You are here: User Interface Elements - How to Use Each One > Inserting Pictures into Topics

Inserting Pictures into Topics

You can insert a picture or screen capture into a topic to help explain something. Flare supports the following types of raster and vector image files: BMP, EMF, EXPS, GIF, HDP, JPG, JPEG, PNG, SWF, TIF, TIFF, WDP, WMF, XAML, XPS.

The following steps show you how to insert a picture into a topic, adding the image file to the project as well.

If instead you follow the steps for adding a picture to a project, the image file is added to the project, but not inserted into a topic.

Note: The steps on this page are for inserting an image file that already exists. However, you can also capture a picture and insert it into a topic at the same time if you also have MadCap Capture installed.

How to insert a picture into a topic

Open the topic.
In the XML Editor, place your cursor where you want to insert the picture.
Do one of the following:
- Select Insert>Picture.
  OR
- In the local toolbar of the XML Editor, click .

The Insert Picture dialog opens.

Select an image file to insert. You can do this in one of the following ways:
- Click the Browse button. Then navigate to the image file on your computer and select it. The path to the file is then displayed in the File field. You can see a preview of the picture at the bottom of the dialog.
- Use one of the shortcut options in the Choose Source section. After you select an option, the appropriate image files display to the right. Select an image from the list. The path to the file is then displayed in the File field.
  - All images in the project This option displays all image files in your project.
  - Recently opened images This option displays the most recent image files that you have opened.
  - Open images This option displays all other image files that are currently open.
  - Images in the current folder This option displays all other image files that are located in the same folder in the Content Explorer.
  - Images used in this document This option displays all other image files that have already been inserted into the current topic.
  - Recently inserted images This option displays the most recent image files that you have inserted.
  - Images in the 'My Pictures' folder This option displays all of the images files located in the My Documents\My Pictures subfolder on your computer. (In Vista, the folder is called "Documents" instead of "My Documents.")
(Optional) In the Screen Tip field, you can type a phrase that will appear when the end user hovers over the picture.
(Optional) In the Alternate Text field, you can type alternate text to display when the image is not available, such as when a disabled individual is using a screen reader.

For more information, see About Section 508 Compliance.
Click OK.

The picture is added to the topic.
Press CTRL+S or click to save your work.

Note: You can also make any picture in your online Help interactive by linking it to another topic, bookmark within a topic, or an external file such as a website.

Note: When you insert a picture from outside your project into a topic, a copy of the image file is added to your project. The image file is stored in the Resources\Images folder of the Content Explorer.

Note: If you import Microsoft Word documents containing embedded pictures into a project, Flare places copies of those image files in subfolders within the Resources\Images folder. This is done in order to avoid naming conflicts with embedded images from other Word documents that you might import. The subfolders are named after the Word documents being imported.