Window Clippings 2.1: Comparing Results with Windows Vista Tools

Reader mikedopp asks why he should use Window Clippings over the screen capture capabilities built into Windows. I think the easiest way to explain is by showing a few examples.

Let’s say you have an application window on your desktop that looks something like this:

 
The desktop

I want to create a screenshot of the Windows Media Player application. I can see it clearly. Of course I can also see parts of a turtle as well as some other window in the background. I could try the built-in Windows Print Screen functionality. Here is what I would get:

Alt+Print Screen

There are a few problems here. Firstly, you can see the residue from the window’s shadow in the corners. This looks out of place without the rest of the shadow. Secondly, you see all kinds of stuff behind the window which now makes no sense since you don’t have the “whole picture” anymore. Although the Aero effect is great, take the window with the glass effect out of context and you’re left with a rather dirty looking screenshot. Clearly this is not a very professional-looking image. It doesn’t do Window Vista justice and it certainly won’t do your application, magazine, website, or book justice.

Of course Windows Vista has another screen capture tool called “Snipping Tool”. By default here’s what you get with that tool:

Windows Vista Snipping Tool

Well I don’t remember seeing a red border around my window. Did you? To be fair you can turn this “feature” off but the result is the same as using Alt+Print Screen. Not very good.

Now let’s take a look at Window Clippings. By default here’s what you get with Window Clippings.

Window Clippings (default)

Not only does Window Clippings remove all background “noise” but it also captures the shadow, leaving you with a clean and professional-looking screenshot. Of course if you don’t want to include the shadow there’s an option for that.

Window Clippings (with “Include window shadow” option off)

Notice how the shadow has been completely removed from the image, including in the corners. You can also create some interesting effects with Window Clippings. Here’s an example where I chose to include the shadow but also include the background behind the window.

Window Clippings (with “Clear window background” option off)

In this case the screenshot looks really clean despite the fact that the background is visible because the shadow is clean. If you open the default Window Clippings image in an image editor like Paint.NET you’ll also notice that Window Clippings manages to save the transparency of the window and its shadow in the resulting image’s alpha channel.

Window Clippings captures alpha channel

There are many more reasons why you should use Window Clippings, but I hope this demonstration has piqued your interest. So go and give Window Clippings a try today!

Long Zheng, on his blog istartedsomething, calls Window Clippings the 21st century print screen for Windows.

© 2008 Kenny Kerr