Snagit Signature Stamp

November 29, 2023 by cryan.com

What makes the Stamp tool remarkable is its simplicity and effectiveness. You can choose from a range of pre-made stamps or create your own. Here's where it gets exciting: incorporating your signature into screenshots. (Putting your signature on your testing!)

I recently experimented with adding my signature, crafted in the elegant Jamesville Script font, as a custom stamp in Snagit. The process was straightforward. I first created a signature in Jamesville Script, saved it as an image file, and then imported it into Snagit as a custom stamp. Now, with a few clicks, I can add a personal touch to my screenshots, whether for professional documentation or personal projects.

This feature is particularly useful for QA professionals like myself. We often need to sign off on captured images or mark them as reviewed. Adding a signature stamp not only streamlines this process but also adds a layer of personalization and authenticity.

In conclusion, Snagit's Stamp tool opens up a realm of possibilities for creative and practical applications. The ability to add a personal signature stamp, like the one in Jamesville Script, elevates your screen captures from mere images to personalized documents, reflecting both professionalism and a hint of personal style.

Mastering Snagit's Fill Tool

November 22, 2023 by cryan.com

Today, I want to dive deep into one of its lesser-known but incredibly useful features - the Fill tool.

What is the Fill Tool in Snagit?

The Fill tool in Snagit is a simple yet powerful feature that allows you to replace a specific color in an image with another color of your choice. This can be incredibly useful for highlighting issues or anomalies in screenshots of software UIs, especially when dealing with design-related problems.

Why Use the Fill Tool for QA?

In QA, our job is not only to identify bugs but also to communicate them effectively to developers and designers. A picture is worth a thousand words, and using the Fill tool to highlight issues can make your bug reports significantly more effective and easier to understand.

Case Study: Highlighting a Navigation Bar Issue

Scenario: Imagine you're testing a web application and you find that a navigation bar, which shouldn't appear on a certain page, is visible.

Before Using the Fill Tool: You take a screenshot of the page. The unwanted navigation bar is there, but it doesn't stand out in the screenshot, making it less obvious to someone who wasn't directly involved in the testing process.

After Using the Fill Tool: You use Snagit's Fill tool to change the color of the problematic navigation bar. Now, it's vividly highlighted, instantly drawing attention to the issue.

Step-by-Step Guide to Using the Fill Tool

1. Capture the Screenshot: First, use Snagit to take a screenshot of the issue.
2. Open the Image Editor: Open the screenshot in Snagit's image editor.
3. Select the Fill Tool: Choose the Fill tool from the tool menu.
4. Choose Your Color: Select the color you want to use to highlight the issue.
5. Apply the Fill: Click on the color in the image you want to replace. Snagit will fill all contiguous pixels of that color with your chosen highlight color.
6. Adjust Tolerance: If the color doesn't fill as expected, adjust the tolerance setting. A higher tolerance will fill colors that are similar but not identical to the one you clicked on.

Tips for Effective Use

• Color Choice: Use a color that contrasts strongly with the screenshot's color palette for maximum impact.
• Annotations: Combine the Fill tool with other Snagit features like arrows or text boxes for more detailed explanations.
• Before and After Images: If possible, show both the original and modified images in your report for context.

Conclusion

The Fill tool in Snagit is a simple but highly effective way to communicate visual bugs and design flaws in software testing. It's a testament to how small tools, when used creatively, can have a significant impact on our work as QA professionals.

Call to Action

Have you used Snagit's Fill tool in your QA work? Share your experiences and tips in the comments below!

Backing Up Your Snagit Folders

November 15, 2023 by cryan.com

As a QA professional with five years of experience using Snagit, I've learned the importance of backing up my work. Snagit, a powerful screen capture tool, is integral to documenting and sharing information in a visual format. However, like any digital asset, these files can be lost due to hardware failure, accidental deletion, or software issues. To prevent such losses, it?s crucial to regularly back up your Snagit folders. Here's a guide on how to do it effectively.

Understanding Snagit Files

Before diving into the backup process, it?s important to understand how Snagit stores its files. Snagit typically saves captures in the ?AutoSave Captures? folder by default. However, if you save your captures on remote drives or change the default location, you might need to track them down.

File Types and Locations

• AutoSave Captures Folder: This is the default location where Snagit saves your screen captures. You can find this folder in your Snagit directory.
• .snagprog Files: Snagit uses the .snagprog extension for files that are saved outside the ?AutoSave Captures? folder. These are usually saved on remote drives or specified locations.

Step-by-Step Backup Process

Locate Your Files

AutoSave Captures: Search for this folder in your Snagit directory. The path usually follows a standard format, such as C:Users[YourUsername]DocumentsSnagitAutoSave Captures.

.snagprog Files: To find files with the .snagprog extension, use your operating system's search function and look for *.snagprog. This will show all Snagit files saved outside the AutoSave folder.

Choose a Backup Method

Select an appropriate backup method. You can use external hard drives, cloud storage services like Google Drive or Dropbox, or dedicated backup software.

Copy Your Files

Manual Copy: If using an external drive, simply copy the AutoSave Captures folder and any .snagprog files you find onto the drive.

Cloud Storage: Upload your files or folders directly to your chosen cloud service.

Backup Software: Set up the software to recognize your Snagit folders and .snagprog files as part of its regular backup routine.

Regularly Update Your Backup

Make a schedule to regularly update your backup. This ensures that your latest work is always protected.

Best Practices

• Consistency: Regular backups are key. Set reminders or schedule automatic backups if possible.
• Multiple Backups: Don?t rely on a single backup method. Use a combination of physical drives and cloud storage for added security.
• Test Your Backups: Periodically check your backups to ensure that files are intact and recoverable.
• Stay Updated: Keep your Snagit software updated to the latest version for the best performance and security.

Backing up your Snagit folders might seem like a mundane task, but it?s essential for safeguarding your work. By following these steps and best practices, you can ensure that your valuable screen captures and annotations are protected against loss. Happy capturing and stay backed up!

Easily Create Custom Stamps in Snagit

November 8, 2023 by cryan.com

In Snagit Editor, click to select a capture in the recent captures tray. Select File > Save As Stamp. Snagit adds the image to Custom.

Hello, fellow Snagit enthusiasts! As a QA professional with five years of experience using Snagit, I've come to appreciate the versatility and utility of this powerful screen capture tool. Today, I want to focus on a feature that is often overlooked but incredibly useful - the Stamp tool in Snagit for MacOS. This tool can significantly streamline your workflow, especially when it comes to annotating and personalizing your captures. Let's dive in!

What is the Stamp Tool?

The Stamp tool in Snagit is a feature that allows you to use images as stamps, adding them to your screen captures for annotation or emphasis. It's particularly useful for marking up documents, adding consistent branding, or simply personalizing your captures.

Creating Your Own Stamp

Creating your own stamp in Snagit is straightforward. Here's how you do it:

1. Select Your Capture: First, open Snagit and select a capture in the recent captures tray in the Snagit Editor.
2. Save As Stamp: Navigate to the top menu and choose File > Save As Stamp. This action adds your selected image to the 'Custom' section of the Stamp tool.

Key Considerations

While creating a stamp is simple, there are a couple of key points to keep in mind:

• Whole Image Becomes a Stamp: Remember, when you save an image as a stamp, the entire image is used. This means if you only want a specific part of the image as your stamp, you'll need to crop the image first.
• Cropping for Precision: If you need just a portion of your capture as a stamp, use Snagit's cropping tool to select and isolate the desired area before saving it as a stamp.
• Using the Clipboard: Alternatively, you can select and copy the part of the image you want (using the selection tool), then use the 'New from Clipboard' option to create a new image from your selection and save that as a stamp.

Creative Uses of Stamps

The Stamp tool is not just for branding or simple annotations. Here are some creative ways to use it:

• Feedback and QA: Mark specific areas in UI screenshots with custom stamps like 'Approved', 'Needs Change', etc.
• Branding: Add your company logo or specific icons to images for consistent branding.
• Instructional Design: Create a set of instructional icons and use them in tutorials or guides.
• JS Library Logos: Show which library is being used in the screen shot.

Conclusion

The Stamp tool in Snagit for MacOS is a powerful feature that offers significant flexibility for customizing and annotating your screen captures. Whether you're a professional in QA, design, or education, or just someone who loves to organize and personalize your work, mastering this tool can add efficiency and creativity to your workflow. Happy Stamping!

Snagit Presets

November 1, 2023 by cryan.com

Welcome to another exciting journey through the world of screen capturing and image editing with Snagit! Having used this versatile tool for over 5 years, I've discovered numerous tips and tricks to optimize the capturing process, making it faster, smoother, and more tailored to individual needs. In this blog, we're going to delve deep into setting up personal capture presets, a feature that can significantly enhance your efficiency and productivity. Let's get started!

Why Use Capture Presets?

Snagit is renowned for its extensive array of capturing options, but sometimes, repeatedly customizing settings for each capture can be time-consuming. This is where personal capture presets come into play. By creating presets, you can save your preferred capture settings and apply them with a single click, eliminating the need to adjust settings manually every time.

Setting Up Personal Capture Presets:

• Open the Capture Window: Start by opening the Snagit Capture Window. You can do this by clicking on the Snagit icon in your taskbar or using a shortcut key (if you have set one).
• Configure Your Capture Settings: Choose the type of capture you want to perform (e.g., Image, Video, Panoramic, etc.). Adjust the settings according to your preferences. For instance, if you want to capture a region of your screen without any delay, choose the "Region" capture type and set the delay to 0 seconds.
• Adjust Advanced Settings: Click on the 'Capture Settings' (gear icon) to access advanced settings. Here, you can customize various options such as effects, selection style, and more. If you want to turn off the "Copy to Clipboard" functionality, ensure that the checkbox next to this option is unchecked.
• Save Your Preset: Once you have configured the settings to your liking, click on the 'Presets' dropdown menu at the bottom of the Capture Window and select 'Save Preset.' Give your preset a descriptive name that makes it easy to identify later.
• Accessing and Using Your Preset: Your newly created preset will now appear in the 'Presets' section of the dropdown menu. To use it, simply select it from the list, and click the capture button. Snagit will apply all the settings you've saved, allowing you to capture content quickly and effortlessly.

Tips and Tricks

• Organize Your Presets: If you find yourself creating multiple presets for different purposes, take a moment to organize them. Rename them for easy identification, and delete any that you no longer need.
• Shortcut Keys: Assign shortcut keys to your presets for even faster access. Go to 'File' > 'Capture Preferences' > 'Shortcuts' to set up keyboard shortcuts.
• Update Presets as Needed: Don't forget to update your presets if your capturing needs change. Simply adjust the settings as required and save the preset again.
• Share Presets with Others: If you work in a team, you can export your presets and share them with your colleagues, ensuring consistency across all captures.

Conclusion

Creating personal capture presets in Snagit is a powerful way to streamline your workflow and save valuable time. With just a little bit of initial setup, you can enjoy faster, more efficient screen capturing tailored to your specific needs. Experiment with different settings, organize your presets, and discover how this feature can transform your capturing experience. Happy capturing!

Halloween Snagit Stamps

October 25, 2023 by cryan.com

Snagit is a popular screen capture utility used by QA professionals to document their testing and create bug reports. But did you know that you can add fun and spooky Halloween-themed stamps to your Snagit captures?

In this blog post, I'll show you how to install five new Halloween Snagit stamps that are perfect for QA to lighten up testing during the Halloween season.

Click on image to download Images.

To download the stamps, simply click on the link above. Then, click on the "Download" button. Then double click on the ZIP file and uncompress the file.

Install the Halloween Snagit stamps

Once you have downloaded the Halloween Snagit stamps, you need to install them. To do this, follow these steps:

• Open Snagit Editor.
• Click on the "More" button in the toolbar.
• Select "Stamps" > "Manage Stamps".
• Click on the "Import" button.
• Browse to the location where you downloaded the Halloween Snagit stamps and select the folder.
• Click on the "Open" button.

I would recommend adding the Search Term "Halloween" to these images so it's easy to find in the future. Simply right-click on the image and select "Edit Search Term..." Then add "Halloween" and click away. Now you can easily search for the stamps.

Use the Halloween Snagit stamps

Now that you have installed the Halloween Snagit stamps, you can start using them in your Snagit captures. To do this, simply click on the "Stamp" tool in the toolbar and select the Halloween stamp you want to use. Then, click on your Snagit capture to add the stamp.

Have fun with these stamps!

Halloween Template

October 18, 2023 by cryan.com

This week, I'm excited to share a custom Snagit template that I created for Halloween. The idea behind this template is to have an orange border around a standard webpage screenshot of 1280x1236. This makes the screenshot stand out in Jira in thumbnail view, making it easier to find.

To use this template, simply download it and install it in Snagit. Then, when you next need to take a screenshot of a webpage, take a screenshot, select the template from the Templates Tag and drag and drop the screenshot to the drop zone.

Download the SpookyScreenshot_Halloween.snagx Template.

Here's how to download and install the template

• Click here to download the template file.
• Save the file to your computer and uncompress it.
• Open Snagit.
• Drag and Drop the SpookyScreenshot_Halloween.snagx file to the Snagit icon in the Doc.
• Add the Template tag (See Last Week's Blog Entry.)

Here's how to use the template

• Open the webpage that you want to take a screenshot of.
• Take a screenshot - assuming the page is 1280x1236.
• Open up Snagit.
• Go to the Library - Shortcut Command 1
• Click on the file "SpookyScreenshot_Halloween" in the Tag section
• Drag and Drop your screenshot to the Drop zone.

I hope you enjoy this custom Snagit template! Happy Halloween!

Custom Templates in Snagit

October 11, 2023 by cryan.com

In my four years of exploring the wonders of Snagit, I've uncovered its hidden gems and employed them to enhance my workflow. This week, let's dive into the realm of Custom Templates, a feature that, while powerful, can sometimes be a bit tricky to navigate. Specifically, we'll tackle a clever organizational solution involving the magic of tags.

Currently Snagit doesn't offer a way to pull up Custom Templates when using the "Create Image from Templates." You have to open up the template in the editor and then drag and drop images that you want.

The "Template" Tag

To easily differentiate your templates from other images in your library and streamline your workflow, I recommend creating a "template" tag. This simple yet effective organizational technique acts as a beacon, guiding you straight to your custom templates whenever you need them.

Creating the "Template" Tag:

• Open Snagit and navigate to your image library.
• Right Click on an Image and select "Tags..."
• Select Templates, or if this is your first, type in Templates
• Click Outside of the popup template box and repeat for other images.
• Voila! Your templates are now effortlessly categorized.

Now that you've tagged your templates, accessing them is a breeze. Whenever you need to use a custom template, simply click on the "Template" tag in the Snagit Library, and there they are - neatly organized and ready to inspire your creativity

Tips for Creating Effective Custom Templates

• Simplicity is Key: Keep your templates clean and uncluttered for versatility.
• Resolution Matters: Ensure your template images are of high resolution for professional-looking captures.
• Consistent Branding: If you're creating templates for a brand, maintain consistency in colors, logos, and fonts.

Easy to Find!

Once your done, then it's easy to find your Custom Templates!

Conclusion: Your Creative Journey Begins

Armed with the knowledge of custom templates and the organizational power of tags, you're now equipped to take your Snagit game to new heights. Let your creativity soar as you effortlessly blend images into your templates, making your screen captures truly unique and engaging.

Don't have custom templates? Come back next week for some samples!

Snagit 2024

October 4, 2023 by cryan.com

According to the "What's New" there are 3 new features in Snagit 2024:

• Cursor Highlights & Click Animations
• Combine Videos
• Microsoft Teams Output

The other two features were announced in Snagit 2023:

• Screen Draw
• Streamlined Sharing & Feedback

Cursor Highlights & Click Animations

This is great feature when creating product demo. This makes it easy to see when a user clicks the mouse. Before you would get no interactions on a click mouse action, now you can see some animation.

This is a feature that was only available in Camtasia.

Combine Videos

When you make a mistake in a video edit, you can now reshoot the scene and insert it in the original video. This is certainly a time saver as you don't have to redue the whole task again.

If you shoot videos, this will make the process a bit easier.

Microsoft Teams Output

Now you can quickly send your images and videos to your Microsoft Teams channel.

If your company uses teams this feature may come in handy during stand-up meetings.

Final Thoughts

If you have the maintenance upgrade, it's worth getting the latest Snagit 2024 - especially if you do a lot of videos.

There are no really new tools or features for everyday use. To me, this doesn't feel like a must-have upgrade.

Snagit is still a very cool application, all month long, I'll feature cool things that you can do with Snagit.