Taking a screenshot

**Jareds411** · 09-15-2004

I've been looking for awhile, and came up with this code.

Code:

void CaptureScreen()
{
    int nScreenWidth = GetSystemMetrics(SM_CXSCREEN);
    int nScreenHeight = GetSystemMetrics(SM_CYSCREEN);
    HWND hDesktopWnd = GetDesktopWindow();
    HDC hDesktopDC = GetDC(hDesktopWnd);
    HDC hCaptureDC = CreateCompatibleDC(hDesktopDC);
    HBITMAP hCaptureBitmap =CreateCompatibleBitmap(hDesktopDC, 
        nScreenWidth, nScreenHeight);
    SelectObject(hCaptureDC,hCaptureBitmap); 
    BitBlt(hCaptureDC,0,0,nScreenWidth,nScreenHeight,hDesktopDC,0,0,SRCCOPY); 
     //Here I need some code to save the image.
    ReleaseDC(hDesktopWnd,hDesktopDC);
    DeleteDC(hCaptureDC);
    DeleteObject(hCaptureBitmap);
}

Can someone please fill in the missing part for me?

**sean** · 09-15-2004

You can get an imaging API, or you could do it yourself by getting the file format at http://www.wotsit.org.

**Jareds411** · 09-15-2004

What's an imaging api?

**sean** · 09-15-2004

Application Programming Interface. It'll just be a set of functions you can download in the form of a library, so that you can easily add functionality into your programming. For example, instead of getting into a lot of REALLY difficult assembly and hard work, there is an intuitive (or reasonably so) API for Windows Programming. It has functions for all the tasks related to windowing, etc... An imaging API would allow you to write to pictures a lot easier than if you had to write directly to the file in JPEG format.

If you can not find an API or would just like a bit of a challenge, check out wotsit.org and see how JPEG files work, and then you can figure out how to write it yourself. Easier than it sounds. Maybe.

**Jareds411** · 09-15-2004

I'm in over my head.

Can you please help me out with finishing that code?

**Ken Fitlike** · 09-15-2004

Here.

In future, please direct your windows specific questions to the windows board.

**Jareds411** · 09-15-2004

That code won't compile in dev-c++.

Edit: I get these errors
C:\DOCUME~1\JAREDJ~1\LOCALS~1\Temp/ccKibaaa.o(.text+0x21):Untitled1.cpp: undefined reference to `CreateCompatibleDC@4'
C:\DOCUME~1\JAREDJ~1\LOCALS~1\Temp/ccKibaaa.o(.text+0x5c):Untitled1.cpp: undefined reference to `CreateCompatibleBitmap@12'
C:\DOCUME~1\JAREDJ~1\LOCALS~1\Temp/ccKibaaa.o(.text+0x71):Untitled1.cpp: undefined reference to `SaveDC@4'
C:\DOCUME~1\JAREDJ~1\LOCALS~1\Temp/ccKibaaa.o(.text+0x8f):Untitled1.cpp: undefined reference to `SelectObject@8'
C:\DOCUME~1\JAREDJ~1\LOCALS~1\Temp/ccKibaaa.o(.text+0xf8):Untitled1.cpp: undefined reference to `BitBlt@36'

C:\DOCUME~1\JAREDJ~1\LOCALS~1\Temp/ccKibaaa.o(.text+0x1d1):Untitled1.cpp: undefined reference to `BitBlt@36'
C:\DOCUME~1\JAREDJ~1\LOCALS~1\Temp/ccKibaaa.o(.text+0x201):Untitled1.cpp: undefined reference to `RestoreDC@8'
C:\DOCUME~1\JAREDJ~1\LOCALS~1\Temp/ccKibaaa.o(.text+0x211):Untitled1.cpp: undefined reference to `DeleteDC@4'
C:\DOCUME~1\JAREDJ~1\LOCALS~1\Temp/ccKibaaa.o(.text+0x221):Untitled1.cpp: undefined reference to `DeleteObject@4'

Execution terminated

**Ken Fitlike** · 09-16-2004

Originally Posted by Jareds411

I'm in over my head.

Looks like you need to take a step back and read some tutorials/books - search the windows board as there have been many recommendations made there in the past regarding such resources.

Originally Posted by Jared411

That code won't compile in dev-c++.

It most certainly will, provided you build it as a windows application and not as a console; those 'undefined references' are linker errors regarding windows specific libraries.

Thread: Taking a screenshot

Thread Tools

Search Thread

Display

Taking a screenshot

Similar Threads

Taking a screenshot of an application.

taking screenshot

Taking Screenshot - Full Screen Dos

Taking a screenshot in DirectDraw

Please help me