Dynamic creation of bitmaps

[Kevin_0011]

I'm creating a chess game (mostily in OpenGL) and am currently designing the backgrounds. Currently, I just can open any Bitmap, which is fairly cool. I was wondering, though, if it is possible to take a snap shot of the desktop (using WinAPI) and then convert it to a *.bmp file, all within the program (i.e. the program has to do it). Note: I know how to the get the bitmap into, say a picture box. The question has, how do I get that into a standard bitmap file.

[Psyrus]

this article may help:

http://support.microsoft.com/default...;EN-US;q161299

[Kevin_0011]

.......but that doesn't entirely answer my question (however, it did answer many other questions!).

I know how to get bitmaps (e.g. the desktop) using API. My problem is that I have to turn that into an external file (i.e.

sub exportBMP ()
  dim fileNum as integer

  fileNum = freeFile

  open *.bmp for binary as fileNum 'Open a file for ouput as binary
  .  
  . 'This is the part I need to know (header, file format...)
  .
  close fileNum
end sub

But again, thanks for the link, it is quite useful.

[riis]

For the file format of a bmp file you can look at wotsit.org.

If you want to do it the easy way, you should get your bitmap into a picture box (you seem to know how you should do that) and then save the contents of the picture box with SavePicture.

[/\/\isanThr0p]

if you just want to save a bitmap without any special things you can use the savepicture method of the picturebox.

[Sastraxi]

Yes, but remember anything you transfer onto the Picturebox must be saved from the .Image, not the .Picture of the PictureBox.