Studio Scribbles

Saving Your Work Is Important!

2013-02-04T15:55:00.001-08:00

Saving Your Work Is Important!

In the event of a loss of power or technical difficulties on your computer you want to be sure you don’t lose all your time and effort put into your document.

Here are the different ways you can save your work:

1. Flash Drive

The DMS has some available at the front desk if you do not have a personal one.

2. CTRL – S

Only a temporary solution in the DMS as your work will not be available after you log out.

3. Save Auto Recover

In addition to CTRL-S you can choose to use Autosave as an extra safety net. You can set it to save (1 to 120 minutes)

4. Save in your Email

Begin an email with your document attached and save a draft within your email account.

5.Internet cloud drive

You can save your document via internet in such places as Google documents, dropbox, and MTSU offers space on server to students ie: pipeline

2012-10-08T06:09:00.000-07:00

How to Make a Flyer
By: Megan Huffman

Flyer making may seem like all fun and games, but there are certain guidelines you need to follow. So if you are planning on creating a flyer for whatever reason, here are a few hints and suggestions for how to make a great flyer!

Pick a Program!
First of all, you need to know where to start. There are a quite a few programs that you could make a flyer in, but for now, we’re going to focus on three specific programs: Microsoft Word, Pages, and Adobe InDesign.

Microsoft Word
Microsoft Word is probably the most cookie-cutter way that you could make a flyer, it comes with basic templates and basic shapes and basic clip art. If you don’t want too much creative freedom, Microsoft Word is the program for you!

Pages

Pages is Apple’s version of Microsoft Word, the difference is that Pages is geared a little bit more towards design elements. That means if you want a little more creative freedom than Microsoft Word, but you don’t want too much freedom, Pages is the way to go.

Adobe InDesign
Adobe InDesign is for people who know what they want and they know how to get it. InDesign is one of the more flexible programs that allow complete user control; there are no templates to limit what you can do. If you want to use InDesign but you would prefer to have a template, there are plenty of free ones online. If you want to try making flyers in other Adobe programs, Photoshop and Illustrator are great for flyer making too.

Starting from Scratch v. Starting from a Template
Starting from scratch or starting from a template all depends upon personal preference. If you know what you want the flyer to look like, then starting from scratch would be your best option because you may not find what you’re looking for in places that provide templates. If you aren’t sure of where to start with a flyer, or don’t really know how to start making one from scratch, there are plenty of places on the internet that provide free flyer templates.

Know your content
Making a flyer out of the blue with no idea in mind of what it’s for isn’t really the best idea. You need to know why you are making the flyer and knowing the specifics can help too. Just ask yourself: what is my content? Is there a theme? Who am I making this for? Knowing what you’re going for will help you big time, and it will make your flyer look better in the long run.

Images and Clip Art
Images and Clip Art can be a great way to emphasize the message or theme you are trying to send. They are also great space or background fillers! Just be careful and don’t use too many, it may distract the reader. Unless you are trying to promote images, it’s best to stick with a small number of them. Clip art is great if you are using them for graphic purposes; but before you publish the flyer you should ask a friend or co-worker what they think of it, just to make sure it’s not too busy or too plain.

Filler text

Ever wondered what that “lorem ipsum” nonsense is? That’s called filler text! It can be a great way to show what a flyer template would look like with words in it. That’s the point of filler text, to fill a space. What does it mean? Absolutely nothing. So if you are making a template of a flyer for someone else to use, putting filler text into a body section can really make it your flyer look nice.

Make everything readable

What is the point of a flyer if someone can’t read it? You need to make sure that your flyer is readable (if that’s the point). Make sure that the fonts you are using aren’t too sloppy or insane. You can use fun fonts, but just make sure that someone can read them (ask a friend or co-worker if they can read the font clearly, this will be a good indicator of whether or not your font is good for use). Also, make sure that you position your text so that it’s legible, you don’t want all of your text on your flyer to be going in all different directions, and you don’t want people to have to crane their necks to read your flyer either.

The importance of color

Don't Do This

Color plays an important part in making sure that your flyer looks good and is legible. You want your flyer to look nice, so choose colors that go good together. Unless you are making a holiday flyer, don’t use the stereotypical holiday colors together (for example: don’t use a red and green color scheme in August or a black and orange color scheme in December), doing this will usually remind the viewer of the holiday associated with the colors and they will be distracted from your flyer.

You want to avoid using certain colors together when it comes to matching your font color with your background for your font. Pairing colors that are too close together can make the text illegible. For example, don’t put dark grey text on a black background, or a maroon text on a red background. Also, be careful when using neon colors, too many mixed together can also make your text illegible.

Limit your font usage

Fun fonts are fantastic. But too many font designs can make a flyer look tacky. Try to limit the number of fonts that you use to 2 or 3, you don’t want your flyer to look to busy or distract the reader from the actual content.

Give credit where it’s due
Don’t plagiarize! Plagiarism is bad! Your English teachers have jammed this into your head since grade school and it still applies today! If you copy and paste someone else’s words or ideas, you are technically stealing. If you quote someone make sure that you give them the credit that they deserve.

How to make a QR code
A really good way to link people to a website, blog, picture, etc. is by using a QR Code. QR codes are great for flyers because they remove the need for a lot of clunky information text. What is a QR code? It looks like this:

(This QR code will link you to the DMS website!)

If a person has the barcode scanning app on their phone, iPod, or iPad they can scan this and be linked straight to what you are trying to show them. So how do you make one? Well there are several free QR code generators out there but one that is commonly used is qrcode.kaywa.com . It’s really simple to figure out, on the home page, you have the option to insert a url to a website or picture, plain text, a phone number, or an sms message.

Once you put in what you want to link people to, you hit the Generate Free button and you have a QR code!

Then you can right click on the QR code, click on Save Image as… and then save it like you would a picture. Now you are free to use your new QR code wherever you’d like!

So now that you know the proper flyer making etiquette, you can go make your own awesome flyer! Flyers are great forms of mass communication; and if you make them right, getting your message out to the world is easy! Good Luck!

Turning Text Into an Image Using Illustrator

2012-10-01T06:08:00.000-07:00

Creating A Universally Compatible Word Document

Creating documents that may need to be opened on another Mac or PC can create a whole host of problems. Along with the ever present issue of making sure your document is saved as the correct file type, there is also the question of whether or not another machine will even support the contents of your document.

This holds especially true for font types. Newer editions of programs frequently update and add to the available fonts one can use and even more fonts can be downloaded online. This means that it is quite possible to write something using a certain font on one computer- one with newer software or downloaded fonts- and be unable to display the text in the font used on another. This can specifically be a major problem in Adobe Illustrator, where font types are frequently chosen for aesthetic value.

Fortunately, the good people at Adobe have provided an easy way for users to circumvent this problem through the simple process of Outlining. This is a quick way of preserving the chosen font so that one can view it on another computer. I will demonstrate how to do this efficiently and easily in just a few steps.

In the image below I am in Adobe Illustrator with some example text typed out. I am using a larger size and smaller size of font to demonstrate how Outlining will work regardless of size.

If I wish to Outline this I must choose the Selection Tool from the tool bar at the top left of the screen (pressing the “V” key also calls up the selection tool.

I will then select the text I want by left clicking the appropriate box and call up the edit menu by right clicking the text box again (Control + click for Mac users). On the Edit menu there is an option labeled “Create Outlines,” clicking it will convert the text to an outline.

Outlining a text converts it to combination of outlines and fills, much like an image. This means that if the document is accessed on another computer, it is not necessary for the computer to have access to the font to view it because for all intents and purposes the text is now an image.

This method works with text of all sizes and makes it easy for the document to be viewed on other computers without having to worry about font selection. However, it is important to not that once the Outlining process has been completed, the text can no longer be edited like text- it can be moved and re-sized like an image, but it cannot be altered as text (e.g. for spelling). So make sure that the text is in order and accurate before outlining! So there it is, a quick and reliable method of ensuring that fonts chosen in Adobe Illustrator are viewable no matter what computer is being used to display them.

2012-09-24T06:08:00.000-07:00

.PPT versus .PPS: Which One Opens as a Slideshow?

After you've worked hard on a PowerPoint presentation, it can be a hassle if it doesn't start as you had planned. Maybe you accidentally clicked on a later slide before changing it to slide show mode, or maybe you clicked through one of your transitions while trying to get it to run. Whatever the case may be, those problems in the beginning might throw off the feel of the PowerPoint presentation. However, rather than having to open the program, getting it to the slide you want, and then setting it to full screen slide show mode, you can set up your PowerPoint presentation to automatically open in slide show mode rather than opening in the standard PowerPoint editing mode.

To do this, all you have to do is save the file as either a .pps or a .ppsx file in the “Save As” menu. The .ppsx file works in Microsoft Office 2007 and 2010; it saves the file with all of the features that 2007 and 2010 can use. However, it is not compatible with earlier versions of Microsoft PowerPoint. The .pps file can be opened in Office 2010 and 2007, however it is also compatible with Office 2003. Not all features will be available when saving in a .pps format when you open it up on an earlier version of PowerPoint, but it ensures that your presentation will open in any earlier version of Microsoft Office.

When using a Mac, saving as a PowerPoint Show should look like this:

When saving as a PowerPoint Show on a PC, it should look like this:

From now on, after saving your file as a .pps or a .ppsx, your PowerPoint Slide Show will automatically open as a side show! If for any reason you need to get back to the editing menu, you can still do so by simply hitting the escape key or by right-clicking and selecting “End Show.”

How to Edit a Scanned Document in Microsoft Word

2012-09-17T06:04:00.000-07:00

How to Edit a Scanned Document in Microsoft Word

Have you ever had a paper copy of a paper or letter with some serious spelling errors and you cannot find the saved document on your computer? Well, don’t waste your time trying to rewrite your paper. You can just scan it onto a computer and edit it in Microsoft Word! Here’s how you can do it:

First, open up your scanned document in Windows Picture and Fax Viewer. Once you have the document opened, right click on the image, then click on convert to Adobe PDF.

Your scanned document will then open up in Adobe Acrobat Pro, but it is still only a picture. So, to open it up as a Microsoft Word document, you need to click on File>Save As>Microsoft Word>Word Document.

Then you need to select a name for your document and where you want to save it.

Once you have saved your document, go to where you saved you saved it and double click to open it.

Great! You can now edit your scanned document in Microsoft Word!

Graduate Multmedia Development Center Class Schedule

2012-09-11T09:47:00.000-07:00

GMDC WORKSHOPS - FALL 2012

The Graduate Multimedia Development Center, currently housed in room 262 of Walker Library, is hosting classes for graduate students. Some of these classes are in the Digital Media Studio, some are in the second floor class rooms. If you are a graduate student and are interested in participating or have questions please contact Jeff Hanshaw at jjh2c@mtmail.mtsu.edu

GMDC Workshop: PowerPoint

Wednesday, September 19, 2012 9:15-10:15 PM

Walker Library, Room 272

From SmartArt graphics to animations, learn to create effective PowerPoint presentations.

GMDC Workshop: Apple iMovie*

Wednesday, October 03, 2012 9:15-10:15 PM

Walker Library, Digital Media Studio, 2nd floor

Learn how to import, edit, and export your videos to nearly any platform.

GMDC Workshop: Adobe Photoshop*

Wednesday, October 17, 2012 9:15-10:15 PM

Walker Library, Digital Media Studio, 2nd floor

Tips on how to use Photoshop’s Camera Raw feature to import and enhance your photos.

GMDC Workshop: Introduction to Adobe Lightroom

Wednesday, October 31, 2012 9:15-10:15 PM

Walker Library, Room 272

Learn how Lightroom can manage your photo workflow, from non-destructive editing to exporting to your favorite social network, all in one fast, intuitive application.

(This is an introduction tutorial and will not include hands on training)

GMDC Workshop: Presenting Your Work

Wednesday, November 14, 2012 9:15-10:15 PM

Walker Library, Room 272

Don’t let a bad presentation make your beautiful work look mediocre. Designed for visual artists, learn how to use digital media to present your work using the right media for the job.

GMDC Workshop: Productivity Apps for Mobile Devices

Wednesday, November 28, 2012 9:15-10:15 PM

Walker Library, Room 272

Learn about different mobile apps designed to increase productivity.

*Reservations required. Please contact Jeff Hanshaw at jjh2c@mtmail.mtsu.edu to reserve your slot.

Save Time With These Windows Shortcuts

2012-09-10T06:02:00.000-07:00

A Few Shortcuts To Save Time

In Windows, there are a plethora of handy-dandy keyboard shortcuts. The only problem is that many people do not know about these useful keyboard combinations. These shortcuts are not intentionally “hidden” from users, but one might have to search a little bit to find the most useful ones. In this blog, I have compiled a list of 5 Windows shortcuts that have improved my overall PC experience, and will hopefully improve yours.

Ctrl + Shift + Esc = Task Manager

Throughout the history of Windows operating systems, one key combination in particular has been proven to be most fruitful: Ctrl + Alt + Delete. Whenever a program starts going awry and the computer begins to awkwardly crash, many Windows users will jump to Ctrl + Alt + Delete, open up the Task Manager, and cleanse themselves of unwanted processes. However, with Ctrl + Shift + Esc, you can skip a step in the Ctrl + Alt + Delete sequence. Instead of pressing Ctrl + Alt + Delete then selecting you want to open up the Task Manager, Ctrl + Shift + Esc brings it up with no additional dialogs.

Windows Key + E = My Computer

Have you ever wanted to find an important document on your hard drive but don’t have enough time to open the Start menu? Well, then do I have the shortcut for you! With Windows Key + E, you can cut out the middle-man Start menu and go directly to My Computer. No hassles, no strings attached! Guaranteed satisfaction!

Ctrl + Backspace = Delete whole words

All right, let’s say you’re writing a paper on a word processor and you start messing up. However, since you want to keep a flow of continuous thought and not lose momentum, you keep your hands on the keyboard and continue to type. You could just use backspace, but deleting one letter at a time is so slow and old fashioned. Since you do not know any way to quickly delete what you wrote, you keep frantically typing until you finish the paper and everything in it is terrible. If you want to avoid this happening again, consider this shortcut: Ctrl + Backspace. Instead of deleting single characters one at a time, with Ctrl + Backspace you delete whole words at a time. This shortcut will save you so much time deleting stuff that you’ll have type half as fast to keep yourself at a normal pace.

Windows Key + M = Minimize everything

Are you ever at work on your computer and not doing any work? If you’re the type of person that would rather play DOOM then open any Microsoft Office program, then this is the shortcut for you. By pressing the Windows Key + M, everything is minimized and you are magically taken to the safe land of the Desktop.

Shift + F3 = Toggle lower case, first letter capitalization, and all caps

One of my favorite shortcuts in this blog is Shift + F3. If you are working with a line of text that you need to change to all capital letters or all lower case letters, instead of retyping the line, you can just select the text and press Shift + F3. Like magic, all of the letters in your selection will be changed. This shortcut even has the option for first-letter-only capitalization. How cool is that?

How to Combine Multiple PDFs Into One

2012-09-03T06:11:00.000-07:00

After making several scans of one document, you are left with a ton of different PDF files and you have no clue what to do with them! You don’t want to send all of them in an email because having one document in several places looks very unprofessional. Fortunately, there is a way you can take all of your scans or PDF documents and combine them into one!

First, you will need to open the PDF document that you want to start with. Then go to the big button that says Combine, and then click Merge Files into a Single PDF.

Then, Adobe Acrobat Pro will open a window where you can select all of the documents that you want to combine. To select those documents, you need to click in the upper left hand corner Add Files>Add Files (depending on how many documents you have and whether or not they are in separate folder can depend on which option you choose. You may select Add Folder if you have a folder full of PDFs to add for your convenience.)

Then, once you select all of the documents that you want to combine, hit Combine

Once you have combined all of your files Adobe Acrobat Pro will prompt you to save your new document. Once you have saved it, your new PDF will open will all of your documents in it!

Welcome back!

2012-08-28T08:26:00.000-07:00

We have been working hard all summer and we have some exciting changes lined up for you in the Digital Media Studio. Here are some of the new things you can look for forward to seeing on your next visit.

Scanners on all the computers
All the MACs have iLife 11 and iWork 11
All the computers have CS6
The PC's have windows 7 and office 2010
Lynda.com available on all computers
12 new computers with open source software and links to useful and reliable cloud applications
New training sessions for graduate students in conjunction with the Graduate Multimedia Center. Dates and times to be released soon.
A variety of classes and training sessions throughout the semester to help you build your e portfolio, make a better a presentation, and collaborate online. Stay tuned for the more on this.

and the biggest news of all-

The DMS training room is up and running. Here you can record interviews, use the green screen, practice your presentation, take Skype calls and more. With four seats, small groups can get trained on software or work in a large group on a project. You can request training here or reserve the space here.

We still have amazing customer service and are available to help with any questions from research to software. You will see us walking around, so don't hesitate to talk to us! If you would like to find the answers on your own; you can use our new books, Lynda.com or access our list of webinars.

A few reminders-

It isn't a quiet zone, but please keep the volume down and take all cell calls outside
No food in the DMS
You must have your ID to print or laminate- and you pay for it online through marketplace

As always, if you have a suggestion or idea or concern, we would love to hear it!

How to Write a Blog Post

2012-05-31T12:52:00.002-07:00

Sites like Blogger, WordPress, TypPad, and Blog.com have made blogging fun and easy. However, there are some things you need to know before jumping in.

There is a proper etiquette for almost everything- conversing with strangers, writing a paper, sending texts, and even talking to someone on Facebook! Writing a blog post isn’t any different. There are certain rules that you need to follow in order to successfully write a blog post.

Know your topic

Knowing what you are going to talk about in a blog post is very important. Unless your blog’s theme is random prattle, then you really want to avoid that. Know what you want to talk about before you write, and stay on that topic. You don’t want to confuse or bore your readers if you go off on a tangent.

Watch your tone

When you are communicating over a computer, there are certain things that don’t register well through words. When you are blogging, watch how often you are being sarcastic or joking around, and get someone else to read what you write because although you may see that it’s sarcasm, someone else could read your remark differently. Another way you can avoid this hurdle is to warn your audience that you are being sarcastic or joking around, that way they understand and don’t get confused or offended.

Give credit where it’s due!

Don’t plagiarize. It’s as simple as that! Don’t copy and paste some else’s words or ideas into your blog post. Plagiarism is theft of someone else’s work or ideas and can have some severe consequences! If you want to quote a person or an article in your blog, make sure you properly give them credit for their words.

Don’t just grab images off of the Internet.

Not all images on the Internet are just free for the taking! Many images on the Internet are owned and copyrighted by someone. So what does it mean when you copy and paste their image and use it? You are stealing! Instead of taking someone’s image from some random website, there are plenty of websites that offer royalty free or public domain images (these are usually called clip art or stock photos). Try using these sites to find images for your blog posts:

iStockphoto

http://www.istockphoto.com/

iStockphoto is a website that provides it’s members with access to a large supply of royalty free stock images. The catch? It costs money. But the website does offer one free photo per week! So if you keep checking back every week you can get a new photo for future use for free. But if you don’t mind paying the fee, then you have access to an almost endless amount of photographs, illustrations, videos, sounds, and flash objects!

Microsoft Office

http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/images/?CTT=97

Microsoft Office has tons of royalty free images and clip art for anybody to use, and it’s free! Although many of these you can see in the clip art search option in Microsoft Word, there are still several images that aren’t included. These are also easy to save on your computer so you have them conveniently at your disposal when you are ready to put them in your blog post!

freedigitalphotos.net

http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/

freedigitalphotos.net is another place where you can get royalty free images. This site has a smaller selection of images but they are all free (you do have the option to purchase higher resolution photos).

Getty Images

http://www.gettyimages.com/

Getty Images is another website where you can purchase stock photos. They can get a bit pricey, but there are some great images, videos, and audio files that are available. If you want to see the pricing, you just need to click on the image and explain how you will be using the product and for how long.

Not only can you find royalty free images, but video and audio are also available. So no matter what, you don’t have to take someone else’s work to make your blog post look and sound nice!

Spelling and grammar check

There is a lovely option in Microsoft Word called spell check! Nowadays, its even built into computers so when you spell something wrong it is underlined in red. Always make sure you spell check your blog posts before you post them. Otherwise, you could have some serious errors that will make your post look ridiculous. Also, it helps to get a friend to read over your work to make sure everything is in its proper place. Always read twice before you post!

Hopefully you now have a better understanding of how to write a blog post without confusing, offending, or boring anybody! It’s important to understand that there are certain things you need to watch for when you are writing a blog post. Happy blogging!

PC vs. Mac Software

2012-04-02T08:12:00.000-07:00

Written by Megan Huffman

If you are a regular PC user who is using a Mac, the layout and software differences can be a little startling. Your first question may be “Where is Internet Explorer?” or “Why isn’t Microsoft Word on this computer?” Well, hopefully this blog post can help clear up some of this confusion.

Internet Explorer vs. Safari

As you may have noticed, Mac computers do not come with Internet Explorer, but do not fear because Apple has it’s own Internet browser called Safari! Can’t find it on the desktop? Here is what they icon looks like:

Now, when you open Safari, it’s going to look a little bit different than Internet Explorer:

Internet Explorer browser

Safari Browser

But do not fear, Safari is just as simple to navigate as Internet Explorer. Let’s start with the basics. In Safari, this area looks pretty similar to the Internet Explorer bar:

You have your basic back and forward buttons, home button, and print button on the far left. Something that may look a little odd is the + button, but it is basically the same thing as an “add to favorites” or “bookmark” button. The refresh button is also available (it’s just a little harder to spot) at the end of the address bar. Also, Safari has a nice little Google search bar available, which is similar to what Firefox offers!

So here are a couple of features that are different in Safari.

The little glasses icon (surrounded in blue) will take you to your reading list. A reading list in Safari is an option you can use to save pages that you find interesting, so you can go back and read them later! You can add a webpage to your reading list by hitting the + icon. A pop up should come up that looks like this:

Then you click “add” and it is automatically added to your reading list! Now when you open up your reading list by hitting the glasses icon, a sidebar will pop up with everything you’ve saved in it!

Now how about that open book icon?

Well, that is your bookmarks icon; it will take you to view all of your bookmarks and your history as well! When you click it, you should get a view like this:

To view your history, you can simply click the History icon with the clock beside it.

So there was a short overview on how to use the Safari browser; now that you have accessed the Internet on a Mac, now it’s time to learn what other software you can use on a Mac (besides Microsoft Word) to write papers, create flyers, etc.

Microsoft Word vs. Pages

Microsoft Word is a great program for writing a paper, there is no denying that. It has great editing options that you cannot find in programs like Notebook that are available on the PC. But what do you do if you are on a Mac that doesn’t have Microsoft Word? There is another great program out there called Pages! Pages is Apple’s own word processor (just like Safari is Apple’s own Internet browser) that is available in the iWork suite. Not only is it similar to Microsoft Word, but you can also open, save, and edit projects from the Office suite in the iWork suite.

Alright, so to open Pages, you will want to click on this icon:

Now you should get a pop up that provides you with several template options. It’s fairly similar to what the newer Microsoft Word program does but with different templates.

For now, I will just use a blank template to run you through the program.

So when you open up a blank document in Pages, it looks pretty basic; you’ve got your header, body paragraph, and your footer. If you would like to see how your document is laid out, you can click View > Show layout.

This function is useful if you want to make a flyer or a document with several different text boxes.

This is where you do all of your text editing, pretty simple right? This bar lies right above where you are typing your document (just like Microsoft Word).

This area is where you can do all sorts of other editing like adding a new page; making an outline; inserting shapes, text boxes, tables, charts, comments, and media (aka pictures, video, music).

So the layout of Pages is pretty basic, and similar to Microsoft Word. So what are some differences? Well, if you are looking for clip art, Pages won’t provide it; but it does tap into iPhoto and grabs stuff straight from there. So, try going to an open source clip art provider or even office.microsoft.com to get clip art; make sure you have it saved on the computer, and then you can add it from there.

One of the great things about Pages is that it is compatible with iOS, so if you have an iPhone, iPad, or an iPod touch, you can also have Pages! The app does cost money, but if you want to type a paper on your iPad while in class, and then open it up on your computer at home, the fee doesn’t seem too bad; and if you have AirPrint, you can even print straight from your iPad!

Now if you are working with the iWork suite, you may be wondering about how you are supposed to make the PowerPoint presentation or spreadsheet to go along with your paper; Apple has that figured out, too. Numbers and Keynote are Apple’s versions of Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint. Just like Pages they have a very similar layout to Word, Numbers and Keynote’s layouts are very similar to that of Excel and PowerPoint’s!

Powerpoint Keynote

Excel Numbers

Word Pages

Now that you know some of the difference in the software on Macs and PCs, hopefully that Mac will no longer look so scary! Generally, Apple’s software is very easy to work with and can create some great looking projects. If you are a normal PC user, don’t be afraid to test them out!

Working with text documents between PC and Mac

2012-03-26T08:36:00.000-07:00

by Amy, Studio Assistant

Here at the DMS we’ve had a few instances where someone worked on a document (say, a paper) on a Mac, saved it, moved it to their flash drive, and moved to a PC to finish it. However, when they got to the PC and tried to open the document, they got an error message like this:

Then:

These messages appear when you are trying to open a document’s temporary file, which is created while you’re working on the document, instead of the document itself. Sometimes this temp file appears when you transfer to a PC, and can accidentally be moved instead of the actual file to your flash drive. To avoid this, make sure you pay attention to the files’ icons – temp files appear faded out and usually have a “._” in front of the file name, like this:

If you’ve got a text document with contents you don’t want lost, another good practice is to save it (in addition to the usual .doc or .docx) in Rich Text Format, or .rtf. This format is viewable by any computer, whether it’s a Mac or PC, has Word or OpenOffice, Windows or Linux. Unlike many documents created with Works or Pages, you won’t find a computer on which you can’t open a document in .rtf. Be cautioned, though - .rtf may not preserve formatting (spacing, columns, margin adjustments, etc) created in Word or any other word processor. It will, however, preserve the text, providing a good backup for your thesis paper in case of any horrifying computer failures. (It’s also recommended that you utilize online storage for the same reason – Google Docs and Dropbox are just two examples of free online storage, both of which have free apps for iPhones and Droids for ease of access.)

So, when moving between PC and Mac, make sure you backup your documents and save ALL relevant files to your flash drive, online, or whatever other method you choose to transport your files. Happy typing!

DVD Authoring

2012-03-09T08:00:00.000-08:00

by Blake, Studio Assistant

After you have created that awesome video or movie, you may want to present it to your audience in the form of a DVD. One of the keys features of a DVD is the DVD menu.

The menu gives you access to "extra features", other options, scene selections, and of course the actual movie. Creating this menu is referred to as authoring a DVD and there are many tools that can help you out...

Using a Mac:

* iDVD
As part of the included iLife suite provided on all new Apple computers, iDVD providers you with all of the basic tools you need to create a quality DVD. There are numerous themes included and as with all Apple branded software, it is integrated with the rest of you Mac so adding music from iTunes or pictures from iPhoto is a snap. All of these features are bundled into one easy to use interface.

From this view you can access a variety of features (from left to right on the image):
* The "+" sign allows you to add a movie placeholder, a folder, or a slideshow placeholder.
* The menu layout map allows you to view and edit the navigation flow of your DVD menu.

* The available dropzones button brings up a graphical list of the menu's dropzones.

Just drag photos from the sidebar into these and they will show up in the dropzoneson the screen.
* On the far right is the sidebar. Located here is access to all of your Mac's Media

(iTunes, iPhoto, Photo Booth, the Movie Folder), Buttons that you can use as selectors in your menu (for character), and various Themes for you to choose from.

A note concerning the media:

To change the menu song, just drag a track from the Audio list into the menu area.

To add pictures to the dropzones, simple drag from the Photos list to the dropzone.

To insert your movie (or blooper reel), all you have to do is drag it into the menu area's or if you have already added a movie placeholder, drag it onto the placeholder text.

* When you have the project exactly how you want it, insert a DVD and hit the burn button.

NOTE: iDVD also has two other modes - Magic iDVD and One Step DVD. Magic iDVD is a sort of "wizard" mode that lets you drag all of your media (movies, pictures, etc.) onto a collective screen, pick a theme, and iDVD will do all of the work for you. One Step DVD walks you through the process of downloading straight from your firewire camera onto a DVD.

Using a Windows PC:

* Open Source: DVD Styler
On the free and open source front, DVD Styler is one option that we have in the studio for Windows PC's.

It's a simple to use program that basically walks you through the steps (even providing templates) of authoring a DVD. It has a side bar on the right side which holds almost all of the available functionality: Backgrounds, File Browser, Buttons (for users to select things from the menu).

If you want to insert a new background image, find the image you want either on the Backgrounds tab or in the File Browser, right click and select "Assign to Background". To add new Buttons, simply drag them from the side bar into the menu area. Right clicking on the buttons and selecting properties will give you access to a whole page of

ptions such as font size, style, and color as well as what the button actually links to, be it a movie or another menu page. Once your DVD menu is completed, insert a disc and hit the flaming DVD button in the menu bar.

A Further Note:

For those seeking a more advanced or professional software, Adobe's Encore DVD software may be more up your alley. It is integrated with Adobe Premiere, Photoshop, and After Effects, as well as giving you the ability to fine tune and have more control over the menu interface and how users interact with it. That being said, Encore is a highly sophisticated and complex application. It is not meant for beginners or people looking to just throw a DVD together. If you would like training for Encore, the computers that have the Adobe Suite in the Digital Media Studio also have access Lynda.com, a high quality video tutorial site that offers in depth training sessions for various professional grade software.

QuickTime X on the Mac

2012-03-05T08:00:00.000-08:00

by Blake , Studio Assistant

Have you ever needed to capture what's happening on your Mac's desktop? What about recording the sound from an interview or even the video? Mac OS X Snow Leopard gives us an app just for these purposes. In addition to playing various formats of digital media, QuickTime X also allows you to record audio, record video from the iSight, and record the actions on the screen.

Recording a Movie from the iSight

To record using your Mac's iSight camera, go to the Applications folder and launch QuickTime Player. This application does not have a main window that pops up, therefore to do anything, you will have to use the menu bar (across the top). To start a recording session, go to File >> New Movie Recording (or keyboard shortcut Option + Command + N).

Click the big red record button in the window that appears when you are ready to begin recording. The graphical user interface (GUI) gives you a few other options to play with as well. The slider on the right controls input volume. The double, diagonally opposing arrows set the capture window to full screen mode, and the little down arrowhead contains even more options.

These options include changing the camera capturing the video (if you have more than one), changing the microphone capturing the audio (again, if you have more than one), changing the quality of the recording (Medium, High, Maximum), and choosing where to save the video file to.

Once you record some video (and stop recording), only one icon on the interface will change. Instead of the little down arrowhead (extra options) there will be a small box icon with an arrow coming out of it.

This new icon gives you the option to trim the movie or export it to either iTunes, a MobileMe Gallery, or send it directly to YouTube (if you choose this last service, you will be prompted for your username & password).

NOTE: Once you record a video, you must save it (File >> Save As… ) or you will loose your content! You also have the option to "Save for the Web" which supports mobile device formats (iPhone, Cellular Phones, & Computers)

Recording Audio Only

To record audio using your Mac's internal or connected microphones, follow the same steps as described above to start QuickTime Player but this time, select File >> New Audio Recording (keyboard shortcut: Control + Option + Command + N). A small, black window will pop up.

The controls and options work exactly the same as recording a video except that you will not have any options dealing with video content.

NOTE: As before, it is extremely important to save your recording or you will loose it! It should also be noted that QuickTime saves the audio recording as a .mp4 file, which is actually a movie file. This is normal and is done this way to simplify the process for the application… if not the user.

Recording Your Screen

To record what's on your screen, again do everything as before but this time choose File >> New Screen Recording (keyboard shortcut: Control + Command + N). A small, black window will appear onscreen.

The screen recording option also lets you record audio along with the screen (perhaps you are doing an instructional video for a computer project). The extra options drop down arrowhead gives you access to your Mac's microphone and video quality.

When you hit the record button, you will be prompted with a new option screen:

This pop down informs you that the recording interface will be hidden so it will not obstruct your project and how to stop the recording (keyboard shortcut: Command + Control + Escape).

NOTE: Save your work as soon as you are done or you will loose your recording!

iMovie File Formats

2012-02-20T08:00:00.001-08:00

Written by Justin Abraham

Apple’s iMovie is an all-in-one easy to use video-editing program, which will allow you to take your own personal videos and present them in all new exciting ways.

iMovie accommodates the following file types:

DV
AIC
Motion-JPEG
Photo-JPEG
MPEG-4
H.264
Apple Animation
Apple Video

But what do you do though if the video you have selected is not a file format that that is compatible with iMovie, such as a WMV file or an AVI file? There is a solution: Handbrake! Handbrake is general-purpose open source video transcoder software.

To convert a video into a file format compatible with iMovie, following these steps.

First, open Handbrake.

Then, click File, select Open Source and select your video.

Next, select the file format you would like for your video to be converted to and press start. Your video will begin to convert to the file format of your choice

Now that you have done this, your file can now be imported into iMovie!

Sign up Period for Exams begins Dec. 5

2011-12-02T08:28:00.000-08:00

Effective December 5^th-15^th the studio is only open to students with a valid MTSU ID no exceptions. Students who need specialty software will have preference.

Present your ID at the desk to sign up for a machine. There is a two hour time limit. Placement is first come, first served based on software. We cannot guarantee you will get the same computer each time, so please do NOT save to a specific machine.

To speed up your placement save in multiple formats when possible so you can work on both CS4 and CS5.

If you are using a computer for office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), scanning, printing or checking D2L you will be asked to move if someone needing studio software needs the computer, regardless of when you arrived.

If you need to print you can use the express print station on the first floor. If you need a computer and can’t find one, don’t forget we check out laptops and all the group study rooms have computers.

Creating Charts in Excel

2011-11-14T08:37:00.000-08:00

Create a Chart

1. Select the cells that contain the data you want to chart, including column and row labels.

2. Click the Insert tab on the ribbon.

3. From the Charts panel, click the type of chart you want to create.

4. Once you click on a chart type, the chart will appear on the spreadsheet.

You can modify the chart by using the Chart Tools which include Design, Layout, and Format tabs.

The Design Tab

Under the Design tab you can change the chart type, modify the layout, choose a chart style, and move the chart.

· To change the chart type, click on Change Chart Type and select the desired chart.

· To change the layout of the chart, click the More button located in the Chart Layouts panel. Click the thumbnail of the desired layout.

· To change the colors and textures of the chart, click the More button located in the Chart Styles panel. Then, click the thumbnail of the style you want.

· To reverse which data are used in the rows and columns, click the Switch Row/Column.

The Layout Tab

Under the Layout tab you can insert pictures, shapes, and text boxes. You can modify the chart labels, axes, and background. You can also insert various trend lines.

· To modify the chart titles and labels, click Chart Title or Data Labels. Type in the chart title or data label. Then, click More Options in the drop-down menu to access several other options to modify the title and labels.

The Format Tab

Under the Format tab you can change the color and styles of specific areas of the chart.

· Click on the area on the chart you wish to modify (the chart title, for example). Then choose the border colors, fill colors, and word styles you want to use.

Tips

· To move the chart, click the chart and drag it to the desired location on the worksheet.

· To copy a chart to Word or PowerPoint, select the chart. Click the Home tab on the ribbon. Click Copy on the Clipboard panel. Go to the document where you want to place the chart. Click Paste on the Home tab.

· Any changes that you make to the data in the worksheet after the chart is created are instantly shown in the chart.

Open Source Software & why you should use it

2011-10-31T08:46:00.000-07:00

by Justin, Studio Assistant

Here in the Digital Media Studio we have many powerful software options to assist you in any type of assignment or special presentation project you may need. You’re probably familiar with a few of these programs such as Photoshop, Microsoft Word & Adobe Premiere. But let me ask you a question, if I were to ask you what Gimpshop, Audactiy or Jahshaka were would you be able to tell me? You most likely would not. These programs are what we call Open Source Software. Open Source is software that a programmer has created and shares with the public for free.

Open source software can be very powerful and useful if you learn to operate it. Many of these programs can be put up toe to toe with mainstream software. The Digital Media Studio has a variety of open source software for you try on both Mac and PC. We keep them updated and encourage you try them out. If you need help we have books, online tutorials and lynda.com video trainings on the major open source projects.

Gimp Shop: is a modification of the free/open source GNU Image Manipulation Program (GIMP), intended to replicate the feel of Adobe Photoshop. It is free and does almost everything that Photoshop does!

Audacity: Audacity is a free, easy-to-use audio editor and recorder for Windows, Mac OS X, GNU/Linux and other operating systems. You can use Audacity to record live audio, convert tapes and records into digital recordings or CDs. You can edit, MP3, WAV or AIFF sound files, cut, copy, splice or mix sounds together or change the speed or pitch of a recording.

Blender: is a free open source 3D graphics application, available under the GNU General Public License for the Linux, Mac OS X, FreeBSD, OpenBSD and Microsoft Windows operating systems.

Blender's features include 3D modeling, UV unwrapping, texturing, rigging, water and smoke simulations, skinning, animating, rendering, particle and other simulations, video editing software, compositing, and the ability to create interactive 3D applications, video games, animated film, or visual effects. More advanced tools include rigid, realistic body, fluid, cloth and softbody dynamics simulation, modifier-based modeling, character animation, a node-based material and compositing system, and embedded scripting in Python.

How to Stitch Images Together in Photoshop

2011-10-16T08:41:00.000-07:00

by Amy, Studio Assistant

Do you have a single image on two or more photos that you’d like to “stitch” together to create one large photo? Or maybe two separate images that you want to place side-by-side into one image? Here, you can learn how with Photoshop CS5.

There are two simple ways to combine multiple images into one. The first is with an automated function within Photoshop called “Photomerge.” This function is intended for use with panoramic views and is very easy to use; however, it only stitches images together horizontally, so if you need a vertical stitch, you’ll have to go another route.

Note: Photomerge is also available on CS4, so for those in the DMS using a PC, never fear! This will still work.

Photomerge

To create a Photomerge composition, choose File > Automate > Photomerge.

Now select your image files and click Open.

After that, you can specify the layout and blending options you want. The options you need are based on how you photographed the panorama. For example, if you’ve photographed images for a 360-degree panorama, the Spherical layout option is recommended. This option stitches the images and transforms them as if they were mapped to the inside of a sphere, which simulates the experience of viewing a 360-degree panorama.

The Adobe help site recommends this video to help explain Photomerge: www.adobe.com/go/vid0013

The second simple way to combine two photos in Photoshop is by tiling them. This shows a horizontal tile, but you can use this vertically as well.

Tile

Open all of the images to stitch together separately in Photoshop.

Now select: Window > Arrange > Tile

You now need to adjust the canvas size of the first image so that all the photos will fit. My photos were all 800 square pixels and they needed to be stitched horizontally, so I adjusted the width to 2400 pixels and set the placement of the image to the left.

Select the Move tool, then drag each of the images into the document you just prepared (via the tab at the top of each image), and align them in the right order.

Each image will be placed as a separate layer, so to move them around, you must select the image’s layer accordingly. From here you can crop and adjust as needed and save.

Photoshop Ideas- see what you can do!

2011-10-10T08:53:00.000-07:00

Need Some Inspiration?

by Megan, Studio Assistant

Sometimes we all do! Almost everyone has that moment when you’re sitting in front of your Photoshop screen and you don’t know what to do. Sometimes all you need is a creative boost! So here are some interesting Photoshop ideas along with their how-tos to get those creative juices flowing!

Give someone an awesome dye job

How-To: http://www.photoshopstar.com/photo-effects/professional-hair-processing-in-photoshop/

Add some cool curves to any photograph

How-To: http://psd.tutsplus.com/tutorials/tutorials-effects/mix-cool-retro-curves-into-your-photographs/

Splatter paint on someone’s face

How-To: http://psd.tutsplus.com/tutorials/tutorials-effects/how-to-mold-paint-splatter-to-a-face-in-photoshop/

Some cool websites that I like to look to for Photoshop inspiration are Stumbleupon.com, Tumblr.com, and Flickr.com. Creative inspiration isn’t hard to come by when you know where to look! So search the internet and you’ll find inspiration everywhere!

How to Save Illustrator CS5 File as Compatible with CS4

2011-09-26T12:28:00.000-07:00

MTSU has more CS4 than CS5 versions around- so it might be a good idea to save a project in both versions. This will allow you to work on whatever program is open in the DMS or at other labs on campus.

1. Click on the File option located on the top toolbar. Then click on Save or Save As.

2. Name the file and choose the file save location. Be sure that the Format box says Adobe Illustrator (ai). Click Save.

3. A new dialogue box will appear. In the Version dropdown box click Illustrator CS4. Click OK.

We have resources to help!

2011-09-13T12:24:00.000-07:00

We know that most people who come into the DMS aren't experts on the equipment. In fact, we created this space so people with little or no knowledge of media rich software could still create movies, presentations and other media projects. We have a number of tools to help you find your way.

You can ask us! Studio assistants are at the desk whenever we are open. We even walk around and ask if you need help.

If a face to face isn't your style you can email us at mtsudms@gmail.com or chat with us online.

For a more formal training session you can sign up for a tech coach appointment. These 45 minute sessions will give you one on one training on your software question.

Like the DIY approach? We have new books both electronic and print about most of our software. These manuals are easy to use and can help you figure out a specific effect or get a general overview of the program. ** NOTE** We have new books arriving soon that cover many open source programs and the newest versions of iLife and iWork. You can also find some online manuals here.

For those of you don't like books or people- we have Lynda.com. This online training database provides tons of training videos on all of our software. You can only access these from the DMS. If you just need to watch some videos on Lynda, and don't need any software, please let us know at the desk. We have some stations that only have internet access.

Printing in Color

2011-09-05T08:00:00.000-07:00

Want to jazz up that presentation? How about a color print? It is easy to do, here's how:

1. Save your document on a jump drive and bring it to the studio desk

2. Give the drive and your student ID to the studio assistant (no faculty or community users can print)

3. Confirm your print preview

4. Sign off on your prints and collect your paper
5. Pay for your color prints online

Color prints are .50 a page

Color print tips

1. all prints must have some border

2. double sided prints count as two pages - caution- they can bleed through

How to Retrieve a Lost Word Document

2011-04-19T08:41:00.000-07:00

Written by: Megan Huffman, Studio Assistant

Has Microsoft Word frozen in the middle of you typing a 6 page research paper that you forgot to save? Don’t panic, you can still save your paper.

If Microsoft Word freezes:

STEP 1:

Mac- force quit the Microsoft program by clicking the apple icon and selecting force quit.

Then select Microsoft word from the choice of programs and click Force Quit.

PC- Click Ctrl Alt Delete all at the same time, you should get a menu that pops up. Select Microsoft Word and Close the program.

STEP 2:

The next step is very important for retrieving your lost paper: DO NOT LOG OFF OF THE COMPUTER!

Simply open Microsoft word once again. A bar on the side of your screen should show up with auto retrieved documents. Select your document and viola! It’s alive. However, if you do not see a retrieved documents bar, there is another way you can see if your document was saved:

Mac- Open Microsoft Word and click File > Open Recent. There you should see a list of recent and AutoSaved documents.

PC- Click on the Microsoft Office icon in the top right corner of your screen and you should see a list of recent documents, saved and Auto Saved.

NOTE: If you close a file and click Don’t Save, the file is deleted from the system and not saved in Auto Recover.

So, to sum it all up:

When the computer freezes up (force quit in macs/ ctrl alt delete in pcs)

Close word

Do not log off of the computer!

Open up word and retrieve the document

Then save early and save often!

How to Log Off the Macs

2011-04-19T08:36:00.000-07:00

Written By: Megan Huffman, Studio Assistant

Logging off of a computer when you leave the Digital Media Studio is very important!
Don’t know how to do it? No worries, it’s simple!

When you are finished with all of your work, simply click on the apple icon in the upper left hand corner of your screen. Scroll down and you should see a Log Out Guest Account option; simply click that option.

A screen will pull up asking you to confirm that you want to delete the files on the computer and log off. If you’re sure that all of your work is saved to your flash drive and nothing important is on the computer, click Delete Files & Log Out.

You can also log off of our computers by hitting the handy orange icon on the computer screen titled Log off.

Clicking the icon should automatically log you out of the computer.