Camtasia Studio Tutorial

Camtasia Studio License Agreement
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All Rights Reserved. Printed in the United States of America.
Trademarks:
TechSmith, SnagIt, and Camtasia are registered trademarks and Camtasia Studio is a trademark of
TechSmith Corporation. All other registered trademarks and trademarks are the property of their
respective companies. All rights reserved.
Camtasia Studio User's Guide
Contents
Camtasia Studio 1
Camtasia Studio Overview......................................................................................................1
New Features....................................................................................................................3
Installing Camtasia Studio ...............................................................................................4
Starting the Camtasia Studio LaunchPad .........................................................................5
Camtasia Studio Support ..................................................................................................6
What would you like to do with Camtasia Studio? ..........................................................7
The Making of a Great Video ...............................................................................................10
Concern for Screen Resolution & Screen Size...............................................................10
Recording Options..........................................................................................................11
Video Codecs .................................................................................................................11
TechSmith Screen Capture Codec .........................................................................................................12
Audio Codecs .................................................................................................................13
The Different Media Players ..........................................................................................14
Video File Type Fundamentals ......................................................................................15
Thinking About the Frame Rate.....................................................................................16
Screen Color Depth and Frame Rates ....................................................................................................16
Capture Frame Rates and Hardware Acceleration .................................................................................17
Understanding Bandwidth and Streaming Media Production........................................18
File Size, Bit Rate, Bandwidth and Data Transmission .........................................................................18
Bandwidth and Streaming Media File Transmission .............................................................................19
Video Compression and Key Frames.....................................................................................................19
Movement Increases Bandwidth Requirements. ....................................................................................20
Frame Rate and Bandwidth....................................................................................................................20
Network Congestion, Bandwidth Spikes and Buffering ........................................................................20
Audio and Bandwidth ............................................................................................................................21
About the File Size.........................................................................................................21
Getting Great Sound.......................................................................................................23
Distributing your Video .................................................................................................24
Use Pack and Show? ..............................................................................................................................25
Before you Record Worksheets......................................................................................26
Screen Resolution Checklist ..................................................................................................................26
AVI Video Checklist..............................................................................................................................27
Video File Type/Compression Checklist ...............................................................................................27
Video Type & Playback Checklist .........................................................................................................28
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User's Guide Camtasia Studio
Audio Compression Checklist................................................................................................................30

Scripting and Audio Tip List..................................................................................................................30
Camtasia Recorder ................................................................................................................31
5 Quick & Easy Steps to your First Video .....................................................................33
How do I Start, Pause, Stop, and Delete a Recording? ..........................................................................34
Getting Familiar with the Recorder Screen....................................................................35
Recorder Toolbar Options ..............................................................................................36
Recorder Main Toolbar Description Table ............................................................................................37
Recorder Annotation Toolbar Description Table...................................................................................40
Recorder Audio Toolbar Description Table...........................................................................................42
Recorder Cursor Toolbar Description Table ..........................................................................................43
Recorder Zoom and Pan Toolbar Description Table..............................................................................44
Recorder Menu Options .................................................................................................46
Recorder Capture Menu Options ...........................................................................................................46
Recorder Input Menu Options................................................................................................................47
Recorder Output Menu Options .............................................................................................................49
Recorder View Menu Options ...............................................................................................................50
Recorder Effects Menu Options.............................................................................................................51
Recorder Effects Options ...............................................................................................53
Recorder Annotation Tab.......................................................................................................................54
Recorder Audio Tab...............................................................................................................................55
Recorder Cursor Tab..............................................................................................................................56
Recorder ScreenDraw Tab .....................................................................................................................56
Recorder Watermark Tab.......................................................................................................................58
Recorder Zoom Tab ...............................................................................................................................59
Recorder Tools Options .................................................................................................61
Recorder Avi Tab...................................................................................................................................62
Recorder File Tab...................................................................................................................................63
Recorder Hotkeys Tab ...........................................................................................................................64
Recorder Live Tab .................................................................................................................................66
Recorder Program Tab ...........................................................................................................................67
About Recorder's Single Frame Capturing.............................................................................................69
About Recorder's Quick Capture ...........................................................................................................69
Recorder Annotation Tab Settings .................................................................................71
Time/Date Format Button ......................................................................................................................73
Date/Time Format Symbols ...................................................................................................................75
System Stamp & Caption Option Buttons..............................................................................................77
Recorder Cursor Tab Settings ........................................................................................80
Recorder Cursor Setup Options .............................................................................................................81
Recorder Highlight Cursor Options .......................................................................................................82
Recorder Highlight Mouse Clicks Options ............................................................................................83
Recorder Watermark Tab Settings .................................................................................84
Recorder Watermark Image Path ...........................................................................................................85
Recorder Watermark Display Effects ....................................................................................................85
Recorder Watermark Image Positioning ................................................................................................87
Recorder AVI Tab Settings ............................................................................................88
Recorder AVI Video Setup Button ........................................................................................................90
Recorder AVI Configure Button............................................................................................................91
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Recorder AVI Time-Lapse Capture Setup Button .................................................................................92

Recorder AVI Audio Setup Button ........................................................................................................93
ScreenPad ...............................................................................................................................95
ScreenPad Menus ...........................................................................................................96
ScreenPad File Menu .............................................................................................................................96
ScreenPad Edit Menu.............................................................................................................................98
ScreenPad View Menu...........................................................................................................................99
ScreenPad Options Menu.....................................................................................................................100
Working with ScreenPad Shapes .................................................................................102
Creating a New Shape..........................................................................................................................102
Creating a New ScreenPad Shape from an Existing Image File ..........................................................103
Editing a ScreenPad Library Shape......................................................................................................104
Editing a ScreenPad Instance of a Shape .............................................................................................105
Editing a ScreenPad Shape’s Text ...............................................................................107
ScreenPad Edit Text Options Description Table..................................................................................108
Editing a ScreenPad Shape’s Opacity & Transparency ...............................................110
ScreenPad's Opacity Overview ............................................................................................................110
Applying ScreenPad's Opacity to a Shape ...........................................................................................111
ScreenPad's Transparency Overview ...................................................................................................111
Applying ScreenPad's Transparency to a Shape ..................................................................................112
Editing a ScreenPad Image ..........................................................................................115
ScreenPad Image Editor.......................................................................................................................115
Working with ScreenPad Text Notes ...........................................................................120
Creating a New ScreenPad Library Text Note.....................................................................................121
ScreenPad Text Note Dialog Box ........................................................................................................122
Editing a ScreenPad Library Text Note ...............................................................................................125
Editing an Instance of a ScreenPad Text Note .....................................................................................127
ScreenPad Text Note Edit Options while in Edit Mode.......................................................................128
Editing a ScreenPad Text Note’s Opacity............................................................................................129
Working with ScreenPad Library Icons .......................................................................130
Editing Icons Using the ScreenPad Icon Editor ...................................................................................131
Camtasia Player ...................................................................................................................133
Making Camtasia Player your Default Player......................................................................................134
Getting Familiar with the Player Screen ......................................................................135
Player Playback Controls .............................................................................................136
Player Menu Options....................................................................................................137
Player File Menu Options ....................................................................................................................137
Player Play Menu Options ...................................................................................................................137
Player Command Line Customizations........................................................................138
Player Background Color Command ...................................................................................................140
Camtasia Producer ..............................................................................................................141
Getting Familiar with the Producer Screen ..................................................................143
Producer Toolbar Options ............................................................................................144
Producer Toolbar Description Table ....................................................................................................144
About the Producer Storyboard & Thumbnail Pane ....................................................146
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Producer Timeline ........................................................................................................148

Producer Playback Toolbar Description Table ....................................................................................148
Producer Timeline Editing Toolbar Description Table ........................................................................149
Working with the Producer Timeline...........................................................................154
Searching the Video .............................................................................................................................154
Defining a Selection for Editing ..........................................................................................................155
Cutting a Selection from the Video......................................................................................................155
Viewing the Cuts..................................................................................................................................156
Producer Menu Options ...............................................................................................157
Producer File Menu Options ................................................................................................................157
Producer Edit Menu Options................................................................................................................160
Producer View Menu Options..............................................................................................................164
Producer Clip Menu Options ...............................................................................................................165
Transition Effect Dialog Box ...............................................................................................................167
Clip Speed Dialog Box ........................................................................................................................170
Producer Tools Menu Options .............................................................................................................171
Producer Help Menu Options...............................................................................................................172
Pack and Show .............................................................................................................173
Producing a Video ........................................................................................................175
Produce Movie Dialog Box..................................................................................................................176
Movie File Format Options ..........................................................................................178
Producer AVI Options Tab ..................................................................................................................178
Producer GIF Options Tab ...................................................................................................................180
Producer Macromedia Flash Options Tab............................................................................................182
Producer Camtasia for RealPlayer Streaming Media File Options Tab ...............................................185
Target Bitrate Settings Dialog Box ......................................................................................................188
Target Audience Settings Tab..............................................................................................................190
Producer Real Media Options Tab .......................................................................................................190
Producer QuickTime Options Tab .......................................................................................................192
QuickTime Audio Setup Settings Dialog Box .....................................................................................194
QuickTime Compression Settings Dialog Box ....................................................................................195
Producer Windows Media Options Tab ...............................................................................................196
Windows Media Edit Options Screen ..................................................................................................199
Windows Media Manage Options Dialog Box ....................................................................................200
Producer Size Tab ................................................................................................................................202
Producer Info Tab ................................................................................................................................204
Producer Watermark Tab .....................................................................................................................205
Produce Movie .....................................................................................................................................207
Production Wizard........................................................................................................208
Production Wizard: Choose File Format..............................................................................................209
Production Wizard: Choose Video Encoding Options.........................................................................210
Audio Editor .........................................................................................................................212
The Audio Editor Welcome Screen .............................................................................213
5 Quick & Easy Steps to your First Audio File............................................................214
Getting Familiar with the Audio Editor Screen ...........................................................215
Audio Editor Playback Toolbar Options..............................................................................................216
Waveline Edit Toolbar Description Table ...........................................................................................217
Working with the Waveline .........................................................................................219
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Searching the Audio Waveline.............................................................................................................219

Defining a Selection of the Waveline for Editing ................................................................................219
Cutting a Selection from the Waveline ................................................................................................220
Audio Editor Menu Options .........................................................................................221
Audio Editor File Menu Options..........................................................................................................221
Audio Editor Edit Menu Options .........................................................................................................222
Audio Editor View Menu Options .......................................................................................................226
Audio Properties...........................................................................................................227
Audio Editor Options ...................................................................................................229
Audio Editor Program Tab...................................................................................................................229
Audio Editor Audio Tab ......................................................................................................................230
Audio Editor Info Tab..........................................................................................................................231
Audio Editor AVI Tab .........................................................................................................................232
Camtasia Effects...................................................................................................................234
The Effects Welcome Screen .......................................................................................236
7 Quick and Easy Steps to Creating a New Effects Project .........................................237
Getting Familiar with the Effects Screen .....................................................................241
Effects Toolbar Options ...............................................................................................242
Effects File Toolbar Description Table................................................................................................243
Effects Color Toolbar Description Table .............................................................................................244
Effects Text Toolbar Description Table...............................................................................................245
Effects Layout Toolbar Description Table...........................................................................................246
Effects Object Toolbar Description Table ...........................................................................................247
The Effects Timeline ....................................................................................................250
Effects Timeline Toolbar Descriptions ................................................................................................250
Effects Menu Options...................................................................................................252
Effects File Menu Options ...................................................................................................................252
Effects Edit Menu Options...................................................................................................................254
Effects View Menu Options.................................................................................................................254
Effects Object Menu Options...............................................................................................................256
Effects Layout Menu Options ..............................................................................................................259
Effects Tools Menu Options ................................................................................................................261
Effects Help Menu Options..................................................................................................................263
Effects Properties .........................................................................................................265
Effects Properties Dialog Box Options ................................................................................................266
Camtasia MenuMaker.........................................................................................................272
The MenuMaker Welcome Screen...............................................................................274
6 Quick and Easy Steps to Creating a Menu................................................................275
About the Menu Creation Process................................................................................276
Getting Familiar with the MenuMaker Screen.............................................................277
Create a New Menu Project Using the MenuMaker Wizard .......................................278
MenuMaker Wizard: Choose Template ...............................................................................................278
MenuMaker Wizard: Choose Files ......................................................................................................279
MenuMaker Wizard: Enter Title ..........................................................................................................282
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MenuMaker Toolbar Options.......................................................................................283

MenuMaker Menu Options ..........................................................................................285
MenuMaker File Menu Options...........................................................................................................285
MenuMaker Edit Menu Options ..........................................................................................................287
MenuMaker View Menu Options ........................................................................................................287
MenuMaker Tools Menu Options........................................................................................................288
MenuMaker Help Menu Options .........................................................................................................289
Menu Properties ...........................................................................................................291
MenuMaker General Tab .....................................................................................................................292
MenuMaker Options for Camtasia Player Dialog Box ........................................................................294
MenuMaker List Tab ...........................................................................................................................295
MenuMaker Content Tab .....................................................................................................................298
MenuMaker Resources Tab .................................................................................................................301
Create the Menu Using the MenuMaker Wizard .........................................................303
MenuMaker Wizard: Create Menu Folder ...........................................................................................303
MenuMaker Wizard: Creating Menu ...................................................................................................304
MenuMaker Wizard: Finish .................................................................................................................305
How Do I? Putting it all Together ......................................................................................306
Converting AVIs to Macromedia Flash (SWF) Videos ...............................................306
Chain Your Macromedia Flash (SWF) Files Together Using Producer ......................307
Adding Titles and Credits to your Video .....................................................................308
Camtasia Recorder and PowerPoint .............................................................................309
Record a PowerPoint Presentation .......................................................................................................309
Embed a Camtasia Video in Your PowerPoint Presentation................................................................309
Save a PowerPoint Slide as a Still Image.............................................................................................310
Use Camtasia Player to Payback Videos in Your PowerPoint Presentation ........................................310
Making Drag-and-Drop and Microsoft Agent Videos .................................................311
Recover an Interrupted Recorder Session ....................................................................312
Index 315
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Camtasia Studio
Camtasia Studio Overview
Overview
There are many ways moving images influence our lives today. Anyone who has used a video camcorder knows the
value of moving images compared to snapshots. Moreover, if you have gone to the movies lately or even rented a video,
you can see the results of computer-enhanced moving images in animation and special effects. Imagine using some of
this power on your own computer.
Overall, Camtasia Studio is a professional quality video production studio designed to anticipate your every need.
Camtasia Recorder can capture the moving action on your computer screen and save it as a computer video file. If you
type text, move the cursor, click buttons, or select menus, Recorder records a video of it that you can save and play back
later. In addition, there are many, many different and creative ways that you can use this capability.
Camtasia Recorder supports the AVI format and standard video for Windows audio and video codecs. You can modify
videos created by Recorder with other AVI editors and use AVI files from any source in the Camtasia Producer. From
the vendor neutral AVI format, you can produce Macromedia Flash, Microsoft, or RealNetworks streaming media files.
Then explore Player - an easy to use, standalone video player that guarantees high quality playback of your AVI videos.
Or, play your videos with many different media players.
Only Camtasia Studio offers exact video renderings of desktop activity and superior file compression in industry
standard formats. TechSmith accomplished this by developing the TSCC codec expressly for screen recording. Unlike
lossy video codecs designed for videos, the TSCC codec provides exact video renderings coupled with excellent
compression ratios and performance. Clips encoded by TSCC preserve image quality through multiple decompression /
recompression cycles. We recommend always using the TSCC Codec for screen recording and editing -- no other codec
can give its results. Of course, Camtasia Studio is fully compliant with the Video for Windows specification, so you can
choose the TechSmith codec or any other video codec for final distribution. Camtasia Studio also allows you to use the
audio codec of your choice.
Camtasia Studio is perfect for:
• Producing web site content. Create a video of an application and publish it on the web with Flash.
• Training, Education and Distance Learning: Capture, share and manage knowledge. Make and share how-to
videos.
• Help Desk, Online Help, Help Systems: Handle error recording and reporting.
• Desktop Monitoring: Monitor desktop activities, process control and live content.
• Video and Voice Annotation: Annotate documents with voice and video for applications like CAD designs,
medical images and web sites.
• Documentation: Preserve and archive desktop activities.
• Conferencing: Record, share and archive conference content.
• CAD and Simulation: Record and share animation, CAD designs, and annotation.
www.techsmith.com Camtasia Studio Overview • 1

With Camtasia Studio, you can:

• Record screen activity as videos, edit and narrate the clips, and publish the finished presentation in standard
formats.
• Create Macromedia Flash videos.
• Distribute the videos as standard AVI files or as streaming presentations from a website.
• Apply real-time effects such as annotations and watermarks to recordings.
• Recorder can act as a software camera feed to live productions (for example, broadcasting the computer desktop
in a live "webcast" using a streaming media encoder).
• Record web sites beforehand and playback the recordings of the web sites during a presentation. This way, you
create an online experience for the audience - it looks like you are online and you can show all the Internet
information, but you do not need a connection.
• Showcase software or a web site. Use Camtasia Recorder to ensure that your exhibition will be free of errors.
You do not have to worry about encountering a problem during your public presentation if you use Recorder to
pre-record the software or site in a controlled environment.
• Document an occurrence such as a web meeting or a conference. If you do not use Recorder to record it, you
have lost the one-time event and information.
• Control the length of the video, modify the size and content, and take advantage of Producer's many timesaving
features. Producer allows you to correct a minor mistake without having to redo the whole video. Instead, you
can easily cut out the faulty frames - or even splice in new frames.
• Capture cursor movements, menu selections, pop-up windows, layered windows, typing and everything else
you see on your screen.
• Use Camtasia ScreenDraw to draw on your desktop while you record a video -- just like television
sportscasters!
• Use Recorder’s powerful ScreenPad annotation feature to add callouts, logos and graphics as you record your
video.
• Use Camtasia Effects to add callouts, arrows, and images to your video.
• Use Camtasia MenuMaker to create a menu for launching your videos and other media files.
• Apply real-time effects like cursor and object highlighting, graphic and image annotations, watermarks, time
stamps, captioning and audible mouse clicks.
• Move in for a closer look with Zoom. Pan the capture frame across the screen to show more detail.
• Narrate your video while you record.
• Produce Flash and industry-standard AVI video files, as well as Microsoft Windows Media, RealNetworks
RealMedia, Apple QuickTime streaming formats, Real Player Plug-In videos, or Animated GIFs with Producer.
• Compress your videos into an e-mail friendly executable using Pack and Show.
For more information on what is new in Camtasia Studio, see "New Features" on page 3.
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New Features
The following is a list of exciting new features that you will find in Camtasia Studio.
Camtasia Studio LaunchPad

• Added Camtasia Studio LaunchPad for easy navigation of all Camtasia tools.
Camtasia Recorder
• Text Notes & ScreenPad Enhancements. Support for new type of text object that is easily edited and resized.
• ScreenPad has many improvements including opacity.
• Mute Audio hotkey.
• System stamp, elapsed time stamps now available.
Camtasia Producer
• Expanded Camtasia's output options to include Flash output (*.SWF).
• Added ability to add a second audio track.
• UI Improvements for Camtasia Producer - zoom in/out on the timeline, keyboard access.
• Integrated and Enhanced Audio Editing.
Camtasia Audio Editor

• Create and use audio annotations in your video production using the Audio editor. Camtasia Audio Editor is the
perfect tool to quickly add voice annotation and sound effects to a video since Audio Editor uses the familiar
Camtasia Player interface and is found in Camtasia Producer.
Camtasia Effects
• A new postproduction and video effects tool. Easy to add text, callouts, and effects after record time.
Camtasia MenuMaker
• A new custom menu creation tool that allows users to quickly create menus to organize and share Camtasia
videos and other media.
Camtasia Player
• TSCC codec is now built in to Camtasia Player so that you can distribute Camtasia Player without the need to
install the TSCC codec.
• Improved seek functionality.
• Added volume controls.
For more information on what you can do with Camtasia Studio, see "What would you like to do with Camtasia
Studio?" on page 7.

Installing Camtasia Studio

System Requirements
To run Camtasia Studio, your system must meet these specifications:
• Microsoft Windows 98, Me, NT 4.0, 2000, XP or later version Windows.
• Windows NT 4.0 requires Internet Explorer 4.01 or later.
• 200 MHz processor (500 MHz recommended).
• 32 MB RAM (64 MB recommended).
• 30 MB of hard-disk space for program installation.
• For audio recording and playback, a Windows-supported sound card and microphone.
Installing Camtasia Studio from CD-ROM

Start Windows.
1. Insert the Camtasia Studio CD-ROM into the CD-ROM drive. Camtasia Studio setup will automatically
start when you close the drive.
2. Simply follow the install prompts using the default options if desired.
3. Once the install program has run, restart Windows before using the Camtasia Studio application.
Note: If the setup program does not automatically start, perform the following steps:
1. Find the program names Setup.exe on the CD. Double-click it. Camtasia Studio setup starts.
2. Follow the setup wizard’s instructions for installing the program.
3. Once the install program has run, restart Windows before using the Camtasia Studio application.
Installing an Evaluation Copy of Camtasia Studio from the TechSmith Web Site
You can download an evaluation copy of Camtasia Studio or purchase additional copies of Camtasia Studio from our
web site.
Go to http://www.techsmith.com/ and follow the directions for downloading a copy of the software. It’s quick and easy!

Starting the Camtasia Studio LaunchPad

Overview
Camtasia Studio is comprised of five component applications: Camtasia Recorder, Camtasia Producer, Camtasia Effects,
Camtasia MenuMaker, and Camtasia Player. Each of these applications can be easily opened from the Camtasia Studio
LaunchPad. To start the Camtasia Studio LaunchPad, on the desktop, double-click on the Camtasia Studio icon.
The LaunchPad will open. To open a Camtasia Studio component application, simply click on the desired icon.
Note: Each of the Camtasia Studio component applications can also be opened from the Start menu without using the
LaunchPad. To open a Camtasia Studio component application go to Start > Programs > Camtasia Studio >
Applications. From the menu, click on the desired icon to launch that application.
Getting Familiar with the LaunchPad Screen

The Camtasia Studio LaunchPad screen has a very intuitive, easy to use interface. Below, you will find an overview of
the different components of the Camtasia Studio LaunchPad screen.
Before you begin to use Camtasia Studio, take a few minutes to get familiar with the LaunchPad screen.

Camtasia Studio Support
Contacting TechSmith Technical Support

If at any time you experience problems with Camtasia Studio, we encourage you to contact TechSmith Technical
Support. Technical support is offered free of charge.
Mailing Address
TechSmith Corporation
2405 Woodlake Drive
Okemos, MI 48864 USA
Telephone
Toll free: 800.517.3001 (USA Only)
Voice: 517.381.2300
Fax: 517.381.2336
TechSmith Support Links

• For more information on Camtasia Studio, visit our homepage at
http://www.techsmith.com/rdr/sftw/camstudio/home/default.asp.
• For the most up to date FAQs, visit http://www.techsmith.com/rdr/sftw/camstudio/faq/default.asp.
• For information on TechSmith's upgrade policy, visit

http://www.techsmith.com/rdr/sftw/camstudio/multiupgrade/default.asp.
• To find out about TechSmith's products, visit

http://www.techsmith.com/rdr/sftw/camstudio/tsproducts/default.asp.
• For Frequently Asked Questions, visit http://www.techsmith.com/rdr/sftw/camstudio/faq/default.asp.
• Download a free evaluation copy of Camtasia Studio at

http://www.techsmith.com/rdr/sftw/camstudio/order/default.asp.

What would you like to do with Camtasia Studio?

Overview
There are so many unique, creative, and interesting things that you can do with Camtasia Studio. But where do you
begin? Use the following section in much the same way that you would a road map to help you get around Camtasia
Studio.
Camtasia Recorder
Camtasia Recorder allows you to capture cursor movements, menu selections, pop-up windows, layered windows,
typing, and everything else you see on your screen. Start with Camtasia Recorder to:
• Record on-screen activity.
• Capture cursor movements, menu selections, pop-up windows, layered windows, typing and everything else
you see on your screen.
• Apply real-time effects like object highlighting, text, graphic and image annotations, or add these effects after
recording your video with Camtasia Effects.
• Add watermarks, time stamps, captioning and cursor highlighting and audible mouse clicks.
• Use ScreenDraw to draw on your desktop while you record a video. (You can also use Camtasia Effects to add
annotations after record time.)
• Use Recorder's powerful ScreenPad annotation feature to add callouts, logos and graphics as you record your
video or use. (You can also use Camtasia Effects to add annotations after record time.)
• Move in for a closer look with Zoom.
• Pan the capture frame across the screen to show more detail.
• Narrate your video while you record or narrate your video after recording with Camtasia Producer.
• Act as a software camera feed to live productions (for example, broadcasting the computer desktop in a live
"webcast" using a streaming media encoder).
To learn how to perform each of these tasks, see these related topics:
• "The Making of a Great Video" on page 10.
• "Camtasia Recorder" on page 31.
• "5 Quick & Easy Steps to your First Video" on page 33.
• "Getting Familiar with the Recorder Screen" on page 35.
• "Recorder Toolbar Options" on page 36.
• "Recorder ScreenDraw Tab" on page 56.
• "ScreenPad" on page 95.
• "Camtasia Recorder and PowerPoint" on page 309.
• "Making Drag-and-Drop and Microsoft Agent Videos" on page 311.
• "Recover an Interrupted Recorder Session" on page 312.
Camtasia Producer
Camtasia Producer is used to assemble, edit, and create professional-quality video productions. Camtasia Producer is
especially helpful when creating longer productions consisting of many video clips captured by the Recorder.
After editing, the Production Wizard walks you through the basic steps involved in creating a video from the items
sitting in your storyboard. Producer even shows you how to customize your movie using various options such as color
depth, watermarking, frame size, compression and copyright information.
Producer features the TechSmith codec, ensuring crisp, clear imagery and was specially designed for files created with
Camtasia Recorder.

Developers of documentation and desktop based presentations can use Producer to:
• Quickly create AVI or streaming formats from a collection of video clips, narration and audio clips.
• Edit and enhance your AVI videos.
• Control the length of the video, modify the size and the content.
• Correct a minor mistake without having to redo the whole video. Instead, you can easily cut out the faulty
frames or splice in new frames.
• Add transitions in-between clips.
• Narrate your video, edit the audio or add a second audio track with background music or narration.
• Produce industry-standard video files such as Flash (*.SWF), Microsoft Windows Media (*.WMV),
RealNetworks RealMedia (*.RM), Apple QuickTime streaming formats (*.MOV) or Animated GIFs.
• Compress your videos into an e-mail friendly executable using Pack and Show so you can easily share your
Camtasia videos with anyone. (Or, share you videos with custom menu with Camtasia MenuMaker.)
• "Camtasia Producer" on page 141.
• "Producer Toolbar Options" on page 144.
• "Producer Timeline" on page 148.
• "Pack and Show" on page 173.
• "Producing a Video" on page 175.
• "Movie File Format Options" on page 178.
• "Converting AVIs to Macromedia Flash (SWF) Videos" on page 306.
• "Chain Your Macromedia Flash (SWF) Files Together Using Producer" on page 307.
• "Adding Titles and Credits to your Video" on page 308.
• "Audio Editor" on page 212.
Camtasia Effects
Camtasia Effects allows you to add objects, such as callouts, arrows, text, and WMF images to an AVI video. When
adding objects, each object is given a time duration for viewing which can be viewed on the timeline. Additionally, the
objects drawn with the Effects drawing tools can be edited in numerous ways such as line width and color, fill style and
color, ordered with other objects, grouped, etc.
When the objects are all placed correctly, the video is produced. During the production process, the objects are
permanently rendered and saved with the video. Once an Effects video is produced, the video can be viewed with most
players that support AVI format. Use Camtasia Effects to:
• Easily add special effects such as editable callouts, text and images to your AVI videos after recording.
• Draw annotations and highlights on your videos.
• "Camtasia Effects" on page 234.
• "7 Quick and Easy Steps to Creating a New Effects Project" on page 237.
• "Getting Familiar with the Effects Screen" on page 241.
• "Effects Toolbar Options" on page 242.
• "The Effects Timeline" on page 250.

Camtasia MenuMaker
Camtasia MenuMaker allows you to create an attractive menu from which to launch your files. With MenuMaker, copies
of all of your files are located in one central location making it easy to open and close files or applications. This means
no more searching through drives, directories, and folders when giving a presentation or teaching a class. This also
allows you to easily create a CD-ROM that will launch with the menu displayed, a perfect way to distribute information
to customers, students, workgroups, and more.
You can make your menu from a number of different templates that are included with MenuMaker or you can make your
own customized template. Additionally, you can include all types of files in your menu such as document files, graphic
files, multimedia files, etc. The only stipulation for the inclusion of files is that the host application necessary to run the
files resides on the PC that used to launch the files.
• When you're ready to share your video and other content with others, quickly create great looking custom
menus to organize, share and deliver your videos and other media with Camtasia MenuMaker. You can even
create your own templates!
• "Camtasia MenuMaker" on page 272.
• "6 Quick and Easy Steps to Creating a Menu" on page 275.
• "About the Menu Creation Process" on page 276.
• "Getting Familiar with the MenuMaker Screen" on page 277.
• "Create a New Menu Project Using the MenuMaker Wizard" on page 278.
• "Distributing your Video" on page 24.
Camtasia Player
Camtasia Player is a simple, standalone video player, optimized for playing screen recordings.
• The TSCC is now built into the Camtasia Player.
• Player always plays back videos at 100% of their original size so that they remain readable.
• It runs on any 32-bit Windows platform, with no dependencies on runtime libraries, OS version, or DirectX.
• The Player is a single .EXE file that does not need any setup, nor does it use the registry or any configuration
files.
• Player is designed to be as easy to use as possible. Command line options are provided which allow Player to be
invoked in various ways from CD-ROMs, multimedia authoring tools, and scripting languages or batch files.
• Player only plays AVI video files. Any audio or video codecs required by the AVI file must be installed before
Player can play the video.
• The basic Windows multimedia support for playing AVI files must be installed.
• "Camtasia Player" on page 133.
• "Making Camtasia Player your Default Player" on page 134.
• "Getting Familiar with the Player Screen" on page 135.

The Making of a Great Video

Overview
The following chapter gives you some very important information regarding the information that you will need and the
processes that should take place before you begin to make a video.
These topics include information on screen resolution, codecs, media players, frame rates, and much more. There is even
a worksheet at the end of the chapter that will help you organize your ideas, requirements, and technical information
before you being to make your video.
Concern for Screen Resolution & Screen Size

The first question to consider before recording a video of your computer screen is, will the dimensions of the video
easily fit on the screen for my entire viewing audience? If, for example, you create a video that is 1024x768, people who
have a lower screen resolution such as 640x480 will not be able to view your videos very well.
They could scale the video down in Windows Media Player, but scaling videos results in image quality degradation that
makes characters unreadable and your video may look like a blurry mess.
To ensure the best playback screen resolution, follow these tips:
• Determine the lowest screen resolution that your video will be played back on, and then, to save room for the
player window frame and controls, record your video at slightly less than that lowest screen resolution.
• When recording your video, you will need to consider the player window, the area of the screen used to display
controls, and the actual window frame into consideration when determining the final size.
• If the video dimensions equal the resolution of the monitor, then the player will have to be configured to play in
full screen mode in order to play the video without scaling. In full screen mode the player will have no visible
controls to start, stop, pause the video or exit the player.
• It's a fairly safe assumption that most people are now running at 800x600 or better. The video should be small
enough to be completely displayed on the screen without scaling, and still have room for the player window
frame and controls.
• As a general rule, never record a larger area of the screen than necessary. If you are recording an application,
record just the application window and not the entire desktop. Recording unnecessary screen area, aside from
the aforementioned considerations, also results in larger file sizes, reduced capture frame rates, and in some
cases can cause playback problems on slower systems.
• If you need to record the entire screen, try setting your monitor resolution to a lower resolution than the target
audience screen. If your audience is using 800x600, set your screen to 640x480 for the recording.
• For example, if you are recording a fixed region of 640x480, it does not make any difference what the overall
screen resolution is set to. Recording a fixed region of 640x480 will create a video that is 640x480, whether the
screen resolution is set to 640x480 or set to 1280x1024. If a 640x480 video is played back on a monitor set to
640x480, it would have to be played in full screen mode. If it is played back on a 1024x768 or higher monitor
resolution, the video could be played in a player window without scaling.
10 • The Making of a Great Video www.techsmith.com

Recording Options
Camtasia Recorder only records and outputs AVI files. Conversion to other video file formats, as well as other video and
audio codecs, is performed in Camtasia Producer.
When recording, keep these tips in mind:
• By default, Recorder is configured to use the TechSmith Screen Capture Codec (TSCC) for lossless video
compression, and PCM uncompressed mono audio. The default audio setting is PCM, 22.050 kHz, 16 bit mono.
For general voice recording this is a good setting. PCM uncompressed audio creates large file sizes. However it
is the best quality and should be used for making the master video. For the final distribution video, a copy of the
master video can be created in the Producer with compressed audio.
• For voice, stereo is generally not necessary and will double the size of the file. If you need higher quality audio
you can increase the sample rate, but keep in mind that it will dramatically increase the file size.
• Unless you have a compelling reason not to, always record using the TSCC codec and uncompressed (PCM)
audio. Because TSCC is lossless and PCM is uncompressed you can edit the video and create reproductions
indefinitely and not lose quality.
• If you start out with a video made using either a lossy audio or video codec, each time you reproduce the video
the quality will degrade. It's exactly like making a copy of videotape and then making a copy from that copy.
The video quality of the second copy is severely degraded, and the third becomes almost too difficult to view.
• Use TSCC and PCM audio for original recording, and continue using these through the entire production and
editing process. Then, when the video is finished, make copies of your perfect original master video into other
file formats, or audio or video compression types, if you so desire.
Important Note: The TSCC is now built into the Camtasia Player. The benefits of having a built-in TSCC include:
• The ability to playback videos on the host PC without having to install the TSCC.
• Lossless preservation of 100% of the image quality, even through multiple decompression/recompression cycles
that are typical during the production process.
• Optimization for screen capture so that the resulting files are small and highly compressed.
• Exceptional compression speed at all color depths.
Video Codecs
Overview
AVI files are compressed using video codecs to reduce file size. When an AVI file is compressed with any particular
codec, that codec must be installed on any machine that is going to view the video. Much the same way that if a file is
Zipped, you must have some ZIP program to unzip the file before you can use it.
Basically a video codec is an algorithm used to compress the video data to reduce file size, and also to decompresses it
for viewing. Just like a Zip file must be unzipped before you can use it, a video must be decompressed before it can be
viewed. Over the years many different compression algorithms have been invented and implemented as codecs. Some
compress more than others, some have better image quality but compress less etc. The various codecs each have
strengths and weaknesses. When a video is compressed with any particular codec, that same codec must on installed on
the machine that is going to view the video, because the video must be decompressed with the same codec that it was
compressed with.
• By default, Recorder uses the TechSmith Screen Capture Codec (TSCC). Therefore, unless you select a
different codec your videos will be compressed using TSCC. For more information on the different codecs that
are available for use within Recorder, see "Video Codecs" on page 11.
• Unlike most other Windows codecs, TSCC is lossless, meaning that its compression technology does not lose
any quality whatsoever when the video is compressed. When played, videos compressed with TSCC will look
exactly like the screen that was recorded.
www.techsmith.com The Making of a Great Video • 11

• TSCC produces very small file sizes compared to other Windows codecs. TSCC is optimized for recording
application screens such as Microsoft's Word. It does not, however, produce small file sizes on videos
containing real world photography and gradient fills. But for videos where you are recording your desktop, such
as training or product demonstration videos, TSCC is the best choice.
• All of the other file formats other than AVI require a specific player. Real (.RM) and CAMV files require
RealNetworks Real Player. WMV requires Microsoft Windows Media Player, MOV requires Apple
QuickTime. AVI files can be played in the Windows Media Player, Real Player, the Camtasia Player and most
of the time in Apple QuickTime.
• QuickTime does not use standard installed Windows codecs and has instead hard coded codec support in the
QuickTime application. Because Apple has not hard coded TSCC into their player, QuickTime cannot view
videos compressed with TSCC. It can, however, view AVI files compress with Microsoft Video 1 or RLE.
• For videos containing real world photography, the Microsoft Video 1 codec may be a good choice. For screen
recordings of applications, TSCC is a better choice. Video 1 does pretty well for text, but on colored surfaces
color banding can occur. For videos of applications, Video 1 will produce videos of greater file size than TSCC.
• The RLE codec is, like TSCC, lossless. Its drawback is that it is limited to 256 colors and does not compress all
that well. RLE in most cases produces larger file sizes than does TSCC.
TechSmith Screen Capture Codec

TSCC stands for TechSmith Screen Capture Codec. It is a video encoder-decoder that takes advantage of the unique
characteristics of desktop video and produces a superior quality video at reasonable compression rates. It is the default
method of encoding in Camtasia Recorder, which can easily be changed to any of the standard Windows codecs when
recording. But we recommend TSCC as a high quality, lossless video codec that is especially well suited for desktop
videos.
When using TSCC to encode a final production for distribution, you must also distribute the free codec to any users who
will view the video. There are no charges, royalties, or licensing requirements involved in distributing videos encoded
with TSCC or with distributing the codec to others for viewing.
If you do not want to distribute your video encoded with TSCC, we recommend you still use TSCC during capture with
Camtasia Recorder. Also, select the uncompressed PCM audio format. Then, when the video is produced in Camtasia
Producer, select another codec and audio format for distribution (such as a standard Windows video codec, compressed
audio, or a streaming file format). This approach trims the final file size while maintaining some of the quality of the
original.
To make distribution of TSCC-encoded videos easier, we have created a codec installer and have included it on the
Camtasia CD-ROM. It is also always available at our web site, www.techsmith.com. Look for the file named
TSCC.EXE. Copy TSCC.EXE onto the same media where your video distribution resides and either have your installer
run it at installation time or instruct the user to do so.
Note: You can also ship the TSCC as part of a Pack and Show EXE file that can be created in the Producer using File
> Pack and Show. See also "Use Pack and Show?" on page 25 and "Pack and Show" on page 173.

Audio Codecs
Overview
Depending on the audio configuration, the audio portion of the AVI may be 150 times or more times larger than the
video portion. For instance, a 464x412, 62 second video compressed with TSCC and containing no audio was 64K. The
same video with PCM uncompressed audio, 48 kHz 16bit stereo was 11.6MB!
In the same way that video files are compressed with video codecs, audio is compressed using audio codecs. The choice
of audio codec will not only be a major determining factor in the size of the video, but also affect the audio quality.
Remember that for voice recording, stereo is generally not needed, and will double the size of the audio portion of the
file.
Consider the following AVI. The only difference is the audio compression used. Note how the file size varies when the
file is compressed with various audio codecs.
Audio Setting File Size
No Audio 300 KBytes
PCM 22.050kHz, 16 bit, Mono Uncompressed Audio (Camtasia 2.7 MBytes
Recorder's default settings)
CCITT u-Law 11.25kHz, 8 bit, Mono Compressed Audio 911 KBytes
Mpeg Layer-3 24.00 kHz, Mono Compressed Audio 471 KBytes
When using audio, keep these tips in mind:

• MPEG Layer 3 is an excellent audio codec. It produces small files sizes and maintains good audio quality.
MPEG Layer 3 does have some drawbacks. It may not be installed on all computers. The only way that we
know of making sure it is installed is to install Media Encoder from Microsoft. This may be a daunting task to
some users.
• Windows Media Player 8 on XP cannot play MPEG Layer 3 encoded AVIs. It thinks that the AVI is a MP3 file
and only plays the audio. One workaround for this problem is to distribute the Camtasia Player with your
videos.
• CCITT u-Law is another good choice for audio compression. It is distributed with Windows and should be on
most Windows machines. This is the audio codec that we have used for the AVI tutorial videos on our web site.
It maintains good audio quality but does not compress quite as well as MPEG Layer 3, so the file sizes are
larger.
• Some audio codecs produce horrible sounding audio -- from scratchy static noise to sounding like you are the
Tin Man talking into a drain pipe.
• Camtasia Studio supports all audio codecs installed on your computer. Be aware that some of the audio codecs
Camtasia finds and displays cannot be used when producing new videos due to licensing restrictions by the
owners/authors of the codec. If you try to use one of these restricted audio codecs, Camtasia will display a
dialog saying that you must choose a different codec.
• To find the best audio codec for your video, experiment by making a short video using PCM at the Camtasia
Recorder's default configuration. Then in Camtasia Producer, try saving your video using various audio codecs
at different sample rates.

The Different Media Players

When sharing videos, you must consider the number of video players that are available for use and which of these
players your audience is likely to have installed on their desktop. Unless you distribute Camtasia Player with your
videos, you have no control over what application your viewers will use to watch your video. Instead, playback is
entirely dependent on what video player is currently configured to open AVI files on each viewer's computer.
In general, all the different companies that produce players want you to use their player as the default player. This means
that their player will be the one that opens up automatically when you open any multimedia file. Typically each video
player, when installed, will automatically set itself as the default application for AVI playback.
So, when Microsoft Windows is first installed, Windows Media Player is configured to be the default AVI player. If
another player is installed, chances are good that during the installation the new player will reconfigure Windows so that
it is now the default AVI player. The net effect is that you have no control over what application is configured to be the
default player on a user's machine, and it might even change over time.
For more information on this topic, see "Video File Type Fundamentals" on page 15 and "Movie File Format
Options" on page 178.
Windows Media Player and Camtasia Studio AVI Files
• Microsoft Windows Media Player should be installed on most machines because it is included with Windows.
Windows Media Player can play AVI, WMV, and GIF animation files.
• Windows Media Player v7 and v8 may scale videos when they are played. This scaling results in severe image
quality degradation. Configuring Windows Media Player to use the "Classic" skin solves the problem in most
cases.
AVI Files and Camtasia Player
• TechSmith's Camtasia Player (CAMPLAY.EXE) is a simple, reliable AVI only player that is included with the
Camtasia download and available for download from the TechSmith web site. You may freely distribute it with
your videos.
• By distributing the Camtasia Player with your AVI files, you can be sure that your users will have a lightweight
player that displays AVI files properly with no scaling. Additionally, the Camtasia Player user interface (UI) is
configurable. Using command line arguments, Camtasia Player can be set up to display controls or not, title bar
or not, etc. The command line syntax for the Player is detailed in the file CAMPLAY.TXT that is included with
Camtasia Player.
• Camtasia Player has internal support for TSCC decoding. Users can play TSCC encoded videos using the
Camtasia Player without having to install the TSCC video codec on their systems.
Pack and Show Exe Creation In Camtasia Producer
Another option to consider when sharing your videos is to use Camtasia Producer's Pack and Show feature.
• Pack and Show allows you to wrap your videos with the TSCC codec and/or Camtasia Player into a ZIP-like
EXE file. By sharing this Pack and Show .EXE, it will automatically install the TSCC codec and/or
automatically playback your production with Camtasia Player.
• How does Pack and Show work on the viewer's computer? When the user runs the Pack and Show EXE, the
EXE is unpacked to a temporary folder on the computer. If TSCC has been included, it will be automatically
and silently installed. If the Camtasia Player has also been included, the video will start playing automatically in
Camtasia Player.
See also "Use Pack and Show?" on page 25 and "Pack and Show" on page 173.

Video File Type Fundamentals

Camtasia Producer is capable of converting your AVI into several video file formats. Before you choose which video
type to share, here are some fundamentals of each Producer-supported file type.
For more information on this topic, see "Video Type & Playback Checklist" on page 28 and Movie File Format
Video File Type Table

The following table gives you a comparison of the different file formats available to you in Camtasia Producer.
File Type Description
AVI Editable and easily converted into other movie formats.
Macromedia Embed in web page. Plays in most browsers with no additional software required.
Flash Cross platform. Requires Macromedia Flash PlugIn which is normally installed by default. Not
SWF editable.
WMV Windows Media Video is the current Microsoft streaming file format that replaces the legacy
ASF files. WMV files can be streamed or played locally from the hard disk.
WMV can produce very small file sizes and if the videos contain real world photography,
dithering or gradient fills, the file size may be significantly smaller than TSCC-encoded AVI
files.
Playing WMV files requires Windows Media Player. Unless the Windows Media Player is a
very current version, Windows Media Player will have to (automatically) contact Microsoft
and download new codecs. As a result, the computer playing the video will, in most cases,
have to have Internet connectivity. While not as perfect quality as lossless TSCC videos,
WMV produces very good image quality.
Creating WMV files has a steeper learning curve than understanding how to create AVI files.
Producing WMV files requires understanding bandwidth. If you don't set the production
bandwidth high enough, during playback the video may turn out black, or blocky or the image
may freeze during playback. It is more difficult to produce WMV files than it is to make AVIs.
RM Small file size media. It is not downloadable to the computer. Plays in RealPlayer and browser
with PlugIn. Great audio compression.
CAMV Camtasia Studio for Real Media files require Real Player, and can be streamed or played back
locally from a hard disk. The first time a CAMV file is played, the Real Player will contact
Real Networks and automatically download a CAMV PlugIn for the player. This means that
the user must have Real Player installed and have a connection to the Internet.
The CAMV PlugIn may be manually installed, but may turn off many members of your
audience from watching your video.
CAMV, like TSCC is lossless and will produce perfect quality, highly compressed videos with
small file sizes. However, if file size is a primary consideration, and your video contains real
world photography, dithered surfaces or gradient fills then CAMV may not be the best choice.
MOV Requires Apple QuickTime. This is one possible choice if you must produce videos that will be
played on both Windows and Apple operating systems. QuickTime can also play AVI files, but
cannot play AVI files that are TSCC-encoded.
ANIMATED Can be played in image viewing programs, web browsers, Windows Media Player, Real Player
GIF and other applications. It is not a streaming format.
Animated GIF is highly compressed and lossless. It cannot contain audio and is 8 bit, 256
colors. It is generally not used for long videos, but rather for short clips.

Thinking About the Frame Rate

Overview
With video production use the most powerful hardware that you have available. Basically, the faster the better. Because
of slower video and hard disk subsystems as well as on-board audio, laptops are not the best platform for multimedia
production.
Overall, the most important hardware consideration is the operating system. TechSmith recommends that you use
Microsoft Windows 2000 or XP.
How Auto Configure works
Auto Configure (Tools > Options > AVI tab) attempts to automatically configure Recorder to record at the optimal frame
rate.
If the Recorder has Auto Configure enabled, when you start recording, Recorder will attempt to record with the highest
frame rate possible, but limit the frame rate to 15 fps or 90% CPU utilization. If background applications are running too
slowly, or mouse movement is jerky, disable Auto Configure and lower the frame rate.
Because every time you start recording Auto Configure will attempt to resolve the best recording frame rate, if you are
having performance problems, it's a good idea to do a test under that same conditions that will be occurring when you are
doing the actual recording. This is especially true if the application that you are going to record is very demanding on
your system.
If you start recording and then start the other application that you are going to record, Auto Configure will have already
resolved the best frame rate before the other application that is very demanding on the system has started. This could
mean that Auto Configure has set a frame rate that is too high. In this case when the actual recording begins the Recorder
will drop frames because it can't keep up at the configured frame rate.
So, if you believe that you are having performance issues, start the application that you are going to record, then start the
Recorder recording and leave the Recorder maximized on the screen. Observe the actual frame reported in the Recorder
Statistics view. Then stop recording, disable Auto Configure and manually set the frame rate.
Screen Color Depth and Frame Rates

Screen recording works by reading bytes of data from screen memory. The higher the color depth, the more data must be
read for each pixel on the screen. With screen color depth set to 256 colors, one byte of data represents one pixel. With
16 bit color, 2 bytes, 24 bit color requires the 3 bytes of data are read for each pixel. So, recording a screen with 24 bit
color requires the computer to do 3 times as much work as 8 bit color.
If possible, never record at 32 bit color depth. Always use a lower color depth. Only use 256 colors if performance is
really a problem. 256 color AVIs can be problematic in playback. If you must record at 256 color depth due to
performance issues, you can convert the video to 16 or 24 bit color depth for the final production using the Camtasia
Producer. 16 or 24 bit color is recommended for your AVI files.

Capture Frame Rates and Hardware Acceleration

By turning off hardware acceleration, you can dramatically increase frame capture rates on Windows 2000 and Windows
XP and/or seriously reduce CPU utilization.
The following table gives you a side-by-side comparison of the fps achieved with and without the use of hardware
acceleration.
Video Capture Frame rate per second (fps), with Frame rate per second (fps), without
Settings hardware acceleration hardware acceleration
32-bit color, 1280x1024 9 fps 12 fps
When thinking about the video frame rate, keep these tips in mind:
• There are two places where you can turn off the hardware acceleration. The first is in Camtasia Recorder
(version 2.2. and up) under Tools > Options > Program:
The hardware acceleration will be disabled only during recording. As soon as you stop Camtasia Recorder, the
acceleration will be turned on again. Disabling the acceleration shortly causes a black screen, which can be
annoying during a multi-take recording.
• The second way to turn off hardware acceleration is to turn it off system-wide in the Control Panel Display
applet. Control Panel>Display>Settings>Advanced>Troubleshooting and slide the hardware acceleration slider
to None. You can repeatedly record the screen without being interrupted by black screens. However, there are
applications which need hardware acceleration to run properly. For example, many DVD players, 3-dimensional
CAD displays, and video games. In these recording scenarios, you would want to try other methods to improve
the video quality like: reducing the capture area, limiting zoom and pan, or using a decreased color resolution.
Note: Disabling the hardware acceleration is crucial if you want to record videos from a media player such as
Windows Media Player, RealPlayer or QuickTime. Otherwise you'll get nothing but a blank screen.
• Frame Rates for most software demos and/or training videos, 5-10 frames per second (fps) is perfectly adequate.
Faster frame rates will only result in larger video file size, increased bandwidth requirements and can cause
slower computers to have playback problems.
• If Camtasia Recorder has Auto Configure enabled, it will attempt to record at the fastest frame rate possible.
Many times this results in ridiculously high frame rates. This will cause CPU utilization to reach 100%, which
can cause both background applications to run very slowly and/or jerky mouse movement.
• If background application performance is too slow or mouse movement is jerky, try lowering the screen color
depth.
• By manually configuring the Recorder for a lower frame rate, CPU utilization is reduced and your application
will run smoothly. Be careful that when you produce the final video in Camtasia Producer, your frame rate
settings match. Go to "Produce Video > Production Options > AVI tab" and choose "Automatic" as frame rate
setting.

Understanding Bandwidth and Streaming Media Production

Overview
Understanding bandwidth is really quite simple, and it is necessary to have a fundamental grasp of what bandwidth is if
you are creating streaming media files such as WMV, RM, or CAMV etc.
Basically, bandwidth is simply a measure of how much data can be transmitted through a connection over a given period
of time.
For example, a 28.8 kbps dialup modem connection is much slower than a cable modem connection. The cable modem
connection can download more data than the 28.8 kbps dialup modem connection can over the same period of time. The
cable modem has a higher bandwidth connection than the 28.8 kbps dialup connection does.
It’s like comparing a garden hose to a fire hose. More water can pass through the fire hose in a minute than a garden
hose. So, in an odd sort of way, you could say that the fire hose is a higher bandwidth hose than the garden hose
File Size, Bit Rate, Bandwidth and Data Transmission

File size is measured in bytes. For example, a small image file might be 20K (K or KB is the abbreviation for kilobyte),
or about 20,000 bytes in size. One kilobyte = about 1,000 bytes. If a computer could receive 5,000 bytes per second or
5K bytes per second, it would take 4 seconds for it to receive a file 20K in length.
But bandwidth is not measured in bytes it is measured in bits. One byte contains eight bits. So, if a computer can receive
5K (5,000) bytes in one second, another way to put it is to say that it can receive 40,000 (5,000 x 8) bits per second, or
40 kbps.
Data transmission measured in bits per second is called the baud rate or bit rate and is the measure of bandwidth. It is
commonly measured in thousands of bits per second or kilobits per second. The abbreviation for kilobits per second is
kbps or Kbps or simply k. One kilobit = about 1,000 bits.
If a computer connects to the Internet using a 56 kbps dialup modem, in theory, it means that the computer could receive
56,000 bits (56kbps) per second. That would mean that the computer could receive about 7,000 bytes per second.
Remember that a byte is 8 bits, so 56,000bps / 8 = 7,000 bytes. So, to receive the 20K image file, the 56 kbps dialup
connection would require slightly less than 3 seconds to receive the file.
Data transmission measured in bits per second is the bandwidth of the connection. In this case the bandwidth is 56 kbps.
Note: A 56 kbps modem cannot actually communicate at 56 kbps. In reality it’s more like 35-45 kbps. A 56 kbps
modem connection generally only provides 35-45 kbps of bandwidth.
Continue this topic with “Bandwidth and Streaming Media File Transmission” on page 19.

Bandwidth and Streaming Media File Transmission

Computer video files are basically a number of still images called frames that are combined sequentially into one file.
When the file is played, the player, Windows Media Player for example, goes through the AVI file and displays each
consecutive image in the same way that video film rolling through a projector displays a video.
When a file is streamed, frames are continuously delivered from the computer that is streaming the video to the computer
that is playing it. Each frame is displayed as it is received.
Consider a computer connected to the Internet using a dialup modem. If the modem connected at 40 kbps, that would
mean that it could receive 5,000 bytes of data per second. If each frame of the video was only 5KB then the modem
could only receive 1 frame per second. Commercial motion pictures are 24 fps (frames per second), television is 30
frames per second. So, a 1 fps video is a very slow and choppy video.
But with a higher bandwidth connection, more frames per second could be received. With a 128 kbps ISDN connection
for example, 32 5K frames could be delivered per second.
But, a 5K image or frame is not very big. A small 320x200, 16 bit JPEG file can easily be 20K in size. So, for the
beleaguered modem connected with only 40 kbps of bandwidth, would take 4 seconds to receive only one frame of the
video! At that rate, the video would degrade into a slide show, and not be a video at all.
This is the reason why many videos that you see on-line or on news sites are very small, and why a dialup Internet
connection just does not have enough bandwidth to enjoy a very rich multimedia experience.
Video Compression and Key Frames

As static image files are compressed using various compression algorithms such as JPEG, the video and audio data in
streaming media files is compressed. This reduces the number of bytes in each frame thus reducing the bandwidth
requirement to deliver the video. While data compression helps a considerably, another step is taken to reduce bandwidth
requirements.
Video files are simply a number of still images called frames that are combined sequentially into one file. Each frame is
displayed at some given number of frames per second to create the illusion of movement. But many times there is no
movement or change in the video between one frame and the next. A video demonstration of an application for example,
may show the opening of a new window in the application, and then not change for several minutes while the audio
narration explains the application.
If nothing changes, there is no reason to send a new frame of video data. The player can just sit there and display the
same frame. This of course hugely reduces bandwidth requirements.
But consider a video that is a demonstration of an application. Perhaps, all that is changing in the video is the mouse
pointer moving around the application as the author of the video points out different areas of the application by using the
mouse pointer as a pointing device. Instead of sending the entire frame, only the changes to the new frame are sent. If the

only change between one frame and the next is that the mouse pointer is in a different position, then the only change to
the image is the area under where the mouse pointer was, and drawing the mouse pointer in it’s new position. The mouse
pointer is very small and the number of bytes of video data that represents it is minimal, so very little video data needs to
be transmitted to reflect the change between frames. Sending only the part of the frame that has changed can also greatly
reduce bandwidth requirements.
It now becomes obvious that movement, because it causes changes from one frame to the next, increases the bandwidth
requirements of the video. The more movement there is, the more area of the screen is changed, resulting in more video
data that must be sent to update to the next frame. If the entire screen changed from one frame to the next, the entire
frame would have to be sent.
Movement Increases Bandwidth Requirements.

There are two types of video frames: key frames and delta frames. Key frames contain all of the pixels that comprise the
complete frame. Delta frames only contain what has changed from the previous frame. Key frames are placed in the
video at regular intervals, either every so many seconds or so many frames. Windows Media Encoder for example
defaults to 1 key frame every 10 frames. It looks something like this:
Key frame | delta frame | delta | delta | delta | key | etc…
If there is no change from one frame to the next, delta frames can contain 0 bytes of data. If the only change from one
frame to the next is the movement of the mouse pointer, the delta frame would contain very little data. If the entire screen
had changed, the delta frame would be as large as a key frame, as it would have to contain bytes of data representing
every pixel in the frame.
Frame Rate and Bandwidth

Frame rate may or may not have much effect on the bandwidth requirements of the video. If there is a lot of change
between frames, then the size of each frame is larger and more data must be transmitted for each frame. In this case,
higher frame rates require increased bandwidth. But, if there is little or no change between frames, then little or no video
data is transmitted for each frame. So, depending on the content of the video, increasing the frame rate may have little or
great effect on how much bandwidth is required.
Network Congestion, Bandwidth Spikes and Buffering

Because streamed video is displayed as it is received, if for some reason the data stream is slowed or interrupted, the
video will stop playing. Network congestion and other problems are fairly common, and to help ameliorate the
interruption of the data stream, buffering is implemented.
Buffering works by storing a portion of the video locally, and then playing the video by retrieving data from the local
buffer. Before the video starts playing, the player downloads some amount of the video and stores it locally. Generally
this is not a large portion of the video, usually 10 seconds or so. It then plays the video from this local buffer while
continually downloading more of the video to keep the buffer full.
If the network becomes congested, or if the stream is interrupted for some reason, the player can continue playing from
the buffer, and hopefully the interruption will be corrected before the buffer is depleted and the video stops playing.
Buffering can also help encoding videos that contain spikes of high bandwidth. This can occur if something in the video
suddenly requires more bandwidth. For example, in a video demonstrating an application, for many frames the only
movement might be the mouse pointer moving about the screen. If the author of the video pushes a button in the
application that causes a new window to open, the entire frame might change, requiring a large block of data needing to
be transmitted to update the next frame. This, of course, causes a spike in the required bandwidth.

Modern media encoders take into account the extra time afforded by the buffer, that while the extra data caused by the
bandwidth spike is being is being delivered, the video can be played from the buffer, thereby not interrupting playback.
Increasing the amount of buffering time can make the difference between a successful or failed encoding process.
Audio and Bandwidth

Audio is a very important consideration when considering streaming content and bandwidth. Audio requires bandwidth
just as video does. The higher the quality of the audio, the more bandwidth it will consume.
That is why streaming media encoders such as Media Encoder always use compressed audio. Uncompressed audio
gobbles up bandwidth. PCM uncompressed audio, 22.050 kHz, 16 bit mono for instance requires 43 kbps of bandwidth.
If you consider a dialup modem connected at 40 kbps, it is evident that any attempt to stream this is doomed to fail.
Highly compressed, lower quality audio such as ACELP.net 8 kHz, mono for example requires only 5 kbps of
bandwidth.
About the File Size

When recording videos with Camtasia Recorder, you will inevitably run into this question: "What size should I make my
videos?" Recorder provides a number of options to control the dimensions of your video, both in Camtasia Recorder and
Camtasia Producer.
AVI file size tends to be quite large for long, detailed videos. AVIs over one megabyte are not uncommon. You can limit
the size by:
• Using Camtasia Producer to select a streaming format for the video. A streaming codec such as Windows Media
Format (WMV) reduces the size of the video file while maintaining most of the quality.
• Limiting the size of the application window being captured. Don’t bother including extraneous information in
your video. HINT: You can use Camtasia Recorder's Region Input selection to select a smaller area to capture
and then “pan” across the screen while capturing, thereby making a much smaller video file. Limiting the speed
at which video frames are captured.
• Limiting the length of the video capture sequence. Camtasia captures video sequences in real-time seconds and
minutes. The shorter your sequence, the smaller the resulting AVI file will be.
• Changing the compression technique. By default, Camtasia chooses the best compression technique to use for
your capture and system, but you may try experimenting with these settings.
Video Size versus File Size

There is a direct relationship between video size and file size - the larger the dimensions of your video, the larger the
video file, and vice versa. Obviously, you don't want to go overboard on file size if you are going to be streaming the
video over the internet. Keeping the dimensions at a minimum will help to reduce the bandwidth requirements of the
final streaming file.
In general, we recommend 800 x 600 as a maximum size for your recording, but this depends on various factors.
Playback Environment
Consider the possible playback environment of your video - it may be an 800 x 600 desktop with a player that needs
room for its controls. A video in the size of 640 x 480, for example, will allow the viewer to watch the video at its full
resolution and leave enough room for the playback controls.
Windows Media Player 7 tends to shrink down videos, sometimes even in full screen mode. This can be confusing, as a
video that you just captured might look distorted when replayed at this smaller scale. There are several solutions to this,
which you can check out on the TechSmith web site.

AVI-Distribution
Of course, if the video is distributed on a CD, file size considerations are different than that for the web. But, it is still
important to play the AVI back at its original size. This is where the Camtasia Player can be a valuable tool. The
Camtasia Player will not shrink your videos to fit inside a tiny playback window, thus ensuring a high quality playback,
independent of the user's screen size.
You are free to distribute the Camtasia Player with your AVI videos on CD-ROM. It can be found in your Camtasia
Studio install directory, or http://www.techsmith.com/download.asp - camtasia from our web site.
Defining Size in Camtasia Recorder

You can easily control the size of the capture region in Camtasia Recorder. In your input options, you can define the
video size automatically (full screen or window) or you can do so explicitly (region or fixed region). Considering the
video size and playback environment before capturing means less scaling afterwards and therefore higher image quality.
Scaling Size in Camtasia Producer
Camtasia Producer allows you to scale your video clips during the production process. However, you will achieve the
best results if you use the same dimensions for all clips on the storyboard.
Note: For more information on the different scaling options, see "Producer Size Tab" on page 202.
The same overall rules that apply to scaling videos in Producer as apply to scaling images in your favorite image editor.
Scaling up to a larger video tends to produce images that are "blocky", while scaling down in size can eliminate some
image information and make text broken and unreadable.
The recommended setting is Largest Video. This means that the finished video will be large enough to accommodate all
clips on the storyboard with no scaling - in this case to 412 x 488 pixel. Smaller clips will retain their original
dimensions, but will appear centered with space around the edges. The color of this blank space can easily be changed by
changing the Background Color in the size Tab of the Produce Options Menu.
The second setting is Standard Video. This allows you to select video dimensions from a bevy of standard resolutions.
Producer will then automatically create a video background in the desired dimensions. Clips that are smaller than the
largest video size are centered in the produced video. Custom Size, the third option, works in exactly the same way,
except that you can manually specify a resolution.
A important option is Stretch to Fit. It allows you to create a final video where all frames have the same size, and no
colored edge will appear. To achieve this result, Camtasia Producer will stretch all clips to the size you have specified
regardless of their individual dimensions. As always, scaling might result in distortions of various kinds. Therefore, you
should use this option only if the size difference between your specified resolution and the actual size of the image is
small and the changes can be neglected.

Getting Great Sound

This topic contains some hints to make better quality audio recordings.
Silent Recordings
First, make sure Camtasia Recorder is ready for audio. Click the microphone button on the Audio toolbar to turn it
on. You can also enable audio recording with Effects > Audio > Record Audio.
If the audio you record from the microphone is silent, check that your microphone is plugged into the sound card in your
computer. Make sure the connection is good. You can check to see if the microphone is working using either the
standard Microsoft Windows Sound Recorder or another audio application.
Set Record Level

If the audio recordings are too low in volume, there may be a number of causes. Some of the most common:
• Recording level is too low. Check your computer and sound card’s recording level using Tools > Options >
AVI. Click the Volume button to view the Recording Control dialog where you can set input volume.
• You are too far from the microphone. Try several recordings from different distances to determine the right
one. You should probably be about six inches from the microphone: close enough to record full tones but not so
close that other noises interfere.
• Speak distinctly. Remember, you are making a recording and need to enunciate sounds so that it sounds clearer
on replay.
Noisy Recordings
Noisy recordings are usually caused by environmental elements. Sounds you may not have noticed in the past suddenly
show up on your recordings. You can eliminate most problems by moving your recording "studio" to a quieter location.
Also, don’t forget that most computers make noise. The disk drives and fan are potential sources for low level hum in
your recordings.
Low Quality, "Tinny" Sounding Recordings

Most consumer-quality recording equipment shipped with computers is fairly low quality (unless you have purchased
higher-quality accessories). Don’t expect to be able to make studio-quality recordings on cheap equipment. To improve
the quality of recordings, you can upgrade the components responsible for audio on your computer: microphone, sound
card, and speakers.
The audio format you specify determines the quality of the video audio track and also affects video file size. Higher
quality audio results in a larger video file size.
Audio Recording Failure and Error Message

If there is an error message relating to audio recording, it might be due to another application using the sound card to
play and/or record audio. Only one application can record audio at a time on your computer. Some computers with "Full
Duplex" sound cards allow one application (for example, Camtasia Recorder) to record from the microphone, while
another application plays sound. In this case, you can even hold the microphone up to your computer speakers and record
what another application is playing. However, many computers do not have this capability and only allow recording
when no other application is playing sound.

Distributing your Video

Overview
At some point during the production of your Recorder videos, you are going to run into this problem: How do I share this
video with someone else?
Camtasia Producer offers several solutions, each of them having both pros and cons:
You can produce the video as a standard AVI, which is downloaded from CD or web onto the viewer's computer. You
can also use QuickTime (.MOV), which is platform compatible and can be viewed on PCs and Macintoshes. Or, you
could stream the video in a streaming media format such as Flash (.SWF), Windows Media Video (.WMV), Real Media
(.RM), or Camtasia Studio for Real Media PlugIn (CAMV), which would allow you to set different bit rates. One of the
most common solutions for Camtasia Studio customers is to burn their AVI video on a CD and share it with anyone they
want to.
The crucial problem with these various processes and formats is how to achieve a decent quality while having low file
sizes or bandwidths. Most of the 3rd party video compression codecs are lossy and sacrifice media quality for space.
These lossy screen capture videos have reduced image quality and a "fuzzy" appearance.
Not so with TechSmith’s Screen Capture Codec (TSCC), which is expressly designed for screen capture videos. Its
compression is lossless and preserves image quality at 100%, even throughout several compression/decompression
cycles. TSCC files are small, highly compressed, and great quality. Videos captured with the TSCC codec are then
distributable as an AVI download file.
Camtasia Recorder provides an easy solution to this problem with its Pack and Show feature.
Continue this topic with these related topics:

• "Movie File Format Options" on page 178.
• "Pack and Show" on page 173.
• "Camtasia MenuMaker" on page 272.

Use Pack and Show?

Pack and Show allows you to package your video and the TSCC codec as a Windows-executable file (.EXE). When
users receive the .EXE file, all they have to do is to run the executable.
They can immediately watch the video at the same high resolution you saw when recording the video. In addition, the
packaging process may reduce the size of files to be distributed without affecting the video quality. Pack and Show
executable files can be distributed on a CD or as an e-mail attachment.
Plus, you can include Camtasia Player, a small, simple, and standalone player, optimized for desktop videos. The video
plays back in the original size and image quality, just as you recorded it.
For complete details and instructions on the Pack and Show feature, see "Pack and Show" on page 173.

Before you Record Worksheets

Overview
The following pages contain worksheets for you to fill out prior to making a video. It is recommended that you make
copies of this worksheet and fill one out each time you want to create a new video.
The purpose of the worksheet is to help you organize your thoughts and to give you a method for gathering the necessary
requirements concerning the screen resolution, hardware, file size, resolution, etc.
Using this worksheet is also a good way for you to keep a technical record of your video projects in case you ever need
to go back and look at the requirements used for a particular video.
Screen Resolution Checklist

The following table will help you gather your screen resolution requirements.
Requirement Decision Decision
Your monitor’s screen resolution. ________ x _______
Are you going to record a fixed region of your screen? Yes No

If recording a fixed region, region dimensions. _______ x ________
Lowest Screen Resolution of target audience. _______ x ________
Will Player display window frame and controls on playback? Yes No

It will play back in full
screen mode.
Is your screen resolution (or if you’re recording a fixed Yes No
region, your fixed region dimensions) greater than lowest If yes, you need to
screen resolution of target audience? decrease your screen
resolution settings (or the
size of your fixed region)
before recording.
If your player is not going to play back in full screen mode, Yes No
will the player plus your video fit on the screen? If not, you need to
decrease your screen
resolution settings
before recording.

AVI Video Checklist

The following checklist will help you gather your recording requirements.
Are you recording videos with the best desktop you have available? Yes No
You should be recording using the best desktop available to you. A laptop is
never recommended.
If running Windows 2000 or XP, is hardware acceleration turned off in Yes No
Camtasia Recorder?
If running Microsoft Windows 2000 or XP, turning off hardware acceleration
can increase frame capture rates and/or decrease CPU utilization. The result
will be better videos.
If running Windows 2000 or XP, is hardware acceleration turned off system Yes No
wide?
Also, if you are planning to record multiple takes, you should turn off
hardware acceleration system-wide rather than in Camtasia Recorder.
Is the TSCC video codec turned on? Yes No
For creating the best possible master AVI screen recording, Camtasia
Recorder should be configured with its default setting, using the TSCC Codec
for lossless video compression, and PCM uncompressed mono audio. When
the default setting is being used, Auto Configure is checked under Recorder’s
AVI Video Options Preferences.
How many frames/sec (fps) is Camtasia Recorder set to record? __________ fps
For most recordings, 5-10 fps is acceptable.
Is PCM uncompressed mono audio turned on? Yes No
Check the Audio Setup under Recorder’s AVI Audio Options.
Video File Type/Compression Checklist

The following checklist will help you gather your file type and compression requirements.
What is the file size of your master video? ___________ bytes

Does this seem like a reasonable size to share with your target audience? Yes No
What frame rate did you record your video at? ____________ fps
What frame rate is Camtasia Producer set to produce at? ____________ fps
Note: Automatic will preserve the frame rate of a single clip on the
storyboard.
Does your video include real world photography and/or gradient fills? Yes No
Is your audience likely to include viewers that use both Microsoft Yes No
Windows and Apple operating systems?
What video player(s) are likely to be installed on your viewers’ 1. ___________ 2. ____________
desktops?

Will your audience members have the rights to install new video codec Yes No
on their desktops, if necessary for proper playback?
Do you need a player you can configure to playback in full screen Yes No
mode?
Are you going to Pack and Show your video? Yes No
Your .EXE will include: TSCC Codec Camtasia Player
Are viewers likely to be connected to the Internet when they playback Yes No
your video?
If viewers are likely to be connected to the internet, are your audience Yes No
members going to have high bandwidth connections to the Internet?
Video Type & Playback Checklist

The following checklist will help you decide which video type and video player for playback is right for your intended
audience.
File Type File Distribution Strengths Weaknesses
Extension
Audio Video AVI CD-ROM, network Common and easy to view. Files can be large. Entire file
Interleave directory or Editable and easily converted must load to a person's
downloaded from a into other movie formats. computer before loading.
web site. Audio compression not as
A great vendor-neutral format
for your stock footage or for good as with streaming
distribution on CD-ROM. formats.
TSCC-encoded AVI requires
TSCC video codec for
playback. The TSCC is now
built into the Camtasia
Player.
Macromedia SWF Embed in web Plays in most browsers with Requires Macromedia Flash
Flash page. no additional software PlugIn which is normally
required. installed by default.
Cross platform. Not editable.
GIF Animation GIF Embed in any web Supported by nearly all web Video only.
File page. Plays in any browsers. Tend to be smaller Limited to 256 colors.
browser. than other animation files.
Less range and flexibility.
Animated GIF files are
commonly used on web pages.
Due to their small size, they
are ideal for web delivery,
where the exacting detail of an

File Type File Distribution Strengths Weaknesses

Extension
AVI file is not necessary.
Animated GIF files are highly
condensed.
This industry-standard file
format allows you to publish
short tutorials and product
demonstrations on the web
that play back in any browser
on any computer platform.
Camtasia for CAMV Streamed from Lossless video compression Difficult to send as an e-mail
RealPlayer web site. and lossless streaming video. attachment, since audio and
(RealPlayer Stream files over low video are joined via a SMIL
PlugIn) bandwidth. file.
Requires a streaming server.
RealMedia RM Streamed from Small file size media. It is not Requires streaming server to
Streaming web site. downloaded to the computer. stream from a web site.
Media Plays in RealPlayer and Lossy video compression.
browser with PlugIn. Limited editing options.
Great audio compression. Cannot be converted to
another format.
QuickTime MOV Streamed from Wide selection of video and Viewing may appear "jerky"
web site or audio compressors. if download is slow.
attached to e-mail. Will play while downloading. Entire file will download to
Multi-platform, industry- the viewer's computer.
standard, multimedia software
architecture.
Windows Streamed from Small file size media. Requires streaming server for
Media (WMV - web site or It is not downloaded to the Internet access to stream from
Streaming attached to e-mail. computer. a web site. Limited editing
Format) options.
Plays in recent Microsoft
Windows Media Player and Cannot be converted to
browser. another format.
Pack and Show EXE E-mail or embed in Makes movies easily Some people may not be able
a web page. accessible to your viewers. to receive e-mail executable
Converts Camtasia video into file attachments.
an executable file (EXE) so
users can install Camtasia
Player to view videos.
Retains high resolution and
quality.
No special software required.

Audio Compression Checklist

Audio data in a video file can contribute more to the total file size of the AVI than the video portion. By compressing
your video’s audio with a standard audio codec, video file size can be reduced. The quality of the audio will be affected
by how much the compression ratio used for the codec selected.
To find the best audio codec, experiment by making a short video using PCM at the Camtasia Recorder's default
configuration. Then in Camtasia Producer, try saving your video using various audio codecs at different sample rates.
The following checklist will help you gather your audio compression requirements.
What is the file size of your master video? ___________ bytes
Does your video include audio? Yes No
Do you want to compress your video’s audio? Yes No
Will your audience have the necessary audio codec already installed for Yes No
proper playback?
Scripting and Audio Tip List

When actually going through the process of making your video, there are several scripting and audio tips that you might
find helpful in making your video appear as professional as possible. These tips are listed in the table below.
Scripting & Audio Tips
Make multiple short clips using Camtasia Recorder. Use Camtasia Producer to join those short clips together into a
longer video production.
Use the same dimensions for each clip is possible.
Rehearse video capture sequences to get the best results.
Perform several "takes," replaying them after production to see ways of improving the video.
For lengthy or involved sequences of action, write a script before recording.
Think through the actions, in detail, that you want to capture, then write them down in sequential steps.
If you are including voice-over audio, write your comments exactly as you want them and print the script in large
type, to make it easy to read while recording. To eliminate the sound of paper shuffling, you can tape script pages
together and hang them near the monitor so they are easy to read.
Normal mouse and cursor movement can be jerky, hesitant, or too fast for the capture to pick up. The cursor appears
to jump and the program reacts before the viewer can see where the mouse is. To eliminate some of these problems,
practice the sequence slowly, then build up speed as you go.
When showing cursor movement, pause a fraction of a second over the element, then click. This will allow cursor
position to be established in the video before the next action takes place.
By viewing glitches and correcting them in succeeding takes, you will eventually come up with a professional-
looking video sequence that you can save.

Camtasia Recorder
Overview
Camtasia Recorder allows you to capture cursor movements, menu selections, pop-up windows, layered windows,
typing, and everything else you see on your screen.
• You can use ScreenDraw, included in Recorder, to draw on your desktop while you record a video -- just like
television sportscasters!
• Use Camtasia Recorder’s powerful ScreenPad annotation feature to add callouts, logos and graphics as you
record your video.
• Apply real-time effects like cursor and object highlighting, graphic and image annotations, watermarks, time
stamps, captioning and audible mouse clicks.
• Move in for a closer look with Zoom.
• Pan the capture frame across the screen to show more detail.
Note: To add annotations after recording, see "Camtasia Effects" on page 234.
General Suggestions for Recording

• Make multiple short recordings instead of one large recording. Use Camtasia Producer to join these video clips
together.
• You may find that you need to rehearse video capture sequences to get the best results. To practice, you can
perform several "takes," replaying them after production to see ways of improving the video.
• For lengthy or involved sequences of action, you may want to write a script before recording. Think through the
actions, in detail, you want to capture, then write them down in sequential steps.
• Record clips using high quality codec settings (for example, use the TechSmith Screen Capture Codec for
lossless video compression, and use uncompressed PCM audio). Then, use Camtasia Producer to produce a
finished video with whatever final compression you need from the high quality lossless source clips recorded
with Recorder.
• If you are including voice-over audio, write your comments exactly as you want them and print the script in
large type, to make it easy to read while recording. To eliminate the sound of paper shuffling, you can tape
script pages together and hang them near the monitor so they are easy to read.
• Normal mouse and cursor movement can be jerky, hesitant, or too fast for the capture to pick up. The cursor
appears to jump and the program reacts before the viewer can see where the mouse is. To eliminate some of
these problems, practice the sequence slowly, then build up speed as you go.
• You can improve cursor behavior using the Quick Capture feature. For more information on this topic, see
"About Recorder's Quick Capture" on page 69.
• When showing cursor movement, pause a fraction of a second over the element, then click. This will allow
cursor position to be established in the video before the next action takes place.
• By viewing glitches and correcting them in succeeding takes, you will eventually come up with a professional-
looking video sequence that you can save.
Opening Camtasia Recorder

You can open Recorder in a number of different ways.
• From the LaunchPad, choose Camtasia Recorder .

• Choose Start > All Programs > Camtasia Studio > Applications > Camtasia Recorder.
• From within another Camtasia Studio component, choose Tools > Camtasia Recorder.
www.techsmith.com Camtasia Recorder • 31

Recorder Screen Tips

When you first start Recorder or choose certain toolbar buttons or menu options, you will see a Recorder Tip of the Day
screen similar to the following:
The tip screens contain information on the purpose and use of the selected option. You will have the option to not
display the tip screens again whenever you choose that same button. There are two types of tips in Effects: Tip of the
Day tips and contextual tips.
• If you no longer wish the tip of the day to display when opening Recorder, click on the Show tips at startup
box to remove the checkmark. The tip will no longer display the next time Recorder is opened. To enable this
option once again, within Recorder, choose Help > Tip of the Day. Enable the tip option.
• To disable any of the contextual toolbar or menu option tips, click on the Show tip again box to remove the
checkmark. The tip will no longer display the next time that option or tool is selected. To enable the contextual
tips once again, within Recorder, choose Tools > Options > Program > Enable Tips.
• If you choose not to disable the contextual tip screens, each time you select that certain tool, or choose the
option from the dropdown menu, a tip screen will display.
After you have read the tip, choose Close to exit the Tip dialog box.
To create your first video, see "5 Quick & Easy Steps to your First Video" on page 33.
32 • Camtasia Recorder www.techsmith.com

5 Quick & Easy Steps to your First Video

Overview
Creating a video with Recorder is quite simple, involving only five basic steps.
Step 1: Open Recorder

Open Recorder.
See also "Camtasia Recorder" on page 31.
Note: During the recording process, you can choose to minimize Recorder to the system tray. This keeps Recorder out
of the way while you record. To minimize Recorder while you record, choose Tools > Options > Program Tab
option. Enable the Minimize before starting capture option:
Step 2: Select Input

Set Capture > Input to the type of recording you want to make.
See also, "Recorder Input Menu Options" on page 47.
Step 3: Record
Click the Record button to start the recording process. If you chose Input > Fixed Region without a starting point, a
rectangle appears for you to place the recording area on screen.
See also "Recorder Toolbar Options" on page 36 and How do I Start, Pause, Stop, and Delete a Recording?" on
page 34.
• Step your way through the screen movements to be captured on video. (It is best to work from a script.)
• Click the Pause button to pause the video capture. If you want to restart, click the Record button
again.
Step 4: End Recording
Click the Stop button to end the video capture session.

See also "How do I Start, Pause, Stop, and Delete a Recording?" on page 34.
Step 5: Save Video

The Save Video File As dialog box displays and prompts you for a file name. Once the video is saved, it will playback
for you to review in Camtasia Player.
See also "Recorder Toolbar Options" on page 36 and "How do I Start, Pause, Stop, and Delete a Recording?" on
page 34.

How do I Start, Pause, Stop, and Delete a Recording?

The following sections give detailed information on starting, pausing, stopping, and deleting a recording.
Start a Recording
There are three ways to start recording:
1. Click the red record button on the toolbar .

2. Select menu options Capture > Record.
3. Press the default Record/Pause hotkey, F9. Or, if you have changed hotkeys use those. You will be in record
mode. You’ll know you are recording because the green brackets in the corners showing the recording area
begin to flash slowly (for all inputs except Screen).
Pause a Recording
There are three ways to pause recording:
1. Click the pause button on the toolbar .

2. Select menu options Capture > Pause.
3. Press the default Record/Pause hotkey, F9. Or, if you have changed hotkeys use those. Recorders status area
shows statistics about the recording you are currently making. Take a second to review them.
Stop a Recording
This finishes and saves the current capture. There are three ways to stop recording:
1. Click the stop button on the toolbar .

2. Press the default Stop hotkey F10.
3. Select menu options Capture > Stop.
The Save Video File As dialog opens for you to specify a filename (unless you specified automatic file naming using
Options > Preferences > File Name).
The Windows Media Player on your computer starts with the video file loaded and may start automatically.
Delete a Recording
This cancels and discards the current capture.
During any recording, you can delete or cancel the process these ways:
1. Click the delete button on the toolbar .

2. Select menu options Capture > Delete.
The capture pauses and you get a message asking if you are sure you want to delete the current video capture. If you
answer Yes, the recording stops and any captured frames are discarded.

Getting Familiar with the Recorder Screen

Overview
The Camtasia Recorder screen has a very intuitive, easy to use interface. Below, you will find an overview of the
components of Camtasia Recorder’s two different views of the recorder screen: the Normal view and the Recording
view. Before you begin your work within Recorder, take a few minutes to get familiar with the two Recorder screens.
Normal View
When you first startup Camtasia Recorder, you will be in the default normal view as seen in the following graphic.
Recording View
Once you begin to record, you will revert to the record view as seen in the following graphic.

Recorder Toolbar Options

Overview
Several of the most-used options have been added to the main toolbar on the Recorder screen.
Placing these much used tools on the toolbar allows you to access them more quickly.
Next to several of the tool buttons you will see a small, black down-arrow. Clicking on the down-arrow will reveal a
dropdown menu of options related to that tool.
To aid in your navigation around the Recorder toolbar, each time your cursor touches a button, a tooltip will appear. The
tooltip gives you the name of the tool.
Choosing a Toolbar
There are several toolbars available within Recorder. By default, only the main toolbar is displayed when Recorder is
first opened. You can display any or all of the other toolbars by enabling them from the View menu.
To enable a toolbar to view, choose the desired toolbar from the View dropdown menu. Once enabled, a small bullet will
be placed next to the toolbar name. The different toolbars are highlighted in the graphic below.
For more information on the view menu options, see "Recorder View Menu Options" on page 50.

Recorder Main Toolbar Description Table

The Main toolbar is used primarily for starting the recording, pausing and stopping the recording, and accessing the
recording options.
The following table describes each of the tools that can be found on the Main toolbar along with its use.
Button Tool Name Description Use
Record Begins the recording Click on the small down arrow to access the dropdown
sequence. list of individual Input options.
Click on the Record button to begin recording.
Screen: Captures the entire screen.

Window: Capture a window.
Region: Captures a user-defined region of the screen.
Fixed Region: Captures a predetermined region of the
screen.
For complete information on the Input options, see
"Recorder Input Menu Options" on page 47.
Pause Pauses the recording. Click on the Pause button to pause recording.
Stop Stops the recording so Click on the Stop button to stop recording. You will be
you can save the file. prompted to save your video.
Delete Deletes the recording Click on the Delete button to delete recording.
you just made. When selected, the capture pauses and a message
displays asking if you are sure you want to delete the
current video capture. If Yes, the recording stops and
any captured frames are discarded.
Toggle View Changes the view of the Click on the Toggle View button to change the view of
Recorder screen. the Recorder screen.
The toggle button cycles through the following views.
Additionally, click on Standard View: This is the default view of the
the small down arrow to Recorder screen which shows the main toolbar and the
access the dropdown list video statistics and properties area.
of View menu options You can also toggle the Standard view by choosing
for the toolbars and View > Standard. A bullet placed adjacent to Standard
ScreenPad. lets you know this option is enabled.
.
Compact View: This view of the Recorder screen only
shows the menu bar, main toolbar, and any other
toolbars that are turned on. You will not see the video
statistics and properties area.


You can also toggle the Compact view by choosing
View > Compact. A bullet placed adjacent to Compact
lets you know this option is enabled.
Minimal View: This view of the Recorder screen only

shows the main toolbar and any other toolbars that are
turned on. You will not see the menu bar or the video
You can also toggle the Minimal view by choosing
View > Minimal. A bullet placed adjacent to Minimal
lets you know this option is enabled.
For more information on Note: During the recording process, you can choose to
the View menu, see minimize Recorder to the system tray. This keeps
"Recorder View Menu Recorder out of the way while you record. To minimize
Options" on page 50. Recorder while you record, choose Tools > Options >
For more information on Program Tab option. Enable the Minimize before
ScreenPad, see starting capture option:
"ScreenPad" on page
95.
Options Will open the Options Click on the Options button to open the Options dialog
dialog box. box. Click on the small down arrow to access the
dropdown list of individual Options tabs.
AVI: Used to set preferences for recording videos such

as codecs, key frame rates, time-lapse capture, etc. See
also "Recorder Avi Tab" on page 62.
File: Used to set the file naming options for your video
recordings. See also "Recorder File Tab" on page 63.
Hotkeys: A hotkey is a key or combination of keys that

you push to run a command or operate a program. Use
this tab to define the hotkey options used in the making
of your recordings. You can change the default hotkeys
to whatever you would like. See also "Recorder
Hotkeys Tab" on page 64.


Live: Used to set the options for the Live Desktop
Video Feed feature. See also "Recorder Live Tab" on
page 66.
Program: Used to set the Program Capture Options. See
also "Recorder Program Tab" on page 67.
Annotation: For adding annotations to the video.

Annotations include a timestamp, watermark, captions,
highlights, etc. See also "Recorder Annotation Tab"
on page 54.
Audio: For adding audio effects to the video as it is

being recorded. Audio effects include real-time audio
inputted from a microphone, mouse click sounds, and
keyboard sounds. See also "Recorder Audio Tab" on
page 55.
Cursor: For adding cursor effects to the video as it is

being recorded. Cursor effects include hiding the cursor,
showing the cursor, highlighting the cursor, and
highlighting the mouse clicks. See also "Recorder
Cursor Tab" on page 56.
ScreenDraw: For adding a drawing effect over the

screen. You can draw various shapes, such as Highlight,
Ellipse, Pen, Line, or Arrow. See also "Recorder
ScreenDraw Tab" on page 56.
Watermark: For adding a watermark graphic to your

video. The watermark is a small image that is placed
into the recording area. See also "Recorder
Watermark Tab" on page 58.
Zoom & Pan: For adding zoom and/or pan effects to

the video as it is being recorded. Zooming magnifies
your actions. Panning focuses your actions. See also
"Recorder Zoom and Pan Toolbar Description
Table" on page 44.
Camtasia Will open the Camtasia Click on the Camtasia Studio button to open the
Studio Studio LaunchPad. LaunchPad.
Click on the small down arrow to reveal a dropdown
menu of individual Camtasia Studio components.
Help Opens the Recorder Click on the Help button to display the help file.
online help.

Recorder Annotation Toolbar Description Table

The Annotation toolbar is used primarily for adding annotations to the video while you record. Annotations include a
timestamp, watermark, captions, highlights, etc.
The Annotation tools are toggle options. This means that you can use the toolbar buttons to turn the desired option on or
off as the video is being recorded. Click on the button once to enable the option. Click on the button once more to disable
the option.
The following table describes each of the tools that can be found on the Annotation toolbar along with its use.
Note: The Annotation toolbar is turned on or off using the Annotation Toolbar option in the View dropdown menu.
For more information on the View Menu, see "Recorder View Menu Options" on page 50.

Add System Add an annotation with the Click on the Add System Stamp button to add stamp
Stamp current time and date, computer to video during recording.
or user name, or elapsed time to The Add System Stamp option can also be activated
your video. from the menu bar in Effects > Annotation > Add
System Stamp.
When this option is enabled for recording, a
checkmark is placed next to the option in the
dropdown menu.
This option is configured in the Effects Options
dialog box under the Annotation tab. Choose Effects
> Options > Annotation.
For more information, see "Recorder Annotation
Tab" on page 54.
Add Caption Add a text annotation to your Click on the Add Caption button to add a caption to
video. the video during recording.
The Add Caption option can also be activated from
the menu bar in Effects > Annotation > Add Caption.
dropdown menu.
For more information, see "System Stamp &
Caption Option Buttons" on page 77.
Add Add a watermark graphic to Click on the Add Watermark button to add a
Watermark your video. watermark to the video during recording.
The watermark is a small image The Add Watermark option can also be activated
that is placed into the recording from the menu bar in Effects > Annotation > Add
area. Watermark.
dropdown menu.


> Options > Watermark.
For more information, see "Recorder Watermark
Tab Settings" on page 84.
AutoHighlight Add a highlight border to areas Click on the AutoHighlight button to add a highlight
of the capture (typically a to the video during recording.
window, dialog, or box) as the The AutoHighlight option can also be activated from
cursor passes over them during the menu bar in Effects > Annotation >
capture. AutoHighlight.
The highlight area changes When this option is enabled for recording, a
dynamically with the cursor checkmark is placed next to the option in the
position. dropdown menu.
Note: You can use Capture > Pause/Resume to
control exactly when and where the AutoHighlight
effect appears.
Tab" on page 54.
Highlight Allows you to select a static Click on the Highlight button to add a highlight to the
area of a window or the whole video during recording.
window to have a highlight The Highlight option can also be activated from the
rectangle around it. menu bar in Effects > Annotation > Highlight.
As you record the movie and When this option is enabled for recording, a
move the cursor on screen, the checkmark is placed next to the option in the
highlight area does not change. dropdown menu.
Tab" on page 54.
ScreenDraw Add a drawing effect over the Click on the ScreenDraw button to add a drawing to
screen. You can draw various the video during recording.
shapes, such as Highlight, The ScreenDraw option can also be activated from the
Ellipse, Pen, Line, or Arrow. menu bar in Effects > Annotation > ScreenDraw.
dropdown menu.
dialog box under the ScreenDraw tab. Choose Effects
> Options > ScreenDraw.
Tab" on page 54 and "Recorder ScreenDraw Tab"
on page 56.

Recorder Audio Toolbar Description Table

The Audio toolbar is used for adding audio effects to the video as it is being recorded. Audio effects include real-time
audio inputted from a microphone, mouse click sounds, and keyboard sounds.
The Audio tools are toggle options. This means that you can use the toolbar buttons to turn the desired option on or off
as the video is being recorded. Click on the button once to enable the option. Click on the button once more to disable
the option.
The following table describes each of the tools that can be found on the Audio toolbar along with its use. For more
information on this topic, see "Recorder Annotation Tab" on page 54.
Note: The Audio toolbar is turned on or off using the Audio Toolbar option in the View dropdown menu. For more
information on the View menu, see "Recorder View Menu Options" on page 50.
Note: For more information on recording audio, see "Getting Great Sound" on page 23 and "Audio Editor" on page
212.

Record Audio Record real-time audio To record audio, click on the Record Audio button.
as you record the video. The Record Audio option can also be activated from the
menu bar in Effects > Audio > Record Audio.
When this option is enabled for recording, a checkmark is
placed next to the option in the dropdown menu.
See also "Getting Great Sound" on page 23.
Cursor Sounds Record sounds for To record cursor sounds, click on the Cursor Sounds button.
cursor clicks as you The Cursor Sounds option can also be activated from the
record the video menu bar in Effects > Audio > Cursor Sounds.
This option is configured in the Effects Options dialog box
under the Audio tab. Choose Effects > Options > Audio.
For more information, see "Recorder Cursor Tab" on page
56.
Keyboard Record sounds for key To record keyboard sounds, click on the Keyboard Sounds
Sounds clicks as you record the button.
video. The Keyboard Sounds option can also be activated from the
menu bar in Effects > Audio > Keyboard Sounds.
This option is configured in the Effects Options dialog box
under the Audio tab. Choose Effects > Options > Audio.
For more information, see "Recorder Audio Tab" on page
55.
Mute Audio Mute all sound effects. To mute all sound effects, click on the Mute Audio Effects
Effects button.

Recorder Cursor Toolbar Description Table

The Cursor toolbar is used for adding cursor effects to the video as it is being recorded. Cursor effects include hiding the
cursor, showing the cursor, highlighting the cursor, and highlighting the mouse clicks.
The Cursor tools are toggle options. This means that you can use the toolbar buttons to turn the desired option on or off
as the video is being recorded. Click on the button once to enable the option. Click on the button once more to disable
the option.
The following table describes each of the tools that can be found on the Cursor toolbar along with its use. For more
information on this topic, see "Recorder Cursor Tab" on page 56.
Note: The Cursor toolbar is turned on or off using the Cursor Toolbar option in the View dropdown menu. For more
information on the View Menu, see also "Recorder Cursor Tab" on page 56.

Hide Cursor Hides the cursor during To hide the cursor, click on the Hide Cursor button.
recording of video. The Hide Cursor option can also be activated from the
menu bar in Effects > Cursor > Hide Cursor.
When this option is enabled for recording, a checkmark
is placed next to the option in the dropdown menu.
Show Cursor Show the cursor during To show the cursor, click on the Show Cursor button.
recording of video. The Show Cursor option can also be activated from the
menu bar in Effects > Cursor > Show Cursor.
This option is configured in the Effects Options dialog
box under the Cursor tab. Choose Effects > Options >
Cursor.
Highlight Clicks Visually highlight the To show the mouse cursor clicks, click on the Highlight
clicking of the mouse Clicks button.
during the recording of The Highlight Clicks option can also be activated from
video using a variety of the menu bar in Effects > Cursor > Highlight Clicks.
shapes and colors.
box under the Cursor tab. Choose Effects > Options >
Cursor.
Highlight Highlight the cursor with a To show the highlighted cursor, click on the Highlight
Cursor translucent outline during Cursor button.
the recording of video using The Highlight Cursor option can also be activated from
a variety of colors. the menu bar in Effects > Cursor > Highlight Cursor.
is placed next to the option in the dropdown menu. This
option is configured in the Effects Options dialog box
under the Cursor tab. Choose Effects > Options >
Cursor.


Highlight Turn on highlighting of To show the highlighted cursor and mouse clicks, click
Cursor & Clicks both cursor clicks and on the Highlight Cursor & Clicks button.
cursor movement using a The Highlight Cursor option can also be activated from
variety of shapes and the menu bar in Effects > Cursor > Highlight Cursor &
colors. Clicks.
is placed next to the option in the dropdown menu. This
option is configured in the Effects Options dialog box
under the Cursor tab. Choose Effects > Options >
Cursor.
Recorder Zoom and Pan Toolbar Description Table

The Zoom and Pan toolbar is used for adding zoom and/or pan effects to the video as it is being recorded.
Overall, zooming magnifies your actions. Panning focuses your actions. Zooming and Panning help to focus your
viewer's attention on specific areas of your recording.
• Zoom while recording to show more detail or cover more area.
• Pan to capture the smaller area where the action is taking place.
The following table describes each of the tools that can be found on the Zoom and Pan toolbar along with its use. For
more information on this topic, see "Recorder Zoom Tab" on page 59.
Note: The Zoom and Pan toolbar is turned on or off using the Zoom and Pan Toolbar option in the View dropdown
menu. For more information on the View Menu, see "Recorder View Menu Options" on page 50.

AutoPan AutoPan the area you are To enable AutoPan, click on the AutoPan button.
recording. The AutoPan option can also be activated from the menu
This option follows the cursor bar in Effects > Zoom & Pan > AutoPan.
while you are recording with When this option is enabled for recording, a checkmark is
a floating area that shows placed next to the option in the dropdown menu.
where the action happens.
box under the Zoom tab. Choose Effects > Options >
Zoom.
AutoZoom AutoZoom during recording. To enable AutoZoom, click on the AutoZoom button.
AutoZoom allows you to The AutoZoom option can also be activated from the
zoom between two windows, menu bar in Effects > Zoom & Pan > AutoZoom.
regions, etc., with a smooth, When this option is enabled for recording, a checkmark is
professional appearance. placed next to the option in the dropdown menu.
AutoZoom automatically This option is configured in the Effects Options dialog
pans the area and zooms in box under the Zoom tab. Choose Effects > Options >
smoothly. Zoom.


Zoom Out Zoom out on the area you are To zoom out, click on the Zoom Out button.
recording. Continue clicking the Zoom Out button until the correct
This allows you to reduce a zoom level is achieved.
portion of the screen or The Zoom Out option can also be activated from the
application area (and menu bar in Effects > Zoom & Pan > Zoom Out.
therefore capture a larger
area). When this option is enabled for recording, a checkmark is
The percentage of zoom is
indicated on the statistics This option is configured in the Effects Options dialog
display area: box under the Zoom tab. Choose Effects > Options >
Zoom
This option always maintains

aspect ratio of capture.
Zoom In Zoom in during recording to To zoom in, click on the Zoom In button.
show more detail on screen or Continue clicking the Zoom In button until the correct
cover more area. zoom level is achieved.
This allows you to enlarge a The Zoom In option can also be activated from the menu
portion of the screen or bar in Effects > Zoom & Pan > Zoom In.
application area (and
therefore capture a smaller When this option is enabled for recording, a checkmark is
area). placed next to the option in the dropdown menu.
The percentage of zoom is This option is configured in the Effects Options dialog
indicated on the statistics box under the Zoom tab. Choose Effects > Options >
display area: Zoom.
This option always maintains

aspect ratio of capture.
Zoom To The Zoom To button will To enable Zoom To, click on the Zoom To button.
zoom directly to a certain Once enabled, clicking on the Zoom To button again will
size, or to a specific region, set the zoom view back to 100 percent.
window or the full screen
Click on the small down arrow to access the dropdown
list of zoom to options.
The Zoom To option can also be activated from the menu
bar in Effects > Zoom & Pan > Zoom To.
Zoom Undo The Zoom Undo button To enable Zoom Undo, click on the Zoom Undo button.
reverts back to the last zoom The Zoom Undo option can also be activated from the
size and toggles between the menu bar in Effects > Zoom & Pan > Zoom Undo.
last two zoom sizes.

Recorder Menu Options

Overview
The following chapter describes each of the Recorder dropdown menu options.
Recorder Capture Menu Options

The Capture menu options allow you to access the recording controls as well as the input and output options.
To select a Capture option, choose the desired option from the dropdown menu.
Capture Options Description Table

The following table describes each of the Capture menu options.
Capture Option Description
Record Will begin the video capture process.
Pause Will pause the video capture process.
Stop Will stop the video capture process.
Delete Will delete the current video capture.
When selected, the capture pauses and a message displays asking if you are sure you
want to delete the current video capture. If Yes, the recording stops and any captured
frames are discarded.
Input See "Recorder Input Menu Options" on page 47.
Output See "Recorder Output Menu Options" on page 49.

Recorder Input Menu Options

Input defines the area of the desktop that will be recorded. Four options provide the flexibility to capture exactly what
part of the screen you want to include in your video.
The input menu options are accessed from the Capture dropdown menu or from the Record button on the main toolbar.
To enable an option, use the mouse to select it from the menu. Once enabled, a bullet will display next to the selected
option.
Access these options here: .
Or here: .
Overall, the four Recorder capture Input options let you capture exactly the area of the screen you want to include in
your video. This way, your video won't include any superfluous areas of your screen, but will instead focus on the action.
Also, if you're concerned about file size, you can help control the size of the file by concentrating on a smaller area. At
the same time, if you require a video of the entire screen, you can still exercise that option.
By experimenting with the different input choices, you can find the best input size for your particular needs.
To select any of the Input options, from the menu bar, choose Capture > Input. From the dropdown menu, choose the
desired input option.
Input Options Description Table

The following table describes each of the Input menu options.
Input Option Description
Screen The entire computer screen will be captured.
To record the entire screen, choose the Screen option and then click the Record button.
Window Records a selected window.
To record a window, choose the Window option. Click the Record button to begin recording.
The cursor will change to a finger-pointer/highlighter. With the highlighter, select a window or any
portion of a window to be captured. When you pass over areas that can be selected, they are
highlighted. Click with the pointer to select the window.
Region Records a user-defined region.
To record a region, choose the Region option. Click the Record button to begin recording. The cursor
changes to a crosshair-pointer. To define a region, click and drag the cursor over the area you want to
capture.

Input Option Description

Fixed Region Records a pre-defined region.
To record a fixed region, choose the Fixed Region option. The Fixed Region dialog box will display.
Define the size of the fixed region using the options below.
Select: Use Select to draw the fixed region. If you use Select to set starting point and dimensions, the
numbers are automatically placed in the appropriate boxes.
Fixed Starting Point: To set a starting point manually, click a checkmark in the Fixed starting point
box
Width and Height: To set the Width and Height, type the pixel dimensions in the boxes provided.
These can also be defined by using the Select option.
Start X and Start Y: Type the coordinates, in pixels, in the Start X and Start Y box. Note that (0,0)
is the top-left corner of the screen. These can also be defined by using the Select option.
OK: Choose OK to save changed.
Click the Record button to begin recording.

Recorder Output Menu Options

Output tells Recorder what to do with the video content that you are capturing. The input menu options are accessed
from the Capture dropdown menu.
To enable an option, use the mouse to select it from the menu. Once enabled, a bullet will display next to the selected
option.
Output Options Description Table

The following table describes each of the Output menu options.
Output Description
Option
File The captured video will be stored in an industry standard AVI (video) file. The AVI files you
create with Recorder can be imported, edited, etc. in any third party application that supports
the AVI format.
If you choose to, the name and location of the saved video file can be set to run automatically.
This option is set under Tools > Options > File tab.
Live The captured video will be made available to any live encoding process you have running on
your computer. Rather than saving your screen capture video to a file, you can send what you
capture, as you’re capturing it, in real-time -- literally sending out a live broadcast of desktop
activity.
Recorder simulates a hardware PC camera and works with streaming media encoders
(Microsoft’s Windows Media Encoder and RealNetworks’ Real Producer), video
conferencing and webcam applications. Camtasia looks like a standard Video for Windows
video capture device to these applications.
When Live Output is On, all input options are disabled, since video frame size is determined
by the application that is using Recorder as a video source.
For a complete discussion on this topic, see "Recorder Live Tab" on page 66.

Recorder View Menu Options

The View options allow you to choose the look and feel of the Recorder screen in regards to the view and toolbar
display. You can also use the View menu to access ScreenPad and play recently created Recorder AVI files in Player.
Note: For more information ScreenPad, see "ScreenPad" on page 95.
Note: For more information on Player, see "Camtasia Player" on page 133.
Note: For more information on accessing the view options using the Toggle View button on the toolbar, see
"Recorder View Menu Options" on page 50.
To select a View option, choose the desired option from the dropdown menu.
View Options Description Table

The following table describes each of the View menu options.
View Option Description
Standard This is the default view of the Recorder screen which shows the main toolbar and the video
A bullet placed adjacent to Standard lets you know this option is enabled.
You can also cycle through the screen’s view by clicking on the Toggle View button
on the main toolbar.

Compact This view of the Recorder screen only shows the menu bar, main toolbar, and any other
toolbars that are turned on. You will not see the video statistics and properties area.
A bullet placed adjacent to Compact lets you know this option is enabled.
Minimal This view of the Recorder screen only shows the main toolbar and any other toolbars that
are turned on. You will not see the menu bar or the video statistics and properties area.
A bullet placed adjacent to Minimal lets you know this option is enabled.
Note: During the recording process, you can choose to minimize Recorder to the system
tray. This keeps Recorder out of the way while you record. To minimize Recorder while
you record, choose Tools > Options > Program Tab option. Enable the Minimize before
starting capture option:


Annotation Displays the Annotation toolbar. The Annotation toolbar is used primarily for adding
Toolbar annotations to the video. Annotations include a timestamp, watermark, captions, highlights,
etc.
Audio Toolbar Displays the Audio toolbar. The Audio toolbar is used for adding audio effects to the video
as it is being recorded. Audio effects include real-time audio inputted from a microphone,
mouse click sounds, and keyboard sounds.
Cursor Toolbar Displays the Cursor toolbar. The Cursor toolbar is used for adding cursor effects to the
video as it is being recorded. Cursor effects include hiding the cursor, showing the cursor,
highlighting the cursor, and highlighting the mouse clicks.
Zoom & Pan Displays the Zoom & Pan toolbar. The Zoom and Pan toolbar is used for adding zoom
Toolbar and/or pan effects to the video as it is being recorded.
Overall, zooming magnifies your actions. Panning focuses your actions. Zooming and
Panning help to focus your viewer's attention on specific areas of your recording.
Zoom while recording to show more detail or cover more area.
Pan to capture the smaller area where the action is taking place.
ScreenPad Opens ScreenPad. ScreenPad allows you to add annotations to your video as you record.
These can be captions, callouts, logos, stamps, sticky notes, or any fixed visual you want to
include in the scene during recording.
The annotations are actually graphics files that can be existing BMP, GIF, or JPEG images,
or you can use the included graphic editor to create them.
Recent Files Displays a list of the most recently created or accessed files. Click on one of these files to
see it playback in Player.
Recorder Effects Menu Options

Overview
The Effects options allow you to choose from a variety of special effects while you are recording to ensure high end,
video productions. You can easily show cursor movement as well as perform sophisticated moves like highlighting,
zooming and panning.
Note: To add annotation after recording, see "Camtasia Effects" on page 234.
You can also choose the fonts, colors, size and appearance that enhance the professional quality of your videos. Effects
are easily toggled on and off in the Recorder toolbars and most allow you to preview changes before you proceed with
your video making.

To select an Effects option, choose the desired option from the dropdown menu.
Effects Options Description Table

The following table describes each of the Effects menu options.
Effects Option Description
Annotation Displays the Annotation options. Annotations include a timestamp, watermark, captions,
highlights, etc. See also "Recorder Annotation Tab" on page 54.
Audio Displays the Audio options. Audio options are used for adding audio effects to the video as
it is being recorded. Audio effects include real-time audio inputted from a microphone,
mouse click sounds, and keyboard sounds. See also "Recorder Audio Tab" on page 55.
Cursor Displays the Cursor options. The Cursor options are used for adding cursor effects to the
video as it is being recorded. Cursor effects include hiding the cursor, showing the cursor,
highlighting the cursor, and highlighting the mouse clicks. See also "Recorder Cursor
Tab" on page 56.
Zoom & Pan Displays the Zoom & Pan options. The Zoom and Pan options are used for adding zoom
and/or pan effects to the video as it is being recorded.
Overall, zooming magnifies your actions. Panning focuses your actions. Zooming and
Panning help to focus your viewer's attention on specific areas of your recording.
Zoom while recording to show more detail or cover more area.
Pan to capture the smaller area where the action is taking place.
See also "Recorder Zoom Tab" on page 59.
Options Opens the Effects Options dialog box. See also "Recorder Effects Options" on page 53.

Recorder Effects Options

The Effects Options dialog box allows you to set options for your recording such as system time stamps, mouse and
keyboard audio effects, cursor effects, and much more.
You can access the Effects Options dialog box by choosing Effects > Options from the menu bar or by selecting the
Options tool on the toolbar .

Additionally, you can access each of the individual tabs that make up the Effects Option dialog box by clicking on the
small down arrow next to the Options button to reveal a dropdown menu. From the menu, choose the desired option.
Enabling the Effects Settings Options

Once you have made your selections regarding the Effects Settings, you must enable the corresponding option from the
Effects dropdown menu or toolbar before the Effects Settings are used during the recording process.
For example, if you would like to use a highlighted cursor, first select the Cursor tab in the Effects Options dialog box
and set the options. Next, enable the Highlight Cursor option from the Effects dropdown menu or select the Highlighted
Cursor button from the Cursor menu. Click on the Record button and create the video.
Continue this topic with "Recorder Annotation Tab" on page 54.

Recorder Annotation Tab

The Annotation tab will allow you to set the options for many different recording effects while recording.
Note: For adding annotation after you have made your recording, see "Camtasia Effects" on page 234.
A few of these effects are:

• Including the time and date for a predefined period of time.
• Creating a text caption such as a title, and customize its appearance and position on screen.
• Adding audio sounds to the cursor clicks or keyboard selections.
• Assigning visual effects to the cursor such as highlighting.
Each of the Annotation tab options are described in the chapter entitled "Recorder Annotation Tab Settings" on page
71.

Recorder Audio Tab

The Audio tab will allow you to set the different audio properties for the mouse clicks and keyboard keystrokes.
Audio Tab Options Description Table

The following table describes each of the Audio tab options along with its use.
Audio Tab Option Description Use
Mouse button down This option allows you to choose a Click on the browse button. Browse and select
sound sound file for the mouse button down the desired sound file. Choose OK. File path is
sound. updated to Audio tab.
Click on play button to test sound.
Mouse button up sound This option allows you to choose a Click on the browse button. Browse and select
sound file for the mouse button up the desired sound file. Choose OK. File path is
sound. updated to Audio tab.
Key down sound This option allows you to choose a Click on the browse button. Browse and select
sound file for the key down sound. the desired sound file. Choose OK. File path is
updated to Audio tab.
Select Folder button Choose this button open the Browse Choose the folder to browse and select a file.
dialog box for adding a resource file. Choose OK to exit Browse dialog box and
update file to Audio tab.
Choose this button to hear the sound of Click on the sound button to listen to the sound.
Test Sound button any of the sound files. Click again to end playing.
Volume Use the volume slide bar to increase or Grab the slider bar with the mouse. Drag to the
decrease the volume level for the left to decrease sound. Drag to the right to
different sound files on the recording. increase should.
Note: Once you have made your Audio tab selections, you must enable the corresponding option from the Audio
toolbar or the Effects dropdown menu before the audio options are used during the recording process.

Recorder Cursor Tab

The Cursor tab allows you to define how the cursor will be displayed in the recording. The effects include cursor
selection and highlight capabilities for mouse and cursor clicks.
Each of the Cursor tab options are described in the chapter entitled "Recorder Cursor Tab Settings" on page 80.
Recorder ScreenDraw Tab

The ScreenDraw tab allows you to define how the ScreenDraw tool will appear on the recording as you write.

The ScreenDraw feature allows you to draw on your desktop while you record a video. Make your videos lively and
easier to understand by underlining, pointing and illustrating with the freehand drawing tool. Or, you can draw various
shapes on screen while recording in order to highlight and draw focus to a particular area. Your video can show your pen
moving across the screen as you're recording, or you can pause the recording, then draw, and have your drawing appear
already completed.
Note: While recording, this feature is activated using the ScreenDraw toolbar button or by using a customized
hotkey. Using the ScreenDraw hotkey lets you even draw on popup menus. For information on configuring the
ScreenDraw Hotkey, see "Recorder Hotkeys Tab" on page 64.
ScreenDraw Tab Options Description Table

The following table describes each of the ScreenDraw tab options.
ScreenDraw Tab Description
Option
Tool From the dropdown menu, choose the desired tool for the drawing. As you choose a tool, a
preview of the shape will appear in the preview window:
Frame: Draw a frame (rectangular/square box) on the screen.

Highlight: Draw a highlight rectangle on the screen.
Ellipse: Draw an ellipse on the screen.
Pen: Draw freehand on the screen.
Line: Draw a straight line on the screen.
Arrow: Draw an arrow on the screen.
Color From the dropdown menu, choose the desired color for the drawing tool. As you choose a
color, a preview will appear in the preview window:
Width Using the up and down arrows, select a width for the drawing tool. As you choose a width,
a preview will appear in the preview window:
Translucent Selecting this option will allow the ScreenDraw object to be translucent or see-through on
the screen. This allows most of the recording’s background to come through the highlight.
Disable keyboard and Enabling this option with a checkmark will cause all keyboard and cursor activity to cease
cursor effects during while the ScreenDraw option is being used. This allows the user’s focus to be drawn to the
ScreenDraw ScreenDraw object, not other activity in the recording.

Using ScreenDraw While Recording

If you want to change ScreenDraw options after you have started recording, while ScreenDraw is operating, right-click
over the capture area. The ScreenDraw menu will display:
Select one of the drawing tool options listed by clicking on a tool name or pressing the accelerator key listed next to the
tool names. Once selection is made, resume drawing.
Recorder Watermark Tab

The Watermark tab allows you to add a watermark, such as a company logo, in any fixed position in the recording. This
is a helpful way to stamp ownership on the intellectual property that the recording represents.
Other than logos, you can use this feature to position any other information you would like into the recording such as
titles, banner ads, etc. As input, you can use graphic files in BMP, GIF, or .JPEG format.
Each of the Watermark tab options are described in the chapter entitled "Recorder Watermark Tab Settings" on page
84.

Recorder Zoom Tab

The Zoom tab allows you to set up zooming and panning options for your recordings such as zoom speed, pan speed,
zoom levels, etc.
Note: You can zoom in or out on the action during recording by using the Zoom Hotkeys. For more information, see
"Recorder Hotkeys Tab" on page 64.
Zoom Tab Options Description Table

The following table describes each of the Zoom tab options.
Zoom Tab Option Description
AutoZoom Speed This setting controls the speed of the rendered zooming effect (that is, the speed of the
image scaling).
To increase or decrease the AutoZoom speed, use the slider bar.
AutoPan Speed This setting controls the speed at which the capture area follows the mouse. Use this
when you want to capture a smaller area of a screen where the action is and ignore the
inactive areas. This can help limit file size and help to focus attention.
To increase or decrease the AutoPan speed, use the slider bar.
Zoom level at start of This setting configures a preset zoom level when the capture begins. The default value
capture is 100%.
Values less than 100% makes Recorder start zoomed out.
Values greater than 100% makes Recorder start zoomed in.
To change the zoom level, click inside the Zoom level field and enter the desired level.

Zoom Tab Option Description

Center zoom effect If selected, when the zoom effect is rendered, Camtasia always centers the new capture
area over the old area.
In the final recording, the visual effect is that Camtasia automatically pans the image
so it stays centered over the previous area.
The default setting is off. To enable this option, click onside the box. A checkmark will
display when enabled.
Use smooth interpolated If selected, Recorder uses a smooth scaling algorithm that makes images more readable
scaling when zoomed out. The default setting is on.
Note: Enabling this option may degrade the video frame rate since smooth interpolated
scaling requires much more computer processing to render the effect.
To enable this option, click onside the box. A checkmark will display when enabled.
Smooth scale during If selected, Recorder uses the smooth scaling algorithm while rendering the AutoZoom
AutoZoom effect.
This makes the zooming effect look smoother, but the video frame rate may degrade.
This option is off by default. To enable this option, click onside the box. A checkmark
will display when enabled.
Note: Once you have made your Zoom tab selections, you must enable the corresponding zoom and pan options from
the Zoom and Pan toolbar or the Effects dropdown menu before the effects are used during the recording
process.

Recorder Tools Options

Overview
The Tools Options allow you to set options for your recording such as the record and playback rate, file naming
conventions, hotkey shortcut strokes, and much more.
You can access the Tool Options by clicking on the Options button on the toolbar or by choosing Tools > Effects
from the Recorder menu bar.
Once accessed, the following tabbed dialog box will be displayed.
Continue this topic with "Recorder Avi Tab" on page 62.

Recorder Avi Tab

Use the AVI tab to set preferences for recording videos such as codecs, key frame rates, time-lapse capture, etc.
Note: While you can only record files as AVI in Recorder, you can convert them to other output formats, including
Flash (.SWF), .WMV and RealVideo. For a complete discussion on the AVI tab, continue with "Recorder AVI
Tab Settings" on page 88.
Continue this same topic with "Recorder File Tab" on page 63.

Recorder File Tab

Use the File tab to set the file naming options for your video recordings.
File Tab Options Description Table

The following table describes each of the File tab options.
File Tab Option Description
Ask for File Choose this option if you want to name each file separately as it is recorded.
Name
Fixed File Name Choose this option if you want to define a single file name. With this option, any recording
with this file name will automatically be overwritten when saving subsequent recordings.
Name Type the name of the file in the text box that you want to be used in conjunction with the
Fixed File Name option.
Automatic File Choose this option if you want to assign automatically created and incremented filenames to
Name your recordings.
Prefix Files will be saved with the prefix you supply along with a number, such as Video-001AVI,
Video-002AVI, and so on.
Output Folder Enter the name of a destination Output Folder in the text box provided or use the Browse
button to search for the desired folder.

Temporary File Specify a drive and folder where files will be stored temporarily during capture and before
Folder you save them to another location. The default C:\WINDOWS\TEMP is fine if you have
room on your C: drive.
Use the fastest local hard drive on your system that has the most free space. If you need to
change the location, click […] to search for a new one.
Continue this topic with "Recorder Hotkeys Tab" on page 64.

Recorder Hotkeys Tab

A hotkey is a key or combination of keys that you push to run a command or operate a program. Use this tab to define
the hotkey options used in the making of your recordings. You can change the default hotkeys to whatever you would
like. There are three standard Recorder hotkeys as seen in the graphic below.
Additionally, there are five advanced hotkeys which are accessed by choosing the Advanced button .

Hotkey Options Description Table

The following table describes each of the options found on the Hotkey tab and the Advanced Hotkey dialog box.
Hotkey Option Where Found Default Hotkey Description
Record/Pause Hotkey Tab Starts recording if Recorder is stopped;
pauses recording if Recorder is running.
Stop Hotkey Tab Stops Recorder.
ScreenDraw Hotkey Tab None Start the ScreenDraw feature.

AutoPan Advanced Hotkey dialog box None Turns on the AutoPan feature during
recording.
Hide Advanced Hotkey dialog box None Hides the Recorder screen and disables
the hide/unhide tray icon hotkey.
Zoom In Advanced Hotkey dialog box None Zooms in on the recorded area. Press
hotkey additional times to zoom farther.
Zoom Out Advanced Hotkey dialog box None Zooms out from the recorded area. Press
hotkey additional times to zoom farther.
Mute Advanced Hotkey dialog box None
To Create a Hotkey
To change the hotkeys for any available option, place a checkmark in one or more boxes below <CTRL>, <SHIFT>, or
<ALT> if you want to include them in your hotkey combination for the selected action.
Select another keyboard key from the dropdown box. You can choose most keyboard keys here.
Example
If you want to use the key combination <Ctrl> + <Alt> + <R> to Record/Pause a recording, you would check the CTRL
and ALT boxes, and then choose the letter R from the dropdown list.
Then, to start or pause recording, you would hold down the <Ctrl> and <Alt> keys while you press <C>.
Continue this topic with "Recorder Live Tab" on page 66.

Recorder Live Tab

This tab allows you to set the options for the Live Desktop Video Feed feature.
The Live Output feature allows Recorder to appear as a standard video capture device that can be used as a video source
by applications such as streaming media encoders, video conferencing applications, video editors, and web cam
applications.
The live output option essentially makes Recorder a "plug in" that provides a unique source of content and enhances
these applications. These applications normally use real hardware video cameras as their video source.
The live output feature makes Recorder appear as another video camera on the system. However, Recorder's live output
is a software camera that records from the desktop. With the live output option ON, Recorder feeds its video frames to
applications like a streaming media encoder instead of saving them to a video file.
The same VCR-style record/pause/resume/stop controls are used during a live output session as when recording to a
video file. All of Recorder's video effects (cursor highlights, pan, zoom, and all annotation effects) apply for live output.
Input options are disabled since you are sending your entire screen into the feed.
Note: Some live encoding applications (for example, the free version of Real Producer) only allow you to choose a
single default video capture device. If you have more than one video capture device on your system, such as a
video capture card, then the Recorder’s video capture device may not be available in the encoding application.
In this case, disable the non-Recorder capture device using the Control Panel Multimedia applet. In the
Multimedia applet, go to the Devices tab, expand the Video Capture Devices list, select the device to disable,
click the Properties button, and choose Do not use this video capture device.
To Use Live Output

1. Enable the Live Output feature by selecting Capture > Output > Live from the menu bar. A checkmark is
placed next to the menu option, indicating that the Live Output mode is on.
2. Select menu Options > Preferences. The Preferences tabbed dialog appears.
3. Select the Live tab.
4. Set the Live capture rate in frames per second.
Note: The Live capture rate determines how frequently Recorder updates video frames during live output. This can be
used to control the system resources (CPU, for example) used by Recorder.
5. Start the application you are sending live video to.
Note: This may be a streaming media encoder, such as Windows Media Encoder or Real Producer, or it may be a
video capture application such as Adobe Premiere, or it may be a live web cam application. In the application
you are sending video to, select the Video Capture Device as the live source.
6. Use Recorder just as you would for output to a video file.

Continue this topic with "Recorder Program Tab" on page 67.

Recorder Program Tab

Use this tab to set the Program Capture Options.
• A checkmark next to the item lets you know that that item is enabled.
• To enter or remove a checkmark, click on the box next to the desired item.
• Place a checkmark in the box next to each option you want to enable.
• Click on the checkmark next to each option you want to disable.
Program Tab Options Description Table

The following table describes each of the Program options.
Program Option Default Description
Setting
Minimize before Off Recorder program window will reduce to the system tray while capturing
starting capture video.
Pause before starting Off Pausing before capture allows you to arrange and position windows and the
capture capture rectangle before beginning the capture.
Boost priority during Off Gives Recorder a higher processor priority which can mean better
capture performance (that is, better or faster frame rate captures).
Hide capture rectangle Off Capture rectangle will no longer appear before and during captures.
Solid capture rectangle Off The default capture rectangle consists of short angles at each corner of the
rectangle. This option turns that box into a solid rectangle.
Play video after saving On Plays the video after saving the video file.
file
Play AVI files with On If you do not want to use Camtasia Player, remove the checkmark. Your
Camtasia Player selected Windows video player will be used instead.

Program Option Default Description

Setting
Report dropped frames Off This causes Recorder to report dropped frames in the status display. This is
helpful to see and understand what the maximum frame rate Recorder can
achieve.
Always on top Off Puts Recorder at the top of any layered applications on your computer
desktop.
Round frame size to a 4 On When it is on, the horizontal and vertical pixel dimensions of the video you
pixel boundary are creating are forced to a multiple of 4. This eliminates errors occurring
when viewing videos created with certain codecs (such as Microsoft Video 1)
which requires frames that are multiples of 4 pixels.
Note: The TSCC video codec does not have this limitation—videos are
encoded and decoded with any pixel dimensions.
Disable display Off Disabling hardware display acceleration on Windows 2000 or later can
acceleration during dramatically increase frame rates and/or reduce system load during recording.
capture Note: When display acceleration is disabled, your screen will momentarily
blank at the start and end of recording. This is normal.
Capture layered Off Allows the capture of translucent or irregularly shaped layered windows. An
windows example of a layered window is the Office Assistant in Microsoft Office
2000.
Note: This feature only works when capturing on Windows 2000, XP, or
later.
Single Frame Off Will toggle to the single frame capture mode. This option allows only one
frame at a time to be captured.
With this option selected, Recorder is always in a paused state.
Use the record button like a camera shutter button to capture one or more
stills that can be saved as an AVI file.
See also "About Recorder's Single Frame Capturing" on page 69.
Quick Capture Off Quick Capture mode captures the screen as efficiently as possible, at frame
rates from 2 to 7 times faster than normal. In general, given your system
resources, you can obtain a higher capture rate for smoother, higher quality
recordings wit this option.
Additionally, at any given frame rate you need to maintain, Quick Capture
uses less system resources, possibly enabling you to capture scenes that you
would otherwise not be able to with the computer and graphics capabilities
you have.
Overall, this option is particularly useful for capture sequences that feature a
lot of cursor movement and not much other visual change.
See also "About Recorder's Quick Capture" on page 69.
Enable Tips On When enabled, tips will display.
Continue this topic with "About Recorder's Single Frame Capturing" on page 69.

About Recorder's Single Frame Capturing

Single Frame is the capture option that captures just one frame at a time. With this option selected, Recorder is always in
a paused state. These still frames can be saved as an AVI file to create a slide show or make a "stop frame animation"
style video.
When using this option, the record button is used just like a camera shutter button. Every time you press it, you take a
still picture of the screen. You can repeat the capture as many times as needed, and you can change the contents of the
capture region between captures to achieve the desired motion effect.
This way, you can arrange the screen without the camera recording your actions. When the screen suits your needs, you
simply take a picture. Obviously, this works great for a slide show, because you can include as many different scenes as
you require. For an animation-type video, you can condense a longer video by recording only the key steps of a
sequence.
This option also works well with the Time-lapse capture mode. For example, by setting the Time-lapse playback frame
rate to 1 frame per 10 seconds, you can use Single Frame capture to add slides, each of which is displayed for 10
seconds.
To Use Single Frame Capture

1. Within Recorder, from the menu bar, select Tools > Options > Program Tab > Single Frame. This is a toggle
that you enable by selecting the option once and disable by selecting it again. When the option is enabled, a
check mark appears next to the option.
2. If a Camtasia Tip appears, read it and click Close.
3. Set any other capture options, including Input, Effects, and Preferences.
4. To capture a frame, click on the record button .

5. Repeat the capture as many times as needed. You can change the contents of the capture region between
captures to achieve whatever motion effect you want.
6. When you are finished recording your video, click the Stop button to save your video or the Cancel button
to discard your video and start over.
About Recorder's Quick Capture

Quick Capture makes cursor movements appear smoother on video by capturing the screen as efficiently as possible, at
frame rates from 2 to 7 times faster than normal. This is ideal for slower systems or for when you have a lot of cursor
movement without much other visual change.
Screen video capture is very demanding on system resources. As the screen area recorded and the color depth of the
screen increase, your effective capture frame rate decreases. A faster system helps, but due to limitations of the video
subsystem, you may still end up with unacceptably slow frame rates and a choppy "slideshow" video. The Quick Capture
feature avoids these performance bottlenecks to obtain higher capture frame rates and enhanced video quality.
Quick Capture offers distinct advantages that enhance video quality. For example, you obtain a higher capture rate for
smoother, higher quality recordings. Also, at any given frame rate you need to maintain, Quick Capture uses less system
resources. Because more system resources are available to the application that you are recording, the application is more
responsive. This can enable you to capture scenes that you would otherwise not be able to with your present computer
and graphics capabilities.
Quick Capture does have its limitations. Some changes on the screen that are not initiated by the user due to a mouse
click or key press (e.g. animations on a web page), or changes that are outside of the foreground window may not by
fully captured. Also, when the entire screen is changing often, the effective capture rate can degrade to the same rate as
when Quick Capture is not enabled.
If you are recording a full screen video of an application, pointing out and explaining items with the cursor, Quick
Capture can result in a much higher capture frame rate and a much smoother video.

Note: To further increase your capture frame rate, try disabling your hardware acceleration! By disabling graphics
hardware acceleration, users can dramatically increase frame capture rates. Disabling the hardware acceleration
makes it possible to get high capture frame rates at high colors, so the video does not look jerky -- it looks
impressively smooth.
To Use Quick Capture

1. Within Recorder, from the menu bar, select Tools > Options > Program Tab > Quick Capture. This is a toggle
that you enable by selecting the option once and disable by selecting it again. When the option is enabled, a
check mark appears next to the option.
2. If a Camtasia Tip appears, read it and click Close.
3. Set any other capture options, including Input, Effects, and Preferences.
4. To capture a frame, click on the record button .

5. Repeat the capture as many times as needed. You can change the contents of the capture region between
captures to achieve whatever motion effect you want.
6. When you are finished recording your video, click the Stop button to save your video or the Cancel button
to discard your video and start over.
Caution: Screen changes that are not user-initiated (like animations) may not be fully captured when using this option.
Capture Automation Command Options

The following Recorder command line options allow you to automate and/or control Recorder from other applications or
a batch file.
When the command line options are used, Recorder exits with an exit code of 0 on success and 1 on any failure. The exit
code is reflected as the "errorlevel" in DOS batch files.
Command Function Description
Option
/r Start/Resume Starts/resumes recording using the current Recorder settings. This option fails if
Recorder is already recording.
/p Pause Pause recording. This option fails if Recorder is not running, or if Recorder is not
recording.
/s Stop Stop recording. This option fails if Recorder is not running, or if Recorder is not
recording or paused.
/h Run Hidden Hides the Recorder screen and disables the hide/unhide tray icon hotkey. This option
always succeeds.
/x Exit Causes the running instance of Recorder to exit. This option fails if Recorder is not
running. If a recording session is active, the /x option aborts the capture and discards
any video file. Note: You can safely perform a /s to stop recording followed by a /x to
cause Recorder to exit. (Example: CamRec.exe /s/x).

Recorder Annotation Tab Settings

Using the Annotation tab on the Effects Options dialog box allows you to add many different effects to your recordings.
Just a few of these effects include the addition of:
• A time and date for a predefined period of time.
• Text option, such as a title, and customize its appearance and position on screen.
• Audio sounds to the cursor clicks or keyboard selections.
• Visual effects to the cursor such as highlighting.
To access the Annotation tab, choose Effects > Options from the Recorder menu bar. The Annotation tab is displayed.
Note: Once you have made your Annotation tab selections, you must enable the corresponding option from the Effects
> Annotation dropdown menu before these options are used during the recording process.
Annotation Tab System Stamp Options Description Table

The following table describes each of the Annotation tab's System Stamp options.
Annotation System Description
Stamp Option
Time / Date Use this option to set up the desired format of the Time/Date stamp. Click on the
Time/Date Format Time/Date option to enable the Time/Date Format button.
To format the time/date option, continue with "Time/Date Format Button" on page 73.
Review how this option will appear in the Preview area of this tab.


Stamp Option
Elapsed Time Choosing this option puts an elapsed time stamp on the recording. The elapse time
indicates how much time has gone by out of the total running time of the view.
Computer Name Choosing this option will put the name of the computer on the recording. The name of
the computer that is used is from the PC’s system registry.
User Name Choosing this option will put the user name on the recording. The user name that is
used is from the PC’s system registry and is determined by the logon ID that is being
used at the time of the recording.
Arrange Stamp The Arrange Stamp button on the Annotation tab gives you access to the Arrange Stamp
dialog box. Within this dialog box, you can change the order of the stamps in regards to
how they appear on your recording.
Click on the Arrange Stamp button. The Arrange Stamp dialog box is displayed.
To move a stamp up in the order, first highlight the stamp and click Up until the stamp
is in the desired position.
To move a stamp down in the order, first highlight the stamp and click Down until the
stamp is in the desired position.
Once your changes have been made, choose OK to save the changes and exit back to
the Annotation tab.
Choose Cancel to exit back to the Annotation screen without making any changes to the
current settings.
Preview The Preview field allows you to see how the time/date stamp will look on your
recording.


Stamp Option
Show Stamp for Determines how long the time/date stamp will be viewed on the recording. To show the
time/date stamp on the recording for a predetermined amount of time, enable this option
and then enter the time in seconds.
System Stamp Options This option is used to define the look of the system stamp including the font, font color,
font style, location, etc. For more information setting these options, see "System Stamp
& Caption Option Buttons" on page 77.
Caption This option allows you to add a caption to the recording. To enter a caption, simply type
in the Caption field. Several of the last captions that were entered will be saved for you
in a dropdown list. These are also available for selection.
Prompt before capture Enable this option to be prompted for a new caption each time you record. This allows
you to change the caption on the fly.
Caption Options This option is used to define the look of the caption including the font, font color, font
style, location, etc. For more information setting these options, see "System Stamp &
Caption Option Buttons" on page 77.
Highlight Width This is the width, in pixels, of the highlight box. For more information on the highlight
box feature, see "Recorder Annotation Toolbar Description Table" on page 40.
To set the width, enter the pixel number in the Width field.
Highlight Color This is the color of the highlight box. For more information on the highlight box
feature, see "Recorder Annotation Toolbar Description Table" on page 40.
To set the color, click on the Color button .

The Color dialog box will display. Use the mouse to select the desired color. When
color is selected, choose OK, it will be updated to the Color box .
Time/Date Format Button

The Time/Date Format button gives you access to the Time/Date format dialog box. Within this dialog box you are able
to choose the way your time and/or date stamp is displayed on your recording.
You can choose from several preset options or create your own custom look.
To enable the Time/Date Format button, enable the Time/Date option as seen in the following graphic.
Click on the Time/Date Format button.

The Time/Date Format dialog box is displayed.
Note: Once you have made your System Stamp selections, you must enable the corresponding option from the Effects
dropdown menu before these options are used during the recording process.
Time/Date Format Options Description Table

The following table describes each of the Annotation tab's Time/Date Format options.
Annotation Time/Date Description
Format Option
Time then date Choose this option to display the time first and then the date.
Time only Choose this option to only display the time.
Date then time Choose this option to display the date first and then the time.
Date only Choose this option to only display the date.
Time Use the menu to select the desired format for the time. Once you have made a
selection, use the Preview field to see how your selection will be displayed on your
recording.
Custom Time Format To use a time format that is not listed, first select the Custom Format option from
the menu. The Custom Time Format field becomes enabled.
In the Custom Time Format field, enter the desired format using the given symbols.
For information on each of the time symbols, "System Stamp & Caption Option
Buttons" on page 77.
Date Use the menu to select the desired format for the date. Once you have made a
selection, use the Preview field to see how your selection will be displayed on your
recording.

Annotation Time/Date Description

Format Option
Custom Date Format To use a date format that is not listed, first select the Custom Format option from the
menu. The Custom Time Format field becomes enabled.
In the Custom Time Format field, enter the desired format using the given symbols.
For information on each of the time symbols, "System Stamp & Caption Option
Buttons" on page 77.
Preview View the Preview field to see how your time or date setting will look on your
recording.
Cancel Choose Cancel to exit this dialog without making any changes to the current settings.
OK Once you have made your Time/Date Format selections, choose OK to save and exit
back to the Annotation tab.
Date/Time Format Symbols

The following table describe each of the symbols used for the time and date entries in the Time and Date fields found on
the Time/Date Format dialog box.
To access this dialog box, choose Effects > Options > Annotations > Time/Date Format button.
Note: When setting the time or date using the Custom field, you must use a combination of these symbols in the
Custom Format field to ensure correct results.

Time Format Symbol Description Table

The following table describes each of the Time Format symbols.
Time Format Symbol Description
Windows Default Sets the time to the default time setting on your PC.
Custom Format Allows you to choose your own setting.
h Hour, single digit. Example: 1, 5, 10, 12
hh Hour, double digits. Example: 01, 05, 10, 12
H Hour, single digit, military style. Example: 1, 5, 15, 18
HH Hour, double digits, military style. Example: 01, 05, 15, 18
mm Minutes. Example: 01, 09, 11
ss Seconds. Example: 01, 02, 32, 47
tt Time of day. Example: AM, PM
Date Format Options Description Table

The following table describes each of the Date Format symbols.
Date Format Symbol Description
Windows Default Sets the date to the default date setting on your PC.
Custom Format Allows you to choose your own setting.
M Month, single digit. Example: 1, 5, 10, 12
MM Month, double digits. Example: 01, 05, 10, 12
MMMM Month in word form. Example: May, October, December
d Day, single digit. Example: 1, 5, 10, 12
dd Day, double digits. Example: 01, 05, 10, 12
dddd Day in word form. Example: Monday, Wednesday, Sunday
yy Year in last two digits. Example: 87, 98, 01, 02
yyyy Year with all four digits. Example: 1987, 1998, 2001, 2002
Continue this topic with "System Stamp & Caption Option Buttons" on page 77.

System Stamp & Caption Option Buttons

A dialog box similar to the following is used to set the font options for both the System Stamp and the Caption features.
Once the font options are selected, choose OK to save the options and exit back to the Annotations tab.
Use Cancel to exit back to the Annotations tab without making any changes to the System Stamp or Caption font
attributes.
Font Options Description Table

The following table describes each of the Font options along with its use.
Font Option Description Use
Normal Displays normal text in the recording. Click on the radio button next to this option
Review how this option will appear in the Preview to enable it.
area of this dialog box .

Drop Shadow Displays text with a drop shadow in the recording. Click on the radio button next to this option
Review how this option will appear in the Preview to enable it.
area of this dialog box .
Outlined Shadow Displays text with an outlined shadow in the Click on the radio button next to this option
recording. Review how this option will appear in to enable it.
the Preview area of this dialog box .
Transparent Gives the caption or system stamp a transparent Click on the box next to this option to
Background background. enable it.
With this option enabled, anything that is behind the When enabled, a checkmark will display.
System Stamp or the Caption in the recording area When disabled, the checkmark is removed
will be visible . from the box.


Word Wrap The System Stamp or the Caption will wrap to the Click on the box next to this option to
size of the System Stamp or Caption box. enable it.
When enabled, a checkmark will display.
This allows all of the text to be seen .
When disabled, the checkmark is removed
If the text is not wrapped, then it is strung out in one from the box.
long line. Then, if the text box is resized, the text
may be cut off.
Position Use the squares to select the desired location of the Click on the square in the grid that
System Stamp or the Caption. corresponds to the desired position of the
caption or system stamp.
Font Displays the standard Windows font dialog box To change the font attributes, click on the
allowing you to change the font type, size, color, Font button. The Font Dialog box displays.
etc. Font: To change the font, select the new
font from the font list.
Font Style: To change the font style, select
the desired style from the list.
Size: To change the font size, select the
new size from the list.
Color: To change the font color, click on
the Color button. Choose desired color
from dropdown menu.
Sample: This area will give you a preview
of the changes made to the font.
OK: Choose OK to save and update
changes.
Cancel: Choose Cancel to exit the Font
dialog box without making any changes.
Text Color Opens Color dialog box for selecting desired text Click on the Text Color button:
color.
.
The Color dialog box will display. Use the
mouse to select the desired color. When
color is selected, choose OK, it will be
updated to the Text Color box:
.
Background Opens Color dialog box for selecting desired Click on the Background Color button:
Color background color.
.
updated to the Background Color box:
.
Shadow Color Opens Color dialog box for selecting desired text Click on the Shadow Color button:
shadow color.
.


updated to the Shadow Color box:
.
Outline Color Opens Color dialog box for selecting desired outline Click on the Outline Color button:
color.
.
updated to the Outline Color box:

Recorder Cursor Tab Settings

Overview
The Cursor tab allows you to define how the cursor will be displayed on the recording. The effects include cursor
selection and highlight capabilities for mouse and cursor clicks.
Note: Remember, once you have made your Cursor selections, you must enable the corresponding option from the
Effects > Annotation dropdown menu before the Cursor settings are used during the recording process.
Continue this topic with "Recorder Cursor Setup Options" on page 81.

Recorder Cursor Setup Options

The Cursor Setup options in the Cursor Setup dialog box will allow you choose the cursor you want to use in your
recording. To access the Cursor Setup dialog box, click on the Cursor Setup button . The Cursor
Setup dialog box displays.
Cursor Setup Options Description Table

The following tables describes each of the Cursor Setup options.
Cursor Setup Option Description
Use actual cursor Enable this option to use the standard Windows default cursor. This is the default setting.
Use custom cursor Enable this option to choose one of the custom cursors from the dropdown menu:
Use cursor from file Enable this option to select a cursor from the Windows cursor directory or any other
desired directory.
Once this option is enabled, choose the Browse button to access the Cursor
directory. Select the desired cursor and then Open. The cursor will be updated to the Use
cursor from file field:
OK Choose OK to save the Cursor selections and to exit back to the Cursor tab. The selected
cursor will be updated to the cursor preview window:

Cancel Choose Cancel to exit back to the Cursor tab without making any changes to the current
setup.
Continue this topic with "Recorder Highlight Cursor Options" on page 82.

Recorder Highlight Cursor Options

The Highlight Cursor options allow you to highlight the cursor on your recording. This allows your audience to better
view the cursor as it moves across the screen.
With these options, you choose the shape, size, and color of the cursor highlight.
Cursor Highlight Options Description Table

The following tables describes each of the Cursor Highlight options.
Cursor Highlight Description
Option
Shape From the dropdown menu, choose the desired shape of the highlight. As you choose a
shape a preview of the shape will appear in the preview window .

Size
Using the slider bar , select the size of the highlight. As you
move the slider bar to the right for a larger highlight or to the left for a smaller
highlight, you can see the size in the preview window:
Color
The Color button will allow you to select a color for the cursor highlight.
You can choose from a pallet of existing colors or define a custom color. Once you
have selected a color, the color will be reflected in the preview window:
Translucent Selecting this option will allow the cursor highlight to be translucent or see-through on
the screen. This allows most of the recording’s background to come through the
highlight.
Semi-translucent Selecting this option will allow the cursor highlight to be semi-translucent or semi see-
through on the screen. This allows about half of the recording’s background to come
through the highlight.
Opaque Selecting this option will allow the cursor highlight to be solid on the screen. This
allows note of the recording’s background to come through the highlight.
Continue this topic with "Recorder Highlight Mouse Clicks Options" on page 83.

Recorder Highlight Mouse Clicks Options

The Highlight Mouse Clicks options allow you to highlight the mouse clicks on your recording. This allows your
audience to better view selections as they are being made on the screen with the use of the mouse.
With these options, you choose the shape, size, and color of the mouse click highlight.
Mouse Click Highlight Options Description Table

The following tables describes each of the Mouse Click Highlight options.
Cursor Highlight Description
Option
Shape From the dropdown menu, choose the desired shape of the highlight. As you choose a
shape a preview of the shape will appear in the preview window:
Size
Using the slider bar , select the size of the highlight. As you
move the slider bar to the right for a larger highlight or to the left for a smaller
highlight, you can see the size in the preview window:
Color
The Color button will allow you to select a color for the cursor highlight.
You can choose from a pallet of existing colors or define a custom color. Once you
have selected a color, the color will be reflected in the preview window:

Recorder Watermark Tab Settings

The Watermark tab allows you to add a watermark, such as a company logo, in any fixed position in the recording. This
is a helpful way to stamp ownership on the intellectual property that the recording represents.
Other than logos, you can use this feature to position any other information you would like into the recording such as
titles, banner ads, etc. As input, you can use graphic files in BMP, GIF, or JPEG format.
When the Watermark tab is selected, the Watermark Preview screen will also display as seen in the following graphic.
Note: Remember, once you have made your Watermark selections, you must enable the corresponding option from
the Effects > Annotation dropdown menu before the Watermark settings are used during the recording process.
Continue this topic with "Recorder Watermark Image Path" on page 85.

Recorder Watermark Image Path

The Image Path option allows you to select the image you will use as your watermark.
To select the desired image, choose the Browse button . Select the desired watermark image and then choose Open.
The image will be updated to the Image Path field. Additionally, the image will be displayed in the Watermark Preview
window.
Recorder Watermark Display Effects

The Display Effects options allow you to apply special effects to your watermark image.
Display Effects Options Description Table

The following tables describes each of the Display Effects options.
Display Effects Description
Option
Overlay Use this option if you want your watermark to be an opaque overlay on the produced video.
This produces a solid image that blocks out the view of any action occurring underneath.
Use Transparent Use this option to make part of the watermark image transparent. The areas of the watermark
Color image that match the transparent color are hidden so the video shows through the watermark.

Display Effects Description

Option
Change Use the Change button to select the Transparent Color to be used. The transparent color you
select must match the area(s) that you want to be transparent in the watermark image. Use the
Preview screen to verify that the transparent effect works. The preview will not show it as
being transparent until the right color is selected.
For example, in the following image, you see that the watermark background is not
transparent and shows up as white on top of gray: . In order to make the
background transparent, white must be selected in the Color dialog box: .
Once a color is selected, it will display in the color preview box:

Underlay Use this option if you want to show the watermark as a translucent underlay under the video.
This option allows any action that occurs under the watermark to show through.
Emboss Image Use this option to create an underlay watermark effect that appears translucent and slightly
raised:
Direction The emboss direction refers to a shadow effect on the embossed image and a rough indication
of the direction of a light source. Use the Preview screen to see how the direction changes the
embossing effect. For example:
= Northeast
= South
Depth Changes how pronounced the embossing effect appears. For example:
= Depth of 226
= Depth of 981
Continue this topic with "Recorder Watermark Image Positioning" on page 87.

Recorder Watermark Image Positioning

The Image Positioning options allow you to choose exactly where your watermark image will be displayed on the
recording.
Image Positioning Options Description Table

The following tables describes each of the Image Positioning Effects options.
Image Positioning Description
Effects Option
Positioning Cluster Use the nine-button positioning cluster to select the position of the watermark within
the video frame.
Image Scale Changes how big the watermark image appears relative to the video frame size. 100%
means the watermark image completely covers the video frame. For example:
= 14%
= 30%
Horizontal Offset Changes the horizontal offset of the watermark image from the edge of the video frame.
You can use this option to refine the watermark positioning. Use the Preview screen to
see the offset effect.
Vertical Offset Changes the vertical offset of the watermark image from the edge of the video frame.
Use the Preview screen to see the offset effect.
Keep aspect ratio when Use this option to maintain horizontal and vertical size aspect ratio when scaling the
scaling watermark image. When selected, the watermark appears normal, not stretched or
distorted. Default setting is on.
Use smooth interpolated This option applies a smooth scaling algorithm to the watermark image for less
scaling jaggedness. Default setting is on. Turn this option off if it interferes with the
transparency of your watermark.

Recorder AVI Tab Settings

Overview
The AVI tab allows you to set preferences for your videos. While you can only record files as AVI in Recorder, you can
convert them to other output formats, including .WMV and RealVideo, using Producer.
AVI Tab Options Description Table

The following table describes each of the AVI tab options.
AVI Option Description
Auto Configure Enable this option to use the Recorder defaults. The program automatically determines the
best frame rate and compression to use. Clear the check mark in the Auto Configure field if
you would like to set your own AVI preferences.
Video Setup The Video Setup button gives you access to the Compression Settings dialog box. In this
dialog box you can set the compression options for the video.
For more information, see "Recorder AVI Video Setup Button" on page 90.
Frames/sec Enter the frame rate in frames/sec. While more frames per second usually produces smoother
videos, your resulting video file will be proportionally larger and more system resources will
be required to record the video.
Time-lapse capture Time-lapse capture mode allows you to capture one frame rate at a time and to playback at a
slower / faster rate. Time-lapse mode also supports very low capture and playback frame
rates.
Note: If Time-lapse capture is ON, audio recording is disabled. For more information, see
"Recorder AVI Time-Lapse Capture Setup Button" on page 92.


Time-lapse Setup The Time-lapse Setup button gives you access to the Time-Lapse Capture Setup dialog box.
In this dialog box you can set record and playback rate options. For more information, see
"Recorder AVI Time-Lapse Capture Setup Button" on page 92.
Audio Setup The Audio Setup button gives you access to the Audio Setup dialog box. In this dialog box
you can set record and playback rate options.
For more information, see "Recorder AVI Audio Setup Button" on page 93.
Interleave audio Interleaving the audio and video data allows it to playback smoothly when the video file is
every played from a slower device such as a floppy disk, or CD-ROM. The only reason to disable
interleaving would be to speed up video file "Rendering" time.
The box for Interleave audio every X video frames specifies how much to interleave audio
and video data. The lower the number specified for "X," the smoother the playback will be.
Interleaving every 1 video frame is full interleaving which always results in the smoothest
playback.
Frames Enter the number of frames that should play before interleaving occurs.
Interleaving with higher numbers of video frames results in progressively less interleaving
and potentially less smooth playback. However, the video file may be smaller with less
interleaving. This can be an important consideration for long videos with large pixel
dimensions and detail.
Seconds Enter the number of seconds that should play before interleaving occurs.
Interleaving with higher numbers of video frames results in progressively less interleaving
and potentially less smooth playback. However, the video file may be smaller with less
interleaving. This can be an important consideration for long videos with large pixel
dimensions and detail.
Audio Capture Use the dropdown menu to select the device that you want to use to record the audio.
Device Note: This is not the modem.
Volume Click on the Volume button to reveal a Record Control, where you can set recording volume
levels for the input device selected.
Description The Description box shows details about the selections you have made on this tab for the
audio and video options of the AVI files you are recording.
Continue this topic with "Recorder AVI Audio Setup Button" on page 93.

Recorder AVI Video Setup Button

Disabling the Auto Configure option on the AVI tab will enable the Video Setup button as seen in the graphic below.
The Video Setup button gives you access to the Video Compression Setup dialog box. In this dialog box you can set
video options such as the compressor or compression quality.
While the fields for each video compression may be similar, the default settings or availability of each of the fields on
this screen may change according to which compressor is selected from the drop-down menu.
The following table gives an overview of each of the fields found on the Video Compressor Setup dialog box. However,
it is important to note that not all of these options will be available with every compressor option that is selected. To
determine which options are available in conjunction with a particular compressor, select the desired compressor from
the dropdown menu.
Note: Only the Video Compression options for the TechSmith Screen Capture Codec will be covered in the scope of
the Recorder documentation.
Note: It is important to note that each compressor option will have its own unique configuration options. For more
information on each of those options, consult that specific company’s documentation. For information about a
particular company, select the compressor option from the dropdown menu and then choose the About button.
Video Compression Setup Field Description Table

The following table describes each of the Video Compression Setup options.
Video Compression Description
Setup Field
Compressor Dropdown selection box for choosing the desired compressor.
Compression Quality Some codecs are lossy, meaning that the type of compression algorithm used will sacrifice
image quality when it is applied to the image data. This can be configurable so that the
users gets to decide on making a smaller file and losing more quality, or a larger file with
better image quality.
This option is disabled when using the TSCC codec.
Key Frame Every Leave as default value.

Video Compression Description

Setup Field
Frames Leave as default value.
Data Rate Is the measurement of how much data can be transmitted over some period of time.
Generally this is measured kilobits per second.
KB/Sec This is Kilobytes per second. The number of bytes that can be transmitted or received in
one second. Note KB = kilobyte, not the general kilobits used for data transmission.
However there is no reason why you could not measure data transmission in bytes / second.
OK Once you have made your compressor selections choose OK to save the changes and exit
back to the AVI Preferences screen.
Cancel Choose Cancel to exit back to the AVI Preferences screen without making any changes to
the current settings.
Configure Choose this button to set configuration options for the selected compressor. For more
information on the configure options, see “Recorder AVI Configure” on page 91.
About Choose this button to display the version and copyright information pertaining to the
compressor option that is selected.
Recorder AVI Configure Button

Note: Only the configure options for the TechSmith Screen Capture Codec will be covered in the scope of the
Recorder documentation.
Note: It is important to note that each compressor option will have its own unique configuration options. For more
information on each of those options, consult that specific company’s documentation. For information about a
particular company, select the compressor option from the dropdown menu and then choose the About button.
The Configure button located on the Video Compression Setup dialog box allows you to customize the compression
setting for the TSCC codec.

Configure TSCC Options Description Table

The following table describes each of the Configure TSCC options.
Configure TSCC Description
Field
Compression Control This is a slider bar that allows you to choose faster compression but a larger file size vs.
slower compression with a smaller file size. In all cases, the TSCC video codec is 100%
lossless. Typically, you want faster compression during recording and a smaller file size
when producing/editing.
OK Choose OK to save your selections and to exit back to the Preferences AVI tab.
Cancel Choose Cancel to abandon your changes.
Default Resets to default configuration. These are the settings that were set when Camtasia Studio
was installed.
About Choose About to read the compressor’s maker and copyright information.
Recorder AVI Time-Lapse Capture Setup Button

Time-lapse capture mode allows you to capture at one frame rate and playback at a slower/faster rate. Time-lapse mode
also supports very low capture and playback frame rates.
Enabling the Time-lapse checkbox on the Preferences AVI tab will enable the Time-lapse Setup button as seen in the
graphic below.
Note: If the Time-lapse capture mode is on, the audio recording feature is disabled.
The Time-lapse Setup button gives you access to the Time-Lapse Capture Setup dialog box. In this dialog box you can
set record and playback rate options.

Since the Time-lapse mode supports very low capture and playback frame rates you can capture at one frame rate and
playback at a slower or faster rate.
Setting the timing to slow or very slow frame rates may be useful for setting up a "watching" application or capturing
program activities that require lengthy processing times.
Time-lapse Capture Setup Options Description Table

The following table describes each of the Time-lapse Capture Setup options.
Time-lapse Capture Description
Setup Field
AVI Capture Rate This controls the timing of the Recorder "snapshots" of individual frames to be included in
the video. Set the desired frame rate in terms of seconds, minutes, or hours.
AVI Playback Rate This controls how the AVI will play back. The playback rate is kept the same as the
capture rate by default, but you can use a faster playback rate to compress the timing,
length, and file size of the video. Set the desired playback rate in terms of seconds,
minutes, or hours.
OK Choose OK to save the changes on the Setup dialog and exit back out to the Preferences
dialog box.
Cancel Choose Cancel to abandon your changes
Default Choose Default to set the frame rate to Recorder default setting, 5 fps.
Recorder AVI Audio Setup Button

The Audio Setup options allow you to set the audio format for videos that you capture while recording audio. To use this
feature, you must have a sound card with a microphone attached.
To access the Audio Setup options, click on the Audio Setup button found on the Preferences AVI tab.
Note: If the Time-lapse capture mode is enabled, the audio recording feature will be disabled.

The Audio Format dialog box will display.
Audio Format Options Description Table

The following table describes each of the Audio Format options.
Audio Format Description
Field
Name This box lists the name, if there is one, of the Audio Format you select or save. This
allows you to choose an audio format using a simple understandable name. There are
usually several names already assigned.
For example, on most computers you can select Radio Quality in the Name list box,
instead of the more cryptic 22.050kHz, 16 Bit, Mono in the Attributes list. These would be
the same because they have the same audio format and attributes.
Save As Add an audio format name using the Save As button

Remove Remove an existing audio format name using the Remove button.
Format Select an audio file format from the Format dropdown menu. Refer to the file type
provider for information about the individual selections.
Attributes Select the audio Attributes from the dropdown menu. The higher the KB/s number, the
larger your files will be.
OK Choose OK to save the Audio Format selections.
Cancel Choose Cancel to abandon any changes you made in this dialog.

ScreenPad
Overview
ScreenPad is a tool in Camtasia Recorder that lets you add various annotations while you are recording your video.
Annotations include pre-made or user-created shapes or text boxes that are stored in ScreenPad libraries. By dragging
and dropping one of these library annotations onto your screen, you are create an "instance" of that annotation.
Once you have your ScreenPad annotations arranged on the screen just the way you want them, you can save them as a
layout. A layout is simply an arrangement of one or more annotations. They are saved in the "Layouts" tab of the
ScreenPad window. Whenever you open a layout, all images appear in the same position on the screen. For instance, if
you combined the company's name and logo in a layout - they will always be placed on your screen in the same position.
You can assign hotkeys to the layouts allowing you to cycle smoothly through them during recording without ever
interrupting the creation of the video clip.
The following chapter teaches you how to create and use ScreenPad annotations in your video production. ScreenPad is
accessed from within Recorder by going to View > ScreenPad.
Getting Familiar with the ScreenPad Screen
The ScreenPad screen has a very intuitive, easy to use interface. When you first startup ScreenPad, you will be in the
default normal view. Below, you will find an overview of the components of ScreenPad’s normal view. Before you
begin your work within ScreenPad, take a few minutes to get familiar with the ScreenPad screen.
www.techsmith.com ScreenPad • 95
ScreenPad Menus
Overview
The following chapter discusses each of the ScreenPad menus found in the ScreenPad menu bar.
ScreenPad File Menu

The File menu options allow you to access the new, open, and close options as well as the existing libraries that came
with ScreenPad.
To select a File option, choose the desired option from the dropdown
menu.
Options that give you access to more detailed menus will contain a small
arrow next to them. Click on the menu option containing the arrow to
reveal the other options as seen below:
File Options Description Table

The following table describes each of the File options.
File Option Description
New Creates a new Layout Library, Shape Library, or Text Note Library. Libraries are used to
store your shapes, text notes, or layouts. To create a new library, select desired library
format from menu and then name the library. The new library will be added to the
ScreenPad.
Open Open an existing Layout Library, Shape Library, or Text Note Library.
Close Closes selected Layout, Shapes, or Text libraries.
Layouts Opens a Layout library. Once a Layout library is opened, each layout will display as an icon
in the Layout view as seen in the following graphic.
96 • ScreenPad www.techsmith.com

My Shapes Opens a Shapes library in the Shapes view. Once a Shapes library is opened, each of the
shapes will display in the Shapes view as seen in the following graphic.
My Text Notes Opens a Text Note library in the Text Note view. Once a Text Note library is opened, each
of the notes will display as an icon in the Text Notes view as seen in the following graphic.
Close ScreenPad Closes the ScreenPad.
Continue this topic with "ScreenPad Edit Menu" on page 98.
ScreenPad Edit Menu

The Edit menu options allow you to access the editing features and ancillary applications that can be used to edit an
annotation. There are two different ancillary editing applications that can accessed; the Image Editor and the Icon Editor.
Note: For more information on editing images with the Image Editor, continue with the chapter entitled "Working
with ScreenPad Shapes" on page 102.
Note: For more information on editing icons with the Icon Editor, continue with the chapter entitled "Working with
ScreenPad Library Icons" on page 130.
The edit options that are available for the selected annotation will change according to which library annotation is
selected. For example, when an annotation in a Shapes library is selected, you will get the edit options available for
Shapes. The same edit options can be accessed through a popup menu by right-clicking on an annotation.
Additionally, the available edit options will also change depending on if you are editing an annotation from within a
library or from the desktop. For more information on this topic, see "Working with ScreenPad Shapes" on page 102.
To select an Edit option, first choose the desired annotation from one of the Libraries. Next, choose Edit and choose the
desired option from the dropdown menu.
Edit Options Description Table

The following table describes each of the Edit options.
Edit Option View Where Description
Available
Copy Layouts Copies the selection to the clipboard.
My Shapes
My Text Notes
Paste Layouts Pastes the clipboard contents into the library.
My Shapes
My Text Notes
Remove Layouts Will delete the selected item.
My Shapes
My Text Notes
New Shape My Shapes Inserts a new shape into the New Shape Library. For more
information, see "Working with ScreenPad Shapes" on page 102.
Edit Option View Where Description

Available
New Text Note My Text Notes Inserts a new text Note into the Text Note Library. For more
information, see "Working with ScreenPad Text Notes" on page
120.
Edit Image My Shapes Allows you to edit the graphic associated with the selected shape.
For more information, see "Editing a ScreenPad Image" on page
115.
Edit Text Note My Text Notes Allows you to edit the text in the selected text note. For more
information, see "Editing a ScreenPad Library Text Note" on
page 125 and "Editing an Instance of a ScreenPad Text Note" on
page 127.
Save Layout Layouts Saves the current configuration of annotations as a layout.
My Shapes
My Text Notes
Icon Layouts Allows you to either change the annotation’s icon to a different one
My Shapes or edit the annotation’s icon using the Icon Editor. For more
information on the Icon Editor, see “Working with ScreenPad
My Text Notes Library Icon” on page 130.
ScreenPad View Menu

The View options allow you to choose how you will display the annotations within the Libraries. To select a View
option, select the option from the dropdown menu.

The following table describes each of the View options.
View Option View Where Description
Available
Icons and Names All Enable this option if you would like to view the icon and the name
of the annotation within the Library view.
Icons Only All Enable this option if you would only like to see the annotation icons
displayed.
Names Only All Enable this option if you would only like to see the annotation
names displayed.
Close All Annotations All Closes all open annotations on the desktop.
Refresh All Annotations All Refreshes all open annotations on the desktop.
Continue this topic with "ScreenPad Options Menu" on page 100.
ScreenPad Options Menu
The Options menu allows you to set the Layout hotkeys .
Layout Hotkeys
Once the Hotkeys option is selected, the ScreenPad Hotkeys dialog box displays. While recording your video, the Layout
hotkeys will enable you to quickly change layouts without having to pause the recording process in order to close one
layout and then open another.
For example, you can start recording with no annotation layouts visible. Then, at a predetermined point during recording,
use the Show/Hide Layout Hotkey to show the first layout. Then, using the Next or Previous Layout Hotkeys, you can
cycle through a set of layouts that illustrate the action on screen in real time. Use the Show/Hide Layout Hotkey again to
make them disappear.
Layout Hotkeys Options Description Table

The following table describes each of the Layout hotkey options.
Hotkey Name Description
Next Layout Hotkey Closes the current layout and opens the next layout in the list.
Previous Layout Hotkey Closes the current layout and opens the previous layout used.
Show/Hide Layout Hotkey Shows or Hides the currently selected layout.

Enabling the Layout Hotkeys
Note: Hotkeys are global to all applications running on your system. If Recorder is running and you are working
in another application such as Microsoft Word, and you press F9 to update your fields (assuming you haven't
changed the Recorder’s default Record/Pause hotkey) then your system will act as if you pressed the record
button in Camtasia which will begin the recording process.
Note: When setting the hotkeys for the layouts, keep in mind that the default hotkeys for Recorder are as follows:
F9 is the hotkey for Record/Pause
F10 is the default hotkey for Stop
Therefore, you will want to set your layout hotkeys to be different from these defaults to avoid any confusion.
Note: If Recorder is not running, then the Recorder Hotkeys have no effect on any other application that is running.
Note: When creating your hotkeys, it would not be a good idea to set the hotkeys to something like the letter 'A' as a
hotkey by itself (although we let you do this) since you might be typing in Microsoft Word and Camtasia would
keep trying to record every time you press the letter 'A'. Overall, when creating hotkeys, it is better to select a
keystroke combination that is more obscure (such as Ctrl+Shift+A).
To use the <CTRL>, <Shift>, or <Alt> keys either singly or in combination with one another, click inside the box next to
the desired key. A checkmark will appear next to the key that is enabled.
To select any other key to use with this hotkey, select the desired key from the dropdown list.
Overall, the hotkey represented in the graphic above is <Ctrl> + <Alt> + <N>. Every time this keystroke is pressed while
Recorder is running the current layout will change to the next layout in the library.

Working with ScreenPad Shapes

Overview
ScreenPad comes with a Shapes library called My Shapes. In this library you will find some basic shapes like sticky
notes, callouts, boxes etc.
When talking about a shape, it is important to understand that a shape consists of several different attributes. These are
the graphic image of the shape, the shape’s size, the text found within the shape, and the opacity of the shape. Using
ScreenPad’s built in editing features, each of these individual attributes are able to be customized in order to give you the
exact look that you desire for your video.
When working with shapes, you can:
• Organize your shapes by creating new libraries.
• Create a new shape from an imported GIF, BMP or JPEG image.
• Make part of a shape transparent.
• Define the opacity of the shape.
• Design and draw your own shapes on a blank canvas.
• Add text to shapes.
• Edit a shape’s color or add annotations such as lines, rectangles, etc.
Creating a New Shape

The following instructions will take you through the process of creating a ‘blank’ shape. A blank shape is simply an
opaque white shape that has not had any image, text, or opacity editing done to it. Overall, creating a blank shape is the
first step that is required when wanting to create any shape from scratch (versus importing a ready-made image to use for
a shape). Once a blank shape is created, you can save it as-is or edit its different attributes.
To create a new shape:
1. From within Recorder, select menu options View > ScreenPad or click the ScreenPad icon on the toolbar. The
ScreenPad appears.
2. Select the Library in which you want to add the new shape. If you have not created any other libraries, then
there will only be one library: My Shapes.
3. Right-click over an existing shape in the library and select New Shape or choose Edit > New Shape.
4. The New Annotation dialog box appears.

5. Enter the Name of the new shape in the Name field: . The name
given here will be displayed in the library.
6. Make sure the Blank radio button is selected: .
7. Set the shape dimensions (in pixels): . If you don’t know the exact size
right now, this can be changed later. See "Working with ScreenPad Shapes" on page 102.
8. If you would like to add a text caption to the inside of the shape, type it in the text box:
9. Click OK. The new shape is created and displayed on the screen. The shape is also added to the ScreenPad
library.
Creating a New ScreenPad Shape from an Existing Image File

The ScreenPad allows you to import images (GIF, BMP or JPEG) to use when creating new shapes. When an existing
image is imported into ScreenPad, it becomes a shape, taking on all of the attributes of a shape. These attributes include
the graphic image (what you are importing), the size, the text found within the shape, and the opacity of the shape. Once
an image is used to create a shape, you can save it as-is or edit its individual attributes.
To create a shape from an existing file:
1. From within Recorder, select menu options View > ScreenPad or click the ScreenPad icon on the toolbar. The
ScreenPad appears.
2. Select the Library in which you want to import the new shape. If you have not created any other libraries, then
there will only be one library: My Shapes.
3. Right-click over an existing shape and select New Shape or choose Edit > New Shape. The New Annotation
dialog appears.
4. Enter the Name of the shape in the Name field: . The name
given here will be displayed in the library.
5. To import an image, make sure the Image File button is selected. Once you enable the Image File option, you
will be able to browse for the desired file. To browse for the file, click on the Folder Icon . Once you find
the correct image, click on the Open button. The file will be updated to the Image File field as seen here:
.
6. If you would like to add a text caption to the shape, type it in the text box.

7. Click OK. The new shape is created and displayed on the screen. The shape is also added to the ScreenPad
library:
Editing a ScreenPad Library Shape

Overview
Note: There are two ways that you can edit a shape: from within a library or by individual ‘instance’. Editing a library
shape saves the changes to be used in every instance of that shape. Editing an instance saves changes to that one
occurrence and does not affect the shape in the library.
A shape consists of several different attributes: image, size, text, and level of opacity. Each of these attributes can be
edited in a number of different ways, giving you total control over how your shapes and subsequent layouts will appear
in your video.
When editing a shape from within a library, the changes that you make to the shape will be saved as that shape and any
new instances that you drag from the library will then show the new appearance. For example: You changed the color of
a callout inside the library from yellow to blue. All new callouts dragged onto the screen will be blue. Therefore, if you
want the edits to effect each instance of the shape, make your edits to the shape from within a library.
To edit a shape from within a library, right-click on the shape within the library. A pop-up menu will display.

Library Shape Popup Menu Description Table

The following table describes each of the Library shape’s popup menu options.
Option Name Description
New Shape Opens the New Shape dialog for creating a blank shape.
Edit Image Opens the Image editor for making changes to the shape’s image. For more information, see
"Working with ScreenPad Shapes" on page 102.
Edit Text Opens the Text Tool for adding text to the shape. For more information, see "Editing a
ScreenPad Shape’s Text" on page 107.
Edit Opacity Opens the Opacity Settings dialog box for setting the level of opacity. For more information, see
"Editing a ScreenPad Shape’s Opacity & Transparency" on page 110.
Copy Copies the selected shape to the clipboard for use within ScreenPad. The shape can then be pasted
into the same library or a different one.
Paste Pastes the contents of the clipboard into the current library or, you can choose another library and
paste the shape into it.
Remove Deletes the selected shape from the library.
Icon Allows you to change a shape’s icon (how it appears in the library) to an existing icon file or
opens the icon editor where you can edit the shape’s icon. For more information, see "Working
with ScreenPad Library Icons" on page 130.
Shape Library Allows you to create a new Shape library. For more information, see "Working with ScreenPad
Shapes" on page 102.
Editing a ScreenPad Instance of a Shape

Note: There are two ways that you can edit a shape: from within a library or by individual ‘instance’. Editing a library
shape saves the changes to be used in every instance of that shape. Editing an instance saves changes to that one
occurrence and does not affect the shape in the library.
You can edit an individual instance or occurrences of a shape that has been dragged and dropped on the screen. When
editing an instance of a shape, the properties of the original shape in the library will not be affected by the changes. The
next time you drag an instance from the same shape, it will appear in the original format. Overall, if you just want to edit
one instance of a shape, make your edits to the shape using the desktop instance.
To edit a shape using the desktop instance, drag and drop an instance to the desktop. Right-click on the instance. A pop-
up menu will display.

Instance Shape Popup Menu Description Table

The following table describes each of the Instance shape’s popup menu options.
Edit Text Opens the Text Tool for adding text to the shape. For more information, see "Editing a
ScreenPad Shape’s Text" on page 107.
Edit Image Opens the Image editor for making changes to the shape’s image. For more information, see
"Working with ScreenPad Shapes" on page 102.
Edit Opacity Opens the Opacity Settings dialog box for setting the level of opacity. For more information,
see "Working with ScreenPad Shapes" on page 102 and "Editing a ScreenPad Shape’s
Opacity & Transparency" on page 110.
Resize Opens the Resize Annotation dialog box for resizing the shape. To resize, open the Resize
Annotation dialog box.
Use the arrow buttons to increase or decrease the horizontal or vertical size.
Enable the Keep Scale Factors option to keep the shape’s scaled to size as either the
horizontal or vertical size is changed.
As the resizing is taking place, you will not be able to see the shape. If you would like to see
the shape as you resize, use the resize options in the Edit Text dialog box.
Clone Copies and pastes the selected shape onto the desktop. To clone a shape, right-click on the
shape and choose Clone from the pop-up menu. The new shape will be displayed on the
desktop.
Save Saves and updates changes to the original shape in the library.
Save Layout Saves current arrangement of annotations as a layout in the Layout library. You will be
prompted for a new layout name: .

Close Closes selected shape.
Close All Annotations Closes all open shapes on desktop.

Editing a ScreenPad Shape’s Text

Note: You can also use the Edit Text dialog box to resize a shape. This will help you adjust the shape to fit the shape’s
text. Or, you can use the resize options to resize a shape even if it does not have text.
To add text to a shape or to edit a shape’s existing text, either double-click on the shape or right-click on the shape.
From the right-click pop-up menu, choose Edit Text. The Edit Text tool box will display.

To add text, simply begin typing in the Text Tool display area. As you add or make changes to your text, you will be
able to see the changes as they appear in your shape.
Once you have made all of your changes, choose OK to save and update the changes to the shape.
If the shape was edited from the library, each instance that is created from this shape will contain these changes.
If the shape was edited using an instance on the desktop, only this one instance will contain the changes.
For more information on this topic, continue with "ScreenPad Edit Text Options Description Table" on page 108.
ScreenPad Edit Text Options Description Table

The following table describes each of the Edit Text options along with its use.
Button Option Description Use
None Text Display The area of the Edit Text tool that When you first open the Edit Text tools, the
Field allows you to enter the desired text. cursor will be flashing in the text display
area. At this time, simply enter the desired
text. As you type, you will see the text as it
appears in the shape.
Or, if at any time during the course of your
work the cursor is not in the text display area
and you need to add text, simply click on the
display area and then begin typing.
Font Displays the standard Windows To change the font attributes, click on the
font dialog box allowing you to Font button. The Font Dialog box displays.
change the font type, size, color,
etc.


Font: To change the font, select the new font
from the font list.
Font Style: To change the font style, select
the desired style from the list.
Size: To change the font size, select the new
size from the list.
Effects: To apply any effects, enable the
desired effect by clicking on the
corresponding box.
Color: To change the font color, click on the
Color button. Choose desired color from
dropdown menu.
Sample: This area will give you a preview of
the changes made to the font.
OK: Choose OK to save and update changes.
Cancel: Choose Cancel to exit the Font
dialog box without making any changes.
Left Justified Left justifies the text in the shape. Click on the Left Justified button to move all
text to the left justified position.
Center Justified Centers the text in the middle of the Click on the Center Justified button to move
shape. all text to the center justified position.
Right Justified Right justifies the text in the shape. Click on the Right Justified button to move
all text to the right justified position.
Bold Applies bold attribute to all text. Click on the Bold button to apply the bold
attribute to all of the text.
Italic Applies italic attribute to all text. Click on the Italic button to apply the italic
Underline Applies underline attribute to all Click on the Underline button to apply the
text. underline attribute to all of the text.
Scale Image Resize the shape horizontally. To resize the shape, grab the slider bar and
Horizontal move up or down. You will be able to see a
preview of the resizing on the desktop.
Scale Image Resize the shape vertically. To resize the shape, grab the slider bar and
Vertical move up or down. You will be able to see a
preview of the resizing on the desktop.
Keep Scale When resizing, keeps the shape To enable this feature, click on the
Factors Equal proportionally intact by sizing both corresponding box. When enabled, a
horizontal and vertical at the same checkmark will display.
time.
OK Saves and updates changes to shape Click on OK button.
– either in the library or for an
instance.
Cancel Cancels any changes to the shape. Click on the cancel button.
Continue this topic with "Editing a ScreenPad Shape’s Opacity & Transparency" on page 110.

Editing a ScreenPad Shape’s Opacity & Transparency

This section describes the differences between Opacity and Transparency and how to apply these attributes to a shape.
ScreenPad's Opacity Overview

Opacity is the attribute that allows your shape to be solid (showing none of the desktop behind it) or to have varying
degrees of transparency (the ability to see part of the desktop through the image). When applying opacity to a shape, the
entire shape is effected. An example of the use of this attribute is shown in the following graphics.
Continue this topic with "Applying ScreenPad's Opacity to a Shape" on page 111.

Applying ScreenPad's Opacity to a Shape

To edit a shape’s opacity, right-click on the shape. From the pop-up menu, choose Edit Opacity. The Opacity Settings
dialog box will display.
To adjust the amount of opacity that is applied to the shape, grab the slider bar and move up toward more opaque (solid)
or down toward less opaque (transparent). As the slider bar is moved, you will see the percentage of opaqueness shown
in the percentage field. Additionally, you will be able to see the shape as the changes are taking place.
Once you have made all of your changes, choose OK to save and update the changes to the shape.
ScreenPad's Transparency Overview

The Transparency attribute is very similar to the opacity attribute. However, when using the transparency attribute, you
can define particular colors to become transparent on the screen. This allows you to give your shapes the illusion that
they are floating over the items on the desktop.
An example of this attribute is shown in the following graphics.

Applying ScreenPad's Transparency to a Shape

To edit a shape’s transparency, right-click on the shape. From the pop-up menu, choose Edit Image. The Edit Image tool
box will display.
Note: Only the tool needed to add transparency will be described within this process. For a complete explanation of
all of the editing tools, see "ScreenPad Image Editor" on page 115.
Overall, there are two ways to apply transparency to your shape.

Method 1
1. Click on the Color Select tool .

2. Right-click on the color on the image that you want to select as the transparency color. Use the magnifying
glass to enlarge the image if you need to in order to see the colors clearly. As soon as you right-click on the
color the transparency area will be applied immediately.
3. The shape’s image in the preview window will change to reflect your choice. The color that is to become
transparent will now appear gray. For this example, we chose to make the white transparent.
4. Once you have made all of your changes, choose OK to save and update the transparency changes to the shape.
Note: To undo transparency once you have applied it, click on the Transparency Color tool in the Edit Image
dialog box and select none from the color menu. The color will be restored.
Method 2
1. Click on the down arrow next to the Transparency Color tool to reveal the color chart.
2. From the color chart, select the color that you want to become transparent.

3. The shape’s image in the preview window will change to reflect your choice. The color that is to become
transparent will now appear gray. For this example, we chose to make the white transparent.
4. Once you have made all of your changes, choose OK to save and update the changes to the shape. If the shape
was edited from the library, each instance that is created from this shape will contain these changes. If the shape
was edited using an instance on the desktop, only this one instance will contain the changes.
Note: To undo transparency once you have applied it, click on the Transparency tool and select none
from the color menu. The color will be restored.

Editing a ScreenPad Image

Overview
The graphic part of a shape is called an image. The image can either be a blank shape or an image that has been imported
from a file. For more information on blank shapes and importing images, see "Working with ScreenPad Shapes" on
page 102.
The image is able to be edited using ScreenPad’s build-in Image editor. This section describes each of the edit features
along with instructions on their use.
ScreenPad Image Editor

Overview
The ScreenPad’s Image Editor is a very powerful and useful tool for making changes to your shape’s image and such as
adding graphical annotations, erasing parts of the image, resizing, changing colors, and more.
To edit a shape’s image, right-click on the shape. From the pop-up menu, choose Edit Image. The Edit Image tool box
will display.
Edit Image Tools Description Table

The following table describes each of the Edit tools along with its use.
Button Name Description Use
Zoom Slider Adjust the view zoom level to any Grab the slider and move up or down until the
magnification. desired magnification is reached.
Cut Cut or delete the selected area from
the drawing. First use the Select tool to choose the area
to be deleted. Once selected, click on the Cut
tool.


Copy Copy the selected area to the
clipboard for pasting. First use the Select tool to choose the area
to be copied. Once selected, click on the Copy
tool.
Paste Paste the contents of the clipboard to
the image. This will only paste First use the Select tool to choose the area
content that has been copied to the to be copied. Once selected, click on the Copy
clipboard from within the Image
editor. tool . Click on the Paste tool. The selection
will be pasted into the image directly over the
area from where it was copied. Grab the
selection and move to desired location.
Clear Deletes or clears the entire image Click on the Clear tool. The image will be
area. removed.
Undo Undo the most recent change to the Click on the Undo tool.
drawing.
Redo Redo a change that has been undone. Click on the Redo tool right after you have
clicked the Undo tool.
Magnify Magnify the selected area. Click on the Magnify tool and then click on the
image. Each time you click on the image it will
magnify. Right-click on the image to reduce
size.
Size to fit Change the view size of the drawing Click on the Size to Fit Window. The image
Window to fit the Image Editor window size. will be resized to fit the window either
horizontally or vertically, depending on the
dimensions of the shape.
This option does not change the actual size of
the image. It is only the display size that is
changed.
Once you have resized the display size of your
shape, if you want to return the shape to it’s
previous display size, use the magnification
scroll bar to adjust to desired display size.
Resize Resize the drawing to specific pixel Click on the Resize tool to display Resize
dimensions. Also, change the color toolbox.
depth of the drawing. Width: Enter the desired width in pixels.
Height: Enter the desired height in pixels.
Crop to Selection Rectangle: You can use the
Select tool to select the size you would like to
crop the image to. Once the desired size is
selected, choose the Resize tool and then click
on the Crop to Selection Rectangle option.
Colors: Select the desired color palette from
the dropdown list.
OK: Choose OK to save resize changes and
update to the Image Editor.
Cancel: Choose Cancel to abort any changes.
Note: This same resize option is available to


you by right-clicking on the shape either from
within the library or on the desktop and
choosing Resize.
Note: You can also size your shape by right-
clicking on the shape either from within the
library or on the desktop and choosing Edit
Text. Use the slider bars to change the size of
the image.
Select Area Select a rectangular area of the Select the Select Area tool and then drag the
drawing for editing or manipulation desired area on the image with the mouse.
using the other tools. Release the mouse when desired area has been
selected.
Use the handles on the selected area to fine
tune the selection by dragging a handle in any
direction.
Move the selection by grabbing the selection
with the mouse and dragging to new location.
Select Color Picks up a color from the image for For Drawing: Select the Select Color tool and
drawing or adding transparency. then click on an area of the image to select the
desired color. The foreground color tool will
change to reflect choice .
At this time, you can use the drawing tools to
add annotations drawn in the selected color.
For Transparency: Right-click over an area to
select the transparency color. The transparency
area will be applied immediately.
Flood Fill Quickly fills a selected area with the Click the paint can, then click an area of the
desired color. drawing to pour the color into.
Add Text Add text over the image. Once text is Click on the Add Text tool. The Text Tool
added to a shape’s image and the dialog box displays.
image is saved, you cannot edit the Enter the desired text and then select the font
text later. attributes. For more information on each of the
font attributes, see "ScreenPad Text Note
Dialog Box" on page 122.
Air Brush Adds selected color in random Select the desired color and then click on the
patterns to the image. Air Brush tool. To spray the color in random
patterns, click down on the image with the
mouse and drag the mouse around the image.
Release mouse when finished.
Erase Erases an area of the image. The Select the desired eraser width from the Eraser
Eraser Width is adjustable.
Width tool and then click on the Eraser
tool. To erase a small portion of the image,
click once with the mouse on the section to be
erased or for a larger area, click down on the
image with the mouse and drag the mouse
around the image. Release mouse when
finished.


Pen Draw a line freehand in the drawing Select the desired line width from the Pen
area. Line width is set with the Pen
Width tool. Width tool and then click on the Freehand
Draw tool. To draw, click down on the image
with the mouse and drag the mouse across the
image. Release mouse when finished.
Line Draw a straight line in the drawing Select the desired line width from the Pen
area. Line width is set with the Pen
Width tool. Width tool and then click on the Line
tool. To draw, click down on the image with
the mouse and drag the mouse across the
Eraser Width Use this tool to set the size of the To set the eraser width, click on the small
Freehand Eraser tool.
arrow on the Eraser Width tool to reveal
the size menu:
Use the mouse to click on the desired size.

Pen Width Use this button to set the pixel width To set the pen width, click on the small arrow
of freehand lines, straight lines, and
shapes. on the Pen Width tool to reveal the size
menu:
Use the mouse to click on the desired size.

Rectangle Draw a rectangle shape in the Select the desired line width from the Pen
drawing area.
Width tool and then click on the
Rectangle tool. To draw, click down on the
across the image. Release mouse when
finished.
Rounded Draw a rounded rectangle shape in Select the desired line width from the Pen
Rectangle the drawing area.
Width tool and then click on the Rounded
Rectangle tool. To draw, click down on the
finished.


Ellipse Draw an ellipse (circle or oval) in the Select the desired line width from the Pen
drawing area.
Width tool and then click on the Ellipse
tool. To draw, click down on the image with
the mouse and drag the mouse across the
Filled Draw a filled rectangle shape in the Choose the desired color using the Foreground
Rectangle drawing area using the foreground Color tool. Select the desired line width from
color.
the Pen Width tool and then click on the
Filled Rectangle tool. To draw, click down on
the image with the mouse and drag the mouse
finished.
Filled Draw a filled rounded rectangle Choose the desired color using the Foreground
Rounded shape in the drawing area. Color tool. Select the desired line width from
Rectangle
Filled Rounded Rectangle tool. To draw, click
down on the image with the mouse and drag the
mouse across the image. Release mouse when
finished.
Filled Ellipse Draw a filled ellipse (circle or oval) Choose the desired color using the Foreground
in the drawing area. Color tool. Select the desired line width from

Filled Ellipse tool. To draw, click down on the
finished.
Foreground Displays the color to be used with Click the down arrow to select the color, or use
Color the paint and drawing tools. the eyedropper and left-click over the image to
select the foreground color to be used with any
paint or drawing tool.
Transparency Displays the color to be used as Click the down arrow to select the color, or use
Color transparent. the eyedropper and right-click over the image
to select the color that will be used as
transparent.
OK Saves and updates changes to image.. Once you have made all of your changes,
If the shape was edited from the choose OK to save and update the changes to
library, each instance that is created the shape.
from this shape will contain these
changes.
If the shape was edited using an
instance on the desktop, only this one
instance will contain the changes.
Cancel Cancels all changes to image. Choose Cancel to abandon all changes to the
image.

Working with ScreenPad Text Notes

Overview
A Text Note is an annotation that only contains text, no image. However, Text Notes can contain special types of borders
and the Text Note’s background color, font, font color, font size, etc can be customized.
The following graphic gives you an idea of the difference in looks between a shape that contains text and a Text Note.
ScreenPad comes with a Text Notes library called My Text Notes. In this library you will find some basic notes to add to
your video. You can create more notes and add them to this library or to a new library.
When talking about a text note, it is important to understand that a text note consists of several different attributes. These
are the text within the note, the note’s size, the text note’s graphical settings, and the opacity of the Text Note.
Using ScreenPad’s built in editing features, each of these individual attributes are able to be customized in order to give
you the exact look you desire for your video.
When working with Text Notes, you can:
• Create a new note in the library.
• Create an instance of a text note.
• Organize your notes by creating new libraries.
• Define the opacity of the note.
• Add and edit text.
• Edit a note’s border, font, or colors.
Continue "Creating a New ScreenPad Library Text Note" on page 121.

Creating a New ScreenPad Library Text Note

The following instructions will take you through the process of creating a new text note.
There are two ways that you can edit a text note: from within a library or by individual ‘instance’. This section describes
creating a new library Text Note.
To create a new text note:

1. From within Recorder, select menu options View > ScreenPad. The ScreenPad appears.
2. Select the Library in which you want to add the new text note. If you have not created any other libraries, then
there will only be one notes library: My Text Notes.
3. Right-click over an existing note in the library and select New Text Note or choose Edit > New Text Note.
4. The New Text Note dialog box appears
.
5. Enter the text and select each of the desired attributes of this text box. For information on each of the Text Note
options, see "ScreenPad Text Note Dialog Box" on page 122.
6. Once you have made all of your changes, choose OK to save and update the changes to the text box.
Continue this topic with "ScreenPad Text Note Dialog Box" on page 122.

ScreenPad Text Note Dialog Box

The following section describes the options found in the Text Note dialog box. This dialog box is accessed when you are
performing the following processes:
1. Creating a new library text note.
2. Editing an existing library text note.
3. Editing an instance of a text note.
This dialog box is accessed in several ways depending on the desired text note process:
• Right-click on library note and choose New Text Note from the popup menu.
• Right-click on library note and choose Edit Text Note from the popup menu.
• Right-click on an instance of a library note and choose Edit Settings from the popup menu.
• Highlight a library note and choose Edit > New Text Note
• Highlight a library note and choose Edit > Edit Text Note
• When in edit mode inside an instance of a text note, right-click and choose Settings from the popup menu.
Note: The title on the Text Note dialog box will differ slightly according to which process you are involved in. For
instance, you may see 'new' or 'edit' on the title bar in addition to the Text Note title as seen in the following
graphics.
-OR-
Note: After you have reviewed this information, continue this topic with "Editing a ScreenPad Library Text Note" on
page 125.

Text Note Dialog Box Description Table

The following table describes each of the options found in the Text Note dialog box along with its use.
Text Display The area of the Edit Text tool When you first open the New Text Note dialog
Field that allows you to enter the box, the cursor will be flashing in the text display
desired text. area. At this time, simply enter the desired text. As
you type, you will see the text as it appears in the
text note.
Or, if at any time during the course of your work
the cursor is not in the text display area and you
need to add text, simply click on the display area
and then begin typing.
Font Displays the standard Windows To change the font attributes, click on the Font
font dialog box allowing you to button. The Font Dialog box displays.
change the font type, size, color, Font: To change the font, select the new font from
etc. the font list.
Font Style: To change the font style, select the
desired style from the list.
Size: To change the font size, select the new size
from the list.
Sample: This area will give you a preview of the
changes made to the font.
Cancel: Choose Cancel to exit the Font dialog box
without making any changes.
Left Justified Horizontally left justifies the text Click on the Left Justified button to move all text
in the text box. to the left justified position.
Center Horizontally centers the text in Click on the Center Justified button to move all
Justified the middle of the text box. text to the center justified position.
Right Justified Horizontally right justifies the Click on the Right Justified button to move all text
text in the text box. to the right justified position.
Top Justified Vertically top justifies the text in Click on the Top button to move all text to the top
the text box. justified position.
Middle Vertically middle justifies the Click on the Middle button to move all text to the
Justified text in the text box. middle justified position.
Bottom Vertically bottom justifies the Click on the Bottom button to move all text to the
Justified text in the text box. bottom justified position.
Bold Applies bold attribute to all text. Click on the Bold button to apply the bold attribute
to all of the text.
Italic Applies italic attribute to all text. Click on the Italic button to apply the italic
Underline Applies underline attribute to all Click on the Underline button to apply the
text. underline attribute to all of the text.
Word Wrap Wraps the text in the text box.
This allows the text box to be Word Wrap is turned on by default.


sized and the text flows To disable the Word Wrap feature, click in the
accordingly. Word Wrap box. When disabled, the checkmark is
If the text is not wrapped, then it removed from the box. When enabled, a
is strung out in one long line. checkmark will display.
Then, if the text box is resized,
the text may be cut off.
None Text Color Opens Color dialog box for Click on the Color box next to the words ‘Text
selecting desired text color.
color’ .
The Color dialog box will display. Use the mouse
to select the desired color. When color is selected,
choose OK, it will be updated to the Color box:
. The text in the

text display area will also be updated with the
color:
None Bkgd Color Opens Color dialog box for Click on the Color box next to the words ‘Bkgd
selecting desired background
color. color’ .
The Color dialog box will display. Use the mouse
to select the desired color. When color is selected,
choose OK, it will be updated to the Color box:
. The background
in the text display area will also be updated with
the color:
None Width Determines the width of the text Enter the desired size by increasing or decreasing
box. the size using the arrow buttons.
If you don’t know the size that you want, the text
box width can be manually resized on the desktop
by pulling the border of the text box either to the
left or to the right.
If an instance of a text box is resized while on the
desktop and you want to permanently save that
size for use later, right-click on the text box and
choose Save. The text box in the library is updated.
Height Determines the height of the text Enter the desired size by increasing or decreasing
box. the size using the arrow buttons.
If you don’t know the size that you want, the text
box width can be manually resized on the desktop
by pulling the border of the text box either to the
left or to the right.


If an instance of a text box is resized while on the
desktop and you want to permanently save that
size for use later, right-click on the text box and
choose Save. The text box in the library is updated.
Frame Style Allows you to choose the look of Click on the down arrow next to the Style field to
the frame surrounding the text reveal the dropdown menu
box.
. Use the mouse to
select the desired border from the list.
Frame Width Determines the width of the text Enter the desired size by increasing or decreasing
box frame. the size using the arrow buttons.
Frame Color Some frames are able to have Click on the Color box next to the word Color
their colors changed. If the frame
that you have selected is able to .
have the color changed, the The Color dialog box will display. Use the mouse
Color field will become enabled. to select the desired color. When color is selected,
Click on the Color field to open choose OK, it will be updated to the Color box:
the Color dialog box for
selecting desired frame color.
Default Resets all of the selected options Click on the Default button.
back to the ScreenPad’s default
values.
OK Saves and updates changes to Click on OK button.
shape – either in the library or
for an instance.
Cancel Cancels any changes to the Click on the cancel button.
shape.
Editing a ScreenPad Library Text Note

Overview
A text note consists of several different attributes: text, size, frame, and level of opacity. Each of these attributes can be
edited in a number of different ways, giving you total control over how your text notes and subsequent layouts will
appear in your video.
editing a Library Text Note.

Editing a Text Note from within a Library

When editing a text note from within a library, the changes that you make and save to the note will be saved as that note
and any new instances that you drag from the library will then show the new appearance. For example: You changed the
background color of a note inside the library from white to blue. All new notes dragged onto the screen from that same
note will have a blue background. Therefore, if you want the edits to effect each instance of the note, make your edits to
the shape from within a library.
To edit a shape from within a library, right-click on the shape within the library. A pop-up menu will display.
Library Shape Popup Menu Description Table

The following table describes each of the Library shape’s popup menu options.
New Text Note Opens the New Text Note dialog for creating a new note.
Edit Text Note Opens the Image editor for making changes to the note’s image. For more information, see
"ScreenPad Image Editor" on page 115.
Edit Opacity Opens the Opacity Settings dialog box for setting the level of opacity. For more information,
see "Editing a ScreenPad Shape’s Opacity & Transparency" on page 110.
Copy Copies the selected note to the clipboard for use within ScreenPad. Text Note can then be
pasted into the same library or a different one.
Paste Pastes the contents of the clipboard into the current library or choose another library and paste
shape into it.
Remove Deletes the selected note from the library.
Icon Allows you to change a note’s icon (how it appears in the library) to an existing icon file or
opens the icon editor where you can edit the note’s icon. For more information, see "Working
with ScreenPad Library Icons" on page 130.
Text Note Library Allows you to create a new Text Note library. "Creating a New ScreenPad Library Text
Note" on page 121.
Continue this topic with "Editing an Instance of a ScreenPad Text Note" on page 127.

Editing an Instance of a ScreenPad Text Note

A text note consists of several different attributes: text, size, frame, and level of opacity. Each of these attributes can be
edited in a number of different ways, giving you total control over how your text notes and subsequent layouts will
appear in your video.
editing an instance of a Text Note. You can edit an individual instance or occurrences of a text note that has been
dragged and dropped onto the screen. When editing an instance of a text note, the properties of the original text note in
the library will not be affected by the changes. The next time you drag an instance from the same text note, it will appear
in the original format. Overall, if you just want to edit one instance of a text note, make your edits to the note using a
desktop instance.
To edit a text note using a desktop instance, drag and drop an instance to the desktop. Right-click on the instance. A pop-
up menu will display.
Instance Text Note Popup Menu Description Table

The following table describes each of the Instance text note’s popup menu options.
Edit Text Highlights the text in the text note for editing. Changes made to the text apply to all of the text in the
text box.
Edit Settings Opens the Edit Text Note dialog box for making changes to the note’s attributes. For more
information, see "ScreenPad Text Note Dialog Box" on page 122.
Edit Opacity Opens the Opacity Settings dialog box for setting the level of opacity. For more information, see
"Editing a ScreenPad Shape’s Opacity & Transparency" on page 110.
Clone Copies and pastes the selected text note onto the desktop. To clone a note, right-click on the note and
choose Clone from the pop-up menu.
Save Saves and updates changes to the original text note in the library.
Save Layout Saves current arrangement of annotations as a layout in the Layout library. You will be prompted for
a new layout name.
Close Closes selected shape.
Close All Closes all open shapes on desktop.
Annotations
Continue this topic with "ScreenPad Text Note Edit Options while in Edit Mode" on page 128.

ScreenPad Text Note Edit Options while in Edit Mode

After you have created your text note, you can edit the text by either double-clicking on the text note or right-clicking on
the text note and selecting edit Text from the popup menu.
As soon as the text in the text note is highlighted for editing, you are in “Edit Mode”.
While in Edit Mode, you will be able to select text, copy or paste any selected text, delete text, or access the Text Note
settings. To access the Edit Mode menu, right-click on the text note’s highlighted text. The Edit Mode menu will display.
Text Note’s Edit Mode Popup Menu Description Table

The following table describes each of the Instance text note’s popup menu options.
Undo Undoes the last edit.
Cut Cuts the selected text.
Copy Copies the selected text to the clipboard for use in other applications that support cut and paste.
Paste Pastes the contents of the clipboard.
Delete Deletes the highlighted text.
Select All Selects all of the text in the text note.
End Edit After you have made your edits, click on End Edit to leave the edit mode. After you are out of
Edit Mode, right-click on the text note to save your edits.
Settings Accesses the Edit Text Note dialog box. For more information, see "ScreenPad Text Note
Continue this topic with "Editing a ScreenPad Text Note’s Opacity" on page 129.

Editing a ScreenPad Text Note’s Opacity

Opacity is the attribute that allows your text note to be solid (showing none of the desktop behind it) or to have varying
degrees of transparency (the ability to see part of the desktop through the image). When applying opacity to a text note,
the entire note is effected.
An example of the use of this attribute is shown in the following graphics.
Applying Opacity to a Text Note

To edit a Text Note’s opacity, right-click on the note. From the pop-up menu, choose Edit Opacity. The Opacity Settings
dialog box will display.
To adjust the amount of opacity that is applied to the note, grab the slider bar and move up toward more opaque (solid)
or down toward less opaque (transparent). As the slider bar is moved, you will see the percentage of opaqueness shown
in the percentage field.
Once you have made all of your changes, choose OK to save and update the changes to the note.
If the note was edited from the library, each instance that is created from this note will contain these changes.
If the note was edited using an instance on the desktop, only this one instance will contain the changes.

Working with ScreenPad Library Icons

Overview
The icons that are displayed within your libraries can be changed or edited to give you the exact look that you desire for
viewing your layouts, shapes, or text notes.
To Change an Icon
To change an icon to an existing icon:
1. Right-click on the icon that you would like to change.
2. From the popup menu choose Icon > Change Icon.
3. A standard open dialog box will display. Browse and then select the desired icon.
4. Choose Open.
5. The new icon will be updated to the library:
Continue this topic with "Editing Icons Using the ScreenPad Icon Editor" on page 131.

Editing Icons Using the ScreenPad Icon Editor

Icon Editor allows you to edit an icon in a library.
To edit an icon:
1. Right-click on the icon that you would like to change.
2. From the popup menu choose Icon > Edit Icon.
3. The Icon Editor will open.
4. Using the drawing tools, make desired changes.

5. Select OK to save changes and update them to the icon in the library. Choose Cancel to abandon changes and
return to library.
Icon Editor Options Description Table

The following table describes each of the Icon Editor’s options.
Button Tool Name Description
Cut Cut or delete the selected area from the drawing.
Copy Copy the selected area to the clipboard for pasting.
Paste Paste the contents of the clipboard to the drawing.
Clear Clear the drawing area.
Undo Undo the most recent change to the drawing.
Redo Redo a change that has been undone.
Select Area Select a rectangular area of the drawing for editing or manipulation using
the other tools.
Select Color Click the eyedropper, then left-click over an area of the drawing to select
the foreground color. Right-click over an area to select the transparency
color.

Button Tool Name Description

Flood Fill Click the paint can, then click an area of the drawing to pour the color
into.
Add Text Add text over the drawing. You can select formatting characteristics from
the Text Tool dialog that appears.
Air Brush Spray the color in random patterns to partially color or fill an area.
Freehand Erase Erase an area of the drawing. Width: Eraser Width.
Freehand Draw Draw a line freehand in the drawing area. Line width is set with the Pen
Width button.
Line Draw a straight line in the drawing area. Line width is set with the Pen
Width button
Eraser Width Use this button to set the size of the Freehand Eraser tool.
Pen Width Use this button to set the pixel width of freehand lines, straight lines, and
shapes.
Rectangle Draw a rectangle shape in the drawing area. Color: Eyedropper or Color
Selector.
Rounded Rectangle Draw a rounded rectangle shape in the drawing area. Border width is set
with the Pen Width button.
Ellipse Draw an ellipse (circle or oval) in the drawing area.
Filled Rectangle Draw a filled rectangle shape in the drawing area using the foreground
color.
Filled Rounded Draw a filled rounded rectangle shape in the drawing area.
Rectangle
Filled Ellipse Draw a filled ellipse (circle or oval) in the drawing area.
Foreground Color Click the down arrow to select the color, or use the eyedropper and left-
click over the image to select the foreground color to be used with any
drawing tool.
Transparency Color Click the down arrow to select the color, or use the eyedropper and right-
click over the image to select the color that will be used as transparent.

Camtasia Player
Overview
Camtasia Player is a simple, standalone video player, optimized for playing screen recordings.
• Player always plays back videos at 100% of their original size so that they remain readable.
• It runs on any 32-bit Windows platform, with no dependencies on runtime libraries, OS version, or DirectX.
• The Player is a single .EXE file that does not need any setup, nor does it use the registry or any configuration
files.
• Player is designed to be as easy to use as possible. Command line options are provided which allow Player to be
invoked in various ways from CD-ROMs, multimedia authoring tools, and scripting languages or batch files.
• Player only plays AVI video files. Any audio or video codecs required by the AVI file must be installed before
Player can play the video.
• The basic Windows multimedia support for playing AVI files must be installed.
• Player does not setup any shell associations to become the default AVI player. However, this could be setup by
an install program that you provide or by the end user.
Opening Camtasia Player

You can open Player in a number of different ways.
• From the LaunchPad, choose Camtasia Player .

• Choose Start > All Programs > Camtasia Studio > Applications > Camtasia Player.
• From within another Camtasia Studio component, choose Tools > Camtasia Player.
Benefits
The TSCC is now built into the Camtasia Player. The benefits of having a built-in TSCC include:
There are several other benefits to using Player:
• Provides reliable playback that you can control using command line arguments. For example, you can command
the player to exit after playing, or command it to play full screen.
• Always plays back videos at 100 percent of their original size for best readability.
• Player is small and self-contained. It works on any 32-bit Windows platform, even Windows 95. There are no
extraneous DLLs or DirectX components required.
Note: Camtasia Player supports many command line options that allow complete control over the player when it is run
from CD-ROMs, multimedia authoring tools, help files, and scripting languages or batch files. For more
information, see "Player Command Line Customizations" on page 138.
www.techsmith.com Camtasia Player • 133

Player System Requirements

In order to run Camtasia Player, your system must meet these specifications:
• Microsoft Windows 95, 98, Me, NT 4, 2000, XP or later version
• Windows-compatible sound card and speakers (recommended)
• 300 KB of hard-disk space for program installation
• Basic Windows multimedia and AVI file support must be installed.
• Multimedia and AVI file support is normally installed by default with Windows.
• The standard Windows MCI "Motion Video Device" must be installed. To check if it is installed, open the
Control Panel "Multimedia" applet, and look for "Advanced>Media Control Devices>Motion Video Device".
To install MCIl, open the Control Panel "Add New Hardware" applet, navigate to "Sound, Video and game
controllers>Microsoft MCI" and install the "Motion Video Device".
• Any audio or video codecs required by your AVI files must be installed. To check if a codec is installed, open
the Control Panel "Multimedia" applet, and look for the codec under "Advanced>Audio Compression Codecs"
or "Advanced>Video Compression Codecs".
• To install a standard Windows audio or video codec, open the Control Panel "Add/Remove Programs" applet,
select the "Windows Setup" tab, check the "Multimedia" checkbox, click "Details" and make sure the Audio
and Video compression boxes are checked.
Making Camtasia Player your Default Player

For Windows Me, Windows 2000, Windows XP or later:
1. Right-click on an AVI in Windows Explorer.
2. Select Open With > Other Program or Open With > Choose Program. The Open With dialog box displays.
3. Click on the Browse button to open the standard browse dialog box.
4. Navigate to and select C:\Program Files\TechSmith\Camtasia Studio\CamPlay.exe.
5. Choose Open. You will be back at the Open With dialog box.
6. Check the "Always use this program to open these files" or “Always use the selected program to open this kind
of file” option.
7. Choose OK.
For Windows 98, and Windows NT 4:

1. In My Computer or Windows Explorer, click the View menu, and then click Options.
2. Click the "File Types" tab (or the "Folder Options" tab on Windows 98).
3. In the list of file types, select the file type for the AVI file extension (e.g. "Video Clip" or "Video Clip (AVI)").
The settings for that file type are shown in the File Type Details box.
4. Click Edit.
5. In the Actions box, select Open.
6. Click Edit. You may want to note the current setting, in case you want to restore it. Specify the full pathname
for Camtasia Player followed by "/open" (e.g. "C:\Program Files\TechSmith\Camtasia\CamPlay.exe" /open)
7. Click OK.
134 • Camtasia Player www.techsmith.com

Getting Familiar with the Player Screen

Overview
The Player screen has a very intuitive, easy to use interface. Below, you will find an overview of the Player screen.
Before you begin your work within Player, take a few minutes to get familiar with the Player screen.
Continue this topic with "Player Playback Controls" on page 136.

Player Playback Controls

The playback controls are displayed at the top of the player. You will use these controls to control basic playback tasks
such as playing, pausing, stopping, rewinding, and fast-forwarding your video files.
Note: To aid in your navigation around the Player screen, each time your cursor touches a button, a tip will appear.
The tip gives you the name of the control.
Playback Control Description Table

The following table describes each of the Player playback controls.
Control Button Control Name Control Description
Play Begins playing the video.
Pause Pauses video.
Stop Stops the video from playing.
Beginning Moves video to the beginning.
Rewind Rewinds the video.
Forward Fast-forwards the video.
End Moves video to the end.
Seek Bar Indicates the playback progress of the video. You can drag the seek bar
to the place in the video where you want to start playback.

Player Menu Options

Overview
The following section describes each of the Player Menu options.
Player File Menu Options

The File menu options allow you to access the open, close, and exit options. To select a File option, choose the desired
option from the dropdown menu.

Open Opens a standard Open dialog box that allows you to select the AVI file that you want to play.
Close Closes the current AVI.
Exit Exits the Player.
Player Play Menu Options

The Play menu options allow you to access the play options. These are many of the same options that are available in the
playback controls. To select a File option, choose the desired option from the dropdown menu.

Play Options Description Table

The following table describes each of the Play options.
Play Option Description
Play/Pause Begins playing the video and toggles to Pause which pauses the video.
Rewind Rewinds the video.
Forward Fast-forwards the video.
Full Screen Plays the video in full-screen mode. With this option, the video does not enlarge.
Instead, the background of the screen is filled in to hide the rest of the desktop. Use
the ESC key to exit the full screen mode.
Repeat Plays the video again from the beginning.
Volume Allows you to increase, decrease, or mute the volume.
Player Command Line Customizations

When you launch Player, by default it has a title bar, a menu bar, a tool bar, and a status bar. You can customize those
elements by specifying arguments on the command line when launching Player.
The exact syntax for the command line arguments is:
CAMPLAY [<options>] [<file>]
where <file> is an optional video file name and <options> is an optional set of options.
For example, when putting Camplay.exe in the Run Program field, you could set it up to run Full Screen and then Exit
when finished, by using the following command line arguments and syntax:
Or, you could not have it run full screen and just exit when finished by using the following syntax: Camplay.exe /E.

Player Command Line Options Table

The following table lists the command line options that are available for use with Player.
Command Description
/A Launches with "Always on top" option.
/BC RGB(255,0,255) Set background color, default is black.
/D Launches without allowing "Dragging" by the video area.
/E Exits after playing the video.
/F Launches in Full Screen Mode
/M Launches without a menu bar
/MX Launches with its window maximized
/open Open the specified video (<file>) but does not play it
/play Immediately play the specified video (<file>) [default]
/R Repeats the video forever
/S Launches without a status bar
/T Launches without a title bar
/TB Launches without a tool bar
Command Line Examples

The following table lists the command line options that are available for use with Player.
Examples Examples
CAMPLAY "clip1AVI" CAMPLAY /E /F "my videoAVI"
Plays "clip1AVI" with the default user interface. Plays "my videoAVI" full screen and exit after playing.
CAMPLAY /M "clip2AVI" CAMPLAY /BC RGB(128,128,128) /F "clip3AVI"
Opens "clip2AVI" without a menu bar (i.e. no File>Open Plays "clip3AVI" full screen and fill the background with
menu option). dark gray if the video does not fill the entire screen.
Continue this topic with "Player Background Color Command" on page 140.

Player Background Color Command

You can add background color using RGB codes in the command line. For the background color, you must supply a
color argument with the syntax RGB (r, g, b) where r, g, and b are the red, green and blue components of the color.
Valid values for r, g, and b are in the range 0 to 255. For example:
• RGB(0,0,0) = black
• RGB(255,255,255) = white
• RGB(0,0,255) = blue
• RGB(255,0,255) = teal green
• RGB(128,128,128) = dark gray
The background color shows only when the video that is playing does not fill the entire frame. For example, if the player
is maximized while a 360x240 video is playing, the background color will show.
You can use MS Paint for easy way to generate the RGB numbers by following these steps:
1. Open MS Paint.
2. Double-click on the paint box to open the Edit Color dialog box. Click on the Define Custom Colors button.
The Custom Color palette will display.
3. Click on a color in the color grid. The spectrum will display along with the RGB color code. Find the desired
color.
4. Enter the RGB code in the command line using the format given in the paragraph above.

Camtasia Producer
Producer Overview
Camtasia Producer is used to assemble, edit, and create professional-quality video productions. Camtasia Producer is
especially helpful when creating longer productions consisting of many video clips captured by the Recorder.
After editing, the Production Wizard, walks you through the basic steps involved in creating a video from the items
sitting in your storyboard.
Producer even shows you how to customize your movie using various options such as color depth, watermarking, frame
size, compression and copyright information.
Producer features the TechSmith codec, ensuring crisp, clear imagery and was especially designed for files created with
Camtasia Recorder.
Developers of documentation and desktop based presentations can use Producer to quickly create AVI or streaming
formats from a collection of video clips, narration and audio clips.
Overall, the general steps to necessary to create a video using Producer as follows. Each of these topics is explained in
detail within the following chapter.
1. Add desired files to storyboard by dragging from the thumbnail pane or the video editor.
2. Apply all edits to clips on storyboard.
3. Choose File > Produce Movie or File > Production Wizard.
4. Choose the desired video format.
5. Choose the video format options.
6. Choose the size option.
7. If desired, add ancillary information such as byline, title, etc.
8. If desired, add a watermark.
9. Save video project.
10. Produce the video.
Opening Camtasia Producer

You can open Producer in a number of different ways.
• From the LaunchPad, choose Camtasia Producer .

• Choose Start > All Programs > Camtasia Studio > Applications > Camtasia Producer.
• From within another Camtasia Studio component, choose Tools > Camtasia Producer.
Once Producer opens, you will see a tip display. Continue with "Producer Screen Tips" on page 142.
www.techsmith.com Camtasia Producer • 141

Producer Screen Tips

When you first start Producer or choose certain toolbar buttons or menu options, you will see a Producer Tip of the Day
screen similar to the following:
The Tip of the Day screens contain information on the purpose and use of the selected option. You will have the option
to not display the tip screens again.
• If you no longer wish the tip of the day to display when opening Producer, click on the Show tips at startup
box to remove the checkmark. The tip will no longer display the next time Producer is opened.
• To enable this option once again, within Producer, choose Help > Tip of the Day. Enable the tip option.
After you have read the tip, choose Close to exit the tip dialog box.
Continue this topic with "Getting Familiar with the Producer Screen" on page 143.
142 • Camtasia Producer www.techsmith.com

Getting Familiar with the Producer Screen

Overview
There are several components that make up the Producer screen. The following graphic gives a general overview of the
screen and its components.
Before you begin your work within Producer, take a few minutes to get familiar with the Producer screen.
The Producer screen contains the following main components.

• Toolbar
The toolbar contains several of the most used options in Producer. See "Producer Toolbar Options" on page
144.
• Storyboard
The storyboard is used to house the clips that will be produced. Clips in the storyboard can be still images or
AVI files. Double-click on a clip to view it in the video editor. See "About the Producer Storyboard &
Thumbnail Pane" on page 146.
• Timeline
The timeline and the timeline tools allow you to make edits to the selected clip in the storyboard. See
"Producer Timeline" on page 148.
• Browser
The browser is used to select the folder that contains the media files that will be used in the produced video. See
"About the Producer Storyboard & Thumbnail Pane" on page 146.
• Thumbnail Pane
The thumbnail pane is used to show a thumbnail view of the media files available in the folder selected in the
browser. See "About the Producer Storyboard & Thumbnail Pane" on page 146.

Producer Toolbar Options

Several of the most-used options have been added to the main toolbar on the Producer screen.
Note: Several of these options can also be accessed by right-clicking on a clip in the storyboard and using the pop-up
menu.
To aid in your navigation around the Producer toolbar, each time your cursor touches a button, a tooltip will appear. The
tooltip gives you the name of the tool.
Producer Toolbar Description Table

The following table describes each of the Producer tools that can be found on the toolbar along with its use.
New Project Begins a new Producer project. Click on the New button.
If you are currently working on a project and
you have not saved, you will be prompted to do
so before the new project is started.
Open Project Opens an existing project. The Click on the Open Project button.
Open Project File dialog allows Within the Browse dialog box, browse and
you to browse for the file and select the desired project to open. Choose Open.
select it.
Save Project Saves the work you have in the Click on the Save Project button.
current project, including all If it is the first time that you have saved the
effects, transitions, and project project, you will be prompted to save to a folder
settings. with a file name.
This option does not create or save Once the project is saved for the first time, you
an AVI file. This is accomplished will no longer be prompted to save a location or
with Produce Video. name.
Open in Video Opens the clip in the video editor Highlight clip in the storyboard.
Editor for viewing or editing. Click on the Open in Video Editor button.
Add to Adds the selected clip in the Browse and then select the desired clip in the
Storyboard thumbnail pane to the storyboard. thumbnail pane. Click on the Add to Storyboard
button.


Delete from Removes the selected clip in the Highlight the clip in the storyboard. Click on the
Storyboard storyboard. It is not deleted from Delete from Storyboard button.
the thumbnail pane and can be Or right-click the item in the storyboard and
reused later. select Delete from Storyboard from the popup
menu.
Produce Video Opens the Produce Video dialog to Make sure all clips are in the storyboard. Click
allow you to make a single video on the Produce Video button.
file from the clips in the The Produce Video dialog box displays.
storyboard, with edit and effects
rendered into the resulting video. Continue with "Producing a Video" on page
175.
Transition Applies an entry transition to the Highlight the clip that you want to add an entry
Effect selected clip. effect for.
Click on the Transition Effect button. Or, right-
click the item in the storyboard and select
Transition Effect.
The Transition Effect dialog opens to allow you
to select and set options for the transition.
Once the transition effect is set, you will see a
transition arrow attached to the clip in the
storyboard.
Launch Audio Allows you to open the Audio Click on the Launch Audio Editor button.
Editor Editor. Once the Audio Editor is For more information on this topic, see "Audio
opened, you can import AVIs or Editor" on page 212.
Wave for editing.
Camtasia Studio Will open the Camtasia Studio Click on the Camtasia Studio button to open the
LaunchPad. Click on the small LaunchPad.
down arrow to reveal a dropdown Click on the small down arrow to access the
menu of individual Camtasia dropdown list of individual Studio components.
Studio components.
Help Opens the Producer online help. Click on the Help button.
Continue this topic with "About the Producer Storyboard & Thumbnail Pane" on page 146.

About the Producer Storyboard & Thumbnail Pane

Producer Overview
Producer uses a storyboard to assemble videos that you may have made using Camtasia Recorder or from some other
source as well as other forms of media such as still images. Collectively, the items placed on the storyboard are called
clips.
Note: It is important to note that only the clips that are in the storyboard will be included in the production of the
video. If you have viewed or edited a file in the video editor directly by dragging the file to the video editor
from the thumbnail pane or by double-clicking on the file in the thumbnail pane, that file will not be included in
the video production. In order to include that file in the production process, drag it from the video editor up to
the storyboard.
A software tutorial or presentation is much more than just plain screen recording, it is a composition in which you are
investing a lot of effort, time, and creativity. The Producer Storyboard eases your work and makes the final video more
than just than the sum of its smaller parts. The following are some helpful hints and tips for making the most of the
Producer Storyboard.
• Often, you will find it easier to record a lengthy software session in several short clips and then join them
together later. Shorter clips are less prone to mistakes, and are more flexible to handle. For example, you change
the order of scenes or insert new clips without having to redo the whole video. And if you discover an error -
just change this small clip.
• On the storyboard, you can join still images and AVI clips in any number and order you want to.
• The storyboard lets you combine various multimedia elements such as AVI video clips, still images, and
transition effects.
• You can save the contents of the storyboard as a Camtasia Producer project file so you can come back and work
with the storyboard at a later time.
• When editing, you can undo/redo the editing until you are completely satisfied with the video.
• Editing with the Storyboard does not effect the original files, unless you produce your video or use Audio
Editor to add audio to a video. Both actions will overwrite the original recording with the most recent changes.
• To arrange the elements on the storyboard, select an AVI or image file in the Thumbnail pane and drag it onto
the storyboard.
• Insert a clip by dropping it on the top of the one you would like it to proceed.
• If you want to show an item more than once, you can repeatedly drag it onto the storyboard.
• A right mouse click into a specific clip offers easy access to menu options: Edit Audio, Remove from
Storyboard, Transition Effect, and more.
• You can speed up or slow down the playback time for an AVI-clip in the rendered video. For example, you can
stretch a clip to provide more time for voice annotation or you can speed it up to fill gaps. Duration stretches the
time a single clipart is shown in the final video.
• You can trim individual clips in the video editor.

Browser and Thumbnail Pane Overview

Producer also has an Explorer-like file browser and a display area called a Thumbnail Pane. The browser and Thumbnail
Pane are used together for locating and adding clips to the Storyboard.
Adding Clips to the Storyboard

To add clips to the storyboard, use the browser to find the folder containing the desired file(s). Files within the folder that
can be used as clips will display in the thumbnail pane. Drag the clip to the storyboard and drop it there. You can add as
many clips as desired to the storyboard.
Note: You can also drag a clip from the video editor up to the storyboard.
Note: Several of the most commonly used clip options can be accessed by right-clicking on a clip in the storyboard
and using the pop-up menu.
Continue this topic with "Producer Timeline" on page 148.

Producer Timeline
Overview
The timeline is an important part of the production process. Within the timeline you will search through the clip, edit
frames, add sound, control volume, and more.
Below, you will find an overview of the different components of the Producer timeline.
Producer Playback Toolbar Description Table

The following table describes each of the playback tools found on the Producer timeline along with its use.
Play Begins playing the video. Click on the Play button to play the video.
Pause Pauses video. Click on the Pause button to pause the video.
Stop Stops the video from Click on the Stop button to stop the video.
playing. When video is stopped, it will rewind to the
beginning of the video.
Beginning Moves video to the Click on the Beginning button to move video
beginning. to the beginning.
Rewind Rewinds the video frame by Click on the Rewind button to move video
frame. back toward the beginning one frame at a
time.
Forward Forwards the video frame by Click on the Forward button to move video
frame. forward toward the end one frame at a time.
End Moves video to the end. Click on the End button to move video to the
end.


Seek Bar Indicates the playback Drag the seek bar to the desired place in the
progress of the video. video. As the seek bar is dragged, the video
Drag the bar to any desired will play.
place in the video.
Producer Timeline Editing Toolbar Description Table

The following table describes each aspect of the Timeline Editing toolbar along with its use.
Zoom In Zooms in on the timeline Click on the Zoom In tool to zoom in on the
showing a closer look at the timeline.
video. When fully zoomed in
the video will be displayed in
increments of 0.1 seconds.
Zoom Out Zooms out on the timeline. Click on the Zoom Out tool to zoom out on
When fully zoomed out, the the timeline.
entire video can be seen in
the timeline.
Show Cut Displays the cut selections of Click on the Show Cut Video Selections
Video Sections the video in their original button to view the cut selections in the video.
place. These cut sections will be denoted with
scissors and black tips on the timeline section.
Viewing the cut sections will allow you to

playback the video with the cut sections
included in the play back.
You can also edit or restore the cut sections.
For more information see "Viewing the Cuts"
on page 156.
Time Displays the time on the As the Zoom In and Zoom Out buttons are
Increments timeline in various used, the timeline will reflect the new time
increments depending upon increments.
the zoom level. This is read-only information.
Object Shows the duration of the To quickly change the duration, grab either
Duration Box selected object and also gives end of the object duration box and resize it
the object type. along the timeline.
Selection Seek Indicates the playback Drag the seek bar to the desired place in the
Bar progress of the video. video. As the seek bar is dragged, the video
place in the video. For more information see "Defining a
Selection for Editing" on page 155.


Time/Frame Displays the current place in As the video plays, these two place markers
Status the video according to the will automatically change.
time shown on the timeline This is read-only information.
and by the frame number.
Hide Timeline Hides the timeline from This is a toggle button. Click to hide the
view. timeline. Click again to view the timeline.
Split Video Splits the video at the point Place the selection seek bar in the location
of the selection seek bar. where the split is to occur.
Click on the Split video button. The movie is
split into two pieces.
At this time, both pieces are placed in the
storyboard.
Note: When making splits to the video, you

are not cutting the actual video file. Making
splits to a video inside of Producer is a
nondestructive process in that the original
AVI file is not altered in any way.
Cut Selection Deletes the selection from Select the part of the video to be cut. Click on
the video. the Cut Selection button. The selection will be
deleted.
When the cut takes place, the timeline will be
updated to reflect the new length and frame
information.
Note: When making cuts to the video, you are
not cutting the actual video file. Making cuts
to a video inside of Producer is a
nondestructive process in that the original
AVI file is not altered in any way.
For more information on this topic, see

"Cutting a Selection from the Video" on
page 155.
Insert Audio Opens a standard browse Place the selection seek bar in the location
dialog box for adding a that you want to insert a wave sound file.
WAVE sound file to the Click on the Insert Audio button. The Browse
video. dialog box displays.
Browse and select the desired file. Choose
Open. The file will be inserted into the video.
Once the file ins inserted into the video, you
can grab and drag the audio file to a different
location.

For other audio edit options, see "Audio

Editor" on page 212.
Increase Increases the volume of the Increase Volume in Video Audio Track
Volume audio track.
The video has sound if the audio icon is
present in the timeline.
To increase the volume of the audio, click on
the Increase Audio button. As you click, the
blue audio bar will adjust up to reflect the new
sound level.
Increase Volume in Second Audio Track

To increase the volume of the second audio
track, click on the audio track file to highlight
it. Click on the Increase Audio button. As you
click, the blue audio bar will adjust up to
reflect the new sound level.
Note: If there is more than one audio clip in
the Second Audio Track, you must change the
volume level of each audio clip individually.
Additionally, increasing the volume on one
audio clip in the Second Audio Track does not
effect the volume of another one.
Decrease Decrease the volume of the Decrease Volume in Video Audio Track
Volume audio track.
To decrease the volume of the audio, click on
the Decrease Audio button. As you click, the
blue audio bar will adjust down to reflect the
new sound level.
Decrease Volume in Second Audio Track

To decrease the volume of the timeline’s
second audio track, click on the audio track
file to highlight it. Click on the Decrease
Audio button. As you click, the blue audio bar
will adjust down to reflect the new sound
level.
Note: If there is more than one audio clip in
the Second Audio Track, you must change the


volume level of each audio clip individually.
Additionally, decreasing the volume on one
audio clip in the Second Audio Track does not
effect the volume of another one.
Fade In Audio Fades in the volume of the Fade In Video Audio Track
audio track.
Note: If there is more than The video has sound if the audio icon is
one audio clip in the Second present in the timeline.
Audio Track, you must To fade in the volume at the beginning of the
change the volume level of timeline’s audio, click on the Fade In Audio
each audio clip individually. button. The Fade In dialog box displays.
Additionally, increasing the
volume on one audio clip in
the Second Audio Track does
not effect the volume of
another one
Note: To remove a Fade In,

click on the Fade In button Enter the time in seconds that you want to
and set the Length to zero. have for the fade in. Choose OK.
Choose OK.
The blue audio bar will gradually adjust up
from the beginning to reflect the new fade in
sound level.
Fade In Second Audio Track

To fade in the volume of the timeline’s second
audio track, click on the audio track file to
highlight it.
click on the Fade In Audio button. The Fade
In dialog box displays.
Enter the time in seconds that you want to

have for the fade in. Choose OK.
The blue audio bar will gradually adjust up
from the beginning to reflect the new fade in
sound level.
Fade Out Fades out the volume of the Fade Out Video Audio Track
Audio audio track.
Note: If there is more than
one audio clip in the Second To fade out the volume at the end of the
Audio Track, you must timeline’s audio, click on the Fade Out Audio


change the volume level of button. The Fade Out dialog box displays.
each audio clip individually.
Additionally, increasing the
volume on one audio clip in
the Second Audio Track does
not effect the volume of
another one
Note: To remove a Fade Out, Enter the time in seconds that you want to
click on the Fade Out button have for the fade out. Choose OK.
and set the Length to zero.
Choose OK. The blue audio bar will gradually adjust down
toward to the end to reflect the new fade in
sound level.
Fade in Second Audio Track

highlight it.
Click on the Fade Out Audio button. The Fade
Out dialog box displays.
Enter the time in seconds that you want to

have for the fade out. Choose OK.
The blue audio bar will gradually adjust down
toward to the end to reflect the new fade in
sound level.
Undo Undoes the last action. This Click on the undo button.
is an unlimited undo.
Redo Redoes the last action that Click on the undo button.
was undone.
Continue this topic with "Working with the Producer Timeline" on page 154.

Working with the Producer Timeline

Overview
When the Producer is opened and the timeline is first viewed, it will be blank, as seen below.
After loading a movie in the viewer, the timeline changes to reflect the appearance of the video. The first frame of the
video will display as an icon in the lower left hand corner. An audio icon will display if audio is included in the video.
Additionally, the time indicated on the timeline will change to fit the video length in seconds.
There are several important tasks that are performed within the timeline. These are explained in the following section.
Searching the Video

Searching for specific frames to edit within the video can be done several ways.
• Clicking at any location on the video in the timeline displays the selection seek bar as seen in the graphic below.
As you click on the timeline, the video editor will be updated with the selected frame. In the time/frame
reference box, the time and frame location of the selection seek bar is displayed.
• Play the video using the Play button on the Playback Control toolbar. The video editor will display the
video as it is playing. Click on the Pause button to pause the video at the appropriate frame. The video
editor will display the paused frame.
• Click on the seek bar and drag to a particular location in the video. The video editor will be updated with the
selected frame.
Continue this topic with "Defining a Selection for Editing" on page 155.

Defining a Selection for Editing

Click and drag on the timeline to create a selection for editing. The selection is distinguished by a blue highlight encased
within two markers, a large triangular marker, which retains the current position in the viewer and marks the end of the
selection, and a smaller marker, which just marks the start of the selection.
Adjusting a Selection
Adjusting the selection can be done in two ways:
• Fine tune the selection by using the arrow keys to either shorten or lengthen the selection. As the arrow keys are
pressed, the video editor will be updated with the selected frame.
• Move the mouse over the one of the ends of the selection until the marker turns red and then click and drag the
endpoint to a new location.
Cutting a Selection from the Video

Note: When making cuts to the video, you are not cutting the actual video file. Making cuts to a video inside of
Producer is a nondestructive process in that the original AVI file is not altered in any way.
Cutting the selection deletes the selected frames from the video. To make a cut, first define the selection that you want to
remove. Use the fine tune controls to get the exact position. See
Click on the Cut Selection button on the Editing toolbar . That portion of the video will be removed and the
timeline will be updated to reflect the new length and frame information.
Multiple cuts can be made to a single video. Any playback of the video in the video editor will immediately reflect the
cut(s) that were made.
The Undo tool and Redo tool are located in the toolbar below the timeline to allow accidental cuts to the
video to be restored.
Continue this topic with "Viewing the Cuts" on page 156.

Viewing the Cuts

Once you have made cuts to the video, there may be times when you will want to look at the contents of a cut or go back
and restore a cut.
The Show Cut Video Sections option allows you to view the contents of a cut and restore a cut to the video.
To view the cut sections within the timeline, click on the Show Cut Video Selections button .
Note: This is a toggle button. Clicking on this button enables this option and puts Producer into Show Cut Video
Selection mode. Clicking on this button once again takes you out of this mode.
The cut sections will be displayed within the timeline. These cut sections are denoted with scissors and black tips on the
timeline section as seen below. Additionally, the size of the cut in terms of time is displayed.
Once the cuts are displayed, you can playback the video with the cut sections included in the play back.
You can also edit or restore the cut sections. While in Show Cut Video Selection mode, you will not be able to perform
any other type of edits the video.
Edit Size of Cuts

While viewing the cuts, you can edit the size of a selected cut, either increasing or decreasing the size of the cut.
To increase or decrease the cut size:
1. Click on the desired cut to highlight it.
2. Pass the cursor over the end of the cut that you want to increase or decrease. The cursor will change to an arrow
and the corner of the cut will turn red.
3. Click and drag the line. This will either increase or decrease the cut.
4. Release mouse when edit is complete.
Restore Cuts to Video

While viewing the cuts, you can restore a cut to the video.
To restore a cut, click on the desired cut to highlight it. Choose one of the following actions:
• Right-click on the cut. From the popup menu, choose Restore Selection.
• Press the <Delete> key on the keyboard.
• From the menu bar, choose Edit > Restore Selection

Producer Menu Options

The following chapter describes each of the Producer dropdown menu options.
Producer File Menu Options

The File menu options allow you to access the new, open, and close options as well as other features such as the
Production Wizard, Pack and Show options, etc.

The following table describes each of the File options along with its use.
File Option Description Use
New Project Will create a new Producer project. Choose File > New Project.
If a current project is being worked on,
you will be prompted to save any changes
before it closes and the new, empty project
is started.
Open Project Displays a standard Open dialog box Choose File > Open Project.
allowing you to open a project file. From within the Open dialog box, browse
and select the desired file to be opened.
Choose Open.
Note: Project files have a .CAM
extension.
Save Project Saves the Producer project file. Saving the Choose File > Save Project.
project allows you to open the project The first time that a project is saved, you
again at a later time. will be prompted to Save As. Select the
folder to store project in and enter a name
for the project. Choose OK.


Save Project As Saves the project as another name. Choose File > Save Project As.
Select the folder to store project in and
enter a name for the project. Choose OK.
Produce Movie Allows you to produce a video without the Choose File > Produce Movie.
use of the Wizard. For complete instructions on Producing a
video, see
Production Wizard The Production Wizard allows you to set Choose File > Production Wizard.
all parameters necessary to render your For complete instructions on using the
video to the desired file format such as Production Wizard to produce a video, see
SWF, AVI, RM, GIF, MOV, CAMV, or
WMV. This includes movie window size,
compression codecs for audio and video,
information such as the title, author, and
copyright, and the filename.
Pack and Show This option allows you to package your Choose File > Pack and Show.
movie for easy one-step distribution to Continue with "Pack and Show" on page
your users. Pack and Show creates a 173.
Windows-executable file (.EXE) that
users can simply double-click to unpack
the file, install the TSCC codec and
Camtasia Player (if you have included
them) and play the movie.
Note: The TSCC codec is now built into
the Camtasia Player. This means that you
do not need to install the TSCC codec on
the host machine in order to view the
video with the TSCC if you are using
Player for playback.
You have the options to include the TSCC
codec and Camtasia Player in the package,
so that they will be automatically installed
on the user’s computer.
Open in Audio Opens the selected file in the Audio Choose File > Open in Audio Editor.
Editor Editor. The Audio Editor gives you the For complete information on using the
ability to easily add audio such as voice Audio Editor, see "Audio Editor" on page
annotation and sound effects to video 212.
clips. The Audio Editor also allows you to
add audio in real-time as you watch the
movie or image in order to professionally
narrate a video clip, synchronizing your
voice with the video.
You also use Audio Editor to remove
unwanted parts of the audio, fade volume
in/out, and more.
Save Audio As You can save an audio track that is Choose File > Save Audio As.
embedded in an AVI file that you have To saving your audio track as a .WAV
open in Camtasia Producer's editor pane file:
as a separate WAV file. 1. Start Camtasia Producer.
Use this feature to make a backup copy of 2. Open the AVI video clip whose audio
your audio track, use the sound track in a track you want to save as a separate file.


different application, etc 3. From the menu bar, choose File > Save
Audio.
Note: The Save Audio option will be
grayed out if the video clip you have
selected does not have an audio track.
4. The Save Audio As dialog appears.
Select the location where you would like
to save your audio track to and then
choose a name for your .WAV file.
5. Click the Save button to save your
audio track as a .WAV file.
Save Frame As Saves the current frame displayed in the Move a clip from either the thumbnail
video editor as a BMP, GIF, or JPEG. pane or the storyboard to the video editor.
Saving a video frame as a still image is Use the editor pane's navigation tools to
particularly helpful when you want to move to the frame you want to save.
print and share a frame from an AVI
video. Maybe there's a scene of a video Select File > Save Frame. The Save
you want to show a client, or perhaps you Video Frame As dialog displays.
want to work on part of an image with a Select the folder and file name to save the
colleague. This way, you can easily show graphic file.
anyone hard copy frames of the video Select a graphic file format from the Save
you've created. as type list.
Choose Save.
Properties Displays the properties box for the file Choose File > Properties.
that is selected in the thumbnail pane. The
Properties box gives statistical
information on the file such as format, file
location, file size, etc.
Recent Files Displays a list of the files most recently Click on a recent file name to open the
placed on the storyboard. file.
Recent Projects Displays a list of the most recently opened Click on a recent project name to open the
projects. project.
Exit Exist the Producer application. Choose File > Save Audio As.
Continue this topic with "Producer Edit Menu Options" on page 160.

Producer Edit Menu Options

The Edit menu options allow you to access the editing options such as cut, restore, split, undo and redo, etc. These same
options are available in the timeline toolbar.
For more information on the timeline toolbar, see "Producer Timeline" on page 148.

The following table describes each of the Edit options along with its use.
Edit Option Description Use
Undo Undoes the last action. This is an Choose Edit > Undo.
unlimited undo.
Redo Redoes the last action that was undone. Choose Edit > Redo.
Split Splits the video at the point of the Place the selection seek bar in the location where
selection seek bar. the split is to occur.
Choose Edit > Split. The movie is split into two
pieces.
At this time, both pieces are placed in the
storyboard.
Note: When making splits to the video, you are

not cutting the actual video file. Making splits to
a video inside of Producer is a nondestructive
process in that the original AVI file is not altered
in any way.
Cut Selection Deletes the selection from the video. Select the part of the video to be cut. Choose
Edit > Cut Selection. The selection will be
deleted.
When the cut takes place, the timeline will be
updated to reflect the new length and frame
information.


Note: When making cuts to the video, you are
not cutting the actual video file. Making cuts to a
video inside of Producer is a nondestructive
process in that the original AVI file is not altered
in any way.
For more information on this topic, see "Cutting
a Selection from the Video" on page 155.
Restore Selection While viewing the cuts, you can restore a To restore a cut, click on the Show Cut Video
cut to the video.
Selections button ton the timeline toolbar .
Highlight the cut to be restored.
Choose Edit > Restore Selection.
Insert Audio Opens a standard browse dialog box for Place the selection seek bar in the location that
adding a WAVE sound file to the video. you want to insert a wave sound file.
Choose Edit > Insert Audio. The Browse dialog
box displays.
Browse and select the desired file. Choose Open.
The file will be inserted into the video.
Once the file ins inserted into the video, you can
grab and drag the audio file to a different
location.
For other audio edit options, see "Producer

Timeline Editing Toolbar Description Table"
on page 149.
Remove Audio Removes the audio file from the Audio 2 Highlight the audio file in the Audio 2 track.
track. Choose Edit > Remove Audio.
Increase Volume Increases the volume of the audio track. Increase Volume in Video Audio Track

To increase the volume of the timeline’s audio,
choose Edit > Increase Volume. As you click,
the blue audio bar will adjust up to reflect the
new sound level.
Increase Volume in Second Audio Track
To increase the volume of the timeline’s second
highlight it. Choose Edit > Increase Volume. As
you click, the blue audio bar will adjust up to


Decrease Volume Decrease the volume of the audio track. Decrease Volume in Video Audio Track

To decrease the volume of the timeline’s audio,
choose Edit > Decrease Volume. As you click,
the blue audio bar will adjust down to reflect the
new sound level.
Decrease Volume in Second Audio Track

To decrease the volume of the timeline’s second
highlight it. Choose Edit > Decrease Volume. As
you click, the blue audio bar will adjust down to
Fade In Audio Fades in the volume of the audio track. Fade In Video Audio Track

Note: If there is more than one audio clip present in the timeline.
in the Second Audio Track, you must
change the volume level of each audio To fade in the volume at the beginning of the
clip individually. Additionally, increasing timeline’s audio, choose Edit > Fade In Audio.
the volume on one audio clip in the The Fade In dialog box displays.
Second Audio Track does not effect the
volume of another one
Note: To remove a Fade In, click on the

Fade In button and set the Length to zero.
Choose OK.
Enter the time in seconds that you want to have

for the fade in. Choose OK.
The blue audio bar will gradually adjust up from
the beginning to reflect the new fade in sound
level.
Fade In Second Audio Track
highlight it.
Choose Edit > Fade In Audio. The Fade In
dialog box displays.


for the fade in. Choose OK.
The blue audio bar will gradually adjust up from
the beginning to reflect the new fade in sound
level.
Fade Out Audio Fades out the volume of the audio track. Fade Out Video Audio Track

Note: If there is more than one audio clip present in the timeline.
in the Second Audio Track, you must
change the volume level of each audio To fade out the volume at the end of the
clip individually. Additionally, increasing timeline’s audio, choose Edit > Fade Out Audio.
the volume on one audio clip in the The Fade Out dialog box displays.
Second Audio Track does not effect the
volume of another one
Note: To remove a Fade Out, click on the

Fade Out button and set the Length to
zero. Choose OK.

for the fade out. Choose OK.
toward to the end to reflect the new fade in sound
level.
Fade Out Second Audio Track
highlight it.
Choose Edit > Fade Out Audio. The Fade Out
dialog box displays.

for the fade out. Choose OK.
toward to the end to reflect the new fade in sound
level.
Continue this topic with "Producer View Menu Options" on page 164.

Producer View Menu Options

The View menu options allow you to access the video playback options as well as some view options for the video
editor. Many of these same options are available in the playback toolbar.
For more information on the playback toolbar, see Producer Playback Toolbar Description Table on page 148.

The following table describes each of the View options along with its use.
View Option Description Use
Play/Pause Plays and pauses the video. Choose View > Play/Pause.
Stop Stops the video. Choose View > Stop.
Beginning Moves video to the beginning. Choose View > Beginning.
End Moves video to the end. Choose View > End.
Previous Frame Rewinds the video frame by frame. Choose View > Previous Frame.
Next Frame Forwards the video frame by frame. Choose View > Next Frame.
Shrink to Fit Shrinks the video to fit within the video Choose View > Shrink to Fit.
editor if the size of the video editor is
smaller than the size of the video. This
allows you to see the entire video at once.
Shrinking the video to fit the video editor
may distort the view of the video. This
distortion only effects the preview view,
not the actual video.
If this option is not enabled, then you
may only see part of the video in the
video editor.
Timeline Turns the timeline view on or off. Choose View > Timeline.
Cut Selections Turns the View Cut Sections option on. Choose View > Cut Sections.
In this mode you can see the cut sections For more information on working with the cut
in the timeline. sections, see "Cutting a Selection from the
Video" on page 155.
File Explorer Displays options for customizing the look Choose View > Explorer. A menu displays with the
of the browser and thumbnail pane. following options.


Thumbnail Size: Select the display size of the
media files within the thumbnail pane.
Arrange Icons: Choose the way you would like the
media files to sort in the thumbnail pane. Options
are by Name, Size, Date, Type, and Forward or
Reverse order.
File Types: Choose which type of media files to
view in the thumbnail pane. Select video or image
files or both.
Refresh: Refreshes the thumbnail images and the
file names.
Fast Refresh: Just refreshes the file names. Doesn't
regenerate the thumbnail images.
Producer Clip Menu Options

The Clip menu options allow you to access the options relating to the clips and the storyboard. These include opening a
clip in the video editor, adding the clip to the storyboard, adding a transition, etc. Many of these same options are found
on the main toolbar.
For more information on the main toolbar, see "Producer Toolbar Options" on page 144.
Note: Several of these options can also be accessed by right-clicking on a clip in the storyboard and using the pop-up
menu.

Clip Options Description Table

The following table describes each of the Clip options along with its use.
Clip Option Description Use
Open in Video Opens the selected thumbnail Highlight the file or clip that you want to view in the video
Editor pane file or storyboard clip in the editor.
video editor. Choose Clip > Open in Video Editor.
Close in Video Closes the current clip within the Choose Clip > Close in Video Editor.
Editor video editor.
Add to Storyboard Adds the selected clip in the Highlight the file in the thumbnail pane that you want to
video editor or thumbnail pane to open in the video editor.
the storyboard. Choose Clip > Add to Storyboard.
Delete from Deletes the selected clip from the Highlight the clip that you want to remove from the
Storyboard storyboard. storyboard.
Note: This does not delete the Choose Clip > Delete from Storyboard.
file altogether. It only removes it
from the storyboard.
Transition Effect Applies an entry transition to the Highlight the clip that you want to add an entry effect for.
selected clip in the storyboard. Choose Clip > Transition Effect. Or, right-click the item in
the storyboard and select Transition Effect. The Transition
Effect dialog opens to allow you to select and set options for
the transition.
Once the transition effect is set, you will see a transition
arrow attached to the clip in the storyboard.
For more information on this topic, see "Transition Effect

Speed Allows you to speed up or slow Highlight a clip in the Storyboard. Select Clip > Speed.
down the playback time for a clip Select the percentage of the original clip speed to either
in the rendered movie. speed up or slow down playback. The new duration for the
For example, you can stretch a clip in the rendered movie is displayed. Choose OK.
clip to provide more time for For more information on this topic, see "Clip Speed Dialog
voice annotation or you can Box" on page 170.
speed it up to fill gaps.
Duration Include still images, such as Locate the image you want to use in the thumbnail pane.
BMP, GIF, or .JPEG files, on the Drag it directly to the storyboard and place in the position
storyboard and adjust the you want it.
duration of the image in the Select the image in the storyboard, then select Clip >
produced movie. This is useful Duration. The Image Duration dialog box displays. In the
for adding titles and scene Image Duration dialog, enter the number of seconds you
transitions between clips. want the image to appear in the produced movie. The
default is one second. Choose OK.
Continue this topic with "Transition Effect Dialog Box" on page 167.

Transition Effect Dialog Box

The transition effects options allow you to set special entry effects that will smoothly transition one clip to another in
your produced video.
This option can be accessed by:
• Selecting the clip in the storyboard and then choosing Clip > Transition Effect from the menu bar.
• Selecting the clip in the storyboard and then clicking on the Transition Effect tool on the toolbar.
• Right-clicking on a clip in the storyboard and choosing Transition Effect from the pop-up menu.
Note: When adding a Transition Effect, the effect will be placed before the selected clip.
The Transition Effects dialog box will display.

Transition Effects Options Description Table

The following table describes each of the Transition Effects options.
Transition Effects Description
Option
Enable a transition to To add a transition effect to a clip, enable this option. When enabled, a
this clip checkmark will display in the box.
Type From the dropdown menu, choose the type of effect that you want to add
to the clip. There are many types of effects to choose from such as Push,
Slide, Roll, Stretch, etc.
Once you select a type, click on the Preview button to see a example of
how the effect will work in the rendered movie.
Style From the dropdown menu, choose the style of effect that you want to add
to the clip. There are many styles to choose from such as wiping left to
right, wiping right to left, wiping bottom to top, etc.
Once you select a style, click on the Preview button to see a example of
Speed Use the speed control bar to regulate the speed of the transition. To adjust
the speed, drag the bar toward Fast or Slow.
Once you select a speed, click on the Preview button to see a example of
Preview Once you select an option, click on the Preview button to see a example of
OK Choose OK to save changes.
Cancel Choose Cancel to exit out of the Transition Effects dialog box without
making any changes.
Help Choose Help to access the online help file containing information that is
pertinent to this screen.

To Set a Transition Effect

• Highlight the clip that you want to add an entry effect for.
• Open the Transition Effects dialog box.
• Place a checkmark in the box next to the Enable a transition to this clip field.
• From the Type dropdown list, select a type of effect.
• From the Style dropdown list, select a style or direction of effect.
• Set the speed from Fast to Slow using the Speed slider control.
• Click on the Preview button to see a example of how the effect will work in the rendered movie.
• When you are satisfied with the settings, click OK to save the effect. The Transition Effect dialog box closes.
• The clip now has a transition effect icon in the upper left corner.
Continue this topic with "Clip Speed Dialog Box" on page 170.

Clip Speed Dialog Box

The clip speed options allow you to speed up or slow down the playback time for a clip in the rendered movie. For
example, you can stretch a clip to provide more time for voice annotation or you can speed it up to fill gaps.
This option can be accessed by:
• Selecting the clip in the storyboard and then choosing Clip > Speed from the menu bar.
• Right-clicking on a clip in the storyboard and choosing Speed from the pop-up menu.
The Clip Speed dialog box will display.
Clip Speed Options Description Table

The following table describes each of the Clip Speed options.
Clip Speed Option Description
% of original clip speed Enter the percentage of the original clip speed to either speed up or slow down playback.
The new duration for the clip in the rendered movie is displayed in the New Clip Duration
field.
Original Clip Duration Displays the clip's original duration. This is a read-only field.
New Clip Duration Displays the clip's new duration. This is a read-only field.
OK Choose OK to save changes.
Cancel Choose Cancel to exit out of the Clip Speed dialog box without making any changes.
Help Choose Help to access the online help file containing information that is pertinent to this
screen.
Continue this topic with "Producer Tools Menu Options" on page 171.

Producer Tools Menu Options

The Tools menu options gives you access to the other Camtasia Studio components as well as to a few Producer specific
options such as enabling and disabling the welcome menu and tips.
Tools Options Description Table

The following table describes each of the Tools options.
Tools Option Description
Camtasia Studio Starts the Camtasia Studio LaunchPad.
Camtasia Recorder Starts Recorder.
Camtasia Effects Starts Effects.
Camtasia MenuMaker Starts MenuMaker.
Camtasia Player Starts Player.
Audio Editor Starts the Audio Editor. Continue with "Audio Editor" on page 212.
Options Brings up the Options dialog box.
To enable an option, click on the box. If a checkmark is entered in the box, that option is
enabled.
To disable an option, click on the checkmark to remove it.
Play AVI files with Camtasia Player:
Display welcome dialog on Audio editor startup: This option, when enabled, will
display the welcome dialog box. This option is enabled by default.
Temporary Storage Folder: Allows you to designate the default folder that is used to
store temporary files that producer needs in order to process your video.
Continue this topic with "Producer Help Menu Options" on page 172.

Producer Help Menu Options

The Help menu options gives you access to the Effects online help as well as other Camtasia Studio and TechSmith
support options.
Help Options Description Table

Help Option Description
Camtasia Producer Help Opens the Camtasia Producer online help.
Tip of the Day Displays the tip dialog box.
Creating Macromedia Continue with:
Flash Videos "Producer Macromedia Flash Options Tab" on page 182.
"Converting AVIs to Macromedia Flash (SWF) Videos" on page 306.
"Chain Your Macromedia Flash (SWF) Files Together Using Producer" on page
307.
Support Displays the Technical Support dialog box. This dialog box contains important
TechSmith web addresses for receiving technical support. This dialog box also contains
application diagnostic information.
Copy to Clipboard: Copies the diagnostic information to the clipboard to be pasted
elsewhere.
Save to File: Saves the diagnostic information as a text file.
Check for Upgrade Accesses the TechSmith upgrade website which will allow you to check for possible
upgrades.
Frequently Asked Accesses the TechSmith Frequently Asked Question website which will allow you to
Questions search the FAQ database.
http://www.techsmith.com/rdr/sftw/camstudio/faq/default.asp
TechSmith on the Web Displays a dropdown menu of several helpful TechSmith websites.
TechSmith Home: http://www.techsmith.com/
Camtasia Studio Home:
http://www.techsmith.com/rdr/sftw/camstudio/home/default.asp
Send Feedback: http://www.techsmith.com/rdr/sftw/camstudio/feedback/default.asp
TechSmith
Products:http://www.techsmith.com/rdr/sftw/camstudio/tsproducts/default.asp
About Camtasia Studio Displays the About dialog box listing version and licensing information.

Pack and Show

Overview
This option allows you to package your video for easy one-step distribution to your users. Pack and Show creates a
Windows-executable file that users can simply double-click to unpack the file, install the TSCC codec and Camtasia
Player (if you have included them) and play the movie.
Note: The TSCC codec is now built into the Camtasia Player. This means that you do not need to install the TSCC
codec on the host machine in order to view the video with the TSCC if you are using Player for playback.
You have the options to include the TSCC codec and Camtasia Player in the package, so that they will be automatically
installed on the user’s computer.
When users receive the .EXE file, they simply double-click it to unpack it, install TSCC if desired, and show the movie.
There are two advantages to Pack and Show:
• Users get everything they need to view a TSCC-encoded movie.
• The packaging process may reduce the size of files to be distributed without affecting the movie quality. For
example, when the movie contains uncompressed audio, the audio quality will be unaffected by packaging.
Using Pack and Show

To use the Pack and Show feature:
1. Choose File > Pack and Show. The following Pack and Show dialog box displays.
2. In the Movie File Name field, click on the browse button to browse and select the desired video.

3. The name of the executable file and its path is automatically populated in the Executable File Name field based
upon the name of the AVI that was chosen. It is stored in the same directory as your selected video. You can
accept the default entry or enter a new file name and/or path.
4. If desired, check the Include TSCC Codec Installer option.
Note: The TSCC codec is now built into the Camtasia Player. This means that you do not need to install the
TSCC codec on the host machine in order to view the video with the TSCC if you are using Player for playback.
5. If desired, check the Use Camtasia Player option if you wish to include Camtasia Player.
6. Select other Player options. (Each of these is described in the following table.)
7. Click on the Package button to begin the packaging process.
After Pack and Show has Completed

The video file is now packaged into an executable file and stored on your computer. Ship the file with the .EXE
extension.
Instruct the recipient to double-click the file to open and play it. It will automatically install TSCC (if selected), Player
and your AVI.
Player Options Description Table

The following table describes each of the Player options that can be included in your Pack and Show video.
Player Option Description
Start playing automatically Starts Player as soon as Pack and Show executable is double-clicked on.
Exit after playing movie Player closes automatically as soon as video is done playing.
Repeat movie until closed Automatically repeats movie until Player is manually closed by user.
Stay on last frame Player stops on and displays last frame when video finishes.
Always on top Player will reside as the topmost application on the desktop.
Play in maximized mode Player operates as in maximized mode.
Play in full screen mode Player operates as a full screen.
To title bar No title bar displays while Player is running.
No menu bar No menu bar displays while Player is running.
No toolbar No tool bar displays while Player is running.
No status bar No status bar displays while Player is running.
No dragging by movie area You cannot drag the video around the screen.
Background Color Sets the background color. This is the color that is seen around the video if the video
size does not take up the full screen when the full screen option is enabled.
Click on the button to reveal the Color dialog box. Choose the desired color and
choose OK. The color will be updated in the Pack and Show dialog box.

Producing a Video
Overview
When you have set the timing and sequence of video clips and still images in your video, you are ready to Produce. This
process, also called "rendering," assembles all of the audio, video, and images into one video file, based on the sequence
you have established on the storyboard.
There are two methods of producing videos, both use the same options for producing and both produce identical results.
The only difference in these two methods of production is the way in which the production screens are delivered to you.
You can decide which choice is best for you.
• Use the menu option File > Produce Movie which presents a dialog for you to set all movie production options
yourself without the use and help of the Wizard.
• Use the Production Wizard under File > Production Wizard which presents a series of wizard panels that
prompt you for the information needed to produce the video.
Within this documentation, these two different yet very similar ways of producing a video will be discussed in tandem.
This is because the options that you will select are identical.
Overall, regardless of which method you use to produce your video, the steps to creating the video are the same:
1. Add desired files to storyboard by dragging from the thumbnail pane or video editor.
9. Save video project.
Note: This chapter will discuss in detail the options required for steps three through three. That is, the actual
production or rendering of the video. For detailed information on completing steps one and two, see:
"Producer File Menu Options" on page 157.
To produce your video without using the Wizard, choose File > Produce Movie. Continue with "Produce Movie
To produce your video using the Wizard, choose File > Production Wizard. Continue with "Production Wizard" on
page 208.

Produce Movie Dialog Box

When you choose File > Produce Movie, the following Produce Movie dialog box displays.
During this step, you will be selecting the file format of the video you are creating. There are many formats to choose
from with each format having their own particular set of options. Once you have selected the desired file format, you will
need to select the options for that format.
For an overview of each of these file formats, see the chapter entitled "Video File Type Fundamentals" on page 15.
Produce Movie Options Description Table

The following table describes each of the Produce Movie options found on the Produce Movie dialog box.
Produce Movie Option Description
Movie File Format Select the desired file format for the video you are producing from the dropdown list.
Once you select the desired file format, you will need to enter the file format options.
If you chose AVI Movie File, continue this process with "Producer AVI Options Tab"
on page 178.
If you chose Macromedia Flash (SWF) File, continue this process with "Producer
Macromedia Flash Options Tab" on page 182.
If you chose GIF Animation File, continue this process with "Producer GIF Options
Tab" on page 180.

Produce Movie Option Description

If you chose Camtasia for RealPlayer Streaming Media File, continue this process
with "Producer Camtasia for RealPlayer Streaming Media File Options Tab" on
page 185.
If you chose RealPlayer Movie File, continue this process with "Producer Real Media
Options Tab" on page 190.
If you chose QuickTime Movie File, continue this process with "Producer QuickTime
If you chose Windows Media Streaming Media File, continue this process with
"Producer Windows Media Options Tab" on page 196.
For information on each of the different file types, see "Movie File Format Options" on
page 178.
Movie File Name Select a file name for the video from the drop-down list of recently-used names or click
the folder icon to browse for one. If it is a new production, type the filename at the end
of the path.
Note for Production Wizard Users: If you are using the Production Wizard to produce
a video, you will not see this option on the first Wizard screen. Instead, it will be on the
last Wizard screen.
Play move after Enable the Play movie after production option if you want Camtasia Player to playback
production your produced video when the production process is complete.
Note for Production Wizard Users: If you are using the Production Wizard to produce
a video, you will not see this option on the first Wizard screen. Instead, it will be on the
last Wizard screen.
Production Options The Production Options Summary box shows details about the selections you have made
Summary for this video production. This is a read-only field.
Produce When you are ready to produce the video, select the Produce button.
Depending on the size of the video and your computer processor speed, the production
process may take a few seconds up to several hours. Encoder dialogs or players may
appear to give you a status of the processing.
Options For each of the different Movie File Formats that can be selected, there is a
corresponding options dialog box that is used to configure the video during production.
Once you have selected the desired Movie File Format, click on the Options button.
Continue with "Movie File Format Options" on page 178.
Cancel Choose Cancel to exit back to the Produce Movie dialog box without making any
changes.
screen.

Movie File Format Options

Overview
These screens are accessed from within the Produce Movie dialog button by selecting the desired Movie File Format in
the dropdown dialog box and then clicking on the Option button at the bottom of the screen.
For each of the different Movie File Formats that can be selected, there is a corresponding options dialog box that is used
to configure the video during production.
The following section describes each of the options that are available for different Movie File Formats.
Once you have selected the file format in the Movie File Format field, you will need to select the movie format options
along with the video size, info, and watermark options.
• If you chose AVI Movie File, continue this process with "Producer AVI Options Tab" on page 178.
• If you chose Macromedia Flash (.SWF) File, continue this process with "Producer Macromedia Flash
• If you chose GIF Animation File, continue this process with "Producer GIF Options Tab" on page 180.
• If you chose Camtasia for RealPlayer Streaming Media File, continue this process with "Producer Camtasia
for RealPlayer Streaming Media File Options Tab" on page 185.
• If you chose RealPlayer Movie File, continue this process with "Producer Real Media Options Tab" on page
190.
• If you chose QuickTime Movie File, continue this process with "Producer QuickTime Options Tab" on page
192.
• If you chose Windows Media Streaming Media File, continue this process with "Producer Windows Media
Producer AVI Options Tab

Note: If you have come to this topic by way of using the Production Wizard, you will notice that the screen appears
to be slightly different. However, all of the options found in this screen are the same as those in the Production
Wizard screen. Use the information in this section to complete the Production Wizard's AVI Encoding Options
screen. Once you have selected the desired options, choose Next. Continue with "Producer Size Tab" on page
202.
Overview
The AVI tab in the Production Options dialog box allows you to select the options that will be used to configure the
video during production.
Note: Once you have reviewed the information in this section and have selected the options for this file format, you
will need to continue with "Producer Size Tab" on page 202.
The AVI file format retains the highest quality and is editable by Camtasia Producer, Camtasia Effects, or other video
editing programs. This AVI file format is also a vendor-neutral format that can be converted into vendor-specific
streaming media file formats. These features make AVI files an ideal format for your original, high quality recordings.
Producer uses the TechSmith Screen Capture Codec (TSCC) as the default video compressor. However, you can choose
to use any available Windows AVI video codec, including the standard MD-RLE and MS Video 1 codecs that come with
Windows.

Once you choose the Options button, the Production Options dialog box will display.
AVI Options Description Table

The following table describes each of the AVI production options.
Colors Select a color option from the drop-down list.
The default Automatic option preserves the highest color setting on the Storyboard.
If you want to decrease the size of the video, select a lower color depth.
Frame Rate Select a frame rate option from the drop-down list.
The default Automatic option preserves the highest frame rate setting on the Storyboard.
If you want to decrease the size of the video, select a lower frame rate.
Audio Setup The Audio Setup button gives you access to the Audio Format dialog box. In this dialog
box you can set record and playback rate options.
For more information, see "Audio Properties" on page 227.
Video Setup Allows you to set the compression options for the capture.
For more information on selecting the options in this dialog box, see the same options
listed in "Recorder AVI Video Setup Button" on page 90.
Encode Audio Remove the checkmark from the Encode Audio box if you do not want to include audio in
the movie you are producing.
Interleave Audio Interleaving the audio and video data allows it to playback smoothly when the video file is
played from a slower device such as a floppy disk, or CD-ROM. The only reason to
disable interleaving would be to speed up video file "Rendering" time.


and video data. The lower the number specified for "X," the smoother the playback will
be.
playback.
Frames Enter the number of frames that should play before interleaving occurs.
Interleaving with higher numbers of video frames results in progressively less
interleaving and potentially less smooth playback. However, the video file may be smaller
with less interleaving. This can be an important consideration for long videos with large
pixel dimensions and detail.
Seconds Enter the number of seconds that should play before interleaving occurs.
Interleaving with higher numbers of video frames results in progressively less
interleaving and potentially less smooth playback. However, the video file may be smaller
with less interleaving. This can be an important consideration for long videos with large
Details The Details box shows details about the selections you have made on this tab for the audio
and video options of the AVI videos you are recording.
OK Choose OK to save changes and exit back to the Produce Movie dialog box.
changes.
screen.
Producer GIF Options Tab

Note: If you have come to this topic by way of using the Production Wizard, you will notice that the screen appears to
be slightly different. However, all of the options found in this screen are the same as those in the Production
Wizard screen. Use the information in this section to complete the Production Wizard's Animated GIF
Encoding Options screen. Once you have selected the desired options, choose Next. Continue with "Producer
Size Tab" on page 202.
Overview
The GIF tab in the Production Options dialog box allows you to select the options that will be used to configure the
video during production.
The GIG video format allows you to publish short tutorials and product demonstrations on the web that playback in any
browser on any computer platform.
Producer creates highly optimized animated GIF files that are as small as possible. However, there are practical limits on
the length of GIF animations since they must be downloaded entirely before they can play in a browser.
GIF animations do not contain audio and are limited to 256 colors.

GIF Options Description Table

The following table describes each of the GIF production options.
GIF Option Description
The Automatic option is selected by default.
The default Automatic option preserves the highest frame rate setting on the
Storyboard.
The Automatic option is selected by default.
Loop indefinitely When this option is enabled, after the video ends, it will loop to the beginning and
play over and over.
Disable this option if you want the video to end after it plays.
This option is enabled by default.

GIF Option Description

Play Used in conjunction with the Loop option.
Enable this option to stipulate the number of times to loop the video. Enter number
of times to play.
Optimized Palette This option will generate an optimized palette using all of the colors in all frames in
the GIF file.
This option typically produces a better quality and better looking GIF file than
Fixed Palette.
Fixed Palette This option will generate a palette with a fixed set of colors. It may be useful if you
must have the same palette used in multiple GIF files. For example, multiple
animated GIF files playing on a web page viewed on a 256-color desktop.
Include Windows colors This option will include the standard Windows 20 colors in the GIF file palette
(either Optimized Palette or Fixed Palette).
This option typically produces the best results for screen recordings.
Dithered color reduction This option will apply a dithering effect during color reduction. Dithering attempts
to smooth the effects of color reduction.
Dithering is typically only useful for real-world content (for example, a music
video) rather than screen recordings of an Office-style application.
Details The Details box shows details about the selections you have made on this tab for the
audio and video options of the GIF videos you are recording.
changes.
Help Choose Help to access the online help file containing information that is pertinent to
this screen.
Producer Macromedia Flash Options Tab

Wizard screen. Use the information in this section to complete the Production Wizard's Flash Encoding Options
screen. Once you have selected the desired options, choose Next. Continue with "Producer Size Tab" on page
202.
Overview
The Macromedia Flash tab in the Production Options dialog box allows you to select the options that will be used to
configure the video during production.
Since most SWF files will be played in a web browser, the SWF production process creates two files: the actual SWF
video file and a simple HTML file of the same name that references the produced SWF file. To properly play the SWF
video file, launch the HTML file in a web browser.

Keep the following in mind when working with Flash (.SWF) videos:
• If you selected the “Play movie after production” option in the Produce Movie dialog, the produced file will
begin playing inside your web browser.
• To properly view the SWF file, double-click on the corresponding HTML file. This will play the SWF file
inside your web browser with the appropriate width and height.
• It is important that the width and height specified in the HTML file are the exact dimensions of the produced
SWF file. If these dimensions are not correct, the movie will be scaled and the quality will appear distorted.
• Since the HTML file references the SWF file, if the SWF file is renamed or moved to a different directory, then
you must edit the corresponding HTML file to reflect this change.

Macromedia Flash Options Description Table

The following table describes each of the Flash production options.
Macromedia Description
Flash Option
The default Automatic option preserves the highest frame rate setting on the Storyboard.
Encode Audio Remove the checkmark from the Encode Audio box if you do not want to include audio in the movie
you are producing.
Audio Format From the dropdown menu, choose the type of audio format that you want to include with this video.
Once an Audio Format is selected, the Audio Attributes dialog box will be updated to reflect the
default settings.
Audio Once the Audio Format option is selected, this field will be automatically updated with a default
Attributes setting. If you would like to change this setting, choose a different setting from the dropdown menu.
Show Playback Enable this option if you want the playback controls to display on the Flash video. The playback
Controls controls allow you to play, pause, and stop the video.
Preload Movie Enable this option if you want to display an image while the video is loading.
Loading Screen If Preload Movie is selected, specify the image you would like to display while the video is loading,
or use the default.
Click on the browse button. Browse and select the desired BMP, GIF, or JPEG image file. Choose
Open. The file path is updated to the Loading Screen field.
End Action Specify the action you would like to occur at the end of the video. Choosing Stop or Loop will force
the player to stop or loop regardless of the player settings. Choosing Jump to URL will cause the
browser to launch using the URL you provide in the field below.
To select an End Action, choose the desired action from the drop down menu.
Pause at Start Enable this option if you want the video to pause before it is played. Enabling this option prohibits
the video from automatically playing when the URL is first accessed.
With this option enabled, the video will need to be started manually using the Start button on the
playback controls.
Note: If the playback controls are not enabled, you must right-click on the video in the web browser
and click Play from the popup menu.
URL If you choose Jump to URL in the End Action field, specify the web URL in this field.
Details The Details box shows details about the selections you have made on this tab for the audio and video
options of the Flash videos you are recording.
Cancel Choose Cancel to exit back to the Produce Movie dialog box without making any changes.
Help Choose Help to access the online help file containing information that is pertinent to this screen.

Producer Camtasia for RealPlayer Streaming Media File Options Tab

Wizard screen. Use the information in this section to complete the Production Wizard's Camtasia RealPlay
PlugIn Encoding Options screen. Once you have selected the desired options, choose Next. Continue with
"Producer Size Tab" on page 202.
Overview
The Camtasia for RealPlayer tab in the Production Options dialog box allows you to select the options that will be used
to configure the video during production.
This file format uses the Camtasia for RealPlayer PlugIn to stream video with perfect lossless quality. The audio stream
is encoded with standard Real Audio codecs. Choose this option for content with few color gradients, low motion, and
where the highest video quality is required.
The Camtasia for RealPlayer file format produces a presentation in three files:
1. mymovie.camv (the video stream)
2. mymovie.rm (the audio stream, if any)
3. mymovie.smil (SMIL presentation file to play the audio and video streams simultaneously).
RealPlayer 8.0 or later must be installed on your system to play this format. If you are asked if you would like to update
your RealPlayer, do so. When you select Camtasia for RealPlayer in Camtasia, the required PlugIn from the
RealNetworks AutoUpdate service should be downloaded automatically, if necessary.
Note: A video only presentation does not require an SMIL file. The .CAMV file can be opened directly in RealPlayer.
Note: To stream a .CAMV file from a RealServer, stop RealServer, copy the camtasf.dll file format PlugIn from the
Camtasia install folder to your RealServer PlugIns folder and then restart RealServer.

Camtasia for RealPlay Options Description Table

The following table describes each of the Camtasia for RealPlayer production options.
Camtasia for RealPlayer Description
Option
Target Audience Used to select the appropriate throughput option based on the access methods
your viewers are likely to use.
For best performance, select the largest bandwidth likely. For conservative
performance, select the smallest likely bandwidth.
To choose a Target Audience option, click on the box next to the desired option.
A checkmark will display when enabled.
Note: Multiple target audience selections are not supported. Choose only one
Target Audience option.
Target Bitrate Settings Used to set the overall bitrate for each target audience. This gives you control
over the exact bitrate (audio and video combined) that the streaming media file
will be encoded for.


Option
For example, it is common to encode to a target bitrate of 34 Kbps for the 56K
modem target audience, since 34 Kbps of actual useable bandwidth is what you
can typically expect.
To set the bitrate, click on the Target Bitrate Settings button
. The Target Bitrate Settings dialog box is displayed.

Continue with "Target Bitrate Settings Dialog Box" on page 188.
Audio Target Settings Used to set the bitrate allocated to the audio stream (if any) in your streaming
media file. The video stream uses leftover bandwidth, if any. That is, if you
choose 56K modem as a target audience and configure the audio stream bitrate to
be 16 Kbps for the 56K modem target audience, then the video stream is encoded
to a 18 Kbps bitrate (assuming the overall bitrate for 56K modem is set to 34
Kbps).
Note: The bandwidth for the video stream (resulting in fewer dropped video
frames) can be increased by choosing a lower audio bitrate.
To set the bitrate, click on the Audio Target Settings button
.
The Audio Target Settings dialog box is displayed. Continue with "Target
Audience Settings Tab" on page 190.
Preroll Used to set the amount of time, in seconds, that RealPlayer initially buffers the
audio and video stream before it starts to play the movie.
Note: You can artificially increase the bandwidth for the video and audio stream
(resulting in fewer dropped video frames) by increasing the preroll. There is a
limit to how much preroll your audience will tolerate. With too large a preroll,
you loose the advantages of streaming, since so much of the file must be
downloaded and buffered before the movie starts to play.
To set the Preroll, enter the amount of seconds in the Preroll field.
Keyframe every Used to determine how often to include a keyframe in the video stream.
A keyframe is a video frame that does not depend on previous frames streamed to
RealPlayer. It is used to recover from lost frames, during network congestion for
example, and, during seeking in the movie when the user moves the seek slider in
RealPlayer.
Increasing the keyframe frequency results in quicker and smoother seeking.
However, it increases the bandwidth needed for the video stream.
To set the Keyframe inclusion rate, enter the amount of seconds in the Keyframe
every field.
Colors This field is used to select the color depth of the video stream. 16-bit color is
essentially lossless video.
The 12- and 9-bit color settings reduce the color in the video, resulting in some
loss of quality such as exhibiting bands of color gradients.
The 12- and 9-bit color settings can significantly reduce the bandwidth required
for the video stream.
To select the colors, choose the desired option from the dropdown menu.
Frame Rate The target frame rate for the video stream. Choose automatic to use the highest
frame rate of all the clips on the Storyboard. If the frame rate can not be achieved
at a given target bitrate, video frames are dropped. Lower the frame rate to reduce


Option
the bandwidth needed by the video stream, but then your video can become
choppy.
Audio Format Select a format from the dropdown list that matches the type of audio that exists
in the clip(s) on the Storyboard.
A No Audio setting is included to produce a movie with no audio track.
Details The Details box shows details about the selections you have made on this tab for
the audio and video options of the Camtasia for RealPlayer videos you are
recording.
changes.
Help Choose Help to access the online help file containing information that is pertinent
to this screen.
Target Bitrate Settings Dialog Box

Overview
Use this dialog box set the overall bitrate for each target audience. This gives you control over the exact bitrate (audio
and video combined) that the streaming media file will be encoded for.
For example, it is common to encode to a target bitrate of 34 Kbps for the 56K modem target audience, since 34 Kbps
of actual useable bandwidth is what you can typically expect.
To set the bitrate, click on the Target Bitrate Settings button .
Note: Once you have set the Target Bitrate, chose OK to exit back to the Camtasia for RealPlayer dialog where you
will continue with the Production process.

The Target Bitrate Settings dialog box is displayed.
Target Bitrate Settings Options Description Table

The following table describes each of the Target Bitrate Settings options.
Target Bitrate Description
Settings Option
Target Audience In the Target Audience field, select the desired bitrate from the dropdown menu.
Once you have made your selection, the Target Bitrate Kbps field will automatically
be populated with a default setting.
Target Bitrate Settings Once the Target Audience option is selected, this field will be automatically updated
with a default setting. If you would like to change this settings, within the Target
Bitrate Kbps field, enter the desired number.
The bottom of this screen gives you the recommended Kbps number for each bitrate
option. This information is read-only information and cannot be changed.
Restore Defaults To restore defaults, click on the Restore Default button.
changes.

Target Audience Settings Tab

Overview
Use this dialog box to set the bitrate allocated to the audio stream (if any) along with the Kbps settings for your
streaming media file.
The video stream uses left over bandwidth, if any. That is, if you choose 56K modem as a target audience and
configure the audio stream bitrate to be 16 Kbps for the 56K modem target audience, then the video stream is encoded
to a 18 Kbps bitrate (assuming the overall bitrate for 56K modem is set to 34 Kbps).
Note: The bandwidth for the video stream (resulting in fewer dropped video frames) can be increased by choosing a
lower audio bitrate.
Note: Once you have set the Target Audience, chose OK to exit back to the Camtasia for RealPlayer dialog where you
To set the bitrate, click on the Audio Target Settings button . The Target Audience Settings
dialog box is displayed.
In the desired field, select the bitrate from the dropdown menu.
Once you have made your selection, the rest of the Kbps fields will automatically be populated with a recommended
default setting.
Once an option is selected, a complete description of that option will be displayed under the dropdown menu. The
description information is read-only information and cannot be changed.
• To restore defaults, click on the Restore Default button.
• Choose OK to save changes and exit back to the Produce Movie dialog box.
• Choose Cancel to exit back to the Produce Movie dialog box without making any changes.
Producer Real Media Options Tab

Wizard screen. Use the information in this section to complete the Production Wizard's RealMedia Encoding
Options screen. Once you have selected the desired options, choose Next. Continue with "Producer Size Tab"
on page 202.
Overview
The RealMedia tab in the Production Options dialog box allows you to select the options that will be used to configure
the video during production.
The RealMedia option creates video files that are compressed and optimized for web delivery using the standard
RealVideo and RealAudio codecs. This format gives 'real world' video content with many color gradients and high
motion where lossy video quality is acceptable. It requires viewers to have the RealPlayer and codec installed.
With streaming media file formats, quality depends on the target bitrate. Also, streaming files are generally not editable
and cannot be converted to any other file format. For these reasons, it is best to keep your original source content in the
AVI file format and use streaming media file formats only for publishing and delivery.

RealMedia Options Description Table

The following table describes each of the RealMedia production options.
RealMedia Option Description
File Type Select a RealVideo file type: either SureStream or Single Rate.
Select SureStream to produce a file that can stream to target audiences at more
than one bitrate. Contact your system administrator if you need more
information.
Target Audience Select an appropriate throughput option based on the access methods your
viewers are likely to use.
In the Target Audience field, select the desired bitrate from the menu by
clicking on the box next to the desired option. A checkmark will display once
an option is enabled.
Audio Format Select a format from the dropdown list that matches the audio included on the
Storyboard.
A No Audio setting is included to produce a movie with no audio track.
Video Quality Select an option from the dropdown list that matches your video on the
Storyboard.

RealMedia Option Description

For most screen capture videos, Sharpest Image is the best choice.
2 Pass Encoding This option attempts to achieve better compression by analyzing the video
prior to encoding. This causes the encoding process to take longer, but may
produce a smaller file.
Variable Bit Rate Encoding This option attempts to achieve better compression by varying the bits used to
encode different parts of the video.
Default To restore defaults, click on the Default button.
Cancel Choose Cancel to exit back to the Produce Movie dialog box without making
any changes.
Help Choose Help to access the online help file containing information that is
pertinent to this screen.
Producer QuickTime Options Tab

Wizard screen. Use the information in this section to complete the Production Wizard's QuickTime Encoding
Options screen. Once you have selected the desired options, choose Next. Continue with "Producer Size Tab"
on page 202.
The QuickTime tab in the Production Options dialog box allows you to select the options that will be used to configure
the video during production.
QuickTime is a cross-platform video file format with a wide selection of video and audio compressors.
QuickTime videos playback in the standard Apple QuickTime player on Windows and Mac computers. When using this
video format, you must be sure to include the QuickTime Authoring component when you install QuickTime.

QuickTime Options Description Table

The following table describes each of the QuickTime production options.
QuickTime Description
Option
Audio Setup The Audio Setup button gives you access to the Audio Setup dialog box. In this dialog box
you can set record and playback rate options.
For more information, see "QuickTime Audio Setup Settings Dialog Box" on page 194.
Video Setup The Video Setup button gives you access to the Compression Settings dialog box. In this
dialog box you can set the compression options for the video.
For more information, see "QuickTime Compression Settings Dialog Box" on page 195.
Encode Audio Remove the checkmark from the Encode Audio box if you do not want to include audio in
the movie you are producing.
Interleave Interleaving the audio and video data allows it to playback smoothly when the video file is
Audio played from a slower device such as a floppy disk, or CD-ROM. The only reason to disable
interleaving would be to speed up video file "Rendering" time.
and video data. The lower the number specified for "X," the smoother the playback will be.
playback.
Details The Details box shows details about the selections you have made on this tab for the audio
and video options of the QuickTime videos you are recording.
screen.

QuickTime Audio Setup Settings Dialog Box
The Audio Setup button in the Options dialog box gives you access to the Sound Settings dialog
box. In this dialog box you can set the audio options for the video.
This feature is found in File > Produce Movie> QuickTime Movie Format > Options > Audio Setup button.
Note: Once you have set the Sound Settings, chose OK to exit back to the QuickTime dialog where you will continue
with the Production process.
QuickTime Audio Settings Options Description Table

The following table describes each of the QuickTime Audio Settings options.
Audio Settings Description
Option
Compressor: Type From the dropdown menu, choose the desired compressor option. Choose the compressor that
best suits your audio content, or choose None to use uncompressed audio (best quality and
largest file size).
Rate Select the desired kHz rate from the dropdown menu. Choose higher rates for better quality
and a larger file size. Choose lower rates for lower quality and a smaller file size.
Size Choose 16 bit for higher quality sound and a larger file size. Choose 8 bit for lower quality
sound and a smaller file size.
Use Since Stereo is roughly twice the size as Mono, choose Mono unless you have audio that was
recorded in stereo.
Options Depending on which Compressor is selected, the Options button will become enabled
.
To select the desired options, click on the Options button. The Options dialog box will
display.
For more information on the QuickTime options, visit the QuickTime website or consult your
QuickTime documentation.

QuickTime Compression Settings Dialog Box
The Video Setup button in the Options dialog box gives you access to the Compression Settings
dialog box. In this dialog box you can set the compression options for the video.
Note: Depending on which version of QuickTime you have installed, this particular dialog box may differ slightly.
This feature is found in File > Produce Movie> QuickTime Movie Format > Options > Video Setup button.
Note: Once you have set the Compression Settings, chose OK to exit back to the QuickTime dialog where you will
continue with the Production process.
QuickTime Compression Settings Options Description Table

The following table describes each of the QuickTime Compression Settings options.
Note: For more information on each of these QuickTime options, visit the QuickTime website or consult the
QuickTime documentation.
Compression Description
Settings Option
Compressor: Type Dropdown selection box for choosing the desired compressor option.
Compressor: Color Dropdown selection box for choosing the desired color depth.
Quality Some codecs are lossy, meaning that the type of compression algorithm used will
sacrifice image quality when it is applied to the image data. This can be configurable so
that the users gets to decide on making a smaller file and losing more quality, or a
larger file with better image quality. This option is disabled when using the TSCC
codec.
To set the Quality option, use the slide bar to move between the least and best quality
setting.

Compression Description
Settings Option
Frames per second Select the frame rate in frames per second from the dropdown list. While more frames
per second usually produces smoother videos, your resulting video file will be
proportionally larger and more system resources will be required to record the video.
Keyframe every Used to determine how often to include a keyframe in the video stream.
A keyframe is a video frame that does not depend on previous frames streamed to
RealPlayer. It is used to recover from lost frames, during network congestion for
example, and, during seeking in the movie when the user moves the seek slider in
RealPlayer.
Increasing the keyframe frequency results in quicker and smoother seeking. However, it
increases the bandwidth needed for the video stream.
To set the Keyframe inclusion rate, enter the amount of seconds in the Keyframe every
field.
Limit data rate to Some compressor types allow you to specify a maximum data rate in KBytes/sec in this
field.
Kbytes/sec If the Limit data rate to option has been enabled, enter the desired number of Kbytes
per second.
changes.
Producer Windows Media Options Tab

Wizard screen. Use the information in this section to complete the Production Wizard's Windows Media
Encoding Options screen. Once you have selected the desired options, choose Next. Continue with "Producer
Size Tab" on page 202.
Overview
The Windows Media tab in the Production Options dialog box allows you to select the options that will be used to
configure the video during production.
The WMV file format is the latest Microsoft streaming file format.
WMV files play in Microsoft's Windows Media Player. A variety of audio and video compressors are available,
including the Windows Media Screen video codec which is optimized for screen recordings.

Windows Media Options Description Table

The following table describes each of the Windows Media production options.
Windows Media Description
Option
Profiles Select the profile that you want to use in the encoding session. A profile contains all of
the technical details required to encode content, which includes supported source types,
target audience, codecs, frame rate, and so on.
The profiles that are available in the list depend on the type of encoding you plan to do,
such as live broadcast, file conversion, or screen capture. Used to select one of the listed
screen capture quality options.
They are listed by the target delivery options (28.8 Kbps live delivery, 28.8 Kbps 5 fps,
and 128 Kbps -- also suitable for email delivery).
Screen Capture Keep this option enabled.
profiles only

Windows Media Description

Option
Edit Click on the Edit button to edit the currently selected custom profile. Continue with
"Windows Media Edit Options Screen" on page 199.
Manage Click on the Manage button to launch Profile Manager and create a new profile or
remove an existing one. Continue with "Windows Media Manage Options Dialog Box"
on page 200.
Description This read-only field gives a description of the profile that is selected in the Profiles drop
down menu.
Details The Details box shows details about the selections you have made on this tab for the
audio and video options of the Windows Media videos you are recording.
Add index to file Enable the Add index to file (to enable seeking within the file) option if you want to
(to enable seeking enable users to seek specific portions of the content using the seek capabilities in
within the file) Windows Media Player.
changes.
screen.
Continue with "Windows Media Edit Options Screen" on page 199.

Windows Media Edit Options Screen

Overview
The Edit button in the Options dialog box gives you access to the Edit Profile dialog box. In this dialog
box you can set the profile options for the video.
This feature is found in File > Produce Movie> Windows Media Movie Format > Options > Edit button.
Note: Once you have set the Edit Profile options, chose Finish to exit back to the Windows Media dialog where you
At this time, you will be within the Windows Media Wizard. This is a wizard that runs independently of Camtasia
Producer.
For more information on each of the Windows Media wizard options, consult your Windows Media documentation or
the Window Media website.

You can also click on the Help button found at the bottom of the wizard screens. The Windows Media online help will
display.
Continue this topic with "Windows Media Manage Options Dialog Box".
Windows Media Manage Options Dialog Box

Overview
The Manage button in the Options dialog box gives you access to the Manage Profiles dialog box. In
this dialog box you can set the profile options for the video.
This feature is found in File > Produce Movie> Windows Media Movie Format > Options > Edit button.

This screen displays the full list of system profiles and any custom profiles that might have created. A green icon
indicates system profiles; a red icon indicates custom profiles. You can create a new profile, edit or delete custom
profiles, or copy a profile's characteristics and then edit it.
Note: Once you have set the Manage Profiles options, chose Close to exit back to the Windows Media dialog where
you will continue with the Production process.
While in the Manage Profiles dialog box, you will be within the Windows Media Wizard for managing profiles. This is a
wizard that runs independently of Camtasia Producer.
For more information on each of the Windows Media wizard options, consult your Windows Media documentation or
the Window Media website.
You can also click on the Help button found at the bottom of the wizard screens. The Windows Media online help will
display.

Producer Size Tab

Overview
Wizard screen. Use the information in this section to complete the Production Wizard's Movie Size screen. Once
you have selected the desired options, choose Next. Continue with "Producer Info Tab" on page 204.
The Size tab in the Production Options dialog box allows you to set the size of the produced video.
will need to continue with "Producer Info Tab" on page 204.
Size Options Description Table

The following table describes each of the video Size options.
Size Option Description
Largest movie size Creates the entire video using the size of the largest clip in the storyboard.
Selecting this option is recommended because Producer calculates the size required to include
the largest dimensions encountered in the clips included in the project.
Click on the radio button to enable this option for use.
Standard movie size Creates your video using a standard size.
Click on the radio button to enable this option for use. From the dropdown menu, choose the
desired size.

Size Option Description
Custom size This options allows you to create your video using dimensions that you set.
Click on the radio button to enable this option for use. Type the Width and Height in the boxes
provided.
Stretch to fit This option enlarges small clips and reduces larger ones to fit.
If the image is distorted, recalculate aspect ratios.
Place a checkmark in the Stretch to fit box if you want to create a final movie that fits the size
you have specified regardless of individual clip size.
Background color This option sets the background color for clips that are smaller than the standard size specified.
Click on the button to reveal the Color dialog box. Choose the desired color and choose OK.
The color will be updated in the Size Tab dialog box.
screen.

Producer Info Tab

Wizard screen. Use the information in this section to complete the Production Wizard's Movie Information
screen. Once you have selected the desired options, choose Next. Continue with "Producer Watermark Tab"
on page 205.
Overview
The Info tab in the Production Options dialog box allows you to enter additional information about your video that you
want displayed to your audience, such as the title, author, and copyright.
Once you have entered the info options, continue with "Producer Watermark Tab" on page 205.
Info Options Description Table

The following table describes each of the Info options.
Info Option Description
Title Type the title of the video in this field.
Author Type your name or organization name in this field.
Copyright Type appropriate copyright protection information in this field.
screen.

Producer Watermark Tab

Wizard screen. Use the information in this section to complete the Production Wizard's Watermark screen.
Once you have selected the desired options, choose Next. Continue with "Produce Movie" on page 207.
Overview
The Watermark tab in the Production Options dialog box allows you to add a watermark, such as a company logo, in any
fixed position in the recording. This is a helpful way to stamp ownership on the intellectual property that the recording
represents. Other than logos, you can use this feature to position any other information you would like into the recording
such as titles, banner ads, etc. As input, you can use graphic files in BMP, GIF, or JPEG format.
When the Watermark tab is selected, the Watermark Preview screen will also display. Once you have entered the
watermark options, continue with "Produce Movie" on page 207.
Watermark Options Description Table

The following tables describes each of the Watermark options.
Watermark Description
Option
Include Enable this option if you would like to include a watermark in this video. This option is disabled
Watermark in by default and must be enabled before a watermark in included.
Movie

Watermark Description
Option
Image Path This option allows you to select the image you will use as your watermark.
To select the desired image, choose the Browse button. Select the desired watermark image and
then choose Open. The image will be updated to the Image Path field. Additionally, the image
will be displayed in the Watermark Preview window.
Preview Click on the Preview button to update the Preview window with your selections.
Overlay Use this option if you want your watermark to be an opaque overlay on the produced video. This
produces a solid image that blocks out the view of any action occurring underneath.
Use Transparent Use this option to make part of the watermark image transparent. When selected, the areas of the
Color watermark image that match the transparent color are hidden so that the video shows through the
watermark.
Change Use the Change button to select the Transparent Color to be used. The transparent color you
select must match the area(s) that you want to be transparent in the watermark image. Use the
Preview screen to verify that the transparent effect works. The preview will not show it as being
transparent until the right color is selected.
In order to make the background transparent, white must be selected in the Color dialog box.
Once a color is selected, it will display in the color preview box.
Underlay Use this option if you want to show the watermark as a translucent underlay under the video. This
option allows any action that occurs under the watermark to show through.
Emboss Image Use this option to create an underlay watermark effect that appears translucent and slightly
raised.
Direction The emboss direction refers to a shadow effect on the embossed image and a rough indication of
the direction of a light source. Use the Preview screen to see how the direction changes the
embossing effect.
Depth Changes how pronounced the embossing effect appears.
Positioning Use the nine-button positioning cluster to select the position of the watermark within the video
Cluster frame.
Image Scale Changes how big the watermark image appears relative to the video frame size. 100% means the
watermark image completely covers the video frame.
Horizontal Offset Changes the horizontal offset of the watermark image from the edge of the video frame. You can
use this option to refine the watermark positioning. Use the Preview screen to see the offset
effect.
Vertical Offset Changes the vertical offset of the watermark image from the edge of the video frame. Use the
Preview screen to see the offset effect.
Keep aspect ratio Use this option to maintain horizontal and vertical size aspect ratio when scaling the watermark
when scaling image. When selected, the watermark appears normal, not stretched or distorted. Default setting
is on.
Use smooth This option applies a smooth scaling algorithm to the watermark image for less jaggedness.
interpolated Default setting is on. Turn this option off if it interferes with the transparency of your watermark.
scaling
Help Choose Help to access the online help file containing information that is pertinent to this screen.

Produce Movie
Overview
The final step in producing a video is rendering. This process assembles all of the audio, video, and images into one
video file, based on the sequence you have established on the storyboard.
Depending on whether you are using the Produce Movie dialog box or the Production Wizard, this final step will be
slightly different.
Using the File Produce Movie Option

Once you have set all of the video options, you are ready to start the rendering process. Within the Produce Movie dialog
box, click on the Produce button . The rendering will start immediately. At this time, two separate
processes will occur: the rendering of the storyboard clips and the interleaving of the audio. During each of these
processes, you will see a status dialog box giving you the progress of the processing.
Once the processing is complete, if you have opted to playback the video, the video will begin in Camtasia Player. Once
the video has played, close Player. You will return to Producer. At this time, save the video project if desired.
Using the File > Production Wizard Option

If you have been using the Production Wizard, the Produce Movie dialog box will now be displayed. During this step,
you will select the name and path of the video and will choose whether or not to playback the video immediately after it
is rendered.
In the Movie File Name field, select a file name for the video from the drop-down list of recently-used names or click
the folder icon to browse for one. If it is a new production, type the filename at the end of the path.
Enable the Play movie after production option if you want Camtasia Player to playback your produced video when the
production process is complete.
Once you have set these video options, you are ready to start the rendering process. Within the Produce Movie dialog
box, click on the Finish button .
The rendering will start immediately. At this time, two separate processes will occur: the rendering of the storyboard
clips and the interleaving of the audio. During each of these processes, you will see a status dialog box giving you the
progress of the processing.
Once the processing is complete, if you have opted to playback the video, the video will begin in Camtasia Player. Once
the video has played, close Player. You will return to Producer. At this time, save the video project if desired.

Production Wizard
When you have set the timing and sequence of video clips and still images in your video, you are ready to Produce. This
process, also called "rendering," assembles all of the audio, video, and images into one video file, based on the sequence
you have established on the storyboard.
There are two methods of producing videos, both use the same options for producing and both produce identical results.
The only difference in these two methods of production is the way in which the productions screens are delivered to you.
You can decide which choice is best for you.
• Use the Production Wizard under File > Production Wizard which presents a series of wizard panels that
prompt you for the information needed to produce the video.
• Use the menu option File > Produce Movie which presents a dialog for you to set all movie production options
yourself without the use and help of the Wizard.
Within this documentation, these two different yet very similar ways of producing a video will be discussed in tandem.
This is because the options that you will select are identical.
Overall, regardless of which method you use to produce your video, the steps to creating the video are the same:
1. Add desired files to storyboard by dragging from the thumbnail pane or the video editor.
9. Save video.
Note: This chapter will discuss in detail the options required for steps three through ten used in the production or
rendering of the video. For detailed information on completing steps one and two, see:
"Producer File Menu Options" on page 157.
To produce your video using the Wizard, choose File > Production Wizard. Continue with "Produce Movie Dialog
Box" on page 176.
To produce your video without using the Wizard, choose File > Produce Movie. Continue with "Production Wizard:
Choose File Format" on page 209.

Production Wizard: Choose File Format

Overview
When you choose File > Production Wizard, the Production Wizard dialog box displays.
During this step, select the file format of the video you are creating. There are many formats to choose from with each
format having their own particular set of options.
Note: Once you have selected the desired file format, you will need to select the options for that format. Setting the
options is done in the next step of the Production Wizard.
Below the Movie File Format fields there is a brief description of each file format.
Note: For a more comprehensive description of each option, see the chapter entitled "Video File Type
Fundamentals" on page 15, "Video Type & Playback Checklist" on page 28, and Movie File Format
Once you have selected the file format in the Movie File Format field, you will need to select the movie format options
along with the video size, info, and watermark options.
Choose Next to continue to the next screen to set the options for the selected file format. Continue with "Production
Wizard: Choose Video Encoding Options" on page 210.

Production Wizard: Choose Video Encoding Options

Once you choose Next, the Encoding Options dialog box will display. During this step, you will choose the various
encoding options for the file format that was selected in the previous Wizard screen.
Note: The screen shown below gives the options for the Macromedia Flash file format, however, this particular
screen will differ according to the options that are available with the selected file format.
Note: At this point in the Production Wizard process, you will be diverted in the documentation to the sections using
the Produce Movie options. This is because the rest of the steps for these two processes are almost identical in
nature. Only slight variations in the look of the screens and the placement of certain fields will occur. When
these variations occur, you will be instructed in the documentation as to the direction you should take.

File Format Options

• If you chose AVI Movie File, continue this process with "Producer AVI Options Tab" on page 178.
• If you chose Macromedia Flash (.SWF) File, continue this process with "Producer Macromedia Flash
• If you chose GIF Animation File, continue this process with "Producer GIF Options Tab" on page 180.
• If you chose Camtasia for RealPlayer Streaming Media File, continue this process with "Producer Camtasia
for RealPlayer Streaming Media File Options Tab" on page 185.
• If you chose RealPlayer Movie File, continue this process with "Producer Real Media Options Tab" on page
190.
• If you chose QuickTime Movie File, continue this process with "
• Producer QuickTime Options Tab" on page 192.
• If you chose Windows Media Streaming Media File, continue this process with "Producer Windows Media

Audio Editor
Overview
The following chapter teaches you how to create and use audio annotations in your video production using the Audio
editor. Camtasia Audio Editor is the perfect tool to quickly add voice annotation and sound effects to a video because
Audio Editor uses the familiar Camtasia Player interface. Simply open a video and press the record button - it's that easy!
With the Audio Editor, you can:
• Record Audio
* Add audio in real time while viewing movie or image
* Use voice narration to explain AVI or image
• Import Audio
* Insert a WAV audio file anywhere on movie soundtrack
* Add music or sound effects
• Edit Audio
* Add/modify/delete the movie sound track any number of times
* Select the audio format you want
• Extend the length of a movie or image to hold a sound track of any length
* Optimize the extended video to make the movie file size as small as possible
What can I use the Audio Editor for?
• Create online training movie clips with voice narration. This is a perfect way to explain something while
showing a movie or picture of an application or process.
• Create online training movie clips with voice narration.
• Add emotion to images from digital camera or scanner by adding voice, music, or sound effects.
• Submit help desk problem reports with voice annotation.
• Send the movies created by Audio Editor as an e-mail attachment or put it on your Web page.
• Easily add narration to a video clip or image and then add it to a larger production using Producer.
Opening Audio Editor
Audio Editor is accessed from within Producer by one of the following methods.
Welcome Screen
These first two methods of opening the Audio Editor will display the Welcome screen. The Welcome screen gives you
several options for creating a new audio file or editing an existing video or audio file. With this option, you will need to
manually open the video or wave file that you want to edit or add audio to.
• Choose Tools > Audio Editor
• Click on the Launch Audio Editor button on the toolbar.

Continue with "The Audio Editor Welcome Screen" on page 213.
Open Selected File in Audio Editor

If you would like to skip the Welcome screen and display the selected video or wave file in Audio Editor upon startup,
first select the desired file in the Thumbnail Pane and then perform either of the following two steps.
• Choose File > Open in Audio Editor
• Right-click on the selected file in the thumbnail pane. From the popup menu choose Open in Audio Editor.
Before you begin using Audio Editor, please review the following topics:
• "5 Quick & Easy Steps to your First Audio File" on page 214.
• "Getting Familiar with the Audio Editor Screen" on page 215.
• "Working with the Waveline" on page 219.
212 • Audio Editor www.techsmith.com

The Audio Editor Welcome Screen

The Welcome screen is intended to give you an easy way to create a new audio file or to edit an existing audio or video
file.
From the Welcome screen, choose the desired option for your work in Audio Editor and then choose OK.
Create a new audio file

Choose this option if you would like to create a new audio file.
Edit an existing video or audio file

Choose this option if you would like to edit the content of an existing audio or video file.
Open a recent project

Choose this option if you would like to open a file that has recently been opened. This option will enable the recent list
dropdown menu for you to choose from. This dropdown menu contains the last eight files that were opened.
Before you begin using Audio Editor, please review the following topics:
• "5 Quick & Easy Steps to your First Audio File" on page 214.
• "Getting Familiar with the Audio Editor Screen" on page 215.
• "Working with the Waveline" on page 219.
Note: To disable the Welcome screen from appearing each time Audio Editor is opened, click on the Show this dialog
at startup box to remove the checkmark.
www.techsmith.com Audio Editor • 213

5 Quick & Easy Steps to your First Audio File

Overview
Creating an audio file with Audio Editor is quite simple, involving only five basic steps. The following section will walk
you through the necessary steps for editing a video's audio.
Step 1: Open Selected File In Audio Editor

Within the thumbnail pane, select the video file that you want to either add audio to or that you want to edit the existing
audio. Choose File > Open in Audio Editor.
Step 2: Record
Position the seek bar at the point where you want the audio recording to begin. Click the Record button to start the
recording from the microphone. Or, insert an existing WAV file using Edit > Insert Wave (Extend) or Edit > Insert Wave
(Overlay).
Step 3: End Recording & Test Playback
If recording click the Stop button to end the audio recording. Use the playback options to playback the audio that
you have just added.
Step 4: Save Video

To save the video, choose File > Save.
Step 5: Exit Audio Editor

Choose File > Exit.

Getting Familiar with the Audio Editor Screen

Overview
The Audio Editor screen has a very intuitive, easy to use interface. Below, you will find an overview of the components
of the Audio Editor screen. Before you begin your work within Audio Editor, take a few minutes to get familiar with the
Audio Editor screen.
Note: The preview area only displays if a video is opened in Audio Editor. If a wave file is opened, the preview area is
not seen.

Audio Editor Playback Toolbar Options

The following section describes the Playback toolbar options.
Audio Editor Playback Toolbar Description Table

The following table describes each of the playback tools found on the Audio Editor's playback toolbar along with its use.
Button Tool Description Use
Name
Record Records a new audio track from an Choose File > New to begin a new audio file or File
attached microphone. > Open to open an audio or video file that you wish
Or, use this feature to add audio to an to record audio for.
existing video or to replace existing The Audio Editor records audio from the current
audio. position of the selection seek bar forward.
Audio data is recorded in the format shown in Edit >
Audio Properties.
Click on the record button. Record audio into the
microphone.
The Audio Editor records as long as you like, until
you click the Stop button.
For more information on this topic, see "Audio
Properties" on page 227.
Play All Plays from beginning to end, Click on the Play All button to play the entire audio
regardless of what is selected in the from the beginning..
waveline.
Play Plays only the selected area within the Click on the Play button to play the audio selection.
waveline.
Pause Pauses audio. Click on the Pause button to pause the audio.
Stop Stops the audio from playing. Click on the Stop button to stop the audio playback.
When playback is stopped, the audio will rewind
back to the position of the selection seek bar.
Beginning Moves audio to the beginning. Click on the Beginning button to move audio seek
bar to the beginning.
Previous Rewinds the audio frame by frame. Click on the Rewind button to move audio seek bar
Frame back toward the beginning one frame at a time.
Next Forwards the audio frame by frame. Click on the Forward button to move audio seek bar
Frame forward toward the end one frame at a time.
End Moves audio to the end. Click on the End button to move audio seek bar to
the end.
Recording Shows the volume of the microphone This is a read-only field.
Level as you record.
For more information on this topic, continue with "Waveline Edit Toolbar Description Table" on page 217.

Waveline Edit Toolbar Description Table

The following section describes the Waveline Edit toolbar options.
Waveline Edit Toolbar Description Table

The following table describes each of the tools found on the Audio Editor's Waveline Edit toolbar along with its use.
Name
Increase Increases the volume of the audio track To increase the volume of the waveline’s
Volume 25% each time it is selected.. audio, click on the Increase Audio button.
Note: If a section of the waveline is As you click, the audio wave will adjust up
selected, changes to the audio volume will to reflect the new sound level.
only effect the selected portion.
To alter the entire waveline, do not select
any portion of the waveline.
Decrease Decreases the volume of the audio track To decrease the volume of the waveline’s
Volume 25% each time it is selected. audio, click on the Decrease Audio button.
Note: If a section of the waveline is As you click, the audio wave will adjust
selected, changes to the audio volume will down to reflect the new sound level.
only effect the selected portion.
To alter the entire waveline, do not select
any portion of the waveline.
Fade In Fades in the volume of the audio track. To fade in the volume of the waveline’s
Audio audio, select a portion of the waveline and
then click on the Fade In Audio button.
As you click, the audio wave will adjust to
Fade Out Fades out the volume of the audio track. To fade out the volume of the waveline’s
Audio audio, select a portion of the waveline and
then click on the Fade Out Audio button.
As you click, the audio wave will adjust to
Delete Deletes the selected region of the audio. Use the selection seek bar to drag and select
Selected a portion of the audio track to be deleted.
Region Click on the Delete Selected Region button
on the toolbar.
Insert Inserts silence into the audio beginning at Position the seek bar at the location where
Silence the point of the location of the seek bar. the silence is to start.
Click on the Insert Silence button. The
Insert Silence dialog box displays.


Name
Enter the amount of silence that is to be
added to the audio. This is in millisecond
increments.
So, to insert one second of silence into the
audio, enter 100.
To insert one half of a second of silence,
enter 50.
Choose OK. The waveline will be updated
with the silence.
Zoom on Zooms in on the selected portion of the Use the selection seek bar to drag and select
Selected waveline showing a closer look at the a portion of the audio track to be zoomed in
Region audio wave. on.
Click on the Zoom on Selected Region tool
to zoom in on the selected area.
Zoom In Zooms in on the waveline showing a Click on the Zoom In tool to zoom in on the
closer look at the audio wave. timeline.
When fully zoomed in the audio wave will
be displayed in increments of 1/10 of a
second.
Zoom Zooms out on the timeline. When fully Click on the Zoom Out tool to zoom out on
Out zoomed out, the entire video can be seen the timeline.
in the timeline.
Selection Indicates the playback position of the Drag the bar to any place in the audio wave
Seek Bar audio track. or click on the audio wave to position the
seek bar at the point of the click
Drag the seek bar to highlight portions of
the audio wave.
Undo Undoes the last action. Click on the undo button.
The number of undos can be changed in See also "Audio Editor Options" on page
the View > Options dialog in the audio 229.
editor.
Note: Each undo step requires storing
temporary files on the hard drive.
Therefore, if you have a lot of undo steps
it could potentially use a lot of hard drive
space temporarily.

Working with the Waveline

Overview
When the Audio Editor is opened the waveline is displayed as seen in the graphic below.
There are several important tasks that are performed within the waveline. These are explained in the following section.
Searching the Audio Waveline

Searching for specific frames to edit within the audio waveline can be done two different ways.
• Clicking at any location on the waveline displays the selection seek bar. As you click on the waveline, the video
preview area will be updated with the selected frame. In the position reference box, the <Time of Current
Selection> / <Total Time of Movie> is displayed.
• Play the audio using the Play button on the Playback Control toolbar. The video preview area will display
the video as it is playing. Click on the Pause button to pause the video at the appropriate place. The video
preview area will display the paused frame.
Defining a Selection of the Waveline for Editing

Click and drag on the waveline to create a selection for editing. The selection is distinguished by a blue highlight
encased within two markers, a large triangular marker, which retains the current position in the viewer and marks the end
of the selection, and a smaller marker, which just marks the start of the selection.

Adjusting a Selection
To adjust the selection, move the mouse over the one of the ends of the selection until the marker turns red and then click
and drag the endpoint to a new location.
Cutting a Selection from the Waveline

Warning!: When making cuts to the audio, you are cutting the actual audio file. Making cuts to an audio file alter the
original audio file if you choose to save the file.
When editing an audio-only file, cutting a portion of the audio will actually make the file shorter. When cutting a portion
of a video with an audio track, it will never make the audio shorter than the video. Instead, it will remove the selected
audio and then add silence at the end of the video which is equal to the length of the selection. In this way, the clip
remains its original length.
Cutting the selection deletes the selection from the audio waveline. To make a cut, first define the selection that you want
to remove. Click on the Delete Selected Region button on the waveline toolbar .
You will be prompted to confirm the delete action.
Choose Yes to continue. That portion of the video will be removed and the waveline will updated to reflect the new total
time of the audio.
Multiple cuts can be made to a single audio track. Any playback of the audio will immediately reflect the cut(s) that were
made.
The Undo tool is located in the toolbar below the waveline to allow accidental cuts to the audio to be restored.

Audio Editor Menu Options

The following chapter describes each of the Audio Editor's dropdown menu options.
Audio Editor File Menu Options

The File menu options allow you to access the new, open, and save options as well as the Split audio option.

The following table describes each of the File options along with its use.
New Closes the current file so you can open Choose File > New.
another for editing. If a current file is being worked on, you will be prompted to
save any changes before it closes and the Audio Editor is
displayed.
Choose File > Open to open a new file for editing.
Open Displays a standard Open dialog box Choose File > Open.
allowing you to open a video or audio From within the Open dialog box, browse and select the
file for editing. desired file to be opened. Choose Open.
Save Saves the file with the current audio Choose File > Save.
track.
If you added or changed the audio in a
video, it saves the edited video file with
the same name and extension.
Save As Saves the file as another name. Choose File > Save As.
Select the folder to store file in and enter a name for the file.
Choose OK.
Split Allows the option of saving the audio After making your recording or loading a video into Audio
and video as two separate files. Editor, choose File > Split.
The two separate files will include an A fly-out menu appears with the Save Audio As and Save
audio WAV file with sound only and a Video As options.
video AVI file without sound.
This split does not effect the original
file.
Save Video As
Saves the file's video as a separate AVI
file. This file will not have any audio.


Save Audio As
Saves the file's audio as a separate
WAV file. This file will not have any
video.
To save audio only choose Save Audio As.

The Save Audio File As dialog appears. Select or enter a
filename for your WAV file. Choose Save. To save video
only choose Save Video As.
The Save Video File As dialog appears. Select or enter a
filename for your AVI video file. Choose Save.
Exit Exist the Producer application. Choose File > Exit.
Prompts you to save any changes. If there are no changes to
save, the Audio Editor quits immediately.
Audio Editor Edit Menu Options

The Edit menu options allow you to access the editing options such as undo, cut, copy, paste, fade in, fade out, etc. Many
of these same options are available in the waveline toolbar.
For more information on the waveline toolbar, see "Waveline Edit Toolbar Description Table" on page 217.


The following table describes each of the Edit options along with its use.
Undo Undoes the last action. Choose Edit > Undo.
The number of undos can be changed in the See also "Audio Editor Options" on page 229.
View > Options dialog in the audio editor.
Note: Each undo step requires storing
temporary files on the hard drive. Therefore, if
you have a lot of undo steps it could potentially
use a lot of hard drive space temporarily.
Cut Cuts the selection out of the audio waveline Using the selection seek bar, highlight the
and places it on the clipboard. section to be cut.
Choose Edit > Cut.
Copy Copies the waveline selection. Using the selection seek bar, highlight the
section to be copied.
Choose Edit > Copy.
Paste (Extend) Pastes the audio on the clipboard into the Place the seek bar at the insertion point.
waveline. Choose Edit > Paste (Extend).
With this option, the entire wave file is
extended to accommodate the addition.
The length of the wave line increase.
Paste (Overlay) Pastes the audio on the clipboard into the Place the seek bar at the insertion point.
waveline. Choose Edit > Paste (Overlay).
With this option, the wave file is overwritten to
accommodate the addition.
The length of the wave line remains the same.
Delete Deletes the selection out of the audio waveline. Using the selection seek bar, highlight the
section to be cut.
Choose Edit > Delete.
You will be prompted for confirmation of the
cut. Choose Yes.
Select All Selects the entire waveline. Choose Edit > Select All.
Fade In Audio Fades in the volume of the audio track. To fade in the volume of the waveline’s audio,
select a portion of the waveline and then choose
Edit > Fade In Audio.
The Fade In Audio dialog box will display.
Enter the percentage of the volume to fade in
from. For example, if you fade in 60% it will
start at 40% and increase the volume a total of
60% over the selected region. Choose OK.
The audio wave will adjust to reflect the new
sound level.
Fade Out Audio Fades out the volume of the audio track. To fade out the volume of the waveline’s audio,
select a portion of the waveline and then choose
Edit > Fade Out Audio.
The Fade Out Audio dialog box will display.


Enter the percentage of the volume to fade in
from.
For example, if you fade out 60% it will start at
100% volume and decrease gradually along the
selection until the end which will be set to 60%
volume.
The audio wave will adjust to reflect the new
sound level.
Volume Adjusts the volume of the entire waveline or a If you are wanting to adjust the volume for a
selected portion of the waveline. specific part of the waveline, highlight that
portion. Choose Edit > Volume.
If you want to adjust the volume for the entire
waveline, choose Edit > Volume.
The Change Volume dialog box displays.
Use the slider bar to increase or decrease the

volume.
Choose OK. The changes will be seen in the
waveline.
Insert Wave Inserts a separate audio wave file into the wave Place the seek bar at the insertion point.
(Extend) line. Choose Edit > Insert Wave (Extend).
With this option, the entire wave file is The Insert Wave File dialog box opens up. This
extended to accommodate the inserted wave is a standard browse dialog box.
file.
Browse and select the WAV file that is to be
The length of the wave line will therefore inserted. Choose Open. The wave file will be
increase. inserted.
Insert Wave Inserts a separate audio wave file into the wave Place the seek bar at the insertion point.
(Overlay) line. Choose Edit > Insert Wave (Overlay).
With this option, the current wave file is The Insert Wave File dialog box opens up. This
overwritten to accommodate the inserted wave is a standard browse dialog box.
file.
Browse and select the WAV file that is to be
The length of the wave line will therefore inserted. Choose Open. The wave file will be
remain the same. inserted.
Insert Silence Inserts silence into the audio. Select a portion of the waveline and then choose
(Extend) Recording silence is basically the equivalent of Edit > Insert Silence (Extend).
selecting a region and setting it’s volume to Position the seek bar at the location where the
zero. silence is to start.
Click on the Insert Silence button. The Insert


Silence dialog box displays.
Enter the amount of silence that is to be added to

the audio. This is in millisecond increments.
So, to insert one second of silence into the
audio, enter 100.
To insert one half of a second of silence, enter
50.
Choose OK. The waveline will be updated with
the silence.
Replace with Replaces a section with silence. If a section of the waveline is selected, recorded
Silence Unlike the delete or cut option, this option will silence will only effect the selected portion. Use
record silence over the existing waveline. the selection seek bar to highlight the desired
area. Choose Edit > Replace with Silence.
The length of the wave line will therefore
remain the same. To record over the entire waveline starting at the
beginning, choose the Beginning tool on the
waveline toolbar. Choose Edit > Replace with
Silence.
To record silence from a specific starting place
in the waveline, click with the seek bar at the
desired location. Choose Edit > Replace with
Silence.
For all of these options, choose the Stop button
on the waveline toolbar to stop recording
silence.
Record Records a new audio from an attached Open a video or wave file that you wish to
microphone. record audio for.
Use this feature to create a new audio file, add The Audio Editor records audio from the current
audio to an existing video, or to replace a position of the selection seek bar forward.
video's existing audio Audio data is recorded in the format shown in
Edit > Audio Properties.
Choose Edit > Record. Record audio into the
microphone.
The Audio Editor records as long as you like,
until you choose the Stop button.
Audio Properties Displays the current audio and video properties Choose Edit > Audio Properties.
for the active file including the audio format. The Audio Properties dialog displays.
Additionally, you can change the file format Continue with "Audio Properties" on page 227.
type here.
Note: If you change the audio format the undo
Some of the information included would be: button will not change it back.


Audio Format: Such as rate, sample, mono or Note: If you change the format to a lower
stereo, and file type. quality format and then try to go back to a high
Video Format: Such as dimensions, color quality format the audio will stay sound low
depth, total number of frames, frame rate (fps) quality because information is lost during the
and file type. conversion.
Audio Editor View Menu Options

The View menu options allow you to access the view options such as zoom in, zoom out, play, pause, stop, etc.
Many of these same options are available in the playback toolbar. For more information on the playback toolbar, see
"Audio Editor Playback Toolbar Options" on page 216.

The following table describes each of the View options along with its use.
Selection Zooms in on the area that has been selected in Use the selection seek bar to highlight the area
the waveline giving you the ability to view the of the waveline that you want to zoom in on.
selection close up. Choose View > Selection.
The selection will fill the entire waveline.
Choose View > Zoom Out to zoom out
Zoom In Zooms in on the waveline showing a closer look Choose View > Zoom In.
at the audio wave.
When fully zoomed in the audio wave will be
displayed in increments of 1/10 of a second.
Zoom Out Zooms out on the waveline. When fully zoomed Choose View > Zoom Out.
out, the entire waveline can be seen.
Zoom to Fit Zooms to a position where the entire waveline Choose View > Zoom to Fit.
can be viewed.


Play All Plays audio from beginning to end, regardless of Choose View > Play All.
what is selected in the waveline.
Play Plays only the selected area within the waveline. Choose View > Play.
Pause Pauses audio. Choose View > Pause.
Stop Stops the audio from playing. Choose View > Stop.
When playback is stopped, the audio will
rewind back to the position of the selection
seek bar.
Beginning Moves audio seek bar to the beginning of the Choose View > Beginning.
waveline.
Previous Frame Rewinds the audio frame by frame. Choose View > Previous Frame.
Next Frame Forwards the audio frame by frame. Choose View > Next Frame.
End Moves audio seek bar to the end of the waveline. Choose View > Play.
Options Displays the Options dialog box. This dialog box Choose View > Options.
is used to set various program-related options Continue with "Audio Editor Options" on
that apply to the operation of the Audio Editor page 229.
and all audio and videos.
Audio Properties
Overview
The Audio Properties option accesses the Audio Format dialog box. This is used to display the audio format of the
current or active video or audio file. When an audio file or video file is opened that has an existing audio track, the audio
format of the existing audio track is always used.
The audio format you specify determines the quality of the movie audio track and also affects movie file size. Higher
quality audio results in a larger movie file size.
Note: If a video has no audio track, the Default Audio Format set in the View > Options > Audio Tab is used unless
overridden with settings in Audio Properties. See also "Audio Editor Options" on page 229.
Note: If you change the audio format the Audio Editor's undo option will not change it back.
Note: If you change the format to a lower quality format and then try to go back to a high quality format the audio will
stay sound low quality because information is lost during the conversion.
To access the Audio Format dialog box, with a video or audio file open in Audio Editor, choose Edit > Audio Properties.

The Audio Format dialog appears with the current file's settings populating the fields.
Current Audio Format Options Description Table

The following table describes each of the Current Audio Format options.
Current Audio Description
Format Option
Name This box lists the name, if there is one, of the Current Audio Format.
This allows you to choose an audio format using a simple understandable name. There are several
names already assigned listed here. These are:
CD Quality
Radio Quality
Telephone Quality
For example, you can select Telephone Quality in the Name list box, instead of using the more
cryptic 11.025kHz, 8 Bit, Mono name listed in the Attributes field.
Note that the two names are equal in their format because they have the same audio format and
attributes.
You can add an audio format name using the Save As button and remove an existing audio format
name using the Remove button.
Format Lists the audio format type. Currently the only choice is PCM which means uncompressed audio
data.
Attributes Lists the audio format attributes. The attributes are:
Sample Rate in kHz: Number of audio samples per second, or the fidelity of the audio recording.
Sample Size in Bits: How much data to record for each audio sample.
Note: An 8 Bit sample size may be fine for voice recording. Since using a 16 Bit sample size
doubles the size of the audio data you record, you should only use it if you must have the highest
quality recording.
Mono or Stereo: The number of audio channels to record. Mono means record one audio channel,
Stereo means record two audio channels (right and left).
Note: Stereo is only useful if you are recording with a stereo microphone. Since using a Stereo
audio format doubles the size of the audio data you record, you should only use Stereo if you know
you are recording with a stereo microphone.
Data Rate: The data throughput of the audio stream in kilobytes per second (kbps).
Note: For most of the attributes, the higher the number, the higher the quality of the recording will
be and the larger the movie file will be.
OK Choose OK to save changes and exit back to the Audio Editor.
Cancel Choose Cancel to exit back to the Audio Editor without making any changes.

Audio Editor Options

Overview
The Audio Editor Options tabbed dialog box allow you to set various program-related options that apply to the operation
of the Audio Editor and all audio and videos.
To access the Audio Editor Options dialog box, choose View > Options. The Options dialog appears.
Audio Editor Program Tab

Use this tab to set Audio Editor program options for video playback and the undo options. These options apply to all
videos loaded or created with Audio Editor.

Program Tab Options Description Table

The following table describes each of the Program tab options.
Program Option Description
Shrink movie to fit window Shrinks the video to fit within the preview are if the size of the preview area is smaller
than the size of the video. This allows you to see the entire video at once.
Shrinking the video to fit the preview area may distort the view of the video. This
distortion only effects the preview view, not the actual video.
If this option is not enabled, then you may only see part of the video in the video editor.
Undo Options Use this option to set how many undos you want to be enabled. Three is the default
value.
Note: Each undo step requires storing temporary files on the hard drive. Therefore, if
you have a lot of undo steps it could potentially use a lot of hard drive space
temporarily.
Default Sets these options to the default values.
Audio Editor Audio Tab

Use this tab to set Audio Preferences and Audio Video Interleaving. These options apply to all movies loaded or created
with Audio Editor.

Audio Tab Options Description Table

The following table describes each of the Audio tab options.
Audio Option Description
Allow audio to extend Enable this option to allow an existing video file to be extended to hold audio of any
movie length length.
This option can be used to produce an interesting effect. For example, Audio Editor can
be used to explain a lengthy process which has a short video clip. The video appears
paused, while the narration plays.
With this example, the last video frame of the movie is played as a “still” frame while the
extended audio track plays.
Disable this option to keep the original movie length.
Audio Capture Device Select the device you will use to record from.
Audio Editor Info Tab

Use this tabbed dialog to define default informational fields for Audio Editor created video or wave files.
Default information is the information that is not likely to change when saving your files.

Info Tab Options Description Table

The following table describes each of the Info tab options.
Info Option Description
Title If you want to use a default title, type it in the field.
Author Type your name or organization name in this field.
Copyright Type appropriate copyright protection information in this field.
Enable saving of media Enable this option to use Title, Author and Copyright information when saving
information video or wave files.
Audio Editor AVI Tab

This tab allows you to set the interleaving options for Audio Editor created video or wave files.
Interleaving the audio and video data allows it to playback smoothly when the movie file is played from a slower device
such as a floppy disk, or CD-ROM. The only reason to disable interleaving would be to speed up movie file “Rendering”
time.
The box for Interleave audio every X video frames specifies how much to interleave audio and video data. The lower the
number specified for “X,” the smoother the playback will be.
Interleaving every 1 video frame is full interleaving which always results in the smoothest playback. Interleaving with
higher numbers of video frames results in progressively less interleaving and potentially less smooth playback. However,
the movie file may be smaller with less interleaving. This can be an important consideration for long movies with large
Note: You may need to disable this option to use the movie files that Audio Editor creates with some video editing
software.

AVI Tab Options Description Table

The following table describes each of the AVI tab options.
Interleave Enable this option to set the option to interleave audio and video data in the video file.
Audio
Frames If you interleave audio, you should also select the number of video frames per second
Seconds to play between interleaves.


Camtasia Effects
Overview
Camtasia Effects allows you to add objects, such as callouts, arrows, text, and WMF images to an AVI video. When
adding objects, each object is given a time duration for viewing which can be viewed on the timeline. Additionally, the
objects drawn with the Effects drawing tools can be edited in numerous ways such as line width and color, fill style and
color, ordered with other objects, grouped, etc.
Effects operates on a project basis. That is, once you open an avi and add objects to it, you can save your work as a
project file. This allows you to save your project, close it, reopen, and then continue adding, changing, and deleting
objects until you get your video just the way you want it.
When the objects are all placed correctly, the video is produced. During the production process, the objects are
permanently rendered and saved with the video. Once an Effects video is produced, the video can be viewed with most
players that support AVI format.
Before you begin using Effects, please review the following topics:
• "The Effects Welcome Screen" on page 236.
• "7 Quick and Easy Steps to Creating a New Effects Project" on page 237.
• "Getting Familiar with the Effects Screen" on page 241.
• "Effects Toolbar Options" on page 242.
Opening Camtasia Effects

You can open Effects in a number of different ways.
• From the LaunchPad, choose Camtasia Effects .

• Choose Start > All Programs > Camtasia Studio > Applications > Camtasia Effects.
• From within another Camtasia Studio component, choose Tools > Camtasia Effects.
Once Effects opens, you will see a tip display.
234 • Camtasia Effects www.techsmith.com

Effects Screen Tips

When you first start Effects or choose certain toolbar buttons or menu options, you will see an Effects tip screen similar
to the following:
display the tip screens again whenever you choose that same button. There are two types of tips in Effects: Tip of the
Day tips and contextual tips.
• If you no longer wish the tip of the day to display when opening Effects, click on the Show tips at startup box
to remove the checkmark. The tip will no longer display the next time Effects is opened. To enable this option
once again, within Effects, choose Help > Tip of the Day. Enable the tip option.
tips once again, within Effects, choose Tools > Options > Enable Tips.
www.techsmith.com Camtasia Effects • 235

The Effects Welcome Screen

The Welcome screen is intended to give you an easy way to create a new project or to open a project.
From the Welcome screen, choose the desired option for your work in Effects and then choose OK.
Add effects to existing Video

Choose this option if you would like to create a new project and already have the existing AVI file that you would like to
work with.
Open an existing project

Choose this option if you would like to open a project that has already been created. When opening an existing project,
you will be able to make edits to objects already placed on the video. You will also be able to add new objects to the
video.
Open a recent project

Choose this option if you would like to open a project that has recently been opened. This option will enable the recent
list dropdown menu for you to choose from. This dropdown menu contains the last four projects that were opened.
Note: To disable the Welcome screen from appearing each time Effects is opened, click on the Show this dialog at
startup box to remove the checkmark. Once this screen is disabled, you will find the same open options under
the File menu.

Note: To enable the Welcome screen once again, from within Effects, choose Tools > Options. Within this Options
dialog box, click on the Display welcome dialog on startup option. Choose OK.
7 Quick and Easy Steps to Creating a New Effects Project

Overview
Creating a new project with Camtasia Effects is quite simple, involving only seven basic steps.
Step 1: Open Effects

Open Camtasia Effects. Choose the Create new project option in the Welcome screen.
Step 2: Open Video File

The Open Video File dialog box displays.
Browse and select the desired AVI file. Choose Open.

The video will now display in Effects.
Step 3: Move to Frame

Using the playback controls, move to the frame within the video where you would like to add an object.
Step 4: Add Object

Select the object that you want to draw or add. Draw or place the object directly on the video in the desired location.
Make any edits to the object.

In the following example, two highlights and a text arrow shape were added.
Notice that once an object is placed on the video preview area, it is also added to both the Object List box and the Object
Duration portion of the timeline.
Step 5: Set Object Duration

To set the object’s end duration, you can grab the end of the object in the Object Duration bar and drag the object until it
reaches the part of the video where you want it to end showing.
By default, the duration of the object is automatically set to the end of the video. As you grab the end of the object, you
will be taken to the end of the video and the video preview area will reflect this. As you drag the object’s duration back
to the desired location, you will see the video scroll in the preview area. Wherever you choose to quit dragging, that is
where the object’s duration will end.
Note: When using the drag method, it is sometimes difficult to land on the exact frame that you want. In his case, use
the drag method to get close to the desired frame. Next, use the Frame Forward or Frame Backward controls to
move to the frame you want to end the duration on. Right-click on the object in the preview area. From the
popup menu, choose Duration > End Showing. The object duration will be updated to the current frame.

Step 6: Save Project

Once you have added all of the desired objects, choose File > Save Project. By saving your project before producing it,
you are able to add, edit, or remove objects at a later time.
The Save Project File As dialog box displays. In the File Name field, give your project a name. Choose Save. The project
name will be updated to the Effects title bar.
Step 7: Produce Video

Producing is the step that merges the objects with the video. Once a video is produced, you will no longer be able to edit
the objects. They in effect become a permanent part of the video.
When producing a video in Effects, you will not replace the original video file with the newly produced video. Instead,
you will be creating an entirely new AVI file with a different name. This allows you to keep your original video file
intact for historical purposes.
To produce the video, choose File > Produce Video. The Create Video Save Video As dialog box displays. In the File
Name field, give your new video a name. Choose Save.
The Production process will begin immediately. Once this begins, you will see the video being played back as it is
produced. Additionally, a status box will display, giving you the status of the processing.
To see your fully produced video, open the Camtasia Player and open the file.
Note: To abort the Producing process, click on Cancel. If cancelled, you will exit the Produce process and return to
the video preview mode. Neither the AVI file nor the project file will be altered.
Note: To have your video automatically playback in Camtasia Player after being produced, choose Tools > Options.
From within the dialog box, select Play Produced video with Camtasia Player.

Getting Familiar with the Effects Screen

Overview
The Effects screen has a very intuitive, easy to use interface which is similar in design to the Camtasia Producer screen.
Below, you will find an overview of the components of the Effect’s screen. Before you begin your work within Effects,
take a few minutes to get familiar with the Effects screen.

Effects Toolbar Options

Overview
Several of the most-used options have been added to the main File toolbar on the Effects screen.
Next to several of the tool buttons you will see a small, black down-arrow. Clicking on the down-arrow will reveal a
dropdown menu of options related to that tool.
To aid in your navigation around the Effects toolbar, each time your cursor touches a button, a tooltip will appear. The
tooltip gives you the name of the tool .
Choosing a Toolbar
There are several toolbars available within Effects. By default, the File, Color, and Font toolbars are displayed when
Effects is first opened. In order to view the Layout toolbar you must enable it from the View menu.
To enable or disable a toolbar, choose the desired toolbar from the View dropdown menu. Once enabled, a small
checkmark will be placed next to the toolbar name.
For more information on the view menu options, see "Effects View Menu Options" on page 254.
Continue this topic with "Effects File Toolbar Description Table" on page 243.

Effects File Toolbar Description Table

The following table describes each of the tools that can be found on the File toolbar along with its use. The File toolbar is
used for opening avi file, creating the video, cutting, pasting, etc.
The File toolbar is displayed by default when Effects is first opened.
Note: The File toolbar is turned on or off using the Toolbar option in the View dropdown menu. For more information
on the View Menu, see

Open Opens standard dialog box for Click on the Open button. The Open Video File
browsing and selecting an AVI dialog box is displayed.
file to open. Browse for the desired video and then choose Open.
The video will be displayed in Effects.
Produce Video Begins the rendering process To render the video, click on the Produce Video
that will merge the objects with button.
the video. Once the video has You will be prompted to save this new video as a
been rendered using the Create new name. This prohibits the original video from
option, the objects can no being overwritten.
longer
Select the directory and name of the file and choose
Save. The rendering process will begin
immediately.
As the video renders, a status bar will display:
To cancel the rendering process, choose Cancel.

After the rendering is complete, the objects in the
video will be merged with the video and will no
longer be able to be edited.
Undo Will undo the previous action. Click on the undo button
Effects provides an unlimited
undo feature.
Cut Will cut the selected object and Select the object. Click on the Cut button.
place it on the clipboard. An
object that is cut can be pasted
elsewhere within Effects.
Copy Will copy the selected object Select the object. Click on the Copy button. The
and place it on the clipboard. object will be copied to the clipboard for use within
An object that is copied can be Effects.
pasted elsewhere within
Effects.


Paste Will paste a cut or copied Click on the Paste button.
object onto the video.
Delete Will delete the selected object. Select the object. Click on the Delete button.
Camtasia Studio Will open the Camtasia Studio Click on the Camtasia Studio button to open the
LaunchPad. Click on the small LaunchPad.
down arrow to reveal a Click on the small down arrow to access the
dropdown menu of individual dropdown list of individual Studio components.
Camtasia Studio components.
Help Opens the Camtasia Studio Click on the Help button.
online help.
Effects Color Toolbar Description Table

The following table describes each of the tools that can be found on the Color toolbar along with its use. The Color
toolbar is used for applying color effects such as color, fill patterns, line patterns, etc to an object.
The Color toolbar is displayed by default when Effects is first opened but is not enabled until an object is placed on the
video and that object is selected.
Note: The Color toolbar is turned on or off using the Toolbar option in the View dropdown menu. For more
information on the View Menu, see

Fill Color Will fill the selected object Select the object and then click on the Fill Color button.
with selected color. The color selection box displays. Click the desired color
and then choose OK.
Note: If the object does not fill with color, the object
properties might need to be changed. See
Fill Style Click on the arrow to Select the object and then click on the small arrow next
(arrow) choose the fill style: either to the Fill Color tool. From the dropdown menu, choose
solid or transparent. either Solid or Transparent.
Line Color Will change the selected Select the object and then click on the Line Color button.
object’s line color to the The color selection box displays. Click the desired color
desired color. and then choose OK.
Note: If the object does not fill with color, the object
properties might need to be changed. See
Decrease Line Will decrease the object’s Select the object and then click on the Decrease Line
line size. button. The object’s line will decrease each time the
button is clicked.
Increase Line Will increase the object’s Select the object and then click on the Increase Line
line size. button. The object’s line will increase each time the
button is clicked.


Line Style Will replace the selected Select the object and then click on the Line Style button.
object’s solid line with a The object’s line will be changed to the first style in the
pattern selected from the dropdown list. Continue clicking to cycle through the
dropdown menu. various line styles.
To select a different fill style from the menu, click on the
down arrow to reveal the dropdown menu. From the
menu, select the desired fill style.
Effects Text Toolbar Description Table

The following table describes each of the tools that can be found on the Font toolbar along with its use. The Font toolbar
is used for applying font effects such as font type, font color, justification, etc to a text object.
The Font toolbar is displayed by default when Effects is first opened but is not enabled until a text object is placed on the
video, text is added, and the text object is selected.
To select a text object, after the text is entered into the text object, select the text object by clicking on it. The Font
toolbar is then enabled.
Note: The Font toolbar is turned on or off using the Toolbar option in the View dropdown menu. For more

Font Dropdown box for selecting font. Select the text object and then click on
the down arrow to reveal the dropdown
menu of available fonts.
From the menu, select the desired font.
Font Size Dropdown box for selecting size of font. Select the text object and then click on
the down arrow to reveal the dropdown
menu of available font sizes.
From the menu, select the desired size.
Text Color Select color for text. Select the text object and then click on
the Text Color button. The color
selection box displays. Click the desired
color and then choose OK.
Bold Applies bold attribute to all text. Click on the Bold button to apply the
bold attribute to all of the text.
Italic Applies italic attribute to all text. Click on the Italic button to apply the
italic attribute to all of the text.


Underline Applies underline attribute to all text. Click on the Underline button to apply
the underline attribute to all of the text.
Left Justified Left justifies the text. Select the text object and then click on
the Left Justified button to move all text
to the left justified position.
Center Justified Center justifies the text. Select the text object and then click on
the Center Justified button to move all
text to the center justified position.
Right Justified Right justifies the text. Select the text object and then click on
the Right Justified button to move all
text to the right justified position.
Top Justified Vertically top justifies the text in the text Click on the Top button to move all text
object. to the top justified position.
Middle Justified Vertically middle justifies the text in the Click on the Middle button to move all
text object. text to the middle justified position.
Bottom Justified Vertically bottom justifies the text in the Click on the Bottom button to move all
text object. text to the bottom justified position.
Effects Layout Toolbar Description Table

The following table describes each of the tools that can be found on the Layout toolbar along with its use. The Layout
toolbar is used for applying spatial effects to an object such as flipping, moving to the front, moving to the back, etc.
The Layout toolbar is turned off by default when Effects is first opened. This toolbar can be turned on by choosing
Toolbars > Layout from the View menu.
Note: The Layout toolbar is turned on or off using the Toolbar option in the View dropdown menu. For more

Group Groups two or more selected objects. Select two or more objects and then click
on the Group button.
To select two or more objects, select the
first object. Hold down the <Shift> key
and then select the other object(s).
Click on the Group button. The objects
will be grouped together.
Note: you can also select a group of
objects by clicking on the Selection tool
and dragging it around the items you

wish to group.
Ungroup Ungroups a selected group of objects. Select an object that has been grouped.
Click on the Ungroup button. The grouped


object will be separated into the individual
objects.
Flip Vertical Flips the selected object on its vertical Select the object and click on the Flip
axis. Vertical button.
Flip Horizontal Flips the selected object on its Select the object and click on the
horizontal axis. Horizontal Vertical button.
Send Object to Bring the selected object to the front Select the object that needs to come to the
Front layer. front. Click on the Send Object to Front
button.
Send Object to Send the selected object to the back Select the object that needs to go to the
Back layer. back. Click on the Send Object to Back
button.
Bring Forward Bring the selected object forward one Select the object that needs to come to the
one Layer layer. front by one layer. Click on the Bring
Forward button.
Send Back one Send the selected object back one layer. Select the object that needs to go to the
Layer back by one layer. Click on the Send
Backward button.
Properties Opens the selected object’s properties Displays the selected object’s Properties
box for editing. box for editing. See "Effects Properties"
on page 265.
Effects Object Toolbar Description Table

On the left side of the Effects screen is the Object Toolbar. This toolbar houses the different types of objects that you can
add to the video.
The following table describes each of the tools that can be found on the Object toolbar along with its use.
Name
Selection Use the selection tool to select an To select an abject, choose the Selection tool and then
object. click on the object.
To select more than one object, select the first object.
Press the <Shift> key and select the next object.
Rotate Rotates the selected object. To rotate an object, click on the Rotate tool. The cursor
will turn into the rotate cursor: . Click on the object

to be rotated. The rotate handles will appear:
Grab one of the corner handles and rotate in the desired

direction. As you grab a handle, the cursor will change


Name
once again to show you the available direction of rotation
.
The axis point is located in the center of the object to be
rotated. Move the axis to rotate on a different axis plane.
Pen Draw a line freehand in the To draw, click on the Pen tool. Click down on the video
drawing area. Line width is set with the mouse and drag. Release mouse when finished.
with the Line Width tools. Once the freehand object is placed on the video, select the
object to edit the size, color, and line width.
Highlight Draws a highlight rectangle. To draw, click on the Highlight tool. Click down on the
Highlight objects have a video with the mouse and drag. Release mouse when
transparency element to them finished.
making them ‘see through’. Once the rectangle object is placed on the video, select the
Line Draw a line object. To draw, click on the Line tool. Click down on the video
with the mouse and drag. Release mouse when finished.
Once the line object is placed on the video, select the
Rectangle Draws a rectangle object. To draw, click on the Rectangle tool. Click down on the
video with the mouse and drag. Release mouse when
finished.
Once the rectangle object is placed on the video, select the
Rounded Draws a rectangle object with To draw, click on the Rounded Rectangle tool. Click
Rectangle rounded corners. down on the video with the mouse and drag. Release
mouse when finished.
Once the rounded rectangle object is placed on the video,
select the object to edit the size, color, and line width.
Ellipse Draws an ellipse. To draw, click on the Ellipse tool. Click down on the
video with the mouse and drag. Release mouse when
finished.
Once the ellipse object is placed on the video, select the
Polygon Draws a polygon shape. To draw, click on the Polygon tool. Click down and
release on the video with the mouse in the area that you
want your first line to start. Move the cursor to the place
where you want the second point of the object to be
placed. Click with the mouse. Continue in this way until
the desired object is created. To complete the object,
double-click with the mouse on the video at the last point.
If the polygon has an open side, that side will be
completed for you.
Once the polygon object is placed on the video, select the
Vector Inserts vector text on the video. To insert a text line, click on the Vector Text tool. Click
Text This text is single line only. on the part of the video where you want to place the text.
The vector text allows for scaling Begin typing.


Name
of the text. This means that as the To escape out of the text mode, click outside of the text
text object is sized larger or object.
smaller, the text automatically
Select the text line to edit the size and color.
sizes to the object size.
Text Box Inserts a text box. This text can To insert a text box, click on the Text Box tool. The text
wrap and can contain multiple box will be added to the video.
lines. To add text, click on the text box to enable the cursor.
This text option is not vector Backspace out the existing text and enter the desired text.
based. This means that as the text To escape out of the text mode, click outside of the text
object is sized larger or smaller, box.
the text remains the same size and Select the text box to edit the size, color, and line width.
does not automatically sizes to the
object size. Note: The text within the text box only appears the first
time a text box is added. Subsequent instances of the text
box do not display the text.
Insert Opens the standard browse dialog To insert a graphic, click on the Insert Image tool. The
Image box for selecting an image to be Open Image File dialog box displays. Browse and select
added to the video. the desired graphic. Choose Open. The graphic is inserted.
BMP, WMF, EMF, JPEG, and Select the graphic to edit the size.
GIF are all supported formats.
Shape Opens a dialog box for adding To add a shape to the video, click on the Shape Library
Library vector and bitmap text callout and tool. The Choose Shape dialog box will display.
arrow shapes to the video. Use the mouse to select the desired type of shape such as a
large or small arrow, callout, cube, etc.
The vector shapes can be edited Once a type is selected, use the mouse to select the desired
in a number of ways including the shape from the scrolling list.
size, transparency, color, and line Once the shape is placed on the video, click inside of the
width. shape to add text. Select the shape to apply other edits.
The other bitmap shapes cannot
be altered in the same way that
vector shapes can. However, the
bitmap shapes can be resized,
rotated, and flipped.

The Effects Timeline

Overview
The timeline is used to display and remove objects on the video at particular time intervals. When an object is placed on
the video, that object’s duration is displayed in the timeline. The object’s duration can then be moved and sized along the
Object Duration bar in order to get just the right placement and time duration that you need.
Below, you will find an overview of the different components of the Effect’s timeline.
Effects Timeline Toolbar Descriptions

The following table describes each aspect of the Effect’s timeline along with its use.
Timeline Toolbar Description Table

Play Begins playing the video. Click on the Play button to play the video.
Pause Pauses video. Click on the Pause button to pause the video.
Stop Stops the video from Click on the Stop button to stop the video.
playing. When video is stopped, it will rewind to the
beginning of the video.


Beginning Moves video to the Click on the Beginning button to move video to
beginning. the beginning.
Rewind Rewinds the video frame Click on the Rewind button to move video
by frame. back toward the beginning one frame at a time.
Forward Forwards the video frame Click on the Forward button to move video
by frame. forward toward the end one frame at a time.
End Moves video to the end. Click on the End button to move video to the
end.
Seek Bar Indicates the playback Drag the seek bar to the desired place in the
place in the video.
Zoom In Zooms in on the timeline Click on the Zoom In tool to zoom in on the
showing a closer look at the timeline.
video. When fully zoomed
in the video will be
displayed in increments of
00.00.00.20 seconds.
Zoom Out Zooms out on the timeline. Click on the Zoom Out tool to zoom out on the
When fully zoomed out, the timeline.
entire video can be seen in
the timeline.
Time Displays the time on the
Increments timeline in various
increments depending upon
the zoom level.
Object Duration Shows the duration of the To quickly change the duration, grab either end
Box selected object and also of the object duration box and resize it along
gives the object type. the timeline.
You can also move the object by grabbing the
object duration box and moving it to
Object Seek bar Indicates the playback Drag the seek bar to the desired place in the
place in the video.
Time/Frame Displays the current place As the video plays, these two place markers
Status in the video according to will automatically change.
the time shown on the
timeline and by the frame
number.

Effects Menu Options

Overview
The following chapter describes each of the Effects dropdown menu options.
Effects File Menu Options

The File menu options allow you to access the open, close, and save options for the Effects project.

Open Video Displays a standard Open Video File dialog box for browsing and selecting the video to use in
the Effects project.
Produce Video Begins the rendering process. During rendering, the objects placed on the video will be
merged with the video making them one file. After rendering, the Effects objects will not be
able to be edited in any way. See also "Step 7: Produce Video" on page 240.
Open Project Displays a standard Open Project File dialog box for browsing and selecting a project to open.
Save Project Saves the current project so that it can be worked on at a later time. Saving a project does not
render the objects into the video. Therefore, the objects within a saved project can still be
edited.
Clicking on Save Project the first time displays a standard Save Project As dialog box for
choosing the folder for storage and file name for the project.
Clicking on the Save Project option after a project name has been created will save the project
using the same file name.
Save Project As Save the current project with a different name so that it can be worked on at a later time. The
Save Project As option does not render the objects into the video. Therefore, the objects
within a saved project can still be edited.
Clicking on Save Project As the displays a standard Save Project As dialog box for defining
the file and file name for saving the project.


Close Project Closes the current project. You will be prompted to save any changes prior to the project
closing.
To save changes to the project, choose Yes. If the project has not yet been named, you will
also be prompted for a name and a location for storing the project.
To exit without saving changes, choose No.
To go back to the project without closing, choose Cancel.
Recent Projects Displays a dropdown list of recently worked on projects. You can easily choose to open one
of these files by selecting it from the menu with the mouse.
Exit Closes Effects. You will be prompted to save any changes prior to Effects closing.
To save changes to the project, choose Yes. If the project has not yet been named, you will
also be prompted for a name and a location for storing the project.
To exit without saving changes, choose No.
To go back to the project without closing, choose Cancel.

Effects Edit Menu Options

The Edit menu options allow you to invoke standard edit commands such as undo, cut, copy, paste, and delete for the
Effects objects.

Edit Option Description
Undo Will undo the last action in succession. This is an unlimited undo.
Cut Will cut the selected object.
Copy Will copy the selected object.
Paste Will paste the contents of the clipboard onto the video.
Delete Will delete the selected object.
Effects View Menu Options

The View menu options allow you to access the object list and toolbar display options as well as the video playback
options.


The following table describes each of the View options.
Object List Enables the viewing of the Object List. This option is enabled by default.
To turn off the view of the Object List, choose View > Object List. This will remove the
checkmark next to Object List. When a checkmark is present, the list is displayed:
Sort Object List This option gives you three choices for ordering the objects in the object list box:
By Start Time: Sorts the objects by their starting time.
Name: Sorts the objects by their name. Objects can be renamed by right-clicking on the
object in the object list box and typing the new name.
Type: Sorts the objects by their shape type.
By default, the objects are ordered by their start time. To select a different sort, choose
View > Sort Object List By. From the menu, choose the desired sort option.
Toolbars This option will allow you to turn the toolbars on or off.
By default, the File, Font, and Color toolbars are displayed. The Display toolbar is not
turned on by default.
To turn the toolbars on or off, choose View > Toolbars. From the dropdown menu, click on
the desired toolbar.
When a toolbar is enabled for viewing, a checkmark is present next to the toolbar name.
Play/Pause Begins playing the video. Selecting again pauses video.
Previous Frame Rewinds the video frame by frame.
Next Frame Forwards the video frame by frame.

Effects Object Menu Options

The Object options allow you to choose the object attributes such as fill type, line width and color, etc.
Object Options Description Table

The following table describes each of the Object options.
For a complete description of each of these tools, see "Effects Toolbar Options" on page 242 and "Effects Properties"
on page 265.
Object Option Description
Draw New Displays a dropdown list of available shapes to draw. You can activate one of these tools
by selecting it from the menu with the mouse.
Text Accesses the font, horizontal and vertical justification, and text alignment tools. To
enable these tools in the menu, first select a text object.

Align Horizontal:
Left: Left justifies the text.
Center: Center justifies the text.
Right: Right justifies the text.
Align Vertical:
Top: Vertically top justifies the text in the text object.
Center: Vertically middle justifies the text in the text object.
Bottom: Vertically bottom justifies the text in the text object.
Line Accesses the available line styles. To enable these tools in the menu, first select an
object.
Selecting one of these options will replace the selected object’s solid line with a pattern
selected from the dropdown menu.
Line Width Accesses the line width options. To enable these tools in the menu, first select an object.
Selecting one of these options will either increase or decrease the selected object’s line
size.
Line Color Accesses the color selection dialog box. To enable this tool in the menu, first select an
object.
Click the desired color in the dialog box and then choose OK.
Draw Mode Accesses the Draw Mode options. These options determine whether you would like your
object to be drawn as a solid object, as an object with inverted color, or in a highlight or
transparency mode.
An example of each mode is given below.

Solid: The circle is drawn in solid mode. You see the color that is selected for its fill
color and you cannot see any of the multicolor block that is behind the circle:
Invert: Inverting the color causes the shape to take on an element of transparency and


anything that is touched by the object will have its colors inverted – like a photograph
negative. In this graphic, with the Invert property applied, the circle has become black
and anything that it touches turns to an inverse color:
Highlight: Applying Highlight to the shape causes the shape to become transparent using
its original color – just like using a highlighter pen. Anything underneath the highlight
shape will be able to be seen though a layer of the highlight color:
Fill Style Accesses the available fill styles: either solid or transparent. To enable these tools, first
select an object.
Fill Color Accesses the color selection dialog box. To enable this tool in the menu, first select an
object.
Click the desired color in the dialog box and then choose OK.
Note: If the object does not fill with color, the object properties might need to be
changed.
Fill Pattern Accesses the Open Image File dialog box for inserting an image into the object. Browse
and select the desired graphic from within the Open Image File dialog box. Once file is
selected, choose Open. The graphic is inserted as a repeating pattern.
Note: The image is inserted at full size. Therefore, if the object is sized smaller than the
inserted image then you will not see a repeated pattern. You will instead only see a
portion of the graphic.
Duration Accesses the object duration options. To set a time duration for an object, first select the
object. Choose the desired duration from Object > Duration.
Start Showing: Starts showing the object. If object is elsewhere in the video, its position
will be changed to match the start showing location.
End Showing: Ends the showing of the object. If object is elsewhere in the video, its
position will be changed to match the end showing location.
Show from Beginning: Shows the object from the beginning of the video.
Show to End: Shows the selected object until the end of the movie.


These options are also available when right-clicking on an object. To select the duration
options in this way, right-click on an object and choose Duration. From the popup menu
select the desired option.
Edit Object Points For use with a polygon or pen object only. Displays the object points for advanced
editing of the object’s shape.
To edit the object points, select the polygon or pen object. Choose Object > Edit Object
Points. The edit points will display. Use the mouse to grab any of the points and drag to
the desired location.
Default Properties Selecting this option brings up the Default Properties dialog box. This dialog is used for
selecting the default line size and width, color, style, etc. of the object being drawn. For
complete instructions on using the Properties dialog box, see "Effects Properties" on
page 265.
Properties Selecting an object and then choosing Object > Properties brings up the Properties dialog
box. This dialog is used for selecting the object’s line size and width, color, style, etc.
The properties box can also be accessed by right-clicking on an object and choosing
Properties or by selecting an object and pressing <Alt> + <Enter> on the keyboard.
For complete instructions on using the Properties dialog box, see "Effects Properties" on
page 265.
Effects Layout Menu Options

The Layout menu options allow you to access an object’s spatial effects such as grouping, flipping, order, etc.

Layout Options Description Table

The following table describes each of the Layout options.
Layout Option Description
Group Objects Select this option to group two or more selected objects.
To group, select two or more objects and then choose Layout > Group.
To select two or more objects, select the first object. Hold down the <Shift> key and then
select the other object(s).
This option is also available when right-clicking on two or more objects that are selected for
grouping. To select the group option in this way, right-click on an object and choose Layout
> Group.
Ungroup Objects Select this option to ungroup two or more grouped objects.
To ungroup, select a grouped objects and then choose Layout > Ungroup.
This option is also available when right-clicking on an object that is grouped. To select the
ungroup option in this way, right-click on an object and choose Layout > Ungroup.
Flip Flips the selected object on its vertical axis. Select the object and choose Layout > Flip.
Mirror Flips the selected object on its horizontal axis. Select the object and choose Layout > Mirror.
Show Grid Select this option to turn the grid on for easy aligning of the Effects objects:
The grid is only visible while you are working in edit mode. This means that once you move
to another frame in the video, you will not automatically see the grid. To view the grid once
more, simply click anywhere on the video preview area. This puts you back into edit mode
making the grid visible once again.
Align to Grid Select this option to snap the objects to the grid. Used for easy alignment of objects.
Order Accesses the object order options. These options move objects back and forth through
different layers, placing objects in front of or in back of each other. To move an object back
or forward, first select the object. Choose the desired option from Object > Order.
Send to Front: Brings the selected object to the front layer. Select the object that needs to
come to the front. Choose Object > Order > Send to Front.
Send to Back: Sends the selected object to the back layer. Select the object that needs to
come to the front. Choose Object > Order > Send to Back.
Bring Forward: Brings the selected object forward one layer. Select the object that needs to
come to the front. Choose Object > Order > Bring Forward.
Bring Backward: Sends the selected object back one layer. Select the object that needs to
come to the front. Choose Object > Order > Bring Backward.

Layout Option Description

These options are also available when right-clicking on an object. To select the order
options in this way, right-click on an object and choose Order. From the popup menu select
the desired option.
Effects Tools Menu Options

The Tools menu options gives you access to the other Camtasia Studio components as well as to a few Effects options
such as enabling and disabling the welcome menu and tips.

Camtasia Recorder Starts Recorder.
Camtasia Producer Starts Producer.
Camtasia MenuMaker Starts MenuMaker


To enable an option, click on the box. A checkmark is entered in the box.

To disable an option, click on the checkmark to remove it.
Disable welcome dialog on startup: This option, when enabled, will display
the welcome dialog box. This option is enabled by default.
Play produced video with Camtasia Player: When enabled, the rendered
video will playback in the Camtasia Player. If not selected, the rendered video
will not playback in Player. The rendered video can however be played
within Effects using the playback options. This option is not enabled by
default.
Enable Tips: When fully enabled, all of the tips will display while working
in Effects . This option is enabled by default.
When completely disabled, none of the tips will display .

When some of the tips have been turned off and some are still enabled, the
tips box will contain a gray checkmark .
Effects Canvas Color: The canvas color is the color that appears around the
video in the preview area. It is often useful to be able to change this color
since the video background color can fade into the canvas color causing your
view of the video to become skewed.
To select color:
Click on the button to reveal the Color dialog box. Choose the desired color
and choose OK. The color will be updated in the Options dialog box.

Effects Help Menu Options

The Help menu options gives you access to the Effects online help as well as other Camtasia Studio and TechSmith
support options.

The following table describes each of the Help options.
Camtasia Effects Help Opens the Camtasia Effects online help.
Support Displays the Technical Support dialog box. This dialog box contains important TechSmith
web addresses for receiving technical support.
This dialog box also contains application diagnostic information.


elsewhere.
upgrades.
Frequently Asked Accesses the TechSmith Frequently Asked Question website which will allow you to search
Questions the FAQ database.
TechSmith on the Displays a dropdown menu of several helpful TechSmith websites.
Web
TechSmith Home:
http://www.techsmith.com/
Send Feedback:
http://www.techsmith.com/rdr/sftw/camstudio/feedback/default.asp
TechSmith Products:
http://www.techsmith.com/rdr/sftw/camstudio/tsproducts/default.asp
About Camtasia Displays the About dialog box listing version and licensing information.
Studio

Effects Properties
Overview
Every object, no matter what type of object it is, has object properties of some sort. The properties are the collective
attributes of a selected object such as size, shape, color, etc. These properties will change from object to object (if the
objects are different).
Most object properties can be edited in a number of different ways giving you complete control over how each object
appears in the video.
Many of the object properties can be changed by using the tools on the toolbars or the dropdown menu options. See
"Effects Toolbar Options" on page 242 and "Effects Menu Options" on page 252. However, in addition to the tools or
menu options, each object is associated with a Properties dialog box. This dialog box contains all of the object’s
properties in one central location.
You can view an objects properties box by selecting the object and then doing one of the following:
• Right-click on the object. Form the popup menu choose Properties.
• Press <Alt> + <Enter>.
• Selecting the Properties tool on the Layout toolbar.

• From the menu bar, choose Object > Properties.
•
The Properties dialog box will display.
For complete information on the use of the options within the Properties dialog box, continue with "Effects Properties
Dialog Box Options" on page 266.

Effects Properties Dialog Box Options

The following table describes each of the Properties options along with which objects contain that property, and how to
use that option.
This following is a compiled list of properties options. This means that every option that is available for every object
properties box is collectively given for review in one table.
The column entitled “Where Found” tells you which objects contain which specific properties.
Note: Once changes are made in the Properties dialog box, they will not be updated to the object until the Properties
box is closed.
Properties Options Description Table

The following table describes each of the Properties options along with its use.
For additional information on each of these properties, see "Effects Toolbar Options" on page 242.
Properties Where Description Values Use
Option Found
Object Name All Reflects the name of the 38 characters display in To change an object’s
object. Object Name field. name, click on the Value
This option also allows When the name is displayed field and type the new
you to change the object’s in the Object List, only the name.
name. first eight characters are
If the name of the object seen.
has been renamed in the
Object List, then this field
will reflect that name.
If the object has not been
renamed, this field will
reflect the default name
given to an object.
Object Type All Gives the name of the This field is system This is a read-only file and
type of object populated based upon the cannot be changed.
attributes that are inherent
to the object.
Start Frame All Reflects the number of Limited to the number of To change the start frame,
the frame where the frames in the video. click on the Value Field.
object’s duration begins. Use the arrow buttons to
This option also allows For more information on change the start frame or
you to manually change this topic, see "The Effects highlight the start frame
the object’s start frame. Timeline" on page 250 and number and type in the
"Duration" on page 258. new start frame
.
End Frame All Reflects the number of Limited to the number of To change the end frame,
the frame where the frames in the video. click on the Value Field.
object’s duration ends. Use the arrow buttons to
This option also allows For more information on change the end frame or
you to manually change this topic, see "The Effects highlight the end frame
the object’s end frame. Timeline" on page 250 and number and type in the


Option Found
"Duration" on page 258.
new end frame .
Left All Reflects the pixel position Limited to the number of To change the left
of the object’s outer most pixels in the video. position, click on the
left side. The pixel Value Field.
position is determined Use the arrow buttons to
from the 0,0 coordinate of change the position or
the upper left hand highlight the end frame
corner. number and type in the
This option also allows new position number
you to manually change
.
the object’s left side
position.
Note: When altering the
left side of an object, the
object is resized to reflect
the change - it is not
moved.
Right All Reflects the pixel position Limited to the number of To change the right
right side. Value Field.
The pixel position is Use the arrow buttons to
determined from the 0,0 change the position or
coordinate of the upper highlight the end frame
left hand corner. number and type in the
you to manually change .
the object’s right side
position.
right side of an object, the
moved.
Top All Reflects the pixel position Limited to the number of To change the top
top side. Value Field.
the object’s top side
position.
top side of an object, the


Option Found
moved.
Bottom All Reflects the pixel position Limited to the number of To change the bottom
bottom side. Value Field.
the object’s bottom side
position.
bottom side of an object,
the object is resized to
reflect the change - it is
not moved.
Rotation All Reflects the rotation Limited to 360 degrees in To change the degree
degree of the object when increments of position, click on the
the object is rotated. Value Field.
When rotating, a positive The rotation degree
number will rotate the number will be
object to the left. highlighted. Type in the
A negative number will new rotation degree.
rotate the object to the
right.
This option also allows
you to manually change
the object’s point of
rotation.
Draw Mode Pen Reflects the draw mode Limited to: To change the Draw
Rectangle of the object. Solid Mode, click on the Value
This option also allows field. A dropdown menu
Rounded Highlight will display.
Rectangle you to manually change
the object’s draw mode. Invert From the dropdown menu,
Ellipse choose the desired draw
Polygon mode.
Text Box
Line Color Pen Reflects the line color of Limited to the colors in the To change the line color,
Rectangle the object in both color system palette. click on the Value field. A
and RGB numerals. button will display .
Rounded
Rectangle This option also allows Click on the button to
you to manually change reveal the Color dialog
Ellipse the object’s line color. box.
Polygon
Choose the desired color
Text Box and choose OK. The color
and RGB numeral will be


Option Found
updated in the Properties
dialog box.
Line Width Pen Reflects the line width of Limited to a one to twenty To change the line width,
Rectangle the object in terms of pixels range. click on the Value field.
pixels. The Line Width number
Rounded
Rectangle This option also allows will be highlighted. Type
you to manually change in the new line width.
Ellipse the object’s line width.
Polygon
Text Box
Line Style Pen Reflects the line style of Limited to: To change the line style,
Rectangle the object. Solid click on the Value field. A
This option also allows dropdown menu will
Rounded Dash display.
Rectangle you to manually change
the object’s line style. Dot From the dropdown menu,
Ellipse Dash Dot choose the desired line
Polygon Dash Dot Dot style.
Text Box None
Fill Style Rectangle Reflects the fill style of Limited to: To change the fill style,
Rounded the object. Solid click on the Value field. A
Rectangle This option also allows dropdown menu will
Transparent display.
Ellipse you to manually change
the object’s fill style. Pattern From the dropdown menu,
Polygon choose the desired fill
Vector Text style.
Text Box
Fill Color Rectangle Reflects the fill color of Limited to the colors in the To change the fill color,
Rounded the object in both color system palette. click on the Value field. A
Rectangle and RGB numerals. button will display .
Ellipse This option also allows Click on the button to
you to manually change reveal the Color dialog
Polygon the object’s fill color. box.
Vector Text
Text Box and choose OK. The color
dialog box.
In order to apply a fill
color, the fill style must be
set to solid.
Fill Pattern Rectangle Reflects the path of the Limited to the number of To change the fill pattern,
Rounded image used as the object’s BMP, JPEG, and GIF click on the Value field. A
Rectangle fill pattern. images available for use. button will display .
Ellipse This option also allows Click on the button to
you to manually change reveal the Open dialog
Polygon the object’s fill pattern. box.


Option Found
Text Box Browse and then choose
the desired image and
choose open. The image
path will be updated in the
Properties dialog box.
In order to apply a fill
pattern, the fill style must
be set to pattern.
Font Vector Text Reflects the type of font Limited to the use of To change the font and/or
Text Box used for the text object. Windows system fonts. font attributes, click on the
This option also allows Value field. A button will
you to manually change display .
the object’s font and font Click on the button to
properties such as font reveal the Font dialog box.
style and size.
Browse and then choose
the desired font. Also
select the font style such
as bold or underline and
the size. Choose OK. The
font name will be updated
in the Properties dialog
box. The font style and
size will be seen in the text
object once the Properties
box is closed.
Text Vector Text Reflects the text found To change the text, click
Text Box within the text object. on the Value field.
This option also allows The text will be
you to manually change highlighted. Type in the
the object’s text. new text.
Under Line Vector Text Reflects whether or not Values limited to true or To change the underline
Text Box the text in the text object false option, click on the Value
has underline applied to True: Text will be field. A dropdown menu
it. underlined. will display.
This option also allows False: Text will not be From the dropdown menu,
you to manually change underlined. choose either true or false.
the object’s underline
attribute.
Text Color Vector Text Reflects the color of the Limited to the colors in the To change the text color,
Text Box text in the text object in system palette. click on the Value field. A
both color and RGB button will display .
numerals.
Click on the button to
This option also allows reveal the Color dialog
you to manually change box.
the text color.
and choose OK. The color


Option Found
dialog box.
Align Vertical Vector Text Reflects the vertical Limited to: To change the vertical
Text Box alignment position of the Top: Vertically top justifies alignment option, click on
text in the text object. the text in the text object. the Value field. A
This option also allows dropdown menu will
Center: Vertically middle display.
you to manually change justifies the text in the text
the text color. object. From the dropdown menu,
choose the desired option.
Bottom: Vertically bottom
justifies the text in the text
object.
Align Vector Text Reflects the horizontal Limited to: To change the horizontal
Horizontal Text Box alignment position of the Left: Left justifies the text. alignment option, click on
text in the text object. the Value field. A
Center: Center justifies the dropdown menu will
This option also allows text.
you to manually change display.
the text color. Right: Right justifies the From the dropdown menu,
text. choose the desired option.
Background Image This options lets you Limited to: To change the horizontal
Style know if the object is Solid alignment option, click on
transparent or solid. the Value field. A
Transparent dropdown menu will
display.
From the dropdown menu,
choose the desired option.
Background Image This option lets you Limited to the colors in the To change the
Color choose the transparency system palette. transparency color, click
color if Transparent was on the Value field. A
selected in the button will display .
Background Style field.
Click on the button to
reveal the Color dialog
box.
and choose OK. The color
dialog box.
In order to apply a
transparent color, the
Background Style must be
set to transparent.

Camtasia MenuMaker
Overview
Camtasia MenuMaker allows you to create an attractive menu from which to launch your files. With MenuMaker, copies
of all of your files are located in one central location making it easy to open and close files or applications. This means
no more searching through drives, directories, and folders when giving a presentation or teaching a class. This also
allows you to easily create a CD-ROM that will launch with the menu displayed, a perfect way to distribute information
to customers, students, workgroups, and more.
You can make your menu from a number of different templates that are included with MenuMaker or you can make your
own customized template. Additionally, you can include all types of files in your menu such as document files, graphic
files, multimedia files, etc. The only stipulation for the inclusion of files is that the host application necessary to run the
files resides on the PC that is used to launch the files.
MenuMaker operates on a project basis. This means that you add files, edit the look and feel of the menu and then save
your work as a project file. Later, you can come back to that project file and change the look of the menu, add or delete
files, etc. From the project file, you can also test the menu and create the menu files.
Before you begin using MenuMaker, please review the following topics:
• "The MenuMaker Welcome Screen" on page 274.
• "6 Quick and Easy Steps to Creating a Menu" on page 275.
• "About the Menu Creation Process" on page 276.
• "Getting Familiar with the MenuMaker Screen" on page 277.
• "Create a New Menu Project Using the MenuMaker Wizard" on page 278.
• "MenuMaker Toolbar Options" on page 283.
Opening Camtasia MenuMaker

You can open MenuMaker in a number of different ways.
• From the LaunchPad, choose Camtasia MenuMaker .

• Choose Start > All Programs > Camtasia Studio > Applications > Camtasia MenuMaker.
• From within another Camtasia Studio component, choose Tools > Camtasia MenuMaker.
272 • Camtasia MenuMaker www.techsmith.com

MenuMaker Screen Tips

When you first start MenuMaker or choose certain toolbar buttons or menu options, you will see a MenuMaker tip screen
similar to the following:
display the tip screens again whenever you choose that same button.
There are two types of tips in MenuMaker: Tip of the Day tips and contextual tips.
• If you no longer wish the tip of the day to display when opening MenuMaker, click on the Show tips at startup
box to remove the checkmark. The tip will no longer display the next time MenuMaker is opened. To enable
this option once again, within MenuMaker, choose Help > Tip of the Day. Enable the tip option.
tips once again, within MenuMaker, choose Tools > Options > Enable Tips.
www.techsmith.com Camtasia MenuMaker • 273

The MenuMaker Welcome Screen

The Welcome screen is intended to give you an easy way to create a new project or to open a project.
From the Welcome screen, choose the desired option for your work in MenuMaker and then choose OK.
Create a new menu using the Wizard

Choose this option if you would like to create a new project using the wizard to step you through the process.
Create a new menu

Choose this option to create a new menu project without the help of the wizard.
Open an existing menu

Choose this option if you would like to open a project that has already been created. When opening an existing project,
you will be able to make edits to the menu’s look and feel as well as the files included in the menu.
Open a recent menu

Choose this option if you would like to open a menu project that has recently been opened. This option will enable the
recent list dropdown menu for you to choose from. This dropdown menu contains the last four projects that were opened.
Note: To disable the Welcome screen from appearing each time MenuMaker is opened, click on the Show this dialog
at startup box to remove the checkmark. Once this screen is disabled, you will find the same open options under
the File menu. To enable the Welcome screen once again, from within MenuMaker, choose Tools > Options.
Within the Options dialog box, click on the Display welcome dialog on startup option. Choose OK.

6 Quick and Easy Steps to Creating a Menu

Overview
Creating a new menu with Camtasia MenuMaker is quite simple, involving only six basic steps from beginning to end.
This includes such steps as selecting a template, adding the files, saving the project, testing, and then creating the menu.
The following section gives you are brief overview of each step.
Note: This short tutorial does not take you through the process of creating a new menu using the Wizard. For a
complete discussion on creating a menu using the Wizard, see "Create a New Menu Project Using the
MenuMaker Wizard" on page 278.
Step 1: Open MenuMaker

Open Camtasia MenuMaker. Choose the Create a new menu option in the Welcome screen.
Step 2: Add Menu Properties

Click on the Settings button on the toolbar. The Menu Properties dialog box displays.
• In the General tab, enter the menu’s title and select the display options.
For a complete discussion on the General tab options, see "MenuMaker General Tab" on page 292.
• In the List tab, edit the properties of the List Box.
For a complete discussion on the List tab options, see "MenuMaker List Tab" on page 295.
• In the Content tab, add, sort, and rename the menu’s content.
For a complete discussion on the List tab options, see "MenuMaker Content Tab" on page 298.
• In the Resources tab, select the menu’s audio and visual effects.
For a complete discussion on the Resources tab options, see "MenuMaker Resources Tab" on page 301.
Step 3: Test Menu in Preview Mode

• Once you have set your properties for the menu, click on the Test button to test your menu in preview mode.
Test each file and sound in the menu to ensure that it is operating correctly before creating your menu.
Step 4: Save Project

Once you have created your menu, click on the Save button to save your menu project for future use.
Step 5: Create Menu

Use the Create Menu button to create you menu.
For more information on this topic, see "About the Menu Creation Process" on page 276 and Create a New Menu
Project Using the MenuMaker Wizard" on page 278.
Step 6: View Menu

After you have created your menu, go to the menu folder and run the menu using the.EXE file. Test each file and sound
in the menu to ensure that it is operating correctly before distributing your menu.
If you included the autorun option on this menu, burn the menu folder to a CD and test to make sure it runs automatically
when inserted into the CD-ROM drive.

About the Menu Creation Process

Overview
Once you have created your menu project, you will need to create the actual menu files. During the creation process, a
folder is created that will house a copy of all of the files necessary to run your menu.
Later, you can copy this entire folder to a CD or to another location on a network and run the menu from there.
During the creation process, several files are created. These are the files used to run the menu, to autorun the CD if that
option was selected, folders to house and organize the content files, etc. Additionally, the content files that were selected
to be included with this menu are copied here.
The following graphic illustrates the structure of the files and folders that are created. The EXE file that runs the menu, a
Media folder which contains the menu’s content files, and the autorun command are located in the root directory of the
menu's folder.
When the Media folder is opened, you will see a folder named for the menu project. Inside of this folder are the content
files that were added to the menu. These are organized by type and placed into an appropriate organizational file.
See also "About the Menu Creation Process" on page 276 and "Create a New Menu Project Using the MenuMaker
Wizard" on page 278.

Getting Familiar with the MenuMaker Screen

Overview
The MenuMaker screen has a very intuitive, easy to use interface. Below, you will find an overview of the components
of the MenuMaker’s screen.
Before you begin your work within MenuMaker, take a few minutes to get familiar with the MenuMaker screen.

Create a New Menu Project Using the MenuMaker Wizard

The wizard will walk you through the process of creating a menu project using a template that is already created for you.
After you have finished with the wizard, you will have the option of making changes to the look of the menu before you
create the actual menu.
To create a new menu project using the Wizard, make sure that the Create a new menu using the Wizard option is
selected in the Welcome screen and then choose OK.
The MenuMaker Wizard will begin.
Note: For information on editing the menu project after the Wizard is complete, continue with "Menu Properties" on
page 291.
MenuMaker Wizard: Choose Template

During this step, you will choose the template that will house the different components of your new menu. The template
contains the graphic for the menu interface as well as the different list box and font attributes.
MenuMaker gives you the choice of several predefined templates for you to use. Each of these templates will display a
floating menu self contained within a border. This menu allows whatever else is on the desktop to remain visible while
the menu is open.
When selecting a template from the dropdown menu, a thumbnail image will display. This will allow you to preview the
template’s graphic interface before you make your selection.
For more information on MenuMaker Templates, see "MenuMaker File Menu Options" on page 285.
Once you have made your template selection, choose Next. Continue this process with "MenuMaker Wizard: Choose
Files" on page 279.

MenuMaker Wizard: Choose Files

During this step, you will choose the files that you would like to be included in your menu. You can choose as many
video, sound, image, program, and document files to your menu as you would like.
Note: The only real stipulation for adding files is that the application necessary to run the selected files should be
present on the host PC.
To help you keep track of the size of your menu project, the total file size of your menu project is reflected in the size
field under the edit buttons.
To add the desired files, click on the Add Files button.

The Add File Items screen will display.
1. Select a directory in the Look in field.

2. Select the type of file you want to add to the menu in the File of Type field.
3. Once your file is selected, choose Apply. If desired, select another file and then choose Apply.
Note: If you are selecting several files from within the same directory, press and hold the <CTRL> key to select
multiple files to add at one time.
4. Repeat this process until you have finished selecting your files and then choose OK.

The files will be updated to the Wizard screen as seen in the following graphic. The Total disk space used by field at the
bottom of the screen will track the size of the combined files that you are adding to the menu.
Alongside the file name will be an icon. These icons let you know which application will be used to open that file when
it is accessed from the menu on the PC that is being used to create the menu.
Note: The applications that are used to open a particular type of file on the host PC depend upon the associations set
up on the host PC.
File Order
The order in which the files appear in this list is the order in which they will appear in the menu. If you would like to
change the order, delete a file, or sort the files, highlight the file and then use the options described in the following table.
Button Description
Delete Files Deletes the selected file.
Sort By Name Sorts all files alphabetically by file name.
Sort By Type Sorts all files according to file type and then alphabetically.
Move Up Moves the selected file up in the order. This will allow you to choose the order in which the
files will be displayed in the CD menu.
Move Down Moves the selected file down in the order. This will allow you to choose the order in which the
files will be displayed in the CD menu.
Once you have made your file selections and performed any edits, choose Next. Continue this process with
"MenuMaker Wizard: Enter Title" on page 282.

MenuMaker Wizard: Enter Title

During this step, you will enter a title for this menu. This is the name that will be displayed in the menu’s title bar.
In the Menu Title field, enter the title of this menu.
Once you have entered your title, choose Finish.

Your menu project will now be created and displayed.
At this time, you are now in edit mode. Within edit mode, you can make changes to the look of the template, change the
file names displayed within the menu, add or delete files in the menu, test the menu in preview mode, or create the menu.
To edit you MenuMaker project, continue with "Menu Properties" on page 291. See also "MenuMaker Toolbar
Note: Once you have created and edited your MenuMaker project, you will need to create the actual menu files. For
complete information on the Menu Creation process, continue with "About the Menu Creation Process" on
page 276 and "Create a New Menu Project Using the MenuMaker Wizard" on page 278.

MenuMaker Toolbar Options

Overview
Several of the most-used options have been added to the toolbar on the MenuMaker screen.
To aid in your navigation around the MenuMaker toolbar, each time your cursor touches a button, a tooltip will appear.
The tooltip gives you the name of the tool .
Toolbar Description Table

The following table describes each of the MenuMaker tools that can be found on the toolbar along with its use.
New Project Will open the MenuMaker Welcome Choose the desired option from the
screen. Use this to open the wizard, Welcome screen. Choose OK.
begin a new project, open a project, or For more information on this topic, see
open a recent project. "The MenuMaker Welcome Screen"
on page 274.
Open Project Displays a standard Open dialog box Browse and select the desired file to be
allowing you to select either a project opened.
or template file to open. Choose Open.
Project files have a .CMMP extension.
Template files have a .CMMTPL
extension.
Save Project Saves the MenuMaker project file. Click on the Save button.
Saving the project allows you to open
the project again at a later time.
Edit Menu Opens the Menu Properties dialog box. Click on the Edit Menu Properties
Properties These options allow you to make button.
changes to the menu’s various For complete information on the Menu
properties such as the font attributes, Properties options, continue with "Menu
color scheme, list box attributes, etc. Properties" on page 291.
Test Menu Will open up the menu in preview Click on the Test Menu button. The
mode. While in preview mode, you can menu will be displayed in preview mode.
test each of the files to ensure that they To exit out of preview mode, click on the
work correctly before creating the system close button in the upper right
menu files.
This also allows you to preview the hand corner of the menu .
menu graphics, colors, font, sound
effects, etc. If you don’t like any of
these properties, you can change them
before creating the menu files.


Create Menu Will open up the creation wizard that Click on the Create Menu button.
will walk you through the menu For complete information on the Menu
creation process. Creation process, continue with "About
the Menu Creation Process" on page
276 and "Create a New Menu Project
Using the MenuMaker Wizard" on
page 278.
Wizard Will open up the wizard that will walk Click on the Wizard button.
you through the process of creating a For complete information on the creating
new menu project. a new project using the wizard, continue
with "Create a New Menu Project
Using the MenuMaker Wizard" on
page 278.
Camtasia Studio Used to access the other Camtasia Clicking on the Camtasia Studio icon
Studio components. will open the Camtasia Studio
LaunchPad.
Click on the small down arrow to reveal
a dropdown menu of individual Camtasia
Studio components.
Help Contents Will open the online help. Click on the Help button.

MenuMaker Menu Options

The following section describes each of the MenuMaker's menu options.
MenuMaker File Menu Options

The File menu options allow you to access the menu project’s open, close, and save options. To select a File option,
choose the desired option from the dropdown menu.

New Project Will open the MenuMaker Welcome screen. Use this to open the wizard, begin a new blank
project, open a project, or open a recent project.
For more information on this topic, see "The MenuMaker Welcome Screen" on page 274.
Open Project Displays a standard Open dialog box allowing you to open a project file.
From within the Open dialog box, browse and select the desired file to be opened. Choose
Open.
Note: Project files have a .CMMP extension.
Open Template Displays a standard Open dialog box allowing you to open a template.
The folder that is open by default is the folder that is defined in Tools > Options:
From within the Open dialog box, you can also browse and select the desired file to be
opened.
Choose Open.
Note: Template files have a .CMMTPL extension.
Test Menu Will open up the menu in preview mode. While in preview mode, you can test each of the
files to ensure that they work correctly before creating the menu files.


This also allows you to preview the menu graphics, colors, font, sound effects, etc. If you
don’t like any of these properties, you can change them before creating the menu files.
Create Menu Will open up the wizard that will walk you through the menu creation process.
Close Project Closes the current project.
Save Project Saves the MenuMaker project file. Saving the project allows you to open the project again
at a later time.
The first time that a project is saved, you will be prompted to Save As. Select the folder to
store project in and enter a name for the project. Choose OK.
Save Project As Saves the project as another name. Select the folder to store project in and enter a name for
the project. Choose OK.
Save As Saves the project as a template. When saving as a template, only the menu properties are
Template saved, not the files. This allows you use the graphic interface that you have created again in
later projects.
When saving, you will be prompted to give the template a name.
Enter the name of the template and then select OK.

Note: The default template folder where the templates will be saved is defined in Tools >
Options:
Recent File Displays a list of the most recently opened projects.

Exit Exist the MenuMaker application.

MenuMaker Edit Menu Options

The Edit menu options allow you to access the options used to change the different properties of the menu such as the
menu graphic, font attributes, list box style, etc. To select an Edit option, choose the desired option from the dropdown
menu.

Edit Option Description
General Properties Opens the General tab of the Menu Properties dialog box.
In the General tab, enter the menu’s title and select the display options.
For a complete discussion on the General tab options, see "MenuMaker General Tab"
on page 292.
List Properties Opens the List tab of the Menu Properties dialog box.
In the List tab, edit the properties of the List Box.
For a complete discussion on the List tab options, see "MenuMaker List Tab" on page
295.
Content Opens the Content tab of the Menu Properties dialog box.
In the Content tab, add, sort, and rename the menu’s content.
For a complete discussion on the List tab options, see "MenuMaker Content Tab" on
page 298.
Resources Opens the Resources tab of the Menu Properties dialog box.
In the Resources tab, select the menu’s audio and visual effects.
For a complete discussion on the Resources tab options, see "MenuMaker Resources
Tab" on page 301.
MenuMaker View Menu Options

The View menu options allow you to customize the look of the MenuMaker screen. To select a View option, choose the
desired option from the dropdown menu.


The following table describes each of the View options. These options are toggle options. That is, you choose the option
once to enable the option and then once again to disable it. When enabled, a checkmark will be present next to the option
in the dropdown menu.
Toolbar Enable this option to view the toolbar.
Status bar Enable this option to view the status bar at the bottom of the MenuMaker screen.
Large Toolbar Buttons Enable this option to view the toolbar using large buttons.
MenuMaker Tools Menu Options

The Tools menu options gives you access to the other Camtasia Studio components as well as to a few MenuMaker
options such as choosing the template folder and enabling and disabling the welcome menu and tips.

Camtasia Recorder Starts Camtasia Recorder.
Camtasia Producer Starts Camtasia Producer.
Camtasia Effects Starts Camtasia Effects.
To enable an option, click on the box. If a checkmark is entered in the box, that option
is enabled. To disable an option, click on the checkmark to remove it.

Select Template Folder: Allows you to designate a folder to store the templates that
you create in MenuMaker. This becomes the default folder that is opened when the
Open Template option is selected.
Display welcome dialog on startup: This option, when enabled, will display the
welcome dialog box. This option is enabled by default.
Enable Tips: When fully enabled, all of the tips will display while working in
MenuMaker . This option is enabled by default.
When completely disabled, none of the tips will display .

When some of the tips have been turned off and some are still enabled, the tips box will
contain a gray checkmark .
MenuMaker Help Menu Options

The Help menu options gives you access to the MenuMaker online help as well as other Camtasia Studio and TechSmith
support options.


The following table describes each of the Help options.
Camtasia Studio Help Opens the Camtasia MenuMaker online help.
Support Displays the Technical Support dialog box. This dialog box contains important
TechSmith web addresses for receiving technical support.
This dialog box also contains application diagnostic information.
elsewhere.
upgrades.
Frequently Asked Accesses the TechSmith Frequently Asked Question website which will allow you to
Questions search the FAQ database.
TechSmith on the Web Displays a dropdown menu of several helpful TechSmith websites.
TechSmith Home:http://www.techsmith.com/
Send Feedback: http://www.techsmith.com/rdr/sftw/camstudio/feedback/default.asp
TechSmith Products:
http://www.techsmith.com/rdr/sftw/camstudio/tsproducts/default.asp
About Camtasia Studio Displays the About dialog box listing version and licensing information.

Menu Properties
Overview
The Menu Properties dialog box allows you to set options for your menu such as the title, overall size, display style, font
attributes, what graphic is to be used as the background, and what sounds if any will play while using your menu.
You can access the Menu Properties dialog box by choosing the Menu Properties tool on the toolbar .
Additionally, you can access each of the individual tabs that make up the Menu Properties dialog box by choosing the
desired option from the Edit menu.
Continue this topic with "MenuMaker General Tab" on page 292.

MenuMaker General Tab

The General tab will allow you to set the different properties for the menu’s overall look. These options determine how
the menu will be displayed, the size of the menu, how the menu will be positioned on the PC screen, etc.
There are many properties that can be changed which will allow you to get the exact look that you want for your menu.
Once a property is set, choose Apply to apply that option to the List Box.
Choose OK to exit the General tab.
General Tab Options Description Table

The following table describes each of the General tab options.
General Tab Option Description
Menu Title Enter the name of the Menu’s title. This will be displayed in the menu’s title bar.
Note: If you created your menu using the Wizard, then you will see the title given in
the Wizard in this field.

General Tab Option Description

Start Menu automatically If you would like the menu to start automatically when it is inserted into the CD-
when CD-ROM is inserted. ROM drive, enable this option. When enabled, a checkmark is present.
Always use Camtasia If you would like to make Camtasia Player the default player for all of your AVI
Player on AVI files. video files that are included in this menu, enable this option. When enabled, a
checkmark is present. If this option is not enabled, then Avi videos will play on the
system’s current default player.
Options The Options button opens the Options for Camtasia Player dialog box. This dialog
box is used to customize the command line options when launching Player.
For more information on these options, see "MenuMaker Options for Camtasia
Player Dialog Box" on page 294.
Image File This is the graphic that is used as the background for the menu. Choose the folder
to browse and select a BMP, GIF, or JPEG file.

If you do not want to use an image for the menu’s background, leave this field empty.
The background will be the color of the background.
Image File Layout This determines how the background image will be displayed within the menu.
Center: the graphic will be centered in the menu. If the graphic is smaller than the
menu, then the background color will be visible.
Stretch: This option will stretch the graphic to cover the entire menu.
Tile: This option will tile the graphic to cover the entire menu
Background Color This is the color of the menu’s background canvas. If the image does not cover the
entire surface of the menu, parts of the canvas will be visible.
If you choose not to use a graphic for the menu, then you can choose a solid
background color to display.
choose OK. The color will be updated in the General Tab dialog box.
Size This option determines the overall size of the menu. 640X480 is a size that will
display properly on most PC screens.
Width: This is how wide the menu is in pixels.
Height: This is how tall the menu is in pixels.
Display Mode This option determines if the menu will be displayed within a free standing window
or within a full screen.
Window: The standalone window option displays a floating menu self contained
within a border. This menu allows whatever else is on the desktop to remain visible
while the menu is open.
Full Screen: This menu displays a coordinating full screen background that hides
whatever else is on the desktop while the menu is open.
Desktop Color This is the background canvas color that displays outside of the menu when the full
screen option is selected. The amount of desktop color that displays on the desktop is
determined by the size of the menu.
choose OK. The color will be updated in the General Tab dialog box.

MenuMaker Options for Camtasia Player Dialog Box

Once you click on the Options button in the General tab, the Options for Camtasia Player dialog box will display.
This dialog box is used to customize the command line options when launching Player.
Camtasia Player Options Description Table

The following table describes each of the Player options that can be included in your menu.
Start playing automatically Starts Player as soon as menu item is double-clicked on.
Exit after playing movie Player closes automatically as soon as video is done playing.
Repeat movie until closed Automatically repeats movie until Player is manually closed by user.
Stay on last frame Player stops on and displays last frame when video finishes.
Always on top Player will reside as the topmost application on the desktop.
Play in maximized mode Player operates as in maximized mode.
Play in full screen mode Player operates as a full screen.
To title bar No title bar displays while Player is running.
No menu bar No menu bar displays while Player is running.
No toolbar No tool bar displays while Player is running.
No status bar No status bar displays while Player is running.
No dragging by movie area You cannot drag the video around the screen.
Background Color Sets the background color. This is the color that is seen around the video if the video size
does not take up the full screen when the full screen option is enabled.
Click on the button to reveal the Color dialog box. Choose the desired color and choose
OK. The color will be updated in the Options for Camtasia Player dialog box.
Load Default Loads the default values. The default options are selected using the Save as Default
button.
Save as Default Allows you to select the desired command lines and save them as the default value.
Then, when accessing this dialog box at a later time, clicking on the Load Default button
will automatically select those options for you.
OK Choose OK to save changes and exit back to the General tab.


Cancel Choose Cancel to exit back to the General tab without making any changes.
screen. Default command line
MenuMaker List Tab

The List tab will allow you to set the different properties for the menu’s List Box.
Once a property is set, choose Apply to apply that option to the List Box.
Choose OK to exit the List Tab.

The List Box is the area in the menu that contains the files.
There are many properties that can be changed which will allow you to get the exact look that you want for your menu.
Some of these properties are text color, font attributes, color, style, position, etc.
List Tab Options Description Table

The following table describes each of the List tab options along with its use.
List Tab Description Use
Option
Text Color Normal Color: Color of the text in the List Click on the button to reveal the Color dialog box.
Box before that item is ever selected to run. Choose the desired color and choose OK. The color
Visited Color: Color of the text in the List will be updated in the List Tab dialog box.
Box after an item has been accessed.
Highlighted Color: Color of the text when
the cursor is passed over it.
Text Determines the justification of the text Click on the down arrow to reveal the dropdown
Alignment within the List Box. menu. From the list, choose the desired alignment
Left: Left justifies the text. option.
Center: Center justifies the text.
Right: Right justifies the text.
Text Font Displays the standard Windows font dialog To change the font attributes, click on the Font
box allowing you to change the font type, button. The Font Dialog box displays.
size, color, etc. Font: To change the font, choose the new font from
the font list.
Font Style: To change the font style, choose the
desired style from the list.
Size: To change the font size, choose the new size
from the list.
Effects: To apply any effects, enable the desired
effect by clicking on the corresponding box.
Color: To change the font color, click on the Color
button. Choose desired color from dropdown menu.
Sample: This area will give you a preview of the
changes made to the font.
Cancel: Choose Cancel to exit the Font dialog box

List Tab Description Use

Option
without making any changes.
Background Color of the List Box itself. Click on the button to reveal the Color dialog box.
Color Choose the desired color and choose OK. The color
will be updated in the List Tab dialog box.
Blend Effect Opacity is the attribute that allows your To adjust the amount of opacity that is applied to the
List Box to be solid (showing none of the List Box, grab the slider bar and move up toward
graphic behind it) or to have varying more opaque (solid) or down toward less opaque
degrees of transparency (the ability to see (transparent).
part of the graphic through the image).
When applying opacity to the List Box, the
entire box is effected.
Frame Style Determines the frame style of the List Box. Click on the down arrow to reveal the dropdown
This feature works best with darker colored menu. From the list, choose the desired style option.
List Boxes and with a higher level of
opacity as well.
None: No frame.
Bump: Appears to be sitting on top of the
menu.
Etched: 3D edge effect.
Raised: Appears to be raised above the
menu.
Sunken: Appears to be sunken into the
menu.
Position Left: This is the number of pixels that the Highlight the number field and type the new number
List Box is located from the left of the in pixels.
menu.
Top: This is the number of pixels that the The List Box can be manually moved and sized while
List Box is located from the top of the in preview mode. These fields are updated with the
menu. new position and size values once the List Box is
Width: This is how wide the List Box is in altered.
pixels.
Height: This is how tall the List Box is in
pixels.
Continue this topic with "MenuMaker Content Tab" on page 298.

MenuMaker Content Tab

The Content tab allows you to add and arrange the file or web link content that you want to include in your menu. There
are three parts to this tab: the toolbar, the content list, and the file name fields.
In general, the toolbar is used to add the content and to arrange it in the order that it will appear in the menu.
The content list contains the content files. To work with any file, simply highlight it in the list. Alongside the file name
will be an icon. These icons let you know which application is being used as the default application for opening that file
on the host system.
At the bottom of the tab, the status bar will give keep you informed of the size of your collective files.
Note: The icon does not imply which application will be used for playback if the menu is a used on a system other
than the one it was created on.
Note: After you have reviewed this information regarding the Content Tab, continue this topic with "MenuMaker
Resources Tab" on page 301.
The file name fields allow you to rename the content files, view the content path, and assign a tooltip that will display in
the menu when the cursor hovers over an item.

Content Tab Toolbar Description Table

The Content tab's toolbar contains the options for adding files and web links and for determining how the files will look
in the menu. Overall, the order in which the files appear in the Content list is the order in which they will appear in the
menu.
If you would like to change the order of the content files, delete a file, or sort the files, highlight the file and then use the
toolbar desired option described in the following table.
Add Files Used to add the desired files to To add the desired files, click on the Add Files
the menu. button. The Add File Items screen will display.
Within the dialog box, choose a directory in the
Look in field.
Choose the type of file you want to add in the File
of Type field.
Once your file is selected, choose Apply. If desired,
select another file and then choose Apply.
Note: If you are choosing several files from within
the same directory, you can add these all at one
time. Press and hold the <CTRL> key and then use
the mouse to select the multiple files to add.
Repeat this process until you have finished
selecting your files and then choose OK
Note: Alongside the file name will be an icon.
These icons let you know which application will be
used to open that file when it is accessed from the
menu.
Add Web Used to add a web address to Click on the Add Web Address button. The Web
Address the menu. Address dialog box will display.
Type in the desired web address and then choose
OK.
Delete Deletes the selected file. Highlight item and then click on the Delete button.
Selected Item
Delete All Deletes all items. Click on the Delete All Items button. You will be
Items asked to confirm the deletion of all of the files.
Choose Yes to delete all files. Choose No to abort
the deletion of all files.


Move Item Up Moves the selected file up in Highlight item and then click on the Move Item Up
the order. This will allow you button.
to choose the order in which
the files will be displayed in
the menu.
Move Item Moves the selected file down Highlight item and then click on the Move Item
Down in the order. This will allow Down button.
you to choose the order in
which the files will be
displayed in the menu.
Sort Sorts all files alphabetically by Click on the Sort Alphabetically button.
Alphabetically file name.
Sort by Type Sorts all files according to file Click on the Sort by Type button.
type and then alphabetically.
Show / Hide The parameters option allows Highlight the desired file in the content list. Click
Parameters you to enter command line on the Show / Hide Parameters button. The
options for an AVI playback Parameters field displays.
application. Enter the desired parameters.
This option should only be
used if you are sure of the
player that will be used on the
menu’s target system.
Content Tab File Name Fields Description Table

The file name fields allow you to rename the content files, view the content path, and assign a tooltip that will display in
the menu when the cursor hovers over an item.
Each of these options are explained in the following table along with its use.
File Name Description Use
Fields
Name This option allows you to rename the selected Choose the file from the content list. Press <Tab>
file. Oftentimes the name of the actual file is Make the desired changes within the Name field.
not the name that is best to display in the As you enter the new name, the name within the
menu. This option allows you to rename the content list will change as well.
file for display purposes. This option only
renames the files in the menu, it does not
rename the actual files.
File Name This field reflects the path of the selected file. This option is only available when a web link is
This is populated automatically when a file is selected in the content list.
selected. This allows you to see the path and To make changes to a web address, highlight the
original file name. item in the content list. Press <Tab>. Make
This field is disabled unless a web address is changes within the File Name field. The changes
selected in the content list. will be reflected in the content list.
If a web address is selected, this field allows
you to make changes to the web address.
Tooltip The tooltip is the information that displays Enter the desired text for the tooltip.
while the cursor is hovered over an item in Note: The tooltip field can contain an unlimited

File Name Description Use

Fields
number of characters. Therefore, you can enter or
the menu . Each file’s
copy and paste an informative paragraph into this
tooltip can be customized.
field and it will display as a tooltip paragraph in
the menu. This is demonstrated below:
Total disk space This field will track the size of the combined This is a read-only field.
used by files that you are adding to the menu.
MenuMaker Resources Tab

Overview
The Resources tab allows you to add sound and visual effects to your menu such as startup or end sounds, animated
cursor, title bar icon, etc.

Resources Tab Options Description Table

The following table describes each of the Resource tab options along with its use.
Resource Tab Option Description Use
Mouse Click This option allows you to choose a Click on the browse button. Browse and select
sound file for the mouse clicking on the desired sound file. Choose OK. File path is
the menu. updated to Resource tab field.
Click on play button to test sound. Click on play
button again to stop sound.
Mouse Hover This option allows you to choose a Click on the browse button. Browse and select
sound file for the mouse hovering the desired sound file. Choose OK. File path is
over an item on the menu. updated to Resource tab field.
Menu Startup This option allows you to choose a Click on the browse button. Browse and select
sound file that plays when the menu the desired sound file. Choose OK. File path is
starts up. updated to Resource tab field.
Menu Exit This option allows you to choose a Click on the browse button. Browse and select
sound file that plays when the menu the desired sound file. Choose OK. File path is
exits. updated to Resource tab field.
Choose this button to hear the sound Click on the sound button to listen to the sound.
Test Sound button of any of the defend sound files. Click again to end playing.
Choose this button open the Browse Choose the folder to browse and select a file.
Browse button dialog box for adding a resource Choose OK to exit Browse dialog box and
file. update file to Resource tab.
Icon File Allows you to select an icon file to Choose the folder to browse and select a file.
display in the menu’s title bar. This Choose OK to exit Browse dialog box and
same icon will display in the system update file to Resource tab.
tray when the menu is minimized.
Cursor File Allows you to choose a cursor or Choose the folder to browse and select a file.
animated cursor that will be used Choose OK to exit Browse dialog box and
when the cursor hovers over an item update file to Resource tab.
in the menu.

Create the Menu Using the MenuMaker Wizard

Overview
A MenuMaker Wizard will take you through the simple creation process step by step. To begin the menu creation
process, click on the Create Menu button on the toolbar or choose File > Create Menu.
The Wizard will begin. Continue this topic with "MenuMaker Wizard: Create Menu Folder".
MenuMaker Wizard: Create Menu Folder

During this step, you will designate the location and enter a name of the folder that will house the menu files.
Directory Field
In the Directory field, click on the browse button . The Browse for Directory dialog box will display. Browse and
select the desired directory that will contains the menu folder. Choose OK. The Directory file path is updated to reflect
your selection.
Menu Folder Name

In the Menu Folder Name, enter the name of the folder that will house the menu files. By default, this is the name that
was given as the title of the menu.
If desired, you can rename the folder to whatever you would like by highlighting the name and typing the new name.

Full Path
The Full Path field is a read only field that reflects the directory and folder structure.
Choose Next to continue.
MenuMaker Wizard: Creating Menu

During this step, the menu files will be processed and the menu created.
As the files are being processed, the Building Menu status bar will give you the overall status of the build.
The Now Copying status bar will show which file is being copied.
Choose Cancel to abort the menu creation process.
Once the menu is created, you will see the Finish screen.
Continue this topic with "MenuMaker Wizard: Finish" on page 305.

MenuMaker Wizard: Finish

At this time, the menu has been created and the files now reside in the folder that you designated.
You now have the option of opening Windows Explorer so you can review that folder and it’s contents after the Wizard
exits.
This dialog box also gives you instructions on how to play your menu and where your menu folder can be found.
To review the folder after exiting the Wizard, enable the Open Windows Explorer option. When enabled ,a checkmark
will be displayed.
Choose Finish to exit the Wizard. You have successfully completed the menu creation process.

How Do I? Putting it all Together

Overview
The following sections will give you helpful information and answer questions for some of the most common Camtasia
Studio topics and processes.
Converting AVIs to Macromedia Flash (SWF) Videos

Overview
Camtasia Producer can now convert your AVI screen capture videos to the Flash (.SWF) format. Camtasia Producer
creates SWF files that provide 100% lossless quality at a very small file size. The ability to play SWF files is built-in to
nearly every web browser and many other devices. This combination of factors makes SWF output a very effective way
to deliver your content to a large audience via the web.
Converting an AVI to a SWF Video using Camtasia Producer

1. Using the Explorer view, locate the AVI you wish to convert in the thumbnail pane.
2. Click and drag the thumbnail image up to the storyboard.
3. Select File > Produce Movie or click on the Produce Movie button to bring up the Produce Movie dialog
box. For a complete explanation of the Produce Movie functionality, see "Producing a Video" on page 175.
4. In the Movie File Format dropdown list, select Macromedia Flash (SWF) file (*.swf).
5. In the Movie File Name box, enter the name for your produced movie. You can type directly into the field, or
you can click on the Save Movie File As button and enter the name for your movie in the Save Movie
File As dialog box.
Note: Since SWF files play in a browser, SWF output actually creates 2 files: the SWF file and a simple HTML file of
the same name that references the produced SWF file.
6. The Production Options Summary displays the options that will be used to produce the SWF file. If desired,
make changes to these options by clicking on the Options button and adjusting the parameters in
the Production Options dialog. For more information on this topic, see "Producer Macromedia Flash Options
Tab" on page 182.
7. Once you have the options configured as desired, click the Produce button to begin the production process.
During the production, you will see a progress dialog box.
8. When the production process is finished, you will find that it has created 2 new files: the SWF output file and a
small HTML file of the same name that references the SWF file. The HTML file is necessary because SWF
files typically play inside of a web browser. If you selected the Play movie after production option in the
Produce Movie dialog, then the produced file should begin playing inside your web browser.
Helpful Hints
• To properly view the SWF file, double-click on the corresponding HTML file. This will play the SWF file
inside your web browser with the appropriate width and height.
• It is important that the width and height specified in the HTML file are the exact dimensions of the produced
SWF file. If these dimensions are not correct, the movie will be scaled and the quality will appear distorted.
• Since the HTML file references the SWF file, if the SWF file is renamed or moved to a different directory, then
you must edit the corresponding HTML file to reflect this change.
306 • How Do I? Putting it all Together www.techsmith.com

Chain Your Macromedia Flash (SWF) Files Together Using Producer

Overview
It is easy to chain multiple Flash (.SWF) files together with Camtasia Producer. Chaining Flash files allows you to string
several small or large Flash files together.
Or, you can insert URL jumps into the chain. This allows you to play the Flash video and when it is done playing you
will be taken to the designated web page.
To Create a Flash File Chain

1. Create or produce all the AVI videos that you would like to chain together.
2. Place the first AVI on the storyboard.
3. Click the Produce Movie toolbar button or choose item File > Produce Movie.
4. Click on the Options button in the Produce Movie dialog.
5. In the Production Options dialog under Actions, change the End Action to be Jump To URL.
6. In the URL field type in the name of the HTML file of the next video in the chain.
Note: It is recommended that you name your SWF files using a simple naming convention such as
“MyMovie_pt1.swf,” “MyMovie_pt2.swf,” etc. Since the HTML files produced have the same name as the
SWF file (except different extensions) it is easy to figure out what HTML movie comes next in the chain.
7. Click OK in the Production Options dialog.

8. Click Produce in the Produce Movie dialog.
Note: If you have Play Movie After Production checked in the Produce Movie dialog and you have not produced the
next SWF movie in the chain, your web browser will report that it cannot find the specified page when the SWF
movie is done playing.
9. Repeat Steps 2 through 7 until you have chained all your movies together.
Note: For the last movie in the chain, if you want the chain to repeat just enter the name of the HTML file of the first
movie in the chain.
www.techsmith.com How Do I? Putting it all Together • 307

Adding Titles and Credits to your Video

You can add still images or graphics (BMP, JPEG, GIF), to your videos using the Producer Storyboard. For instance,
you can add a graphic before your video clip to act as a title, place a graphic between video clips to function as a chapter
heading, insert a graphic at the end of your video to feature your credits, or, turn your still images into a slideshow video
by linking them together.
Using Producer’s transition effects further enhances your titles and credits, because you can smoothly integrate them
with the other clips.
You can even customize the duration of time that each individual still appears on the screen. Each still is defaulted to
appear for one second; however, if you want a BMP, JPEG or GIF to appear in the video for a longer or shorter period of
time, you can simply go to File > Duration and change the second length.
How to Add Graphics to your Video

1. Open Camtasia Producer.
2. Drag the desired BMP, JPEG or GIF files from the thumbnail pane onto the storyboard. Do the same for the
desired AVI files.
3. Arrange the order of the clips by dragging them to the desired location.
4. Select the still image clip in the Storyboard. The clip will be highlighted to show it has been selected.
5. Right-click on the graphic that you have highlighted and select Duration, or, from the menu bar, choose Clip >
Duration. The Image Duration dialog appears.
6. Use the arrows to select the number of seconds you want the BMP, JPEG or GIF file to appear in your video.
7. Click OK to save your settings or Cancel to disregard any changes.
8. Repeat these steps for each graphic you wish to insert.

Camtasia Recorder and PowerPoint

With Recorder, you can record any Microsoft PowerPoint presentation and convert it into an AVI or Streaming Media
file. As a standalone video, it can be distributed via CD-ROM, web or e-mail and played back on standard media players.
The presentation runs unattended, but delivers the full content of a live event. No special PowerPoint viewer is needed
by your audience.
Recorder records all of the PowerPoint animation and slide transitions. Plus, the slide show video can be narrated,
modified and edited and such become even more valuable to your audience. Additionally, you can:
• Record ScreenDraw objects or ScreenPad objects
• Mix the slides with other screen recordings or video content.
• Add single video frames as still images (BMP, GIF, JPEG).
• Seamlessly join a sequence of PowerPoint presentations to a single one.
• Embed a Camtasia screen video into a PowerPoint slide. Computer simulations, CAD designs, software
applications come to life, and your presentation will not only look more professional, but also at the same time
it will be more entertaining and informative.
• Save a single PowerPoint slide as a still image (BMP, GIF, JPEG) and import it into Camtasia Producer to
become part of a narrated video.
Record a PowerPoint Presentation

1. In Microsoft's PowerPoint, open the PowerPoint presentation you would like to record.
2. In o Recorder, go to Capture > Input > Screen.
3. In PowerPoint, go to the "Slide Show view " by selecting menu options View > Slide Show or by pressing the
Slide Show View hotkey, F5.
4. Begin recording by pressing Camtasia Recorder's record hotkey (default is F9).
Note: You won't see the Recorder window on your screen, because PowerPoint's slideshow will be playing.
5. In PowerPoint, move through your slide show.
6. Stop recording by pressing Recorder's stop hotkey (default is F10).
7. Save your capture. Note that it is saved as an AVI file.
8. You can now use Camtasia Producer to edit, or narrate your PowerPoint video. You can also use Camtasia
Effects to add annotations such as arrows or callouts to the video.
Embed a Camtasia Video in Your PowerPoint Presentation

Note: You can use Camtasia Player to playback AVIs in your PowerPoint presentations. When embedding AVIs into
PowerPoint the quality of the video can be degraded due to scaling. This problem can easily be resolved by
using Camtasia Player to display your videos from the PowerPoint Presentation. For more information, see
1. In Microsoft's PowerPoint, open the PowerPoint presentation you would like to embed the video in.
2. Move to the slide of your presentation where you would like to add your video.
3. Select menu options Insert > Video and Sounds > Video From File.... PowerPoint's Insert Video dialog appears.
4. Use the Insert Video dialog to browse through your desktop's files and folders. Highlight the video you would
like to embed and click OK. A PowerPoint dialog will pop up and ask you if you would like your video to play
automatically in the slide show. Select Yes if you would like your video to play automatically. Select No if you
want the video to start in the slide show only after you click it.
5. The first frame of your Camtasia video should appear on the slide you chose to embed your video on. If you
right-click over your embedded video file and select menu option Edit Video File you can edit play options such
as looping and rewind.

Save a PowerPoint Slide as a Still Image

1. Display the slide you want to save as a picture.
2. On the File menu, click Save As.
3. In the Save as type box, select the file format (BMP, GIF, JPEG).
Note: Drawing objects in your presentation are automatically converted to GIF files when you save your presentation
in HTML format.
Use Camtasia Player to Payback Videos in Your PowerPoint Presentation

You can use Camtasia Player to playback AVIs in your PowerPoint presentations. When embedding AVIs into
PowerPoint the quality of the video can be degraded due to scaling. This problem can easily be resolved by using
Camtasia Player to display your videos from the PowerPoint Presentation. Camtasia Player will not scale your AVIs and
will always display them perfectly, so that you don't have to worry about them looking poor in your PowerPoint
presentation.
To use the Camtasia Player as your video player in PowerPoint, you must make a button that will call Camtasia Player,
with the necessary command line arguments, so that it will play your video. To create a button in PowerPoint you must
do the following.
1. Create a shape in your presentation, then right mouse click on that shape, and select Action Settings.
2. In the Action Settings, select the Run Program action. This will allow you to call Camplay.EXE, which is the
executable of Camtasia Player.
3. Enter Camplay.exe in the Run Program field. In order for this to work properly you must save your PowerPoint
presentation in the same folder as Camplay.exe and your AVI, otherwise PowerPoint won't be able to find and
run Camplay.exe.
4. Enter any desired command line arguments. After the command line arguments, you have to also enter the name
of your video. Lets say your video is named myvideoAVI. This means that you will need to enter this into your
Run Program field:
Camplay.exe /F /E myvideoAVI
This will call Camtasia Player to run full screen, exit when finished, and play myvideoAVI.
5. Click OK in the Action Settings dialog box.
You will now have a button that will call Camtasia Player to play your video.

Making Drag-and-Drop and Microsoft Agent Videos

If you need to record exactly what's happening as you perform drag and drop or when a Microsoft Agent Animation pops
up, then you need to make use of Recorder's Layered Window support.
Select Recorder's Capture Layered Windows option to make videos that include translucent and irregular shaped
windows. This is particularly important in Windows 2000 or Windows XP when capturing Microsoft Agent animations
or when you're making a video of a process that involves translucent images.
By using this option, Camtasia can handle your special capture needs by simultaneously capturing both your screen
activity plus a window that rests on a layer above the action.
Capturing layered windows comes with a slight performance penalty. In other words, you will not be able to capture as
many frames per second as you can with this option turned off. So, if you're creating a video that does not need to
captured layered windows, we recommend that this option be turned off.
How to Capture Layered Windows with Camtasia Recorder
Note: This feature only works when capturing on Windows 2000, XP or later.
1. In Recorder, select Tools > Options.

2. Select the Program tab. Place a check mark next to Capture layered windows.
3. Choose OK to save changes.

4. Record as usual.

Recover an Interrupted Recorder Session

Overview
Audio and video streams are saved in temporary files and folders during a capture. The video stream is saved in a
temporary AVI file with a name like _captureb42e35AVI. The audio stream (if any) is saved in a temporary WAV file
with a name like _captureb42e35.wav. After a successful capture, these files are converted to the AVI file name you
have chosen.
If the capture is interrupted by system failure (the disk becomes full, for example), then the temporary files remain on
your system. You can recover these files using the Recorder Capture Recovery Tool. The program, Recovery.exe, is
located in your Camtasia installation directory and must be started from there to recover files.
To Recover Interrupted Camtasia Recorder Sessions
1. Find the temporary capture files. They are located in the folder specified in Options > Preferences > Program.
Note: If you cannot locate these files, use Windows Explorer to search for *_capture*AVI. You can find audio files
by searching for *_capture*.wav.
2. Record an AVI recovery reference file to recover the capture video stream. An AVI recovery reference file is
used to tell Camtasia Capture Recovery Tool the video format to use when recovering the video stream since
that information is not in the temporary capture AVI file. The reference file is a short AVI file that uses exactly
the same settings that were used during the failed capture. The video codec, screen color depth, and frame rate
must be exactly the same as during the failed capture. If necessary, the AVI recovery reference file width and
height can be larger than during the failed capture (if you cannot remember the exact dimensions, for example).
Note: The Recovery tool does not modify either the temporary capture files or the recovery reference file.
3. Verify that you have useful files and then delete the temporary files to save disk space.
Note: The recovery reference file does not need to contain an audio stream.
4. Go to the Camtasia installation directory and find the file named Recovery.exe. Double-click this file to start the
Camtasia Capture Recovery Tool. The Capture Recovery Tool dialog box is displayed.
5. Complete the information in this dialog box and then choose the Recover button.

Capture Recovery Tool Options Description Table

The following table describes each of the Capture Recovery Tool options.
Capture Recovery Tool Option Description
Select AVI recovery reference file Click on the AVI File button and then select the reference file
created in step 2 above.
Select temporary capture files to Click on the AVI File button and then select temporary AVI file
recover you found in step 1 above.
Wave File If you are recovering an audio track as well, click on the Wave
File buttons and then select the temporary WAV file you found in
step 1 above.
If you want to just recover the audio stream, you only need to
specify the temporary capture WAV file.
Recover To begin the recover process, click on the Recover button. The
Save As dialog asks you to select a name and folder for the
recovered files.
Status Program messages are shown in the Status box. When recovery is
complete, this box will show “File Recovery Successful!”

Adding Titles and Credits to your Video 308

Adjusting a Selection 155, 220
After Pack and Show has Completed 174
Air Brush 117, 132
Align Horizontal 271
Index Align to Grid 260

Align Vertical 271
Allow audio to extend movie length 231
Always on top 68, 174, 294
Always use Camtasia Player on AVI files. 293
ANIMATED GIF 15
Annotation 52
Annotation Tab 54
Annotation Tab Settings 71
Annotation Toolbar 51
Applying Opacity to a Text Note 129
% Applying ScreenPad's Opacity to a Shape 111
Applying ScreenPad's Transparency to a Shape 112
% of original clip speed 170
Arrange Stamp 72
Ask for File Name 63
2 Attributes 228
2 Pass Encoding 192 Audio 52
Audio and Bandwidth 21
Audio Attributes 184
5 Audio Capture Device 89, 231
5 Quick & Easy Steps to your First Audio File 214 Audio Codecs 13
5 Quick & Easy Steps to your First Video 33 Audio Compression 30
Audio Editor 212
Audio Editor Audio Tab 230
6 Audio Editor AVI Tab 232
6 Quick and Easy Steps to Creating a Menu 275 Audio Editor Edit Menu Options 222
Audio Editor File Menu Options 221
Audio Editor Info Tab 231
7\ Audio Editor Menu Options 221
7 Quick and Easy Steps to Creating a New Effects Audio Editor Options 229
Project 237 Audio Editor Playback Toolbar 216
Audio Editor Playback Toolbar Options 216
Audio Editor Program Tab 229
A Audio Editor Screen 215
About Recorder's Quick Capture 69 Audio Editor View Menu Options 226
About Recorder's Single Frame Capturing 69 Audio Editor Welcome Screen 213
About the File Size 21 Audio Format 184, 188, 191
About the Frame Rate 16 Audio Properties 225, 227
About the Menu Creation Process 276 Audio Recording Failure and Error Message 23
About the Producer Storyboard & Thumbnail Pane 146 Audio Setting 13
Add Caption 40 Audio Setup 89, 179, 193
Add effects to existing Video 236 Audio Tab 55
Add Files 299 Audio Target Settings 187
Add Graphics to your Video 308 Audio Tip List 30
Add index to file 198 Audio Toolbar 51
Add System Stamp 40 Audio Toolbar Description Table
Add Text 117, 132 Recorder 42
Add to Storyboard 144, 166 Audio Video Interleave 28
Add Watermark 40 Audio Waveline 219
Add Web Address 299 Author 204, 232
Adding Clips to the Storyboard 147 Auto Configure 16, 88
www.techsmith.com Index • 315

AutoHighlight 41 Camtasia Producer 141

Automatic File Name 63 About 7
Automation Command Options 70 Camtasia Recorder 31
AutoPan 44, 65 About 7
AutoPan Speed 59 Camtasia Recorder and PowerPoint 309
AutoZoom 44 Camtasia Studio
AutoZoom Speed 59 Installing 4
AVI Audio Setup Button 93 Camtasia Studio AVI Files 14
AVI Capture Rate 93 Camtasia Studio LaunchPad
AVI Configure Button 91 Starting 5
AVI Files and Camtasia Player 14 Camtasia Studio New Features 3
AVI Options Tab 178 Camtasia Studio Overview 1
AVI Playback Rate 93 Camtasia Studio Support 6
Avi Tab 62 CAMV 15
AVI Tab Settings 88 Caption Option Buttons 77
AVI Time-Lapse Capture Setup Button 92 Capture Automation Command Options 70
AVI Video Checklist 27 Capture Frame Rates and Hardware Acceleration 17
AVI Video Setup Button 90 Capture layered windows 68
AVI-Distribution 22 Capture Menu Options 46
Capture Options 46
B Capture Recovery Tool Options 313
CCITT u-Law 13
Background color 203 Center Justified 109, 123, 246
Background Color 78, 174, 271, 293, 294, 297 Center zoom effect 60
Background Color Command 140 Chain Your Flash (SWF) Files Together Using
Background Style 271 Producer 307
Bandwidth 18, 20 Change 86, 206
Bandwidth and Streaming Media File Transmission 19 Change an Icon 130
Bandwidth and Streaming Media Production 18 Checklist
Bandwidth Spikes 20 Audio Compression Checklist 30
Before you Record Worksheets 26 AVI Video 27
Beginning 138, 164, 227, 251, 255 Screen Resolution 26
Bit Rate 18 Video File Type/Compression 27
Bkgd Color 124 Video Type & Playback 28
Blend Effect 297 Choose Files 279
Bold 109, 123, 245 Choose Template 278
Boost priority during capture 67 Choosing a Recorder Toolbar 36
Bottom 268 Clear 116, 131
Bottom Justified 123, 246 Clip Options Description Table 166
Bring Forward one Layer 247 Clip Speed Dialog Box 170
Browse button 302 Clip Speed Options 170
Browser and Thumbnail Pane Overview 147 Clips 147
Buffering 20 Clone 106, 127
Close All Annotations 99, 106, 127
C Close in Video Editor 166
Close Project 253, 286
Camtasia Effects 234 Close ScreenPad 97
About 8 Codecs
Camtasia for RealPlayer 29 Audio 13
Camtasia for RealPlayer Streaming Media File Options Color 57, 82, 83
Tab 185 Color Toolbar Description Table 244
Camtasia MenuMaker 272 Colors 179, 181, 184, 187
About 9 Command Line Customizations 138
Camtasia Player 14, 133 Command Line Examples 139
About 9 Command Options 70
Camtasia Player Options 294 Compact 50
316 • Index www.techsmith.com

Compact View 37 Date/Time Format Symbols 75

Compression Control 92 Decrease Line 244
Compression Quality 90 Decrease Volume 151, 162, 217
Compressor 90 Default 192
Compressor: Color 195 Default Properties 259
Compressor: Type 194, 195 Defining a Selection for Editing 155
Computer Name 72 Defining a Selection of the Waveline for Editing 219
Concern for Screen Resolution & Screen Size 10 Defining Size in Camtasia Recorder 22
Configure 91 Delete 37, 46, 128, 223
Configure TSCC Options 92 Delete a Recording 33, 34
Content 287 Delete All Items 299
Content Tab 298, 299 Delete Files 281
Content Tab File Name Fields 300 Delete from Storyboard 145, 166
Converting AVIs to Macromedia Flash (SWF) Videos Delete Selected Item 299
306 Delete Selected Region 217
Copy 98, 116, 128, 131, 223, 243 Depth 86, 206
Copyright 204, 232 Description 89, 198
Create a Hotkey 65 Desktop Color 293
Create a new menu 274 Details 180, 182, 184, 188, 193, 198
Create a New Menu Project Using the MenuMaker Different Media Players 14
Wizard 278 Direction 86, 206
Create a new menu using the Wizard 274 Directory Field 303
Create Menu 284, 286 Disable display acceleration during capture 68
Create the Menu Using the MenuMaker Wizard 303 Disable keyboard and cursor effects 57
Creating a New ScreenPad Library Text Note 121 Display Effects 85
Creating a New Shape 102 Display Mode 293
Creating Macromedia Flash Videos 172 Distributing your Video 24
Current Audio Format Options 228 Dithered color reduction 182
Cursor 52 Drag-and-Drop and Microsoft Agent Videos 311
Cursor File 302 Draw Mode 257, 268
Cursor Setup Options 81 Draw New 256
Cursor Sounds 42 Drop Shadow 77
Cursor Tab 56 Duration 166, 258
Cursor Tab Settings 80
Cursor Toolbar 51 E
Cursor Toolbar Description Table
Recorder 43 Edit 198
Custom Date Format 75 Edit Image 99, 105, 106
Custom Format 76 Edit Image Tools Description Table 115
Custom size 203 Edit Menu Properties 283
Custom Time Format 74 Edit Mode 128
Cut 115, 128, 131, 223, 243 Edit Object Points 259
Cut Selection 150, 160 Edit Opacity 105, 106, 126, 127
Cut Selections 164 Edit Settings 127
Cutting a Selection from the Video 155 Edit Size of Cuts 156
Cutting a Selection from the Waveline 220 Edit Text 127
Edit Text Note 99, 126
Edit Text Options 108
D
Editing a ScreenPad Image 115
Data Rate 91 Editing a ScreenPad Instance of a Shape 105
Data Transmission 18 Editing a ScreenPad Library Shape 104
Date 74 Editing a ScreenPad Library Text Note 125
Date Format Button 73 Editing a ScreenPad Shape’s Opacity & Transparency
Date Format Options 76 110
Date only 74 Editing a ScreenPad Text Note’s Opacity 129
Date then time 74 Editing a Text Note from within a Library 126

Editing an Instance of a ScreenPad Text Note 127 File Size, Bit Rate, Bandwidth and Data Transmission
Editing Icons Using the ScreenPad Icon Editor 131 18
Effects Color Toolbar Description Table 244 File Tab 63
Effects Edit Menu Options 254 File Toolbar Description Table 243
Effects File Menu Options 252 File Type 191
Effects File Toolbar Description Table 243 File Type Fundamentals 15
Effects Help Menu Options 263 Fill Color 244, 258, 269
Effects Layout Menu Options 259 Fill Pattern 258, 269
Effects Layout Toolbar Description Table 246 Fill Style 244, 258, 269
Effects Menu Options 51, 252 Filled Ellipse 119, 132
Effects Object Menu Options 256 Filled Rectangle 119, 132
Effects Object Toolbar Description Table 247 Filled Rounded Rectangle 119, 132
Effects Options First Audio File 214
Recorder 53 First Video 33
Effects Properties 265 Fixed File Name 63
Effects Properties Dialog Box Options 266 Fixed Palette 182
Effects Screen 241 Fixed Region 48
Effects Screen Tips 235 Flash (SWF) Videos 306
Effects Text ToolbarDescription Table 245 Flash Options Tab 182
Effects Timeline Toolbar Descriptions 250 Flip 260
Effects Toolbar Options 242 Flip Horizontal 247
Effects Tools Menu Options 261 Flip Vertical 247
Effects View Menu Options 254 Flood Fill 117, 132
Effects Welcome Screen 236 Font 78, 108, 123, 245, 270
Elapsed Time 72 Font Options 77
Ellipse 119, 132, 248 Font Size 245
Emboss Image 86, 206 Foreground Color 119, 132
Enable a transition to this clip 168 Format 228
Enable saving of media information 232 Forward 138, 251
Enabling the Effects Settings Options 53 Frame Color 125
Enabling the Layout Hotkeys 101 Frame Rate 16, 179, 181, 184, 187
Encode Audio 179, 184, 193 Frame Rate and Bandwidth 20
End 138, 227, 251 Frame Rates 16
End Action 184 Frame Style 125, 297
End Edit 128 Frame Width 125
End Frame 266 Frames 89, 91, 180, 233
Enter Title 282 Frames per second 196
Erase 117 Frames/sec 88
Eraser Width 118, 132 Freehand Draw 132
Existing Image File 103 Freehand Erase 132
Exit after playing movie 174, 294 Full Path 304
Full Screen 138
F
G
Fade In Audio 152, 162, 217, 223
Fade Out Audio 152, 163, 217, 223 General Properties 287
Familiar with the LaunchPad Screen 5 General Suggestions for Recording 31
File 49 General Tab 292
File > Production Wizard Option 207 General Tab Options 292
File Explorer 164 Getting Familiar with the Audio Editor Screen 215
File Format Options 178, 211 Getting Familiar with the Effects Screen 241
File Name 300 Getting Familiar with the LaunchPad Screen 5
File Options 137 Getting Familiar with the MenuMaker Screen 277
File Order 281 Getting Familiar with the Player Screen 135
File Produce Movie Option 207 Getting Familiar with the Producer Screen 143
File Size 21 Getting Familiar with the Recorder Screen 35

Getting Familiar with the ScreenPad Screen 95 Installing an Evaluation Copy 4

Getting Great Sound 23 Installing Camtasia from CD-ROM 4
GIF Animation File 28 Installing Camtasia Studio 4
GIF Options Tab 180 Instance of a ScreenPad Text Note 127
Great Video Instance of a Shape 105
The Making of 10 Interleave Audio 179, 193, 233
Group 246 Interleave audio every 89
Group Objects 260 Interrupted Recorder Session 312
Italic 109, 123, 245
H
K
Hardware Acceleration 17
Height 124 KB/Sec 91
Hide 65 Kbytes/sec 196
Hide capture rectangle 67 Keep aspect ratio when scaling 87, 206
Hide Cursor 43 Keep Scale Factors Equal 109
Hide Timeline 150 Key down sound 55
Highlight 41, 248 Key Frame Every 90
Highlight Clicks 43 Key Frames 19
Highlight Cursor 43 keyboard and cursor effects 57
Highlight Cursor & Clicks 44 Keyboard Sounds 42
Highlight Cursor Options 82 Keyframe every 187, 196
Highlight Mouse Clicks Options 83
Horizontal Offset 87, 206 L
Hotkeys Tab 64
How do I Start, Pause, Stop, and Delete a Recording? Large Toolbar Buttons 288
34 Largest movie size 202
How Do I? Putting it all Together 306 Largest Video 22
How to Add Graphics to your Video 308 Launch Audio Editor 145
LaunchPad
Starting 5
I
LaunchPad Screen 5
Icon 99, 105, 126 Layout Hotkeys 100
Icon Editor Options 131 Layout Toolbar Description Table 246
Icon File 302 Layouts 96
Icons and Names 99 Left 267
Icons Only 99 Left Justified 109, 123, 246
Image Editor 115 Library Icons 130
Image File 103, 293 Library Shape 104
Image File Layout 293 Library Shape Popup Menu Description Table 126
Image Path 85, 206 Library Text Note 121, 125
Image Positioning 87 Limit data rate to 196
Image Scale 87, 206 Line 118, 132, 248, 257
Include Watermark in Movie 205 Line Color 244, 257, 268
Include Windows colors 182 Line Style 245, 269
Increase Line 244 Line Width 257, 269
Increase Volume 151, 161, 217 List Properties 287
Info Options 204 List Tab 295
Input 46 List Tab Options 296
Input Menu Options 47 Live 49
Insert Audio 150, 161 Live Tab 66
Insert Image 249 Load Default 294
Insert Silence 217 Loading Screen 184
Insert Silence (Extend) 224 Loop indefinitely 181
Insert Wave (Extend) 224 Low Quality 23
Insert Wave (Overlay) 224

M Move Item Down 300

Move Item Up 300
Macromedia Flash 15, 28 Move Up 281
Macromedia Flash (SWF) Videos 306 Movement Increases Bandwidth Requirements 20
Magnify 116 Movie Dialog Box 176
Mailing Address 6 Movie File Format 176
Main Toolbar Description Table Movie File Format Options 178
Recorder 37 Movie File Name 177
Making Camtasia Player your Default Player 134 MPEG Layer 3 13
Making Drag-and-Drop and Microsoft Agent Videos Mute 65
311 Mute Audio Effects 42
Making of a Great Video 10 My Shapes 97
Manage 198 My Text Notes 97
Media Players 14
Menu Creation Process 276
Menu Exit 302 N
Menu Folder Name 303 Name 63, 228, 300
Menu Options 252 Names Only 99
Menu Project Using the MenuMaker Wizard 278 Network Congestion, Bandwidth Spikes and Buffering
Menu Properties 291 20
Menu Startup 302 New Clip Duration 170
Menu Title 292 New Features 3
MenuMaker Content Tab 298 New Project 144, 157, 283, 285
MenuMaker Edit Menu Options 287 New ScreenPad Library Text Note 121
MenuMaker File Menu Options 285 New ScreenPad Shape from an Existing Image File 103
MenuMaker General Tab 292 New Shape 98, 102
MenuMaker Help Menu Options 289 New Text Note 99, 126
MenuMaker List Tab 295 Next Frame 164, 227, 255
MenuMaker Menu Options 285 Next Layout Hotkey 100
MenuMaker Options for Camtasia Player Dialog Box No dragging by movie area 174, 294
294 No menu bar 174, 294
MenuMaker Resources Tab 301 No status bar 174, 294
MenuMaker Screen 277 No toolbar 174, 294
MenuMaker Screen Tips 273 Noisy Recordings 23
MenuMaker Toolbar Options 283 Normal 77
MenuMaker Tools Menu Options 288 Normal View 37
MenuMaker View Menu Options 287 Normal View Toolbar 40, 73, 136
MenuMaker Welcome Screen 274
MenuMaker Wizard 278
MenuMaker Wizard: Choose Files 279 O
MenuMaker Wizard: Choose Template 278 Object Duration Box 149, 251
MenuMaker Wizard: Create Menu Folder 303 Object List 255
MenuMaker Wizard: Creating Menu 304 Object Name 266
MenuMaker Wizard: Enter Title 282 Object Seek bar 251
MenuMaker Wizard: Finish 305 Object Toolbar Description Table 247
Microsoft Agent Videos 311 Object Type 266
Middle Justified 123, 246 Opacity 129
Minimal 50 Opacity & Transparency 110
Minimize before starting capture 67 Opacity Overview 110
Mirror 260 Opaque 82
Mouse button down sound 55 Open a recent menu 274
Mouse button up sound 55 Open a recent project 236
Mouse Click 302 Open an existing menu 274
Mouse Hover 302 Open an existing project 236
MOV 15 Open in Audio Editor 158
Move Down 281 Open in Video Editor 144, 166

Open Project 144, 157, 252, 283, 285 PowerPoint 309

Open Template 285 PowerPoint Presentation 310
Open Video 252 Prefix 63
Opening Camtasia Effects 234 Preload Movie 184
Opening Camtasia Player 133 Preroll 187
Opening Camtasia Producer 141 Preview 72, 168, 206
Opening Camtasia Recorder 31 Previous Frame 164, 227, 255
Optimized Palette 182 Previous Layout Hotkey 100
Options 38, 52, 177, 194, 227, 293 Produce 177
Options for Camtasia Player Dialog Box 294 Produce Movie 158, 207
Order 260 Produce Movie Dialog Box 176
Original Clip Duration 170 Produce Movie Options 176
Outline Color 79 Produce Video 145, 243, 252
Outlined Shadow 77 Producer AVI Options Tab 178
Output 46 Producer Camtasia for RealPlayer Streaming Media
Output Folder 63 File Options Tab 185
Output Menu Options 49 Producer Clip Menu Options 165
Overlay 85, 206 Producer Edit Menu Options 160
Producer File Menu Options 157
P Producer Flash Options Tab 182
Producer GIF Options Tab 180
Pack and Show 29, 158, 173 Producer Help Menu Options 172
Pack and Show Exe Creation 14 Producer Info Tab 204
Paste 98, 116, 128, 131, 244 Producer Menu Options 157
Paste (Extend) 223 Producer Playback Toolbar Description Table 148
Paste (Overlay) 223 Producer QuickTime Options Tab 192
Pause 37, 46, 136, 227, 250 Producer Screen 143
Pause at Start 184 Producer Screen Tips 142
Pause before starting capture 67 Producer Size Tab 202
Pause, Stop, and Delete a Recording 33, 34 Producer Storyboard & Thumbnail Pane 146
Payback Videos in Your PowerPoint Presentation 310 Producer Timeline 148, 154
Pen 118, 248 Producer Timeline Editing Toolbar Description Table
Pen Width 118, 132 149
Play 136, 182, 227, 250 Producer Toolbar Description Table 144
Play All 227 Producer Toolbar Options
Play AVI files with Camtasia Player 67 Producer 144
Play in full screen mode 174, 294 Producer Tools Menu Options 171
Play in maximized mode 174, 294 Producer View Menu Options 164
Play move after production 177 Producer Watermark Tab 205
Play video after saving file 67 Producer Windows Media Options Tab 196
Play/Pause 138, 255 Producing a Video 175
Playback Controls 136 Production Options Summary 177
Playback Environment 21 Production Wizard 158, 208
Playback Toolbar Description Table 148 Production Wizard: Choose File Format 209
Player Command Line Customizations 138 Production Wizard: Choose Video Encoding Options
Player File Menu Options 137 210
Player Menu Options 137 Profiles 197
Player Options Description Table 174 Program Tab 67
Player Play Menu Options 137 Properties 159, 247, 259
Player Playback Controls 136 Properties Options Description Table 266
Player Screen 135 Putting it all Together 306
Player System Requirements 134
Player's Background Color Command 140
Q
Polygon 248
Position 78, 297 Quality 195
Positioning Cluster 87, 206 Quick & Easy Steps to your First Video 33

Quick Capture 68 Recorder Watermark Image Path 85

QuickTime 29 Recorder Watermark Image Positioning 87
QuickTime Audio Setup Settings Dialog Box 194 Recorder Watermark Tab 58
QuickTime Compression Settings Dialog Box 195 Recorder Watermark Tab Settings 84
QuickTime Options Tab 192 Recorder Zoom and Pan Toolbar Description Table 44
Recorder Zoom Tab 59
R Recorder's Quick Capture 69
Recorder's Single Frame Capturing 69
Rate 194 Recording Level 216
Real Media Options Tab 190 Recording Options 11
RealMedia Streaming Media 29 Recover an Interrupted Recorder Session 312
Recent File 286 Rectangle 118, 132, 248
Recent Files 51, 159 Redo 116, 131
Recent Projects 159, 253 Refresh All Annotations 99
Record 37, 46, 225 Region 47
Record a PowerPoint Presentation 309 Remove 98
Record Audio 42 Remove Audio 161
Record/Pause 65 Repeat 138
Recorder Repeat movie until closed 174, 294
Normal View 35 Replace with Silence 225
Recording View 35 Report dropped frames 68
Recorder and PowerPoint 309 Resize 106, 116
Recorder Annotation Tab 54 Resources 287
Recorder Annotation Tab Settings 71 Resources Tab 301
Recorder Audio Tab 55 Resources Tab Options 302
Recorder Audio Toolbar Description Table 42 Restore Cuts to Video 156
Recorder AVI Audio Setup Button 93 Restore Defaults 189
Recorder AVI Configure Button 91 Restore Selection 161
Recorder Avi Tab 62 Rewind 138, 251
Recorder AVI Tab Settings 88 Right 267
Recorder AVI Time-Lapse Capture Setup Button 92 Right Justified 109, 123, 246
Recorder AVI Video Setup Button 90 RM 15
Recorder Capture Menu Options 46 Rotate 247
Recorder Cursor Setup Options 81 Rotation 268
Recorder Cursor Tab 56 Round frame size to a 4 pixel boundary 68
Recorder Cursor Tab Settings 80 Rounded Rectangle 118, 132, 248
Recorder Cursor Toolbar Description Table 43
Recorder Effects Menu Options 51
S
Recorder Effects Options 53
Recorder File Tab 63 Save a PowerPoint Slide as a Still Image 310
Recorder Highlight Cursor Options 82 Save as Default 294
Recorder Highlight Mouse Clicks Options 83 Save As Template 286
Recorder Hotkeys Tab 64 Save Audio As 158
Recorder Input Menu Options 47 Save Frame As 159
Recorder Live Tab 66 Save Layout 99, 106, 127
Recorder Main Toolbar Description Table 37 Save Project 144, 157, 252, 283, 286
Recorder Menu Options 46 Save Project As 158, 252, 286
Recorder Output Menu Options 49 Scale Image Horizontal 109
Recorder Program Tab 67 Scale Image Vertical 109
Recorder Screen 35 Screen 47
Recorder Screen Tips 32 Screen Capture profiles only 197
Recorder ScreenDraw Tab 56 Screen Color Depth and Frame Rates 16
Recorder Toolbar Options 36 Screen Resolution & Screen Size 10
Recorder Tools Options 61 Screen Resolution Checklist 26
Recorder View Menu Options 50 Screen Size 10
Recorder Watermark Display Effects 85 ScreenDraw 41, 57, 65

ScreenDraw Tab 56 Shrink movie to fit window 230

ScreenDraw While Recording 58 Shrink to Fit 164
ScreenPad 51, 95 Silent Recordings 23
ScreenPad Edit Menu 98 Single Frame 68
ScreenPad Edit Text Options Description Table 108 Single Frame Capturing 69
ScreenPad File Menu 96 Size 82, 83, 194, 293
ScreenPad Icon Editor 131 Size Options 202
ScreenPad Image Editor 115 Size to fit Window 116
ScreenPad Instance of a Shape 105 smooth interpolated scaling 60
ScreenPad Library Icons 130 Smooth scale during AutoZoom 60
ScreenPad Library Shape 104 Solid capture rectangle 67
ScreenPad Library Text Note 121, 125 Sort Alphabetically 300
ScreenPad Menus 96 Sort By Name 281
ScreenPad Options Menu 100 Sort by Type 300
ScreenPad Screen 95 Sort By Type 281
ScreenPad Shape’s Opacity & Transparency 110 Sort Object List By 255
ScreenPad Shapes 102 Speed 166, 168
ScreenPad Text Note 127 Split 160, 221
ScreenPad Text Note Dialog Box 122 Split Video 150
ScreenPad Text Note Edit Options while in Edit Mode Standard 50
128 Standard movie size 202
ScreenPad Text Note’s Opacity 129 Standard Video 22
ScreenPad Text Notes 120 Start Frame 266
ScreenPad View Menu 99 Start Menu automatically when CD-ROM is inserted
ScreenPad's Opacity Overview 110 293
ScreenPad's Transparency Overview 111 Start playing automatically 174, 294
Scripting and Audio Tip List 30 Starting the Camtasia Studio LaunchPad 5
Searching the Audio Waveline 219 Status bar 288
Searching the Video 154 Stay on last frame 174, 294
Seconds 89, 180 Stop 37, 46, 65, 138, 227, 250, 255
Seek Bar 136, 251 Stop a Recording 33, 34
Select All 128, 223 Storyboard & Thumbnail Pane 146
Select Area 117, 131 Streaming Media File Transmission 19
Select Color 117, 131 Streaming Media Production 18
Selection 226, 247 Stretch to fit 203
Selection for Editing 155 Stretch to Fit 22
Selection of the Waveline for Editing 219 Style 168
Selection Seek Bar 149, 218 Support 6
Semi-translucent 82 Contact TechSmith 6
Send Back one Layer 247 Support Links 6
Send Object to Back 247 SWF 15
Send Object to Front 247 System Requirements 4
Set a Transition Effect 169 System Stamp & Caption Option Buttons 77
Set Record Level 23
Settings 128 T
Shadow Color 78
Shape 82, 83 Target Audience 186, 189, 191
Shape from an Existing Image File 103 Target Audience Settings Tab 190
Shape Library 105, 249 Target Bitrate Settings 186, 189
Show / Hide Parameters 300 Target Bitrate Settings Dialog Box 188
Show Cursor 43 TechSmith Screen Capture Codec 12
Show Cut Video Sections 149 TechSmith Support Links 6
Show Grid 260 TechSmith Technical Support 6
Show Playback Controls 184 Telephone 6
Show Stamp for 73 Temporary File Folder 63
Show/Hide Layout Hotkey 100 Test Menu 283, 285

Test Sound 55 Transition Effects Options 168

Test Sound button 302 Translucent 57, 82
Text 256, 270 Transparency Color 119, 132
Text Alignment 296 Transparency Overview 111
Text Box 249 Transparent Background 77
Text Color 78, 124, 245, 270, 296 TSCC 12
Text Display Field 108, 123 Type 168
Text Font 296
Text Note Dialog Box 122 U
Text Note Edit Options while in Edit Mode 128
Text Note from within a Library 126 Under Line 270
Text Note Library 126 Underlay 86, 206
Text Note’s Opacity 129 Underline 109, 123, 246
Text ToolbarDescription Table 245 Understanding Bandwidth and Streaming Media
The Different Media Players 14 Production 18
The Effects Timeline 250 Undo 116, 128, 131, 218, 243
The Making of a Great Video 10 Undo Options 230
The MenuMaker Welcome Screen 274 Ungroup 246
Thinking About the Frame Rate 16 Ungroup Objects 260
Thumbnail Pane 146 URL 184
Time 74 Use 194
Time / Date 71 Use actual cursor 81
Time Increments 149, 251 Use Camtasia Player to Payback Videos in Your
Time only 74 PowerPoint Presentation 310
Time then date 74 Use cursor from file 81
Time/Date Format 71 Use custom cursor 81
Time/Date Format Button 73 Use Live Output 66
Time/Frame Status 150, 251 Use Pack and Show 12, 14, 25
Time-lapse capture 88 Use Quick Capture 70
Time-Lapse Capture Setup Button 92 Use Single Frame Capture 69
Time-lapse Setup 89 Use smooth interpolated scaling 87, 206
Timeline 148, 164 Use Transparent Color 85, 206
Effects 250 User Name 72
Timeline Editing Toolbar Description Table 149 Using Pack and Show 173
Timeline Toolbar Descriptions 250 Using ScreenDraw While Recording 58
Tip of the Day 172, 263 Using the ScreenPad Icon Editor 131
Title 204, 232
To Create a Hotkey 65 V
To Set a Transition Effect 169
To title bar 174, 294 Variable Bit Rate Encoding 192
To Use Live Output 66 Vector Text 248
Toggle View 37 Vertical Offset 87, 206
Tool 57 Video Codecs 11
Toolbar 288 Video Compression and Key Frames 19
Toolbar Description Table 40, 136 Video File Type Fundamentals 15
Toolbar Options 144 Video File Type/Compression Checklist 27
Toolbar OptionsL Recorder 36 Video Quality 191
Toolbars 255 Video Setup 88, 179, 193
Tools Options 61 Video Size versus File Size 21
Tooltip 300 Video Type & Playback Checklist 28
Top 267 View Menu Options
Top Justified 123, 246 Recorder 50
Total disk space used by 301 Viewing the Cuts 156
transition 168 Volume 55, 89, 138, 224
Transition Effect 145, 166
Transition Effect Dialog Box 167

W
Watermark Display Effects 85
Watermark Image Path 85
Watermark Image Positioning 87
Watermark Options 205
Watermark Tab Settings 84
Waveline 219
Waveline Edit Toolbar Description Table 217
Waveline for Editing 219
What Would you Like to do with Camtasia Studio? 7
Width 57, 124
Window 47
Windows Default 76
Windows Media 29
Windows Media Edit Options Screen 199
Windows Media Manage Options Dialog Box 200
Windows Media Options 197
Windows Media Player 13, 14
Wizard 284
WMV 15
Word Wrap 78, 123
Working with ScreenPad Library Icons 130
Working with ScreenPad Shapes 102
Working with ScreenPad Text Notes 120
Working with the Producer Timeline 154
Working with the Waveline 219
Z
Zoom & Pan 52
Zoom & Pan Toolbar 51
Zoom and Pan Toolbar Description Table
Recorder 44
Zoom In 45, 65, 149, 217, 226, 251
Zoom level at start of capture 59
Zoom Out 45, 65, 149, 217, 226, 251
Zoom Slider 115
Zoom To 45
Zoom to Fit 226
Zoom Undo 45

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Audio Compression Checklist................................................................................................................30

Recorder AVI Time-Lapse Capture Setup Button .................................................................................92

www.techsmith.com Contents • iii

Producer Timeline ........................................................................................................148

Searching the Audio Waveline.............................................................................................................219

MenuMaker Toolbar Options.......................................................................................283

Camtasia Studio Overview

www.techsmith.com Camtasia Studio Overview • 1

With Camtasia Studio, you can:

2 • Camtasia Studio Overview www.techsmith.com

Camtasia Studio LaunchPad

Camtasia Audio Editor

www.techsmith.com Camtasia Studio Overview • 3

Installing Camtasia Studio

Installing Camtasia Studio from CD-ROM

4 • Camtasia Studio Overview www.techsmith.com

Starting the Camtasia Studio LaunchPad

Getting Familiar with the LaunchPad Screen

www.techsmith.com Camtasia Studio Overview • 5

Camtasia Studio Support

Contacting TechSmith Technical Support

TechSmith Support Links

• For the most up to date FAQs, visit http://www.techsmith.com/rdr/sftw/camstudio/faq/default.asp.

• For information on TechSmith's upgrade policy, visit

• To find out about TechSmith's products, visit

• For Frequently Asked Questions, visit http://www.techsmith.com/rdr/sftw/camstudio/faq/default.asp.

• Download a free evaluation copy of Camtasia Studio at

6 • Camtasia Studio Overview www.techsmith.com

What would you like to do with Camtasia Studio?

www.techsmith.com Camtasia Studio Overview • 7

8 • Camtasia Studio Overview www.techsmith.com

www.techsmith.com Camtasia Studio Overview • 9

The Making of a Great Video

Concern for Screen Resolution & Screen Size

10 • The Making of a Great Video www.techsmith.com

www.techsmith.com The Making of a Great Video • 11

TechSmith Screen Capture Codec

12 • The Making of a Great Video www.techsmith.com

When using audio, keep these tips in mind:

www.techsmith.com The Making of a Great Video • 13

The Different Media Players

14 • The Making of a Great Video www.techsmith.com

Video File Type Fundamentals

Video File Type Table

www.techsmith.com The Making of a Great Video • 15

Thinking About the Frame Rate

Screen Color Depth and Frame Rates

16 • The Making of a Great Video www.techsmith.com

Capture Frame Rates and Hardware Acceleration

www.techsmith.com The Making of a Great Video • 17

Understanding Bandwidth and Streaming Media Production

File Size, Bit Rate, Bandwidth and Data Transmission

18 • The Making of a Great Video www.techsmith.com

Bandwidth and Streaming Media File Transmission

Video Compression and Key Frames

www.techsmith.com The Making of a Great Video • 19

Movement Increases Bandwidth Requirements.

Frame Rate and Bandwidth

Network Congestion, Bandwidth Spikes and Buffering

20 • The Making of a Great Video www.techsmith.com

Audio and Bandwidth

About the File Size

Lowest Screen Resolution of target audience. _ x __