How to Get a Screenshot out of dom0

[Qubes Fan]

I know what I could do to get a screenshot out of dom0, but I want to know the 'intended' or 'official' way to do so, if there is one.

Also, if I just want a screenshot of something inside an AppVM, and I want it to be 'pasted' to a location inside that AppVM (i.e., everything happens inside the AppVM), is there a better way of doing that which does not involve dom0?

[Qubes Fan]

On Wednesday, July 24, 2013 8:03:46 PM UTC-7, Qubes Fan wrote:

I know what I could do to get a screenshot out of dom0, but I want to know the 'intended' or 'official' way to do so, if there is one.

Also, if I just want a screenshot of something inside an AppVM, and I want it to be 'pasted' to a location inside that AppVM (i.e., everything happens inside the AppVM), is there a better way of doing that which does not involve dom0?

Some more background:

When you use the KSnapshot tool, you are presented with three options for dealing with your snapshot: [Send To...], [Copy], and [Save As...].

[Send To...] allows you to send the snapshot to any application in any domain, but it seems that this doesn't work with Qubes, because the temp directory in the AppVM is empty.
[Copy] probably just puts the snapshot on the clipboard, I think. By default, however, there is no copy/paste between dom0 and other domains.
[Save As...] allows you to save the snapshot to the Home folder in dom0, but this seems to be undesirable for many reasons. Perhaps this is the best option, though?

[Andrew Sorensen]

On 07/24/13 20:03, Qubes Fan wrote:
> I know what I /could/ do to get a screenshot out of dom0, but I want

> to know the 'intended' or 'official' way to do so, if there is one.
>

look here: http://qubes-os.org/trac/wiki/CopyToDomZero

> Also, if I just want a screenshot of something inside an AppVM, and I
> want it to be 'pasted' to a location inside that AppVM (i.e.,
> everything happens inside the AppVM), is there a better way of doing
> that which does not involve dom0?
>

You should be able to do this (though I suspect you will have a
different wallpaper on your desktop). try installing a screenshot tool
(like scrot) and take a snapshot in that AppVM.

[Qubes Fan]

On Wednesday, July 24, 2013 8:21:18 PM UTC-7, AndrewX192 wrote:

On 07/24/13 20:03, Qubes Fan wrote:
> I know what I /could/ do to get a screenshot out of dom0, but I want
> to know the 'intended' or 'official' way to do so, if there is one.
>
look here: http://qubes-os.org/trac/wiki/CopyToDomZero

Right, this is what I was referring to when I said "I know what I could do to get a screenshot out of dom0." The reason I phrased it that way is because this method is presented as a hack that should rarely be used. But taking screenshots is a common activity, so I'm wondering whether there is a method that we're supposed to use (as opposed to a hack that should rarely be used).
 

> Also, if I just want a screenshot of something inside an AppVM, and I
> want it to be 'pasted' to a location inside that AppVM (i.e.,
> everything happens inside the AppVM), is there a better way of doing
> that which does not involve dom0?
>  
You should be able to do this (though I suspect you will have a
different wallpaper on your desktop).

Why would I have a different wallpaper on my desktop if this app runs inside of the AppVM? Do you mean my desktop in dom0?
 

try installing a screenshot tool
(like scrot) and take a snapshot in that AppVM.

That sounds like it's worth a shot. I'll try it!

[Qubes Fan]

On Wednesday, July 24, 2013 9:09:31 PM UTC-7, Qubes Fan wrote:

On Wednesday, July 24, 2013 8:21:18 PM UTC-7, AndrewX192 wrote:

On 07/24/13 20:03, Qubes Fan wrote:
> I know what I /could/ do to get a screenshot out of dom0, but I want
> to know the 'intended' or 'official' way to do so, if there is one.
>
look here: http://qubes-os.org/trac/wiki/CopyToDomZero

Right, this is what I was referring to when I said "I know what I could do to get a screenshot out of dom0." The reason I phrased it that way is because this method is presented as a hack that should rarely be used. But taking screenshots is a common activity, so I'm wondering whether there is a method that we're supposed to use (as opposed to a hack that should rarely be used).
 

> Also, if I just want a screenshot of something inside an AppVM, and I
> want it to be 'pasted' to a location inside that AppVM (i.e.,
> everything happens inside the AppVM), is there a better way of doing
> that which does not involve dom0?
>  
You should be able to do this (though I suspect you will have a
different wallpaper on your desktop).

Why would I have a different wallpaper on my desktop if this app runs inside of the AppVM? Do you mean my desktop in dom0?

Wait. Is it possible that you misread my original post? I wasn't asking about desktop wallpapers in any way.

(Or maybe it's me who is misreading your post. Sorry, I'm confused because I don't know why we're talking about desktop wallpapers!)

[Andrew Sorensen]

On 07/24/13 21:09, Qubes Fan wrote:
> On Wednesday, July 24, 2013 8:21:18 PM UTC-7, AndrewX192 wrote:
>
> On 07/24/13 20:03, Qubes Fan wrote:
> > I know what I /could/ do to get a screenshot out of dom0, but I
> want
> > to know the 'intended' or 'official' way to do so, if there is one.
> >
> look here: http://qubes-os.org/trac/wiki/CopyToDomZero
> <http://qubes-os.org/trac/wiki/CopyToDomZero>
>
>
> Right, this is what I was referring to when I said "I know what I

> /could/ do to get a screenshot out of dom0." The reason I phrased it

> that way is because this method is presented as a hack that should
> rarely be used. But taking screenshots is a common activity, so I'm
> wondering whether there is a method that we're supposed to use (as
> opposed to a hack that should rarely be used).

There currently isn't a tool to perform the task of copying files (as
mentioned on the linked page). From what I can tell, there are no
security risks associated with copying files from Dom0 to a given AppVM
provided that the AppVM you are copying to should be able to have
knowledge of whatever you took a screenshot of (i.e. your "untrusted"
AppVM shouldn't have a screenshot of your "banking" AppVM). In this
case, it's only a "hack" because it's not easy to perform and does not
integrate into ksnapshot. You might want to consider writing a script to
automate the process for you.

>
>
> > Also, if I just want a screenshot of something inside an AppVM,
> and I
> > want it to be 'pasted' to a location inside that AppVM (i.e.,
> > everything happens inside the AppVM), is there a better way of
> doing
> > that which does not involve dom0?
> >
> You should be able to do this (though I suspect you will have a
> different wallpaper on your desktop).
>
>
> Why would I have a different wallpaper on my desktop if this app runs
> inside of the AppVM? Do you mean my desktop in dom0?

If you take a screenshot of your entire desktop in a given AppVM, you
will obviously not see any windows from the other AppVMs you have open
(they are not connected). If you take a screenshot of your entire
desktop in an AppVM, you will likely see a wallpaper, which will not be
the same one you set on Dom0 (as this is being rendered by the gnome
session in the AppVM).

[Qubes Fan]

On Wednesday, July 24, 2013 9:25:42 PM UTC-7, AndrewX192 wrote:

On 07/24/13 21:09, Qubes Fan wrote:
> On Wednesday, July 24, 2013 8:21:18 PM UTC-7, AndrewX192 wrote:
>
>     On 07/24/13 20:03, Qubes Fan wrote:
>     > I know what I /could/ do to get a screenshot out of dom0, but I
>     want
>     > to know the 'intended' or 'official' way to do so, if there is one.
>     >
>     look here: http://qubes-os.org/trac/wiki/CopyToDomZero
>     <http://qubes-os.org/trac/wiki/CopyToDomZero>
>
>
> Right, this is what I was referring to when I said "I know what I
> /could/ do to get a screenshot out of dom0." The reason I phrased it
> that way is because this method is presented as a hack that should
> rarely be used. But taking screenshots is a common activity, so I'm
> wondering whether there is a method that we're supposed to use (as
> opposed to a hack that should rarely be used).
There currently isn't a tool to perform the task of copying files (as
mentioned on the linked page). From what I can tell, there are no
security risks associated with copying files from Dom0 to a given AppVM
provided that the AppVM you are copying to should be able to have
knowledge of whatever you took a screenshot of (i.e. your "untrusted"
AppVM shouldn't have a screenshot of your "banking" AppVM). In this
case, it's only a "hack" because it's not easy to perform and does not
integrate into ksnapshot. You might want to consider writing a script to
automate the process for you.

I think you're right. Thank you.
 

>  
>
>     > Also, if I just want a screenshot of something inside an AppVM,
>     and I
>     > want it to be 'pasted' to a location inside that AppVM (i.e.,
>     > everything happens inside the AppVM), is there a better way of
>     doing
>     > that which does not involve dom0?
>     >  
>     You should be able to do this (though I suspect you will have a
>     different wallpaper on your desktop).
>
>
> Why would I have a different wallpaper on my desktop if this app runs
> inside of the AppVM? Do you mean my desktop in dom0?
If you take a screenshot of your entire desktop in a given AppVM, you
will obviously not see any windows from the other AppVMs you have open
(they are not connected). If you take a screenshot of your entire
desktop in an AppVM, you will likely see a wallpaper, which will not be
the same one you set on Dom0 (as this is being rendered by the gnome
session in the AppVM).

Ohhh, I see what you're saying now. Yes, I was aware of this. Sorry for the misunderstanding!
 

[Zrubecz Laszlo]

On 25 July 2013 05:16, Qubes Fan <qube...@gmail.com> wrote:

> [Save As...] allows you to save the snapshot to the Home folder in dom0, but
> this seems to be undesirable for many reasons. Perhaps this is the best
> option, though?

Usually I'm doing this way.

Then I copy the images to an AppVM to use them.



--
Zrubi

[Qubes Fan]

I realized that it's really not Qubes' problem if I want to do something intra-VM. But if you want to do something relating to dom0 (and therefore not 'normal' PC usage, such as making a Qubes tutorial or just showing off screenshots of Qubes in action), then your way is appropriate.