# MCP ScreenCatch
An MCP (Model Context Protocol) server that provides screen capture functionality for Claude Desktop, emulating Windows Snipping Tool capabilities.
## Overview
MCP ScreenCatch enables Claude Desktop to capture screenshots of user-selected screen regions. The tool allows users to highlight areas of their monitor(s), capture them, and save the images with timestamps for easy retrieval and processing.
## Objectives
- **Seamless Integration**: Provide an MCP command that Claude Desktop can invoke to initiate screen captures
- **Interactive Selection**: Allow users to select specific regions of their screen(s) using a familiar snipping interface
- **Multi-Monitor Support**: Work across multiple monitors for flexible screen capture
- **Sequential Captures**: Enable users to capture multiple screenshots in succession without restarting the tool
- **Timestamped Files**: Automatically timestamp each capture for chronological ordering
- **Configurable Output**: Let users specify the output directory for captured images
- **Pipeline Ready**: Save files in a location accessible to other MCP commands or external applications
## Features
### Core Functionality
- **Region Selection**: Click and drag interface to select screen regions
- **Capture & Save**: Button/icon to finalize and save the selected region
- **Continuous Mode**: After each capture, prompt user to:
- Capture another screenshot
- Quit the tool
- **Timestamp Naming**: Files named with ISO 8601 timestamps (e.g., `capture_2025-11-27_064730.png`)
- **Directory Selection**: User-configurable output directory
### Use Cases
- Capture UI elements for debugging
- Document visual workflows
- Create sequential tutorials or guides
- Feed captured images to Claude for analysis
- Build visual documentation pipelines
## Technical Implementation
### MCP Protocol
The tool will be exposed as an MCP server that Claude Desktop can connect to, providing:
- Tool: `capture_screen` - Initiates the screen capture interface
- Tool: `set_output_directory` - Configure where captures are saved
- Tool: `list_captures` - Retrieve timestamped capture files
### Technology Stack
- **Language**: TypeScript/Node.js
- **MCP SDK**: @modelcontextprotocol/sdk
- **Screen Capture**: screenshot-desktop for cross-platform screen capture
- **Image Processing**: Sharp for image cropping and manipulation
- **UI Framework**: Electron for transparent overlay and region selection
### File Format
- Default format: PNG (lossless, good for UI captures)
- Naming convention: `capture_YYYY-MM-DD_HHMMSS.png`
- Metadata: Optional JSON sidecar with capture timestamp and dimensions
## Installation
```bash
npm install
npm run build
```
## Configuration
Add to Claude Desktop config (`claude_desktop_config.json`):
```json
{
"mcpServers": {
"screencatch": {
"command": "node",
"args": ["/path/to/mcp-screencatch/build/index.js"]
}
}
}
```
## Usage
### From Claude Desktop
Once configured, you can ask Claude to capture screenshots:
```
Claude, can you capture a screenshot of my screen?
```
### Interactive Overlay
1. An Electron overlay window will appear covering your screen(s)
2. Click and drag to select the region you want to capture
3. Click the **Capture** button or press **Enter** to save
4. Press **ESC** or click **Cancel** to abort
5. The captured image is saved with a timestamp
### Available Commands
**Capture a screenshot:**
```
Claude, capture a screenshot
```
**Set output directory:**
```
Claude, set the screenshot output directory to C:\Users\johne\screenshots
```
**List recent captures:**
```
Claude, list my recent screenshots
```
### File Naming
Screenshots are automatically named with ISO 8601 timestamps:
- `capture_2025-11-27_143052.png`
- `capture_2025-11-27_143105.png`
This ensures chronological ordering and prevents filename conflicts.
## Development Status
✅ **Implemented** - Core functionality complete
- ✅ MCP server with stdio transport
- ✅ Interactive region selection with Electron overlay
- ✅ Timestamped file naming
- ✅ Configurable output directory
- ✅ List and manage captures
- ⚠️ **Note**: Requires Electron, which adds ~150MB to node_modules. For production use, consider electron-builder for packaging.
## Future Enhancements
- Support for full screen and window captures
- Multiple image format options (PNG, JPG, WebP)
- Annotation tools (arrows, text, highlights)
- Clipboard integration
- Automatic cleanup of old captures
- Screenshot comparison tools
## License
MIT
## Contributing
Contributions welcome! Please open an issue or submit a pull request.
