Freeware Screenshot utlity
- Thread starter CathyH
- Start date
shaneturner12
Tutorial Creator
On the subject of screenshots, I have found that the best one for me so far is Fraps - especially with TS2009 - I tried a few others (including Windows' own printscreen button, Gadwin Printscreen and Camtasia's video/screenshot utility and the resulting image was blank/fully black (I have a feeling that only certain programs are capable of recording full screen, layered application (which is what Trainz is))
Also, Fraps (despite the file format restriction, which a program like Irfanview can convert to a better format) can display frame rate information which can be very useful if Trainz is lagging (as people have said on the forum, any screen recording program will reduce performance a bit).
Apologies if I have gone off-topic at all.
Shane
EDIT: Has anyone tried this application? http://duncsweb.com/2010/04/22/freeware-lightscreen-a-lightweight-screen-shot-tool/
Also, Fraps (despite the file format restriction, which a program like Irfanview can convert to a better format) can display frame rate information which can be very useful if Trainz is lagging (as people have said on the forum, any screen recording program will reduce performance a bit).
Apologies if I have gone off-topic at all.
Shane
EDIT: Has anyone tried this application? http://duncsweb.com/2010/04/22/freeware-lightscreen-a-lightweight-screen-shot-tool/
Last edited:
Shane, I really think its horses for courses. It's like having a debate over which is the best word processor. Some rave over Word, but most can easily get away with Wordpad as I do.
Fraps is probably the best because the file sizes are so massive, and I do mean massive. Fraps can also do still pics or movies although the free edition can only do 30 second movie clips, which in my opinion is quite long enough.
The commercial version of Fraps without any restrictions is arounf US$40. Hardly cheap for what it does.
Camtasia is essentially a video capture program with an entirely different audience than Fraps. It costs around US$300, but a free version called Cam Studio almost does a similar job.
IrfanView is in a different league It is NOT a video capture program, but it's one of the best freeware screen capture programs available , and yes, it can do a full screen and it does it mighty well. The difference between IrfanView and Fraps when it comes to still screen captures, is IrfanView's ability to create all kinds of different files as you pointed out and it can also do all kinds of different compressions including stuff for emailing. A IrfanView SS of the same Fraps SS is about 120 kb compared to 3 meg.
The July edition of the Trainz Community News has started a series on IrfanView. Next month I'll show how to take screenshots in Trainz including time lapse screenshots - one every 10 seconds for example.
I wouldn't bother with any other screenshot software other than Fraps (high end) and IrfanView (midddle of the road) because they all virtually do the same thing.
The Trainz Community News can be viewed at:
http://issuu.com/trainzcommunity/docs/2010_07
The four meg file can also be downloaded from there. If you wish to subscribe and be told when the next issue is available, you can do it from here:
http://trainzcommunity.com/newsletter.
Regards,
John
Fraps is probably the best because the file sizes are so massive, and I do mean massive. Fraps can also do still pics or movies although the free edition can only do 30 second movie clips, which in my opinion is quite long enough.
The commercial version of Fraps without any restrictions is arounf US$40. Hardly cheap for what it does.
Camtasia is essentially a video capture program with an entirely different audience than Fraps. It costs around US$300, but a free version called Cam Studio almost does a similar job.
IrfanView is in a different league It is NOT a video capture program, but it's one of the best freeware screen capture programs available , and yes, it can do a full screen and it does it mighty well. The difference between IrfanView and Fraps when it comes to still screen captures, is IrfanView's ability to create all kinds of different files as you pointed out and it can also do all kinds of different compressions including stuff for emailing. A IrfanView SS of the same Fraps SS is about 120 kb compared to 3 meg.
The July edition of the Trainz Community News has started a series on IrfanView. Next month I'll show how to take screenshots in Trainz including time lapse screenshots - one every 10 seconds for example.
I wouldn't bother with any other screenshot software other than Fraps (high end) and IrfanView (midddle of the road) because they all virtually do the same thing.
The Trainz Community News can be viewed at:
http://issuu.com/trainzcommunity/docs/2010_07
The four meg file can also be downloaded from there. If you wish to subscribe and be told when the next issue is available, you can do it from here:
http://trainzcommunity.com/newsletter.
Regards,
John
just sharing info for everyone...
of course i always try the simplest first and i was hoping PrtScr to be the simple answer... and it turns out to be... the only thing is the last PrtScr gets to the clipboard and therefore i had no idea how to make multiple shots and save these, and here is an example of lack of info in the manual(s) because the manual dont tell you this but yes it is correct within Trainz the images are automatically saved in the screenshot folders... so finding that out answers the question... only wish the manual would cover this some...
and also as SPNGTyler said in post on 12/18/09 yes make certain hit F5 and all that to hide all toolbars and turn off junction position green/red arrows and all that... yes do not forget all that
BLACKWATCH
Mechanical Engineer
Hey what website do you get the freeware stuff from?
Until you register a legitimate copy of Trainz, you sir with your loud overbearing ignorant ways ...........................................
CAN GO & GET STUFFED.
