HOW TO CAPTURE SCREEN SHOTS

[Brett]

The following is a tutorial on how to capture screen shots using the Print Screen key. Hopefully everyone that has asked and will ask about this will find it useful.
I've added some stuff to the forum's version...so you may wan't to stay here and read mine
It was found here:
http://www.seoconsultants.com/windows/tips/print-screen-key.htm

Windows Print Screen Key

The Windows Print Screen Key can be a powerful tool if you know how to use it to its full potential. There are some who initially think that when they press the Print Screen Key that it will literally be sent to the printer! That's okay, we've all been there, done that. Just don't tell anyone! Actually, if you are using DOS, it will be sent to the printer.

[Print Screen/SysRq]

The key may appear differently depending on the manufacturer of your Windows keyboard. The standard position would be at the upper right hand corner of your keyboard and may appear within this sequence of keys...

[F9] [F10] [F11] [F12]   [Print Screen] [Scroll Lock] [Pause/Break]

The sole function of this key is to take a snapshot or picture of your computer screen and copy it to the clipboard (the clipboard is an invisible holding area for content that is copied). Its the same thing as if you copied something from a document and it is now on your clipboard waiting to be pasted in its final destination. Its that simple. As quoted by Webopedia...

Often abbreviated Prt Scr, the Print Screen key is a useful key supported on most PCs. In DOS, pressing the Print Screen key causes the computer to send whatever images and text are currently on the display screen to the printer. Some graphics programs and Windows, use the Print Screen key to obtain Screen Captures.

Now, how do you get to see those Screen Captures or maybe even send them to someone? The quickest and most effective method is to have a graphics editing program handy. If that is not an option, you can open your favorite word processing program and create a new document. Position your cursorat the beginning of the document or wherever you want the screenshot to appear.

You can also use a screen capture program like SnagIt to capture those Windows screenshots!

Using your keyboard, press Ctrl + V which will Paste the screenshot in your open document. Now you can Save (Ctrl + S) the document to wherever you wish, make sure to name it appropriately so you can easily find it.

Much like SNAG-It!, but Cheap as Free,
Screen Print & Capture 32 v3.5 is a good program that works well, and easy to use. I'm using it now! Actually, it's much better than Print Screen because you can select the area of the screen you want, and save as GIF, JPG, BMP, or PNG right from the capture program. You press Print Screen (or you can set it to F10 F11 or F12)...it freezes the screen, and then you can crop the image right there and save it...no other software to open. Easy. Check it out! Even though this software is dope, Print Screen still will have a use for everyone though...

Here's my settings for the program:




You can now send this file to anyone via email, use it in a presentation, create your own little book of screenshots showing how to perform a specific task, etc. The possibilities are endless. We use the Windows Print Screen Key regularly. You probably will too once you get the hang of it!

Windows Alt Prt Scr

Now, for those who have read this far, we are going to share another neat little feature of the Windows Print Screen Key. Pressing these keys...

[Alt] + [Print Screen]

...will take a screenshot of the currently selected window, not the entire screen like the normal screenshot function. This allows you to target that specific window that you have open and nothing else. No more cropping those screenshots to grab the content you were after!

Now that you have a few options to capture the image, your going to wanna post it in a thread. To do that, you need and image host...either a personal website or a free image host will work. See this thread on how to do that:
FREE IMAGE HOSTING

[yello_dello]

It doesn't work for me.    Don't know if it's my computer or me.  Probably me, cuz I am a computer moron.  Oh well....

[Homeschool]

It works for me the first tyme I tried it...You looked to save it in the rite place, rite?

[Brett]

Added this for those that can't get Print Screen to work:

Much like SNAG-It!, but Cheap as Free,
Screen Print & Capture 32 v3.5 is a good program that works well, and easy to use. I'm using it now! Actually, it's much better than Print Screen because you can select the area of the screen you want, and save as GIF, JPG, BMP, or PNG right from the capture program. You press Print Screen...it freezes the screen, and then you can crop the image right there and save it...no other software to open. Easy. Check it out! Even though this software is dope, Print Screen still will have a use for everyone though...

[Homeschool]

Thanx that helped me in saving my pics a lot, I'll try to remember...

"You're welcome " - Fhqwhgads

[Sonic the Werewolf.]

i would do all of the H*R Hide and Go Seek requests,but my print screen key is dumb.it is the same key as Internet news,so instead of taking a snapshot,i get news from 2001.i hate internet news.

[Thomas]

Thanks alot Fhqwghads! I really helps alot when you dont have to cut off the start button and such

[Brett]

i would do all of the H*R Hide and Go Seek requests,but my print screen key is dumb.it is the same key as Internet news,so instead of taking a snapshot,i get news from 2001.i hate internet news.

If you download the software I mentioned in RED...you can set the print screen button to F10 F11 or F12 in case you have problems with the Print Screen button doing other things....like you do.

I actually set mine to F10, which is right under my Print Screen button....that way I can use the software to crop an image right on the screen, or press Print Screen and open up my image editor and paste it in. I would do the later if I had to get a really nice shot of something, and I wanted to take advantage of the high tech tools in a powerful image editor.

[Homeschool]

All rite, I got everything and took a snapshot, now do I have to host the image?


EDIT: Never mind Fhqwhgads (how come you never mentioned I always spell your name wrong?). I've got EVERYTHING figured out *finally*See? I even change my avatar (thanx to you). So I'll help anyone that needs it and they'll stop bothering you

[Brett]

Alright Homeschool_Winner...I added this part to the text above...

Now that you have a few options to capture the image, your going to wanna post it in a thread. To do that, you need and image host...either a personal website or a free image host will work. See this thread on how to do that:
FREE IMANGE HOSTING

[Homeschool]

If anyone needs help with image down/uploading, feel free to PM me...The Mods have enough to worry about right now...

[Brett]

Thanks Homeschool!

[Homeschool]

Thanks Homeschool!

No prob. If they PM you, send 'em to me.

[Prancibald]

Or here's another option. You can download a 60 day trial of Jasc Software's "Paint Shop Pro v.8"

http://www.jasc.com/download_4.asp?

and choose Paint Shop Pro. It is a fantastic program that has a great and simple Screen Capture function (under the Import menu). You can pretty much do anything you'd want to do with Photoshop (plus a lot of other neat things you can't) but's it's 1/10th the price at around $100. You can even save files as .PSDs

It's what I use, and it's great.

Sorry to sound like a commercial but it's a great product

[Homeschool]

How much is the full version? $100?