Screenshots - are we allowed to use UIGetScreenImage()

[scotopia]

Very cool; I'm just looking through the stuff now to see if I can use this to take a screenshot of only a subsection of the screen.

[Steaps]

Originally Posted by NewiPhoneDeveloper

Seems like UIGetScreenImage() is now an official API call???

Please read this blog entry on TUAW

One guy in comments below says, that some Apple guy said on the official forums, that it is now allowed to make use of this API. Can't confirm this information, but it looks very interesting so far!

[EDIT: YES ITS TRUE!!! Log onto the official forums and do a search for UIGetScreenImage();

Here is the quote:

Do you have a link to that post?

[NewiPhoneDeveloper]

Originally Posted by Steaps

Do you have a link to that post?

Here you go: Official thread

[Steaps]

Originally Posted by NewiPhoneDeveloper

Here you go: Official thread

Thanks (Just found it and was going to post :P)

[scotopia]

Are there standard docs on this method; or do we have to go digging in a special place. I as hoping you can restrict this to a subset of the screen (not on my mac and at my day job so cant really investigate).

[justill45]

well, apple now uses static analsys or something like that to detect any undocumented or private api.

So that probably why your cousin or whatever got his app approved a while ago, but now cant submit an update.

Apple has stepped up their game...which is bad for us.

[NewiPhoneDeveloper]

Originally Posted by justill45

well, apple now uses static analsys or something like that to detect any undocumented or private api.

So that probably why your cousin or whatever got his app approved a while ago, but now cant submit an update.

Apple has stepped up their game...which is bad for us.

You're right, but they now definitely allow UIGetScreenImage();

[justill45]

Originally Posted by NewiPhoneDeveloper

You're right, but they now definitely allow UIGetScreenImage();

yeah, i didnt see the second page of this thread, but yeah, pretty cool. Is there any place i can see how to use this method?

[NewiPhoneDeveloper]

Originally Posted by justill45

yeah, i didnt see the second page of this thread, but yeah, pretty cool. Is there any place i can see how to use this method?

I think the following should work (untested):

In your AppDelegate.m or any other .m where you want to use this feature, add the following lines of code right below the #import section:

CGImageRef UIGetScreenImage();
@interface UIImage (ScreenImage)
+ (UIImage *)imageWithScreenContents;
@end

@implementation UIImage (ScreenImage)
+ (UIImage *)imageWithScreenContents
{
    CGImageRef cgScreen = UIGetScreenImage();
    if (cgScreen) {
        UIImage *result = [UIImage imageWithCGImage:cgScreen];
        CGImageRelease(cgScreen);
        return result;
    }
    return nil;
}
@end

Now you can grab the screen like that:

- (void)grabScreen {
    CGImageRef screen = UIGetScreenImage();
    UIImage *screenImage = [UIImage imageWithCGImage:screen];
    //now save your image or do with it whatever you like
}

[HappyByte]

https://devforums.apple.com/message/149553#149553