Screen shots with date/time embedded by computer in screenshot

Question

Level 1

4 points

Screen shots with date/time embedded by computer in screenshot

I need screenshots that have the date and time printed directly ON the screenshot by the computer, for use in a legal case. Is there any way to do that? I'm using a 2015 Macbook Pro running High Sierra (10.13.5). When I take a screen shot and open it on my computer, the name of the file is the date/time stamp and the info appears at the top of the shot when it's on my computer screen, but the info is not included when printing out the screen shot. Please help!

MacBook Pro, macOS High Sierra (10.13.5)

Posted on Jun 21, 2018 11:01 AM

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Answer 1

afoxland Author

Level 1

4 points

Jun 22, 2018 9:02 AM in response to VikingOSX

Hi Viking,

Thanks for the info. I'm working on understanding it. BTW, the filename (e.g. date/time stamp) appears when you view the screen shot on screen, but doesn't appear when you print it out. It doesn't even show in the print preview. A weird (and if you ask me, very serious) glitch of the Mac. It shouldn't be this tough to get a time and date stamp on a screen shot.

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Answer 2

Jun 21, 2018 5:21 PM in response to afoxland

I have a Python/Objective-C script that right now can center a text string in a choice of color across the bottom of PDF. Just like a digital camera stamp. I would need to modify it to convert the image to PDF, and use the date/time stamp from the screen shot filename. It probaby could benefit from a simple user interface to select the specific screen shot, and that isn't much difficulty — if I reuse an AppleScript choose file approach from within Python.

Here is your post as a screencapture converted to PDF and with an arbitrary red text string stamped on it.

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Answer 3

Lanny

Level 6

13,183 points

Jun 22, 2018 1:53 PM in response to afoxland

It shouldn't be this tough to get a time and date stamp on a screen shot.

It isn't. Since anyone can paste a date and time on top of a screenshot image, how could it ever have any legal value?

Example:

Oops, no computers in 1865.

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Answer 4

Jun 21, 2018 3:49 PM in response to afoxland

When you select the area to include in the screen capture just draw the selection to include the date and time located at the top right of the screen, assuming you are showing the date/time in the bar.

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Answer 5

afoxland Author

Level 1

4 points

Jun 21, 2018 4:45 PM in response to BobTheFisherman

Hi BobTheFisherman, thanks for your answer. I'm using Shift-command-3 to capture the entire screen. It should get the date and time of the screencap, and it looks like it does on the computer, but check this out:

Try this as an exercise, because this is a very serious flaw in the MacBook if you're trying to use your MacBook for legal work:

1) Use shift-command-3 to to put a screenshot on your desktop.

2) Now open the screenshot. Notice the filename is, for example, "Screen Shot 2018-06-21 at 5.39.54 PM." This would be perfect, but next

3) click File/Print, as though you're going to print it, or just go ahead and print it out.

On the print view and on the actual printed document, the wording "Screen Shot 2018-06-21 at 5.39.54 PM" doesn't show. It is no longer at the top of the document, or anywhere on the document. When I send these screenshots through email as well, the date and time do not appear at the top, either.

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Answer 6

afoxland Author

Level 1

4 points

Jun 21, 2018 5:45 PM in response to BobTheFisherman

BobTheFisherman, this is getting closer. It does lack the year, though, and I had to print it out in landscape to get the writing at the top to the right of "Untitled" to show. Exactly how did you do this? Did you use Shift-Command-3?

Anne

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Answer 7

afoxland Author

Level 1

4 points

Jun 21, 2018 5:47 PM in response to VikingOSX

What is Python/Objective-C? Where can I get it, and is it free? It might not be acceptable to attorneys to put the time stamp on it myself, though. I did that in previous screen shots and the attorneys said they wanted a time/date stamp created by the computer.

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Answer 8

Jun 21, 2018 6:09 PM in response to afoxland

I used the grab selected area. Click on the date/time field in the bar and change the display format to include the year. Or, at least click on the date/time and the drop down will include the year. Then using grab select the area you need including the date/time/year.

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Answer 9

Jun 21, 2018 7:54 PM in response to afoxland

Python is a free scripting language that is included with the operating system, and is an internationally accepted programming language. Apple actually uses it within the operating system for selected solutions.

Objective-C is a programming language that can be integrated within Python and/or AppleScript to extend application functionality. Apple includes Python, AppleScript, and the Cocoa bridge to access Objective-C for free with the operating system.

The Python/Objective-C solution that put that red string on your screen capture is using Objective-C language constructs within the Python script.

One can get the time stamp from the screen capture filename, or one can get the creation date/time from the file itself — which the operating system stamped on the file when it was created. This particular solution is Mac only.

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Answer 10

Jun 22, 2018 11:42 AM in response to afoxland

The date/time stamp that appears on the screen is the filename assigned by screen capture. It will not appear in the printout, which only prints the image of the screen capture. This is no different than if it were a text file. Print only outputs the document contents, not its name.

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Answer 11

Jun 21, 2018 5:34 PM in response to afoxland

Don't grab the screen grab a selection that includes what you need and the date and time. Here is an example. Look at the top right for the date and time.