If you launch a game via Dosbox, you may observe that the default screenshot button (F12 for Steam) doesn’t function initially. This guide will demonstrate how to enable the screenshot button for Dosbox games.
How To Capture Screenshots Of Dosbox Games In Dungeon Keeper Gold
To begin:
Navigate to the game in your library for which you wish to capture screenshots (for example, Dungeon Keeper Gold, though this process is applicable to any Dosbox game). On the right side of Steam, locate the gear icon, controller icon, information icon, and the favorite star.
Click on the Gear/Manage button. A menu will appear. Scroll down to “Manage.”
Select “Browse local files.” This action will open a window displaying the game’s installation location on your computer. You’ll find several DosboxDK config files, but focus only on the “DosboxDK” config file, disregarding “client,” “server,” and “single.”
How To Edit
Click twice on the “DosboxDK” Config file, located just below the two applications. If your computer prompts you to choose a program for opening the config file, always opt for Notepad. If you’ve successfully opened the correct config file, it should have a appearance similar to this:
# This is the configuration file for DOSBox 0.74-2. (Please use the latest version of DOSBox)
# Lines starting with a # are comment lines and are ignored by DOSBox.
# They are used to (briefly) document the effect of each option.
[sdl]
# fullscreen: Start dosbox directly in fullscreen. (Press ALT-Enter to go back)
# fulldouble: Use double buffering in fullscreen. It can reduce screen flickering, but it can also result in a slow DOSBox.
# fullresolution: What resolution to use for fullscreen: original, desktop or fixed size (e.g. 1024x768).
# Using your monitor's native resolution (desktop) with aspect=true might give the best results.
# If you end up with small window on a large screen, try an output different from surface.
# On Windows 10 with display scaling (Scale and layout) set to a value above 100%, it is recommended
# to use a lower full/windowresolution, in order to avoid window size problems.
# windowresolution: Scale the window to this size IF the output device supports hardware scaling.
# (output=surface does not!)
# output: What video system to use for output.
# Possible values: surface, overlay, opengl, openglnb, ddraw.
# autolock: Mouse will automatically lock, if you click on the screen. (Press CTRL-F10 to unlock)
# sensitivity: Mouse sensitivity.
# waitonerror: Wait before closing the console if dosbox has an error.
# priority: Priority levels for dosbox. Second entry behind the comma is for when dosbox is not focused/minimized.
# pause is only valid for the second entry.
# Possible values: lowest, lower, normal, higher, highest, pause.
# mapperfile: File used to load/save the key/event mappings from. Resetmapper only works with the defaul value.
# usescancodes: Avoid usage of symkeys, might not work on all operating systems.
fullscreen=true
fulldouble=false
fullresolution=desktop
windowresolution=original
output=overlay
autolock=true
sensitivity=100
waitonerror=true
priority=higher,normal
mapperfile=mapper-0.74-2.map
usescancodes=true
Troubleshooting
If you’ve opened an incorrect config file and it doesn’t resemble the example above, don’t worry. Simply close the one you’ve opened and locate the correct one. Scroll down to the option labeled “Output=overlay,” as indicated by the underlined and bolded text. Modify “overlay” to “opengl,” so it now reads as Output=opengl. Remember to save the changes made to the config file.
Congratulations! You’re finished. Launch the game, click the screenshot button, and it should function.
NOTE: Screenshot capture may not work when there’s no movement on the screen. You can trigger the screenshot by moving your mouse if pressing the button alone doesn’t capture it.
This method applies to any game running through DOSBox. Locate the corresponding config file following the guide’s format for other DOSBox games, change “overlay” to “opengl” in those settings, and you’ll be able to capture screenshots effortlessly.