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gberz3 · Jan 19, 2010, 11:24 PM

Hi All,

Is there any way to change the default format for iPhone screenshot images? Currently they are all PNG, but I'd like to have JPG.

Best.

turtle777 · Jan 19, 2010, 11:37 PM

Why ? PNG is superior.

-t

gberz3 · Jan 20, 2010, 07:51 AM

Ok, it's early so this is going to sound a great deal ruder than it is intended. First of all, I absolutely appreciate your reply. However, I'm simply looking for an answer as to whether it's possible -- not interested in defending "why?" (<<< setting a precedent for future posts)

Again, my apologies for being "rude", but subjective comments or questions to a black-and-white question, frustrates the snot out of me. Obviously a forum is the place for posts of this nature, but NOT BEFORE THE QUESTION HAS ACTUALLY BEEN ANSWERED, IMO.

That said, there are some applications on the iPhone that don't accept the PNGs as a valid upload format. I often want to take a screenshot and upload an image to a listing or profile, etc.

Best Regards.

turtle777 · Jan 20, 2010, 09:36 AM

Ok, no problem.

Asking "why" is actually important, because there are many members that first ask a question with some preconceived idea, but once you dig, you sometimes find that their "problem" can be solved differently than they approached it / thought in the first place.

That said, there are some applications on the iPhone that don't accept the PNGs as a valid upload format. I often want to take a screenshot and upload an image to a listing or profile, etc.

That's actually quite dumb. How can those apps only accept file formats that are NOT available on the iPhone ?
Actually, I'm not even sure HOW they do it, since the APIs that Apple provides should have no issues with processing PNG.

All apps that I know of have no problems using pictures taken by the camera or the screenshot function.

Did you check with the app's homepage if they offer any guidance ?

-t

shifuimam · Jan 20, 2010, 09:37 AM

Originally Posted by gberz3

Obviously a forum is the place for posts of this nature, but NOT BEFORE THE QUESTION HAS ACTUALLY BEEN ANSWERED, IMO.

You don't come here often, do you?

Anyhow, I found this article that may be of interest:

24x7digital - How to take iPhone Screenshots

It doesn't look like you can change the format in the iPhone itself, but you can use your Mac to assist you in quickly converting iPhone images to JPEG. You could then copy them back onto the iPhone, which is a pretty unnecessarily laborious process.

Have you looked at App Store apps that will let you take screenshots in different formats?

gberz3 · Jan 20, 2010, 12:05 PM

Originally Posted by turtle777

That's actually quite dumb. How can those apps only accept file formats that are NOT available on the iPhone ?
Actually, I'm not even sure HOW they do it, since the APIs that Apple provides should have no issues with processing PNG.

Items from the camera work fine -- they are JPGs. However, items from screenshot don't -- they are PNG. I'm not sure why 1) there is a discrepancy and 2) why they aren't adjustable (as per OS X).

Take for example the FACEBOOK app (I know, I know, but it's an example of an app that falls into this issue). One can upload camera images all day, however it will not allow the upload of screenshot images at all.

I'll check further into other apps, but this seems like a bit of an oversight on the part of both app and iPhone devs. I guess it'd be nice for them to keep potential edge cases in mind -- especially when they aren't hard to code for.

Thanks again for all your replies. Definitely lemme know if you hear of anything.

turtle777 · Jan 20, 2010, 12:34 PM

Originally Posted by gberz3

Items from the camera work fine -- they are JPGs. However, items from screenshot don't -- they are PNG. I'm not sure why 1) there is a discrepancy and 2) why they aren't adjustable (as per OS X).

Thanks for the info, I did not know that iPhone OS used different file formats for pics and screenshots.

That's actually a pretty bad implementation of the OS - it doesn't make any sense to have two formats.

-t

Simon · Jan 20, 2010, 01:10 PM

Of course it does. Camera pictures should be jpeg. Screenshots OTOH shouldn't. There's no reason to force people to use a single file format just because the pictures happened to be viewed/stored with the same app.

Apple chose exactly the right formats: jpeg for camera pics and png for screenshots. The problem here is that the OP either needs a method to convert images or the sites/apps he's using need to be more liberal in what they accept.

gberz3 · Jan 20, 2010, 01:33 PM

@Simon: I don't disagree in the least. However, I'd also add that Apple needs to implement the ability to select which of the available formats you'd prefer. It seems like a fairly obvious option -- especially given OS X.

Mac User #001 · Jan 20, 2010, 02:55 PM

I don't suppose the Photoshop app (or any other image processing app, for that matter) could convert the file format? Or at least, if working on a picture and then saving, the resulting file would be saved as a .jpg? Then you could make some nonessential changes and even revert them back, still saving.

Just a thought. I honestly have no idea on the outcome.

turtle777 · Jan 20, 2010, 03:31 PM

Originally Posted by Mac User #001

I don't suppose the Photoshop app (or any other image processing app, for that matter) could convert the file format? Or at least, if working on a picture and then saving, the resulting file would be saved as a .jpg? Then you could make some nonessential changes and even revert them back, still saving.

Just a thought. I honestly have no idea on the outcome.

Tried that, no avail.

-t

Cold Warrior · Jan 20, 2010, 06:10 PM

I realize this is a bit roundabout but without a format conversion app (maybe there's one?) this works for me:

1. upload picture (screenshot) to dropbox. I assume screen caps are browsable in your photos path?
2. email self link to picture in dropbox, then view email on iPhone to copy the link
3. visit http://www.iaza.com/xpages/xload.html?CURRENTFILE= and paste in the dropbox address for the image
4. run the conversion, choosing jpg as your output, then save the converted image.

Mac User #001 · Jan 20, 2010, 09:44 PM

With the Dropbox app, you don't even need to leave your iPhone. You can upload pics and email them within itself. Nice idea!

keizers · Jun 25, 2010, 06:54 PM

I had the same problem with Facebook. So I opened PS Mobile which I already had on my iPhone, selected the PNG screenshot, it wanted me to do something/anything before I could select "Save and upload to Facebook", so I just clicked "Straighten", then selected "Save and upload to Facebook". Relatively painless. Still I wish you could change the default. Apple sticks by its principles so often but then in the real world you are caught not being able to do stuff you need/want to. (Flash!)