Leopard's screenshot shortcut no longer snapping captures
An uncommon, but reported, issue with the screenshot shortcut in Leopard 10.5.x leaves users without the ability to use the keyboard to capture a picture of their screen.
Apple Support Discussions user "MikeAdamsCT" writes:
"Using CMD/Shift/4 no longer works fo rme. Is there something dumb I am overlooking?"Possible solutions
There are a couple troubleshooting tips to try right away when something like this occurs. Although seemingly obvious, check to see if the screen capture keyboard shortcut was unchecked or changed. Navigate to System Preferences > Keyboard & Mouse > Keyboard Shortcuts.
Check to see if you have Read/Write access to your Desktop. Open a Finder window, select your Desktop from your user folder, and press (Command i) to "Get Info". In the Sharing & Permissions tab, be sure you have Read & Write privileges.
Create a new user account and test the screen capture ability. Navigate to System Preferences > Accounts and click the ( ) button to create a new user. Note: You may be required to unlock the preference pane using your Administrator account name and password.
If the screen capture function works in the new user, the issue may be related to a corrupt preference file. Navigate to Macintosh HD > Users > username > Library > Preferences and find the preference file "com.apple.ImageCaptureApp.plist". Move that file to your Desktop and restart your Mac. If the screen capture function returns, delete the file.
If the screen capture function does not return, log in to your new user. Navigate to the same user preferences folder for your new user. Copy the "com.apple.ImageCaptureApp.plist" file and place it in the original user's preference folder.
Reminder
As with all fixes posted on MacFixIt, especially ones involving Terminal or AppleScript, deleting files, or moving root level items, we recommend backing up your system.
Resources
Read this Apple Support Discussions thread describing how to fix a screenshot bug on your Mac.
Experiencing problems? Have feedback? Let us know!
Follow MacFixIt on Twitter!
Resources