[Wrao]

When I take a screenshot with CMD+SHIFT+4, it creates a MASSIVE .pdf on my desktop. Same if I use +5

I have two questions, 1) can I change that setting so that it doesn't create such an incredibly huge .pdf and 2) how do I change the location of where the screenshot goes?

[MacUsers]

Try using Grab in the Utilities folder instead. You choose the location and compression there.

[Wrao]

can I set grab to work from CMD+shift+4/5?

[Defiant]

• To take a picture of the whole screen, press Command-Shift-3.
  
• To take a picture of part of the screen, press Command-Shift-4, then drag to select the area you want in the picture.
  
• To take a picture of a window, the menu bar, the Dock, or other area, press Command-Shift-4, then press the Space bar. Move the pointer over the area you want so that it's highlighted, then click. (If you decide you want to drag to select the area, press the Space bar again.)
  
• If you press Command-Shift-4 and decide you don't want to take the screen shot, press the Escape key.
  
• Screen shots are saved as PDF files on the desktop. If you want to put the screen shot in the Clipboard, rather than create a file, hold down the Control key when you press the other keys. You can then paste the picture into a document.

From the Mac help.

[Wrao]

But that doesn't help , I knew all that already.

[thegelding]

you can open that massive pdf with preview, then export (not save or save as) as a jpeg...now it is a much smaller file and you can tell it where to be saved...then move pdf to trash


g

[Wrao]

Yeah, that's usually what I do, that or open it in graphic converter and shrink it. but that's still a lame step, I wish that I could just tell the screen capture to not do it at all.

[k squared]

How massive of a file are you talking about? My desktop screenshot (on a Titanium PB) is under 400kb.

[Wrao]

I meant massive in size. (pixels)

[MacUsers]

ooooh... I get it now. When I need to do that I just use Photoshop to resize them. I don't think you can do that using the commands or Grab.

[Wrao]

lame

[Luca]

A cheaper option than Photoshop is to use GraphicConverter instead. A trial version is available for free, and you can buy it for $35. It's a bit quirky but still nice, and if you buy it you'll get free upgrades for ten years without having to pay again.

[Wrao]

Graphic converter came with my powerbook(full version)

it's what I use for all my resizing(as I mentioned earlier in the thread

[MacUsers]

Originally Posted by Wrao lame

hehe... oh well

[FFL]

Hmm... I'd just crop and/or resize in Graphic Converter, and then export as JPEG (or GIF if the compression artifacts look sucky).

[Defiant]

Okay, my first post in this thread was to clear up the shortcuts to use. You have cmd-shift-5 in there, and that's not one which is accepted.

To your first question: No, that setting can't be changed. At least not when you use the keyboard shortcut. And I just made a screenshot of my screen, and the corresponding PDF is 1024*768 (like my screen) and 144 Kbyte. That's an okay size for me.

Second question: Nope. not with the shortcut.

You could use a different application to make screenshots, like with SnapzProX. Then you'd have all the customization you want. There's also a small app, called Kunvert, which converts pdf to jpeg on drag and drop.
Might give that a try.

[Defiant]

I just found an application which does screen captures, runs in the background, lets you customize a lot of things (output format for example), and is free:

SnapClip (scroll down)

Is this something for you?

[Moogs]

Eventually Apple will make their screen capture functionality more flexible, where you can change the file format, naming prefix and all that jazz in a preference pane. Oh and one day, Apple may see the wisdom of not using useless "PDF" icons and instead use thumbnails so you can see what it is you took a screenshot of if you go back later.

[Mac+]

^ now that would be good!

I sort of feel that Screen Capture is a bit lame when you compare it to freeware such as SnapClip listed above, for example. But Apple probably realise this and that is why they supply Graphic Converter with PowerBooks (and maybe the PowerMacs as well?).

I wonder what the company that makes Graphic Converter gets out of that deal?

[Defiant]

I've found yet another screenshot software: SnapNDrag. Outputs Jpeg, Png or Tiff.

[InactionMan]

I use QuickImage CM for resizing screenshots. It's not exactly the prettiest little app but it does the trick and you don't have to launch ram gobblers like photoshop to do a little task like resizing a screenshot.

It's a contextual menu item so you just have to command-click on the image and select View Image and the pic will open up in a window, giving you a few basic options for scaling, cropping and exporting.

Click me to go to website

[kafelatte]

My Favorite alt to Apple's various screenshot commands is FreeSnap...

But with OSX alone:

You can use ColorSync to "re-distill" those PDFs
When printing in Panther, under options, choose ColorSync, Quartz Filters, reduce file size. Create PDF.
You can also create more filters in the Utility for CS. (In sys prefs under Jaguar)

Also, in Preview, you can crop, export the PDF as JPG and other formats, with variable compression settings. Can't remember which of these Preview options I added by UGing to Quicktime Pro, but was happy to just get rid of the "why Upgrade" message!

And then of course in iPhoto, you can set a specific pixel height and depth, crop, export as a specific compression, etc.

who needs Photoshop!
Oh yeah, I DO. I wouldn't adjust color or brightness/contrast with ANYthing else. iPhoto needs to add Curves and Levels.