Screenshot

Taking a screenshot (german [' Skri nʃɔt ː ]; well screenshot, screen capture, formerly Screenshot or hardcopy ) is understood in the computer or storing the output of the current graphics screen content or part of it as raster graphics. The saved graph itself is also called screenshot or screenshot. The saving is typically conducted in a file or the clipboard. A screenshot can also be output directly to a connected printer. It is therefore not at a screenshot to the photograph of a screen using a camera, which is also possible. However, some screen images may raise copyright issues. Any use is often not possible due to licensing reasons.

The term screenshot does not limit this only to the screen copy of a computer. Also the expression of the display of a measuring instrument (eg an oscilloscope or a spectrum analyzer ) is called the screenshot. Previously such images were actually created by photographing the monitor. This process occurs even today, for example, a screenshot of the BIOS to create (especially from POST) or a blue screen. There were special camera mounts that prevented scattered light simultaneously.

Benefits for the user

Screenshots are used:

• Documentation for error
• To copy images from programs that you can not help save
• For easy demonstration of programs, eg for advertising
• To assist in the use of programs
• As evidence pictures of game scores achieved in computer games, but this is relatively easy to fake
• For pixel- accurate measurement of sizes, distances, etc., especially in the design of user interfaces or web pages

Creation

Most operating systems provide ways to create screenshots. In addition, many primarily intended for image editing programs such as GIMP or ImageMagick, features for creating screenshots included.

Under Windows and under KDE and Gnome screenshots can be created simply by pressing the pushbutton (Print, Print Screen, Print Scrn Prt Sc or ). On some notebooks, where the "Insert" ( Ins) and " pressure " on the same key are occupied, the button must be pressed and held down Fn before addition. In this case, an image of the entire screen is always placed in the clipboard, from where it can then be read into most image processing programs ( open on Windows, such as Microsoft Paint and the cached screenshot by clicking on the right mouse button and select " Paste", or using the key combination Ctrl - V to copy the program ). In addition, you can put with the key combination Alt- Print the currently active window as a graphic to the clipboard, however, the entire desktop with Ctrl - pressure.

Since Windows Vista, the program included with Windows Snipping Tool simplifies the creation of screenshots, as hereby marked parts of the screen and can be saved as an image file directly.

In Windows 8 tablet PCs, a screenshot by pressing and holding the Windows button ( below the screen ) and volume - reduce - button be triggered in mobile phones with Windows 8 by pressing and holding the Windows button and the power button.

Modern GUIs such as Xgl or Windows Aero allow for the transparency of windows. Therefore, some screen capture programs provide the ability to hide the backgrounded elements in the screenshot that would otherwise show through behind the desired display area.

On Linux and other Unix-like operating systems it is possible to simply read or copy the contents of the corresponding screen device file ( framebuffer). Examples:

# Under Linux with monitors / dev / fb: cat / dev/fb1 > / tmp/screenshot01 # or dd if = / dev/fb0 of = / tmp/screenshot01   # The command cp / dev/fb0 / tmp/screenshot01 # May be copied instead of the content of the inode of the file monitor. However, this method has the disadvantage that the screenshot created exists without file header - information on resolution and color depth are not saved - and the file can not be read by any image editing software. In addition, there can be problems when an application at the same time as the X Window System uses the framebuffer.

In Mac OS X screenshots can be generated either by explicit start of the screenshot program or with the key combination cmd -shift -3 (full screen ) or cmd -shift -4 (rectangular portion of a screen, with the mouse " raised "). If after cmd -shift -4 the spacebar, you can choose a single window and "photograph ". The image files are by default as image files in PDF format ( prior to version 10.4) or PNG format (from 10.4) placed on the desk; with the help of additional programs, the file format is also selectable. Alternatively, you can copy the screenshot to the clipboard; this is done with the keyboard shortcut cmd - Shift -Ctrl -3 (full screen ) or cmd - Shift -Ctrl -4 (part of the screen). Starting with Mac OS X 10.5 " Leopard", the selected rectangle to take pictures using the Shift, Space & the Alt key can be moved or resized. The screenshot functionality is disabled by default by Apple when the DVD player is running. In older models, the Mac keyboards, the Command key is marked as ⌘ cmd.

Software

For the creation of screenshots, special programs can be used, such as IrfanView, Shotty, Snagit, GreenShot, Hardcopy, Simple screenshot, Hypersnap, Screenshot Captor, etc. Since Windows Vista is by default the Windows Snipping Tool program available. These programs often also offer other functions such as record only certain areas of the screen, for example. The KDE Software Compilation contains the program KSnapshot, which also provides various functions for creating screenshots.

Value as evidence in legal proceedings

The Hamburg Regional Court (8th Civil Division ) was expressed in a method of the Sony BMG on 14 March 2008 ( reference number 308 O 76/ 07) the probative value of self-made screenshots and held them as evidence for the Provision of sound recordings not sufficient ( " Those of the company proMedia GmbH self-made prints are [ ... ] no suitable evidence for the proper conduct of the investigation. ").

The District Court of Frankenthal has held (reference 6 O 312/ 08) a screenshot for a sufficient proof of the content shown, however, on 17 February 2009: " Although the plaintiff with the presentation of the screenshots [ ... ] is sufficiently demonstrated that the defendant [ ... ] on eBay a ladies tank top is offered with the name [ ... ]. "the plaintiff in this proceeding was subject only because he had been due to other evidence put forward by his assertions.

Print production

Screenshots are due to the system before as RGB data. When converting to CMYK for print production, such as in offset printing, are some peculiarities ( resolution, color separation and font smoothing, in particular the sub-pixel rendering) to be observed.