Simulate a monitor and get a video stream on windows

Question

Is there a way for me to programatically set up a fake monitor in windows and get a video stream from it? Is there something in the win32 api that will allow me to do this?

Thanks

Answer 1

I think Windows desktop objects are your answer. Here's an example of an application that uses them:

Unlike other virtual desktop utilities that implement their desktops by showing the windows that are active on a desktop and hiding the rest, Sysinternals Desktops uses a Windows desktop object for each desktop. Application windows are bound to a desktop object when they are created, so Windows maintains the connection between windows and desktops and knows which ones to show when you switch a desktop. [...]

Desktops reliance on Windows desktop objects means that it cannot provide some of the functionality of other virtual desktop utilities, however. For example, Windows doesn't provide a way to move a window from one desktop object to another, and because a separate Explorer process must run on each desktop to provide a taskbar and start menu, most tray applications are only visible on the first desktop. Further, there is no way to delete a desktop object, so Desktops does not provide a way to close a desktop, because that would result in orphaned windows and processes. The recommended way to exit Desktops is therefore to logoff.

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/cc817881.aspx

Answer 2

There is no way to emulate monitor.

May be desktop functions match your criteria? Look to CreateDesktop/SwitchDesktop.