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    Please do not post a support request without first reading and following the advice in https://retropie.org.uk/forum/topic/3/read-this-first

    Taking an actual screenshot?

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    • R
      RetroResolution
      last edited by RetroResolution

      Hi,

      I tend to use the program raspi2png. This method works on everything I've tried to screenshot (all emulators, including non-RetroArch core, the libretro RGUI menu , Raspbian desktop, Kodi media center videos etc) .

      You'll need to make a remote ssh connection to the Pi to make use of the program, but that's the only drawback.

      To install the program, at the console / terminal type:

      git clone https://github.com/AndrewFromMelbourne/raspi2png

      n.b. if your system does not have the github tools installed, issue the following command: `sudo apt-get install -y git`
      

      For ease of use, either add an alias, or copy the program into the /usr/local/bin directory:

      sudo cp -a raspi2png/raspi2png /usr/local/bin

      To take a screenshot, at the terminal (from a remotely connected machine), type:
      raspi2png

      You can use the parameter p to specify a filename, e.g.

      raspi2png -p ridge_racer_psx.png

      If a post has helped you, please encourage the author by up-voting via the ^ icon located in the bottom-right corner.

      RetroResolution.com - Adventures in retro gaming on original hardware and via emulation with RetroPie on the Raspberry Pi.

      herb_fargusH edmaul69E 2 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 1
      • herb_fargusH
        herb_fargus administrators @RetroResolution
        last edited by

        @RetroResolution done quite a bit of testing with raspi2png vs native screenshots through retroarch and I have to say the built in screenshot from retroarch is vastly superior in filesize and quality. (See here: https://github.com/RetroPie/RetroPie-Setup/issues/1242)

        You can easily specify key in the overall retroarch.cfg I typically just make it F8 on the keyboard. You may also be able to make it a hotkey, or at least a button on your controller if you have an extra one you don't use.

        If you read the documentation it will answer 99% of your questions: https://retropie.org.uk/docs/

        Also if you want a solution to your problems read this first: https://retropie.org.uk/forum/topic/3/read-this-first

        R PingSpikeP 2 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 0
        • R
          RetroResolution @herb_fargus
          last edited by RetroResolution

          @herb_fargus I didn't realise that - thanks. I generally grab screenshots of the RetroArch menus for the guides I write, but it's good to know that better screengrabs in-game are possible.

          As far as I know raspi2png directly accesses the GPU framebuffer; when I grab a shot of the Raspbian desktop, it's full resolution and lossless; I assume that in the emulators there's some issue with scaling?

          At least raspi2png gives an option for non-RetroArch emus, such as Hatari, Atari800, Mupen64Plus etc.

          If a post has helped you, please encourage the author by up-voting via the ^ icon located in the bottom-right corner.

          RetroResolution.com - Adventures in retro gaming on original hardware and via emulation with RetroPie on the Raspberry Pi.

          herb_fargusH 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
          • herb_fargusH
            herb_fargus administrators @RetroResolution
            last edited by herb_fargus

            @RetroResolution it's possible, on the aforementioned link I included a zip file with all the original screenshots (that aren't tainted by github's compression on upload) and you can compare them closely and you'll see that not only are the raspi2png screenshots a larger filesize but they are also more blurry. Idk if that was just a setting on my end or if it can be improved somehow. I'd be interested to see if you could get better results with raspi2png

            But yes it is beneficial for non retroarch emulators but I've also found that most non retroarch emulators also have a screenshot option which yields similar results as retroarch

            If you read the documentation it will answer 99% of your questions: https://retropie.org.uk/docs/

            Also if you want a solution to your problems read this first: https://retropie.org.uk/forum/topic/3/read-this-first

            R 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
            • R
              RetroResolution @herb_fargus
              last edited by

              @herb_fargus I'll definitely be using the RetroArch in-built screenshot facility in the future - need to update the shots in my guide on using the enahnced resolution mode in pcsx_rearmed...

              If a post has helped you, please encourage the author by up-voting via the ^ icon located in the bottom-right corner.

              RetroResolution.com - Adventures in retro gaming on original hardware and via emulation with RetroPie on the Raspberry Pi.

              1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
              • PingSpikeP
                PingSpike @herb_fargus
                last edited by

                @herb_fargus said in Taking an actual screenshot?:

                @
                You can easily specify key in the overall retroarch.cfg I typically just make it F8 on the keyboard. You may also be able to make it a hotkey, or at least a button on your controller if you have an extra one you don't use.

                So if I'm understanding correctly, this is not built in yet and I need to follow the various guides to create this feature?

                Here's my RetroStation project - http://www.pingspike.com/retrostation-part-4/

                :D

                herb_fargusH 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                • herb_fargusH
                  herb_fargus administrators @PingSpike
                  last edited by

                  @PingSpike taking a screenshot is already built into retroarch you just have to define in the retroarch.cfg which button it uses to initialise it

                  If you read the documentation it will answer 99% of your questions: https://retropie.org.uk/docs/

                  Also if you want a solution to your problems read this first: https://retropie.org.uk/forum/topic/3/read-this-first

                  briankrossB 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                  • PingSpikeP
                    PingSpike
                    last edited by

                    Brilliant! Theoretically I can configure this to a shift-key on my ipac2 arcade controls, as that just mimics a key press, right?

                    Here's my RetroStation project - http://www.pingspike.com/retrostation-part-4/

                    :D

                    1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                    • briankrossB
                      briankross @herb_fargus
                      last edited by briankross

                      @herb_fargus said in Taking an actual screenshot?:

                      @PingSpike taking a screenshot is already built into retroarch you just have to define in the retroarch.cfg which button it uses to initialise it

                      I'm not trying to hijack this thread, but I've been following along trying to setup the F8 key to take a screenshot (later this will be an arcade button), with no success.

                      I'm using lr-mame2003 (for mame) and lr-nestopia (for nes) on rPi-3, RetroPie 3.8.1.

                      Edited: /opt/retropie/configs/all/retroarch.cfg

                      # Take screenshot
                      input_screenshot = f8
                      
                      # Directory to dump screenshots to.
                      screenshot_directory = /home/pi/RetroPie/MyScreenshots
                      

                      Created directory: /home/pi/RetroPie/MyScreenshots

                      I noticed while playing a game using lr-mame2003, if I hit TAB I see the service menu, which has F12 as the screenshot key. After pressing F12, I'm not sure if there is a screen shot or where it might be stored.

                      If I go to the RGUI menu and take a screenshot through the quick menu, it kicks me out of the game. I'm not sure if there is a screen shot or where it might be stored.

                      Thoughts?

                      • Brian
                      FloobF 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                      • FloobF
                        Floob @briankross
                        last edited by

                        @briankross Try holding your hotkey enable button (usually Select) and then tapping F8.

                        Please read the Docs before asking a new question.
                        RetroPie Help Guides: https://goo.gl/3gcNsT

                        briankrossB 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                        • briankrossB
                          briankross @Floob
                          last edited by

                          @Floob said in Taking an actual screenshot?:

                          @briankross Try holding your hotkey enable button (usually Select) and then tapping F8.

                          When I do that, it kicks me out of the game (either mame or nes) and I don't see anything in:

                          /home/pi/.config/retroarch/screenshots
                          

                          or

                          /home/pi/RetroPie/MyScreenshots
                          
                          • Brian
                          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                          • FloobF
                            Floob
                            last edited by

                            Thats odd. Can you put a copy of your opt/retropie/configs/all/retroarch.cfg on pastebin.com?

                            Please read the Docs before asking a new question.
                            RetroPie Help Guides: https://goo.gl/3gcNsT

                            briankrossB 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                            • briankrossB
                              briankross @Floob
                              last edited by

                              @Floob said in Taking an actual screenshot?:

                              Thats odd. Can you put a copy of your opt/retropie/configs/all/retroarch.cfg on pastebin.com?

                              Yes, thank you for checking it out.

                              /opt/retropie/configs/all/retroarch.cfg

                              • Brian
                              1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                              • dankcushionsD
                                dankcushions Global Moderator
                                last edited by

                                
                                # Directory to dump screenshots to.
                                screenshot_directory = /home/pi/RetroPie/MyScreenshots
                                

                                needs quotes. should be:

                                
                                # Directory to dump screenshots to.
                                screenshot_directory = "/home/pi/RetroPie/MyScreenshots"
                                

                                also, does the directory exists and do you have write-access?

                                also, i probably wouldn't use the function keys as mame already uses them for things, so every time you take a screenshot with f8 you'll be activating some mame option (i think possibly to do with frameskip).

                                briankrossB 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                • briankrossB
                                  briankross @dankcushions
                                  last edited by briankross

                                  @dankcushions

                                  Thanks, I made the change! This makes sense for directories.

                                  Great point about the F8 key for mame games. I'll have a look for which keys may be unused, do you have a suggestion that's good for lr-mame2003 and lr-nestopia?

                                  Permissions for the directory is 755, created by root.

                                  • Brian
                                  dankcushionsD 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                  • dankcushionsD
                                    dankcushions Global Moderator @briankross
                                    last edited by

                                    @briankross said in Taking an actual screenshot?:

                                    @dankcushions

                                    Thanks, I made the change! This makes sense for directories.

                                    Great point about the F8 key for mame games. I'll have a look for which keys may be unused, do you have a suggestion that's good for lr-mame2003 and lr-nestopia?

                                    i think 'p' is the default in retroarch, so that would be my preference :)

                                    Permissions for the directory is 755, created by root.

                                    755 is fine if it is owned by the pi user.. but i guess will be a problem if not.

                                    briankrossB 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                    • briankrossB
                                      briankross @dankcushions
                                      last edited by

                                      @dankcushions

                                      I just uncommented the retroarch.cfg screenshot line and it was already set to f8. It looks like input_pause_toggle is set to p, but is commented out.

                                      I've tried print_screen and "print_screen", neither work.

                                      • Brian
                                      dankcushionsD 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                      • dankcushionsD
                                        dankcushions Global Moderator @briankross
                                        last edited by

                                        @briankross said in Taking an actual screenshot?:

                                        @dankcushions

                                        I just uncommented the retroarch.cfg screenshot line and it was already set to f8. It looks like input_pause_toggle is set to p, but is commented out.

                                        I've tried print_screen and "print_screen", neither work.

                                        my mistake! f8 is the default key.. hmm, i dunno what i would use in that case... i take screenshots via the RGUI when i need to.

                                        briankrossB 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                        • briankrossB
                                          briankross @dankcushions
                                          last edited by

                                          @dankcushions said in Taking an actual screenshot?:

                                          @briankross said in Taking an actual screenshot?:

                                          @dankcushions

                                          I just uncommented the retroarch.cfg screenshot line and it was already set to f8. It looks like input_pause_toggle is set to p, but is commented out.

                                          I've tried print_screen and "print_screen", neither work.

                                          my mistake! f8 is the default key.. hmm, i dunno what i would use in that case... i take screenshots via the RGUI when i need to.

                                          When I use the quick menu from RGUI, it kicks me out of the game.

                                          • Brian
                                          dankcushionsD 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                          • dankcushionsD
                                            dankcushions Global Moderator @briankross
                                            last edited by

                                            @briankross that's very odd. anything in /tmp/runcommand.log when that happens?

                                            all this stuff should 'just work'

                                            briankrossB 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
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