Screen capture image markup tool rec?

Kompkamp · 5 Jun 2011, 14:38

I'm making a book about SketchUp and I need a screen capture program (Only images are required) that can also capture the cursors, since SketchUp has a lot of tools/cursors. All of the programs you recommended don't capture the cursor. The only way I see is that I make a short video, because it captures the cursor, and just make an image out of that, but that takes too long, and seems impractical
Is there any program that also captures the cursor?

Thanks in advance.

Gaieus · 5 Jun 2011, 15:02

Hi Rada, I was already trying to suggest FastStone image capture but then it seems to be Windows only and you are on a Mac.
http://www.faststone.org/FSCaptureDetail.htm

Sorry but I have no idea what to suggest then. Here is a never ending topic of Mayor Mike about "useful Mac applications":
http://forums.sketchucation.com/viewtopic.php?f=72&t=6369
maybe you will find something...

Kompkamp · 5 Jun 2011, 15:10

Thank you Gaieus!
I will make an image capture on Windows, as my book will be for most users who are on WinOS...
and first of all, the book will be for kids in Computer Camp.

Thanks so much!

Rich O Brien · 5 Jun 2011, 15:17

Picpick is my new favourite

Gaieus · 5 Jun 2011, 15:37

When you are at it... FastStone is pretty good because you can have snapshot delay. This is extremely important as you will set up a shortcut key (like PrintScreen) but when you are holding the Shift and/or Ctrl keys for instance (think about modification keys for the Scale tool), the "new" key combination does not work. So set up a 1-2 sec delay, press the Print Screen button and quickly go to modelling. It will capture all the cursors, additional cursor info, tooltips everything like in this post:
http://forums.sketchucation.com/viewtopic.php?p=333227#p333227

FastStone also has a nice and easy image viewer with some basic editing capabilities like cropping and markup tools for text and arrows and such. Don't forget to check that out, too. That is completely freeware (this capture seems to be shareware only...)

Rich: that also looks nice. Also is not really expensive if you are thinking of the commercial version. However that's also Win only (but seems like Rada has access to Windows machines, too).

jeff hammond · 5 Jun 2011, 15:48

@kompkamp said:

I'm making a book about SketchUp and I need a screen capture program (Only images are required) that can also capture the cursors, since SketchUp has a lot of tools/cursors. All of the programs you recommended don't capture the cursor. The only way I see is that I make a short video, because it captures the cursor, and just make an image out of that, but that takes too long, and seems impractical
Is there any program that also captures the cursor?

Thanks in advance.

Since you're on a Mac, try using Grab. It's in your applications/utilities folder. It will allow you to capture a cursor and even customize what the cursor should look like.

I've never tried it for a sketchup screen capture but it should work if you set the timer? say, 5-10 seconds then switch to SU and put the cursor where you want it.

(I'm on a bus right now so I can't try it myself. I'll mess with it later though. )

Edit-- meh. Nevermind. I now read the rest of the thread

Kompkamp · 5 Jun 2011, 17:00

@unknownuser said:

Picpick is my new favourite

Thanks Rich, it looks very useful , cute app

I couldn't find any useful app for capturing the cursor with GS tool for Mac , so I am going to use Windows for image capturing.

Kompkamp · 5 Jun 2011, 17:42

@gaieus said:

When you are at it... FastStone is pretty good because you can have snapshot delay. This is extremely important as you will set up a shortcut key (like PrintScreen) but when you are holding the Shift and/or Ctrl keys for instance (think about modification keys for the Scale tool), the "new" key combination does not work. So set up a 1-2 sec delay, press the Print Screen button and quickly go to modelling. It will capture all the cursors, additional cursor info, tooltips everything like in this post:
http://forums.sketchucation.com/viewtopic.php?p=333227#p333227
......

It seems we're not on the same page. What I'm looking for, is the mouse pointer (it changes when you select different tools) I need this because I want the people who are reading my book to know where I'm clicking, and where my mouse pointer is. I hope I made things more clear. Sorry about the confusion. I included some images that presents what I want to capture (I made a movie, it captures mouse pointers, and I made an image out of that).

FastStone doesn't capture mouse point

Gaieus · 5 Jun 2011, 22:24

Please, attach the images below the text area you are writing. PB does not allow to see them correctly but embeds them into some frames all the time and is also extremely slow...

Anyway, I could see the PushPull tool as well as the Tape measure tool there. They are the cursor icons when you are modelling, aren't they?

If this is not what you need, I am also confused, sorry.

Jim · 6 Jun 2011, 07:47

You may need to enable the "Include Mouse Pointer" option in the Settings of FastStone Capture.

Gaieus · 6 Jun 2011, 07:59

Maybe (I have been using it for too long) but then, Jim, how come that I can indeed see those icons?

Edit: indeed, under the "Source" tab, there is an option (I could not make a screen grab of it as it was not active when I checked)

Kompkamp · 17 Jun 2011, 20:35

@gaieus said:

Please, attach the images below the text area you are writing. PB does not allow to see them correctly but embeds them into some frames all the time and is also extremely slow...

Anyway, I could see the PushPull tool as well as the Tape measure tool there. They are the cursor icons when you are modelling, aren't they?

If this is not what you need, I am also confused, sorry.

Yes, that is exatcly what I need. What software did you use to take that screenshot?

Also, I checked in the setting of faststone, and I didn't find any option to "enable mouse cursor".

Gaieus · 18 Jun 2011, 04:41

@kompkamp said:

Also, I checked in the setting of faststone, and I didn't find any option to "enable mouse cursor".

It's under the "Source" tab on the left. If you click there, at the bottom there is an "enable mouse cursor" checkbox (I cannot take a screenshot of this when that panel is open).

Kompkamp · 18 Jun 2011, 13:57

Thank you very much Jim and Gaieus !

It was my mistake - I downloaded FastStone image viewer instead of Fast Stone Capture
and was looking in the settings for "Include Mouse Pointer" almost got frustrated

I have what I need, thanks so much!