I want to be able to take an image of a GUI or remote as a background that i can then draw in call outs that explain things.

I want this to be a non-graphics app. What i mean is no fireworks no photoshop. I want to be able to use annotation tools to mark up the image. Can i do this with acrobat?

Example:

MS Publisher is very well suited for this.

I just gave it a shot. I selected 8.5X11 from the menu, inserted my background image and added a text box in under 30 seconds. Perfect! Thanks!

Aren't you in photoshop all day?

Fireworks. I use fireworks for everything. The problem though is that no one else uses it lol. I wanted something simple for other people to use. So lets say i send you a rendering i made of a theater wall or a new GUI or a photo of a wall at a jobsite... whatever... I want you to be able to open it in something like publisher so you can just type up your comments about it.

This can also be done in Word which everyone seems to have, even many Apple users.

I haven't worked out, nor even know where to look, to do this in Word. Nor even how to place an illustration so that text can be to its left or right. And markup lines? Never heard of it.

I'd be glad to look it up in the Word Help. What do they call it?

I used Illustrator for this.

I like what you have done with the Prodigy remote above.

Gary was the first person to inspire me to make a user manual for the systems as they are built and programmed.

Ok so what about for mac users? Is there a native app or something mac specific that will work like publisher?

The beauty of publisher (thanks lynkster) is that its geared towards print material so i click the 8.5X11 button, insert a background image, then insert the image of a specific remote or product or touchpanel right on top of it and then i can use the box/line/text tools for my call outs.

So basically i get the same flexibility i get with graphic software but its packaged for quick editing and print.

I normally generate something for handheld remotes especially in single zone systems. With large touchpanels i can make them so intuitive that the clients typically don't need instruction. I explain where the fixed/always present navigation bar is and they spend a few minutes exploring and done.

With single zone remotes... especially ones like the crestron model above i have to explain things. The power button and home button are in goofy spots and the keypad button is totally unnecessary. But since its there i have to use it or its like the remote doesn't make sense. (like the power button on RTI T2-C's).

Plus you have to squeeze so much into a small remote so you have to get creative with advanced controls like full projector/surround processor control. Most clients don't use these settings but some do. Plus i like to have them on the remote for myself so im not playing the "point the factory remote at the rack" game, during calibration :).

It's called, of all things...a call out.

Intaglio:

[Link: purgatorydesign.com]

It's a drawing program. You open up an 8.5 x 11 and drag the icon of any image or text file, it opens up in the 8.5 x 11 space and then you can insert text boxes anywhere, in any shape or form.

Or

Pages:

[Link: store.apple.com]

This is the Apple word processing app. Part of iWork. Just drag the image or text or drawing file icon on top of the 8.5 x 11 blank page and then add your text.

snagit is a reasonable program.

Would Apple Pages be the app to use for this purpose in the iWork suite?

Yes