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  4. Does anyone know how to capture screen in C#?

Does anyone know how to capture screen in C#?

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  • L Li kai Liu Angus

    Hi, I'm thinking of capturing some regions of my screen into a Bitmap object. Does anyone have any ideas? Thanks:) Li-kai Liu

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    leppie
    wrote on last edited by
    #2

    Hi Eric Gunnerson has a library available on GotDotNet.com[^]. The zip is called Win32window.zip, was a bit tricky to find. You can email me if you cant find it. Unfortunately its a bit long too paste :( Cheers Give them a chance! Do it for the kittens, dear God, the kittens!

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    • L Li kai Liu Angus

      Hi, I'm thinking of capturing some regions of my screen into a Bitmap object. Does anyone have any ideas? Thanks:) Li-kai Liu

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      Philip Fitzsimons
      wrote on last edited by
      #3

      try this... public Bitmap CaptureWindow(string windowTitle) { RECT rect = new RECT(); IntPtr windowDC; IntPtr dc1; IntPtr hWnd; // get the window device context for drawing if (windowTitle == null) { hWnd = FindWindow(null, "DISPLAY"); // get Win32 handle - must be free'ed later windowDC = GetWindowDC(hWnd); // window is size of screen rect.right = Screen.PrimaryScreen.Bounds.Width; rect.bottom = Screen.PrimaryScreen.Bounds.Height; } else { hWnd = FindWindow(null, windowTitle); // get Win32 handle - must be free'ed later windowDC = GetWindowDC(hWnd); // work out size of window int returnCode = GetWindowRgnBox(hWnd, ref rect); } // create a bitmap to hold the picture Graphics g1 = Graphics.FromHdc(windowDC); Bitmap MyImage = new Bitmap(rect.right, rect.bottom, g1); Graphics g2 = Graphics.FromImage(MyImage); // get the device contexts dc1 = g1.GetHdc(); IntPtr dc2 = g2.GetHdc(); // ask Win32 to copy the bitmap on the screen to our bitmap BitBlt(dc2, 0, 0, Screen.PrimaryScreen.Bounds.Width, Screen.PrimaryScreen.Bounds.Height, dc1, 0, 0, 13369376); // give back the handles g1.ReleaseHdc(dc1); g2.ReleaseHdc(dc2); // free up Win32 handle ReleaseDC(hWnd, windowDC); return MyImage; } [DllImportAttribute("gdi32.dll")] private static extern bool BitBlt( IntPtr hdcDest, // handle to destination DC int nXDest, // x-coord of destination upper-left corner int nYDest, // y-coord of destination upper-left corner int nWidth, // width of destination rectangle int nHeight, // height of destination rectangle IntPtr hdcSrc, // handle to source DC int nXSrc, // x-coordinate of source upper-left corner int nYSrc, // y-coordinate of source upper-left corner System.Int32 dwRop // raster operation code ); [DllImportAttribute("gdi32.dll")] private static extern IntPtr CreateDC( string lpszDriver, // driver name string lpszDevice, // device name string lpszOutput, // not used; should be NULL IntPtr lpInitData // optional printer data ); [DllImportAttribute("User32.dll")] private static extern IntPtr FindWindow( string lpClassName, // class name string lpWindowName // window name ); [DllImportAttribute("User32.dll")] private static extern IntPtr GetWindowDC( IntPtr hWnd // handle to window );

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      • P Philip Fitzsimons

        try this... public Bitmap CaptureWindow(string windowTitle) { RECT rect = new RECT(); IntPtr windowDC; IntPtr dc1; IntPtr hWnd; // get the window device context for drawing if (windowTitle == null) { hWnd = FindWindow(null, "DISPLAY"); // get Win32 handle - must be free'ed later windowDC = GetWindowDC(hWnd); // window is size of screen rect.right = Screen.PrimaryScreen.Bounds.Width; rect.bottom = Screen.PrimaryScreen.Bounds.Height; } else { hWnd = FindWindow(null, windowTitle); // get Win32 handle - must be free'ed later windowDC = GetWindowDC(hWnd); // work out size of window int returnCode = GetWindowRgnBox(hWnd, ref rect); } // create a bitmap to hold the picture Graphics g1 = Graphics.FromHdc(windowDC); Bitmap MyImage = new Bitmap(rect.right, rect.bottom, g1); Graphics g2 = Graphics.FromImage(MyImage); // get the device contexts dc1 = g1.GetHdc(); IntPtr dc2 = g2.GetHdc(); // ask Win32 to copy the bitmap on the screen to our bitmap BitBlt(dc2, 0, 0, Screen.PrimaryScreen.Bounds.Width, Screen.PrimaryScreen.Bounds.Height, dc1, 0, 0, 13369376); // give back the handles g1.ReleaseHdc(dc1); g2.ReleaseHdc(dc2); // free up Win32 handle ReleaseDC(hWnd, windowDC); return MyImage; } [DllImportAttribute("gdi32.dll")] private static extern bool BitBlt( IntPtr hdcDest, // handle to destination DC int nXDest, // x-coord of destination upper-left corner int nYDest, // y-coord of destination upper-left corner int nWidth, // width of destination rectangle int nHeight, // height of destination rectangle IntPtr hdcSrc, // handle to source DC int nXSrc, // x-coordinate of source upper-left corner int nYSrc, // y-coordinate of source upper-left corner System.Int32 dwRop // raster operation code ); [DllImportAttribute("gdi32.dll")] private static extern IntPtr CreateDC( string lpszDriver, // driver name string lpszDevice, // device name string lpszOutput, // not used; should be NULL IntPtr lpInitData // optional printer data ); [DllImportAttribute("User32.dll")] private static extern IntPtr FindWindow( string lpClassName, // class name string lpWindowName // window name ); [DllImportAttribute("User32.dll")] private static extern IntPtr GetWindowDC( IntPtr hWnd // handle to window );

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        leppie
        wrote on last edited by
        #4

        Philip Fitzsimons wrote: [StructLayout(LayoutKind.Sequential)] struct RECT { public Int32 left; public Int32 top; public Int32 right; public Int32 bottom; } OK, tell me, why dont you use the Rectangle struct defined in the .NET framework? Give them a chance! Do it for the kittens, dear God, the kittens!

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        • L leppie

          Philip Fitzsimons wrote: [StructLayout(LayoutKind.Sequential)] struct RECT { public Int32 left; public Int32 top; public Int32 right; public Int32 bottom; } OK, tell me, why dont you use the Rectangle struct defined in the .NET framework? Give them a chance! Do it for the kittens, dear God, the kittens!

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          Philip Fitzsimons
          wrote on last edited by
          #5

          1. 'cause it did not occur to me. 2. 'cause I just translated the API directly, I was not trying to be clever :) good point.

          "When the only tool you have is a hammer, a sore thumb you will have."

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          • P Philip Fitzsimons

            1. 'cause it did not occur to me. 2. 'cause I just translated the API directly, I was not trying to be clever :) good point.

            "When the only tool you have is a hammer, a sore thumb you will have."

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            leppie
            wrote on last edited by
            #6

            No, I was just wondering. :) In my experience Rectangle and the other Drawing structs have been fine for marshalling. I have seen people this alot though...even MS people :laugh: Give them a chance! Do it for the kittens, dear God, the kittens!

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            • P Philip Fitzsimons

              try this... public Bitmap CaptureWindow(string windowTitle) { RECT rect = new RECT(); IntPtr windowDC; IntPtr dc1; IntPtr hWnd; // get the window device context for drawing if (windowTitle == null) { hWnd = FindWindow(null, "DISPLAY"); // get Win32 handle - must be free'ed later windowDC = GetWindowDC(hWnd); // window is size of screen rect.right = Screen.PrimaryScreen.Bounds.Width; rect.bottom = Screen.PrimaryScreen.Bounds.Height; } else { hWnd = FindWindow(null, windowTitle); // get Win32 handle - must be free'ed later windowDC = GetWindowDC(hWnd); // work out size of window int returnCode = GetWindowRgnBox(hWnd, ref rect); } // create a bitmap to hold the picture Graphics g1 = Graphics.FromHdc(windowDC); Bitmap MyImage = new Bitmap(rect.right, rect.bottom, g1); Graphics g2 = Graphics.FromImage(MyImage); // get the device contexts dc1 = g1.GetHdc(); IntPtr dc2 = g2.GetHdc(); // ask Win32 to copy the bitmap on the screen to our bitmap BitBlt(dc2, 0, 0, Screen.PrimaryScreen.Bounds.Width, Screen.PrimaryScreen.Bounds.Height, dc1, 0, 0, 13369376); // give back the handles g1.ReleaseHdc(dc1); g2.ReleaseHdc(dc2); // free up Win32 handle ReleaseDC(hWnd, windowDC); return MyImage; } [DllImportAttribute("gdi32.dll")] private static extern bool BitBlt( IntPtr hdcDest, // handle to destination DC int nXDest, // x-coord of destination upper-left corner int nYDest, // y-coord of destination upper-left corner int nWidth, // width of destination rectangle int nHeight, // height of destination rectangle IntPtr hdcSrc, // handle to source DC int nXSrc, // x-coordinate of source upper-left corner int nYSrc, // y-coordinate of source upper-left corner System.Int32 dwRop // raster operation code ); [DllImportAttribute("gdi32.dll")] private static extern IntPtr CreateDC( string lpszDriver, // driver name string lpszDevice, // device name string lpszOutput, // not used; should be NULL IntPtr lpInitData // optional printer data ); [DllImportAttribute("User32.dll")] private static extern IntPtr FindWindow( string lpClassName, // class name string lpWindowName // window name ); [DllImportAttribute("User32.dll")] private static extern IntPtr GetWindowDC( IntPtr hWnd // handle to window );

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              Li kai Liu Angus
              wrote on last edited by
              #7

              Thanks your guys:) I'm playing around with philips's code now. looks pretty nice. When I tried to spot out the location of Win32windows.zip on gotdotnet.com, I got lost... not well organized as codeproject So, leppie, would you mind sending it to my mailbox at ykliu@email-home.com? Thanks again:) Li-kai Liu

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              • L leppie

                No, I was just wondering. :) In my experience Rectangle and the other Drawing structs have been fine for marshalling. I have seen people this alot though...even MS people :laugh: Give them a chance! Do it for the kittens, dear God, the kittens!

                L Offline
                L Offline
                Li kai Liu Angus
                wrote on last edited by
                #8

                are you saying we can re-write this [System.Runtime.InteropServices.DllImportAttribute("User32.dll")] private static extern int GetWindowRgnBox( IntPtr hWnd, // handle to window ref RECT rect // rectangle ); to [System.Runtime.InteropServices.DllImportAttribute("User32.dll")] private static extern int GetWindowRgnBox( IntPtr hWnd, // handle to window ref Rectangle rect // rectangle ); But wouldn't it be relatively confusing because the last two field actually mean different things (width, height in Rectangle, but right, bottom in RECT)...

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                • L Li kai Liu Angus

                  are you saying we can re-write this [System.Runtime.InteropServices.DllImportAttribute("User32.dll")] private static extern int GetWindowRgnBox( IntPtr hWnd, // handle to window ref RECT rect // rectangle ); to [System.Runtime.InteropServices.DllImportAttribute("User32.dll")] private static extern int GetWindowRgnBox( IntPtr hWnd, // handle to window ref Rectangle rect // rectangle ); But wouldn't it be relatively confusing because the last two field actually mean different things (width, height in Rectangle, but right, bottom in RECT)...

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                  leppie
                  wrote on last edited by
                  #9

                  Li-kai Liu (Angus) wrote: are you saying we can re-write this No! I was wrong. Thanx for pointing it out. For some strange bizarre reason, my brain recorded wrong info :(( Or maybe I'm thinking of something completely different. I have tried to find it, but it was one of those snippets I wrote for someone, but never saved it. :mad: In fact, I found 16 blank WindowsApplictions in my code directory.:wtf::eek: CHeers :) Give them a chance! Do it for the kittens, dear God, the kittens!

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                  • P Philip Fitzsimons

                    try this... public Bitmap CaptureWindow(string windowTitle) { RECT rect = new RECT(); IntPtr windowDC; IntPtr dc1; IntPtr hWnd; // get the window device context for drawing if (windowTitle == null) { hWnd = FindWindow(null, "DISPLAY"); // get Win32 handle - must be free'ed later windowDC = GetWindowDC(hWnd); // window is size of screen rect.right = Screen.PrimaryScreen.Bounds.Width; rect.bottom = Screen.PrimaryScreen.Bounds.Height; } else { hWnd = FindWindow(null, windowTitle); // get Win32 handle - must be free'ed later windowDC = GetWindowDC(hWnd); // work out size of window int returnCode = GetWindowRgnBox(hWnd, ref rect); } // create a bitmap to hold the picture Graphics g1 = Graphics.FromHdc(windowDC); Bitmap MyImage = new Bitmap(rect.right, rect.bottom, g1); Graphics g2 = Graphics.FromImage(MyImage); // get the device contexts dc1 = g1.GetHdc(); IntPtr dc2 = g2.GetHdc(); // ask Win32 to copy the bitmap on the screen to our bitmap BitBlt(dc2, 0, 0, Screen.PrimaryScreen.Bounds.Width, Screen.PrimaryScreen.Bounds.Height, dc1, 0, 0, 13369376); // give back the handles g1.ReleaseHdc(dc1); g2.ReleaseHdc(dc2); // free up Win32 handle ReleaseDC(hWnd, windowDC); return MyImage; } [DllImportAttribute("gdi32.dll")] private static extern bool BitBlt( IntPtr hdcDest, // handle to destination DC int nXDest, // x-coord of destination upper-left corner int nYDest, // y-coord of destination upper-left corner int nWidth, // width of destination rectangle int nHeight, // height of destination rectangle IntPtr hdcSrc, // handle to source DC int nXSrc, // x-coordinate of source upper-left corner int nYSrc, // y-coordinate of source upper-left corner System.Int32 dwRop // raster operation code ); [DllImportAttribute("gdi32.dll")] private static extern IntPtr CreateDC( string lpszDriver, // driver name string lpszDevice, // device name string lpszOutput, // not used; should be NULL IntPtr lpInitData // optional printer data ); [DllImportAttribute("User32.dll")] private static extern IntPtr FindWindow( string lpClassName, // class name string lpWindowName // window name ); [DllImportAttribute("User32.dll")] private static extern IntPtr GetWindowDC( IntPtr hWnd // handle to window );

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                    Li kai Liu Angus
                    wrote on last edited by
                    #10

                    BTW, is that possible to include the cursor in the captured image??

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                    • L Li kai Liu Angus

                      BTW, is that possible to include the cursor in the captured image??

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                      Philip Fitzsimons
                      wrote on last edited by
                      #11

                      I don't believe so, its handled by windows.

                      "When the only tool you have is a hammer, a sore thumb you will have."

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