Screenshot tools - recommendations?

Discussion in 'Entropia Tools' started by Tass, Jun 12, 2013.

  1. Tass

    Tass Administrator

    Looking for a screenshot tool:

    - should work properly with EU
    - not specifically for EU because I want to use it for other things too
    - should support taking and automatically saving screenshots by pressing a single button only
    - should support capturing the active window only
    - should support including the mouse button
    - should be 'lightweight'

    Currently I'm using Greenshot which is actually quite good and doing everything of the above except working properly with EU: taking screenies by pressing a single button doesn't work in EU...

    Any recommendations?
     
    Last edited: Jun 12, 2013
    • Useful Useful x 1
  2. I use one called Taksi and never had any issues with it. Very easy to select which folder you want to save to plus one-button commands for taking screenshots, starting video, pausing video and stopping video. Taksi link >
     
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  3. RAZER

    RAZER Custom title ... uh ...

    Fraps for me, been using that for years. Does all the things you want and on top of that records video as well.
     
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  4. NotAdmin

    NotAdmin Administrator

    I also use Fraps. Then again, I barely play anymore at the moment. Another tool I've been using quite extensively is SnagIt, but I don't think that works with EU.
     
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  5. EwoK

    EwoK Southern Fortress Engineering

    Fraps...then again a quick "Alt+PRTSC" and paste into a skype window works nicely too :sneaky:
     
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  6. MindStar9

    MindStar9 Floating in Space

    A registered version of FRAPS has always been my go-to for everything I do in EU, and the updates are always free. Then I use a different video editor, or photo editor for things I want to do. I'm also learning more about Paint.Net to get a bit more creative, it's easier for me than working with Photoshop. There are any number of apps out there that are useful depending on what you want to do.
     
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  7. AxeMurderer

    AxeMurderer Master Of Entropia

    Bandicam
     
  8. Tass

    Tass Administrator

    Tyvm everyone! I've evaluated all of the above and a couple of more.

    I didn't get it to work as supposed,.it simply didn't save any screenshots. But it's probably the most lightweight for video recording, doesn't add watermarks, has no tiny length restrictions and it's for free! -> http://sourceforge.net/projects/taksi/

    Didn't try Bandicam, didn't try Fraps because I wanted something as lightweigt as possible for screenshots. I've tried Fraps a couple of years ago but decided for Camtasia which ran better and has more features. The choice of video recording tools probably very much depends on the use-case and setup of the system.


    Indeed it doesn't work with EU to the extent I was looking for (press one key and forget). For almost every other screen capturing occasion it's probably top-notch but also quite expensive

    Works of course but I was looking for something that saves the "paste into" part. Having that done automatically is quite helpful for stuff like http://www.entropiaplanets.com/wiki/Calypso_Gateway ...

    All the other tools I've tried didn't work either. None of them capture the active window on pressing a single key and autosave at the same time. Clicking buttons in a overlay and autosave works in most of them as well as pressing a single key to copy to clipboard.

    However these are recommended: Greenshot, alternatively IrfanView if you need image organizing, viewing and optimization capabilities in addition, alternatively PicPick if you need basic image editing capabilities in addition.

    Still looking for improvements but here is my...


    Current Solution


    Quick docu screenshots

    For simple autosaving of screenshots while playing EU by pressing one single button: Clipboard Saver. It's not a screen capturing tool but a lightweight clipboard manager that can be configured to autosave images as soon as they are copied to the clipboard which is what "Alt+Print" does. Unfortunately it doesn't support saving as png.


    High-quality screenshots:

    "Alt+Print" + Adobe Photoshop. No alternative.


    Further simple editing

    Re-sizing, cropping, ...: GIMP


    Further advanced editing

    Applying filters, layers, batch processing, ...: Adobe Photoshop. No alternative


    Compressing for web

    For jpeg which usually result in smaller file sizes for game screenshots with 3D environments, shading, ...: RIOT

    For png which usually result in smaller file sizes for interface & website screenshots with a limited range of colors, shapes, ...: PNGOUT
     
    • Informative Informative x 1
  9. MindStar9

    MindStar9 Floating in Space

    So FRAPS is not an option? ... the registered (paid) version allows you to set things up for single-key use and also to auto-save in whatever folder you create (photos and/or video footage) as png or jpeg, etc.

    I find it's the most convenient and efficient to use, and I've also used Irfanview for years.

    I hope you get it sorted, unless you already have and I missed it. :biggrin:
     
  10. narfi

    narfi Lost

    I have only ever used the EntropiaLife, formerly EntropiaTracker client, and XandraX, both of which were made specifically for taking screenshots of Entropia.
     
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  11. Strange, because I've used Taksi for years - the key for taking screenshots is F9, so don't know why this didn't work for you. One possible reason is, that running the EU client sometimes (very rarely) interferes with Taksi when updates and patches are downloaded/installed, as I've sometimes discovered, but generally it works ok...
     
  12. Wistrel

    Wistrel Kick Ass Elf

    Does he make the source code available?
     
  13. Tass

    Tass Administrator

    For capturing videos I'd consider FRAPS. But even there it depends. FRAPS is definitely popular among gamers but the stuff gamers produce is mostly showing off and video commentaries. If, for example, you want to produce good tutorial videos beyond just recording the screen and voice over "uh, you click here and then... there" you might want to consider tools like Camtasia Studio that offer featues that FRAPS doesn't have, for example zoom in on the mouse pointer which can even be handy for the "uh, you click here and then... there" stuff. But then again, if you want to produce really elaborated video content you probably just want to capture the screen and edit the material later using professional tools like After Effects for effects, overlays, split screens, voice over, ...

    So it very much depends on what you want to do, and at this time I wanted to take screenshots and have them automatically saved in a folder by pressing one single button, with a tool eating as less resources as possible, load them into a lightweight editor and save them optimized for web using a good compressor.

    My current solution is in the post above.

    And here's an example, "taken" with Clipboard Saver, edited with GIMP, optimized for web by RIOT to 401KB.

    Entropia Universe - Viewport, dashboard, and desktop icons.jpg


    For comparison the unoptimized PNG which is 2.653 KB:

    Entropia Universe - Viewport, dashboard, and desktop icons.png


    And in the end the image is supposed to go into this guide: http://www.entropiaplanets.com/wiki/Viewport,_dashboard_and_desktop_icons
     
    Last edited: Jun 19, 2013
    • Like Like x 1
  14. I've been using Overwolf, I just created a thread about it (before seeing this thread)
     
  15. leeloo

    leeloo cOloRmAnIaC

    perfect thread for me as I just got a new computer and setting up everything atm and just now looking for a screenshot tool and graphics tool. was using paint shop pro for years, but am open to other suggestions?

    for the moment I have installed entropia tracker for screenshots, it has that "integrate with printscreen" option and will safe your screen in a date folder anytime you press printscreen.

    but should try / have a look at fraps it seems.
    ty for all the tips

    oh can it take screenshots as well? you didnt wrote that in the thread.
     
  16. Hi,

    I'm using this one from Dandy. Guess it's what you're looking for.

    - should work properly with EU: Yes

    - not specifically for EU because I want to use it for other things too: Yes, I use it as universal screen grabber and never had any problems with it. Since years.

    - should support taking and automatically saving screenshots by pressing a single button only: Yes, it also automatically makes global screenshots for you, your team, and even other avatars/ teams of your choice.

    - should support capturing the active window only: Yes

    - should support including the mouse button: Yes

    - should be 'lightweight': 878 KB in download, ~ 3MB RAM usage on my Win7-64 (when active, in "sleep mode" only ~1.5 MB RAM)

    Additionally:
    • 32 and 64bit versions available;
    • highly configurable, even if runs great out-of-the-box;
    • well supported (on PFC :/)
    And it has a silly name ;-)))

    Have fun!
     
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  17. Hi,
    Ooops, didn't read this :/

    Well, for simple graphic jobs (like editing/ optimizing screenshots) I'm using XnView (Link to site) since many years.
    It's basically a quite mighty picture viewer/ browser/ converter, expandable with photoshop plugins. It features some basic "paint options" too (the add-on is not included in the minimal version).

    Pro:
    • it features an insane amount of useful options
    • it reads and writes almost any gfx file format
    • it's very good at modifying/ optimizing existing picts
    • available in many languages and for almost any platform
      (check for the XnView MP project, too)
    • it has good support
    • it's free for non-commercial use
    • and it's very fast and reliable.
    Con:
    • due to the insane amount of options some of them are hard to find ;-)
    • only basic paint options (text, circles, squares, lines, arrows)
    • the screen shot option doesn't work this well ...
    • not open source
    Hope I could help :)

    Have fun!
     
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  18. leeloo

    leeloo cOloRmAnIaC

    Thank you! will definatly have a look onto XnView!
    I also tried XandraX and ET screenshot options yesterday and was not too please by both... both do deliver black screens when playing in Full Screen Mode :(
    ET was not "working" while EU was off, so it is not useful for any other screenshots
     
  19. leeloo

    leeloo cOloRmAnIaC

    yay, fixed the issue with ET/XandraX and the black screen in full screen mode, that is working now, I run EU in Windows7 Mode now, and that helped. plus installed Overwolf which can use quite well for screenshots when not in hurry (as I didnt get hotkey to work) , but will be very handy for notes, calculator and other little apps that you can configure.. XNView will be next :)
     
  20. leeloo

    leeloo cOloRmAnIaC

    XNView is awesome, thx a lot for the recommendation!
     
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