Showing Mouse Action in a Screen Capture with @ScreenSteps #Tip [Updated]

Update (March 3, 2011): The developers of ScreenSteps informed me that this functionality is already included in the software. Yay! Find out more here.

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Often when I’m creating a tutorial using ScreenSteps, I need to show an action taking place, such as a dropdown list actually dropping down or what the user will see when their mouse hovers over something.

By default, when you are grabbing an image for a step, ScreenSteps captures the current screen state.

I compensate for this by using a screen capture software that automatically copies the saved image to the clipboard and then choose the option in ScreenSteps to pull the image from the clipboard.

Here’s how:

Step 1

Make sure you have another screen capture software installed with a keyboard shortcut to capture and option to save to clipboard.

 

Suggestions:

• FastStone Capture
• Wisdom Soft Screen Hunter
• SnagIt

Step 2

Perform action with your mouse and use keyboard shortcut to launch screen capture software.

 

If I was using ScreenSteps native image capture tool, my screen capture would look like this:

As you can see, I can't display the dropdown/hover behavior unless I use my other screen capture software.

Step 3

Jump to ScreenSteps and right click on camera icon. Choose 'Replace Image with Clipboard'.

 

You can also use the 'Import Image File' option to use an image that you have already saved.

Note: You can also use this technique if you need to provide documentation that includes screencaptures of ScreenSteps itself.

Additional Resources

• I created this post with ScreenSteps and exported it as a draft. It’s a great documentation tool. Check it out.

 

Jenna Baze is a rather geeky girl with average social skills and an affinity for: all things Google, Remember the Milk, Salesforce.com, Inbox Zero, Etsy, natural light photography and finding creative ways to avoid doing dishes (which includes updating a handful of blogs).
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