KYP Vol instructions: map cropping 1.3 Dec 15 1

Before you start make sure you have:

Paint.net installed on your computer*;

a mouse;

your KYP USB stick, given to you at training or sent in post, and encryption password;

means of recording the time spent on the task.

*Paint.net behaves slightly differently on a 32-bit operating system, see page 14 for more

information.

CONTENTS

1. Getting started: retrieving the image 2

2. Editing the image using Paint.net 5

3. Cropping 6

4. Transforming the file type 8

5. Tidying the cropping 10

6. Checking your work 13

7. Finishing 13

8. 32 bit issues 14

Instructions: map image cropping

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1. Getting started: retrieving the image

Plug your USB stick in and enter its password at the prompt.

Your password will be KYPmaps# and then the number on the stick.

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Open the file directory and check there are five (or more) TIFF files.

Before you start cropping in Paint.net, open the files in your usual image viewer.

Familiarise yourself with each map, zoom in and pan around the image.

Some things to look out for:

Boundaries – how is the parish boundary depicted? Is it easy to tell which parcels of land are

included in this tithing? Is the parish bounded by rivers or roads? Are buildings/features in

neighbouring parishes depicted?

Outliers – are there any parcels of land separate from the whole? Are there any parcels of

land within the parish belonging to another parish?

Map form – is this map one of several? Is it a page within a bound volume? Does the map

run onto a separate sheet? Is it possible to see all of the area depicted – is there any damage

to the map that might affect interpretation?

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Start to think about how you will edit this map image. Is it straightforward or will you need to use

judgement and decide what to leave in and what to remove?

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2. Editing the image using Paint.net

From the file directory, select

the map you wish to work on,

right click and chose Open

with… and Paint.net (32-bit

workaround).

Your map will open in Paint.net

If they are visible, turn off the Layers and Colours panels as you won’t be using these. You can toggle

the panels on and off by clicking on the icons in the top right hand corner.

The zoom bar

is in the bottom right hand corner. The square shaped icon lets you view the image at its full size.

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3. Cropping

Select the lasso tool from the Tools panel

Holding down the left mouse button, loop loosely around the area you wish to keep. Release the left

button and an oblong will appear.

If you go wrong – click undo arrow in the History panel or simply click anywhere else on the image

and start again.

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When you are happy with the selection go to Image, Crop to selection

The programme may take a few minutes depending on the size of the image.

The selected area will now be shown against a grey and white chequerboard background. This

chequerboard pattern tells us that the background is transparent.

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4. Transforming the file type

You now need to save the image as a PNG before editing it further.

To save the image go to File, Save as

Leave the file name as it was but change the file type to PNG.

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In the Save Configuration prompt box, select Auto-detect. A preview of the image will appear,

ensure that this has a chequerboard background (this may take time if large file). Click OK.

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5. Tidying the cropping

You can now edit the PNG image. Use the eraser tool to tidy up the edges.

Select the eraser tool to tidy the edges of your map. Make sure the eraser hardness is set to 100%.

You will need to zoom in and move around the map to do this.

Change the size of the eraser as you need to.

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Do sections at a time; if you go wrong you can click undo in the History panel.

Keep an eye out for stray bits of map you’ve missed with the eraser. These might be hard to see

against the chequerboard background. Keep zooming in and out to ensure you’ve spotted them all.

Ensure that the edges are neat when you view the image at 200% zoom.

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When you are satisfied with the tidying save the image.

To do this simply go to File and Save.

Close the image in Paint.net. Go to File and Close.

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6. Checking your work

1. Go back to the memory stick file directory and check there are now two files of the same parish –

one TIFF and one PNG.

2. Open the PNG in your image viewer and check the edges are neat and there are no stray bits of

map. If there are open the PNG image again in Paint.net and erase these as before and save again

keeping the same file name.

7. Finishing

1. When you’re satisfied with the PNG image and have saved it, close Paint.net by going to File, Exit

(especially if 32-bit operating system).

2. Keep a note of the time taken in order to fill in your return form.

3. Safely remove the USB stick.

4. When you have cropped and transformed all of the TIFF images on the USB stick, fill in the return

form and send it back to Anne using the SAE in your volunteer pack.

5. If you have any difficulties please email or telephone Anne for help.

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8. 32 bit issues

Paint.net is not really designed to run on a 32-bit operating system and may fall over.

To try and stop this:

Open the image from the file directory and not from within Paint.net

Always exit Paint.net when you’ve finished one image. Re open it to start on the next.

Some of the images we are worked with are very large (over 1GB). If you are using a 32-bit

system, depending on how much RAM you have, you will probably find that any TIFF over

350MB will cause Paint.net to fall over. Let Anne know if you have a 32-bit operating system

so you only get sent smaller files.