Screen capture yields black box

[Rudi]

Have been using screen capture for years but all of a sudden I get a black box.
After reading all that pertains and using print screen and paste successfully, I have come to the conclusion that IV looses focus no matter what I do. Same hardware I am not trying movies videos or fancy graphics - can't even capture an e-mail message...There must be some initial setting that got messed up. Can anyone help...please

[Bhikkhu Pesala]

Does PrintScreen capture anything?

I always recommend FastStone Capture rather than IrfanView anyway — its far more flexible.

[Mij]

Are you trying to capture the foreground window perhaps?
If so remember that the foreground window is the last one you clicked on, not just the biggest one or where the cursor is. It might be a dialog box or floating toolbar or even part of another application.

Do make sure you click on the title bar of the window you want to capture immediately before you trigger the capture.

It's a mistake I have just made myself (see the Irfanpaint thread). I got in a real mess. I captured all sorts of windows I did not intend to, even a blank one. I think that was a window that I had just minimized to the system tray to get it out of the way before making the capture.

[Rudi]

First, print screen and copy produces just what I expect. Second, have tried all combinations for the active window to get focus nothing. And now I have discovered that
HP smart select and Print produces the the same empty clip.

[Skippybox]

Are you sure you're getting an image, or is the viewer just empty when it finishes? IrfanView will say No file loaded in the status bar. Otherwise, it will show Not a file. You can use Alt+Tab to choose your window if it is losing focus.

Are you using the hotkey CTRL+F11? Maybe there is a key coflict with one of your programs. Have you tried changing it, or tried the other capture methods in the dialog to see if they are working OK?