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copied!<p>To capture Direct3D windows that are in the background (or moved off screen), I believe you have the following options:</p> <ol> <li><p>Inject and hook Direct3D within the target application via the link you have already posted <a href="http://spazzarama.com/2011/03/14/c-screen-capture-and-overlays-for-direct3d-9-10-and-11-using-api-hooks/" rel="noreferrer">or this more up-to-date example</a> (EasyHook can be difficult to get setup but it does work really well) - you can always ask for help about getting it working. I have used that technique for capturing in a number of games without issues (most recently for an ambilight-clone project). The problem with this approach is your concern about game protection causing bans, however FRAPs also uses hooking to achieve this, so perhaps your concerns are exaggerated? I guess gamers being banned for a screen shot is an expensive way of finding out.</p></li> <li><p>For windowed applications on Vista/Win 7 - you could inject and hook the DWM and make your capture requests through its shared surface. I have had this <a href="http://spazzarama.com/2009/02/12/screen-capture-with-vista-dwm/" rel="noreferrer">working on Vista</a>, but have not finished getting it working on Windows 7, here is an example of it working for Windows 7 <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G75WKeXqXkc" rel="noreferrer">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G75WKeXqXkc</a>. The main problem with this approach is the use of undocumented API's which could mean your application breaks without any warning upon a windows patch release - also you would have to redo the technique for each new major Windows flavour. This also does not address your need to capture in Windows XP.</p></li> <li><p>Also within the DWM, there is a thumbnail API. This has limitations depending on what your trying to do. There is some information on this API along with other DWM API's here <a href="http://blogs.msdn.com/b/greg_schechter/archive/2006/09/14/753605.aspx" rel="noreferrer">http://blogs.msdn.com/b/greg_schechter/archive/2006/09/14/753605.aspx</a></p></li> <li><p>There are other techniques for intercepting the Direct3D calls without using EasyHook, such as substituting the various DLL's with wrappers. You will find various other game hooking/interception techniques here: <a href="http://www.gamedeception.net/" rel="noreferrer">http://www.gamedeception.net/</a></p></li> <li><p>Simply bring the Direct3D application to the foreground (which I guess is undesirable in your situation) - this wouldn't work for off-screen windows unless you also move the window.</p></li> <li><p>Unfortunately the only solution for Windows XP that I can think of is intercepting the Direct3D API in some form.</p></li> </ol> <p>Just a clarification on Direct3D rendering while minimised. During my fairly limited testing on this matter I have found this to be application dependant; it is generally <a href="http://forums.create.msdn.com/forums/t/53677.aspx" rel="noreferrer">not recommended</a> that rendering take place while the application is minimized (also this <a href="http://www.toymaker.info/Games/html/direct3d_faq.html#D3DMIN" rel="noreferrer">reference</a>), it does continue to render while in the background however.</p> <p><strong>UPDATED</strong>: provided additional link to more up-to-date injection example for point 1.</p>

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