Discussion on:

Five FireFox Add-ons for taking Web page screenshots

In a recent TR Dojo blog post, I highlight five free Firefox Add-ons that let you take, edit, and even share screenshots of a Web page.

Original post and screenshots of the Add-ons:
http://blogs.techrepublic.com.com/itdojo/?p=1719

They five are:
Screengrab
FireShot
Pixlr Grabber
Screen Capture Elite
Pearl Crescent Page Saver Basic

Do you use any of these Firefox Add-ons to capture Web page screenshots? If so, which is your favorite? If not, what other Add-on do you use?

I've been using Pearl Crescent Page Saver Basic for more than 3 years. Never needed other features. For editing, I like the Picnik features.

I would also like to know the same options - if there's any available - for Google Chrome browser.

Web page screenshot will capture images using Google Chrome

Hi,
Why use and add on when a good standard piece of screen grab software can do the job? I use ScreenHunter Free edition (avaialable at http://wisdom-soft.com/products/screenhunter_free.htm). You define a hot key and how it is to behave. I have it set for a rectangular area. When you want a screen grab you press the hot key and then draw a rectangle around exactly which part of the screen you want to capture. It can save to file or clipboard or both. No worries about what browser or app you are running. It is only for Windows so does have that limitation.
Chris

1. The application may not be able to capture the entire Web page--the portion not show on the screen.

2. No need to start a third-party application. There are many times I just need a quick shot of a Web site and don't want to start a separate application. I also try to limit the number of applications that load on start up, so I only load my screen capture application when I need it.

I happen to agree with you. There are situations were a FireFox add-on may be useful. But, I really don't want to use a screen capture/edit tool that is restricted to a single browser. I have used SnagIt from TechSmith (http://www.techsmith.com/screen-capture.asp) for several years and it provides many featuree that way go beyond any of these add-ons.

Dr. David K. Patterson

Click the PrtScrn button, open Paint, edit then paste. Windows 7 users, open Paint then paste, or just use snipping tool.

If one wants just a portion of the page, then this is a good idea - I usually use this to do my captures. But to put the required bit in the context of the page, then this option requires "stitching", or another piece of software. Or just "print" the page as a pdf file.

I never even bothered using any sort of screen capture tool for Firefox. For XP and older, I use Lightscreen, and for Vista/7 I use the clipping tool.

If you want to just grab part of a webpage, reduce the size of the window, then hold down the Alt key and press the PrtScrn key. I also set up my Paint program so that I can open it with Ctrl+Alt+P (Put a shortcut to Paint on your desktop, and in the Properties, put in whatever hot key you want). So it's super easy and fast and free. Don't know why anyone with an Windows OS would want to go to the hassle of an add-on

are both installed on my computer. I can't make up my mind as to which I prefer. I tend to use Screengrab, launched from the context menu. But I like the toolbar button that is available for Pearl CPSB, and it makes an interesting sound (if old-fashioned) of a camera shutter-click, plus the sound of an automatic film frame advance, when it takes the "snapshot".

Bill,

An excellent article about Firefox add-ins. Even though I don't personally use any of these screen capture - but they seem fine. I'm a long time user of the TechSmith SnagIt tool (excellent features and easy to use).

I do use several other FireFox add-ins that help with web development, as well as accessibility/usability validation. These include the following:

- Firebug (V1.5.2)
Firebug integrates with Firefox to put a wealth of development tools at your fingertips while you browse. You can edit, debug, and monitor CSS, HTML, and JavaScript live in any web page...

- Web Developer (V1.1.8)
The Web Developer extension adds a menu and a toolbar with various web developer tools.

Html Validator (V0.8.6.1)
HTML Validator is a Mozilla extension that adds HTML validation inside Firefox and Mozilla. The number of errors of a HTML page is seen on the form of an icon in the status bar when browsing.

- Firefox Accessibility Extension (V1.5.58.0)
Support web developers and people with disabilities in accessing and testing web resources for accessibility features.

It might be interesting to have an article how these Firefox tools are used in web development and validation.

Dr. David K. Patterson

Thanks for sharing this list of add-ons. I hope others will follow your lead.

On a side note, I have also used TechSmith's Snagit for many years. It's the best Windows screenshot application that I have found. I've also been using the Snagit Beta on my Mac for several months. The beta works, but there are several noticeable bugs and some of the functionality hasn't been ported over from the Windows version. I hope the final OS X version will be a Mac extension of the Windows version.

I've used Fireshot and Screengrab.

Screengrab is my personal favorite.

Using Screengrab with Fox 3.63 Ubuntu. Works pretty simply, for what I need.

which add-on will capture the screen of a pop-up window with no menu bar? e.g. a windows message window

I think that you need to use a standalone display monitor screen-capture utility. I don't have one (and use Windows XP), so I use Shift-PrtSc to capture the pop-up and everything else that is displayed, then run MS Paint. Its Edit menu has a "paste" function which will show that it can be used immediately, since there is a screenshot on the Windows clipboard. Then just save the file with a .JPG extension. Of course, you can add comments or otherwise edit the screenshot before you save it.

look at the free Snippy program
http://www.bhelpuri.net/Snippy/

Works on visible window, rectangular or free form, and saves as a jpeg.

XP and Win 7 without Aero

I use SnagIt for all of my screen capturing needs and it does a fine job on webpages. You can even capture the links.

Doesn't the print screen button on the keyboard do the same thing?

but in XP(for me anyway), I've had to open wordpad PRIOR to pushing the prt-scr key.

Come to think of it - either way you have to open some other application to save the screen shot; so I'm not sure what the difference would be other than having links that actually work, and maybe only saving the page that is open. That is enough to be worth having the add-on.

To take a Windows XP screenshot, I use Shift+PrtSc to capture the entire content of the display monitor screen on the Windows clipboard.

Then I run MS Paint and use its Edit > Paste function to paste the contents of the Windows clipboard to the MS Paint workspace. Of course, I can use its features to annotate and edit the screenshot as needed, then use File > Save As to record the results in a file that I name and end with the .JPG extension.

These are perfect for documenting software bugs, and for capturing error message dialogs whether from Windows XP or from a running application.

Sometimes, though, the user might want to edit the screenshot to protect their privacy, e.g. by erasing something that is displayed.

And there are other screenshot capture-and-edit utilities as well as MS Paint, but MS Paint comes with the Windows XP OS.

I rarely require live links when capturing screen shots. Usually, I am documenting a process or error. I capture the screen using the 'print Screen' key and paste the screen shot into Irfanview (a free application). Irfanview allows me to cut a portion of the screen and annotate it to highlight special interest items, enter commentary, etc.

There are as many ways to get these things done as there are people doing it. I simply relay my particular preference. Windows paint works, snagit (not free) works, and I'm sure these five apps can do it too. Nice review.

Once IrfanView is opened and the first capture completed, ctrl+f11 activates the capture aspect again, provided the app is still open. But it suffers the same way as using PrintScreen (or alt+printscreen) then MSPaint. Only part of the page (the bit you want) is captured. The whole page isn't captured using these methods.

but I haven't had to worry about the size of the file, so I can see why folks like paint, for compression and editing.

I always send the entire Wordpad document, and anyone can open them just as well. Email, is pretty compatible with large files now days.

Thanks for the input!

to store the Print Screen output is something that never occurred to me to do.

.JPG images sent attached to an e-mail are usually displayed following the main body of the message by the recipient's e-mail client (if they are using one such as Outlook or Thunderbird). So they do not need MS Paint or another program to view them.

and you will come "full circle" with your last comment: "Only part of the page (the bit you want) is captured. The whole page isn't captured using these methods."

That is correct. However, in my experience, Firefox add-ons, such as Screengrab, will only capture the web page that Firefox is currently displaying. They will not capture a Windows OS dialog or an error message that is displayed by a program -- these are seen by the user as superimposed upon the output that Firefox is displaying. For an image that contains them, you need to make a "screenshot."

I never was a keyboard shortcut wizard! =D

Aviary is a nice one too, if someone hasn't mentioned that already. http://aviary.com/capture It's got a Google Chrome extension too.

why is there add ons pop up and target you

Check my post of 13 top Firefox addons for web developers

http://sepidweb.ir/englishblog/post/2010/08/11/13-Top-Firefox-Addons-for-web-developers.aspx

Thanks Bill, due to the frequent Firefox updates, the version at the AMO webpage is not always up to date.

The latest FireShot Capture + Annotate build can be downloaded from the FireShot's home web page: http://screenshot-program.com/fireshot