--- name: "screenshot" description: "Use when the user explicitly asks for a desktop or system screenshot (full screen, specific app or window, or a pixel region), or when tool-specific capture capabilities are unavailable and an OS-level capture is needed." --- # Screenshot Capture Follow these save-location rules every time: 1) If the user specifies a path, save there. 2) If the user asks for a screenshot without a path, save to the OS default screenshot location. 3) If Codex needs a screenshot for its own inspection, save to the temp directory. ## Tool priority - Prefer tool-specific screenshot capabilities when available (for example: a Figma MCP/skill for Figma files, or Playwright/agent-browser tools for browsers and Electron apps). - Use this skill when explicitly asked, for whole-system desktop captures, or when a tool-specific capture cannot get what you need. - Otherwise, treat this skill as the default for desktop apps without a better-integrated capture tool. ## macOS permission preflight (reduce repeated prompts) On macOS, run the preflight helper once before window/app capture. It checks Screen Recording permission, explains why it is needed, and requests it in one place. The helpers route Swift's module cache to `$TMPDIR/codex-swift-module-cache` to avoid extra sandbox module-cache prompts. ```bash bash /scripts/ensure_macos_permissions.sh ``` To avoid multiple sandbox approval prompts, combine preflight + capture in one command when possible: ```bash bash /scripts/ensure_macos_permissions.sh && \ python3 /scripts/take_screenshot.py --app "Codex" ``` For Codex inspection runs, keep the output in temp: ```bash bash /scripts/ensure_macos_permissions.sh && \ python3 /scripts/take_screenshot.py --app "" --mode temp ``` Use the bundled scripts to avoid re-deriving OS-specific commands. ## macOS and Linux (Python helper) Run the helper from the repo root: ```bash python3 /scripts/take_screenshot.py ``` Common patterns: - Default location (user asked for "a screenshot"): ```bash python3 /scripts/take_screenshot.py ``` - Temp location (Codex visual check): ```bash python3 /scripts/take_screenshot.py --mode temp ``` - Explicit location (user provided a path or filename): ```bash python3 /scripts/take_screenshot.py --path output/screen.png ``` - App/window capture by app name (macOS only; substring match is OK; captures all matching windows): ```bash python3 /scripts/take_screenshot.py --app "Codex" ``` - Specific window title within an app (macOS only): ```bash python3 /scripts/take_screenshot.py --app "Codex" --window-name "Settings" ``` - List matching window ids before capturing (macOS only): ```bash python3 /scripts/take_screenshot.py --list-windows --app "Codex" ``` - Pixel region (x,y,w,h): ```bash python3 /scripts/take_screenshot.py --mode temp --region 100,200,800,600 ``` - Focused/active window (captures only the frontmost window; use `--app` to capture all windows): ```bash python3 /scripts/take_screenshot.py --mode temp --active-window ``` - Specific window id (use --list-windows on macOS to discover ids): ```bash python3 /scripts/take_screenshot.py --window-id 12345 ``` The script prints one path per capture. When multiple windows or displays match, it prints multiple paths (one per line) and adds suffixes like `-w` or `-d`. View each path sequentially with the image viewer tool, and only manipulate images if needed or requested. ### Workflow examples - "Take a look at and tell me what you see": capture to temp, then view each printed path in order. ```bash bash /scripts/ensure_macos_permissions.sh && \ python3 /scripts/take_screenshot.py --app "" --mode temp ``` - "The design from Figma is not matching what is implemented": use a Figma MCP/skill to capture the design first, then capture the running app with this skill (typically to temp) and compare the raw screenshots before any manipulation. ### Multi-display behavior - On macOS, full-screen captures save one file per display when multiple monitors are connected. - On Linux and Windows, full-screen captures use the virtual desktop (all monitors in one image); use `--region` to isolate a single display when needed. ### Linux prerequisites and selection logic The helper automatically selects the first available tool: 1) `scrot` 2) `gnome-screenshot` 3) ImageMagick `import` If none are available, ask the user to install one of them and retry. Coordinate regions require `scrot` or ImageMagick `import`. `--app`, `--window-name`, and `--list-windows` are macOS-only. On Linux, use `--active-window` or provide `--window-id` when available. ## Windows (PowerShell helper) Run the PowerShell helper: ```powershell powershell -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File /scripts/take_screenshot.ps1 ``` Common patterns: - Default location: ```powershell powershell -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File /scripts/take_screenshot.ps1 ``` - Temp location (Codex visual check): ```powershell powershell -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File /scripts/take_screenshot.ps1 -Mode temp ``` - Explicit path: ```powershell powershell -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File /scripts/take_screenshot.ps1 -Path "C:\Temp\screen.png" ``` - Pixel region (x,y,w,h): ```powershell powershell -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File /scripts/take_screenshot.ps1 -Mode temp -Region 100,200,800,600 ``` - Active window (ask the user to focus it first): ```powershell powershell -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File /scripts/take_screenshot.ps1 -Mode temp -ActiveWindow ``` - Specific window handle (only when provided): ```powershell powershell -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File /scripts/take_screenshot.ps1 -WindowHandle 123456 ``` ## Direct OS commands (fallbacks) Use these when you cannot run the helpers. ### macOS - Full screen to a specific path: ```bash screencapture -x output/screen.png ``` - Pixel region: ```bash screencapture -x -R100,200,800,600 output/region.png ``` - Specific window id: ```bash screencapture -x -l12345 output/window.png ``` - Interactive selection or window pick: ```bash screencapture -x -i output/interactive.png ``` ### Linux - Full screen: ```bash scrot output/screen.png ``` ```bash gnome-screenshot -f output/screen.png ``` ```bash import -window root output/screen.png ``` - Pixel region: ```bash scrot -a 100,200,800,600 output/region.png ``` ```bash import -window root -crop 800x600+100+200 output/region.png ``` - Active window: ```bash scrot -u output/window.png ``` ```bash gnome-screenshot -w -f output/window.png ``` ## Error handling - On macOS, run `bash /scripts/ensure_macos_permissions.sh` first to request Screen Recording in one place. - If you see "screen capture checks are blocked in the sandbox", "could not create image from display", or Swift `ModuleCache` permission errors in a sandboxed run, rerun the command with escalated permissions. - If macOS app/window capture returns no matches, run `--list-windows --app "AppName"` and retry with `--window-id`, and make sure the app is visible on screen. - If Linux region/window capture fails, check tool availability with `command -v scrot`, `command -v gnome-screenshot`, and `command -v import`. - If saving to the OS default location fails with permission errors in a sandbox, rerun the command with escalated permissions. - Always report the saved file path in the response.