mdc@spt.entity.com (Marty Connor) (01/25/90)
Hello World!
I sent out a question last week about screen capture programs for the
Mac that could work during pull-down menu operation. I didn't get any
replies, so I did some offline research, and wanted to post a summary
in any case as I said I would.
First stop SuMeX (note studly[tm] KapItaLiZatIon)
I checked SUMEX, and got everything I could find there on screen
capture.
The CAMERA DA didn't work under 6.0.3. I was able to get it to work
under 4.1, and luckily the software I was documenting at the time was
able to run under. It was a royal pain, and the author didn't leave
an address to write about an upgrade... Now remember that all ye
aspiring sw authors...
SCREENSNAP doesn't do menu bars, but is an all-around nice
screensaver. It is for use under Multi-Finder though. Shareware $11.
I think it's a good deal if that's what you want. Very polished an
professional. Give these guys your business.
Marty says "check it out..."
SCREEN-TO-CLIP is nice in that it puts your screen selection in
clipboard for immediate pasting into documents. Very slick very
quick. FREEWARE?? (wham-bam-thank-you-ma'am).
There was one other program called screendump or something that didn't
seem to work well under 6.0.3. I deleted it from my HD, and enjoyed
the act.
Next Stop BOSTON COMPUTER SOCIETY, MAC SECTION, SOMERVILLE, MA
I had a little more success here. There is an INIT called MENUPICTURE
that does one thing, but does it well. It enables screen dumps via
FKEYs while menus are being held down. It works under 6.0.3, but NOT
UNDER MULTI-FINDER.
There is another program called SNAPSHOT that claimed to dothe thing
where you run the DA, set a delay time, and then at the appointed time
it snaps a picture of the screen. I didn't bother getting it because
the description said it was CRIPPLEWARE. I don't like to get
crippleware unless I have time to disassemble it and "fix" the
brain-damage of only working so many times or whatever.
<<Candle ON, soapbox-mode>>
I think crippleware should be right down at the bottom of the priority
queue with Commercial Demos. Shareware authors are trusting people to
do the right thing, and deserve better bandwidth. Crippleware authors
are basically distrusting from the start and using the net to tease
people. Programs that stop working after 8 times SUCK. Programs that
write corrupted files BLOW. And if I get pissed enough I'll
dissassemble them and find where the author has crippled them, and see
if I can heal them. One person's opinion. Good enough reason to get
MacNosy and TMON and MacsBug. Self defense against CrippleWare Expense.
<<Candle OFF, end-soapbox-mode>>
Well, (to those still with me), at this point I turned to the
commercial sector for some relief.
The two commercial programs that were recommended were CAPTURE and
EXPOSURE.
I called Preferred Publishers, the makers of EXPOSURE, and they told
me that yes they did menus, color, and everything else I could want.
I didn't ask about invisible cursor mode. I will trust the 60 day
Money-back-guarantee from MacConnection for that.
A friend told me that CAPTURE was good, but that one had draw the
cursor in manually after the picture was taken. I didn't call the
publisher on this one.
So I ordered EXPOSURE for $54 from MacConnection. It's a small price
for the software plus support plus a nice manual (with great screen
shots I'll bet!). It's backordered at MacConnection and
Kerry's-Bimbo-Hut (aka MacWhareHouse). [[It was a JOKE, got it, a
JOKE!!!!]]. (and what if it wasn't... this isn't a.s.b, y'know).
Feel free to call me or send mail if you have questions or comments.
I can be very friendly...
Your Dominant Master/Humble Servant/Bestest Pal/Stauchest Critic,
(and I mean that sincerely...)
--
Marty Connor, Marty's Computer Workshop, "Specializing in Macintosh Training"
126 Inman Street, Cambridge, MA 02139; (617) 491-6935
mdc@entity.com, or ...{harvard|uunet}!mit-eddie!spt!mdctruesdel@ics.uci.edu (Scott Truesdell) (02/13/90)
I have recently purchased "Exposure" by Preferred Publishers from MacConnection and I think it is the hottest screen capture utility in the known universe. You can save in 11 preset formats as well as add your own formats. It basically works like this: you invoke anytime, anywhere, with a key combination you specify with the cdev. At that time the entire screen becomes a color painting. There is an Exposure floating palette with many color paint tools and several unique tools optimized for screen capture. Your original shot has no cursor, but there is a "stamp" tool with a wide selection of cursors that you can "stamp" wherever you want. Weak points: color picker is tiny and too sensative. Some tools are a little cumbersome (e.g. FatBits). But I say, if this tool doesn't do exactly what you want, save your screen as a PICT and open it in Studio/8. I am majorly impressed by this software. I run a million conflicting INITs, MultiFinder, ill-behaved applications, the whole mess, and so far it has never so much as burped. Once again, I am impressed. "Capture" by Mainstay is ok, but, really, it doesn't even come close. --scott CLAIMER: I speak for everybody :-O -- Scott Truesdell