ScreenGrabbin' User Manual

Welcome to ScreenGrabbin', the lightweight, function-oriented screen capture tool designed to help you "Just Get Sh*t Done."

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Getting Started

ScreenGrabbin' is designed to be in the way when you need it and out of the way when you don't. The application uses a simple, three-pane interface:

• 1. Toolbar: Access to all capture and editing features.
• 2. Left Pane: A thumbnail view of all your recent captures (cached images).
• 3. Right Pane: The full-view editor for the currently selected capture.

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Capture Modes

You can initiate a capture using the Capture menu or via global hotkeys (configurable in Preferences).

Mode	Description
Normal	Standard click-and-drag to select a region.
Window	Automatically snaps to the closest window under the cursor.
Last Rectangle	Triggers a capture using the dimensions of your most recent selection.
Last Position	Triggers a capture at the exact position used in the most recent capture.
Manual	Allows you to specify the exact size in pixels before capturing.

⌨️ In-Capture Controls

Once a capture operation has started, use these keys:

• H: Toggle crosshair lines on/off.
• ESC: Cancel the capture operation.
• SHIFT + Spacebar: Toggle the beginning/end of the capture area.
• SHIFT + Arrow Keys: Move the crop/capture position precisely.
• Mouse: Still usable to manipulate the region.

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Editing & Annotation

ScreenGrabbin' features two primary editing modes. Note that switching from Annotate to Image mode will merge all objects into a single layer.

🖼️ Image Mode (Default)

This mode treats the image as a single flattened layer.

• Typical Enhancements: Adjust colors, brightness, contrast, and more.
• Resizing: Select the Edit Image icon to resize the physical image.
• Cropping: Click and drag to create a selection, then right-click for a Quick Crop.
• Formats: Save your work as PNG, TIFF, JPG, BMP, or ICO.

Edit Toolbar Reference

When working in image edit mode, the toolbar shown above provides these controls from left to right:

Tool	What it does
Zoom In	Increases the preview magnification.
Zoom Out	Decreases the preview magnification.
Auto Size	Fits the image automatically to the available editor area.
Zoom % Box	Shows the current zoom percent. You can type a value directly, and double-click resets it to 100%.
Annotate	Switches into layered annotate mode.
Undo	Reverses the last action.
Redo	Reapplies the last undone action.

The image-edit toolbar continues with these tools:

Tool	What it does
Selection Mode	Enables selection-based editing. Use the drop-down to choose Rectangle, Circle, Polygon, Lasso, or Magic Wand.
Adjust Colors	Opens the color adjustment preview tools for brightness, contrast, and related corrections.
Edit Image	Opens the image editing preview tools for operations such as resizing and other direct image edits.
Crop to Selection	Crops the image to the active selection.
Pixelize	Obscures the selected area with a pixelation effect.
Remove Background	Starts the background-removal workflow for isolating the subject from the capture.

Selection Tips

• Rectangle is best for standard screenshot crops and box selections.
• Circle is useful when isolating round UI elements.
• Polygon lets you click point-by-point around irregular shapes.
• Lasso supports freehand selection.
• Magic Wand selects adjacent pixels based on similarity.

🎨 Annotate Mode

Enter this mode by clicking the Annotate icon. This allows for non-destructive, layered editing.

• Layered Objects: Add text, rectangles, circles, arrows, and bubble captions.
• Independent Manipulation: Every object can be moved, resized, and modified independently.
• Non-Destructive Crop/Resize Workflow: Choosing Crop or Resize in annotate mode does not immediately commit the change. Instead, ScreenGrabbin' switches into a temporary canvas editing state so you can adjust the crop or size before applying it.
• Properties: Double-click any object to bring up the Layer Properties window where you can add effects like Drop Shadows, Glow, and Transparency.
• Background Manipulation: The capture itself is the background layer. To edit its properties, deselect all objects (Menu | Object | Deselect all) and click the Properties button.
• Copy Merge: Snap the current view (including all annotations) to the clipboard.

Annotate Toolbar Reference

In annotate mode, the toolbar shown above provides these controls from left to right:

Tool	What it does
Delete Selected	Removes the currently selected annotation layer or object.
Rectangle	Creates an outlined rectangle.
Filled Rectangle	Creates a solid-filled rectangle.
Circle	Creates an outlined ellipse/circle.
Filled Circle	Creates a solid-filled ellipse/circle.
Line	Draws a straight line annotation.
Arrow	Draws a line with an arrow head.
Highlighter	Creates a highlight-style overlay for marking content without fully obscuring it.
Text	Creates a text layer.
Font	Opens the font picker for text annotations.
Line Width	Sets the border or stroke width for the selected object. If no object is selected, it updates the default width for the next annotation you create.
Border Color	Sets the outline color for the selected object, or the default outline color for new objects.
Fill Color	Sets the fill color for the selected object, or the default fill color for new objects.
Font Color	Sets the text color for the selected object, or the default font color for new objects.
Layer Properties	Opens the layer properties dialog for advanced settings such as effects and transparency.

Annotate Control Tips

• Line Width can be typed directly or adjusted with the up/down spinner.
• Border Color, Fill Color, and Font Color all open a color picker when clicked.
• Right-click any color swatch to enter or choose a hex color value directly.
• Press Ctrl+Click on a color swatch to clear that color and set it to no color.
• If an annotation object is selected, these controls modify that object immediately.
• If nothing is selected, these controls change the defaults used for the next object you draw.

Cropping and Sizing in Annotate Mode

When you press Crop or Resize while in Annotate mode, ScreenGrabbin' switches into a dedicated canvas adjustment mode instead of applying the change immediately.

• This keeps the workflow non-destructive until you decide to commit the change.
• You can adjust the pending crop area or canvas size before finalizing it.
• Use the temporary confirmation buttons at the top-right of the toolbar to finish the operation.
• Click the checkmark to apply the crop or resize.
• Click the X to cancel and return without applying the change.

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User Interface Shortcuts

• CTRL + Click: Select multiple thumbnails in the left pane.
• CTRL + Delete: Delete the selected item(s) from the cache.
• Right-Click (Left Pane): Select "Gather Selected" to merge multiple captures into a single annotation canvas.

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Menu Reference

ScreenGrabbin' uses these top-level menus in the main editor window:

• File
• Edit
• Capture
• Options
• Actions
• Annotate

File Menu

Menu Item	What it does
New...	Creates a new blank workspace or image canvas.
Open...	Opens an existing image file into the editor.
Acquire Image...	Imports an image from an acquisition source such as a scanner or compatible device.
Open Recent	Shows recently opened files for quick access.
Clear Recent Menu...	Clears the recent-file list.
Save...	Saves the current image or project content.
Save As...	Saves the current work to a new file name or location.
Save Selected to File...	Saves only the current selection to a separate file.
Print...	Opens print preview and print options.
Preferences...	Opens the application preferences dialog.
Support...	Opens the support entry point for the application.
About...	Shows version and product information. The About window also includes a Change License Information link for re-entering or updating your license details.
Exit	Closes ScreenGrabbin'.

Edit Menu

Menu Item	What it does
Undo	Reverses the last action.
Redo	Reapplies the last undone action.
Select All	Selects the entire image or all selectable content.
Unselect All	Clears the current selection.
Invert Selection	Inverts the current selection area.
Set Selection Size...	Lets you define an exact width and height for the active selection.
Cut	Cuts the current selection to the clipboard.
Copy	Copies the current selection or image to the clipboard.
Paste	Pastes clipboard content into the current image.
Paste as New	Creates a new image from the clipboard contents.
Copy Merged	Copies the current visual result, including annotations, as a flattened image.
Copy Full File Path	Copies the full file path of the current image.
Resize Image...	Opens the image resize dialog.
Change Color-bit Format...	Converts the image to a different color depth or bit format.
Rotate 180	Rotates the image by 180 degrees.
Rotate Left	Rotates the image 90 degrees counter-clockwise.
Rotate Right	Rotates the image 90 degrees clockwise.
Flip Horizontal	Mirrors the image left to right.
Flip Vertical	Mirrors the image top to bottom.
Delete	Deletes the current selection or selected object.

Capture Menu

Menu Item	What it does
Capture Modes	The top part of this menu is built dynamically from the configured capture modes, such as Normal, Window, Last Rectangle, Last Position, and Manual. Each entry may also show its configured hotkey.
Show Application after Capture	Controls whether the main ScreenGrabbin' window is shown automatically after a capture completes.
Run Action After Capture	Controls whether a post-capture action or script runs automatically after capture. (see Preferences)

Options Menu

Menu Item	What it does
Merge Annotate Objects	Flattens annotation layers into the image.
Show Overlay...	Opens the overlay feature or overlay settings.
Stay on Top	Keeps the ScreenGrabbin' window above other windows.
Show Rulers	Toggles rulers in the editor view.

Actions Menu

Menu Item	What it does
Script Editor...	Opens the script editor for creating or editing Back-to-Basic action scripts.
Refresh	Reloads the available actions from the script folders.
Script Entries	Additional items are populated dynamically from the system and user script folders. Selecting one runs that script action.

What Actions Are

Actions are customizable automation scripts written in BTB (Back-to-Basic).

• Users can create their own action scripts to automate repeated capture or image-processing tasks.
• These scripts can perform post-capture work such as saving, renaming, resizing, exporting, copying, OCR, or other custom workflows.
• The Actions menu is not limited to built-in commands. It is designed so each user can build a workflow that matches their own process.
• After creating or updating a script, use Actions | Refresh to reload the menu.
• The Script Editor is the main place to create and maintain these custom actions.

Annotate Menu

Menu Item	What it does
Continue Adding	Keeps the current annotation tool active so you can add multiple objects without reselecting the tool each time.
Select All	Selects all annotation layers.
Deselect All	Clears the current annotation selection.
Select and Copy	Lets you select an area and copy the result.
Merge Layers	Merges the selected annotation layers into one layer.
Group Layers	Groups selected annotation objects together.
Ungroup Layers	Breaks a group back into individual objects.
Send to Back	Moves the selected annotation behind other layers.
Bring to Front	Moves the selected annotation in front of other layers.
Send Backward	Moves the selected annotation back by one layer step.
Bring Forward	Moves the selected annotation forward by one layer step.
Crop	Enters annotate-mode crop adjustment. The crop is not applied until you confirm it with the toolbar checkmark.
Resize	Enters annotate-mode size adjustment. The resize is not applied until you confirm it with the toolbar checkmark.
Load from Template	Loads a saved annotation template.
Save as a Template	Saves the current annotation setup as a reusable template.
Reset Object Settings	Resets the default annotation object settings.

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Status Bar

The status bar at the bottom of the main editor window shows three pieces of information:

Area	What it shows
Left Panel	A * appears when the current image has unsaved changes. If there are no pending changes, this area is blank.
Middle Panel	Shows image and selection details. The first pair is the full image size, and the second set is the current selection or object bounds.
Right Panel	Shows the current file name or working name, such as untitled for a new image.

Status Bar Details

• The image portion reflects the full canvas size.
• In image mode, the second set of numbers reflects the current bitmap selection rectangle.
• In annotate mode, the second set of numbers reflects the selected layer or annotation object bounds.
• If nothing is selected, the selection or object values show as zero.
• A new unsaved workspace typically shows untitled in the file-name area.

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Left Pane Context Menu

When you right-click an item in the left thumbnail pane, ScreenGrabbin' shows a context menu for managing cached captures.

Refresh

• Reloads the thumbnail list from the cache.
• Use this if the left pane does not appear to match the current contents of the cache folder.

Gather Selected...

• Combines the currently selected cached captures into a single working canvas.
• This option is only useful when you have selected more than one capture in the left pane.
• It is intended for cases where you want to assemble multiple screenshots before annotating or saving the result.

Browse Cache Folder...

• Opens the cache folder in Windows File Explorer.
• Use this when you want direct access to the stored image files outside of ScreenGrabbin'.

Delete...

• Removes the selected cached image or images from the cache list.
• Keyboard shortcut: Ctrl+Del
• Use this to clean up captures you no longer want to keep in the local cache.

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License Information

If you need to re-enter, replace, or update your license information, open File | About... and click Change License Information.

• This opens the software activation dialog.
• Use it to update the registration name and license key for the current installation.

Preferences

Access File | Preferences... to customize your experience.

Capture Tab

• Cache Folder: The directory where ScreenGrabbin' stores cached captures. In the provided example, this is s:\ScreenGrabbinCache.
• Capture Normal Hot Key: Starts a standard rectangular selection capture. The screenshot shows Ctrl + F11.
• Capture Window Hot Key: Starts window capture mode so you can select a specific application window. The screenshot shows Ctrl + F9.
• Capture Last Rect. Hot Key: Repeats capture using the most recent rectangle size and position. The screenshot shows this as None, which indicates no shortcut is assigned.
• Capture Last Pos. Hot Key: Repeats capture using the last saved capture position. The screenshot shows Ctrl + Shift + F9.
• Capture Manual Hot Key: Starts manual-size capture mode. The screenshot shows this as None, which indicates no shortcut is assigned.
• Delay Before Capture (MSec): Wait time, in milliseconds, before capture begins after the command is triggered. This is useful for opening menus or arranging the screen first. The screenshot shows 400.
• Default Background Color: Sets the fill color used when a capture or canvas needs a default background. The screenshot shows White, and the Hex Value... button provides an explicit color entry option.
• Show Cross Hair While Capturing: Displays crosshair guides while selecting an area. Enabled in the screenshot.
• Hide While Capturing: Hides the main ScreenGrabbin' window during capture so it does not appear in the result. Disabled in the screenshot.
• Hide When Minimize (show Tray Icon): Sends the application to the notification area instead of leaving it visible on the taskbar when minimized. Disabled in the screenshot.

Other Tab

• Post-Capture Action: Path to a Back-To-Basic script or action file that runs automatically if Run Action After Capture is checked after a capture completes.
• Default Directory: The folder used when saving captures by default. The browse button lets you choose a folder.
• Default File Name (No Extension): The base file name ScreenGrabbin' uses when saving output. The extension is controlled separately by the file type setting.
• Default File Type: The default format used for saved captures. The screenshot shows .PNG.
• Predefine Capture Size: A list of reusable fixed-size capture presets for manual capture mode. The screenshot includes examples such as 200 x 200, 500 x 500, 16 x 16, 100 x 100, and 1300 x 1200.
• Add...: Opens a dialog to create a new predefined capture size entry.
• Delete: Removes the currently selected predefined capture size from the list.

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Advanced: BBS Scripting

ScreenGrabbin' supports Back-To-Basic (BBS) scripting for automation.

• Post-Capture Script: Specify a script file to run automatically after a successful capture.
• Functions: ScreenGrabbin' exposes built-in image and editor commands to BTB scripts for capture post-processing and workflow automation.
• Integration: Perfect for uploading to custom servers or complex batch processing.

Screen Grabbin Script Commands

These commands are handled directly by the ScreenGrabbin' editor when a BTB action script runs against the current image.

Function-call syntax rules:

• Parameters must be enclosed in parentheses, such as UNDO() or COPY(true).
• If a function takes no parameters, you still call it with empty parentheses.
• String parameters should be quoted, such as RESIZE("p", 540, 467).

Command	Syntax	What it does
RESIZE	RESIZE(<type>, <width>, [height])	Resizes by scale when <type> is "s" or by exact pixels when <type> is "p". Examples: RESIZE("s", 0.75, 0.54), RESIZE("p", 540, 467).
SAVE	SAVE([filename], [merged])	Saves the current image. If merged is true, annotation layers are flattened before saving.
PIXELFORMAT	PIXELFORMAT(<mode>)	Converts the current image. Supported modes are true, 256, gray, and bw.
GETSEL	GETSEL(<value>)	Returns a selection bound where <value> is "l", "t", "w", or "h" for left, top, width, or height.
SETSEL	SETSEL(<left>, <top>, <width>, <height>)	Creates a bitmap selection rectangle at the specified coordinates.
CROP	CROP()	Crops the image using the current selection.
COPY	COPY([merged])	Copies the current image or selection. merged is optional and defaults to true.
UNDO	UNDO()	Reverses the last editor action.
SAVEUNDO	SAVEUNDO()	Saves an undo state for objects and layers before a larger scripted change.
REDO	REDO()	Reapplies the most recently undone action.
REFRESH	REFRESH()	Refreshes the editor and cache views.
MERGE	MERGE()	Merges all layers in the active image into a flattened result.
INFO	INFO(<value>)	Returns metadata where <value> is "w", "h", "format", "name", "cachename", "cachefolder", or "userdata".
SAMPLE	SAMPLE(<x>, <y>)	Returns the pixel color at the specified bitmap coordinates.
OPEN	OPEN(<filename>)	Opens an image file into the ScreenGrabbin' editor.

Command Details

RESIZE

Use RESIZE("s", <width>, [height]) to resize by scale or RESIZE("p", <width>, [height]) to resize by pixel dimensions. The third parameter is optional.

Supported resize types:

• "s" resizes by scale where 1.0 means 100%
• "p" resizes by pixel dimensions

Examples:

• RESIZE("s", 0.75, 0.54)
• RESIZE("p", 540, 467)

ScreenGrabbin' uses bicubic resampling and marks the image modified after a successful resize.

SAVE

SAVE([filename], [merged]) writes the current image to disk. If filename is omitted, ScreenGrabbin' attempts to save using the current working file name. If merged is true, the output is flattened before it is saved.

PIXELFORMAT

PIXELFORMAT(<mode>) converts the active image format. Supported modes are:

• true for 24-bit color
• 256 for 8-bit palettized color
• gray for 8-bit grayscale
• bw for black-and-white ordered dithering

GETSEL and SETSEL

Use GETSEL("l"|"t"|"w"|"h") to read the current selection bounds. Use SETSEL(<left>, <top>, <width>, <height>) to create a bitmap selection rectangle from a script before running functions like CROP(), COPY(), or image adjustments.

CROP

CROP() applies a crop using the active selection.

COPY

COPY([merged]) sends the current selection or image to the clipboard. The merged parameter is optional and defaults to true.

• COPY() copies using the default merged behavior
• COPY(true) copies a flattened result including annotations
• COPY(false) copies without forcing a merged result

UNDO, SAVEUNDO, and REDO

These commands let scripts participate in the editor undo stack:

• UNDO() reverses the last change
• SAVEUNDO() records an undo point for objects and layers
• REDO() reapplies the last undone change

REFRESH

REFRESH() redraws the main image view and cached-image view after a script changes the current workspace.

MERGE

MERGE() flattens all layers in the active image, saves an undo point, copies the merged result to the clipboard, and exits annotation mode.

INFO

INFO(...) returns information about the current image and workspace:

Query	Returned value
INFO("w")	Current image width
INFO("h")	Current image height
INFO("format")	Current bitmap pixel format
INFO("name")	Current working file name
INFO("cachename")	Current cache file name
INFO("cachefolder")	Cache folder path
INFO("userdata")	ScreenGrabbin' base data folder

SAMPLE

SAMPLE(<x>, <y>) reads a pixel directly from the current bitmap canvas and returns the color value.

OPEN

OPEN(<filename>) loads an image file into the editor. If a file name is supplied, ScreenGrabbin' first checks for unsaved changes before replacing the current image.

Notes for Script Authors

• These commands are ScreenGrabbin'-specific and are intended to be used from BTB action scripts that run inside the application.
• Query-style functions such as GETSEL(), INFO(), and SAMPLE() return values back to the script.
• COPY(true) and MERGE() are the functions to use when you need annotations flattened into the final output.
• SAVE() without a valid current file name can fail, so scripts should usually provide an explicit file path.
• SAMPLE() reads raw bitmap coordinates and can fail if the script passes coordinates outside the image bounds.

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Manual Version 5.0.0.0© 2026 Chalard LLC