Editing text in image files

[honyakusha]

I have 300+ image files of charts/figures (probably scanned from a book)
and need to overwrite the text captions (in Japanese) to English.
Some of the captions are the same in multiple files.

I'm basically looking for the best image editing freeware that will do
help me do the following:

1) Allow me to quickly overwrite the Japanese captions with their
English translations in the image files
2) Copy and paste captions from one image file to another (that is,
ability to save the overwritten text with formatting in the clipboard
and paste it in a different file)

I have Irfan View, MS Paint, Open Office Presentation, and have also
downloaded the Faststone Image Viewer. I think quite a few others have
been mentioned in ACF including Serif, XnView and so on.

Any suggestions on the best image editing freeware that will allow me to
do 1) and 2) above gratefully accepted.

Thanks in advance,
GR

 

[Kittie Spit]

You might have some luck if you use Google for: "watermark*"
[wild-carded]and "freeware" like this:

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&q=watermark*+freeware&btnG=Search

Here's one I found that might work -- seems to be freeware, but looks
like it might be in German?
K-Lab Watermark
http://www.bildschutz.de/eng
---------
Another is RealWatermark, but I don't know if it's freeware:

download here:
http://www.shareup.com/viewscr.php?id=971
----------

Visual Photo Resizer also does watermarks:
http://www.freeimagebrowser.com/article2608.html
and here:
http://www.freewarefiles.com/program_3_36_12660.html

-----------
I've heard good things about Picture-Shark, but have never used it:
http://www.picture-shark.com/

---------

You can also do watermarks with the very, very nice FastStone Image
Viewer, which does a whole lot more than just viewing, incl editing,
cropping, resizing, etc.
-------

Another is Merge, which in addition to watermarks, allows you to
overlay one image over another:
http://www.graphicutils.com/merge/

-------------

Last one I can think of is UMark Lite, batch image watermarking:
http://www.uconomix.com/umark/
http://www.faststonesoft.com/
--------

Watermark Creator, I *think* used to be free, but now appears to be
shareware:
http://www.codeproject.com/csharp/Watermark_Creator.asp

If you do find something good, please post your results here, as I'd
like to know what's good as well.

 

[honyakusha]

Hello,
While I do appreciate your prompt reply with lots of URLs, I'd like to
know whethere there is any specific reason as to why you pointed me to
applications that add "watermarks" to images?

I don't need to insert watermarks; I need to edit (overwrite) text
already existing in images of graphs (such as captions on the X and Y axis
of graph with different text.

QUOTE ------------
I'm basically looking for the best image editing freeware that will do
help me do the following:

1) Allow me to quickly overwrite the Japanese captions with their
English translations in the image files
2) Copy and paste captions from one image file to another (that is,
ability to save the overwritten text with formatting in the clipboard
and paste it in a different file)

UNQUOTE -------------

This is a job I have to do quickly and don't have too much time in
trying out various applications - there seem to be too many - so I'm
looking for people who have already used such image editing software and
who will recommend to me the best one in their opinion.

Thanks again.
GR

You might have some luck if you use Google for: "watermark*"
[wild-carded]and "freeware" like this:

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&q=watermark*+freeware&btnG=Search

----- Snipped many URLs ----------

 

[rich]

I have 300+ image files of charts/figures (probably scanned from a book)
and need to overwrite the text captions (in Japanese) to English.
Some of the captions are the same in multiple files.

I'm basically looking for the best image editing freeware that will do
help me do the following:

1) Allow me to quickly overwrite the Japanese captions with their
English translations in the image files
2) Copy and paste captions from one image file to another (that is,
ability to save the overwritten text with formatting in the clipboard
and paste it in a different file)

Use Photofiltre as your image editor.
Use Yankee Clipper (YC) as your multi-clipboard.

Start a new graphic in Photofiltre and pre-make the new titles with whatever
colour background / text colour you need and copy each in turn to Yankee
Clipper.

Open the chart/figure image file. Move the required title to the top of the
YC clip list (click the one you want). Paste into the chart to 'overwrite'
the Japanese.

Some experimenting with text size will be necessary before you make the
title set.

Same applies with copy and paste from one chart to another. Remember
Photofiltre can have several images open concurrently

Really this is just generic copy and paste and will work with any half
decent graphics editor / multi-clipboard, however since this is a freeware
thingy you can find both apps on the pricelessware site.

 

[honyakusha]

Use Photofiltre as your image editor.
Use Yankee Clipper (YC) as your multi-clipboard.

Great. I think I'll download both and try them out.

Start a new graphic in Photofiltre and pre-make the new titles with whatever
colour background / text colour you need and copy each in turn to Yankee
Clipper.

Open the chart/figure image file. Move the required title to the top of the
YC clip list (click the one you want). Paste into the chart to 'overwrite'
the Japanese.

Some experimenting with text size will be necessary before you make the
title set.

Same applies with copy and paste from one chart to another. Remember
Photofiltre can have several images open concurrently

Really this is just generic copy and paste and will work with any half
decent graphics editor / multi-clipboard, however since this is a freeware
thingy you can find both apps on the pricelessware site.

Thanks, Rich. This is probably what I wanted. There are too many
programs out there and it would take me too much of time to try out each
of them.

Use of a multi-clipboard application is a great idea. Why didn't I think
of that :-(

Thanks again.
GR

 

[Terry Pinnell]

I have 300+ image files of charts/figures (probably scanned from a book)
and need to overwrite the text captions (in Japanese) to English.
Some of the captions are the same in multiple files.

I'm basically looking for the best image editing freeware that will do
help me do the following:

1) Allow me to quickly overwrite the Japanese captions with their
English translations in the image files
2) Copy and paste captions from one image file to another (that is,
ability to save the overwritten text with formatting in the clipboard
and paste it in a different file)

I have Irfan View, MS Paint, Open Office Presentation, and have also
downloaded the Faststone Image Viewer. I think quite a few others have
been mentioned in ACF including Serif, XnView and so on.

Any suggestions on the best image editing freeware that will allow me to
do 1) and 2) above gratefully accepted.

Thanks in advance,
GR

Not sure I've got the right picture of what you're trying to
accomplish. Posting a couple of image examples of Before and After
might help? Can't you use IrfanView's text caption facilities?
Presumably the text ('caption') area will differ widely, and with IV
you could select it precisely. Something like this:

1. Open target image in IV
2. Open text file or spreadsheet or whatever, containing full set of
proposed English captions (maybe apart from those you propose to
translate 'on the fly')
3. In image, select rectangle just enclosing Japanese captions (or
first section of them if there are several)
4. Adjust it if necessary, dragging edges
5. Ctrl+t to bring up 'Add overlay text to image' dialog
6. Make any font settings required
7. Select and copy appropriate English caption to clipboard
8. Paste to rectangle
9. Save under new name

 

[Kittie Spit]

Sorry, my mistake. I was replying to another similar message, email,
concerning watermarks on images & I pasted in the wrong text. to
a.c.freeware.

My apologies!

 

[honyakusha]

Terry,

Not sure I've got the right picture of what you're trying to
accomplish. Posting a couple of image examples of Before and After
might help? Can't you use IrfanView's text caption facilities?
Presumably the text ('caption') area will differ widely, and with IV
you could select it precisely. Something like this:

Just to confirm: 3.97 is the latest version, right? Just downloaded it
and tried out the procedure you outlined below.

1. Open target image in IV
2. Open text file or spreadsheet or whatever, containing full set of
proposed English captions (maybe apart from those you propose to
translate 'on the fly')
3. In image, select rectangle just enclosing Japanese captions (or
first section of them if there are several)
4. Adjust it if necessary, dragging edges
5. Ctrl+t to bring up 'Add overlay text to image' dialog
6. Make any font settings required
7. Select and copy appropriate English caption to clipboard
8. Paste to rectangle
9. Save under new name

The above procedure works fine.
This is just to confirm: I found that Step 8 is not required; when I
bring up "Add overlay text to image" dialog, I need to copy the English
text from clipboard to this dialog, which automatically inserts the text
into the selected rectangle in the image. Or is there some other
procedure that you refer to in step 8?

Now if I combine it with a multiple clipboard application, it will save
me from copying frequently used phrases.

Now if I could only automate part of the procedure .....

Thanks for your excellent suggestions.

GR

 

[jacaranda]

Can't you use IrfanView's text caption facilities?

Just curious if there's a way to adjust the position of the caption after
it's been placed.

 

[honyakusha]

Just curious if there's a way to adjust the position of the caption after
it's been placed.

The only way I could think of in Irfan View was:
1) Select the caption by drawing a rectangular box around it
2) Ctrl + T
3) Select a large font size so that the entire box is covered, hit the
space bar several times to cover the entire box (to delete the existing
caption)
4) Hit OK to erase the previous caption
5) Insert new font (color/size/background) and position
(center/right/left)

Maybe there's an easier way ...

GR

 

[Terry Pinnell]

Terry,



Just to confirm: 3.97 is the latest version, right? Just downloaded it
and tried out the procedure you outlined below.
Yes.


The above procedure works fine.

Pleased to hear it!

This is just to confirm: I found that Step 8 is not required; when I
bring up "Add overlay text to image" dialog, I need to copy the English
text from clipboard to this dialog, which automatically inserts the text
into the selected rectangle in the image. Or is there some other
procedure that you refer to in step 8?

Here, if I open a JPG and draw a rectangle in it and use Ctrl+t, then
I see an old piece of text in the window (from the last time I added
text), already selected. Step 8, Ctrl+v, simply pastes in whatever I
have deliberately placed on the clipboard, such as in Step 7. Note
that you'll see the text you want already there, if it happens to be
the *same* as the last caption - quite likely from your description.

Now if I combine it with a multiple clipboard application, it will save
me from copying frequently used phrases.

I tried a multiple clipboard application once or twice, but I always

Now if I could only automate part of the procedure .....

I have a great utility called Stiletto which, amongst many other
things, lets me write relatively simple cross-application macros. It's
now obsolete, replaced by PowerPro, free, even more versatile (but I
can't face the conversion and learning curve issues).

There may be other free key macro writing programs around? I also have
Macro Express, but that wasn't fw.

Thanks for your excellent suggestions.

HTH.

 

[Terry Pinnell]

Just curious if there's a way to adjust the position of the caption after
it's been placed.

I'd like that facility too. (I've started dabbling with home DVD
'slideshow videos', and caption-handling is a significant issue, with
lots of possible approaches.) But once the text overlay is *placed*,
the bitmap has changed, and (as there are no layer facilities in IV),
moving it would involve repairing a rectangular hole!

 

[Susan Bugher]

Have you tried this app?

Program: AutoHotkey
Author: (Chris Mallett)
Ware: (Freeware) (Open Source: GNU GPL)
http://www.autohotkey.com

AutoHotkey lets you automate repetitive tasks by creating hotkeys for
keyboard, mouse, joystick, and handheld remote controls. Virtually any
key, button, or combination can become a hotkey. You can define
abbreviations that expand as you type them. For example, typing "btw"
can automatically produce "by the way". You can create custom data entry
forms, user interfaces, and menu bars. You may write such macros by
hand or use the macro recorder to record your keystrokes. Other
features: change soundcard settings (like volume or mute); use a
joystick or keyboard as a mouse; remap keys; launch programs/documents;
make any window transparent, always-on-top, or alter its shape;
manipulate the clipboard; customize the tray menu's icon and menu items;
display dialog boxes to interact with the user; run existing AutoIt v2
scripts; and convert any script into an EXE file that can be run on any
computer. <b>NOTES</b>: hot-strings and mouse button hotkeys require
NT/2000/XP.

more apps here:

http://www.pricelesswarehome.org/acf/P_PROGRAMMING.php#2.00Automation:Macros

Susan
--
Posted to alt.comp.freeware
Search alt.comp.freeware (or read it online):
http://www.google.com/advanced_group_search?q=+group:alt.comp.freeware
Pricelessware & ACF: http://www.pricelesswarehome.org
Pricelessware: http://www.pricelessware.org (not maintained)

 

[Terry Pinnell]

Have you tried this app?

Program: AutoHotkey
Author: (Chris Mallett)
Ware: (Freeware) (Open Source: GNU GPL)
http://www.autohotkey.com

AutoHotkey lets you automate repetitive tasks by creating hotkeys for
keyboard, mouse, joystick, and handheld remote controls. Virtually any
key, button, or combination can become a hotkey. You can define
abbreviations that expand as you type them. For example, typing "btw"
can automatically produce "by the way". You can create custom data entry
forms, user interfaces, and menu bars. You may write such macros by
hand or use the macro recorder to record your keystrokes. Other
features: change soundcard settings (like volume or mute); use a
joystick or keyboard as a mouse; remap keys; launch programs/documents;
make any window transparent, always-on-top, or alter its shape;
manipulate the clipboard; customize the tray menu's icon and menu items;
display dialog boxes to interact with the user; run existing AutoIt v2
scripts; and convert any script into an EXE file that can be run on any
computer. <b>NOTES</b>: hot-strings and mouse button hotkeys require
NT/2000/XP.

more apps here:

http://www.pricelesswarehome.org/acf/P_PROGRAMMING.php#2.00Automation:Macros

I'll take a look at AutoHotkey myself, although it was actually
honyakusha you quoted <g>.

 

[Susan Bugher]

I'll take a look at AutoHotkey myself, although it was actually
honyakusha you quoted <g>.

Oops, I lost track of who wrote what. Uncrossing eyes. . .

Susan
--
Posted to alt.comp.freeware
Search alt.comp.freeware (or read it online):
http://www.google.com/advanced_group_search?q=+group:alt.comp.freeware
Pricelessware & ACF: http://www.pricelesswarehome.org
Pricelessware: http://www.pricelessware.org (not maintained)

 

[honyakusha]

I'll take a look at AutoHotkey myself, although it was actually
honyakusha you quoted <g>.

I have been using AutoHotkey, and that's what I have been thinking of
using to automate part of the work. However, there's no time to do the
thinking - I have to start and finish the work soon :-(

Gururaj Rao (honyakusha)

 

[Terry Pinnell]

I have been using AutoHotkey, and that's what I have been thinking of
using to automate part of the work. However, there's no time to do the
thinking - I have to start and finish the work soon :-(

A scenario I recognise only too well <g>.

All these dramatic productivity improvements over recent years - and
still only 24 hours in a day ;-(

 

[M.L.]

I'd like that facility too. (I've started dabbling with home DVD
'slideshow videos', and caption-handling is a significant issue, with
lots of possible approaches.) But once the text overlay is *placed*,
the bitmap has changed, and (as there are no layer facilities in IV),
moving it would involve repairing a rectangular hole!

Irfanview is not an optimal program for manipulating text on a bitmap.
Vector drawing programs are best for that since they support natural
layering. I recommend Serif Draw Plus. www.freeserif.com

 

[Vrodok the Troll]

Irfanview is not an optimal program for manipulating text on a bitmap.
Vector drawing programs are best for that since they support natural
layering. I recommend Serif Draw Plus. www.freeserif.com

You sure about that site?

 

[honyakusha]

Irfanview is not an optimal program for manipulating text on a bitmap.
Vector drawing programs are best for that since they support natural
layering. I recommend Serif Draw Plus. www.freeserif.com

I think the URL above should be www.freeserifsoftware.com, where Serif
Draw Plus 4 can be downloaded.

GR