Help with Snipping Tool

By ejl2006
in The Fast Ring (Insider Previews)

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Grand Master

theyarecomingforyou

Posted
Posted
Could you do us a favor and put a trollface after all your posts, just so there's no confusion on the part of your readers.

Metro apps by default run in fullscreen mode, with limited functionality when side-snapped. They are automatically suspended when not in view, with the exception of some limited functionality which can run in the background. They do no integrate with desktop apps. They are automatically shut down if too many are open. And the Metro task-switcher is hidden and provides no labelling of the apps (only a small preview). That compares with the desktop, which allows an unlimited number of apps running, with full background privileges, with a visible and consistent task switcher (the taskbar) and a shared environment (the desktop).

Metro has many advantages for a mobile environment - the power savings and excellent support for touch interfaces - but it is not designed for multi-tasking. The changes are not subjective. Metro is objectively worse for multi-tasking.

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contextfree

Posted
Posted

Just FYI, some desktop apps (ones built with UIAccess) can run on top of Metro style apps, such as Task Manager or inspect.exe from the Windows SDK. I think it would probably be possible to write a Snipping Tool that would work with Metro style apps, though the one built into Windows currently doesn't.

In addition, if you have OneNote 2010 installed, the snipping tool shortcut it adds - Windows key + S - actually works with Metro style apps as well, though in a somewhat odd way - it takes a screenshot of the app, switches to the desktop, and creates a full screen window with the app screenshot where you do the actual snipping. It doesn't work with snapped apps.

edit: upon a bit of thought, I guess that must be how ON2010's snipping tool works on the desktop too (it's the same OneNote 2010 binary as in Windows 7, right?) - the "dimming" of the desktop is really creating a full screen window with a screenshot. It's just more obvious with the switching to the desktop animation ...

Grand Master

Brandon Live Veteran

Posted
  • Veteran
Posted

No, it's constrained to the desktop. Metro isn't designed for multitasking.

Well that is simply not true, and I don't really see what this topic has to do with "multi-tasking."

Anyway, the snipping tool actually does work with Metro style apps, if you launch it and then use the Ctrl+PrtScn combo. Alternatively you can press Win+PrtScn at any time (without the snipping tool) to have a screenshot saved to a file. Or Win + Volume Down on a tablet.

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FaiKee

Posted
Posted

Well that is simply not true, and I don't really see what this topic has to do with "multi-tasking."

Anyway, the snipping tool actually does work with Metro style apps, if you launch it and then use the Ctrl+PrtScn combo. Alternatively you can press Win+PrtScn at any time (without the snipping tool) to have a screenshot saved to a file. Or Win + Volume Down on a tablet.

Tks, now I understand why the need for extra click when snipping. :D

1. When a user wishes to snip a metro pic, goto desktop and launch Sniiping Tool, then hoover mouse over screen top left to return to metro page, click Ctrl-PrtScr.

screen1050.jpg

2. Snip it!

screen1051.jpg

Grand Master

theyarecomingforyou

Posted
Posted
Well that is simply not true, and I don't really see what this topic has to do with "multi-tasking."

It's relevant because a task that was easy to achieve on the desktop is more difficult using Metro due to the limitations placed on the interaction between apps. Instead you have to use a work around in order for apps to interact. With the desktop you can have dozens of applications running across different monitors, accessing shared content and able to interact with each other. With Metro even on a multi-monitor system you can only have two apps running (both have to be on the same screen), one of which of which has to be side-snapped (a mode which typically has limited functionality); there are also a lot of restrictions on how apps interact, which is only possible through a limited number of provided APIs.

There is no disputing that Metro is a lot more power efficient and better optimised for tablets. However, it simply isn't as useful on the desktop where traditional Win32 apps offer better functionality. I've stated many times that I like Windows 8 and will be upgrading at launch so my point isn't to bash Microsoft. However, people shouldn't pretend that Metro apps are on par with the desktop. I have been using them for months and haven't found them to be beneficial to my workflow or my use of the computer. Some apps like Cocktail Flow are very good for specific purposes but would have been much better for mouse and keyboard if they were designed for the desktop.

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