Is it possible to freeze my iPad screen?
November 21, 2018 9:26 AM   Subscribe

Want to trace pictures from my iPad, but touchscreen moves around...

I have an iPad 4 mini. I want to freeze the screen so I can put a piece of paper on it and trace pictures. The touchscreen, however, always moves around. Even if I take a screenshot, it goes into Pictures and moves around with the motion of my fingers. I have used apps such as ZoomNotes, but with those apps the pictures still move around. Any help appreciated!
posted by DMelanogaster to Computers & Internet (11 answers total) 1 user marked this as a favorite
 
You can use guided access to disable touch input.
posted by btfreek at 9:42 AM on November 21, 2018 [1 favorite]


Yes, came in to recommend guided access.
(That's what we use when we let the cats watch bird videos on YouTube, or else disasters happen.)
posted by librarianamy at 10:17 AM on November 21, 2018 [1 favorite]


Response by poster: Unfortunately when I turn that on, tracing the picture creates areas where the iPad thinks I am restricting the content and it grays out those areas, making it impossible to trace freely.
posted by DMelanogaster at 10:19 AM on November 21, 2018


Bit of a lateral idea, but - have you considered setting that image as your iPad background? Then put one app icon on the last (otherwise empty) screen, and you should be able to use the screen to trace, I think.
posted by RedOrGreen at 10:30 AM on November 21, 2018


Re: guided access: just to make sure, are you first tracing around/restricting the WHOLE screen, and then clicking "start" in the upper right corner? When I do this the whole screen gets slightly greyed out but remains on and touch inactive.
posted by btfreek at 10:38 AM on November 21, 2018


screenshot? print, trace.
posted by theora55 at 10:51 AM on November 21, 2018 [2 favorites]


I would try to find a material you could put over the screen, but still trace over.
You might be able to experiment at a hardware/home improvement store with plexiglass/lexan?

I had an ESD bag at my desk (like this) and the touchscreen did not work through it. Some bags might have different opacities or tints though, unsure if that will be a problem for your use case. (you can find them in a ton of different sizes, with and without zip enclosures, etc.)
posted by stobor at 11:23 AM on November 21, 2018


What about a ziploc bag or some plastic wrap?
posted by soelo at 11:26 AM on November 21, 2018


The screen should not be moving unless your hand is somehow making electrical contact with it. A piece of paper or thin plastic is not enough insulating enough, try wearing thick non-conductive winter gloves.
posted by yeahlikethat at 12:50 PM on November 21, 2018 [1 favorite]


Best answer: I'm pretty sure there should be an app designed to make a tablet work like a lightbox (I've seen a someone using it like that, although on Android). Something like this? Or this?
posted by lmfsilva at 1:00 PM on November 21, 2018 [1 favorite]


Response by poster: I got Trace Table -- fun!!!!
posted by DMelanogaster at 5:27 PM on November 21, 2018


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