single button for print screen

January 12, 2006 7:04 PM

Is shift-control-apple-3 really the only way to take a screenshot and put it in the clipboard? I miss my single "print screen" button on a PC. It's a minor annoyance - but the key combination is cumbersome.
posted by Dag Maggot to computers & internet (11 comments total)

You can change any key combo by going to the Keyboard and Mouse preference pane and clicking on 'Keyboard Shortcuts'.
posted by holgate at 7:07 PM on January 12, 2006

in your applications folder there is a utility folder. There is a program called "Grab" in there. I put it in my dock because I use it so often. All it does is take screenshots, but it gives you some flexibility on what exactly you screenshot.

It's very easy and intuitive to use.

Paparazzi is also a cool program for shooting an entire webpage.

None of that is just one button. . . but I've found them more useful than the window's alternative print screen. (don't you push another button too?)
posted by visual mechanic at 7:12 PM on January 12, 2006

open apple + shift + 4 = crosshairs that let you pick your screenshot; same keys + 3 make a PNG on your desktop.
posted by luriete at 7:17 PM on January 12, 2006

In a few applicatons, you can selection [Application name] > Services > Grab > Screen, and it'll take a screenshot and paste it in that app.
posted by cillit bang at 7:24 PM on January 12, 2006

If you do this a lot, Snapz Pro is well worth the price.
posted by staggernation at 7:35 PM on January 12, 2006

Snap-n-Drag is a marvelous, free little program from yellowmug.com - it does all the intuitive-yet-functional stuff you want in a little Mac app.
posted by Dr. Wu at 8:08 PM on January 12, 2006

It doesn't put it on the clipboard, it creates a file. I reckon the extra two keys are well worth the time, compared to creating a file in a paint program, pasting the results of yr PrntScrn and then saving.

Like mentioned above, Shft Apl 4 gives you crosshairs, but if you then press space you can click on a window and get a shot of just that window.
posted by bonaldi at 8:19 PM on January 12, 2006

bonaldi shift-control-apple-3 appears to put it on the clipboard.

Thanks for the tips, I may just resign myself to it, as I can't see myself reassigning this key combo to anything simple that isn't already used for something else.

While I'm ranting about keyboards - my other aggravation is the proximity of the eject key to the delete key on my Powerbook.

This was a really dumb place to put it. I'm constantly hitting the eject key by acceident.

It seems you never hear anything but sunshine from Apple users - but I'm here to tell you, it's not all milk and honey.
posted by Dag Maggot at 11:48 PM on January 12, 2006

I just assigned to F11 - the system wouldn't let me have F13–F15. But that's just one key that I've never used for anything else.
posted by nowonmai at 5:46 AM on January 13, 2006

Ordinarily you must hold down the Eject key for two seconds for anything to happen.

Run, don't walk, toward Snapz Pro.
posted by joeclark at 3:37 PM on January 14, 2006

Hmmm. My eject key seems to just need a short tap to send the media shooting out. I have Tiger on a newish Powerbook.
posted by Dag Maggot at 4:59 PM on January 14, 2006