6 ms·

Color Snapper: "The missing color picker for Mac OS X"

47 points by nicksergeant 16y ago

JCB_K 16y ago
Looks good - might be an idea to include the price on your page though.
- beck5 16y ago
  Can be an issue with multiple countries, app store website shows €4 but I just paid £3 for it. I look forward to using it. Edit - Can't actually get it to stay open for more than 4 seconds. Im running 10.6.6. problem with the app store no try before you buy ;) Edit 2 - Seems to work now I launched it from my applications folder rather than the doc where the app store put it.....
  - terinjokes 16y ago
    Off-topic (somewhat) but related to your Edit 2, anyone know if it's possible to disable the "install to dock" functionally of the App Store? I only have applications I want on the dock.
    - guywithabike 16y ago
      It is not easily possible. Just drag them off the dock after they're installed.
efields 16y ago
Hm… Digital Color Meter lives in /Applications/Utilities and works pretty much the same way. Cmd-Shift-C to copy to clipboard. EDIT: Also, DCM lets you adjust the size of the loupe, which is handy for getting the aggregate when there's a slight variation in pixels (grain textures and the like)
- armandososa 16y ago
  Wow I didn't know DCM existed. Thanks for saving me 3.99 and --more important for me-- precious menubar real estate
- zakovyrya 16y ago
  Yes, but it doesn't make anyone richer.
- adsr 16y ago
  That was what I was thinking. I have set it up to start with ⌘ + § key command.
bradleyland 16y ago
Cool little utility, but €3.99 works out to US$5.50 for me. OS X includes the DigitalColor Meter app by default, which -- as far as I can tell -- has most of the functionality shown here. From what I can tell, the advantages include a global keyboard shortcut and a menubar item, rather than an app window. Can you tell us if there is any other significant difference?
- terinjokes 16y ago
  From the looks of it, the CSS3 and NSColor/UIColor formats.
- stevelosh 16y ago
  I bought this app. Here's why it's better than DigitalColor Meter: * The ability to have a global shortcut to activate it, and it hides nicely in the menu bar when you don't need it. * The magnification loupe follows your cursor, so you don't have to keep swinging your head back and forth to see where you are. * You can adjust the size of the loupe. * You can set two formats for color copying, and use one with Cmd+C and the other with Cmd+Opt+C. * It keeps a history of colors you've copied. * It works properly when you screen zoom with Ctrl+Mousewheel.
  - pak 16y ago
    #3 is allowed by DCM. Besides #2 and #6, all of those other features could probably be layered onto DCM with FastScripts (free for up to 10 global hotkeys, http://www.red-sweater.com/fastscripts/ http://www.red-sweater.com/fastscripts/) and some trivial little AppleScripts, certainly nothing that couldn't be done in half an hour by anybody reading this site. I think $5.50 is overkill for a system utility with some trivial extra shortcuts and visual enhancements. EDIT: re #3, you can change the magnification of the loupe, not its literal size on the screen.
    - jacobolus 16y ago
      $5.50 is the price of 2 coffees, or one beer. If you use it all the time, a simple app is certainly worth that kind of money. If you dump it in a drawer somewhere to collect dust, maybe not.
DTrejo 16y ago
Colors by Matt Patenaude is my favorite color picker [it's free!]. http://mattpatenaude.com/ http://mattpatenaude.com/ Supports these formats: http://grab.by/9tc3 http://grab.by/9tc3 and also copies to your clipboard with a button http://grab.by/9tcg http://grab.by/9tcg.
- stevelosh 16y ago
  I tried Colors for a while (and Pochade, and others), and the part they all suck at is the loupe. They all use that horrible, tiny, OS X default color picker. It barely magnifies things at all, and half the time the mouse pointer is still inside which makes it even harder to use. This app's loupe is pointer-free and customizably large. It's fantastic!
jcampbell1 16y ago
The biggest problem with the built in color meter, is that it puts the '#' in front of the hex color when copying to the keyboard. This makes it impossible to paste in applications that are expecting no more than 6 characters. e.g. #[______] then when you paste you get #[#28382] I switched to colibri for this reason. Does this application suffer the same drawback?
- stevelosh 16y ago
  Right now, yes. Myself and several others have tweeted at the developer about it, so hopefully they'll listen and add it. I can't imagine it would be difficult to add to the list of formats.
guywithabike 16y ago
Might want to hold off buying this until they fix the segfault: 3/14/11 1:56:33 PM com.apple.launchd.peruser.501[255] ([0x0-0x428428].com.koolesache.ColorSnapper[26028]) Job appears to have crashed: Segmentation fault As it stands, I can't launch it at all.
- elliotlarson 16y ago
  Yeah, bummer. I just contacted support about this. Apparently they gave Apple the fix last week but are waiting for them to approve the update. If you're interested in this, hold off for a couple of days.
  - drivingmenuts 16y ago
    Having to wait on Apple sounds like a distinct disadvantage. That alone will keep me out of the app store.
  - lukifer 16y ago
    Apple's wait time for bug fix approvals is annoying enough when it's a game for your phone. The fact that it can delay fixes for one's day-to-day working tools is completely unacceptable.
jp 16y ago
Windows and Linux users can try this one (color logic was done by smarter people than me btw): http://teppefall.com/products/colorspace http://teppefall.com/products/colorspace I know that the OS X build crashes. People complain about upgrades even when they are not paying.
- glenjamin 16y ago
  I've always used http://www.nattyware.com/pixie.php http://www.nattyware.com/pixie.php on windows.
netghost 16y ago
On a related note, for anyone using TextMate, try hitting Cmd-Shift-C while editing css. It will popup a color picker right there for you. Really handy.
- emehrkay 16y ago
  I love textmate. Thanks for this tip. There were times where I opened up photoshop just for the color picker!
gandalfar 16y ago
Here's a free Hex Color Picker that 'works for me' - http://wafflesoftware.net/hexpicker/ http://wafflesoftware.net/hexpicker/ I run it through Alfred - cmd+space -> type "color picker" and it's in the selected pane.
jrockway 16y ago
You know something is a bubble when people will pay $5 for xmag.
dchest 16y ago
Alternative - Developer Color Picker (plugin for the standard OS X color picker) http://www.panic.com/~wade/picker/ http://www.panic.com/~wade/picker/
upinsmoke 16y ago
Use Spot Color + Developer Color Picker + Hex Color Picker! http://zachwaugh.com/spotcolor/ http://zachwaugh.com/spotcolor/ http://www.panic.com/~wade/picker/ http://www.panic.com/~wade/picker/ http://wafflesoftware.net/hexpicker/ http://wafflesoftware.net/hexpicker/ All free plugins using Mac OS X Color Picker.
- bugsy 16y ago
  It looks like SpotColor has been withdrawn as a free app and is now $5 at the App Store as well. I recommend checking out iColors which I've been using for years and has the same functionality - http://www.fadingred.com/icolors/ http://www.fadingred.com/icolors/
  - upinsmoke 16y ago
    Fork it here. https://github.com/0xced/SpotColor https://github.com/0xced/SpotColor
bugsy 16y ago
I've been using iColors which is a standalone system color picker - http://www.fadingred.com/icolors/ http://www.fadingred.com/icolors/ I use it in conjunction with various plugins to said system color picker such as http://wafflesoftware.net/hexpicker/ http://wafflesoftware.net/hexpicker/ and http://lithoglyph.com/mondrianum/ http://lithoglyph.com/mondrianum/. It is very nice that the OS X system color picker supports adding plugins to /Library/ColorPickers because then you have support for new color picker panels in every program that uses the System Color Picker.
modality 16y ago
You can also make your own with the standard Mac color picker. Open up AppleScript Editor, and type this: choose color From there, File -> Save As, and choose the "Application" file format. Done!

47 points by nicksergeant 16y ago

JCB_K 16y ago

Looks good - might be an idea to include the price on your page though.

beck5 16y ago
Can be an issue with multiple countries, app store website shows €4 but I just paid £3 for it. I look forward to using it. Edit - Can't actually get it to stay open for more than 4 seconds. Im running 10.6.6. problem with the app store no try before you buy ;) Edit 2 - Seems to work now I launched it from my applications folder rather than the doc where the app store put it.....
- terinjokes 16y ago
  Off-topic (somewhat) but related to your Edit 2, anyone know if it's possible to disable the "install to dock" functionally of the App Store? I only have applications I want on the dock.
  - guywithabike 16y ago
    It is not easily possible. Just drag them off the dock after they're installed.

efields 16y ago

Hm… Digital Color Meter lives in /Applications/Utilities and works pretty much the same way. Cmd-Shift-C to copy to clipboard. EDIT: Also, DCM lets you adjust the size of the loupe, which is handy for getting the aggregate when there's a slight variation in pixels (grain textures and the like)

armandososa 16y ago
Wow I didn't know DCM existed. Thanks for saving me 3.99 and --more important for me-- precious menubar real estate
zakovyrya 16y ago
Yes, but it doesn't make anyone richer.
adsr 16y ago
That was what I was thinking. I have set it up to start with ⌘ + § key command.

bradleyland 16y ago

Cool little utility, but €3.99 works out to US$5.50 for me. OS X includes the DigitalColor Meter app by default, which -- as far as I can tell -- has most of the functionality shown here. From what I can tell, the advantages include a global keyboard shortcut and a menubar item, rather than an app window. Can you tell us if there is any other significant difference?

terinjokes 16y ago
From the looks of it, the CSS3 and NSColor/UIColor formats.
stevelosh 16y ago
I bought this app. Here's why it's better than DigitalColor Meter: * The ability to have a global shortcut to activate it, and it hides nicely in the menu bar when you don't need it. * The magnification loupe follows your cursor, so you don't have to keep swinging your head back and forth to see where you are. * You can adjust the size of the loupe. * You can set two formats for color copying, and use one with Cmd+C and the other with Cmd+Opt+C. * It keeps a history of colors you've copied. * It works properly when you screen zoom with Ctrl+Mousewheel.
- pak 16y ago
  #3 is allowed by DCM. Besides #2 and #6, all of those other features could probably be layered onto DCM with FastScripts (free for up to 10 global hotkeys, http://www.red-sweater.com/fastscripts/ http://www.red-sweater.com/fastscripts/) and some trivial little AppleScripts, certainly nothing that couldn't be done in half an hour by anybody reading this site. I think $5.50 is overkill for a system utility with some trivial extra shortcuts and visual enhancements. EDIT: re #3, you can change the magnification of the loupe, not its literal size on the screen.
  - jacobolus 16y ago
    $5.50 is the price of 2 coffees, or one beer. If you use it all the time, a simple app is certainly worth that kind of money. If you dump it in a drawer somewhere to collect dust, maybe not.

DTrejo 16y ago

Colors by Matt Patenaude is my favorite color picker [it's free!]. http://mattpatenaude.com/ http://mattpatenaude.com/ Supports these formats: http://grab.by/9tc3 http://grab.by/9tc3 and also copies to your clipboard with a button http://grab.by/9tcg http://grab.by/9tcg.

stevelosh 16y ago
I tried Colors for a while (and Pochade, and others), and the part they all suck at is the loupe. They all use that horrible, tiny, OS X default color picker. It barely magnifies things at all, and half the time the mouse pointer is still inside which makes it even harder to use. This app's loupe is pointer-free and customizably large. It's fantastic!

jcampbell1 16y ago

The biggest problem with the built in color meter, is that it puts the '#' in front of the hex color when copying to the keyboard. This makes it impossible to paste in applications that are expecting no more than 6 characters. e.g. #[______] then when you paste you get #[#28382] I switched to colibri for this reason. Does this application suffer the same drawback?

stevelosh 16y ago
Right now, yes. Myself and several others have tweeted at the developer about it, so hopefully they'll listen and add it. I can't imagine it would be difficult to add to the list of formats.

guywithabike 16y ago

Might want to hold off buying this until they fix the segfault: 3/14/11 1:56:33 PM com.apple.launchd.peruser.501[255] ([0x0-0x428428].com.koolesache.ColorSnapper[26028]) Job appears to have crashed: Segmentation fault As it stands, I can't launch it at all.

elliotlarson 16y ago
Yeah, bummer. I just contacted support about this. Apparently they gave Apple the fix last week but are waiting for them to approve the update. If you're interested in this, hold off for a couple of days.
- drivingmenuts 16y ago
  Having to wait on Apple sounds like a distinct disadvantage. That alone will keep me out of the app store.
- lukifer 16y ago
  Apple's wait time for bug fix approvals is annoying enough when it's a game for your phone. The fact that it can delay fixes for one's day-to-day working tools is completely unacceptable.

jp 16y ago

Windows and Linux users can try this one (color logic was done by smarter people than me btw): http://teppefall.com/products/colorspace http://teppefall.com/products/colorspace I know that the OS X build crashes. People complain about upgrades even when they are not paying.

glenjamin 16y ago
I've always used http://www.nattyware.com/pixie.php http://www.nattyware.com/pixie.php on windows.

netghost 16y ago

On a related note, for anyone using TextMate, try hitting Cmd-Shift-C while editing css. It will popup a color picker right there for you. Really handy.

emehrkay 16y ago
I love textmate. Thanks for this tip. There were times where I opened up photoshop just for the color picker!

gandalfar 16y ago

Here's a free Hex Color Picker that 'works for me' - http://wafflesoftware.net/hexpicker/ http://wafflesoftware.net/hexpicker/ I run it through Alfred - cmd+space -> type "color picker" and it's in the selected pane.

jrockway 16y ago

You know something is a bubble when people will pay $5 for xmag.

dchest 16y ago

Alternative - Developer Color Picker (plugin for the standard OS X color picker) http://www.panic.com/~wade/picker/ http://www.panic.com/~wade/picker/

upinsmoke 16y ago

Use Spot Color + Developer Color Picker + Hex Color Picker! http://zachwaugh.com/spotcolor/ http://zachwaugh.com/spotcolor/ http://www.panic.com/~wade/picker/ http://www.panic.com/~wade/picker/ http://wafflesoftware.net/hexpicker/ http://wafflesoftware.net/hexpicker/ All free plugins using Mac OS X Color Picker.

bugsy 16y ago
It looks like SpotColor has been withdrawn as a free app and is now $5 at the App Store as well. I recommend checking out iColors which I've been using for years and has the same functionality - http://www.fadingred.com/icolors/ http://www.fadingred.com/icolors/
- upinsmoke 16y ago
  Fork it here. https://github.com/0xced/SpotColor https://github.com/0xced/SpotColor

bugsy 16y ago

I've been using iColors which is a standalone system color picker - http://www.fadingred.com/icolors/ http://www.fadingred.com/icolors/ I use it in conjunction with various plugins to said system color picker such as http://wafflesoftware.net/hexpicker/ http://wafflesoftware.net/hexpicker/ and http://lithoglyph.com/mondrianum/ http://lithoglyph.com/mondrianum/. It is very nice that the OS X system color picker supports adding plugins to /Library/ColorPickers because then you have support for new color picker panels in every program that uses the System Color Picker.

modality 16y ago

You can also make your own with the standard Mac color picker. Open up AppleScript Editor, and type this: choose color From there, File -> Save As, and choose the "Application" file format. Done!