Question

I'm looking for a screen capturing application on Linux which should:

• capture all input on one screen as it happens;
• allow for cropping ( deletion of particular sections );
• annotations ( i.e. add some text + border for a given section ).

Is there such an application for Linux?

Answer 1

You can use Istanbul

Istanbul is a desktop session recorder for the Free Desktop. It records your session into an Ogg Theora video file. To start the recording, you click on its icon in the notification area. To stop you click its icon again. It works on GNOME, KDE, XFCE and others.

Answer 2

recordmydesktop is pretty good. You can easily get it started at the command-line by just typing the command. Just put focus back on the terminal and press Ctrl+C to stop it again, or you can configure a keyboard shortcut on the command line. See man recordmydesktop.

On any Debian-based system, install it like this:

sudo apt-get install recordmydesktop gtk-recordmydesktop

You may also want to record just a specific region of the screen like this:

recordmydesktop -x 100 -y 100 --width 200 --height 50

Or just run gtk-recordMyDesktop and click+drag on the little preview image that appears in the recordMyDesktop window, or click "Select Window" and click on the window itself.

gtk-recordMyDesktop &

Answer 3

I've just discoverd screentoaster wich seems great (no installation, use of a Java Applet) !

I haven't tried but it seems supported on linux.

What do you think ?

Answer 4

You may be interested by the freeware called Wink.

It can capture a single window, a single zone or the entire screen. Also, you can add annotation and text to your video.

I've used it to build theses videos about Linux.

Answer 5

Not a dedicated app for the purpose but, having tried a few other apps, I usually use GIMP. It can take the screenshot (File -> Create -> Screenshot),whether whole screen, whole window or selected zone, as well as crop and modify the image as needed and then save in whatever format is appropriate. Overkill in some ways but saves installing and learning another app when I already need the GIMP for other jobs and don't have a shortage of RAM.

Answer 6

You could try xvidcap. Read about it somewhere, haven't used it myself.

Answer 7

Hi,

I would suggest Shutter: it has the features you're searching for (although I can't really understand what you mean with "capture all input on one screen as it happens").

It worth a try! :D

Regards