xsukax Color Picker

A modern, lightweight, and privacy-focused color picker application for Windows that enables precise color sampling from anywhere on your screen with real-time tracking capabilities.

Github Repo: https://github.com/xsukax/xsukax-Color-Picker

Project Overview

xsukax Color Picker is a native Windows desktop application built with C++ and the Windows API, designed to provide developers, designers, and digital artists with a powerful yet simple tool for color extraction and analysis. The application offers real-time color tracking, multiple color format support, and an intuitive modern interface that integrates seamlessly with Windows design principles.

The tool captures pixel-perfect color information from any location on your screen and presents it in commonly used color formats (HEX, RGB, HSL), making it invaluable for web development, graphic design, UI/UX work, and digital art creation.

Security and Privacy Benefits

Complete Local Operation

Zero Network Communication: The application operates entirely offline with no network connections, ensuring your screen content and color data never leave your device
No Data Collection: No user analytics, telemetry, or personal information is collected or transmitted
No External Dependencies: Uses only trusted Windows system APIs, eliminating third-party security risks

Minimal System Access

Limited Permissions: Requires only standard desktop access permissions for screen reading
No Administrative Rights: Runs under standard user privileges without requiring elevation
Transparent Operation: All functionality is clearly visible and user-controlled

Data Protection

Ephemeral Data: Color information exists only during active use and in clipboard when explicitly copied
No Persistent Storage: No configuration files, logs, or cached data stored on your system
Secure Clipboard Integration: Uses Windows’ native clipboard API with no additional data retention

Features and Advantages

Core Functionality

Real-time Color Tracking: Live color sampling as you move your cursor across the screen
Precise Color Picking: Single-click color capture with visual confirmation
Multiple Color Formats: Simultaneous display of HEX, RGB, and HSL values
One-Click Clipboard Copy: Individual copy buttons for each color format
Cursor Position Display: Real-time coordinate tracking for precise placement

User Experience

Modern Interface: Clean, contemporary design following Windows 11 design principles
Intuitive Controls: Simple two-button operation (Track/Pick) with clear visual feedback
Responsive Design: Smooth 30 FPS real-time updates during tracking mode
Visual Feedback: Dynamic status messages and temporary title updates for user actions
Keyboard Shortcuts: ESC key to quickly exit tracking mode

Technical Advantages

Lightweight: Minimal resource usage with native Windows API implementation
High Performance: Optimized for smooth real-time color sampling
System Integration: Follows Windows theming and accessibility standards
Cross-Version Compatibility: Compatible with Windows 7 through Windows 11

Installation Instructions

Prerequisites

Windows 7 or later (Windows 10/11 recommended)
No additional runtime dependencies required

Installation Steps

Option 1: Download Pre-compiled Binary

Navigate to the Releases page
Download the latest xsukax_Color_Picker.exe file
Place the executable in your preferred directory
Run xsukax_Color_Picker.exe directly – no installation required

Option 2: Build from Source

# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/xsukax/xsukax-Color-Picker.git
cd xsukax-Color-Picker

# Compile using Visual Studio or MinGW
# For Visual Studio:
cl xsukax_Color_Picker.cpp resource.rc /link comctl32.lib gdi32.lib user32.lib

# For MinGW:
windres resource.rc -o resource.o
then
g++ -O2 -static -static-libgcc -static-libstdc++ -mwindows xsukax_Color_Picker.cpp resource.o -o xsukax_Color_Picker.exe -lgdi32 -luser32 -lcomctl32

System Requirements

Operating System: Windows 7 SP1 or later
Memory: 10 MB RAM
Storage: 2 MB available space
Display: Any resolution supported by Windows

Usage Guide

Detailed Usage Instructions

Starting Color Tracking

Click the “Start Tracking” button
The button text changes to “Stop Tracking”
Move your cursor anywhere on the screen
Observe real-time color updates in the application
Click anywhere to select the current color, or press ESC to cancel

Quick Color Picking

Click the “Pick Color” button
The application briefly minimizes
Click anywhere on your screen to capture that pixel’s color
The application restores with the captured color information

Working with Color Values

HEX Format: Standard web format (e.g., #6366F1)
RGB Format: Red, Green, Blue values (e.g., 99, 102, 241)
HSL Format: Hue, Saturation, Lightness (e.g., 244 deg, 85%, 67%)
Click any “Copy” button to place that format in your clipboard

Keyboard Shortcuts

ESC: Exit tracking mode
Mouse Click: Select color (during tracking) or pick color (during pick mode)

Status Messages

“Ready to sample colors from your screen”: Application ready for use
“Move cursor to sample colors – Click to pick – ESC to stop”: Active tracking mode
“Color successfully picked and saved!”: Color capture confirmation
“Copied!”: Clipboard operation successful

Licensing Information

This project is licensed under the GNU General Public License v3.0 (GPL-3.0).

What this means:

✅ Free to use: Use the software for any purpose
✅ Free to modify: Modify the source code to suit your needs
✅ Free to distribute: Share the software with others
✅ Free to contribute: Submit improvements and bug fixes

License Requirements:

📄 Source code availability: Modifications must be made available under the same license
🏷️ License notice: Include the original copyright and license notice
📝 Change documentation: Document any changes made to the original code

For the complete license text, see the LICENSE file in this repository.

Third-Party Components

This application uses only standard Windows API components and requires no third-party libraries, ensuring complete license compatibility and reducing dependency concerns.

Contributing

We welcome contributions! Please feel free to submit issues, feature requests, or pull requests. Make sure to follow the GPL-3.0 license requirements when contributing code.

Support

For bug reports and feature requests, please use the GitHub Issues page.

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