Basic Issues

[Raiku49]

I just got a new computer (Windows 7) and I don't like the default "Paint" program that comes with it. I've been using the Windows XP paint program for a long time and Paint.Net was the closest thing I could find to it.

I don't use Paint to edit photos or create super detailed artwork. I use it to draw little things (the image size is usually 50x50 or 100x100 pixels) and zooming in to 400%-800%. I've used paint.net a few times but I was wondering if there was a place in the program that would let me set preferences. It would just save a little time making it more convenient and less frustrating.

These are the things that I would like to change:

1: When moving a selected item it automatically leaves a "checker board" pattern on the image. It's relatively easy to fix with the "Paint Bucket" tool. Though if there was an option to make it only leave the default area white it would be a time saver.

2: When moving a selected item it will automatically replace the image beneath where you place it. In the Windows XP program there was an option to either replace an image or to replace all other colors except white (255green+255red+255green on the custom color spectrum). Is there an option like that in this program?

3: After moving a selected image (using the "rectangle select" tool then the "move selected pixels" tool) is it possible to simply de-select the selected image without having to click on the "rectangle select" tool and right clicking? In other words, being able to move an image, deselect the image, then automatically return the tool to "line" tool?

4: While using the "Line/Curve" tool the 4 click and drag points automatically appear on it to make it "curve-able" so is there a way to just leave it as a solid line without those 4 selectable points appearing?

5: Is there a way that I can make "Line Tool" my default cursor instead of pencil?

[MadJik]

Welcome Raiku49

Paint.net isn't Paint that's the first thing I want to say.

1.The checker is the manner for Paint.net to show you the transparency. When you move a part of the image, it leave an empty area that you could fill later.

I suggest to create a background layer filled with white and place each single object on a separe layer. This allows you to save and keep you work for later reuse.

2.The use of the layers blending mode is more powerfull than that... When your object is selected, copy it, add a new layer and paste the object. Move it where you need and press F4 to set the blend more (darken should correspond to your description).

3.Press Enter should deselect... Press o to choose the libe/curve tool.

4.Press Enter to finish the line or start a new line far enought from any active point...

5.In the tool bar (not the tool window) you have "Tool: (actual tool) v". Press on the triangle ("v") and click on "Choose default". You could set the default tool and some other defaults if you like.

[Raiku49]

Wow... I tried all the stuff you said and you just solved every single one of my problems... and only a couple hours after I posted too... You're amazing and thank you so much = )

I use Windows XP paint to draw all my tiny models just for fun. Right now I've been working on an incredibly large one for the past couple months. It's basically a space ship, but imagine that the size of a single person is 1 pixel... That's the scale I use. Right now the "absolute size" is sized at 10000x6000 pixels. So just think of the scale if a single person's size as 1 pixel... It's a "blueprint style" picture (top-down cross-section, showing individual floors with individual floors and I've basically been drawing everything at 600%-800% zoom. I've even made my own "easy to read" pixel measurement system (ruler) that I needed to judge the size of certain parts. It's been a couple months working on it whenever I have free time (about 24-30 hours total), but I'm still working on the overall design (shape). I've been constantly resizing it again and again. The absolute size started off at 500-250 pixels, then 1000x700, then 2000x1500, then 4000x2500, and so on... So now I said screw it and put the overall size at 10000x6000 pixels just to be safe... Honestly however, I'm still not sure if it's going to be enough... It'll probably take me a few years working on it every now and then to finish it... Maybe even more since I'm so obsessive-compulsive about everything.

I'd just like to say thank you MadJik for answering all my questions perfectly and making it a whole lot easier. I'd also like to thank the creators of Paint.Net for having 100 times more options than XP paint.

I would've pasted a 50x50 and 120x120 image containing the top, side, and front views of one of a ground unit and one of a smaller ship (the scale still being 1 person = 1 pixel). However, I guess I can't copy and paste something on this reply. I could put it as my profile signature... but I'm tired after looking at a computer screen for the past 26 hours (1am yesterday to 3 am today) straight... That's mainly because I play World of WarCraft...

Edited May 25, 2011 by Raiku49

[MadJik]

You're welcome...

You could open a personal galery in the pictorium part of the forum to let us show some screenshot of your "work in progress" (remember here the size limit for an image is 800x600, but you could use thumb for larger image).