How to capture a DOS screen with Screenshot Captor

[w5dxp]

A friend who uses Screenshot Captor told me it would capture DOS images when running under XP. I downloaded Screenshot Captor and tried it but did not capture the DOS image. How does one do a DOS screen capture? thanks, Cecil

[lanux128]

it works here, are you trying to capture a screen like this?

[w5dxp]

it works here, are you trying to capture a screen like this?

No, I am trying to capture a DOS program graphic that will not run in an XP window. It will only run in full-screen DOS graphic mode. The procedure worked under ME but not under XP. thanks, Cecil

[cranioscopical]

it works here, are you trying to capture a screen like this?

No, I am trying to capture a DOS program graphic that will not run in an XP window. It will only run in full-screen DOS graphic mode. The procedure worked under ME but not under XP. thanks, Cecil

And alt-return on that DOS screen won't 'window' it so you can grab a capture? Probably not if it's DOS graphics but...

[lanux128]

No, I am trying to capture a DOS program graphic that will not run in an XP window. It will only run in full-screen DOS graphic mode. The procedure worked under ME but not under XP. thanks, Cecil

i'm afraid currently i don't have a program that runs in full-screen DOS except for an old game (Quake) so i wouldn't be able to test the availability of this feature..

[rjbull]

Have you thought of trying one of the DOS screen capture programs, like Screen Thief, two versions available here?  Not sure if they'll capture a screen graphic as well as a DOS text screen, but it might be worth trying.

[w5dxp]

And alt-return on that DOS screen won't 'window' it so you can grab a capture?

Nope, that's a difference between ME and XP. When an alt-return is entered, XP instantly minimizes the full-screen DOS image, i.e. no window.

[w5dxp]

Have you thought of trying one of the DOS screen capture programs, like Screen Thief, ...

Thanks for the pointer. While running DOS (before Windows) I once used a program called "Frieze" or something like that which read the DOS screen graphic and put it in a disc file. I don't know if such will run under XP.

[mouser]

i wonder if you can right click and configure the program to run in some kind of compatibility mode which would then let you screenshot it.

Alternatively, one thing that would almost certainly work would be to install a free virtual pc program (like VirtualPc or VirtualBox), and capture the image of that program running your dos game.

[w5dxp]

one thing that would almost certainly work would be to install a free virtual pc program

I tried that and got a message that the personal XP operating system is not supported. I ignored that warning and succeeded in getting Microsmith to run in a virtual ME window. While trying to do an Alt-Print Screen, I got a stack overflow error. Presumably, the screen capture goes on the stack and the stack is not big enough to hold it. I don't remember much about configuring ME-DOS but it appears to me that even if I could implement the ME screen capture, it would not go into the XP clipboard.

Later ... I read how to do what I want to do on another group and it works. Boot the computer to DOS. Install Screen Thief. Run the DOS program. Do a <Ctrl><Alt><t> keystroke to send the DOS screen image to a floppy. Clumsy but effective. Thanks to everyone who responded. Best Regards, Cecil

[steeladept]

I think what mouser meant was (correct me if I am wrong) run DOS and the program within VirtualBox and run the screencapture program within WindowsXP.  You then capture the VirtualBox window (which contains the DOS screen you want) within XP.

[w5dxp]

On a tip from a friend, I downloaded DOSBox 0.72 and solved the problem. VIRTUALBox will probably also work.

Thanks to all. Cecil