Can Screenshot be taken while logged out of session?[SOLVED]

[odo5435]

I'm trying to take a screenshot of the MDM screen. I can't use the menu option because I'm logged out. My 'Print Screen' key does not seem to work either. Is it a faulty keyboard or is there another way to achieve this?

[caribriz]

Hi -
Try this:
http://www.linuxandlife.com/2012/06/tak ... buntu.html

It didn't work for me at first in cinnamon. There was a brief flash at the login screen and then nothing for me.

I had to edit the line in the file /etc/mdm/Init/Default to read:

Code: Select all

 ( gnome-screenshot --interactive ) &

and then restart, instead of just logging out/in before it worked for me - but ymmv.

Oh, and the screenshot app didn't look like it normally does (or look like the picture in the tutorial) - but it worked anyway.
But it might work for you as is.

caribriz

[odo5435]

Thanks for the prompt reply @carlbriz. It always annoys me when someone (such as yourself) searches up an answer to my query that I should have found myself. It shows I wasn't diligent enough and makes me appear lazy. In this case I was in a hurry and didn't think to search outside this forum. Thank you for your patience with me.

I amended the /etc/mdm/Init/Default file as suggested by you on the assumption that would give me more control over the screenshot timing. It did work but the screenshot app window didn't appear until after I had re-logged in which was after the horse had bolted so to speak. I then thought I'd try the 5 second delay switch as shown in the tutorial. That gave me the same flash on my screen that I assume you experienced.

Sooo... I changed it back to your suggestion. Now, nothing happens. There is a brief moment where a white box appears where the screenshot app window used to appear, as if to indicate that it is trying to load, but then it is overwritten by my wallpaper. Again, all this happens after I have re-logged in which is not the purpose of what I'm trying to do.

The current state of my /etc/mdm/Init/Default file is:

Screenshot gedit mdm default.png

I have restarted (both hot and cold restarts) several times logging between Cinnamon and Xfce sessions without being able to get the screen shot to work

As you said, "ymmv", and in this case it certainly seems to have. Thanks again for your kind assistance.

It looks as though I'm back to searching for another solution unless someone else can offer an alternative.

[caribriz]

Just a thought - have you checked in /root to see if the screenshot is there?
I ask, because I made quite a few attempts with the tutorial "as is" - that is, with the line - ( gnome-screenshot -d 5 ) &
and I thought they had all failed because I just saw the brief "flash" and not the screenshot app come up as in the tutorial.

As I said, I then tried with --interactive, which I could actually see had worked - I saw the screenshot app this time - and I got my screenshot in my Pictures folder.
(Although this didn't work for you).

But, later (after your second post above) while looking for something else, I opened /root - and there were several of the login screen screenshots there!!!!
So my original attempts had worked (although not exactly as it says in the tutorial).
It just dumped the screenshot into /root, and I just didn't realise it was there!

I just tried the original tutorial line again, and here it is (and this was just with a logout/in as well):

filesystem with screenshot.png

So, check just in case it has worked. It may not - because I didn't experience this:

....the screenshot app window didn't appear until after I had re-logged in which was after the horse had bolted so to speak

Edit - If it didn't work and you don't see the screenshot - does the screenshot app work ok for you otherwise - because many people have had
trouble with it in cinnamon. I've been lucky, and had no trouble.
Also, I've just tried it in mate - and it worked first go just as described in the tutorial.

caribriz

[odo5435]

Just a thought - have you checked in /root to see if the screenshot is there?

Well whatd'yaknow. There it is!! It would have been nice if they'd mentioned this minor detail in the tutorial don't you think?

Now it intrigues me that the screenshot works with the timer switch but does not work as anticipated (for me anyway) using your script. I've restarted the computer without result several times since I altered the /etc/mdm/Init/Default file. Then, for some strange reason, today the screenshot window reappeared, again after I had logged in. It defies logic but I haven't time to sort it out. At least I have my original problem solved.

Thank you very much @carlbriz for having another look at this for me. I'm a GUI man and rarely if ever look at my /root files so I'd have never stumbled across the files sitting there. My apologies for taking so long to get back to this.

[caribriz]

Yes ... strange how the --interactive method worked for me and not for you.
I have no idea why or why not ....
I just thought I'd give that a go when (I thought) the original way hadn't worked for me.

At least we got our screenshots in the end, though (even if it was via the "scenic" route)

caribriz