snappaster

A program for MacOS to take a picture with your webcam and put the path in clipboard, for easy image use with Claude Code and maybe other ai tooling. Or set SNAPSHOT_DIR to a directory in your repo and use your editor's ai tools to work with the images.

Setup

1. Make the script executable:

   cd snappaster
   chmod +x snappaster

2. Install dependencies:

   brew install imagesnap

Configuration

• Default save location is $HOME/Pictures/snappaster-snapshots
• Camera device is auto-detected from available webcams
• Customize settings by setting environment variables:
  • Create or edit the .env file:

    SNAPSHOT_DIR=$HOME/your/custom/path
    CAMERA_DEVICE="Your Webcam Name"

  • Or set temporarily when running:

    SNAPSHOT_DIR=/path/to/snapshots CAMERA_DEVICE="FaceTime HD Camera" ./snappaster

Usage

• snappaster script - takes screenshot, puts path in clipboard
  • takes screenshot with imagesnap - https://github.com/rharder/imagesnap
  • convert jpg to png with sips - https://ss64.com/mac/sips.html
  • puts path in clipboard with pbcopy
• can be used with skhd for hotkey - https://github.com/koekeishiya/skhd

  # editing config
  vim ~/.config/skhd
  # start and stop daemon
  skhd --start-service
  skhd --stop-service
  # restart daemon
  skhd --restart-service
  # reload config
  skhd --reload

• nice to use with a macropad
  • can bind a key on macropad to call the keyboard shortcut defined w/ skhd

Common Issues

• Can't find your webcam device name?

imagesnap -l

Then set the exact name as an environment variable:

CAMERA_DEVICE="FaceTime HD Camera" ./snappaster

Example Use Cases

Development & Tech:

• Whiteboard diagrams → Claude Code generates code diagrams (mermaid, ASCII art, etc.)
• Handwritten notes → Digital todo lists and task tracking
• Meeting whiteboards → Structured summaries and action items
• Code sketches → Implementation planning

Creative & Design:

• Hand sketches → Digital mockups and wireframes
• Color palettes from real objects → CSS/design system generation
• Typography samples → Font identification and pairing suggestions
• Layout ideas → HTML/CSS implementation

Learning & Education:

• Textbook problems → Step-by-step solutions
• Handwritten math → LaTeX formatting
• Language practice (signs, menus) → Translation and grammar explanations
• Research notes → Bibliography and citation formatting

Work & Productivity:

• Business cards → Contact info extraction and CRM entry
• Receipt photos → Expense tracking and categorization
• Flowcharts → Process documentation
• Sticky note brainstorms → Organized project plans

Home & Life:

• Plant problems → Care diagnosis and solutions
• Error messages/screens → Troubleshooting guides
• Product labels → Ingredient analysis and alternatives
• Handwritten addresses → Map directions and contact info
• Ingredients photo → Recipe suggestions and cooking instructions
• Fridge contents → Grocery lists and meal planning
• Handwritten lists → Digital organization and reminders

Creative Problem Solving:

• Mind maps → Structured analysis
• Broken items → Repair instructions
• Assembly diagrams → Step-by-step guides
• Garden layouts → Planting schedules and care tips