den4b Forum

snakehill

Member

Registered: 2019-12-27

Posts: 4

Option to not freeze the screen while using 'Pick from screen'

This color picker seems miles ahead of any other.

However, there is one thing that I think would improve it as I keep running into it: that in the Settings there would be an option to not freeze the screen when you 'Pick from screen'.

For example, to pick the color on one monitor or in one window while watching a video on or in another.

If a purchase is needed to trigger said change, I would gladly do so.

den4b

Administrator

From: den4b.com

Registered: 2006-04-06

Posts: 3,440

Re: Option to not freeze the screen while using 'Pick from screen'

Thank you for your feedback.

It is an interesting suggestion, but it could be very tricky to implement.

The desktop does not actually freeze when the screen color picker is activated. Instead, a screenshot of your entire desktop is taken and then displayed as an image in full screen mode on top of all other applications. The desktop and other applications continue to operate normally behind the scenes. This method requires no interference with the desktop or other applications, offering a stable color picking mechanism.

A very different approach would be required to offer a color picker from a dynamic desktop, probably involving layered windows and mouse activity hijacking. On a second thought, we could continuously take screenshots and then use the current cursor position with global hot keys to capture the color.

Can you please describe your use cases with more details?

Last edited by den4b (2019-12-28 12:44)

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snakehill

Member

Registered: 2019-12-27

Posts: 4

Re: Option to not freeze the screen while using 'Pick from screen'

Oh, that is really neat! Thank you very much for elaborating.

Any other color picker I've tried seems to just pick it from the active screen, as nothing "freezes" upon using their pickers.

My use cases (in which the "freezing" is bothersome) are either A) watching a video on my second monitor while using the picker on my main monitor, B) occasionally watching a video in a different browser window on the same/main monitor, and C) streaming or recording a screen.

If it could be limited to the active monitor (the one with the application/mouse cursor), or maybe even to a specific monitor (to choose from a list for example), that would already solve it for 95%. It only wouldn't solve it in case of B, when watching a video on the same monitor, but that is really minor (but I guess it may happen more frequent when using an ultrawide opposed to standard monitors).

snakehill

Member

Registered: 2019-12-27

Posts: 4

Re: Option to not freeze the screen while using 'Pick from screen'

How about an option to first select a portion of the screen and then to pick from within that area? That would solve everything.

Colors is still by far my favorite color picker, but the issue of everything "freezing" makes me often use other ones instead, mostly when streaming or when recording a screen.

Stefan

Moderator

From: Germany, EU

Registered: 2007-10-23

Posts: 1,161

Re: Option to not freeze the screen while using 'Pick from screen'

Me think there is no difference in pressing an key at the right time to taking a screenshot
or to pressing an key at the right time to take the wanted color from an continuous chancing video picture,
but with the screenshot approach you have more time to position the cursor correctly to take the real wanted color.

The right time may be that quick gone anyway on both options?
Maybe better to slow down the video or use picture-by-picture option there?

Perhaps I just have an different workflow?

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snakehill

Member

Registered: 2019-12-27

Posts: 4

Re: Option to not freeze the screen while using 'Pick from screen'

I really do like the screenshot idea, just not that it overtakes everything and making all the visuals "freeze". If it would be just happening on part of my screen so that any other part (or any other screen) would not freeze along, preventing me from multitasking, it would be perfect.