# Install vncsnapshot with Homebrew, apt

Command-line utility for taking VNC snapshots. Version 1.2a via Homebrew; verified 2026-06-25.

## Install

```sh
sudo av install brew:vncsnapshot
```

Additional install commands:

### macOS

- Homebrew (100%):

```sh
brew install vncsnapshot
```

  Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata

### Linux

- Debian apt (92%):

```sh
sudo apt install vncsnapshot
```

  Evidence: Debian stable package indexes: vncsnapshot from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz

## Package facts

- **Package key:** brew:vncsnapshot
- **Package manager:** Homebrew
- **Package manager page:** <https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/vncsnapshot>
- **Version:** 1.2a
- **Source summary:** Command-line utility for taking VNC snapshots
- **Homepage:** <https://sourceforge.net/projects/vncsnapshot/>
- **Repository:** <https://sourceforge.net/p/vncsnapshot/code>
- **Upstream docs:** <https://vncsnapshot.sourceforge.net/>
- **License:** GPL-2.0-or-later
- **Source archive:** <https://downloads.sourceforge.net/project/vncsnapshot/vncsnapshot/1.2a/vncsnapshot-1.2a-src.tar.gz>
- **Last updated:** 2026-06-25T13:38:11+02:00
- **Generated:** 2026-07-08T07:18:31+00:00

## Executables

- vncsnapshot (cli)
- vncsnapshot (alias)

## Dependencies

- jpeg-turbo

## Install behavior

- Post-install hook: not defined
- Bottle: available on arm64_linux, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, sonoma, x86_64_linux

## Freshness

- Page generated: 2026-07-08
- Package-manager version: 1.2a
- Package-manager updated: 2026-06-25
- Local data: ok
- Upstream repository: https://sourceforge.net/projects/vncsnapshot/
- info: Release/tag comparison is only available for GitHub repositories.
## Project history and usage

VNCSnapshot is a command-line utility for connecting to a VNC server and saving the server's screen as a JPEG image. Its original project page presents it as a non-interactive cousin of a VNC viewer, useful when the desired output is an image file rather than a remote desktop window.

### Project history

The SourceForge-hosted project page identifies Grant McDorman as the contact author and says VNCSnapshot is derived from TightVNC and RealVNC. The page's CVS identifier and release-note timestamps place active maintenance around 2004, with the public release line centered on version 1.2 and 1.2a.

Release notes for version 1.2 added multi-snapshot capture through `-count` and `-fps`, provided a Windows-usable `vncpasswd`, improved builds on non-Linux Unix systems, and fixed Mac OS X compilation errors. Those changes reflect the project's niche: making VNC screen capture scriptable across Unix, Linux, Windows, and Darwin-era Mac OS X systems.

### How it is used

VNCSnapshot is invoked with VNC viewer-style options, a target such as `host:display`, and an output JPEG filename. The official examples cover direct capture, listening mode, tunneled connections, password files supplied with `-passwd`, rectangular crops with `-rect`, repeated captures with `-count`, and frame timing with `-fps`.

### Why package nerds care

The tool matters mostly as a small automation bridge for old-school VNC infrastructure. It lets scripts, monitoring jobs, test harnesses, or documentation workflows take a remote-desktop snapshot without starting a full viewer session.

### Timeline

- 2004-09-09: Version 1.2 release notes document multi-snapshot capture and portability fixes.
- 2004-09-11: The project web page revision identifies the SourceForge-hosted documentation and version 1.2a summary.

### Related projects

- VNCSnapshot derives from TightVNC and RealVNC, and it ships a `vncpasswd` helper for creating password files used by the `-passwd` option.

### Sources

- VNCSnapshot 1.2 release notes: https://vncsnapshot.sourceforge.net/RELEASE-NOTES.txt
- VNCSnapshot project page: https://vncsnapshot.sourceforge.net/


## Security Notes

narrow executable package without higher-risk signals.

- **Geiger risk:** green / low
- narrow executable package without higher-risk signals


## Configuration and credential file locations

These source-backed paths show where this package keeps local settings or durable credentials. Automic Vault can use them as review targets for secret scanning, migration, and command approval.


## Credential files

- Unix: file passed with -passwd
- Windows: file passed with -passwd
## Source Database Details

- **Source Database:** Homebrew formula API
- **Tap:** homebrew/core
- **Full Name:** vncsnapshot
- **Version Scheme:** 0
- **Revision:** 2
- **Bottle Stable Root URL:** <https://ghcr.io/v2/homebrew/core>
- **Deprecated:** no
- **Disabled:** no
- **Keg Only:** no
- **URL Keys:** stable

## Other Package-Manager Records

- Debian apt - vncsnapshot - 1.2a-6: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: vncsnapshot from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | Utility that takes JPEG snapshots from VNC servers | https://vncsnapshot.sourceforge.net/
- Ubuntu apt - vncsnapshot - 1.2a-5.2: normalized package name match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: vncsnapshot from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | A utility that takes JPEG snapshots from VNC servers | http://vncsnapshot.sourceforge.net/


## Related links

- [Terminal utility packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/terminal-utilities/) - Matched terminal and command-line workflow metadata.
- [Networking and protocol packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/networking-protocol-tools/) - Matched network, protocol, or remote-service metadata.
- [Homebrew utility packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew-utility-packages/) - Matched Homebrew package provider.
- [jpeg-turbo](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/jpeg-turbo/) - Runtime dependency declared by Homebrew.
- [gtk-vnc](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/gtk-vnc/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, networking, remote-access, remote-desktop, vnc.
- [tiger-vnc](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/tiger-vnc/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, networking, remote-access, remote-desktop, vnc.
- [x11vnc](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/x11vnc/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, networking, remote-access, remote-desktop, vnc.
- [gateway-go](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/gateway-go/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, networking, remote-access.
- [mosh](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/mosh/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, networking, remote-access.
- [mussh](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/mussh/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, networking, remote-access.
- [pssh](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/pssh/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, networking, remote-access.
- [putty](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/putty/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, networking, remote-access.
- [jnettop](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/jnettop/) - Local package facts share a topical domain. Shared terms: cli, networking, taking.

## Combined YAML source

View the package source record on GitHub. [combined/vncsnapshot.yml](https://github.com/automic-vault/db/blob/main/combined/vncsnapshot.yml)


## Sources

- Nucleus package database
- Geiger risk classifier
- package-page enrichment
- curated configuration and credential file locations
- curated package history
- package version freshness
- av.db category and tag curation
- package relationship graph
- external package-manager database matches
- cross-ecosystem install command graph