-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ImageGrab 5.0.6 En - 2010/09/23 Free version only delivered for personal or familial use of the video hobbyist -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Summary: 0) Warning about version 5.x.x of ImageGrab 1) What is ImageGrab? 2) How to install ImageGrab? 3) How to uninstall ImageGrab? 4) Limitations of the personal version 5) History of modifications -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 0) Warning about version 5.x.x of ImageGrab: The versions since 5.0.0 are a complete revision of the previous versions of ImageGrab and present great new features. In a sense, it's a completely new software. As usual, when modifying a program, it may give unexpected results on some systems. I am not able to test my programs on all different configurations. So please do not complain if it does not work well for you, and many thanks to all users who will report bugs or suggestions for improving it. Some functions of previous versions are also no more available. It's no more possible to extract directly images from disks like SVCD or DVDs, nor to extract images from live video streams.If you need to extract images from disks, you may load the mpg or vob file into ImageGrab. If you need to extract images from live streams, please use my famous software CaptureFlux. E-mail: paul.glagla@free.fr. Warning: I receive so much e-mails that I prefer to spend my time reading them and trying to understand bugs and suggestions, so I have not much time left for replying to them. Sorry. Let me remind you that ImageGrab obeys to the following principle: it works well for me, it should work well for you, but perhaps will it not. The only way to make sure, is to test it and if it does not work to make a report to me. ImageGrab works better with a powerful system. I can use it with a Pentium 4 CPU at 3 GHz, but it's even better with dual-core or more systems. On the other hand, ImageGrab is able to read (at low speed) some HD videos that are to big to be read with ordinary media applications. It is also compulsory to have directX9 or better, and Windows XP or better. ImageGrab is optimized to work with the (free) filters Haali Media Splitter and ffdshow. It is strongly recommended to install them in order to benefit from the power or ImageGrab. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) What is ImageGrab? ImageGrab is a powerful yet friendly software that opens all kind of video files and lets you choose an image to save on a a disk in format bmp or jpg. The jpeg-quality is adjustable. You may also copy it in the clipboard, in order to use it in your favourite application. ImageGrab is indeed mainly aimed at extracting images from videos. It try to make this operation easy, precise and efficient. Generally, it works with three simple steps: 1) Load a video, from various types or files with extension avi, mpeg, mpg, wmv, mts, m2ts, ts, vob, m1v, mp2, mpe, asf, mkv, mov, mp4, 3g2, m4v and perhaps others. 2) ImageGrab includes a video player that can browse frame by frame to a given position in the video (depending on the video) . The player can display in full screen, and can thus be used as a good alternative mediaplayer. 3) When the desired video's position is reached, a simple click (or the function key F5) captures a snapshot from the current picture. ImageGrab has also an intervalometer feature, that helps extract automatically a lot of pictures at given intervals. A "script" mode is available to apply the power of ImageGrab to a lot of pictures at once. Text may be inlayed in the snapshot, using various data from the video: timestamp, tank of the snapshot, datecode or timecode if it's a DV video. ImageGrab is heavily using directshow filters (directX video functions). So be sure to have directshow filters (also known as codecs) correctly installed for the videos which you want to operate. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2) How to install ImageGrab ImageGrab is delivered with an auto-installable file. When you launch it, it will: - copy the executable file (like imagegrab_5xen.exe) into the given folder, and create, if requested, some shortcuts. It is strongly recommended that you install on your system Haali media Splitter and ffdshow tryouts, a must-have to play many media files, if it's not already done. To get information about installation of Haali media Splitter and ffdshow, visit my page web: http://paul.glagla.free.fr/imagegrab_filtres_en.htm For some videos, ImageGrab needs the codecs or directshow filters to be properly installed on your system. Generally speaking, ffdshow will be sufficient, but for some specific videos a specific codec may be installed. As a general rule, if Windows Media Player is able to play a video, ImageGrab should also be. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3) How to uninstall ImageGrab Use the function add/remove of the configuration panel in order to uninstall safely ImageGrab. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4) Restrictions of use of the personal version This free version of ImageGrab is granted only for a personal use. It is nevertheless a full version, with no functional limitations. Use of ImageGrab is not permitted in companies, administrations or during professional activities. I made it specially for the video hobbyist. It is not open source, so please don't ask me for source code. If you really want to use ImageGrab for professional activities, please ask me for a license, and I will send it to you against a little donation to participate for my expenses. If you cannot make a donation via paypal, I have a partnership with Share-It, a German company that can sell you the licensed version and deliver a receipt. VAT will be accounted. If you want to know how to get a licensed version, visit my web page: http://paul.glagla.free.fr/imagegrab_licence_en.htm To get help, informations about how to use ImageGrab, or maybe download updates, please visit my web pages: http:\\paul.glagla.free.fr\imagegrab_en.htm And if you like this program, consider visiting also the Google advertisers on my web page: it's a cheap way to support my efforts ;-). -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5) History of modifications: .................................................................................... Version 5.0.0 published in English on August the 21st, 2010 .................................................................................... In comparison with versions 4.x.x, this version presents inter alia the following improvements: * the size of the window of ImageGrab is adjustable, and may even be maximized to cover the whole screen. * much more video containers can be read by ImageGrab, specially the videos high definition AVCHD (provided Haali Media Splitter and ffdshow are installed) * a fully and easily personalizable inlay of text may be added to the video * display of the video, and grabbed images, respect the aspect ratio of the video, for instance 4x3 or 16x9. * size of the video image, codec and some data are provide for each video or audio stream in the file. * a table of all keyboard shortcuts and switches can be displayed with F11 * the load factor of CPU and the free space in the hard disk may be displayed during operation * you may install or uninstall filters (for example a decoder) with drag/drop of an *.ax file * when the aspect ratio of the video is changed, the saved video changes accordingly whenever it's possible * intervalometer has two modes: a fast mode that browses to the images to be extracted, and a precise mode that plays the whole video and grabs the desired images. This second mode is adapted when extracting frames separated with short intervals, even for extracting all frames one by one. .................................................................................... version 5.0.1 published in English on August,22 2010 * improvements in display when using large fonts * better management of mpeg decoders when ffdshow not installed * ffdshow has always priority if installed * added a button to install the missing filters, when warned at launch .................................................................................... version 5.0.2 published in English on August,25 2010 * the timestamp is updated 25 times per second instead of 2 times * this readme file is accessible in the Start menu * some bugs have been repaired in the initial settings of ffdshow * the registry keys created by ffdshow and haali are deleted during uninstallation if necessary to restore the initial situation. * a larger buffer size has been allocated to transinplace filters to avoid exceptions .................................................................................... version 5.0.3 published in English on August,27 2010 * the program is much more stable when loading files that ImageGrab cannot proceed or if the necessary codecs are not found. * Error messages are better displayed * a bug has been fixed that affected inlaying of timestamp in videos without framerate * some videos were displayed with a bad size .................................................................................... version 5.0.4 published in English on September,1 2010 * errors ate better managed if ImageGrab can not open a file * audio files can also be played with ImageGrab * texts are more translated (English version) * ImageGrab does no more install the filters Haali media Splitter and ffdshow. You must install them by your own. .................................................................................... version 5.0.5 published in English on September,11 2010 * The script command have been completed and enhanced * jpeg files can be loaded instead of video files * in the options frame, one can choose not to display the errors .................................................................................... version 5.0.6 published in English on September,22 2010 * a serious bug during inlay of text in the video has been fixed * code has been cleaned and optimized * the video is less jerky when the state changes * the current image is copied into the clipboard and no more the previous snapshot * the intervalometer in normal mode has been fixed to extract the correct images