Auto-capture A Window Each Time The Window Changes/Updates - Screenshot Captor

[cvbusa]

Hi ... Is it possible to create a hotkey that silently captures monitor 1 and another hotkey that silently captures monitor 2 no matter which window/monitor is active or has the computer's focus using Screenshot Captor?

Let me describe my problem. I have a dual-head monitor setup running 2 applications that monitor a patient's vital signs (EKG on monitor 1 & various vital signs on monitor 2). I would like to auto-capture an entire window/monitor (monitor 2) every time that window changes. The window consists of multiple, character-based text fields that update at the same time, every 2 to 5 minutes and I would like to (silently or covertly or without having to make the window/monitor active) automatically capture the entire window/monitor without user intervention each time the fields are updated in this window.

This "auto-capture on window change" feature coupled to the wonderful functions already in Screenshot Captor would be my ideal solution.

Any suggestions or workarounds?

Any way to quickly capture the same window/monitor with a single Keystroke or hotkey, no matter what window/monitor is active or has the computer's focus?

I realize it is easy enough to make the desired window/monitor active and then use Alt-PrtScr/PrtScr to capture the desired window/monitor using Screenshot Captor as is but I really need to create a window capture system that is user proof and automatic remembers to capture the desired window/monitor when it changes.

I suppose I could create a hotkey for the capture of the Multi-monitor workspace and that would make it as simple as possible for my users to create a capture that contains the desired information ... they don't have to change focus or make the desired window active ... they just have to remember to press one hotkey sequence.

Thanks ... Charles

[urlwolf]

I think this is a great feature.
It would make ssc compete with those tracking programs that can capture your window every X seconds, and them show that to you as a movie at the end of the day.

It's pretty illuminating to see where your time goes...

[cvbusa]

Yes ... to be able to auto-capture a window each time that window changes/updates would be a very powerful feature ... later ... Charles

[gregland]

Great idea cvbusa
Very great idea !

[cvbusa]

I have never used Screenshot Captor's MiniCap but the description suggest that is it might be a good candidate for modification so as to launch an application and then auto-capture that application's main window when the window is changed or updated? The Windows (2000, XP & Vista) API must have numerous built-in hooks that monitor a window for change/update that could be used to trigger "auto-capture on change"?

[cvbusa]

Example of window I would like to auto-capture on change/update is below ... small window filled with various types/sizes of text boxes that all update together every 2 or 3 minutes.

[cvbusa]

Finally got around to reading the help file and playing with MiniCap.

I wrote a little batch file to have MiniCap capture a specific window to the same save directory as Screenshot Captor & then exit.

The result if successful, is that I will use MiniCap.exe to auto-capture a specific window when that window changes and can then use Screenshot Captor to review/edit all of the captures.

I am now exploring how to use the "eventtriggers" feature ( eventtriggers.exe - http://technet.micro...ibrary/bb490901.aspx ) built into Windows XP and Windows 2003 server to  trigger MiniCap.exe ( in a MyMiniCap.bat file ) based upon a specific event(s) that occurs in the Windows event log(s).

The combination of all of this should allow me to create a neat little automatic way to capture a specific window each time that window is updated or changed.

MyMiniCap.bat file :

"\Program Files\MiniCap\MiniCap.exe" -captureappbyname "BloodPressure-VitalSigns-Display.exe" -customdate "$Y$m$d-$H$M-0$S" -save "\Program Files\ScreenshotCaptor\Screenshots\Screenshot-$customdate$.png" -exit


Still working on creating the onetime  eventtriggers.exe command that will create the process that monitors the event log(s) and then triggers MyMiniCap.bat file to run but it should look something like this:

eventtriggers.exe /create /tr MyMiniCapTrigger /I application /eid xxxxx /tk "\Program Files\MiniCap\MyMiniCap.bat"

Later ... Charles

"http://technet.micro...ibrary/bb490901.aspx" - eventtriggers.exe FAQ

[Euler]

Hi

I also need a feature like "Automatic capture when window changes".

To make it even more powerful I suggest:

It should be possible to decide a part of the screen – “fixed selected region” - in which changes are monitored constantly by Screenshot Captor.

Example. Maybe you have a window which is updated constantly with lots of different information (like the hospital-example above) - but you only want “autocapture” if a specific part of the screen changes - for example information in the "region" that shows PULSE.

This means - even if the screen changes in other regions/areas  (and the information in the PULSE-area is constant) no new capture should be done.

Sorry if my English is not OK (I am from Sweden) - hope you understand anyway.

With kind regards - I love the program - very useful!

Henrik