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Peter Steinberger e234e192b3 🚀 Enhanced UX: Optional output paths with auto /tmp defaults
Major usability improvement making Peekaboo easier to use:

• Output path now optional - auto-generates timestamped files in /tmp
• Maintains full backward compatibility with existing scripts
• Unified documentation approach (single peekaboo.scpt references)
• Streamlined setup and examples in README
• Enhanced user experience while preserving power user features

Quick usage: osascript peekaboo.scpt "Safari"
Result: /tmp/peekaboo_20250522_143052.png

🤖 Generated with [Claude Code](https://claude.ai/code)

Co-Authored-By: Claude <noreply@anthropic.com>
2025-05-22 18:42:05 +02:00
assets 🎉 Peekaboo v2.0 - Complete rewrite with multi-window support 2025-05-22 18:12:47 +02:00
.DS_Store 🧪 Enhanced Test Suite v1.0.0 - Error Message Validation 2025-05-22 18:31:24 +02:00
LICENSE Initial commit 2025-05-22 18:09:06 +02:00
peekaboo.scpt 🚀 Enhanced UX: Optional output paths with auto /tmp defaults 2025-05-22 18:42:05 +02:00
peekaboo_enhanced.scpt 🚀 Enhanced UX: Optional output paths with auto /tmp defaults 2025-05-22 18:42:05 +02:00
README.md 🚀 Enhanced UX: Optional output paths with auto /tmp defaults 2025-05-22 18:42:05 +02:00
test_peekaboo.sh 🧪 Enhanced Test Suite v1.0.0 - Error Message Validation 2025-05-22 18:31:24 +02:00

Peekaboo—screenshot got you! Now you see it, now it's saved.

Peekaboo Banner

👀📸💾Unattended screenshot automation that actually works


🚀 THE MAGIC

Peekaboo is your silent screenshot assassin. Point it at any app, and SNAP! — it's captured and saved before you can blink.

  • 🎯 Smart targeting: App names or bundle IDs
  • 🚀 Auto-launch: Sleeping apps? No problem!
  • 👁 Brings apps forward: Always gets the shot
  • 🏗 Creates directories: Paths don't exist? Fixed!
  • 🎨 Multi-format: PNG, JPG, PDF — you name it
  • 💥 Zero interaction: 100% unattended operation

🎪 HOW TO USE

🎯 Basic Usage

Simple screenshot capture

# 👀 Quick shot to /tmp with timestamp
osascript peekaboo.scpt "Safari"

# 🎯 Custom output path
osascript peekaboo.scpt "Safari" "/Users/you/Desktop/safari.png"

# 🎯 Bundle ID targeting  
osascript peekaboo.scpt "com.apple.TextEdit" "/tmp/textedit.jpg"

🎪 Advanced Features

All the power. All the windows. All the time.

# 🔍 What's running right now?
osascript peekaboo.scpt list

# 👀 Quick shot to /tmp with timestamp
osascript peekaboo.scpt "Chrome"

# 🎭 Capture ALL windows with smart names
osascript peekaboo.scpt "Chrome" "/tmp/chrome.png" --multi

# 🪟 Just the front window  
osascript peekaboo.scpt "TextEdit" "/tmp/textedit.png" --window

QUICK WINS

🎯 Basic Shot

# Quick shot with auto-generated filename
osascript peekaboo.scpt "Finder"

Result: Full screen with Finder in focus → /tmp/peekaboo_20250522_143052.png

# Custom path
osascript peekaboo.scpt "Finder" "/Desktop/finder.png"

Result: Full screen with Finder in focus → finder.png

🎭 Multi-Window Magic

osascript peekaboo.scpt "Safari" "/tmp/safari.png" --multi

Result: Multiple files with smart names:

  • safari_window_1_GitHub.png
  • safari_window_2_Documentation.png
  • safari_window_3_Google_Search.png

🔍 App Discovery

osascript peekaboo.scpt list

Result: Every running app + window titles. No guessing!


🛠 SETUP

1 Make Executable

chmod +x peekaboo.scpt

2 Grant Powers

  • System Preferences → Security & Privacy → Screen Recording
  • Add your terminal app to the list
  • You're golden!

🎨 FORMAT PARTY

Peekaboo speaks all the languages:

# PNG (default) - auto-generated in /tmp
osascript peekaboo.scpt "Safari"

# PNG with custom path
osascript peekaboo.scpt "Safari" "/tmp/shot.png"

# JPG - smaller files 
osascript peekaboo.scpt "Safari" "/tmp/shot.jpg"

# PDF - vector goodness
osascript peekaboo.scpt "Safari" "/tmp/shot.pdf"

🏆 POWER MOVES

🎯 Targeting Options

# By name (easy) - auto path
osascript peekaboo.scpt "Safari"

# By name with custom path
osascript peekaboo.scpt "Safari" "/tmp/safari.png"

# By bundle ID (precise)
osascript peekaboo.scpt "com.apple.Safari" "/tmp/safari.png"

# By display name (works too!)
osascript peekaboo.scpt "Final Cut Pro" "/tmp/finalcut.png"

🎪 Pro Features

# Multi-window capture
--multi         # All windows with descriptive names

# Window modes  
--window        # Front window only (unattended!)

# Debug mode
--verbose       # See what's happening under the hood

🔍 Discovery Mode

osascript peekaboo.scpt list

Shows you:

  • 📱 All running apps
  • 🆔 Bundle IDs
  • 🪟 Window counts
  • 📝 Exact window titles

🎭 REAL-WORLD SCENARIOS

📊 Documentation Screenshots

# Quick capture to /tmp
osascript peekaboo.scpt "Xcode" --multi
osascript peekaboo.scpt "Terminal" --multi
osascript peekaboo.scpt "Safari" --multi

# Capture your entire workflow with custom paths
osascript peekaboo.scpt "Xcode" "/docs/xcode.png" --multi
osascript peekaboo.scpt "Terminal" "/docs/terminal.png" --multi
osascript peekaboo.scpt "Safari" "/docs/browser.png" --multi

🚀 CI/CD Integration

# Quick automated testing screenshots
osascript peekaboo.scpt "Your App"

# Custom path with timestamp
osascript peekaboo.scpt "Your App" "/test-results/app-$(date +%s).png"

🎬 Content Creation

# Before/after shots
osascript peekaboo.scpt "Photoshop" "/content/before.png"
# ... do your work ...
osascript peekaboo.scpt "Photoshop" "/content/after.png"

🚨 TROUBLESHOOTING

🔐 Permission Denied?

  • Check Screen Recording permissions
  • Restart your terminal after granting access

👻 App Not Found?

# See what's actually running
osascript peekaboo.scpt list

# Try the bundle ID instead
osascript peekaboo.scpt "com.company.AppName" "/tmp/shot.png"

📁 File Not Created?

  • Check the output directory exists (Peekaboo creates it!)
  • Verify disk space
  • Try a simple /tmp/test.png first

🐛 Debug Mode

osascript peekaboo.scpt "Safari" "/tmp/debug.png" --verbose

🎪 FEATURES

Feature Description
Basic screenshots Full screen capture with app targeting
App targeting By name or bundle ID
Multi-format PNG, JPG, PDF support
App discovery list command shows running apps
Multi-window --multi captures all app windows
Smart naming Descriptive filenames for windows
Window modes --window for front window only
Auto paths Optional output path with /tmp default
Verbose logging --verbose for debugging

🧪 TESTING

We've got you covered:

# Run the full test suite
./test_screenshotter.sh

# Test and cleanup
./test_screenshotter.sh --cleanup

Tests everything:

  • App resolution (names + bundle IDs)
  • Format support (PNG, JPG, PDF)
  • Error handling
  • Directory creation
  • File validation
  • Multi-window scenarios

⚙️ CUSTOMIZATION

Tweak the magic in the script headers:

property captureDelay : 1.0              -- Wait before snap
property windowActivationDelay : 0.5     -- Window focus time
property enhancedErrorReporting : true   -- Detailed errors
property verboseLogging : false          -- Debug output

🎉 WHY PEEKABOO ROCKS

🚀 Unattended = Unstoppable

  • No clicking, no selecting, no babysitting
  • Perfect for automation and CI/CD
  • Set it and forget it

🎯 Smart Targeting

  • Works with app names OR bundle IDs
  • Auto-launches sleeping apps
  • Always brings your target to the front

🎭 Multi-Window Mastery

  • Captures ALL windows with descriptive names
  • Safe filename generation
  • Never overwrites accidentally

🔍 Discovery Built-In

  • See exactly what's running
  • Get precise window titles
  • No more guessing games

📚 INSPIRED BY

Built in the style of the legendary terminator.scpt — because good patterns should be celebrated and extended.


🎪 PROJECT FILES

📁 Peekaboo/
├── 🎯 peekaboo.scpt              # Main screenshot tool
├── 🧪 test_screenshotter.sh      # Test suite
└── 📖 README.md                  # This awesomeness

🏆 THE BOTTOM LINE

Peekaboo doesn't just take screenshots. It conquers them.

👀 Point → 📸 Shoot → 💾 Save → 🎉 Done!

Now you see it, now it's saved. Peekaboo!


Built with ❤️ and lots of for the macOS automation community.