As SnagIt currently doesn’t support Linux, the Flameshot is likely the only screenshot taking utility worthwhile to consider if you’re a Linux user. Here are step by step instructions on how to install Flameshot under Kubuntu KDE Plasma Desktop and also how to associate it with the PRT SC button.
I’ve used Shutter and Spectacle to take my screenshots in Linux, but Shutter has compatibility issues with Kubuntu 18.10 and similarly to Spectacle both utilities do not offer any screenshot annotation functionality. So, as I was looking for a replacement, I found the open source software called Flameshot, which seems to be a much more powerful tool.
What is Flameshot?
Flameshot (https://github.com/lupoDharkael/flameshot) is written in C++ and Qt5 framework and it is a very simple to use screenshot software for everyone that uses Linux as their main workstation. It’s essentially one of the best utilities to use until SnagIt decides to finally answer the call from Linux community and release a Linux version of their superior screenshot taking tool. Meanwhile, Flameshot offers most of the annotation functions which I regularly use in SnagIt and I can live with that. Flameshot allows me to annotate my screenshots with freehand drawings, lines, arrows, boxes, circles, but also do things such as highlighting of parts of the screenshot, blurring or adding text. Most of the annotation tools can be customized with your own selection of colour and size/thickness and Flameshot also supports on-screen buttons such as moving screen selection, undo, copy to clipboard, save to file or even upload directly to Imgur (which is especially useful).
Flameshot demo:
To install Flameshot you can either built it from the latest source code:
sudo apt install g++ build-essential qt5-default qt5-qmake qttools5-dev-tools sudo apt install libqt5dbus5 libqt5network5 libqt5core5a libqt5widgets5 libqt5gui5 libqt5svg5-dev sudo apt install git openssl ca-certificates git clone https://github.com/lupoDharkael/flameshot.git cd flameshot mkdir build cd build qmake ../ sudo make sudo make install
Or install the version currently available in APT repositories:
sudo apt install flameshot
Or simply open Discover Software Center:
Then search for Flameshot and install it:
Once installed, you can run the tool by simply issuing a ‘flameshot gui’ command through a console, like this:
But you will likely want to have it associated with the PRT SC keyboard button.
To do so, go to System Settings, then navigate to Shortcuts and at the bottom of the screen go to Edit -> New -> Global Shortcut -> Command/URL.
Create a new custom shortcut, name it Screenshot and in the Trigger tab associate it with the Print button (simply press PRT SC on this screen:
Then go to Action tab and set the path to: ‘/usr/bin/flameshot gui’, like this:
And Voila!, try to press the PRT SC button on your keyboard.
Btw. All screenshots for this article were taken with Flameshot.