Skip to Content

Change Tiger's default screenshot to PDF

by Dave Caolo Dec 13th 2005 at 3:00PM

pdfWith Tiger, Apple changed the default screenshot format from PDF to PNG. I can understand why. You can easily create a PDF by "printing" any file from the Finder, and when I create a screenshot I'm typically going to use it as an image file anyway, so PNG works. But what if you typically create PDFs? There are a number of options available, of course, but if you'd like to just cut to the chase and change Tiger's default, Creative Bits shows you how.

It's as simple as launching Terminal and typing defaults write com.apple.screencapture type pdf. That's it! To switch back, change the "pdf" to "png." They also provide a nice list of available screenshot commands. Check it out.

  

View Tags

Related Stories

Categories

OS Tips and tricks Terminal Tips

With Tiger, Apple changed the default screenshot format from PDF to PNG. I can understand why. You can easily create a PDF by...
 

Add a Comment

Sign in »
*0 / 3000 Character Maximum

8 Comments

Filter by:
DF

If you're not a fan of Terminal, there are also some great utilities that make the process even easier (and give you more choices, to boot): savescreenie (free): http://www.imovieplugins.com/other%20products/savescreenie.html Screenshots Preference Pane ($2 and my personal favorite -- it also lets you choose where screenshots are saved): http://www.ego-systems.com/Products/screenshotsprefpane.html Screenshot Settings (free): http://scriptbuilders.net/files/screenshotsettings1.0.1.html

December 13 2005 at 5:46 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
BJ Gilbert

You can also do the same thing with jpg and gif.

December 13 2005 at 5:24 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Tice

You also can do this without the terminal using my script.app called ScreenshotFormatX ( http://www.mac4ever.de/software/ ). You can choose between BMP, GIF, JPEG 2000, JPG, PDF, PICT, PNG, PSD and TIFF.

December 13 2005 at 5:17 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Noel

I use Ego Systems Screenshots tiny app and choose from 11 different file types without even thinking of Terminal! Can I get a what what? -N

December 13 2005 at 4:24 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
brian

Googling for 'defaults write com.apple.screencapture type panther' yields this page, which seems to be bad news for those of us who hate Spotlight. http://forums.macosxhints.com/archive/index.php/t-41072.html Seems that there's no hope for 10.3 users. In the meantime, I use this: http://www.pycs.net/bbum/2005/3/4/

December 13 2005 at 4:04 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Axel

I can't stop wondering who that boy on the pdf icon is. A young Steve Mayby?

December 13 2005 at 3:54 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Mark

ok here's one for you? anyone know how to take Panther's default and change it from pdf to ANYTHING OTHER THAN PDF? thanks.

December 13 2005 at 3:38 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Different Computers

Too bad that defaults write com.apple.screencapture type jpg sets it to jpg 2000. type jpeg does the same.

December 13 2005 at 3:19 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Buy an ad here

Hot Apps on TUAW

Tweets

© 2012 AOL Inc. All Rights Reserved.