Screen Capture Class

• Download SCapture - 112.46 KB
• Download SCapture Class Demo - 110.11 KB
• External link to SCapture

Introduction

The SCapture class allows an application to capture a still screen image. It also provides a functionality to include the cursor in the image.

Class shared methods

• FullScreen - Captures the full screen (all monitors in a single image).
• DisplayMonitor - Captures a display monitor.
• ActiveWindow – Captures the active window.
• Window – Captures a window specified by the handle.
• Control – Captures a control of a window specified by a handle or a point (overloaded).
• ScreenRectangle – Captures a rectangle image from the screen.

Background

The class differs from some other similar articles that provide classes to capture an image from the screen by giving the application ability to capture transparent windows images. The core of the class is based on some Api methods.

Using the code

A small example to capture a button control image from a form by using a point on the button.

Private Sub ControlButton_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles ControlButton.Click
    Try
        'Capture the image of this button including the cursor.
        Dim img As Image = SCapture.Control(Control.MousePosition, True)
        'Save the captured image.
        img.Save(filePath, Drawing.Imaging.ImageFormat.Png)
        'Also dispay the captured image on a PictureBox.
        Me.DisplayPictureBox.BackgroundImage = img
    Catch ex As Exception
        'Show a MessageBox if the capture of image failed.
        MessageBox.Show("Failed to capture the control!" _
        & Environment.NewLine & ex.Message, "Capture Error!", _
        MessageBoxButtons.OK, MessageBoxIcon.Error)
    End Try
End Sub        

History

Originally posted on 07/21/08