Help me take screenshots with Snagit 10
October 22, 2010 8:52 AM   Subscribe

Help me screencap. I'm trying to use SnagIt 10, but I can't get it to take screenshots, either with the big red button or with the Print Screen key. Once I select the big red button it just runs in the background but doesn't take the screencap. The Print Screen key does nothing at all. This is on Windows 7. Other open apps are IE, Outlook, Communicator, Pidgin, Excel and Word. Any ideas?
posted by chesty_a_arthur to Computers & Internet (18 answers total) 3 users marked this as a favorite
 
Best answer: Gyazo is great. I actually learned about it from a metafilter post. I also recommend Jing from that same post.
posted by mcstayinskool at 8:57 AM on October 22, 2010


Are you sure the print screen key does nothing? I have known some people that didn't realize that all that does is put the screen capture on your clipboard. You then have to find somewhere to paste it (paint is easiest) before you have any evidence that it acted.
posted by brainmouse at 9:02 AM on October 22, 2010


I came in to say what brainmouse said, exactly.
posted by The Lady is a designer at 9:06 AM on October 22, 2010


Response by poster: MC, thanks, I'll try that instead. I think I have it narrowed down to the particular Web app I'm using, which is unfortunately the software my company develops so I think I'm stuck with it. But is also what I'm trying to screencap, grar.

Brainmouse and Lady, I appreciate your help but in SnagIt, the Print Screen key is the hotkey for taking screenshots within the program. I'm familiar with its normal functionality, which is not the same as its SnagIt functionality. It does function as normal outside of SnagIt, but since I have two monitors with an extended desktop, its normal function actually screencaps both of them, adding an additional layer of irritation to handling any direct screencap.
posted by chesty_a_arthur at 9:13 AM on October 22, 2010


Jing is amazing. Get it and don't look back.

I'm a technical writer for a software company, and it is the single most useful tool I have. I don't think I could live without it anymore.
posted by JPowers at 9:15 AM on October 22, 2010


With snag it, after you click the big red button, you need to click another time to take the screenshot. Usually the section that will be "screenshot" will have a red border around it.
Do you select which mode you are in? As in : take all the screen, take a window,
take a selection of the screen?
(I find take a window to be the most usefull generally)
posted by domi_p at 9:16 AM on October 22, 2010


Oh, and the free version is all you need.
posted by JPowers at 9:16 AM on October 22, 2010


And some modes won't work with every software (eg. scroll doesn't work with firefox)
posted by domi_p at 9:16 AM on October 22, 2010


What capture profile setting have you selected for SnagIt?

After you hit the red button, when you move your mouse around, does it try to highlight the current application window with a red border?

Is it possible that you have the output set to "none" or "clipboard"?
posted by kathryn at 9:17 AM on October 22, 2010


Also, if you have the input set to "screen," there won't be a red border at all.
posted by kathryn at 9:18 AM on October 22, 2010


You need to mouse-drag-select a part of the screen after hitting printscreen button. Snagit works great.
posted by meepmeow at 9:18 AM on October 22, 2010


MWSnap: Free, lightweight, and excellent.
posted by coolguymichael at 9:18 AM on October 22, 2010


Response by poster: With snag it, after you click the big red button, you need to click another time to take the screenshot. It's not giving me the screen that allows you to select your window/area/whatever mode you have set for. There's no red border, if that's the appropriate mode, and there's no cross-hair when that's the appropriate mode.

What capture profile setting have you selected for SnagIt?
I've tried a whole bunch.

After you hit the red button, when you move your mouse around, does it try to highlight the current application window with a red border?
Nope. Nor, as above, does it show me the crosshairs in freehand mode.

Is it possible that you have the output set to "none" or "clipboard"?
I do not.

It works fine when I don't have this one particular web app open, so I will try some other programs and see whether they have the same bizarre interaction. Will update if I find something that works.
posted by chesty_a_arthur at 9:21 AM on October 22, 2010


Is User Account Control turned off?
posted by deezil at 9:25 AM on October 22, 2010


Response by poster: Gyazo for the win. Totally worked.

I will certainly check out Jing as well; I've used SnagIt for three or four years on a daily basis and have never seen this behavior before (new job, new piece of software to spec out)! It does come with our default image, and yet does not work on the software we develop, so I will let the helpdesk know.
posted by chesty_a_arthur at 9:28 AM on October 22, 2010


One more quick tip for your toolbox: On Windows, ALT+Print Screen will copy only the current active window to the clipboard instead of the entire desktop, multiple monitors and all.
posted by BeerFilter at 1:45 PM on October 22, 2010


Printkey2000.
posted by gjc at 2:42 PM on October 22, 2010


Don't forget about the Snipping Tool built in to Windows 7. (Start -> All Programs -> Accessories)
posted by SuperSquirrel at 5:29 PM on October 22, 2010


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