Capture C-more Micro Screens for Printed Documentation

For a C-more Micro project, the practical way to make annotated paper screens is to open each screen in the programming simulator, capture the simulator window, and paste the image into a document or slide deck. The resulting images provide a visual reference for operators; they are not editable HMI objects or proof of the live machine state.

Open the project and display each screen in the simulator

Use the project that matches the HMI configuration you intend to document. Open it in the C-more Micro programming software and run its simulator. Select a screen and confirm that the layout is legible at the simulator's displayed size before capturing it. Repeat this process for each screen operators need to identify.

Do not begin by drawing the screen from scratch in a graphics program. A simulator capture preserves the programmed arrangement of controls and labels in the project, while a hand-drawn recreation can introduce layout or wording errors. Conversely, the simulator image shows the project representation, not necessarily every runtime value or condition that could appear on the physical panel.

Use a screen list or project navigation to keep track of which screens you have opened. If the project has similar screens, note a clear screen name or function for each capture so you can distinguish them later.

Check: Confirm the intended project is open, the simulator is running, and the selected screen matches the screen you plan to document.

Capture the active simulator window

With the target screen displayed, press ALT+PrintScreen on the PC keyboard. This captures the active window to the Windows clipboard. The capture is an image, so it will not retain editable HMI buttons, text fields, or project objects.

1. Select the target screen in the simulator.
2. Make the simulator window active by clicking it, then press ALT+PrintScreen.
3. Paste into a temporary image or document application to confirm that the clipboard contains the simulator screen.
4. Return to the simulator and repeat for the remaining screens.

If the paste shows another application or the desktop, the simulator was not the active window when the keys were pressed. Re-select the simulator and capture again. If the image is clipped or too small to read, adjust the simulator window or display scaling before taking a new capture; do not stretch a low-resolution image later and expect it to gain detail.

Check: Paste one capture and verify that it shows the complete intended simulator window and that screen text is readable at a useful size.

Save each capture as a separate image

After capturing a screen, paste it into an image editor such as Windows Paint and save it as a JPG or bitmap. Saving separate image files gives you a reusable copy for a manual, training document, or slide deck. It also makes it easier to replace one screen without rebuilding the entire document.

Use filenames that identify the screen rather than generic names such as Image1. For example, use a concise screen name followed by a sequence number if multiple screens have similar names. Keep the files together in a project-specific folder, and use the same naming approach for every capture. The specific filenames are a documentation choice, not a required C-more Micro naming format.

JPG and bitmap are both workable image formats for this capture workflow. If small labels look blurred or blocky after saving, compare the pasted capture with the simulator and try a less aggressive image compression choice or retain a bitmap copy. Avoid overwriting the source project with image exports; the images supplement the project rather than replace it.

Check: Reopen a saved image and compare it with the simulator screen; confirm that it is not blank, cropped, or difficult to read.

Arrange the screens in a document or slide deck

For a quick operator reference, paste each clipboard capture into a separate PowerPoint slide using CTRL+V. Separate slides keep screen images distinct and give you space to add a title, notes, arrows, and captions. A word processor can also hold the images when the goal is a printable manual; cropping tools can remove unwanted borders around an image.

Keep each screen at a consistent scale and preserve its proportions. Do not compress or stretch the image to fill a page: distortion can make crowded controls appear farther apart or alter their apparent shape. If the panel layout is dense, as with a smaller display, use one screen per page or slide rather than shrinking several captures until their labels become unreadable.

Pair the image with a short screen identifier and leave clear space around controls that need explanations. Avoid placing a label or arrow over a control name or value. When a note refers to a specific object, put the arrowhead close to that object and the caption outside the screen image.

Check: Review the deck or document in its normal viewing mode and confirm every screen is present, proportional, and large enough to read.

Annotate the printed reference without changing the HMI

Add the operator explanations to the document or slide, or print the screen image and write notes by hand. Use concise labels that tell a new operator what an item does or what action is expected. Arrows and captions can clarify crowded screens, but they should point unambiguously to the intended object.

Keep documentation notes separate from the actual HMI project. An arrow drawn over a screenshot does not add an interlock, change a button action, or alter a PLC tag. Likewise, a printed image cannot establish that an item is safe to operate or explain behavior that depends on machine state. If a control's function is uncertain, verify it against the project configuration and machine operating procedure before assigning an instruction.

Retain an unannotated copy of each capture when practical. That gives you a clean reference if an annotation becomes incorrect or the screen changes. When the HMI project is updated, recapture affected screens and revise the matching pages so the printed guide does not silently diverge from the deployed project.

Check: Confirm every caption and arrow refers to the correct object and that annotations do not cover screen text or imply behavior that has not been verified.

Print at a readable size and inspect the pages

Print a test page before producing the complete set. Check page orientation, margins, image scaling, and legibility on the actual paper. Use a larger page layout or one screen per page when the labels are too small at normal print size. A paper copy is useful for notes and training, but a poor print does not become readable simply by adding more annotations.

After the test, print the remaining screens using the same layout. Check that page breaks do not split a screen image and that the page title stays with its image. If you plan to mark up paper by hand, leave enough blank margin for notes without shrinking the screen itself.

Check: Read the smallest important label on the test print at the intended working distance; adjust the page layout before printing the full set if it is not legible.

Verify the full screen set against the project

Before distributing the reference, compare the document page by page with the project screens. This catches skipped screens, duplicated captures, and pages that were labeled incorrectly. Confirm the images still correspond to the project version intended for production; replace screenshots after relevant screen edits.

1. Walk through the project screens in order and match each one to a page or slide.
2. Check screen names, labels, and visible object locations against the simulator.
3. Review the printed output for cropping, unreadable text, misplaced notes, and missing pages.
4. Identify the document as a visual operator aid and keep the editable project as the configuration source.

A simulator capture cannot show every possible live value or machine condition. If the guide must explain state-dependent behavior, verify those states on the equipment through the approved operating procedure and document them separately rather than presenting a static screen as a complete runtime record.

Check: The set is ready when each required project screen has a matching, readable, correctly labeled page and the annotations have been checked against the intended project.

Frequently asked questions about C-more Micro screen prints

Stop distributing the guide if screen labels, control functions, or the matching project version cannot be verified. Escalate the software-specific capture or project issue through AutomationDirect's official support channel.