How do I grab a screen shot of my screen saver in action?

HIMROID · 11-30-2002, 09:40 PM

I've seen a few screen shots here in the forum, and I was wondering how to pull it off?

Jav400 · 11-30-2002, 09:50 PM

The easiest way is to hit the "Print Screen" button while its running. Then you can go to the program of your choice, depending on what you have, and paste it there and then work with it. If you have something like Photoshop, there are tons of things that you can do, if not you can use something like Paint.

HIMROID · 11-30-2002, 09:52 PM

I am using a Mac - there is no print screen button on my keyboard....

Jav400 · 11-30-2002, 09:59 PM

OOOps, my bad. I failed to look at the heading and was used to answering posts about Windows OS's. Having never fooled much with Mac's, you have me at a disadvantage on this one. I would think that there should be some "capture" method that would accomplish the same thing. Feldon works with Mac's on occassion, so he should have a definate solution for you if you can't find one. But, hopefully the basic process should be the same.

HIMROID · 11-30-2002, 10:06 PM

Thanks again, so far your customer service is better than companies who's software I have paid 10 times as much for...awesome product, awesome support. You folks have made my day!

TWO THUMBS UP!

feldon34 · 11-30-2002, 10:53 PM

I guess if you are really quick with your fingers, you can try to use the universal Mac screen capture keyboard shortcut (dunno if this works on Mac OS X):

Command (

)-Shift-3

It will dump a screen snapshot named "Picture 1" at the root of your main hard drive.

Assuming this keyboard shortcut works on Mac OS X, if you press it fast enough maybe you'll get a shot before the Aquarium exits.

I think if your turn off "Exit on Mouse Move" this also prevents stray keypresses from closing the Aquarium (only Esc or Q works). You might also have better success running the Aquarium in a large window instead of fullscreen when trying to take a snapshot.

HIMROID · 11-30-2002, 10:59 PM

That ordinarily works for screen captures, but unfortunately it immediately disables the screen saver and snaps a pic of my desktop...thanks though - I think a time delayed Applescript might do the job if I can figure out how to build a delay in for the saver to run first....not that this is a critical necessity - I just thought I could make some of my email pals jealous...

mrtew · 12-01-2002, 09:55 AM

You can't capture the screensaver or the app in full screen in OSX, I don't think, but you can capture the app in a window by pressing Apple/Shift-4 and then drawing a square around it with the mouse. Or the new way of capturing a window is to press Apple/Shift-4 and then the space bar. Your cursor will become a big camera icon that will then capture whichever window you click on. Or you can capture almost full screen by running the MA saver on the desktop using Backlight or Xback and then pressing Apple/Shift-3 to capture the whole screen. It'll be really clean if you get all the stuff of your desktop first and hide the dock. Then you'll only see the menubar (which will be hidden underneath the real menubar if you want to later use the capture as a desktop wallpaper.) On the other hand, Marine Aquarium inexplicably it seems looks about 3 times as clear and sharp in OS9 where you CAN capure if fullscreen with Apple/Shift-4 so if you are really trying to impress someone reboot in 9.2 for the job! Too much information?

JimO'Connor · 12-01-2002, 10:01 PM

The Grab utility can do delayed captures. I don't know if it works for screen savers, but it SHOULD.

mrtew · 12-01-2002, 10:32 PM

Originally posted by JimO'Connor
The Grab utility can do delayed captures. I don't know if it works for screen savers, but it SHOULD.

Nope, it doesn't 'grab' savers.

HIMROID · 12-03-2002, 05:15 PM

By using a little app called "Backlight", You can run the saver on the desktop and grab a screen shot from there. I moved all of my icons off the desktop (a little bit of a trick in itself) and snapped a shot. Very cool. Backlight is also very cool, check it out at Macupdate.com.

Thanks everyone for the assist/info...

mrtew · 12-03-2002, 06:21 PM

Originally posted by mrtew
.... you can capture almost full screen by running the saver on the desktop using Backlight or Xback and then pressing Apple/Shift-3 to capture the whole screen. It'll be really clean if you get all the stuff of your desktop first and hide the dock....

Originally posted by HIMROID
By using a little app called "Backlight", You can run the saver on the desktop and grab a screen shot from there. I moved all of my icons off the desktop (a little bit of a trick in itself) and snapped a shot.

Wow! I wish I'd thought of that! :-]

HIMROID · 12-07-2002, 08:46 PM

Ooops, musta missed yer post - sorry dude...

(Duh)

11-30-2002, 09:40 PM	#1
HIMROID Registered Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Armpit of America Posts: 9	How do I grab a screen shot of my screen saver in action? I've seen a few screen shots here in the forum, and I was wondering how to pull it off? HIMROID

11-30-2002, 09:50 PM	#2
Jav400 Administrator Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Tennessee Posts: 9,725	The easiest way is to hit the "Print Screen" button while its running. Then you can go to the program of your choice, depending on what you have, and paste it there and then work with it. If you have something like Photoshop, there are tons of things that you can do, if not you can use something like Paint. Michael Administrator of Inside:SereneScreen Aquarium Forum, Chatroom, Fan Site & *Gallery* DVD Collection

11-30-2002, 09:52 PM	#3
HIMROID Registered Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Armpit of America Posts: 9	Screen Shot? I am using a Mac - there is no print screen button on my keyboard.... HIMROID

11-30-2002, 09:59 PM	#4
Jav400 Administrator Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Tennessee Posts: 9,725	OOOps, my bad. I failed to look at the heading and was used to answering posts about Windows OS's. Having never fooled much with Mac's, you have me at a disadvantage on this one. I would think that there should be some "capture" method that would accomplish the same thing. Feldon works with Mac's on occassion, so he should have a definate solution for you if you can't find one. But, hopefully the basic process should be the same. Michael Administrator of Inside:SereneScreen Aquarium Forum, Chatroom, Fan Site & *Gallery* DVD Collection

11-30-2002, 10:06 PM	#5
HIMROID Registered Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Armpit of America Posts: 9	Thanks again... Thanks again, so far your customer service is better than companies who's software I have paid 10 times as much for...awesome product, awesome support. You folks have made my day! TWO THUMBS UP! HIMROID

11-30-2002, 10:53 PM	#6
feldon34 Forum Administrator Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Rock Hill, SC Posts: 10,947	I guess if you are really quick with your fingers, you can try to use the universal Mac screen capture keyboard shortcut (dunno if this works on Mac OS X): Command ()-Shift-3 It will dump a screen snapshot named "Picture 1" at the root of your main hard drive. Assuming this keyboard shortcut works on Mac OS X, if you press it fast enough maybe you'll get a shot before the Aquarium exits. I think if your turn off "Exit on Mouse Move" this also prevents stray keypresses from closing the Aquarium (only Esc or Q works). You might also have better success running the Aquarium in a large window instead of fullscreen when trying to take a snapshot. "Journalism is printing what someone else does not want printed. Everything else is public relations." - George Orwell "If voting changed anything, they'd make it illegal." - Emma Goldman Last edited by feldon34; 11-30-2002 at 10:57 PM.

11-30-2002, 10:59 PM	#7
HIMROID Registered Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Armpit of America Posts: 9	Command and 3 won't do it either... That ordinarily works for screen captures, but unfortunately it immediately disables the screen saver and snaps a pic of my desktop...thanks though - I think a time delayed Applescript might do the job if I can figure out how to build a delay in for the saver to run first....not that this is a critical necessity - I just thought I could make some of my email pals jealous... HIMROID

12-01-2002, 09:55 AM	#8
mrtew Registered Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: michigan Posts: 109	You can't capture the screensaver or the app in full screen in OSX, I don't think, but you can capture the app in a window by pressing Apple/Shift-4 and then drawing a square around it with the mouse. Or the new way of capturing a window is to press Apple/Shift-4 and then the space bar. Your cursor will become a big camera icon that will then capture whichever window you click on. Or you can capture almost full screen by running the MA saver on the desktop using Backlight or Xback and then pressing Apple/Shift-3 to capture the whole screen. It'll be really clean if you get all the stuff of your desktop first and hide the dock. Then you'll only see the menubar (which will be hidden underneath the real menubar if you want to later use the capture as a desktop wallpaper.) On the other hand, Marine Aquarium inexplicably it seems looks about 3 times as clear and sharp in OS9 where you CAN capure if fullscreen with Apple/Shift-4 so if you are really trying to impress someone reboot in 9.2 for the job! Too much information? mrtew

12-01-2002, 10:01 PM	#9
JimO'Connor Mac Development Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Kenai, Alaska Posts: 678	The Grab utility can do delayed captures. I don't know if it works for screen savers, but it SHOULD. Jim O'Connor Order N Development

12-01-2002, 10:32 PM	#10
mrtew Registered Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: michigan Posts: 109	Originally posted by JimO'Connor The Grab utility can do delayed captures. I don't know if it works for screen savers, but it SHOULD. Nope, it doesn't 'grab' savers. mrtew

12-03-2002, 05:15 PM	#11
HIMROID Registered Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Armpit of America Posts: 9	Solution! (kinda sorta...) By using a little app called "Backlight", You can run the saver on the desktop and grab a screen shot from there. I moved all of my icons off the desktop (a little bit of a trick in itself) and snapped a shot. Very cool. Backlight is also very cool, check it out at Macupdate.com. Thanks everyone for the assist/info... HIMROID

12-03-2002, 06:21 PM	#12
mrtew Registered Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: michigan Posts: 109	Re: Solution! (kinda sorta...) Originally posted by mrtew .... you can capture almost full screen by running the saver on the desktop using Backlight or Xback and then pressing Apple/Shift-3 to capture the whole screen. It'll be really clean if you get all the stuff of your desktop first and hide the dock.... Originally posted by HIMROID By using a little app called "Backlight", You can run the saver on the desktop and grab a screen shot from there. I moved all of my icons off the desktop (a little bit of a trick in itself) and snapped a shot. Wow! I wish I'd thought of that! :-] mrtew

12-07-2002, 08:46 PM	#13
HIMROID Registered Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Armpit of America Posts: 9	OK, ya got me... Ooops, musta missed yer post - sorry dude... (Duh) HIMROID