How to use the command "maim" (with examples)

Using the maim Command to Capture Screenshots (with examples)

Introduction:

The maim command is a screenshot utility for Linux systems that allows users to capture screenshots and save them in various formats. It provides a range of options to capture the entire screen, selected regions, active windows, and even copy the screenshots to the clipboard. In this article, we will explore different use cases of the maim command with code examples, motivations, explanations, and example outputs.

1: Capture a screenshot and save it to the given path

Code:

maim path/to/screenshot.png

Motivation:

This use case is useful when you want to capture a screenshot of the entire screen or a specific area and save it to a desired location. It allows you to easily document visual information or share screenshots with others.

Explanation:

The maim command followed by the path and filename specifies the location where you want to save the screenshot. The file extension determines the format of the saved screenshot, such as .png, .jpg, or .bmp.

Example Output:

A screenshot of the entire screen or selected region will be captured and saved as screenshot.png in the specified directory.

2: Capture a screenshot of the selected region

Code:

maim --select path/to/screenshot.png

Motivation:

This use case is helpful when you only need to capture a specific area of the screen instead of the entire screen. It allows you to focus on particular sections or elements of an application or website.

Explanation:

The --select option instructs maim to prompt the user to select a region of the screen using the mouse. After making the selection, maim will capture the chosen area and save it to the specified path.

Example Output:

A prompt will appear on the screen allowing you to select the desired region. Once selected, the screenshot will be saved as screenshot.png in the specified directory.

3: Capture a screenshot of the selected region and save it in the clipboard

Code:

maim --select | xclip -selection clipboard -target image/png

Motivation:

This use case is beneficial when you want to quickly capture a screenshot of a specific area and directly copy it to the clipboard. It allows you to easily paste the screenshot into image editors, document editors, or messaging applications.

Explanation:

The --select option prompts the user to select a region, similar to the previous use case. However, in this case, xclip is used to copy the screenshot to the clipboard instead of saving it to a file. The -selection clipboard option specifies that the clipboard should be the target, and -target image/png specifies the data format of the screenshot.

Example Output:

A prompt will appear on the screen allowing you to select the desired region. Once selected, the screenshot will be copied to the clipboard in the PNG image format.

4: Capture a screenshot of the current active window

Code:

maim --window $(xdotool getactivewindow) path/to/screenshot.png

Motivation:

This use case is handy when you want to capture a screenshot of the currently active window only, excluding other elements on the screen. It allows you to focus on a specific application or dialog box.

Explanation:

The --window option specifies that only the active window should be captured. xdotool getactivewindow retrieves the window ID of the currently active window, passed as an argument to maim. The screenshot will be saved to the specified path.

Example Output:

A screenshot of the currently active window will be captured and saved as screenshot.png in the specified directory.

Conclusion:

The maim command is a powerful tool for capturing screenshots on Linux systems, providing various options to capture the entire screen, selected regions, active windows, and even copy screenshots to the clipboard. By making use of these different use cases and their corresponding code examples, you can capture and save screenshots in a flexible and efficient manner.