Windows 7: Screen capture

harpua · 01 Dec 2009

The built in Windows snipping tool is great and free. But I like a shareware ($19.95) program called FastStone Capture. For me, it has been the easiest to use, (very intuitive), and at the same time very full featured.

"FastStone Capture is a powerful, lightweight, yet full-featured screen capture tool that allows you to easily capture and annotate anything on the screen including windows, objects, menus, full screen, rectangular/freehand regions and even scrolling windows/web pages. You can choose to send captures to editor, file, clipboard, printer, email, Word/PowerPoint document or upload them to your website. Editing tools include annotating (texts, arrowed lines, highlights), resizing, cropping, sharpening, watermarking, applying edge effects and many more. It also allows you to record screen activities and sound into highly compressed video files. Other features include global hotkeys, automatic filename generation, support for external editors, a color picker, a screen magnifier and a screen ruler.

FastStone Capture saves files in BMP, GIF, JPEG, PCX, PNG, TGA, TIFF and PDF formats."

Kari · 01 Dec 2009

I have not found any reasons to use anything else than the built-in Snipping Tool. You can copy parts of the screen, also freehand, a certain window or full screen.

Kari

rsvr85 · 01 Dec 2009

Quote: Originally Posted by Kari

I have not found any reasons to use anything else than the built-in Snipping Tool. You can copy parts of the screen, also freehand, a certain window or full screen.

Kari

The only reason i ended up caving in to buying a more functional piece of kit was because the built in snip tool is extremely basic, you can't even add text to a snip!!
Snagit has the functionality i need (and more) when i'm writing guides or upping a screenshot to SF. I'm sure people who write guides here will agree that Windows built in tool really isn't up to scratch.

Kari · 01 Dec 2009

Quote: Originally Posted by rsvr85

Quote: Originally Posted by Kari

I have not found any reasons to use anything else than the built-in Snipping Tool. You can copy parts of the screen, also freehand, a certain window or full screen.

Kari

The only reason i ended up caving in to buying a more functional piece of kit was because the built in snip tool is extremely basic, you can't even add text to a snip!!
Snagit has the functionality i need (and more) when i'm writing guides or upping a screenshot to SF. I'm sure people who write guides here will agree that Windows built in tool really isn't up to scratch.

True, Snipping Tool is very basic. For me it works. Snipping tool works seamless with clipboard; I have Photoshop normally almost always open so I just paste the snip and edit / add text and so on.

Try how practical it is: Make a snip, don't save it. Open Paint, press CTRL+V and your snip is ready to be edited.

Kari

juandiego · 01 Dec 2009

Quote: Originally Posted by rsvr85

The only reason i ended up caving in to buying a more functional piece of kit was because the built in snip tool is extremely basic, you can't even add text to a snip!!

I fully agree, rsvr85.

At least Snipping tool should provide a quick option to directly export the capture to paint if a further edition is required. To accomplish this procedure you have to copy it, to open paint and to paste it there. Not a big deal but it's the typical annoying thing that leads you to consider other software capable to do both tasks. A frequent procedure, by the way.

rsvr85 · 01 Dec 2009

I used to use it all the time but hated the fact that i had to use 2 programs to be able to edit the image, snagit does all of it. Adds stamps, shapes, text, supports sending to X,Y,Z etc. etc. etc. The built in snip tool is a good basic tool for basic needs.

Kari · 01 Dec 2009

Quote: Originally Posted by juandiego

Quote: Originally Posted by rsvr85

The only reason i ended up caving in to buying a more functional piece of kit was because the built in snip tool is extremely basic, you can't even add text to a snip!!

I fully agree, rsvr85.

At least Snipping tool should provide a quick option to directly export the capture to paint if a further edition is required. To accomplish this procedure you have to copy it, to open paint and to paste it there. Not a big deal but it's the typical annoying thing that leads you to consider other software capable to do both tasks. A frequent procedure, by the way.

No, you don't have to copy it. When you make a snip it is directly placed in the clipboard. To edit a snip with Paint is really that easy: make a snip, press CTRL+V in Paint and it's there. You don't even have to save the snip before pasting it to any application.

Kari

Kari

Cluent · 01 Dec 2009

I had forgotten about Printscreen, and didn't know about the others. Which tool do you think gives the highest resoltion?

rsvr85 · 01 Dec 2009

I'd say they all give the same.

Kari · 01 Dec 2009

Yeah, at least Prin Screen and Sinpping Tool are WYSIWYG, you get what you see.

Windows 7: Screen capture

Screen capture problems?