Screenshots are png instead of pdf

[salohcinluap]

A couple of upgrades ago (I think it was back in the days of Panther), when I shift-option-3 or shift-option-4 I would get a beautiful PDF file on my desktop. These days I get a (sometimes useful) PNG.
Now, I know how to handle PNGs but usually I find screenshots more useful as PDFs. Is there a way to change the file format of screenshots?

 

[Thank The Cheese]

yeah it was in Tiger that they changed it to PNG. I actually prefer it, because I find a lot of apps had trouble with PDF (or flat out don't support them).

Fortunately, there is a little freeware app called savescreenie that allows you to change it. The functionality ot change it is inbuilt into tiger, but isn't presented in an easy-to-use GUI, which is whjere this app comes in:

Download it from here

 

[KenDRhyD]

You could try TinkerTool (http://www.versiontracker.com/dyn/moreinfo/mac/11967) -- I have not tried it myself, but I have read reports that it permits you to set the screen capture format, among other features.

There is also a way to do this from the command line, but I cannot recall the specific arcane spell that one must cast.

-ken

 

[KenDRhyD]

Ah hah! I tracked down the reference. I knew that I had read it somewhere!

Try this link (http://textsnippets.com/posts/show/131) for an explanation of the command line required.

-ken

 

[mdnky]

You can change it via TinkerTool or via the command line. I'm sure there's other helper apps out there too.

Command line is the quickest, just open the terminal and type:

defaults write com.apple.screencapture type pdf

Hit return and it should be done. The change will take effect on the next reboot.

 

[salohcinluap]

Thanks to all for their replies. mdnky, that was exactly what I was looking for.
Many thanks!!

 

[UpQuark77]

You can change the type to jpg or tif as well.