C# Signature:

   [DllImport("User32.dll", SetLastError = true)]
   [return: MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.Bool)]
   static extern bool PrintWindow(IntPtr hwnd, IntPtr hDC, uint nFlags);

VB Signature:

<DllImport("User32.dll", SetLastError:=True)> _
Private Shared Function PrintWindow(ByVal hwnd As IntPtr, ByVal hDC As IntPtr, ByVal nFlags As UInteger) As Boolean
End Function

User-Defined Types:

None.

Notes:

This function is only available on Windows XP or higher. Windows 2000/9x/ME do not support it.

Tips & Tricks:

To capture only the client area of window, use PW_CLIENTONLY = 0x1 as nFlags

Sample Code:

Screenshotting a form to a Bitmap in C#:

Graphics g = form.CreateGraphics();
Bitmap bmp = new Bitmap(form.Size.Width, form.Size.Height, g);
Graphics memoryGraphics = Graphics.FromImage(bmp);
IntPtr dc = memoryGraphics.GetHdc();
bool success = PrintWindow(form.Handle, dc, 0);
memoryGraphics.ReleaseHdc(dc);
// bmp now contains the screenshot

Me.AutoRedraw = True
PrintWindow Me.hWnd, Me.hDC, 0

Alternative Managed API:

Control.DrawToBitmap()

Or call Control.InvokePaintBackground() followed by Control.InvokePaint().

The ManagedWindowsApi project (http://mwinapi.sourceforge.net) provides a

class ManagedWinapi.SystemWindow that has a Image property

Please edit this page!

Do you have...

• helpful tips or sample code to share for using this API in managed code?
• corrections to the existing content?
• variations of the signature you want to share?
• additional languages you want to include?

Select "Edit This Page" on the right hand toolbar and edit it! Or add new pages containing supporting types needed for this API (structures, delegates, and more).