Capture My Screen

The Print Screen key used to dump data directly to the printer in the days of DOS. PrintNow (freeware from Gregory A. Wolking) revives this functionality within the Windows shell. MWSnap (free; mirekw.com) offers even more features. Without these types of add-ons, Print Screen simply sends a snapshot of your full screen to the clipboard (to be pasted into your favorite imaging app). Hold down ALT when you do it, and you’ll restrict this operation to grabbing the foreground window only. So, what happens when you need to capture movement? Do you painstakingly stitch individual cells together and export a single animated GIF that’s three times larger than the national debt? The hard drive manufacturers scream, “Yes!” I scream for ice cream, and for using software that’s better suited for recording digital motion.

One option is to download the free Microsoft Windows Media Encoder 9 Series. If you own a digital camcorder, this is a must have. With it I’ve done plenty of remote keynote presentations over nothing more than a regular broadband connection. There’s no easier way to broadcast and archive an A/V stream, easily switching among inputs on the fly. When you plan on using your face, as well as your cursor, this will fill the bill. Microsoft also offers Producer 2003 (free) for PowerPoint users. It’s best suited for professional presentation projects, but nobody is stopping you from using it to bore your relatives with slides from your summer vacation at Aunt Edna’s.

Rendersoft used to make a free little gem called CamStudio. With it, you could record action in a fixed location or centered around your cursor and save the session as an AVI or SWF file. You may still be able to find v2.0 floating somewhere around the Infobahn because it’s recently been purchased, polished, and renamed to Macromedia RoboDemo (available for the low, low price of $599). If you can find the old version, keep it. If you’re thinking about shelling out a few hundred bucks to get the latest incarnation, you might care to finish this article before opening your wallet. Not to say that it would be a bad idea to go with a trusted brand, but there are plenty of cheaper and (IMHO) better alternatives.

The standard version of Qarbon.com’s ViewletBuilder is currently $199. The app is definitely a tried-and-true title, offering more than just a few extra features than its more expensive electronic contemporaries. Yeah, you can capture, preview, undo, redo, and annotate stuff, but it’s overkill for the average user. There’s going to come a time when a family member needs dynamic, step-by-step instructions. When you’re in a pickle, you’ll care to spare a nickel. Instead of rolling your eyes in frustration, just Wink. I’m talking about a freebie from DebugMode.com that lets you create and export demonstrations in Flash, PDF, HTML, or EXE. Add navigation buttons here and there, and before you know it, you’ll have yourself a mini-movie ripe for uploading and sharing with the world.

I learned about Wink through Powerbullet.com, where anybody can download another phenomenal piece of freeware, Powerbullet Presenter. Think PowerPoint meets Flash (the file format, not the superhero). Type, click, drag, done. Don’t think this is going to turn you into a graphic artist overnight, though. Expect plenty of “don’t quit your day job” comments if you haven’t been properly trained. Here are a few tips: Don’t go overboard with the transitions, use one or two fonts throughout, pick and stick with a single color scheme, and accept criticism gracefully.

Did I save the best for last? That depends on whom you ask. One of the oldest kids on the block is SnagIt ($40; techsmith.com). Look no further for a smarter bargain. Text, Web, video-catch and convert it all with this simple, single tool.

TechSmith’s premier product, Camtasia Studio, is a complete soup-to-nuts suite of capture applications, but it’s also about $300. Mind you, these are the first TechSmith products I’ve recommended to folks. Why? Because the UI finally doesn’t make you want to gag. It has come a long way from previous releases (although it still has some edges to buff). Some would say I’m too picky about such things, but I say I’m not picky enough. As far as my taste buds go, well, that’s another story for another type of magazine.