mate-screenshot

Create a fullscreen screenshot

$ mate-screenshot

$ mate-screenshot --window

$ mate-screenshot --area

$ mate-screenshot --interactive

$ mate-screenshot --window --remove-border

$ mate-screenshot --effect=[shadow|border|none]

$ mate-screenshot --delay=[5]

mate-screenshot [OPTION...]

--window, -w
    Grab a specific window instead of the entire screen. The user will be prompted to click on the desired window.

--area, -a
    Grab a selected area of the screen instead of the entire screen. The user will be prompted to draw a rectangle.

--background, -b
    Take a screenshot of the current desktop background.

--delay=SEC, -d SEC
    Take a screenshot after a delay of SEC seconds. Useful for preparing the screen.

--interactive, -i
    Show an interactive dialog window to choose options before taking the screenshot.

--clipboard, -c
    Copy the screenshot to the system clipboard instead of saving it to a file or displaying it.

--print, -p
    Print the screenshot to the default configured printer.

--file=FILENAME, -f FILENAME
    Save the screenshot directly to the specified FILENAME. If not provided, a default filename in the Pictures directory or a dialog will be used.

--effect=EFFECT, -e EFFECT
    Add a visual EFFECT to the screenshot. Common effects include "shadow", "border", or "none".

--no-border, -B
    Do not include the window border when taking a screenshot of a window using --window.

--no-pointer, -P
    Do not include the mouse pointer in the screenshot.

--display=DISPLAY, -D DISPLAY
    Specify the X DISPLAY to use for the screenshot operation.

--version, -v
    Display the version information for the mate-screenshot command.

--help, -h
    Show a help message with available command options and exit.

mate-screenshot is a versatile utility specifically designed for the MATE Desktop environment to capture screenshots. It allows users to take a snapshot of the entire screen, a specific application window, or a user-defined rectangular area. This command-line tool provides various options to customize the capture process, including adding a delay before taking the shot, copying the image directly to the system clipboard, saving it to a specified file path, or even printing it. It is an essential tool for documentation, bug reporting, or simply sharing visual information within the MATE ecosystem, offering flexibility for both quick captures and more precise photographic needs. Its integration with the MATE desktop provides a seamless user experience.

When using --window or --area without a --delay, the command will wait for user interaction to select the target window or area. It is not possible to combine --window and --area options in a single command. The printing functionality requires a correctly configured default printer.

To capture a screenshot after a set duration, useful for setting up a specific view or menu, use the --delay option. For example, mate-screenshot --delay=5 will take a full screen shot after 5 seconds, giving you time to arrange elements.

Instead of opening a save dialog or sending to clipboard, you can directly save the screenshot to a specific path using --file=FILENAME. For instance, mate-screenshot --window --file=~/Documents/my_app_screenshot.png will allow you to select a window and save its screenshot to the specified PNG file without further prompts.

mate-screenshot originated as a fork of gnome-screenshot. It was developed as part of the MATE Desktop Environment, which emerged after the significant transition of GNOME 2 to GNOME 3 (GNOME Shell). The MATE project aimed to provide a traditional, familiar desktop experience similar to GNOME 2, and thus, mate-screenshot retains the classic functionality and user interface of its GNOME 2 predecessor, ensuring continuity and stability for users who prefer the established desktop metaphor.

gnome-screenshot(1), scrot(1), import(1)