This is on my wishlist. Let’s say I’m working with someone remotely, we’re on the phone, and he says “I like this (model, image of model, whatever), but can you add a tree here, and a bush there, and change the color of the wall there…” That’s when I want rapid back and forth iteration and feedback, but let’s say that they don’t have a good enough connection for a live screenshare. It would be so cool to have a super-fast way to give feedback on live changes, by adding a tree, for example, then hitting a button to email a screenshot of the model (with a few email addresses already saved in the plugin menu that would pop up), and letting the client or designer get an updated view via email really, really quickly, without the usual multiple steps of exporting and saving an image, then opening my email, creating an email, navigating to that file in attachments, and sending it. It would just save some steps and allow for rapid live feedback and iteration.
It would have to have email permissions, file-saving permissions, it would need to create an email subject line automatically, and it would probably need to have you set up a folder ahead of time for a place to save all email-screenshot images from that model, since I doubt it can email a file that hasn’t been yet saved onto the computer.
So really, it would just do the boring stuff for you so that you can get back to the rest of the model changes while awaiting them asking you to move that tree 3 inches north again.
Does anyone here make plugins and want to tackle this? I have clients in Alaska with very slow internet speeds who can’t handle screensharing, and we’d be very thankful. =)
In the mean time, if you have windows the snipping tool gives you the option to snip a section of the screen and email it directly. Assuming you have your email set up to work with your system. You’ll have to add the address but the rest is done for you. So it’s only a couple of clicks.
Thanks! What is this snipping tool? I’ve never heard of it. I have the Print Screen button on my keyboard, and I use that a lot, it’s magical, but I don’t know about a snipping tool.
I just now tried Trimble Connect. It has a lot of potential for showing a model and establishing feedback, but the screenshot function didn’t actually work when I tried it.
YAAAAYYY I have the snipping tool on my computer!
Thanks! Problem solved. It’s exactly what I wanted. Asking this question was totally worth the slight embarrassment of finding out I had the tool on my own computer all this time.
As an alternative, here is a rather good, free, third-party screen capture utility. It offers a lot of flexibility in what parts of the screen you can capture, and it can capture things like mouse pointers, tool tips, and inferencing feedback.
And here is how to find Snipping tool for anyone still looking for it.
You might find Gifcam useful too for what you need, a quick way to grab gifs to send.
Over a certain size you need to click it to activate.
That gifcam looks pretty snazzy. I’m finding at least 3 gifcam links online. Can you point me to a safe place to download the one you are using?
Also, is that your model? It looks really fun! Do you have a 3D Warehouse profile that I could look at?
This is the actual site for gifcam it looks a bit funky but it is safe. Scroll down a bit, past the instruction to the download link. It’s a very simple tool, but quite powerful for what it is.
There are others around if you don’t like how this one works. Screenr is another handy video capture. It’s web based, so it is useful if you work on different computers, you can sign in on any pc and have access to your recording and record more. Then just email the links.
Yes my model, just a little idea I’m fiddling with, it’s a games board table thing with little tracks to send the chess pieces back to storage. I don’t have anything in the Warehouse.
You also may want to look at Jing. It is a free web service that seems to provide exactly what you are asking for. The splash page offers the following as a tease:
“Share Ideas Instantly
Try Jing for a free and simple way to start sharing images and short videos of your computer screen. Whether for work, home, or play, Jing gives you the ability to add basic visual elements to your captures and share them fast.”
if using W7/8 you may want misuse the integrated Problem Steps Recorder for doing this, just click on the Start button and enter/execute “psr”… usage is self-explanatory.