One great new feature of Windows Vista is the Snipping Tool. For anyone familiar with using the print screen function for capturing screen shots will truly appreciate the new tool which is a beefed up version of the print screen function.

The Snipping Tool allows you to easily capture “snips” or screen shots of your screen in different sizes and shapes which can be saved, modified and annotated. There are several different methods for snipping parts of the screen all of which are described below.

Types of Snips
When creating a new snip there are several type of snips that can taken. These include free-form, rectangle, window and full screen. Listed below is a description of each type of snip.

1. Free-Form Snip
   The free-form snip allows you draw a free-form shape around the area of the screen that you want to capture.



2. Rectangle Snip
   The rectangle snip option you selects a rectangle area of the screen to be captured.



3. Window Snip
   With the window snip option you can capture an active windows such a dialog box or email.



4. Full Screen Snip
   The full screen snip option will capture the entire active screen when selected.

How to Capture a Snip

1. Click Start


2. Select All Programs


3. Click Accessories


4. Click Snipping Tool
   
5. Select Yes or No when prompted whether or not to install the Snipping Tool on the QuickLaunch Bar. By installing the Snipping Tool on the QuickLaunch bar it will be readily available anytime you need to use it.


6. Click on arrow next to New and select the snip type (the shape and type of screenshot you want to capture with the snipping tool) and then use mouse to select the area to be snipped.

Saving, Annotating and Sharing Snips
Once a snip is created then it can be saved, annotated, emailed or pasted into a document. Listed below are the options available.

• A snip can be saved as a png, gif or jpg picture file. The snip can also be saved as a HTML file which can be viewed in a browser. If the snip is of a website or web page and it is saved as a HTML file the web site that the snip was taken from is listed as a URL at the bottom of the snip. This setting can be changed under Tools | Options in the Snipping Tool application.


• The snip can be modified by the use of the pen and highlighter tools. Notes can be added or parts of the snip can be highlighted. The pen can be customized by selecting Tools | Pen - the size of the tip, the shape and the color can be modified. Note - the highlighter color can not be changed and the eraser only works on added the pen and highlighter.


• When a snip is selected a copy is placed in the Windows clipboard which allow the placement of the clip into a document, spreadsheet or other Windows program by the use of the paste command.


• The snip can be emailed either as an attachment or in the body of an email by selecting File | Send To and then select how the snip should be sent to the recipient.


Happy Snipping!