Windows7 and MoBo PrtScr Problem
 

Ok, I am new to Mobo. I have looked and looked but I havent got as far as some of the forums questions yet. I will get there and find the answers I hope within the forum but, I like to run the simulation in the full screen mode. Great graphics no windows borders, etc etc. Running on Windows 7 64 bit.

While in the game HOW DO I GET MOBO to come up to use it?

Task manager? or is there a keystroke that identifies the exe file?

Does the active moving map continue on MOBO or do you pause the game and do your mobo calculations?

I am sorry for such noobie questions. I havent had time to play any games, then my computer crashed, I rebuilt and added window 7 and I installed Silent Hunter III, then I found out UBISOFT had built no updates for Windows 7 and SH III. So I am sort of starting over.

Thanks

IRISH4life

I like to play SH in full screen mode myself. MoBo doesn't load or come up inside the SH game. It's a standalone application.

You may have a problem with Windows7 though. Apparently, MS decided it was time to rebuild something that has worked perfectly for years... the print screen feature.

To toggle out of a game and back to your desktop, the keystroke is Alt+Tab or Ctrl+Tab. The 40 page MoBo manual is pretty clear on how it operates you might want to take a look at it.

Basically, you play your game (full screen or windowed) and when you want to use the game screen as a backdrop for MoBo, you just press the PrtScr button on your keyboard. In every MS oper system of the last 2 decades, that would put a screen capture of your game in the Windows Clipboard (they changed it in Windows7 :x). Then you go over to MoBo and press the Insert key on your keyboard and it loads the image to the background so you can plot over it.

I've heard a few people who use Windows7 have found aftermarket freebie utilities that fixes the PrtScr button so it works like it always has. I don't use Windows7 so I don't have one that I could recommend. But I think there's another thread in the SH4 forum related to this: http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/smar...subscribed.gif Windows 7 + MoBo + The "Print Screen" key

Thanks
 

AARON,

I know that I would need to read the manual to take care of the rest it was just how to bring up the app during the game without using CTRL ALT DELETE.

Thanks,

IRISH4life

I'm pretty sure the manual does have explicit instructions on using the Alt-Tab keystroke. :hmmm: I do have to update that manual though... it was written for version 1.0 and there have been several additions along the way to 1.2 that aren't covered in the manual. I think I cover most of the new stuff in the tutorials thread on the forum though. :03:

Lemme know how it goes with Win7 print screen. I may have to modify the code to work better with the new Win7 screen-cap tool.

I am stumped?
 

AARON,

OK, Windows information says that you use Ctrl or Alt + Print Screen and it saves the screen capture to the clipboard. ( make sure that you dont have F-Lock Selected on your keyboard for some of us). Then you are supposed to as you suggested press Alt + Tab (Which works perfectly) to get back to the desktop. MOBO sits there and waits patiently for me to input the information. I select map, load, clipboard. Up pops up the picture of the screen with mobo and my desktop. The screen that Pops up from the clipboard is the problem all I get is the picture of the desktop with Mobo... I have searched Microsoft suggests using the clipping program but that does the same thing. Microsoft recommends a 3rd party program but those don't seem to work either, and there are so many suggested across the internet. I dont know which capture programs will cooperate while running a game.

Please recommend something I am really interested in using your MOBO.
It is up to me to figure out how to input everything thru your manual. I am just trying to figure out how to make the picture come up? It seems awesome.

Below is Microsofts answer to the same question by someone else.

Welcome to Microsoft Answers Forum.
As you are using a wireless keyboard I would suggest you to check on the F LOCK (function lock) key on your keyboard. Check on the top right of your Keyboard for the F Lock Key, which may be stopping you from using the print screen key. The F LOCK key toggles the alternate function keys. An alternate function key is a key that has two possible commands depending on the F LOCK toggle key state.
Check the below Microsoft article for details:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/894513
Also try and check if the status light on the keyboard for the F LOCK key. Refer to the below article for help on status light identification:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/894037
To add on, I would suggest you to try the snipping tool in Windows7. It can help you take the screen shots easily. You can check the snipping tool functionality with the help of these articles:
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows7/products/features/snipping-tool
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows7/Use-Snipping-Tool-to-capture-screen-shots
Thanks,
Hope this helps. Let us know the results.
Meghmala – Microsoft Support

Snipping tool does not seem to work either?
There seems to be an issue with the Print Screen key not working. One report was to disable the F-Lock key, but this is not the issue with my system. I have no F-Lock key and when I request a Print Screen, it takes a picture of the Desktop, and nothing that is visible.

I like the above idea of combining the Print Screen Key with the Snipping Tool. However, a better option would be to have 3 selections when Print Screen is requested:
1) Select All from the active window only
2) Select All from all visible windows
3) Select a portion using the Snipping Tool

The default would be best as option #2.
There are all kinds of ideas online, none seem to work?

Please assist????

IRISH4life
Wants to use MOBO!

As I said, I don't have Win7 so I don't know what to recommend. However, on that thread I linked to, the OP mentioned that he used a tool called "Xfire" and it solved his problem.

Perhaps if MS gets enough complaints they'll put it back the way it was. The new clipping tool is supposed to be an improvement but it seems that it will not grab game images. :down:

BTW, if you do get it working, it's much faster to press the "Insert" key in MoBo to load the image from the clipboard (rather than doing it the slow way with menu Map-Load).

Thanks
 

Aaron,

Thanks for your time and patience with my questions. I will try to find the xfire program to solve the issue. I am sure that that info is on the forum somewhere.

Thanks Again.

IRISH4life

I've been sort of relying on the windows screen capture feature to continue working. I guess relying on anything that MS puts out there to remain stable into perpetuity is just a foolish notion.

I'll try to add a native screen-capture ability to MoBo in the next version.

No go on mobo
 

Aaron,

I am sure that something will come about to make it work. I will keep looking but right now its just a mobo wish. The xfire thing wants you to download their program. I am trying to keep my system uncluttered. . I wish that I could use your program but Windows 7 has eliminated that option with the removal of game capture screen option? It might just be for this game ( it might need some option selection to allow for screen capture)? Sorry.

Windows 7 is sort of a delicate program it seems. Silent hunter 4 runs great and then it loses something and needs to shut down. I hope that The new Silent Hunter 5 wont do that.

Thanks Again,

IRISH4life

It's a little clunkier, but you could still use the F11 native screen capture in SH4... and then use the Load Background menu item in MoBo.

Maybe Mobo
 

I'LL try it. Thanks!

IRISH4life

Solved!
 

Hehey! My first post, though I've been reading for a while. Hello :)

Check this out:
http://think-games.blogspot.com/2010...windows-7.html

The problem is the Windows 7 DWM (Desktop Window Manager). In previous versions of Windows there was a single screen buffer that all programs had access to.

In 7 (and Vista as well I believe), each program has its own separate buffer. That's why you get the desktop, or a grab of mobo, or whatever you were doing right before you launched your favourite sub sim.

The "disable desktop composition" option forces the game to use the main screen buffer rather than its own. The only downside of this is that you lose flip 3D (Winkey-tab) whenever the game's running. In my opinion, it's a worthwhile sacrifice.

So, to summarise:

Right-click on the SH4.exe and select "properties".
Under "compatibility" put a check mark next to "Disable desktop composition"
Go sink some ships!

Thanks for the tip! :up:

...and welcome to the forum.

off the rails
 

I think the fix worked. I had to exit the game and restart it. Now it appears to work. thanks.