Step recorder-type programs are excellent for testing or helping demonstrate a process to someone: each time you do something, it takes a screenshot. Every Windows computer comes with a basic version of this, Problem Steps Recording (PSR.exe) but it's missing a great deal in terms of functionality and options. Imago is excellent but is out of development and has a hard time with multiple screens (of different sizes). Fortunately, the makers of a much more advanced tool "StepShot" may have a freeware solution.
Steps to Reproduce is amazing in places with lots of cool features but it feels almost like a hamstrung version of Problem Steps Recorder. I'd say it's crippleware but it seems more like it's just unfinished rather than deliberately broken. I'm reminded of working with BB Flashback Express (also not portable), which has some terrific and unique functions but with some format and usage oddities.
Update: Editor Issue: after some additional work with this program, I've determined that the editor is just junk. Functions like undo, delete frames, and simple drawing tools don't work as you'd expect. As such I recomend using the program to capture screenshots and then using a different program for edits.
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Analysis
Includes
- Screenshot program that records what you do. It works generally better than PSR and Imago.
- - Includes a "sequence" button feature that I really like (click and drag to point at something and give it a number).
- I love the included crop tool.
- - Includes a "sequence" button feature that I really like (click and drag to point at something and give it a number).
Recommendations
- Open settings and disable the following:
- Highlight cursor
- Blur extended edges
Format workaround
- Saving a single file automatically chooses the PNG format, but saving multiple files saves to JPEGs for some reason. If you want PNGs, do one of the following:
Route 1:
- 1. Export to Stepshot format (an SSX file)
2. Open the SSX file in 7-Zip
3. Extract the PNG files
- 1. Uncheck "Keep only latest steps in history" (or set this to a very high number)
2. Go to the image temp directory: C:\Users\USERNAME\AppData\Roaming\StepShotv3\ and copy out the PNG files you want.
- 1. Export to Stepshot format (an SSX file)
Odd features/behavior
- Ctrl+C and Ctrl+Z don't work, you have to click the undo and redo buttons at the top.
- The Title and Description bits at the bottom of the image editor presumably only work with StepShot.
- The first option when you Export images is set to PDF. Unfortunately, this is grayed out and unavailable, as if they were going to add it but someone changed their minds at the last minute.
- No way to leave out the cursor in screenshots.
Steps to extract
- Download the MSI
- Uniextract w/ default settings
- Run stepstoreproduce\program files\StepsToReproduce\stepstoreproduce.exe
- There are a lot of other files outside of this directory but I'm not clear on what's essential and what's not.
Status
- Not portable. Writes to \Users\username\AppData in both Local and Roaming directories as well as \HKU\..\Software\Stepshot_v3
Homepage
- None. The program lists stepshot.net but there's no mention of the program on their page. As such, here's the download sites that essentially make the home page:
http://www.snapfiles.com/get/stepstorep.html
http://www.softpedia.com/get/Multimedia ... duce.shtml [Edit: for some strange reason, this link is redirecting to the ShareX entry]
License: Freeware
Why not just buy StepShot?
- EDIT: In testing, don't recommend StepShot. | I've been wanting to get a copy for a long time now but haven't quite hit a situation where it made sense to put down some cash on it. Plus, working on a freeware website inclines you to make a go of free options.
... and it requires dotNET 4.0, WinVista or above.
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Related
Recommend testing out ActivePresenter. It's also somewhat buggy but less so and has a ton more features.