Units per inch): This setting works in conjunction with the Size in Inches, representing the number of diagram coordinates represented per inch in the diagram. For RockWorks maps that use real world coordinates, this may be an important setting. For other RockWorks images, such as ternary or rose diagrams, this may not be.
- As with the Size prompts, if the Keep Same Proportions box is checked, then the program will be sure the Scale values remain equal for X (width) and Y (height); as you edit one, the other one will be updated automatically.
- If the Keep Same Proportions box is not checked, you can vary the units per inch for the width and height independently.
- Show Advanced Options: Check this box for the program to display additional resolution and other options.
- Pixels per inch: This setting defaults to 96 (screen resolution) and will determine the resolution of the output graphic. As you increase the number of pixels per inch, the disk size of the output file (noted in the dialog box) will increase. If you want to display the image on screen only, a resolution of 96 will probably be adequate. If you want to print the image at high resolution, you should increase the resolution to at least 150 pixels per inch. (We use 200 - 300 for publication quality graphics.)
- Colors: Choose from the drop-down list box the color resolution you wish to use for the output BMP image. As you increase the color resolution, the output file will increase in size. For good color depth, you should probably choose 24 bits/pixel.
! Changing the pixels per inch and/or colors per pixel does not change the printable size of the graphic (that is done under the Size in Inches settings) but instead the resolution of the image and the size on disk of the output file.
- Application:
- Use default program to edit bitmap: Click in this radio button to have Windows specify which application to use to open the resulting BMP (bitmap) file. See your Windows documentation for information about associating file types with programs installed on your computer.
- Use specific program to edit bitmap: Click in this radio button if you would like to define a specific application to open the resulting BMP file. Click on the Browse button to browse for that application.
Step-by-Step Summary
- Create or open the Rw2D file you wish to export.
- Zoom into the display if you wish to export just a portion of the image.
- Select the File | Export | Paint Program command from the RockPlot2D menu.
- Enter the requested menu options, described above.
- Click the OK button to continue.
The program will save the current image in a BMP format, using the requested settings. It will launch the default or selected BMP-viewing application and display the exported image.
- At this point you can save the document, etc., as available within the paint program.
See also: Exporting BMP Images
Back to Export menu
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