Kudos for the best square (or any aspect ratio) solution ever

[JosephSh]

I've been hunting for a screen capture tool that would allow easy/fast grabbing of square croppings of larger images my clients draw. I needed to:

• Draw a square capture area.
• Change its size on the fly.
• Move it around before grabbing the clip, to get just the right positioning.
• Grab it and save to both clipboard and a file.

Screenshot Captor does the job admirably. I set an average-size square capture area in Options/Favorites in the first position. I press my hotkey for Grab Selected Region, press 1 to set my square aspect ratio, press Alt and continue to move the mouse pointer to adjust the size, center the square, and click the mouse key to capture it. Then use the Pop-Up Choice Dialog to save to clipboard and file. Smooth, fast, easy. No other solution I've found does this so elegantly.

One question: Is there a way to automatically send the capture to clipboard while retaining the ability to save it to file? I thought I saw an option like that but can't find it now. For now, clicking the button on the Pop-Up Choice Dialog does it, but maybe there's a way to have it be automatic?

Thanks to @mouser for tipping me off to this feature!!

[mouser]

Thanks for posting Joseph (and thanks for you donation!).

I'm glad you are finding the new preset-size hotkeys useful. 

One question: Is there a way to automatically send the capture to clipboard while retaining the ability to save it to file? I thought I saw an option like that but can't find it now. For now, clicking the button on the Pop-Up Choice Dialog does it, but maybe there's a way to have it be automatic?

The most efficient way to use SC for many of us is to turn off the pop-up post-capture dialog, and instead tell SC to stay minimized after capturing.  Then enable the option to always copy each new capture to the clipboard.  All captures are saved to file by default.  That's how I use SC.

[JosephSh]

Thanks mouser,

Here's my challenge. Let's see if there's a more efficient flow to get there. I need the capture sent to the clipboard, plus I need to give the file a unique name that depends on the original image. There's no way to automate the naming. Finally, I use Irfanview Thumbnails to create 100px thumbs for the captures.

Possibly I could leave the folder open in File Explorer and just rename the automatically saved files there, but that seems clunky.

Any suggestions? Any way to go directly to the thumb inside Screenshot Captor?

(Perspective: these are niggling issues. The current workflow using the post-capture dialog is plenty good.)

[mouser]

I need to give the file a unique name that depends on the original image. There's no way to automate the naming.

Ok for this you probably need to use the post-capture dialog.  Though note that there are some tweak options you can set to make that easier -- like making the dialog start with focus in the "Override filename" field -- I'm not sure if you are using that feature or using the "Save image as.." function.  The former is quicker.  You should be able to just type the name into that field and hit enter and be done (having it copy the image to the clipboard automatically after that).

You can also use the Thumbnail button to quickly make a thumbnail of your target size.  First use the thumbnail dialog via main menu File -> Create thumbnail and set the option you want.  After that you can just hit the Thumbnail button on the main toolbar.

If you need to make a thumbnail automatically after EVERY capture, you could use an external commandline tool for that and configure it to run after every capture, on the "Post-Capture Options" tab.

[JosephSh]

OK, yes, I think using the "Override filename" field to save the file will work best, thanks. A couple things:

1. When the post-capture dialog appears, the focus remains on whatever window was active before the capture was triggered. I have to click the dialog to make it the focus. So the option to start with focus in the "Override filename" field doesn't accomplish the efficiency it might. Maybe that's by design. Possibly an options choice?

2. I move my workspace from one folder to another in the course of a day. When I'm first saving a capture into a new folder, I'll need to do a "Save image as" to set the active file path. But to confirm that I've done that it would be nice to have a small display of the currently active file path, maybe directly under or over the "Override filename" field.

For thumbs, my protocol is to save them into a different folder to avoid clutter in the main images folder. Looks like it'll be easier to keep using Irfanview for these, but it's nice to know the feature is there if needed!

BTW, thanks for your awesome support on this!

[mouser]

When the post-capture dialog appears, the focus remains on whatever window was active before the capture was triggered.

Hmm, that shouldn't happen.  Is it true for every app or are there some that are stealing focus.

2. I move my workspace from one folder to another in the course of a day. When I'm first saving a capture into a new folder, I'll need to do a "Save image as" to set the active file path.

That won't work -- when you do a Save As it does not change the default screenshot folder.  And when you use the Overide filename field in the post-capture dialog and hit enter, it always goes into the current default screenshot folder.  You'll have to open the main interface if you want to change the current default folder.

[JosephSh]

For the first/focus issue:

When I use a hotkey to trigger a capture, then press a numeral to select a pre-defined area, then give the left mouse button a single click to capture, the focus stays on whatever application had the focus in the first place. This is true whether using MindManager, Chrome, Irfanview, or even the desktop with all apps minimized.

Here's the tricky part: This only happens when I am capturing an area within the active application. If Chrome is active, for example, but not full screen, and I place my cursor over the empty desktop beside it, and capture an area not including Chrome, the focus does shift to the capture dialog. Same actions, however, with the cursor over the active application and the capture within that window, and the focus remains on the active app.

If I do an area capture with a click and drag, there is no problem. The focus moves to the capture dialog.

***

For the Save issue: Looks like my original strategy will be best: Click the Save to Clipboard button (setting it to default to saving the image), and do a Save As. The Save As does keep consistent in the folder it uses, so once I change it, it stays.

***
Hoping this winds up being helpful!

[mouser]

When I use a hotkey to trigger a capture, then press a numeral to select a pre-defined area, then give the left mouse button a single click to capture, the focus stays on whatever application had the focus in the first place. This is true whether using MindManager, Chrome, Irfanview, or even the desktop with all apps minimized.

Ok, that sounds like a bug then, because when the post-capture dialog pops up, it should assume focus.  I will look into it.

[JosephSh]

Cool.
 

[cranioscopical]

Oops