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Author Topic: My Screen Shots are Just Black Rectangles - Windows Vista  (Read 3342 times)

Dire Corby

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My Screen Shots are Just Black Rectangles - Windows Vista
« on: February 03, 2011, 10:01:30 AM »
Hello, I am seeking advice on a problem taking screen shots.  When I hit "Shft-Prt Scrn" and paste the result into MS Paint, all I get is a black, screen-shaped rectangle.  I never had this problem on my old system, which was Windows XP, so I am guessing that my current system, Windows Vista, has something to do with it?

I tried hitting "Ctrl-Prt Scrn" and "Ctrl-Shft-Prt Scrn" which seems to have helped people who had this problem with NWN2, but no difference.  Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Blacky Rose

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Re: My Screen Shots are Just Black Rectangles - Windows Vista
« Reply #1 on: February 03, 2011, 10:40:18 AM »
There are a few workarounds for that particular issue.

1) Run the game in windowed mode.

or

2) For some, using the snipping tool works: Link to tutorial on using it and Link to tutorial for enabling it if it for some reason isn't.

or

3) For others, using a 3rd party program with screen-capturing capability works such as: FRAPS or HyperSnap

or

4) If the game has an option of mapping a particular key for its internal screenshot function that will work as well (assuming that the game has permissions to write into the directory its trying to save screenshots into).

In the case of NWN, it will try to save an image (in .tga format) into the 'screenshots' folder of the NWN directory when 'screen capture' key (PrintScreen by default, but re-mappable in game) is pressed.
« Last Edit: February 03, 2011, 10:42:34 AM by Blacky Rose »
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LawfulJoe

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Re: My Screen Shots are Just Black Rectangles - Windows Vista
« Reply #2 on: February 03, 2011, 02:28:36 PM »
I used to have this problem then found out that in the NWN folder is a folder marked Screenshots, a low and behold.... there they were is color. I think they are Targa files, so you will need some photo software like photoshop to view or edit them.

Kenkaku

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Re: My Screen Shots are Just Black Rectangles - Windows Vista
« Reply #3 on: February 03, 2011, 04:04:06 PM »
Blacky, You are awesome! Finally got my Printscreen to work, thank you!!!  :mrgreen:

Now to just find something to open these with....
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Blacky Rose

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Re: My Screen Shots are Just Black Rectangles - Windows Vista
« Reply #4 on: February 03, 2011, 05:04:42 PM »
Most third party image viewing/edititing programs are able to process TARGA (.tga) images. For example XnView, Irfanview, FastStone, GIMP and many others.
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vlowe72

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Re: My Screen Shots are Just Black Rectangles - Windows Vista
« Reply #5 on: February 03, 2011, 05:32:51 PM »
Google's Picasa program will open them too.

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Kenkaku

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Re: My Screen Shots are Just Black Rectangles - Windows Vista
« Reply #6 on: February 03, 2011, 06:20:16 PM »
I assume there's no way to just convert the files to another format without the need of another program?
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Blacky Rose

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Re: My Screen Shots are Just Black Rectangles - Windows Vista
« Reply #7 on: February 03, 2011, 07:07:27 PM »
I assume there's no way to just convert the files to another format without the need of another program?

There are also web-based services where you can upload your image and it will then convert it and offer you a download of the format of your choosing such as this one for example.
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Kenkaku

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Re: My Screen Shots are Just Black Rectangles - Windows Vista
« Reply #8 on: February 03, 2011, 07:10:42 PM »
I assume there's no way to just convert the files to another format without the need of another program?

There are also web-based services where you can upload your image and it will then convert it and offer you a download of the format of your choosing such as this one for example.

Ahh, much easier than downloading programs, thank you!  :)
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Dire Corby

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Re: My Screen Shots are Just Black Rectangles - Windows Vista
« Reply #9 on: February 04, 2011, 12:16:48 AM »
Oh, I see what my problem was!  I was hitting "Shift Print Scorn!" That explains why my computer was scorning me.

Srsly thank you Blacky Rose and all others, I now am able to view my big dumb screenshots.   :D