Screen Dragons v2.

4
http://screendragons.co.uk/

A Screen Dragon is a frame-less, re-sizeable, movable image that can be viewed transparently
and alpha-blended.

Each Screen Dragon can be loaded with multiple images, multiple Screen Dragons can be run at
the same time.

Screen Dragons have many uses:

·0 A Screen Dragon can be used as a simple on screen display that is easily re-located and
sized to not interfere with other windows.

·1 It can be used as an image palette holding multiple images for reference or perhaps to
be copied into another application when required.

·2 A Screen Dragon is easily used to thumb through a folder of image files, then open
explorer with that file.

·3 Used with screen capture, a Screen Dragon can be added as a logo or watermark or
highlight or used to create a collage of images.

·4 Copied RTF text that also adds a metafile to clipboard, can be pasted into a Screen
Dragon making adding text to an image easy using capture. NOTE clipboard has a
restriction on metafile size so long text may not be complete.

A Screen Dragon is a stand alone application but is also designed to work with any capture
application.

Most image formats, except icons, can be loaded into a Screen Dragon. The shown image can be
saved or copied to clipboard.

USING

First extract files to a folder of choice. On running screendragons.exe for the first time, the
application will open with the default dragon image. There is a pop-up menu on the right
button. Note 'Context Menu'. If this is selected, it will create the entry 'Release a Screen
Dragon' in the Context Menu.

A Screen Dragon has an internal list of file names and loads from file when required to show an
image.

Images can be loaded into a Screen Dragon by:

 ·5 Dragging image files or folders containing image files onto either a desktop shortcut or
the open Screen Dragon. Dragging will add file names to the existing internal list.

·6 Pasting an image file or a folder containing image files. Pasting will replace image files in
the existing list. Note only a single object.

·7 Pasting a copied image. The internal list will be cleared and the pasted image will
replace the viewed image.

·8 Using the Context Menu for a selected folder or image file. This will run a new copy of
Screen Dragons. Note If the file selected is not an image or the folder does not contain
image files, the Screen Dragon will open with the default image.

The currently shown image can be saved as either a PNG, JPEG or Bitmap or be copied to
clipboard. Should another format be required, the image can be copied and opened with a
graphic application such as Irfanview.

The viewed image can be grabbed. Unlike 'Copy' which processes the actual image, this function
grabs the screen view of the Screen Dragon with blending and, if transparent, any background to
the image. This may be useful in changing the image background to better match the
destination image.

There are many screen capture applications aside from the use of Windows PrtSc . Placing one
or more Screen Dragons in front of the capture area will add them to the capture. An alpha-
blended Screen Dragon can be used to add a watermark. A Screen Dragon with pasted RTF text,
can be used to add text. NOTE Transparency standard varies.

The internet is packed with free to use images that can be used in a Screen Dragon to great
effect. The opening image for example is a particularly attractive piece by GDJ downloaded from
https://openclipart.org/ Creating your own logo to be added to your pictures is a nice way of
personalising your images.

A Screen Dragon can be used to add almost anything to a capture. Pictures, arrows, logos,
bubbles, highlighted areas, comments - whatever can be made into an image. For anything on
screen, capture it, crop it, size it, paste it into a Screen Dragon. Or design it, save it, 'Release a
Screen Dragon' in the Context Menu or drag the file onto an open Screen Dragon.

Create a folder of images you may need, load the folder into a Screen Dragon then simply
navigate to the one you want. Or open the folder in explorer and drag an image file onto a
Screen Dragon when required.

If you want a simple collage, load Screen Dragons with your images, place them against a
background of choice and capture. Finish it off with a bit of text!

If you have an interesting screen background image, hide your icons, load up and place your
Screen Dragons and go for it.

Use a Screen Dragon to add a 'digital rubber stamp' to a captured document. Create a folder of
required stamps then load it into a Screen Dragon.

Combine images to create something interesting, for example a speech bubble with text.
Let your imagination fly!

Irfanview is a good example or how you can easily add your logo by using 'Capture visible
window area'. However it is constrained to the viewable image size. To add a logo to an image
larger than the screen, requires a more specialised application. My application Drag & Grab is
able to process images larger than the screen.

Using PrtSc will create an image that can be pasted into a Screen Dragon but a graphic
application, such as Irfanview, will be required to trim and save if the full image is not required.

FUNCTIONS

Most functions in the pop-up menu have key combinations shown.

In addition to those functions:

·9 Scrolling the mouse wheel will change the alpha-blend.

·10 Using UP and DOWN keys will also change alpha-blend.
·11 Scrolling the mouse with the SHIFT key held, will change the size.

·12 Holding the SHIFT key down and using UP and DOWN keys will also change size.
·13 If there are multiple images in the internal list, double-clicking the image will traverse
the image list forward. With the SHIFT key held down it will traverse backwards.

·14 Holding the SHIFT key down and using RIGHT and LEFT keys will also traverse the image
list.

NOTE the Screen Dragon must have focus for keys to work. When using the mouse wheel it is
very easy to lose focus when an image has transparent areas so SHIFT and keys are generally the
better option.

Update 2.0 Some users had problems with unicode titled filenames. Method changed.

Upate 2.1 Added 'Click through' option to menu. In this state, the window does not have focus
and all mouse clicks pass through the image to the window below. As a menu cannot be called
when in this state, a tray icon is activated which has the pop-up menu to reverse the state.

Update 2.2 Added language file for popupmenu.

Update 2.3 Error in unicode text in language function

Update 2.4 Added keys function to0 change blending

Language The first time Screen Dragons closes, it will create a file named "screendragons+your
keyboard language code" in the same folder as the exe file. It will contain the current popup
menu captions. If you use a non-English keyboard language, translate the value after the '=' sign
to your language and save. The next time Screen Dragons runs it will read your language file.
DO NOT WORRY ABOUT THE '&' . If you create a new language file, please send it to me and I
will include it
INSTALLING

Extract files from the archive and save to a folder of choice. I suggest creating a desktop
shortcut.

Setting 'Context Menu' will create an entry in the Registry. Before uninstalling Screen Dragons,
un-select 'Context Menu' to ensure the Registry entry is deleted.

LEGAL DISCLAIMER

THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR
IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS
FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHORS OR
COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER LIABILITY, WHETHER IN
AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM, OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION
WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE SOFTWARE.

If you do not agree, don't use it.

This software is FREEWARE and permission is granted for anyone to use this software for their
own personal use. Though FREEWARE the author retains copyright of the code and authority
should be sought to include it in any library offered to the public.

Copyright by Brian Shepherd (http://chesterway.co.uk) 2017