"Print Screen" doesn't work in Lubuntu 13.10?

[vasa1]

Why does pressing "Print" do nothing in Lubuntu 13.10 for some users?

If pressing the "Print" or "Prnt Scrn" key does nothing, please read on.

"Scrot" is the default screen capture utility in Lubuntu and `man scrot` has this:

scrot is a screen capture utility using the imlib2 library to aquire
and save images. scrot has a few options, detailed below. Specify
[file] as the filename to save the screenshot to. If [file] is not
specified, a date-stamped file will be dropped in the current direc‐
tory.

However, for some users of Lubuntu 13.10, no file is created anywhere in /home or its subfolders.

One way to fix this is to edit ~/.config/openbox/lubuntu-rc.xml (after making a backup for safety).

Open lubuntu-rc.xml with a text editor of your choice. Leafpad will do. Search for print or Print. You should get exactly four hits in an unmodified lubuntu-rc.xml:

    <!-- Take a screenshot of the current window with scrot when Alt+Print are pressed -->
    <keybind key="A-Print">
      <action name="Execute">
        <command>lxsession-default screenshot window</command>
      </action>
    </keybind>

and

    <!-- Launch scrot when Print is pressed -->
    <keybind key="Print">
      <action name="Execute">
        <command>lxsession-default screenshot</command>
      </action>
    </keybind>

Notice the contents between <command> and </command>.

In the first case, change `lxsession-default screenshot window` to `scrot -u -b`.
In the second case, change `lxsession-default screenshot` to `scrot`.

Save the file (as a plain text file) and exit the text editor.

Open a terminal, run `openbox --reconfigure`. You shouldn't get a pop-up informing you of errors. The prompt should return. That's all. If you do get errors, it means there's something wrong with lubuntu-rc.xml but that's not relevant here.

From now on, both Print Screen to print the whole screen and Alt + Print Screen to print just the active window should work as described in man scrot.

Check out man scrot and also http://askubuntu.com/q/252281/25656.

[amjjawad]

Because this is a bug: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+s...s/+bug/1233860

And, the easiest and the simplest workaround is:

sudo apt-get install gnome-screenshot

At least, GNOME Screenshot has some nice features (GUI) and will help 'new' users

Thanks for posting that workaround, my friend

[syntaxerror74]

Well, I think ksnapshot is even better than gnome-screenshot (but that may be a matter of taste)

[sudodus]

Thank you all for these helpful posts

[john-duck-sinnott]

This fix doesn't do anything for me on my Lubuntu 13.10 'Prt Sc' button still doesn't work, but it did work fine when I had Ubuntu 12.04 installed. I'll try some of the other suggestions

[syntaxerror74]

John, could it be you're expecting something to happen on screen (pop up, flash, beep, move)?

This is not the case. The fix works for me (Lubuntu 13.10 as well), but things remain silent as a mouse.

Taking a screenshot will work but you have to check your home directory where scrot has placed the file without noticing you about it in any way.
(Well, that's no ksnapshot (see above) which will pop up by itself when 'demonized' and you hit PrtSc )

[tm007]

Why does pressing "Print" do nothing in Lubuntu 13.10 for some users?

If pressing the "Print" or "Prnt Scrn" key does nothing, please read on.

"Scrot" is the default screen capture utility in Lubuntu and `man scrot` has this:



However, for some users of Lubuntu 13.10, no file is created anywhere in /home or its subfolders.

One way to fix this is to edit ~/.config/openbox/lubuntu-rc.xml (after making a backup for safety).

Open lubuntu-rc.xml with a text editor of your choice. Leafpad will do. Search for print or Print. You should get exactly four hits in an unmodified lubuntu-rc.xml:

    <!-- Take a screenshot of the current window with scrot when Alt+Print are pressed -->
    <keybind key="A-Print">
      <action name="Execute">
        <command>lxsession-default screenshot window</command>
      </action>
    </keybind>

and

    <!-- Launch scrot when Print is pressed -->
    <keybind key="Print">
      <action name="Execute">
        <command>lxsession-default screenshot</command>
      </action>
    </keybind>

Notice the contents between <command> and </command>.

In the first case, change `lxsession-default screenshot window` to `scrot -u -b`.
In the second case, change `lxsession-default screenshot` to `scrot`.

Save the file (as a plain text file) and exit the text editor.

Open a terminal, run `openbox --reconfigure`. You shouldn't get a pop-up informing you of errors. The prompt should return. That's all. If you do get errors, it means there's something wrong with lubuntu-rc.xml but that's not relevant here.

From now on, both Print Screen to print the whole screen and Alt + Print Screen to print just the active window should work as described in man scrot.

Check out man scrot and also http://askubuntu.com/q/252281/25656.

Thanks for the instructions. This is far easier than installing ksnapshot. ksnapshot didn't work for me anyways and it left a re-occurring .kde folder, after uninstalling it, that keeps appearing every time I delete it.

BTW is there a way I can change the save location and file type? When I press Alt+Print, or Print it places the screen shot in /home/user directory, it would be nice to put it in the /home/user/Picture directory.

[vasa1]

Thanks for the instructions. This is far easier than installing ksnapshot. ksnapshot didn't work for me anyways and it left a re-occurring .kde folder, after uninstalling it, that keeps appearing every time I delete it.

I stay away from installing software beginning with "k" unless I'm using Kubuntu which I'm not Some GNOME software also rams down a lot of stuff which may not be needed.

As a general precaution, I run sudo apt-get install -s package_name to get a simulation of what will be installed. I also prefer install --no-install-recommends over plain install when appropriate.

[vasa1]

...
BTW is there a way I can change the save location and file type? When I press Alt+Print, or Print it places the screen shot in /home/user directory, it would be nice to put it in the /home/user/Picture directory.

This is what I'm using now in my rc.xml. If you're using a Lubuntu session, it would go into ~/.config/openbox/lubuntu-rc.xml:

    <!-- ##### Take a delayed screenshot of the current window with scrot when W+Print are pressed -->
    <keybind key="W-Print">
      <action name="Execute">
        <command>scrot -u -b -d 5 -q 100 ~/Desktop/%b%d::%H%M%S.png</command>
      </action>
    </keybind>
    <!-- ##### Take an immediate full screenshot when Print is pressed -->
    <keybind key="Print">
      <action name="Execute">
        <command>scrot -b -q 100 ~/Desktop/%b%d::%H%M%S.png</command>
      </action>
    </keybind>

You can change ~/Desktop to whatever else you like.
You can reduce -q 100 to something else if you feel the image files are too big. 75 is the default.

Why do you want to change the file type? You can use .jpeg instead of .png.

Helpful link: http://www.freesoftwaremagazine.com/...ots_with_scrot

[Rex Bouwense]

Hey guys take a breath. Back in October (yes a month after Lubuntu 13.10 was released) I noticed that "Prt Sc" didn't work. OK. Then in November amjjawad (in this same thread) said install Screenshot and then you would be able to print the screen. I did that and it is a wonderful work-around. I recommend it to one and all. While we all want bugs fixed, in reality they are never going to get fixed as fast as we want. I for one will wait satisfied that there is a viable work-around until the developers get around to the patch.