this post was submitted on 14 Apr 2025
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Take screenshot in linux using dotnet (lemmy.sdf.org)
submitted 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago) by Prime@lemmy.sdf.org to c/dotnet@programming.dev
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I want to take a screenshot. In Windows, that's a simple Graphics::CopyFromScreen call.

In Linux, I feel a little confused on how to do this. It seems there is a principal and stark distinction between X11 and Wayland, so I have to include both code paths. For either, it seems there is quite a lot of boilerplate code, often tagged as 'may break depending on your configuration, good luck'.

Effectively, what I found is recommended most often is to call ffmpeg to let it handle that. I'm sure that works, but I find it rather unpalatable.

I find this strange. Taking a screenshot is, in my mind at least, supposed to be a straightforward part of a standard library. Perhaps it is, and I just completely missed it? If not, is there a good library that works out-of-the-box on most variants of linux?

Update: Thank you all for the input. I eventually went with calling ImageMagick. It is fast, easy to use, well documented, and supports capturing arbitrary displays with little effort.

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[–] Kissaki@programming.dev 2 points 9 months ago (5 children)

Sorry this will be all abstract. By now I feel like it's just useless rambling. I guess I'll post what I wrote anyway. Just in case it is somewhat helpful or contextualizing.

MAUI is the cross platform dotnet framework/library, although without Linux support. But as I remember there is a community project to extend it onto Linux. That's where I would check first.

Other than that, I assume you have looked for other libs. But I am not very hopefuly they exist to cross Wayland and X11.

I would be more hopeful that there are separate dotnet libs for wayland and X11. But who knows what state those would be in.

of a standard library

You mean the X11 and Wayland "standard" libraries? Or dotnet?

Notably, you are talking about GUI functionality here. Most programming language standard libraries cover everything except for GUI. Because GUI is a whole mess in and of itself - as you found yourself.

Linux has not just one but multiple graphics desktop standards. So it's not as simple as on Windows with one Windows API or macOS with one system. That's where the whole ordeal comes from of not quite being able to support one platform and system, and them being different.

[–] LeFantome@programming.dev 0 points 9 months ago (1 children)

Linux is not a supported target for MAUI apps.

[–] Kissaki@programming.dev 2 points 9 months ago

Yes, that's what I wrote.

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