RipDev discovers how to activate iPhone Screen Shots
A lot of iPhone dev types have known about the SBMobileScreenshotr preference for a very long time. What we didn't know was how to make it do anything. The software programming site RipDev solved the mystery.
After setting the preference
If you'd rather not edit your property lists directly, add http://repository.ripdev.com as an Installer repository and install Apple Screenshot Enabler. Warning: trying to remove the mod via Installer.app caused my phone to reboot. It just would not uninstall properly.
Thanks TJ
![TUAW [Cafepress]](http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.tuaw.com/media/tuaw-cafepress-promo.png)
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Michael said 6:40PM on 3-18-2008
Seems you copied my scoop. Hihi
Reply
Don Wilson said 6:53PM on 3-18-2008
Would love to be able to do this without hacking it...
Reply
Willis said 6:55PM on 3-18-2008
awesome, I was looking for this info earlier...works great...puts the screenshots right into your Photos under Camera Roll :)
Reply
Phil Gilder said 7:05PM on 3-18-2008
does anyone else find that under camera roll, the pictures look terrible, but imported to iphoto they look fine???
Reply
kris33 said 7:09PM on 3-18-2008
The screenshots are large uncompressed TIFFs and won't load properly on the iPhone.
Phil Gilder said 7:14PM on 3-18-2008
hmm... thanks
some load up fine, others dont (on the iphone)
no biggie
Jim said 6:16AM on 3-19-2008
It's a matter of waiting for 45 seconds. Apparently the phone photo viewer needs a long time to get the zoom level or something else right. But after that, it looks completely clear: you couldn't tell it was a screenshot and you could fool anyone that it's the phone itself.
Frank Furter said 7:45PM on 3-18-2008
I'm an IT guy - I understand the need for screenshots on desktops, laptops, etc. Help me understand why I would want this on my iPhone.
Reply
Matt said 9:52PM on 3-18-2008
If you want to take a screenshot of an awesome app you make or some cool thing you make in sketches or any other app. Even a highscore in a game!
iPhoneCoder said 2:02AM on 3-21-2008
Now if they can find the setting for enabling video mirroring of the screen to the docking port ... :)
Reply
Beau said 2:29AM on 3-19-2008
Meh, if only there was such a mute button on my iPod Touch. :-(
Reply
Jay Robinson said 5:31AM on 3-19-2008
Enabled hidden files and folders but can ney find /var/mobile/Library/Preferences/ folder from the Finder.
Reply
Jim said 6:14AM on 3-19-2008
If you're on 1.1.2 or earlier firmware, it's /var/root/Library/Preferences/
3DG said 8:39AM on 3-19-2008
Cool.
But! How can you get your actions to be recorded? You know, like a scan converter, like Steve Jobs does on screen during the conferences? Hmmm??
Reply
Phil Gilder said 3:11PM on 3-19-2008
use the video out lead to a recording device?
3DG said 4:05PM on 3-19-2008
Yeah, not so simple. In theory it's good, but doesn't output screen actions.
Reply
chair_tard said 5:48PM on 12-17-2009
via Term-vt100.app:
install plutil ('#' is the prompt, don't type it):
# mkdir /usr/local/bin
# cd /usr/local/bin
# curl -O http://ericasadun.com/ftp/EricaUtilities/individual/plutil
# chmod +x plutil
add plutil to path:
# echo 'export PATH=/usr/local/bin/plutil:$PATH' >> ~/.zsh_profile
make sure
# echo $PATH
spits out
/bin:/sbin:/usr/bin:/usr/local/bin:/usr/sbin:/private/var/root/bin
then
# restart
enable screenshots:
# cd /var/mobile/Library/Preferences/
# plutil -s SBMobileScreenshotr -v YES com.apple.springboard.plist
----
I love your articles Erica. I just wish they could be slightly more comprehensive. Anytime you have a plist hack, you ought to just paste in the full 9 on how to do it. Thanks for your efforts, regardless. Keep up the good work, we're all counting on you.
Reply
Jason Tucker said 6:41PM on 3-20-2008
Is there any way to go about this on the ipod touch?
Reply
Peter Zich said 3:47PM on 3-31-2008
I know things like Caption Crunch edit the backup plists and restoring to change the status and such, is there a way to do something like that with this?
Reply
Marcos said 5:47PM on 3-31-2008
On my iPhone it didn't work: the key combination makes the click sound but the screen goes briefly dark and then puts me back in the "slide to unlock" screen.
Any ideas?
Reply