software to highlight an area in the screen and drop the content in openoffice

centguy · 01-12-2010, 07:01 AM

Is there a software that can capture a rectangle on the screen defined by a mouse click and drag in which the content is saved the buffer somewhere in png format and then I can cut and paste it to openoffice in one step ? This way I don't have to use a screencapture the whole screen and then pop up imagemagic and then crop the image, save it and read it from openoffice.

I just need to find a software to increase my productivity. Thanks!

Aquarius_Girl · 01-12-2010, 07:13 AM

I use xfce 4.6,
there is a plugin, named "Take Screenshot"

Using this I don't have to grab the whole desktop, I grab only what i want and immediately it gets saved in a png.

centguy · 01-12-2010, 07:24 AM

ummm.. can the content be saved in the mouse buffer ? Can you define the rectangle on the fly ? I just want to
drop it straight onto openoffice without intermediate steps.
I am using gnome where Applications -> Accessories -> Take Screenshots
is your xcfe equivalent I think.

Aquarius_Girl · 01-12-2010, 07:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by centguy

Can you define the rectangle on the fly

What do you mean by defining a rectangle on the fly ?

I have configured this plugin !

Any way, when I click on this plugin, the cursor changes to a '+' sign and then I can take screenshots of whatever thing i want and it saves it to png file (AND THAT'S THE ONLY INTERMEDIATE STEP)!

centguy · 01-12-2010, 08:05 AM

Define a rectangle on the fly as in click and drag a rectangle (as in
display of imagemagic).

I don't know how to configure a plugin for gnome. Is it possible ?
What application is that ? There must be a name for it.

Thanks!

pixellany · 01-12-2010, 08:19 AM

The only time I have seen a function to capture part of the screen is in GIMP. Very nice feature that they have added.

Before putting an image into a text document, I would always want to "tune it up" in GIMP or equivalent.

knudfl · 01-12-2010, 08:29 AM

These scripts use ImageMagick and provide a cross hair
to define a rectangle : 1) RANDOM_jpg

Code:

#!/bin/sh
import screen$RANDOM.jpg;
exit 0;

2) TIME_jpg

Code:

#!/bin/sh
import $time `date '+%Y-%m-%d-%T'`.jpg;
exit 0;

Make the script(s) executable and click the script ..
.....

centguy · 01-12-2010, 05:35 PM

knudfl,

The first scripts is wonderful. I used import before to capture the entire window. Now I know that I can actually define a rectangle with that !
Thanks!!

My system does not know $time, so I don't know what the second script is trying to do.

SaintDanBert · 01-12-2010, 05:53 PM

Both Gnome and KDE, in addition to the xfce mentioned, have utilities (applets, plug-ins, ...) that grap part of the GUI screen into an image format. One can then drop this image into any rich text document.

If you have desktop terminal (xterm, konsole, ...) output that you want to add to your document, this is a simple cut or copy and paste. Each terminal application has its own dance, but in general (1) highlight with your mouse, (2) keystroke to copy or cut, (3) navigate to the other application, (4) keystroke or right-click to paste.

Enjoy,
~~~ 0;-Dan

knudfl · 01-13-2010, 12:30 AM

The command :

import $time `date '+%Y-%m-%d-%T'`.jpg

.. will create : 2010-01-13-07:29:37.jpg
.. in this very second.

TIME should be usable on any Linux. I guess.

May be
import $TIME `date '+%Y-%m-%d-%T'`.jpg
will work for you ?
.....

phunkymunky · 01-13-2010, 06:32 AM

The screenshot app in KDE (kscreenshot ?? possibly) allows you to select an area of screen to capture by using the mouse. I use this a lot to put images into my documents(OpenOffice) for college.

centguy · 01-13-2010, 09:43 AM

knudfl:

I like you down to earth approach. I tried

import `date '+%Y-%m-%d-%T'`.png

it worked. I believe there is no need to use $time or $TIME.

Frankly I still don't know exactly what others are trying to say,
I can only summarize what I have learned:

(1) just issue "import a.png", click and drag to create a rectangle. a.png is saved on the harddrive.

(2)In openoffice, use Insert -> From File -> Navigate and get a.png
to read it to openoffice.

Through the discussions, I only save one step i.e. I don't have to do a screen capture of the ENTIRE screen and run "display a.png" to crop
and save the trimmed image.

Ideally I want to save the image in a buffer and then a Clt-v to paste
it straight onto openoffice. I don't even want to name a temporary file
called a.png ! Question: Can this be done ? Be more explicit please (I don't know what plugins except those in firefox). Thanks!

Aquarius_Girl · 02-07-2010, 10:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by centguy

Define a rectangle on the fly as in click and drag a rectangle (as in
display of imagemagic).

I don't know how to configure a plugin for gnome. Is it possible ?
What application is that ? There must be a name for it.

Now I remember, that tool's called "Screenshot" and hereby I have attached one of its preferences window !

Today I saw that it has the option to copy the contents to the clipboard and I suppose you can paste it also somewhere then, Have a look at the attached png.