Developers - screen shot app sans root! Please!

[HumanContract]

Is it just an impossibility to do? I have no idea about these things, but I guess if it is possible it would have been done already, no?

I haven't taken the plunge to root, and not sure if I will...and the instructions for screen shot on Droid are basically chinese to me because I have no skill when it comes to this sorta thing.

I just want an app that will take a screenshot without root =[

People like me would pay for an app like this. You could make killer money guys, come on!

 

[jimdroid]

I believe it is a security violation; hence the need to root.

you can take screenshots of an unrooted phone using the android development environment.

 

[HumanContract]

I believe it is a security violation; hence the need to root.

you can take screenshots of an unrooted phone using the android development environment.

Thanks, maybe one day when I have lots of brain power I'll try it out, lol.

 

[KlaymenDK]

I'm using "PicMe" and "ShootMe", one does screen shots and the other does (very low fps) screen casts via a web server (I can never remember which is which though! ).

Anyway, I played around with these before rooting my phone and they worked just fine! I don't know if you have the same luck, but it's worth a shot...

 

[badfrog]

Thanks, maybe one day when I have lots of brain power I'll try it out, lol.

I followed these instructions and got it figured out rather quickly.

when you connect your phone, make sure it is in sync mode, not charge or mount.
also, I just installed all the available packages.
you may need to change it to force https to http (under settings tab/misc)

Unfortunately it's not a simple process.

- Download the Android SDK here: Android SDK | Android Developers
- Run 'SDK Setup.exe' and install the Android 1.5 package and USB driver package
- In Windows Device Manager use the USB driver that was downloaded to install the USB driver in Windows
- Make sure you have Java installed, and Java /bin/ directory is in your Windows PATH variable (In a command prompt type "java" and if it says unrecognized command you need to do this: Find your Java /bin directory, should be something like C:\Program Files\Java\jre.ver.number\bin\ and go to a cmd prompt and type: path C:\thatdirectoryhere)
- Enable USB Debugging on your phone: Settings > Applications > Development
- Run ddms.bat in the /tools/ directory of the Android SDK with your phone plugged in
- Select your phone from the list on the top left of the window
- Go to Device > Screen Capture to capture and save screen shots

 

[HumanContract]

I'm using "PicMe" and "ShootMe", one does screen shots and the other does (very low fps) screen casts via a web server (I can never remember which is which though! ).

Anyway, I played around with these before rooting my phone and they worked just fine! I don't know if you have the same luck, but it's worth a shot...

Thank you! I will def try them out, I was under the impression all those apps were for rooted phones only. Can't thank you enough!


Update
Yeah totally doesn't work without root...the more I read the more I wanna root, but I'm shakin in mah boots ;[

 

[KlaymenDK]

Sorry to hear it didn't work for you ... I didn't know why it worked for me in the first place. The security model on Android is really a pain, and it's not very elegantly thought out. But then I come from the wide-open PalmOS where rooting wasn't required and on-the-fly backups just worked. (Good times... )

Can I ask, what are you afraid of? I don't mean to be any kind of condescending, but trying to understand.

I don't know how rooting works on the Droid (I'm sure the rooting forum knows), but on my Galaxy it's an extreeemely easy and risk-free process! Here's a thought: try to find some threads from people who've bricked their phones by rooting ... I can't recall seeing any.

 

[badfrog]

the method I posted and does work, and doesn't mess with your phone any.
it seems a little daunting at first, but once you figure it out, it's all cake from there.

 

[HumanContract]

Sorry to hear it didn't work for you ... I didn't know why it worked for me in the first place. The security model on Android is really a pain, and it's not very elegantly thought out. But then I come from the wide-open PalmOS where rooting wasn't required and on-the-fly backups just worked. (Good times... )

Can I ask, what are you afraid of? I don't mean to be any kind of condescending, but trying to understand.

I don't know how rooting works on the Droid (I'm sure the rooting forum knows), but on my Galaxy it's an extreeemely easy and risk-free process! Here's a thought: try to find some threads from people who've bricked their phones by rooting ... I can't recall seeing any.

Well, I've had the Droid for about 2-3 weeks now and have been reading about rooting more and more the past couple days. I am pretty sure I will eventually do it, I just want to make sure I'm well prepared and know what I'm doing and have read all the necessary info about it.

I am basically happy with my phone, I mean it's awesome! But just hearing about all this root talk makes me think it must be worth it. I do wish however that I was a little more savvy in the tech department it would definitely help with my confidence lol, all of the lingo I read kinda makes my head spin so I'm just reading and re-reading until I feel more comfy.

Thanks for your help and support, I will definitely let ya know how it goes once I do root =]

 

[KlaymenDK]

Psst!

From user "(G)" comes this post linking to an article named "Take Android screenshots without root". No Android app, but it does require installing the Android SDK though.

Thought you might want to know!

PS. I'm just the messenger -- Thanks should go to (G)!

 

[dmodert66]

Psst!

From user "(G)" comes this post linking to an article named "Take Android screenshots without root". No Android app, but it does require installing the Android SDK though.

Thought you might want to know!

PS. I'm just the messenger -- Thanks should go to (G)!

This was already explained above by badfrog

 

[(G)]

This was already explained above by badfrog

Right. But I posted the link and the topic last night.

I'm no tech wizard, but I got it to work within about 10 minutes... no fuss, no muss. Pretty simpy.

 

[lemodular]

Home ++ will do this, at least when I used it.

no root, no SDK

 

[just_jess]

Psst!

From user "(G)" comes this post linking to an article named "Take Android screenshots without root". No Android app, but it does require installing the Android SDK though.


This is along the lines of what I'm looking for. I only have access to a Mac, and I'm not exactly a Mac Genius, and that article barely touches on Mac.

I did download the Android SDK, but I can't locate the files mentioned in the article, in the SDK folder. I just don't have the patience to sit here and try to figure it out.

I would just like to be able to do a screen capture without jumping through a bunch of hoops. There should be some way to do it directly from the phone.

I'm just frustrated with how difficult it is to do things easily with Android.

 

[kevin@teslacoilsw]

I did download the Android SDK, but I can't locate the files mentioned in the article, in the SDK folder. I just don't have the patience to sit here and try to figure it out.

Plug the phone into the computer and make sure Settings > Applications > Development > USB Debugging is on.

On your Mac open Applications/Utilities/Terminal.app and run:
~/android-sdk-mac_86/tools/ddms

(Assuming you put the android-sdk-mac_86 directory in your home directory, if it's on your desktop then ~/Desktop/android-sdk-mac_86/tools/ddms)

This will bring up the DDMS console and you can do Menu > Device > Screen Capture.