How to use shot() from MSS module In Python

Q: How to use shot() from MSS module In Python

The pillow (PIL) library has an ImageGrab module that can be used to copy the contents of the screen or the clipboard to a PIL image memory.

Method 2: Using ImageGrab.grab()

MSS is an ultra-fast cross-platform multiple screenshots module in pure python using ctypes. This module can be used to capture screenshots.

Installing MSS

pip install mss

The shot() method is used to take a screenshot of the screen or monitor.

Syntax: mss_instance.shot(“file_destination”)

Parameters:

file_destination: The place where screenshots need to be saved.

Example:

In the above code, a random delay was generated between 1 to 5 seconds before taking a screenshot. generate a random number between 1 to 5, and create a time delay using the shot() method. The screenshots will be saved in the exact location of the program with the file name as the current time.

Import PIL, random, and time libraries.
Create an instance of mss using with keyword, Take a screenshot using the shot() method and wait for sometime
Create the random delay using randint() method and sleep().
save the screenshots with the name as the current time.

Python3

# importing random module 
import random 
import mss 
  
# importing time module 
import time 
  
# Running the while loop for infinite time 
while True: 
    # generating a random number between 1  
    # to 5 , which will represent the time 
    # delay 
    random_time = random.randint(1, 5) 
  
    # create a time delay using the sleep() 
    # method 
    time.sleep(random_time) 
  
    # Save the screenshot shot using current time  
    # as file name. 
    file_name = str(time.time())+".png"
  
    # Take the screenshot using shot() method 
    with mss.mss() as mss_obj: 
        mss_obj.shot(output=file_name) 