[Solved] Selecting a rectangle to ScreenCapture

Melba23 · May 30, 2009

Good evening,

Based on a number of posts I have found on this forum, I have been developing a script which permits the user to select a rectangle on the screen which is then captured for later use (OCR, image manipulation, etc). I have one remaining problem - when the user clicks the mouse for the first time to start the selection, there is an annoying "flash". From experimentation, I see it has to do with the creation of the $hRectangle_GUI window which momentarily blacks out the desktop - however, this GUI is required for the selected rectangle to be displayed, which makes it pretty essential to the whole endeavour! :-)

The following reduced script includes just the rectangle selection and screen capture functions:

#include <GuiConstantsEx.au3>
#include <WindowsConstants.au3>
#Include <ScreenCapture.au3>
#Include <Misc.au3>

Global $iX1, $iY1, $iX2, $iY2, $aPos, $sMsg, $sBMP_Path

; Create GUI
$hMain_GUI = GUICreate("Select Rectangle", 240, 50)

$hRect_Button   = GUICtrlCreateButton("Mark Area",  10, 10, 80, 30)
$hCancel_Button = GUICtrlCreateButton("Cancel", 150, 10, 80, 30)

GUISetState()

While 1

    Switch GUIGetMsg()
        Case $GUI_EVENT_CLOSE, $hCancel_Button
            FileDelete(@ScriptDir & "\Rect.bmp")
            Exit
        Case $hRect_Button
            GUIDelete($hMain_GUI)
            Mark_Rect()
    ; Capture selected area
            $sBMP_Path = @ScriptDir & "\Rect.bmp"
            _ScreenCapture_Capture($sBMP_Path, $iX1, $iY1, $iX2, $iY2, False)
    ; Display image
            $hBitmap_GUI = GUICreate("Selected Rectangle", $iX2 - $iX1 + 1, $iY2 - $iY1 + 1, 100, 100)
            $hPic = GUICtrlCreatePic(@ScriptDir & "\Rect.bmp", 0, 0, $iX2 - $iX1 + 1, $iY2 - $iY1 + 1)
            GUISetState()
    EndSwitch

WEnd

; -------------

Func Mark_Rect()

    Local $aMouse_Pos, $aMask, $aM_Mask, $iTemp
    Local $UserDLL = DllOpen("user32.dll")

; Wait until mouse button pressed
    While Not _IsPressed("01", $UserDLL)
        Sleep(10)
    WEnd

; Get first mouse position
    $aMouse_Pos = MouseGetPos()
    $iX1 = $aMouse_Pos[0]
    $iY1 = $aMouse_Pos[1]

    Global $hRectangle_GUI = GUICreate("", @DesktopWidth, @DesktopHeight, 0, 0, $WS_POPUP, $WS_EX_TOOLWINDOW + $WS_EX_TOPMOST)
    GUISetBkColor(0x000000)
    GUISetState()

; Draw rectangle while mouse button pressed
    While _IsPressed("01", $UserDLL)

        $aMouse_Pos = MouseGetPos()

        $aM_Mask = DllCall("gdi32.dll", "long", "CreateRectRgn", "long", 0, "long", 0, "long", 0, "long", 0)
; Bottom of rectangle
        $aMask = DllCall("gdi32.dll", "long", "CreateRectRgn", "long", $iX1, "long", $aMouse_Pos[1], "long", $aMouse_Pos[0], "long", $aMouse_Pos[1] + 1)
        DllCall("gdi32.dll", "long", "CombineRgn", "long", $aM_Mask[0], "long", $aMask[0], "long", $aM_Mask[0], "int", 2)
; Left of rectangle
        $aMask = DllCall("gdi32.dll", "long", "CreateRectRgn", "long", $iX1, "long", $iY1, "long", $iX1 + 1, "long", $aMouse_Pos[1])
        DllCall("gdi32.dll", "long", "CombineRgn", "long", $aM_Mask[0], "long", $aMask[0], "long", $aM_Mask[0], "int", 2)
; Top of rectangle
        $aMask = DllCall("gdi32.dll", "long", "CreateRectRgn", "long", $iX1 + 1, "long", $iY1 + 1, "long", $aMouse_Pos[0], "long", $iY1)
        DllCall("gdi32.dll", "long", "CombineRgn", "long", $aM_Mask[0], "long", $aMask[0], "long", $aM_Mask[0], "int", 2)
; Right of rectangle
        $aMask = DllCall("gdi32.dll", "long", "CreateRectRgn", "long", $aMouse_Pos[0], "long", $iY1, "long", $aMouse_Pos[0] + 1, "long", $aMouse_Pos[1])
        DllCall("gdi32.dll", "long", "CombineRgn", "long", $aM_Mask[0], "long", $aMask[0], "long", $aM_Mask[0], "int", 2)
        DllCall("user32.dll", "long", "SetWindowRgn", "hwnd", $hRectangle_GUI, "long", $aM_Mask[0], "int", 1)

        Sleep(50)

    WEnd

; Get second mouse position
    $iX2 = $aMouse_Pos[0]
    $iY2 = $aMouse_Pos[1]

; Set in correct order if required
    If $iX2 < $iX1 Then
        $iTemp = $iX1
        $iX1 = $iX2
        $iX2 = $iTemp
    EndIf
    If $iY2 < $iY1 Then
        $iTemp = $iY1
        $iY1 = $iY2
        $iY2 = $iTemp
    EndIf

    GUIDelete($hRectangle_GUI)
    DllClose($UserDLL)

EndFunc ;==>Mark_Rect

Thanks in advance for any suggestions or comments.

M23

Edited May 31, 2009 by Melba23

oMBRa · May 30, 2009

put before your sleep(50) call in the while loop of your Mark_rect function this:

If BitAND(WinGetState(''), 2) <> 0 Then GUISetState()

and delete the ''GuiSetState()'' after the GuiSetBkColor()

Melba23 · May 31, 2009

oMBRa,

Thanks for the solution.

The return value from WinGetState before the GUISetState call was 5 (exists, enabled). After the call it was 15 (exists, visible, enabled, active). So there are quite a few ways to check whether the call has been made.

M23

Edited after further investigation of the return values.

Edited May 31, 2009 by Melba23

JackDinn · June 1, 2009

nice thread as iv just finished building my ClipCatch (with Screen Shot helper) pretty much doing the same thing when user uses "freehand mode" , i just used the _WinAPI_LineTo()

$squarepos = MouseGetPos()
            If $squareposx[2] <> $squarepos[0] Or $squareposx[3] <> $squarepos[1] Then
                $squareposx[2] = $squarepos[0]
                $squareposx[3] = $squarepos[1]
                _GDIPlus_GraphicsDrawImage($Hgraphicss, $Himage, 0, 0)
                _WinAPI_MoveTo($hDC, $squareposx[0], $squareposx[1])
                _WinAPI_LineTo($hDC, $squareposx[2], $squareposx[1])
                _WinAPI_LineTo($hDC, $squareposx[2], $squareposx[3])
                _WinAPI_LineTo($hDC, $squareposx[0], $squareposx[3])
                _WinAPI_LineTo($hDC, $squareposx[0], $squareposx[1])
            EndIf

after taking a screen shot of the whole screen onto a gui pasted over the desktop, stops peeps from dragging and pressing buttons when making there screen shot selection.

i spent a while looking at all the methods of doing the "rubber-band" selection square but didn't understand enough to use the methods you lot are using. but im guna have a look at what you lot have got and see what i can learn, i might even nick and use them if there smother than mine (if thats ok ) although what iv got is perfectly usable so i duno but all good stuff.

Zedna · June 1, 2009

@Melba

Tip: You can use standard UDFs (in WinAPI.au3) for all region functions used in your code :-)

JackDinn · June 2, 2009

yea did try your script but found that it does just what i didn't want namely when you drag across text or click on a button/window it clicks, highlights or crashes it , just what i dont want but im sure i can just do what iv done with my clipcatch and do a screen shot first of whole window and put that over the desktop first. but nice little script though i might use.

thx.

Edited June 2, 2009 by JackDinn

Melba23 · June 2, 2009

JackDinn,

Try this improved version that I have just this minute finalised. :-)

It should get over the 'selection' problem:

#include <GuiConstantsEx.au3>
#include <WindowsConstants.au3>
#Include <ScreenCapture.au3>
#Include <Misc.au3>

Global $iX1, $iY1, $iX2, $iY2, $aPos, $sMsg, $sBMP_Path

; Create GUI
$hMain_GUI = GUICreate("Select Rectangle", 240, 50)

$hRect_Button   = GUICtrlCreateButton("Mark Area",  10, 10, 80, 30)
$hCancel_Button = GUICtrlCreateButton("Cancel", 150, 10, 80, 30)

GUISetState()

While 1

    Switch GUIGetMsg()
        Case $GUI_EVENT_CLOSE, $hCancel_Button
            FileDelete(@ScriptDir & "\Rect.bmp")
            Exit
        Case $hRect_Button
            GUISetState(@SW_HIDE, $hMain_GUI)
            Mark_Rect()
        ; Capture selected area
            $sBMP_Path = @ScriptDir & "\Rect.bmp"
            _ScreenCapture_Capture($sBMP_Path, $iX1, $iY1, $iX2, $iY2, False)
            GUISetState(@SW_SHOW, $hMain_GUI)
        ; Display image
            $hBitmap_GUI = GUICreate("Selected Rectangle", $iX2 - $iX1 + 1, $iY2 - $iY1 + 1, 100, 100)
            $hPic = GUICtrlCreatePic(@ScriptDir & "\Rect.bmp", 0, 0, $iX2 - $iX1 + 1, $iY2 - $iY1 + 1)
            GUISetState()

    EndSwitch

WEnd

; -------------

Func Mark_Rect()

    Local $aMouse_Pos, $hMask, $hMaster_Mask, $iTemp
    Local $UserDLL = DllOpen("user32.dll")

; Create transparent GUI with Cross cursor
    $hCross_GUI = GUICreate("Test", @DesktopWidth, @DesktopHeight - 20, 0, 0, $WS_POPUP, $WS_EX_TOPMOST)
    WinSetTrans($hCross_GUI, "", 8)
    GUISetState(@SW_SHOW, $hCross_GUI)
    GUISetCursor(3, 1, $hCross_GUI)

    Global $hRectangle_GUI = GUICreate("", @DesktopWidth, @DesktopHeight, 0, 0, $WS_POPUP, $WS_EX_TOOLWINDOW + $WS_EX_TOPMOST)
    GUISetBkColor(0x000000)

; Wait until mouse button pressed
    While Not _IsPressed("01", $UserDLL)
        Sleep(10)
    WEnd

; Get first mouse position
    $aMouse_Pos = MouseGetPos()
    $iX1 = $aMouse_Pos[0]
    $iY1 = $aMouse_Pos[1]

; Draw rectangle while mouse button pressed
    While _IsPressed("01", $UserDLL)

        $aMouse_Pos = MouseGetPos()

        $hMaster_Mask = _WinAPI_CreateRectRgn(0, 0, 0, 0)
        $hMask = _WinAPI_CreateRectRgn($iX1,  $aMouse_Pos[1], $aMouse_Pos[0],  $aMouse_Pos[1] + 1) ; Bottom of rectangle
        _WinAPI_CombineRgn($hMaster_Mask, $hMask, $hMaster_Mask, 2)
        _WinAPI_DeleteObject($hMask)
        $hMask = _WinAPI_CreateRectRgn($iX1, $iY1, $iX1 + 1, $aMouse_Pos[1]) ; Left of rectangle
        _WinAPI_CombineRgn($hMaster_Mask, $hMask, $hMaster_Mask, 2)
        _WinAPI_DeleteObject($hMask)
        $hMask = _WinAPI_CreateRectRgn($iX1 + 1, $iY1 + 1, $aMouse_Pos[0], $iY1) ; Top of rectangle
        _WinAPI_CombineRgn($hMaster_Mask, $hMask, $hMaster_Mask, 2)
        _WinAPI_DeleteObject($hMask)
        $hMask = _WinAPI_CreateRectRgn($aMouse_Pos[0], $iY1, $aMouse_Pos[0] + 1,  $aMouse_Pos[1]) ; Right of rectangle
        _WinAPI_CombineRgn($hMaster_Mask, $hMask, $hMaster_Mask, 2)
        _WinAPI_DeleteObject($hMask)
        ; Set overall region
        _WinAPI_SetWindowRgn($hRectangle_GUI, $hMaster_Mask)

        If WinGetState($hRectangle_GUI) < 15 Then GUISetState()
        Sleep(10)

    WEnd

; Get second mouse position
    $iX2 = $aMouse_Pos[0]
    $iY2 = $aMouse_Pos[1]

; Set in correct order if required
    If $iX2 < $iX1 Then
        $iTemp = $iX1
        $iX1 = $iX2
        $iX2 = $iTemp
    EndIf
    If $iY2 < $iY1 Then
        $iTemp = $iY1
        $iY1 = $iY2
        $iY2 = $iTemp
    EndIf

    GUIDelete($hRectangle_GUI)
    GUIDelete($hCross_GUI)
    DllClose($UserDLL)

EndFunc  ;==>Mark_Rect

M23

Edit: Needed to delete combined masks to prevent memory leak

Edited January 21, 2010 by Melba23

JackDinn · June 2, 2009

yea n1 , you got it.

i didn't think of doing that , looks like you put a transparent GUI over the top so its sorts out that problem , i just was not sure if you could do a screen shot through a transparent gui, but looks like you can , well done.

JackDinn · June 2, 2009

many thx, iv managed to insert your method into my script with a little poking about as i use multi monitors, i was just wondering is there a way to get the mouse cursor to change to the cross without moving the mouse ? i would like it to change as soon as this screen shot method is chosen but as it is the cursor dont change until you move the mouse.

its not a major thing so im not to worried.

thx.

Sign In

[Solved] Selecting a rectangle to ScreenCapture

Recommended Posts

Melba23

Link to comment

Share on other sites

oMBRa

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Melba23

Link to comment

Share on other sites

JackDinn

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Zedna

Link to comment

Share on other sites

JackDinn

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Melba23

Link to comment

Share on other sites

JackDinn

Link to comment

Share on other sites

JackDinn

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

Create an account

Sign in

Recently Browsing 0 members

Browse

AutoIt Resources

Release

Beta