[Wizzm]

I find printing screens is helpful to record information to use in troubleshooting. I print my configuration settings, desktop icons, start menu and submenus, Ctrl+Alt+Del box, System Configuration Utility startup tab, error messages, and now (since I discovered this site) certain individual answers in posts with words of wisdom from bhesson, bd, and others. Usually one post is contained in a screen size.

This can be done by pressing the PrtScn/SysRq key which sends it to the clipboard. Then I click on my Word icon (Paint or Wordpad can also be used) that I keep on the quick launch in the taskbar. I keep the taskbar hidden and always on top so I don't have to go to the desktop to open all my most used programs etc. Next I paste it into Word. I like to print it from there so I can study it while I'm cruising around. It can also be saved into a folder or not as desired.

It looks like Paint could be used to edit a screen and use it for wallpaper etc. which I haven't gotten into.

I have Win98

[Bryan]

In addition to that, if your hold down the ALT key while pressing PrintScreen key, then you will only get a print of the "active" Window.

[kokes97]

Maybe you might want to take a look at the freeware PrintKey 2000 from Alfred Bollinger. It is a well-built utility:

PRINTKEY 2000 Version 5.10 ** FreeWare **
--------------------------------------------------
Copyright(c)1998,1999 by Alfred Bolliger
_______________________________________________________________________

E-mail : coolmen@bluewin.ch
Home-Page : http://www.geocities.com/~gigaman
Or : http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Bay/3053
_______________________________________________________________________

Introduction:

PrintKey 2000 is a little utility for printing the screen to a printer
like the old DOS days when you pressed the PrintScreen key and the DOS
screen was printed to a dot matrix printer

PrintKey 2000 will print screens like the desktop, or the active window
from any application

PrintKey 2000 will work only in Windows95, Windows98, Windows2000 and NT4.0

Installing:

Before you download PrintKey 2000 you should have an Unzip program
installed on your PC. One of the best Unzip programs can be downloaded
at http://www.winzip.com This program is shareware

After you have downloaded PrintKey 2000 unzip it to any location you
want. I recommend that you use C:\TEMP or C:\WINDOWS\TEMP
Go under that location and run the SETUP program
PrintKey 2000 is now ready to work for you

Uninstalling:

To Uninstall PrintKey 2000 go to My Computer/Control Panel, open
Add/Remove Programs, select Install/Uninstall, highlight PrintKey 2000
and push Remove

Usage:

After the installation you should have a 'Hand' Icon in the System
Tray ( where the clock is). To open PrintKey 2000 right click the Hand
and select Open from the menu. You can also double click the Hand to
open PrintKey 2000, or press the PrintScreen key on your keyboard to
open PrintKey 2000. All of the above will capture your Desktop, to
capture just the Active window press Alt+PrintScreen

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Main screen documentation:

'File' Menu:

Refresh F5 (refreshes the entire screen)
Minimize ESC (closes PrintKey 2000 Main screen)
Suspend (suspends PrintKey 2000)
Copy Picture to Clipboard Ctrl+C
(copies the taken picture to the Clipboard)
Paste Picture from Clipboard Ctrl+V
(takes the picture from the Clipboard )
Save the Picture Ctrl+S (Save the Picture as Bmp,Gif,Emf,Wmf,JPG,Jpeg)
Load Picture Ctrl+L (Load a Picture of Bmp,Gif,Emf,Wmf,Jpg,Jpeg,Ico)
Edit the picture Ctrl+E (passes the picture to the default Bmp editor)
Get rectangular area Ctrl+R (drag the + to define the area you want)
Print the Picture Ctrl+P (the picture will then be printed)
Get Picture from PrintKey (the Main screen of PrintKey will be taken)
Cleanup Registry from old versions (removes previous PrintKey entries)
Exit (exit and terminate PrintKey)

'Options' Menu

Define Hotkeys ... (to define the hotkeys that you want use)
Define Footer Text...(to define the footer text that you want to print)
Define Delay for get Rectangle (the delay that waits until you can
define a rectangle)
Auto Capture Delay (the delay that will fire up PrintKey if enabled)
Define the Bmp Editor (you may choose the Picture editor that you want)
Define Default (Defaults for the Folder, Extension, Filename)
Sound (if checked will make a Sound when PrintKey is activated)
Include Cursor (if checked will take also the cursor)
Client Area only (if checked will take only the client area of the
window (window without borders and caption bar))
Close after Printing (will close the Main screen after printing)
Direct Print (if checked will print directly and without main screen)
Hide Icon from the System Tray (if checked removes Hand from the Tray)

___________________________________________________________________________ _________________

PrintKey2000 v5.10 is fully Y2K ready

For Free use by an Individual
Modification or Sale is Prohibited
All Rights Reserved
No Responsibility for Malfunction or Damage of involved Software
___________________________________________________________________________ _________________
22.09.1999

Credits:

Special Thanks to

Mercedes Bolliger ( Wife of mine, sorry for the lonely nights )
Richard Molnar ( Beta Tester and Bug Hunter )
Anders Melander ( Author of the GifImage Routines )
Gordon A. Cowie ( Author of the FastLib Routines )

and all the Beta Testers that helped me




[This message has been edited by kokes97 (edited 08-22-2000).]

Hi,

I've been using this Program for years. http://www.hardcopy.de/hardcopy/english/

(Lots of features)

ebot[:-]

[Wizzm]

Thanks ebot. It looks good. I'll study up on it.

[apexadam]

I was interested in freeware version of Print-Key 2000 v510 but $20 Trial Ware - Forget it.

If there is a free-ware version of this product I would love to find it. Otherwise the Print Screen Button will have to do...Thanks for the offer...but how can you call it free-ware?

[kokes97]

SORRY!! Please accept my apologies. Back when I posted the info on PrintKey 2000 v 5.10, the links did refer to the freeware version. I just did a "Google" search for "PrintKey 2000 v 5.10", and unfortunately the references only linked to the shareware version. (There were some foreign language links that did refer to ftp sites, but I didn't check these out.)

The past freeware versions of this program were impressive and useful when needed. But since I only use it now and again, I agree with you that $20 would be hard to justify. I guess I'm lucky that PrintKey 2000 v 5.10 was still free back on Aug. 8th. when I downloaded it.

[This message has been edited by kokes97 (edited 09-11-2000).]

[This message has been edited by kokes97 (edited 09-11-2000).]

[apexadam]

Hey Kokes97,

Thanks for the reply. I guess software developers have to figure out some way to feed the family...