Takes a screenshot of a Windows Forms control using BitBlt, making it work with CefSharp's WinForms.ChromiumWebBrowser

ControlSnapshot.cs

using System;
using System.Drawing;
using System.Drawing.Imaging;
using System.Runtime.InteropServices;
using System.Windows.Forms;

public class ControlSnapshot
{
    public static Bitmap Snapshot(Control c)
    {
        int width = 0, height = 0;
        IntPtr hwnd = IntPtr.Zero;
        IntPtr dc = IntPtr.Zero;
        c.Invoke(new MethodInvoker(() => {
            width = c.ClientSize.Width;
            height = c.ClientSize.Height;
            hwnd = c.Handle;
            dc = GetDC(hwnd);
        }));
        Bitmap bmp = new Bitmap(width, height, PixelFormat.Format32bppRgb);
        if (dc != IntPtr.Zero) {
            try {
                using (Graphics g = Graphics.FromImage(bmp)) {
                    IntPtr bdc = g.GetHdc();
                    try {
                        BitBlt(bdc, 0, 0, width, height, dc, 0, 0, TernaryRasterOperations.SRCCOPY);
                    } finally {
                        g.ReleaseHdc(bdc);
                    }
                }
            } finally {
                ReleaseDC(hwnd, dc);
            }
        }
        return bmp;
    }

    [DllImport("user32.dll", SetLastError = true)]
    public static extern IntPtr GetDC(IntPtr hWnd);

    [DllImport("user32.dll")]
    public static extern int ReleaseDC(IntPtr hWnd, IntPtr hDC);

    [DllImport("gdi32.dll")]
    [return: MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.Bool)]
    public static extern bool BitBlt(IntPtr hdc, int nXDest, int nYDest, int nWidth, int nHeight, IntPtr hdcSrc, int nXSrc, int nYSrc, TernaryRasterOperations dwRop);

    public enum TernaryRasterOperations : uint
    {
        /// <summary>dest = source</summary>
        SRCCOPY = 0x00CC0020,
        /// <summary>dest = source OR dest</summary>
        SRCPAINT = 0x00EE0086,
        /// <summary>dest = source AND dest</summary>
        SRCAND = 0x008800C6,
        /// <summary>dest = source XOR dest</summary>
        SRCINVERT = 0x00660046,
        /// <summary>dest = source AND (NOT dest)</summary>
        SRCERASE = 0x00440328,
        /// <summary>dest = (NOT source)</summary>
        NOTSRCCOPY = 0x00330008,
        /// <summary>dest = (NOT src) AND (NOT dest)</summary>
        NOTSRCERASE = 0x001100A6,
        /// <summary>dest = (source AND pattern)</summary>
        MERGECOPY = 0x00C000CA,
        /// <summary>dest = (NOT source) OR dest</summary>
        MERGEPAINT = 0x00BB0226,
        /// <summary>dest = pattern</summary>
        PATCOPY = 0x00F00021,
        /// <summary>dest = DPSnoo</summary>
        PATPAINT = 0x00FB0A09,
        /// <summary>dest = pattern XOR dest</summary>
        PATINVERT = 0x005A0049,
        /// <summary>dest = (NOT dest)</summary>
        DSTINVERT = 0x00550009,
        /// <summary>dest = BLACK</summary>
        BLACKNESS = 0x00000042,
        /// <summary>dest = WHITE</summary>
        WHITENESS = 0x00FF0062,
        /// <summary>
        /// Capture window as seen on screen.  This includes layered windows
        /// such as WPF windows with AllowsTransparency="true"
        /// </summary>
        CAPTUREBLT = 0x40000000
    }
}

Thanks for this! I have one problem that puts a dipper in my current project. I'm using MetroFramework.Forms and it's only returning a white image. Any advice would be appreciated.

I suggest you make it an extension method by making the class static and changing the main method's argument as follows:

public static class ControlSnapshot                 // <-- make the class static
{
    public static Bitmap Snapshot(this Control c)   // <-- add the `this` keyword to make an extension method
    {
        // code goes here
    }

    // other methods and enums
}

You may additionally want to change the helper [P/Invoke] methods to private to keep them in the scope of this class only.

I run at my windows 10 pc well. But in windows server r2 2008 standart server. It worked. But It gets screen image when the app minimized.

Just a quick note that this may return a white or black screen (as it did for me), the solution was to disable GPU acceleration in CefSharp, then it worked fine.
settings.CefCommandLineArgs.Add("disable-gpu", "");

If you are calling a method like below...

Bitmap img = ControlSnapshot.Snapshot(SessionKeywords.driver);
img.Save(@"E\shahul.png", ImageFormat.Png);

Got Exception :
Exception thrown: 'System.Runtime.InteropServices.ExternalException' in System.Drawing.dll

Any update ? on this?

If you are calling a method like below...

Bitmap img = ControlSnapshot.Snapshot(SessionKeywords.driver);
img.Save(@"E\shahul.png", ImageFormat.Png);

Got Exception :
Exception thrown: 'System.Runtime.InteropServices.ExternalException' in System.Drawing.dll

Any update ? on this?

@shahulshas94 the problem is most likely related to the SessionKeywords.driver control not being valid. This type of question is better suited to stackoverflow.com - but before posting the question, ensure you can create a minimal reproducible example: https://stackoverflow.com/help/minimal-reproducible-example

Hi All,
I am getting empty screenshot even browser have page open. Any clue what should I look in code for this issue?
Screenshot getting:

Actual Form:

Thanks in advance.

@kevalkothari maybe you are passing in the wrong control. Are you passing in an instance of WinForms.ChromiumWebBrowser?

Hi @jankurianski

I think I am passing correct reference, See details below.

Defining ChromiumWebBrowser below:

using CefSharp.MinimalExample.WinForms.Controls;
using CefSharp.WinForms;
using System;
using System.Drawing;
using System.Drawing.Imaging;
using System.Runtime.InteropServices;
using System.Windows.Forms;

namespace CefSharp.MinimalExample.WinForms
{

   
    public partial class BrowserForm : Form
    {
        private readonly ChromiumWebBrowser browser;
        
...

Passing reference of that browser as below:

   private void button1_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
        {
          Bitmap img = ControlSnapshot.Snapshot(browser);
          img.Save(@"C:\test\demo_new.bmp", ImageFormat.Png);
          
        }

does it correct reference?

Hi @jankurianski ,
is it possible to hole page screenshot in cefsharp browser ?

@kevalkothari your saved file name extension should be .png, not .bmp.

@rajesh-smartwebtech you have to implement whole page screenshot yourself, by scrolling the page and taking multiple screenshots. I do not have example code for this.