How to make a screenshot?

[Randy Pratt]

On Sat, 5 Jun 2004 17:22:50 +0800 (CST)
Stephen Liu <satimis at yahoo.com> wrote:

> Hi Randy,
> 
> FreeBSD 5.2
> 
> >            vidcontrol -p < /dev/ttyv0 > shot.scr
> 
> with the above command a file 'shot.scr' was created. 
>  But I have no program to view it.
> 
> # pkg_info | grep scr2txt
> # pkg_info | grep scr2png
> # pkg_info | grep -w xv
> all no printout
> 
> # cd /usr/ports
> # make search name=scr2txt
> Port:   scr2txt-1.1
> Path:   /usr/ports/textproc/scr2txt
> Info:   Converts the output of "vidcontrol -p" to text

The scr2txt is used to convert the console screenshot (.scr) to
plain text:

	scr2txt < shot.scr > shot.txt

This works well for .scr that are text and can be viewed with any
text editor.

> # make search name=scr2png
> Port:   scr2png-1.1_4
> Path:   /usr/ports/graphics/scr2png
> Info:   Converts the output of "vidcontrol -p" to PNG

The scr2png is used to convert the console screenshot (.scr) to
a .png image:

	scr2png < shot.scr > shot-1.png

The image (.png) can then be viewed with any image viewer.

> # make search name=xv | grep -w xv
> Port:   xv-3.10a_3
> Path:   /usr/ports/graphics/xv
> 
> Kindly advise Whether I have to install either of the
> above program to read shot.scr?

Yes, the scr2png will probably suit your needs best if you want to
make screenshots of the console.

> >      The following command will dump contents of the
> > fourth virtual
> >      terminal to the standard output in the human
> > readable format:
> > 
> >            vidcontrol -P < /dev/ttyv3
> 
> On KDE desktop Konsole window
> 
> # vidcontrol -P < /dev/ttyv3
> no graphic image displayed
> (tried both -P and -p)
> 
> Besides I have to 'su' to use 'vidcontrol'

Vidcontrol is used for taking console screenshots.  It will not
display them.  After processing with scr2png, then an image viewer
is needed to view them.

> B.R.
> Stephen Liu
> 
> 
> > The .scr images can be manipulated with
> > textproc/scr2txt and
> > graphics/scr2png.  The man pages for both describe
> > their usage.
> > 
> > These are the tools that are used to produce the
> > screenshots of
> > the console and Sysinstall in the Handbook.
> > 
> > For screenshots in XFree86, I find that graphics/xv
> > does the job
> > quite nicely without a lot of fuss.

Vidcontrol was suggested for screenshots of the console.  I'm not
aware of any method to use it to take screenshots in XFree86.  As
you can tell by this thread, there are plenty of options for
making screenshots while in X.  

Randy