API, C++ and a bit of DX8

Right, I've given up on trying to work this out myself, so I'm going to post this all over the place and try to get some feedback off you guys...:p

THE PROGRAM:
Its a 3D game engine thingy. I wrote it in VB6 with my mate and then we converted it to C++. Its very nice, but has to be in C++ when you start using HUGE terrains like what we are.

THE PROBLEM:
I need to be able to take screenshots and I can't. I'm guessing that games do it by blitting the game window to an area of memory and then saving it or something? :confused:

All answers in Vis Basic or C++, I really don't mind, just so long as it works! :)

Thanks!

FJ

And yes, I have posted this message in tons of places. Not sure if its supposed to be in C++, VB, Games and Graphics or the API section. Maybe we should start a thread to discuss this (or maybe not).:D

well is the window fullscreen or windowed?

full screen:

press printscreen, or control+shift+printscreen

the screenshot will be copied to the clipboard.

or if its windowed, just press control+****+printscreen

just paste it into any image editing app

It requires a bit of trickery. First, you need to create a Bitmap in memory, get the DC, and all of that. Then, you need to lock the back buffer, and read the values from the buffer, and copy them into your Memory Bitmap. Then you just save that image, unlock the back buffer, and continue.

You could also render the frame to a Texture. I believe that there is a D3DX function for saving texture to disk.

Z.

Thanks Zaei. Had a nasty feeling it was going to be something complicated like that. Any code / function names would be appreciated :D , I'll have a look in the SDK when I get home.

FJ