Unable to capture data from Back Buffer (DirectX9)

Question

I am trying to find the fastest method to take the screenshot. So far I've figured out that either GDI, or DirectX can be used. Using GDI I am able to capture the screen in 35ms, while using DirectX Front buffer it takes 73ms average. I want even faster method than this. For this purpose capturing Back Buffer in DirectX seems to be a good method. I am using the following code to do the same:

    D3DDISPLAYMODE  ddm;
    D3DPRESENT_PARAMETERS   d3dpp;

    if((g_pD3D=Direct3DCreate9(D3D_SDK_VERSION))==NULL)
    {
        ErrorMessage("Unable to Create Direct3D ");
        return E_FAIL;
    }

    if(FAILED(g_pD3D->GetAdapterDisplayMode(D3DADAPTER_DEFAULT,&ddm)))
    {
        ErrorMessage("Unable to Get Adapter Display Mode");
        return E_FAIL;
    }

    ZeroMemory(&d3dpp,sizeof(D3DPRESENT_PARAMETERS));

    d3dpp.Windowed=WINDOW_MODE;
    d3dpp.Flags=D3DPRESENTFLAG_LOCKABLE_BACKBUFFER;
    d3dpp.BackBufferFormat=ddm.Format;
    d3dpp.BackBufferHeight=nDisplayHeight=gScreenRect.bottom =ddm.Height;
    d3dpp.BackBufferWidth=nDisplayWidth=gScreenRect.right =ddm.Width;
    d3dpp.MultiSampleType=D3DMULTISAMPLE_NONE;
//  d3dpp.SwapEffect=D3DSWAPEFFECT_DISCARD;
    d3dpp.SwapEffect=D3DSWAPEFFECT_COPY;
    d3dpp.hDeviceWindow=hWnd;
    d3dpp.PresentationInterval=D3DPRESENT_INTERVAL_DEFAULT;
    d3dpp.FullScreen_RefreshRateInHz=D3DPRESENT_RATE_DEFAULT;

    if(FAILED(g_pD3D->CreateDevice(D3DADAPTER_DEFAULT,D3DDEVTYPE_HAL,hWnd,D3DCREATE_SOFTWARE_VERTEXPROCESSING ,&d3dpp,&g_pd3dDevice)))
    {
        ErrorMessage("Unable to Create Device");
        return E_FAIL;
    }

    if(FAILED(g_pd3dDevice->CreateOffscreenPlainSurface(ddm.Width, ddm.Height, D3DFMT_A8R8G8B8, D3DPOOL_SCRATCH, &g_pSurface, NULL)))
    {
        ErrorMessage("Unable to Create Surface");
        return E_FAIL;
    }

g_pd3dDevice->GetBackBuffer(0,0,D3DBACKBUFFER_TYPE_MONO,&g_pSurface);
D3DXSaveSurfaceToFile("d:\\v\\temp.bmp",D3DXIFF_BMP,g_pSurface,NULL,NULL);

The problem is, that the output file measures 5MB, but shows nothing but black color in the output. While in the same code if I use GetFrontBufferData I can successfully capture the screen. Am I doing anything wrong? Please help me..

Answer 1

Here's how I take a screenshot:

IDirect3DSurface9 *offscreenSurface = 0;
d3dDevice->GetBackBuffer(0, 0, D3DBACKBUFFER_TYPE_MONO, &offscreenSurface);
D3DXSaveSurfaceToFile( filename, D3DXIFF_BMP, offscreenSurface, 0, 0 )

Note that this code is run before Present is called.

Answer 2

You cannot capture a screen shot from the backbuffer.

The frontbuffer-backbuffer relationship works like this: the backbuffer is wiped, and then has the scene drawn to it one draw-call at a time. As soon as it's ready it's flipped with the frontbuffer so the frontbuffer gets the final image to display while the backbuffer is again wiped.

Theoretically there is a point where the backbuffer has the data you want, but I do not believe you can reliably get this state. The frontbuffer is designed for this task.