Windows 7 Magnifier Tool
Moderators: rjlittlefield, ChrisR, Chris S., Pau
- Craig Gerard
- Posts: 2877
- Joined: Sat May 01, 2010 1:51 am
- Location: Australia
Windows 7 Magnifier Tool
Windows 7 Magnifier Tool
This tool has most likely been available in Windows for years; but I only noticed it for the first time recently. Vista also has a similar 'magnifier', but the Win 7 version appears to be more refined.
It has many useful attributes and can be easily configured according to your requirements.
The tool can be found in the Start Menu under Programs > Accessories > Ease of Access > Magnifier. I've now 'pinned' a shortcut to the taskbar.
I have found it particularly useful for magnified inspection, applying adjustments and retouching, etc, in Photoshop and Zerene Stacker (I missed the magnifier built into Helicon Focus).
The tool obviously has many other benefits, such as reading small text, etc....
Craig
This tool has most likely been available in Windows for years; but I only noticed it for the first time recently. Vista also has a similar 'magnifier', but the Win 7 version appears to be more refined.
It has many useful attributes and can be easily configured according to your requirements.
The tool can be found in the Start Menu under Programs > Accessories > Ease of Access > Magnifier. I've now 'pinned' a shortcut to the taskbar.
I have found it particularly useful for magnified inspection, applying adjustments and retouching, etc, in Photoshop and Zerene Stacker (I missed the magnifier built into Helicon Focus).
The tool obviously has many other benefits, such as reading small text, etc....
Craig
To use a classic quote from 'Antz' - "I almost know exactly what I'm doing!"
- Charles Krebs
- Posts: 5865
- Joined: Tue Aug 01, 2006 8:02 pm
- Location: Issaquah, WA USA
- Contact:
does the whole page...better if it was just a square...
like
http://magnifier.sourceforge.net/#download
much nicer
it gives you a tray icon...click it on.. use mouse to move and click to remove
.
like
http://magnifier.sourceforge.net/#download
much nicer
it gives you a tray icon...click it on.. use mouse to move and click to remove
.
Last edited by SONYNUT on Thu Oct 06, 2011 2:09 pm, edited 2 times in total.
..............................................................................
Just shoot it......
Just shoot it......
-
- Posts: 674
- Joined: Sat May 01, 2010 6:12 am
- Location: Nice, France (I'm British)
By default it gives you the whole screen, yes. Click on the icon and you have options for magnification (default 200%) and view - full screen (default), rectangle which follows the mouse, and a docked rectangle.SONYNUT wrote:does the whole page...better if it was just a square...
--
typed on my Windows7 machine
-
- Posts: 674
- Joined: Sat May 01, 2010 6:12 am
- Location: Nice, France (I'm British)
Was this on Windows 7 or an earlier version?Charles Krebs wrote:I used this on occasion, but it always really messed up the locations of the icons on my desktop when I exited it. (And I've got a bunch of them!). So I stopped using it, too annoying. Do you find it "messes" with your desktop icon organization?
I'm using it now... (stops using it) ... no effect on icons or anything else.
- Charles Krebs
- Posts: 5865
- Joined: Tue Aug 01, 2006 8:02 pm
- Location: Issaquah, WA USA
- Contact:
Chris,
I also just re-tried it. (Win 7 64 bit). By default it started up with a magnified viewing window running fully across the upper part of my screen. When I use it in this manner and then exit, it "compresses" my icons together (eliminates any spacing and icon locations I had). However... if I re-size and move the magnified window down (viewing in a box in the manner that Craig showed in his first screen-shot) there appears to be no desktop problem on exiting. When I open the magnifier again, it returns to the last view used. Good to know. So now I'll be able to make use of it again without the need to re-order my desktop each time.
I also just re-tried it. (Win 7 64 bit). By default it started up with a magnified viewing window running fully across the upper part of my screen. When I use it in this manner and then exit, it "compresses" my icons together (eliminates any spacing and icon locations I had). However... if I re-size and move the magnified window down (viewing in a box in the manner that Craig showed in his first screen-shot) there appears to be no desktop problem on exiting. When I open the magnifier again, it returns to the last view used. Good to know. So now I'll be able to make use of it again without the need to re-order my desktop each time.
- Craig Gerard
- Posts: 2877
- Joined: Sat May 01, 2010 1:51 am
- Location: Australia
By default it is 'docked'. I found it better to uncheck the 'docked' button via the configeration menu and select 'Lens', so it acts as an independant loupe.By default it started up with a magnified viewing window running fully across the upper part of my screen.
To find the configeration menu, postion the magnified window over the magnifier icon.
Craig
To use a classic quote from 'Antz' - "I almost know exactly what I'm doing!"
-
- Posts: 674
- Joined: Sat May 01, 2010 6:12 am
- Location: Nice, France (I'm British)
- Craig Gerard
- Posts: 2877
- Joined: Sat May 01, 2010 1:51 am
- Location: Australia
The initial default 'Fullscreen' and/or 'Docked' setting may be responsible for the displacement of desktop icons. If only using the 'Lens' option(which acts like a loupe) the icons behave themselves.
In the past, my desktop was usually covered with icons; but now, I have storage folders on secondary hardrives and folder shortcuts on the desktop. As an example, if printing and saving an electronic copy of a forum post (using bioPDF), I elect to save it to the 'Photomacrography Articles' shortcut folder on the desktop; but the folder and its contents are actually stored on Drive:E as opposed to Drive:C
You can drag 'n' drop or save files directly to those shortcut icons on the desktop. As mentioned earlier in this post, the actual files are stored on a secondary drive(s) which are synced with additional drives twice a day.
Craig
*edit typo and adjusted content
In the past, my desktop was usually covered with icons; but now, I have storage folders on secondary hardrives and folder shortcuts on the desktop. As an example, if printing and saving an electronic copy of a forum post (using bioPDF), I elect to save it to the 'Photomacrography Articles' shortcut folder on the desktop; but the folder and its contents are actually stored on Drive:E as opposed to Drive:C
You can drag 'n' drop or save files directly to those shortcut icons on the desktop. As mentioned earlier in this post, the actual files are stored on a secondary drive(s) which are synced with additional drives twice a day.
Craig
*edit typo and adjusted content
Last edited by Craig Gerard on Fri Oct 07, 2011 1:33 am, edited 2 times in total.
To use a classic quote from 'Antz' - "I almost know exactly what I'm doing!"
My mouse has a couple of programmable buttons, one of which will do that instantly. Microsoft wireless 6000v2.0 (2008)
You can alter the zoom (2x upwards) and window size whenever you use it. Here it's shown as I hold the button in to adjust those. otherwise the symbols with arrows aren't there.
Wouldn't be without it now.
>
You can alter the zoom (2x upwards) and window size whenever you use it. Here it's shown as I hold the button in to adjust those. otherwise the symbols with arrows aren't there.
Wouldn't be without it now.
>