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feat(screenshot): Add threaded JPEG screenshots on F11 without game stalls #1785

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feat(screenshot): Add threaded JPEG screenshots on F11 without game stalls #1785

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@bobtista bobtista commented Nov 3, 2025 •
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Summary

Implements compressed JPEG screenshots (F11) that don't stall the game, addressing issues with the current F12 BMP screenshot functionality.

Closes #1555
Closes #106 ... sort of

Adds a new screenshot function using the stb_image_write library with background threading:

  • F11 - New compressed JPEG screenshot (no stalling, ~600KB files)
  • F12 - Original BMP screenshot (still works if lossless needed)

Notes

  • stb_image-write is public domain licensed, single-header, zero compilation needed
  • Captures frame buffer on main thread (~1-2ms)
  • Spawns detached thread for JPEG compression and disk I/O
  • Uses std::shared_ptr for safe memory management across threads
  • JPEG quality set to 90 (excellent quality, 10x compression)
  • Works for both Generals and Zero Hour

Testing

  • Screenshots save correctly with both F11(jpg) and F12(original bmp)
  • No game stalling during screenshot with F11
  • Files appear in correct directory with sequential numbering
    sshot003

@bobtista bobtista force-pushed the bobtista/compressed-screenshot-f11 branch 4 times, most recently from 20a3df1 to 37bd840 Compare November 3, 2025 04:32
@Stubbjax
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Stubbjax commented Nov 3, 2025

Some initial thoughts:

  • Keep variants of the same function to a single hotkey; instead toggle image format via a new setting in Options.ini
  • Apply image compression / quality via a new setting in Options.ini
  • Can we consolidate this logic in core instead of repeating the implementation twice?

@xezon
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xezon commented Nov 3, 2025

Agree with Stubbjax.

JPG 90 is big file. Better make it default 80.

Replace BMP screenshot with PNG screenshot. PNG is lossless compressed and always better than BMP.

Make F12 take JPG 80 screenshot. Make CTRL+F12 take PNG screenshot. Make JPG Quality adjustable.

Remove the old BMP code(s) and only use the new code for screenshot.

@xezon
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xezon commented Nov 3, 2025

Regarding Github formatting:

When you write

Addresses #1555

Then it will not close this report when this is merged.

Please read up on it here:
https://docs.github.com/en/issues/tracking-your-work-with-issues/using-issues/linking-a-pull-request-to-an-issue#closing-multiple-issues

@xezon xezon added Enhancement Is new feature or request Major Severity: Minor < Major < Critical < Blocker Gen Relates to Generals ZH Relates to Zero Hour labels Nov 3, 2025
@L3-M L3-M added this to the GenTool features replication milestone Nov 3, 2025
@L3-M L3-M added the Input label Nov 3, 2025
@bobtista
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bobtista commented Nov 3, 2025

Some initial thoughts:

  • Keep variants of the same function to a single hotkey; instead toggle image format via a new setting in Options.ini
  • Apply image compression / quality via a new setting in Options.ini
  • Can we consolidate this logic in core instead of repeating the implementation twice?

RE moving logic to core, I moved what I could to core - but there are a lot more files that need to be moved to core before this can be moved there eg WWVegas/WW3D2/*

@bobtista bobtista force-pushed the bobtista/compressed-screenshot-f11 branch 3 times, most recently from 3535e1e to efc773f Compare November 3, 2025 17:45
Skyaero42
Skyaero42 requested changes Nov 3, 2025
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@bobtista bobtista force-pushed the bobtista/compressed-screenshot-f11 branch 2 times, most recently from 977a6dc to f8162f3 Compare November 3, 2025 23:07
OmniBlade
OmniBlade reviewed Nov 5, 2025
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@bobtista bobtista force-pushed the bobtista/compressed-screenshot-f11 branch from d7e8a8d to d197bdd Compare November 5, 2025 18:04
@L3-M L3-M mentioned this pull request Nov 6, 2025
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@bobtista bobtista force-pushed the bobtista/compressed-screenshot-f11 branch from d197bdd to 9669966 Compare November 11, 2025 21:27
@xezon
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xezon commented Nov 22, 2025

Needs rebase.

@bobtista bobtista force-pushed the bobtista/compressed-screenshot-f11 branch from 9669966 to 4897b0b Compare November 22, 2025 18:10
@bobtista
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bobtista commented Nov 22, 2025

Needs rebase.

Done

Skyaero42
Skyaero42 requested changes Nov 22, 2025
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Skyaero42
Skyaero42 previously approved these changes Nov 22, 2025
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Looks good to me

@bobtista bobtista force-pushed the bobtista/compressed-screenshot-f11 branch from 9c99306 to de35e57 Compare December 3, 2025 16:48
@bobtista
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bobtista commented Dec 3, 2025

I rebased again, and moved stb_image_write_impl to core. W3DScreenshot still needs to stay in separate game folders - it uses a relative path that would break if moved to Core

@bobtista bobtista force-pushed the bobtista/compressed-screenshot-f11 branch from 44ca79d to 33f899b Compare December 30, 2025 20:24
@Skyaero42 Skyaero42 dismissed their stale review January 2, 2026 09:15

major changes after approval

bobtista added 18 commits January 14, 2026 16:15
@bobtista
Add stb library dependency via FetchContent
e812fdc
@bobtista
Add MSG_META_TAKE_SCREENSHOT_COMPRESSED message and F11 keybinding
cace321 
Add takeScreenShotCompressed() to Display interface
@bobtista
Implement threaded JPEG screenshot for GeneralsMD
7459504 
Implement threaded JPEG screenshot for Generals

Link stb library to GameEngineDevice targets

Remove excessive comments from screenshot implementation
@bobtista
Use Win32 CreateThread for VC6 compatibility and add GUIEditDisplay stub
1bd3ab4
@bobtista
Move screenshot logic to Core to eliminate code duplication
918315c 
Add shared screenshot implementation in Core
@bobtista
Change F12 to JPEG and add CTRL+F12 for PNG screenshots
9f4fdd5
@bobtista
Remove old BMP screenshot code
ff690d5
@bobtista
Add JPEGQuality option to Options.ini (default 80)
67b66be 
Move W3DScreenshot implementation to game-specific directories

Fix include order for VC6 precompiled headers

Remove default parameter from function definition

Move STB implementation to separate file to avoid PCH issues

Include screenshot implementation directly in W3DDisplay.cpp to avoid PCH issues

Use Windows constants and switch statement in screenshot code

Use vcpkg for stb dependency with FetchContent fallback
@bobtista
Remove trailing whitespace from empty lines
9f1d2f3
@bobtista
Fix copyright headers: Change Electronic Arts Inc. to TheSuperHackers
3e50e1b
@bobtista
Add file headers to W3DScreenshot.cpp files
0f5e63d
@bobtista
Rename MSG_META_TAKE_SCREENSHOT_JPEG to MSG_META_TAKE_SCREENSHOT_PNG
cbce4f7
@bobtista
fix(screenshot): Fix W3DScreenshot.cpp references in CMakeLists after…
0f506db 
… rebase
@bobtista
fix(screenshot): Add missing W3DScreenshot.h include for ScreenshotFo…
34eb797 
…rmat enum
@bobtista
fix(screenshot): Use full include path for W3DScreenshot.h from Core
c7b3d91
@bobtista
fix(screenshot): Remove W3DScreenshot.cpp from separate compilation s…
ffaad25 
…ince it's included in W3DDisplay.cpp
@bobtista
refactor(screenshot): Consolidate stb_image_write_impl.cpp to Core
e825810 
Move stb_image_write_impl.cpp from game-specific directories to Core since
it's identical between Generals and GeneralsMD and contains only STB library
implementation code with no game-specific logic.
@bobtista
docs(unify): Document stb_image_write_impl.cpp unification in script
7d40c12
@bobtista bobtista force-pushed the bobtista/compressed-screenshot-f11 branch from 33f899b to 7d40c12 Compare January 14, 2026 21:18
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Enhancement Is new feature or request Gen Relates to Generals Input Major Severity: Minor < Major < Critical < Blocker ZH Relates to Zero Hour

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GenTool features replication

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Add JPG/PNG Screenshot with no stalls BMP Screenshot taken with F12 can stall game significantly

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@bobtista @Stubbjax @xezon @OmniBlade @Skyaero42 @L3-M