How can I take screenshots of a certain area?

[BeardWix]

Hey guys! Simple question.
So I need to take multiple screenshots of the screen, but only in a certain area.
I am aware that I can use the snipping tool or take a screenshot then edit it in Paint, but it's tedious work and is just plain inefficient when I need to take multiple screenshots of the same area.
Is there a way to add a shortcut (or install a program) that takes screenshots of a certain, PRE-selected area in just one click? I don't even mind if I need to paste it into Paint, I just need the screenshots.
Thank you!

 

[iko22]

The most straightforward solution is to use PrtScr and then paste the clipboard into Paint. You can crop the resultant image in Paint, to the region of the screen that you want.

Other programs may "remember" which region of the screen you set last time, allowing you to re-capture the same region, lots of times. Trouble is, these programs don't work as a background task meaning that you got to keep making the program the active window, before you can capture any region of the screen.

 

[z3r010]

I don't know of any program that does exactly what you want, but if you are snipping a window then screenpresso will cut down the work as it can auto select open windows on mouse over.

 

[Barman58]

Take a look at this ...

Batch crop images using Irfanview - YouTube

 

[file3456]

Just go to the Start orb under search and begin by typing, "snipping tool."

 

[file3456]

A perfect capture.​

 

[BeardWix]

Just go to the Start orb under search and begin by typing, "snipping tool."

As I already said, the Snipping Tool always requires you to manually choose the section to capture (with your mouse), so it's pretty inconvenient and inaccurate, especially if I want to capture a section on the very side.

I don't know of any program that does exactly what you want, but if you are snipping a window then screenpresso will cut down the work as it can auto select open windows on mouse over.

That program seems really useful, but in this specific scenario...
As most other screen capture programs do, it makes you manually select the part to capture with a crosshair. It can work, I guess, but it's a little difficult..

Take a look at this ...

Batch crop images using Irfanview - YouTube

I thought this was perfect, but the program only has options for cropping starting from the top left, top right, bottom left, and bottom right. My crop starts from the middle, which there isn't an option for.
HOWEVER, the top is very easy to crop (in MS Paint), so I can simply crop the sides and bottom, then crop it again in paint for a few seconds. That will work.

It would still be nice to be able to do that one-click, I wonder why it isn't a common feature yet..
I'm trying to crop out the top search bar and bottom icon bar on an all-screen screenshot, it shouldn't be that hard, should it?

 

[townsbg]

Try PSR. Using the “secret” Windows 7 Problem Steps Recorder to Create Step by Step Screenshot Documents – Pat Altimore's Blog

 

[Barman58]

I have checked the advanced options in Irfanview 64 and a batch run should be possible on a set of images that are identically sized, [the system does not have access to that greatest of all computers, The human Brain]

Imagine an image 100x100 Pixels - a crop area of 10,0,90,100 would crop off the top and bottom to leave an area of 80x100 pixels, removing a 10 pixel strip at top and 10 pixel strip bottom


The advanced options can have an area set using + or - relative points - you would need to set up a "remain" area from the bottom of the top bar to the Top of the bottom bar with a width set to full width (assumption by me but can be set to mark any rectangle). This may be saved into the standard sizes.

Once set up you would need to try a test batch or two to fine tune



you select the thumbnails that you want to process from the display in the top right of the dialog shown above.

If you wished to remove the area of the top and bottom bars, retaining the image above /below the bars, then this would be possible by batch but would need more work as the area would need to be cut out rather than cropped, and you would require more than one batch operation [iteration]

 

[BeardWix]

I have checked the advanced options in Irfanview 64 and a batch run should be possible on a set of images that are identically sized, [the system does not have access to that greatest of all computers, The human Brain]

Imagine an image 100x100 Pixels - a crop area of 10,0,90,100 would crop off the top and bottom to leave an area of 80x100 pixels, removing a 10 pixel strip at top and 10 pixel strip bottom


The advanced options can have an area set using + or - relative points - you would need to set up a "remain" area from the bottom of the top bar to the Top of the bottom bar with a width set to full width (assumption by me but can be set to mark any rectangle). This may be saved into the standard sizes.

Once set up you would need to try a test batch or two to fine tune

View attachment 406925

you select the thumbnails that you want to process from the display in the top right of the dialog shown above.

If you wished to remove the area of the top and bottom bars, retaining the image above /below the bars, then this would be possible by batch but would need more work as the area would need to be cut out rather than cropped, and you would require more than one batch operation [iteration]

Oof, that seems a little hard. However, if it just works properly, that is definitely the function I'll be using until I find a better alternative. Thank you!

 

[Barman58]

I understand that it can seem a lot of work to set up a semi automatic and especially a fully automatic system, but it makes sense when you have a high number of a task to do, a regular smaller number, you need consistency from a number of people all doing the same task.

The set up is of course only done once so over time it is less and less of an issue.

The setup of the page['s] I linked to can be automated as a batch, or if you just set up the Crop parameters and save them, (within the Irfanview app as a new standard Page size), you can simply manually load an image select the crop "Page Size" and crop one or a small number quickly. this will give you options of consistency over 10 or 10000 images.