Screenshot function in FS9

[SSI01]

I have 9 different variations of FS9 installed on my computer. There is a tenth that is a pristine "stock" installation that is not touched and serves as a template for the others.

I can take screen shots in some of these variations, and in some others I can not.

When taking screen shots in these variations, I used the "print screen" button on the keyboard, then shrink the sim's window, pause it, open "paint," go the far upper-left corner (dark blue button with icon inside), click on the "down" arrow, and click on "save as" in the drop-down menu. I then type in the description in the "save as" window, at the bottom of the window, then hit "save."

This procedure works for some of the versions of FS9 and doesn't work for others. Is there some language somewhere in the .config file for the sim that governs the screenshot function? I'd like to be able to compare the language for the working examples against that of the examples that don't work.

[SOLOBO]

http://www.flightsimworld.com/downloads/viewfile/1058.html

[SSI01]

We'll see.

[SOLOBO]

We'll see.

It works very well with FS9...

[SSI01]

Downloaded and installed it. In the air now. Took a screen shot of the airplane but can not find it.

I guess I was referring to the "understandability" of the instructions and how easy they are to follow. For instance - if I'm reading the instructions correctly, one has to eventually shut down FS9 to be able to get to the photo the program has reportedly saved. Where specifically is the screenshot stored? Is it in the "paint" program, or does this program store it in a separate folder? Where is that folder located? I have a small icon on my desktop that says "fsscreen.jpg." Will the screenshot be in there? When you click on this icon, a photo viewer opens. There is a tool bar across the top that has no explanation or instructions in the installation instructions that came with the package. There are "file," "Print," "e-mail," "Burn," and "Open" tabs across the top but no explanation for them.
Reckon that's what I was referring to.

[Motormouse]

You need to have the fsscreen utility running in the background while fs is running, the using print screen key will automatically store screenshot in same folder as the fsscreen.exe is.

Ttfn

Pete

[SSI01]

Good morning. I got this thing working after a couple of tries.

Placing this program (both icons you will get when you first install it) inside its own folder for desktop use makes it easier to control. I would also include a copy of the "readme" file because it has the original instructions in it. It also gives you a place to store the screen shots you will take. Yes, double-click on the ".exe" icon and, at least on my screen, a new icon will appear in the border at the bottom of the screen, on the taskbar. Leave that alone and start your flightsim as normal. Take your flight and exit FS normally. Then shut down the FSScreen program by right-clicking on the icon and selecting "close window."

Next step will be returning to the folder in which you placed the FSScreen icons. In that same folder you will find your screen shot with the numbering conventions as set forth in the FSScreen "readme." You can always change these conventions to whatever you want via "rename" on the drop-down menu that appears when you right-click on the shot.

A note of caution: one quick push on the "printscreen" key on your keyboard is enough to obtain a screenshot. Any longer and you will fill the FSScreen folder you made earlier with 25 or 30 screen shots.

And thanks for clueing me into this program and how it works, SOLOBO and Pete - it's foolproof once you master it and will make the screen shots you want.

[SOLOBO]

You need to have the fsscreen utility running in the background while fs is running, the using print screen key will automatically store screenshot in same folder as the fsscreen.exe is.

Ttfn

Pete

Yes,indeed, and it is possible to copy this little program as many times as we want, where we want, in the folder we want, and the screenshots will go to the folder where FSScreen was launched.

I have to specify that my FS2004 is installed in my Microsoft XP pro SP3 system.

[SOLOBO]

Good morning. I got this thing working after a couple of tries.

Placing this program (both icons you will get when you first install it) inside its own folder for desktop use makes it easier to control. I would also include a copy of the "readme" file because it has the original instructions in it. It also gives you a place to store the screen shots you will take. Yes, double-click on the ".exe" icon and, at least on my screen, a new icon will appear in the border at the bottom of the screen, on the taskbar. Leave that alone and start your flightsim as normal. Take your flight and exit FS normally. Then shut down the FSScreen program by right-clicking on the icon and selecting "close window."

Next step will be returning to the folder in which you placed the FSScreen icons. In that same folder you will find your screen shot with the numbering conventions as set forth in the FSScreen "readme." You can always change these conventions to whatever you want via "rename" on the drop-down menu that appears when you right-click on the shot.

A note of caution: one quick push on the "printscreen" key on your keyboard is enough to obtain a screenshot. Any longer and you will fill the FSScreen folder you made earlier with 25 or 30 screen shots.

And thanks for clueing me into this program and how it works, SOLOBO and Pete - it's foolproof once you master it and will make the screen shots you want.

That's fine !...

[Desert Rat]

Been a lifelong fan of Martin Wrights FSGrab proggy, always easy and trouble free. Yet to try it in W10 though, you have prompted me to try. I've been to busy setting everything else up to try screenies. Wish me luck, lol.

Jamie

[dhazelgrove]

Go for Fraps (http://www.fraps.com/) every time. It'll work with any of the FS types, so you're future-proof.

Dave

[SSI01]

Been a lifelong fan of Martin Wrights FSGrab proggy, always easy and trouble free. Yet to try it in W10 though, you have prompted me to try. I've been to busy setting everything else up to try screenies. Wish me luck, lol.

Jamie

This was one of my goals with my posting, to encourage others with similar programs to try it with different sims to see which works best overall. There must be other SOH denizens who have this question in the back of their minds - maybe this will answer it.

And, I know what you mean re: maintenance. I think I'm putting in maybe 12 hours of sim additions, and tweaking as well, for every hour of flight lately.

[Desert Rat]

Happy to confirm that MultiGrab works (on mine at least) Windows 10.

Jamie

[Desert Rat]

Also works in windows or any other app too....

[Tom Clayton]

I've always stuck with FSScreen because it works with more than just sims and games. When you hit the PrtScn button, your 'puter puts an image of your monitor into the system clipboard. If FSScreen is running, it immediately pulls the image from there and, as mentioned, puts a bitmap into the same folder as the exe file. The beauty of this method is that if you use Alt+PrtScn, you get just an image of the active window. I've lost count of how many times I've used this method to capture images for a step by step tutorial of one form or another. You just go through the process, capturing images as you go, then insert the images into either a PowerPoint or Word document, along with instructions/descriptions. I even have a couple of non-gamer IT friends that I've turned onto the simple little app.

[Mick]

I have 9 different variations of FS9 installed on my computer. There is a tenth that is a pristine "stock" installation that is not touched and serves as a template for the others.

I can take screen shots in some of these variations, and in some others I can not.

When taking screen shots in these variations, I used the "print screen" button on the keyboard, then shrink the sim's window, pause it, open "paint," go the far upper-left corner (dark blue button with icon inside), click on the "down" arrow, and click on "save as" in the drop-down menu. I then type in the description in the "save as" window, at the bottom of the window, then hit "save."

This procedure works for some of the versions of FS9 and doesn't work for others. Is there some language somewhere in the .config file for the sim that governs the screenshot function? I'd like to be able to compare the language for the working examples against that of the examples that don't work.

That's really strange. Shouldn't Print Screen work with any version of any program? It doesn't interact with any program - it just grabs whatever's on the screen. Very, very curious!

Regardless, a screenshot utility reduces the number of steps, especially if you want to take more than one shot. I use Screenshot Manager by FS Design Berlin, but it's really old and may no longer be available. There are others and I'm sure you'll get plenty of suggestions.