Question / Help OBS appears to not record child windows in Windows 10 Home

[MrMercutio]

I have trouble recording a video using OBS. In this post I've included a series of images.

What the problem appears to be, from my perspective, is that my copy of OBS do not record internal windows in this program. What I mean. It records the program window, but if you have child windows inside the program, it doesn't show up in the recording.

First, this is my system:

------------------
System Information
------------------
Time of this report: 7/29/2015, 22:30:00
Machine name: MAINBOX
Operating System: Windows 10 Home 64-bit (10.0, Build 10240) (10240.th1_st1.150717-1719)
Language: Swedish (Regional Setting: Swedish)
System Manufacturer: MSI
System Model: MS-7821
BIOS: BIOS Date: 02/06/14 15:28:27 Ver: 04.06.05
Processor: Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-4570 CPU @ 3.20GHz (4 CPUs), ~3.2GHz
Memory: 16384MB RAM
Available OS Memory: 16328MB RAM
Page File: 3181MB used, 16090MB available
Windows Dir: C:\WINDOWS
DirectX Version: 12
DX Setup Parameters: Not found
User DPI Setting: Using System DPI
System DPI Setting: 96 DPI (100 percent)
DWM DPI Scaling: Disabled
Miracast: Available, with HDCP
Microsoft Graphics Hybrid: Not Supported
DxDiag Version: 10.00.10240.16384 64bit Unicode

---------------
Display Devices
---------------
Card name: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 750 Ti
Manufacturer: NVIDIA
Chip type: GeForce GTX 750 Ti
DAC type: Integrated RAMDAC
Device Type: Full Device
Device Key: Enum\PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_1380&SUBSYS_84A61043&REV_A2
Display Memory: 10157 MB
Dedicated Memory: 1993 MB
Shared Memory: 8164 MB
Current Mode: 1920 x 1080 (32 bit) (60Hz)
Monitor Name: BenQ GL2460
Monitor Model: BenQ GL2460
Monitor Id: BNQ78CE
Native Mode: 1920 x 1080(p) (60.000Hz)
Output Type: HD15
Driver Name: nvd3dumx.dll,nvwgf2umx.dll,nvwgf2umx.dll,nvwgf2umx.dll,nvd3dum,nvwgf2um,nvwgf2um,nvwgf2um
Driver File Version: 10.18.0013.5362 (English)
Driver Version: 10.18.13.5362
DDI Version: 12
Feature Levels: 11.0,10.1,10.0,9.3,9.2,9.1
Driver Model: WDDM 2.0
Graphics Preemption: DMA
Compute Preemption: DMA
Miracast: Not Supported
Hybrid Graphics GPU: Not Supported
Power P-states: Not Supported
Driver Attributes: Final Retail
Driver Date/Size: 7/23/2015 04:02:12, 16011680 bytes
WHQL Logo'd: Yes
WHQL Date Stamp:
Device Identifier: {D7B71E3E-50C0-11CF-0167-ABA41FC2C735}
Vendor ID: 0x10DE
Device ID: 0x1380
SubSys ID: 0x84A61043
Revision ID: 0x00A2
Driver Strong Name: oem28.inf:0f066de3a79f2f53:Section037:10.18.13.5362:pci\ven_10de&dev_1380
Rank Of Driver: 00D12001​

My issue is that I have trouble recording windows within windows. I'll illustrate. I'm trying to record an instructional video about the program Krita - a digital art program. It looks like this.

This is what I'm trying to record: the digital paint program Krita.

This is my OBS program settings for encoding:

This is my program setting for the windows capture:

As you can see here, in the final image, the canvas (the child window) doesn't show up in the recording.

I have found a work-around, to record the monitor, but that's not optimal. When I record, I use audacity to record audio, and I use a wordprocessor to keep track of what I'm going to say in my videos. Recording the screen, also record my crawling around trying to keep track. It's not optimal.

 

[MrMercutio]

Nobody have any idea what might be going on?

Thanks.

 

[dping]

Nobody have any idea what might be going on?

Thanks.

Try game capture or as a last resort, monitor capture.

 

[MrMercutio]

I tried game capture, but it didn't work. Sigh. I really like OBS, but obviously I can't use it now. Fraps has awful file sizes, and no hardware encoding. But I'll have to live with that then. Thanks.

 

[MrMercutio]

I thought to myself. "Maybe the problem is not with OBS. Maybe it's with Krita." So, I decided to make an experiment. I decided to try to record Photoshop. The result was the same as with Krita.

Then I made the same test with Gimp. Gimp worked.

It left me wondering if the reason why OBS can't record Photoshop or Krita child canvas windows was that both Krita's and Photoshop's were high DPI (300 DPI, instead of the normal 72 or 96). But Gimp still worked with 300 DPI canvases.

But, since I'm supposed to make instructional videos about Krita, the fact that Gimp works doesn't really help any. Anyone have further suggestions than what's already been covered?

 

[dping]

I thought to myself. "Maybe the problem is not with OBS. Maybe it's with Krita." So, I decided to make an experiment. I decided to try to record Photoshop. The result was the same as with Krita.

Then I made the same test with Gimp. Gimp worked.

It left me wondering if the reason why OBS can't record Photoshop or Krita child canvas windows was that both Krita's and Photoshop's were high DPI (300 DPI, instead of the normal 72 or 96). But Gimp still worked with 300 DPI canvases.

But, since I'm supposed to make instructional videos about Krita, the fact that Gimp works doesn't really help any. Anyone have further suggestions than what's already been covered?

game capture works fine with photoshot so I'm not sure what you mean

 

[MrMercutio]

Game capture doesn't work with Krita.

I'm trying to find a way to make windows capture work in Krita. It seemed natural to test if windows capture worked across the three programs I have access to. It only worked in Gimp.

Edit to add image:

 

[MrMercutio]

I found the problem.

Krita (and Photoshop) uses OpenGL/OpenCL. When I turned off OpenGL in Krita, windows capture worked. Photoshop's use of OpenCL seems deeper. I didn't manage to turn it off easily.

Of course, Krita becomes awfully sluggish without the hardware support that OpenGL gives. :)

 

[dping]

I found the problem.

Krita (and Photoshop) uses OpenGL/OpenCL. When I turned off OpenGL in Krita, windows capture worked. Photoshop's use of OpenCL seems deeper. I didn't manage to turn it off easily.

Of course, Krita becomes awfully sluggish without the hardware support that OpenGL gives. :)

OpenCL is different than OpenGL, but what I'm saying is photoshop does work with game capture. nothing special is needed to do this. I do not know about Krita but I'm glad you found a solution for it.

 

[MrMercutio]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2XkHLoc_Prc

I made a video about this on my youtube channel.

*back to lurking*

 

[dodgepong]

Window capture has never been able to capture child windows, which is just a facet of how the DWM works. I recommend Monitor capture if you're on Windows 8 and higher for such purposes.

 

[Malus_intent]

OpenCL is different than OpenGL, but what I'm saying is photoshop does work with game capture. nothing special is needed to do this. I do not know about Krita but I'm glad you found a solution for it.

Here's the thing, it doesn't work for everyone, which is why he keeps saying it's not working for them. I've also tried to use game capture with no luck. Computers are fickle things.

Window capture has never been able to capture child windows, which is just a facet of how the DWM works. I recommend Monitor capture if you're on Windows 8 and higher for such purposes.

And yes it does? I've only ever used that on my desktop, window capture worked fine for me using PS CS6 running win 10. Sadly my desktop is out of commission due to needing a new power supply, so I'm working on my laptop, again PS CS6 and win 10. However my laptop is running into the same issue as above, child windows in PS aren't showing up. However when I first started streaming it WAS showing up. Then it super imposed the OBS window over top of it somehow, and after a reset now it's refusing to play nice.

I've tried turning off Graphics performance in PS, which kinda works. However it inverts everything, i.e. black is white and white is black. Which isn't terrible helpful. Monitor capture also doesn't work, all I'm getting is a blank screen and I haven't a clue how to work around that one either.

TL;DR

So to recap, Window capture was working but now isn't. Taking off graphic processor kinda worked but didn't.

Monitor capture gives me a black screen.

And Game capture gives me nothing. Not even black space....just nothing.

Anymore ideas on this?

 

[dping]

Here's the thing, it doesn't work for everyone, which is why he keeps saying it's not working for them. I've also tried to use game capture with no luck. Computers are fickle things.



And yes it does? I've only ever used that on my desktop, window capture worked fine for me using PS CS6 running win 10. Sadly my desktop is out of commission due to needing a new power supply, so I'm working on my laptop, again PS CS6 and win 10. However my laptop is running into the same issue as above, child windows in PS aren't showing up. However when I first started streaming it WAS showing up. Then it super imposed the OBS window over top of it somehow, and after a reset now it's refusing to play nice.

I've tried turning off Graphics performance in PS, which kinda works. However it inverts everything, i.e. black is white and white is black. Which isn't terrible helpful. Monitor capture also doesn't work, all I'm getting is a blank screen and I haven't a clue how to work around that one either.

TL;DR

So to recap, Window capture was working but now isn't. Taking off graphic processor kinda worked but didn't.

Monitor capture gives me a black screen.

And Game capture gives me nothing. Not even black space....just nothing.

Anymore ideas on this?

Wow, it took you a looong time to reply. Laptops can be even more odd with optimus (switchable graphics). in order to get switchable graphics working on your laptop, OBS needs to be set to use the intel instead of nvidia. nvidia is often referred to in the control panel as high performance, intel is referred to as power savings

 

[Malus_intent]

Wow, it took you a looong time to reply. Laptops can be even more odd with optimus (switchable graphics). in order to get switchable graphics working on your laptop, OBS needs to be set to use the intel instead of nvidia. nvidia is often referred to in the control panel as high performance, intel is referred to as power savings

That's because I'm just now having this issue, it's not a matter of how long it took me to reply. Unless of course you've mistaken me for OP.

And it is set to use Intel instead of Nvidia. Trouble shooted that option a way back, though I probably should have mentioned that >.<

 

[dping]

That's because I'm just now having this issue, it's not a matter of how long it took me to reply. Unless of course you've mistaken me for OP.

And it is set to use Intel instead of Nvidia. Trouble shooted that option a way back, though I probably should have mentioned that >.<

Oh yes, I was, you need to start a new thread with your own logfile.

 

[Malus_intent]

Oh yes, I was, you need to start a new thread with your own logfile.

Ah, my bad then! I' so used to forums getting their nickers in a twist about starting new threads when there is an older thread with the same issue, so I failed to stop and check on that. Newbie hardcore fail, but thank you for the information and correcting me on that :)

 

[dping]

Ah, my bad then! I' so used to forums getting their nickers in a twist about starting new threads when there is an older thread with the same issue, so I failed to stop and check on that. Newbie hardcore fail, but thank you for the information and correcting me on that :)

No problem. This forum being unique because even when issues seem to be the same, often the fix and resolve is different. If not that, dealing with multiple people and trying to fix slightly different issues often leads to threads of 10+ pages and you never know who is resolved or not.