cpp-win-gdi-screenshot-tool

WindowsScreenshotTool

WindowsScreenshotTool is a minimalistic Windows screenshot utility written in C++ using Win32, GDI, and GDI+. Supports global hotkeys, full-screen and region captures, and saves PNGs automatically — no UI, no interruptions.

Features

• Full-screen & region capture via customizable global hotkeys.
• Transparent overlay with live rubber-band selection (region).
• Instant PNG save with timestamped filenames (Screenshot_YYYYMMDD_HHMMSS_MMM.png).
• Continuous operation: ready for the next capture immediately.
• Zero UI distractions—runs silently in the background.

Configuration (config.ini)

[General]
FullHotkey=Win+Shift+Q
RegionHotkey=Win+Shift+A
OutputFolder=%USERPROFILE%\Pictures\Screenshots

• FullHotkey: e.g., Win+Shift+Q for full-screen capture.
• RegionHotkey: e.g., Win+Shift+A for region capture.
• OutputFolder: directory where PNGs are saved (auto-created if missing).

You can customize these after the first run.

Usage

• Press FullHotkey full desktop captured, PNG saved.
• Press RegionHotkey screen freezes; drag to select region; release to save PNG.
• Press Esc or right-click during selection cancel capture.
• Can repeat endlessly—no restart needed.

Design

Outlined modules:

AppController
 ├─ ConfigManager       // reads INI and expands env vars
 ├─ HotkeyListener      // registers global hotkeys
 ├─ CaptureEngine       // captures full screen or crops region
 ├─ OverlayWindow       // transparent overlay + rubber-band selection
 └─ FileManager         // saves PNG with timestamped filename

Dependencies

• Windows 10+
• GDI+ (gdiplus.lib) for PNG encoding
• Pure Win32 API — no third-party libraries

Known limitations

• Single-monitor, 100% DPI only.
• Cursor not captured.
• Silent failure if hotkey registration or file save fails.
• No async file I/O.