Black screen using print screen button

[gerrr00]

Yesterday I tried to take a screenshot using the print screen button instead of the Sims camera function in my game.  When I went to paint to paste the image, there was only a black screen.  I tried doing it a few more times but without success.  Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

[Pam]

Have you tried taking screenshots of other things?  Sometimes you have to hold down Ctrl when you press the PrtScn button.

[gerrr00]

I can use PrtScn fine when I am on my desktop.  Tomorrow when I play I will try out holding Ctrl and PrtScn.  Thanks.  I will let you know.

[Pam]

Do you mean your desktop as opposed to a laptop?

[gerrr00]

Oops, I mean by desktop is the normal screen, like when I am on the internet and Microsoft word. 

You are correct that I am having this problem on my laptop though.  I have no problems on my desktop computer, which sits on a desk. 

[niuri_cigarete]

It's a windows thing. Mostly it can't take a screenshot with print screen function when you are having a fullscreen program (a game, a video, etc.). That's why some of the video players and other programs have the screenshot function.

But sometimes it works with some programs though, you'll never know.

[Simmerqueen]

Do you have windows 7?  That started happening to me as soon as I upgraded my computer to windows 7 64 bit.  How I solved it is I started playing Sims 3 in a window, and when you play in a window the print screen (or various print screen programs, like Gadwin, etc) will work as normal without getting the black screen.  It's just when you're using full screen that it's a problem.

[gerrr00]

My laptop and desktop both are windows 7 64 bit, it works fine on the desktop but not on my laptop until I did what Pam suggested.  Holding Ctrl + Prt Scn worked!  Thanks Pam.

I tried playing in window mode before and I just can't do it.    I like full screen a little to much.  Thanks again.

[Largo The Stampede]

I had a need to take a screen shot of my skill journal. I can't use the games screen shot mode to take a picture because it doesn't seem to work while the skill journal is open. Likewise the skill journal can't be shot while capturing a video for similar reasons. I have also tried to use my computer's print screen function and then paste it into paint, but that resulted in pasting a black square into paint. I would really like to be able to get screen shots of my skill journal in case the need ever arises again for challenges.

Thanks in advance for the help.

[gerrr00]

I was having a problem with getting the black screen also.  Here is the topic I started about it in case you want to read it.  Pam gave me a fix that worked for me.  I have to hold Ctrl + Prt Sc for it to work.  Good luck.

[Pam]

I'm going to merge these topics.

[Leto85]

The stupiest thing is that you have to press PrtScr multiple times in a row. I use that when I need a screen print in Photoshop. It is like Windows is thinking: 'Ah, Leto is pressing the same button 10 times in a row, let's listen to him this time.'

So press, press, press, press, press and finally press that button. And than paste it somewhere.

[Bde1225]

How do I put the game in windows mode to take a screenshot of the needs bar? I have tried every combination to get the screenshot but all i get is a black screen of nothing. Please help.

[Pam]

How do I put the game in windows mode to take a screenshot of the needs bar? I have tried every combination to get the screenshot but all i get is a black screen of nothing. Please help.

You've tried PrtScn and Ctrl/Alt PrtScn and the paste into MS Paint?

[Bde1225]

Yep and all I am getting is black once I try to paste it to MS paint. So I am thinking about trying to put it in a window but I don't know how. I even tried hitting the printscrn key multiple times as Leto suggested, thinking it was an issue cause of the game, and nothing.