[RESOLVED] Not showing any data exists on a form except a blank window while taking screenshot..

[VS2013]

Hi,

The following code doesn't show any data that exists on an active form. It just captures the blank window. The following is the code that I am using:

Private Sub btnSnapshot_Click(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles btnSnapshot.Click
        Dim bmp As New Bitmap(Me.Width, Me.Height)
        Me.DrawToBitmap(bmp, New Rectangle(Point.Empty, bmp.Size))
        SaveSnapshot("D:\Snapshots\Invoice-001.png", bmp)
    End Sub

Private Sub SaveSnapshot(strFileName As String, bmp As Bitmap)
        If IO.File.Exists(strFileName) Then
            If MessageBox.Show("""" & IO.Path.GetFileName(strFileName) & """ already exists." & ControlChars.NewLine & "Do you want to replace it?", "Save", MessageBoxButtons.YesNo, MessageBoxIcon.Question, MessageBoxDefaultButton.Button2) = DialogResult.Yes Then
                bmp.Save(strFileName, Imaging.ImageFormat.Png)
            Else
                Dim dlg As New SaveFileDialog
                dlg.InitialDirectory = IO.Path.GetDirectoryName(strFileName)
                dlg.Filter = "PNG Picture (*.png)|*.png|All files (*.*)|*.*"
                dlg.AddExtension = True
 
                If dlg.ShowDialog() = DialogResult.OK Then
                    bmp.Save(dlg.FileName, Imaging.ImageFormat.Png)
                End If
            End If
 
        Else
            bmp.Save(strFileName, Imaging.ImageFormat.Png)
        End If
    End Sub

Please provide help to resolve the issue.

[jdelano]

You didn't include which .net version you're using. I went with 4.8.1 as a test. You didn't show a manual screenshot to show what you wanted to save compared to what was being created with your code. Using this code:

    Private Sub btnScreenshot_Click(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles btnScreenshot.Click
        Dim frm = Form.ActiveForm
        Using bmp = New Bitmap(frm.Width, frm.Height)
            frm.DrawToBitmap(bmp, New Rectangle(0, 0, bmp.Width, bmp.Height))
            bmp.Save("F:\temp\screenshot.png")
        End Using

    End Sub

I created an image of this test form after typing some text in a datagridview, this is just a form I use when I attempt assisting others with their code.

Everything worked as expected. The only difference I see if that this code uses ActiveForm. Which was available up until 4.8.1.

edit: added wrong screenshot

[VS2013]

Target Framework: .Net 4.8

I have a few labels and text boxes on the form. The text boxes have some data in them. I want that data to be shown when clicking the button "btnSnapshot". But it only captures the empty form. Please do support.

[dbasnett]

Pass 'Me' to this method and then save the Bitmap

Private Function TakeScreenShot(ByVal Control As Control) As Bitmap
    Dim tmpImg As New Bitmap(Control.Width, Control.Height)
    Using g As Graphics = Graphics.FromImage(tmpImg)
        g.CopyFromScreen(Control.PointToScreen(New Point(0, 0)), New Point(0, 0), New Size(Control.Width, Control.Height))
    End Using
    Return tmpImg
End Function

[VS2013]

Pass 'Me' to this method and then save the Bitmap

Private Function TakeScreenShot(ByVal Control As Control) As Bitmap
    Dim tmpImg As New Bitmap(Control.Width, Control.Height)
    Using g As Graphics = Graphics.FromImage(tmpImg)
        g.CopyFromScreen(Control.PointToScreen(New Point(0, 0)), New Point(0, 0), New Size(Control.Width, Control.Height))
    End Using
    Return tmpImg
End Function

Got a little confusion as I don't know where to insert the code that you have provided (to my existing code). The code that I have on my form is as follows.

Private Sub btnSnapshot_Click(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles btnSnapshot.Click
        Dim bmp As New Bitmap(Me.Width, Me.Height)
        Me.DrawToBitmap(bmp, New Rectangle(Point.Empty, bmp.Size))
        SaveSnapshot("D:\Snapshots\Invoice-001.png", bmp)
    End Sub

Private Sub SaveSnapshot(strFileName As String, bmp As Bitmap)
        If IO.File.Exists(strFileName) Then
            If MessageBox.Show("""" & IO.Path.GetFileName(strFileName) & """ already exists." & ControlChars.NewLine & "Do you want to replace it?", "Save", MessageBoxButtons.YesNo, MessageBoxIcon.Question, MessageBoxDefaultButton.Button2) = DialogResult.Yes Then
                bmp.Save(strFileName, Imaging.ImageFormat.Png)
            Else
                Dim dlg As New SaveFileDialog
                dlg.InitialDirectory = IO.Path.GetDirectoryName(strFileName)
                dlg.Filter = "PNG Picture (*.png)|*.png|All files (*.*)|*.*"
                dlg.AddExtension = True
 
                If dlg.ShowDialog() = DialogResult.OK Then
                    bmp.Save(dlg.FileName, Imaging.ImageFormat.Png)
                End If
            End If
 
        Else
            bmp.Save(strFileName, Imaging.ImageFormat.Png)
        End If
    End Sub

What is the full code that works for me? Seeking your support to resolve my problem.

[.paul.]

Private Function TakeScreenShot(ByVal Control As Control) As Bitmap
    Dim tmpImg As New Bitmap(Control.Width, Control.Height)
    Using g As Graphics = Graphics.FromImage(tmpImg)
        g.CopyFromScreen(Control.PointToScreen(New Point(0, 0)), New Point(0, 0), New Size(Control.Width, Control.Height))
    End Using
    Return tmpImg
End Function

Private Sub SaveSnapshot(strFileName As String, bmp As Bitmap)
    If IO.File.Exists(strFileName) Then
        If MessageBox.Show("""" & IO.Path.GetFileName(strFileName) & """ already exists." & ControlChars.NewLine & "Do you want to replace it?", "Save", MessageBoxButtons.YesNo, MessageBoxIcon.Question, MessageBoxDefaultButton.Button2) = DialogResult.Yes Then
            bmp.Save(strFileName, Imaging.ImageFormat.Png)
        Else
            Dim dlg As New SaveFileDialog
            dlg.InitialDirectory = IO.Path.GetDirectoryName(strFileName)
            dlg.Filter = "PNG Picture (*.png)|*.png|All files (*.*)|*.*"
            dlg.AddExtension = True
 
            If dlg.ShowDialog() = DialogResult.OK Then
                bmp.Save(dlg.FileName, Imaging.ImageFormat.Png)
            End If
        End If
 
    Else
        bmp.Save(strFileName, Imaging.ImageFormat.Png)
    End If
End Sub

Private Sub btnSnapshot_Click(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles btnSnapshot.Click
    SaveSnapshot("D:\Snapshots\Invoice-001.png", TakeScreenShot(Me))
End Sub

[VS2013]

Thanks for your kind support. Now, it shows data. But the problem is the active form is captured approx. 95% and around 5% is the second form which is under the active form. I only need to capture the active form. Please extend your kind support.

[.paul.]

Is your display 100% or some different scaling?

[VS2013]

It is 125%. Even if I changed it to 100%, it shows the active form with textboxes and labels on the form which needs to be captured but it also shows the form beneath it (which is not required). My Active form has a Green Background. One more thing is that the active form header is not shown here which is required.

[.paul.]

Try this... (note, it'll only work on your monitor, or any monitor with the same scaling)

Private Function TakeScreenShot(ByVal Control As Control) As Bitmap
    Dim tmpImg As New Bitmap(CInt(Control.Width / 1.25), CInt(Control.Height / 1.25))
    Using g As Graphics = Graphics.FromImage(tmpImg)
        g.CopyFromScreen(Control.PointToScreen(New Point(0, 0)), New Point(0, 0), New Size(CInt(Control.Width / 1.25), CInt(Control.Height / 1.25)))
    End Using
    Return tmpImg
End Function

[VS2013]

Thanks for your kind support. It's working great.

Is it possible to get the Receipt Number automatically from the txtReceiptNo.text and pass it to the below code where it is Invoice-001.png?

SaveSnapshot("D:\Snapshots\Invoice-001.png", TakeScreenShot(Me))

.

Instead of Invoice-001.png it should be like Receipt-1037 before it is saved. (for example: In my above attachment the receipt number is 1037). The Receipt Number should be added dynamically whatever in the txtReceiptNumber.text Textbox.

[.paul.]

You could concatenate a receipt path like this…

SaveSnapshot("D:\Snapshots\” & txtReceiptNumber.text & “.png", TakeScreenShot(Me))

[VS2013]

You could concatenate a receipt path like this…

SaveSnapshot("D:\Snapshots\” & txtReceiptNumber.text & “.png", TakeScreenShot(Me))

Thanks a lot for being so kind and helpful.

[.paul.]

Best to ensure the textbox doesn’t contain any illegal characters before saving the screenshot. If the text in the textbox is generated by your app. and always in the format you told me, and also in a readonly textbox that can’t be changed by the user, that’s not a problem.