How often do you have to capture the contents of websites, for use in presentations, as trial exhibits or to illustrate your fabulous slaw.ca posts? You can do the usual "print screen" function that's built into your operating system, but that usually snags a whole bunch of other stuff (like your toolbars or other tabs that are open). Usually you want to show the web page only, without other distracting stuff that detracts from what you want to convey. In addition, using "print screen" it only captures the portion of the webpage what's visible on the screen, not the entire page. Other techniques, like printing the page to PDF, often change the formatting and layout of the page.
Over the last few months, I've switched to using the Chrome browser almost exclusively and was very excited to discover a great app in the Chrome Store that, at the very least, will cut down on the amont of editing I have to do of image files for including in PowerPoint presentations. The free app is, appropriately enough, called Screen Capture. With one click, you can choose to capture a portion fo the screen, just the whole screen or the entire page. It will also snag the rest of it horizontally and vertically so you don't miss anything. And it'll save it as a lossless PNG.
If you regularly need to capture any online content, you need this.
This is really good to know, David. Thanks. Chrome is becoming more and more attractive: they've just released a new beta with huge speed improvements and the use of URLs for each of the important preferences—to help direct someone by email, for instance, to a particular setting in order to teach them or solve a problem.
If you're on a windows box, I use 'PrintKey 2000' which runs down in the systray. It has a rectangle draw function that allows you to crop the image prior to bringing it into your graphics software.
That said, I think I'm off to grab this tool for my Chrome install. Looks like a nice addition.
Windows 7 has a snipping tool that can capture anything on your screen as an image by drawing a box around whatever you want.
Great tip, thanks! A terrific Firefox version which I use almost daily is screengrab
I use a couple of Firefox extensions quite regularly for taking screen-shots. I can't tell you how many times having those pictures available has come in handy.
I've been holding out on chrome, but with each Firefox crash I grow a little closer to making the switch. Certainly, knowing about this extension will make the transition that much easier. Thanks for bringing it to my attention.
Like Pamela, I've been using Firefox with the extensions.
But I think now is the time for me to make the switch.
This is a dangerous application.
When you begin to install it, there is a warning message that says:
Install Screen Capture (by Google)?
It can access:
All data on your computer and the websites you visit
You are then given the option to install or cancel. I canceled.
On the applications page there is a block that gives the same message with a link to another page that explains:
Caution: NPAPI plug-ins can do almost anything, in or outside of your browser. For example, they could use your webcam, or they could read your personal files.
Use this plug-in at your own risk. I would recommend not using it at all.
Corey Rich
Houston, Texas