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scorpio-logic
scorpio-logic
Join Date 03/2005
+4

Alpha Per-Pixel theory...

...possible to overcome maximize transition...

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November 4, 2005 2:17:46 PM from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums
This persons question got me thinking. Wonder if you wizzes out there have any input into this. The theory: Where does all the great glass effects and other per-pixel effects go when you maximize? Is is possible to author the skin so that when you maximize a window, you do not loss the glass border that is in some skins. I haven't had the good fortune of getting a good skin made, as I don't have a good graphic editor like PhotoShop or such, so the .tga is hard for me to get a good image out of. So, can one compensate for the maximized window, keep the effects intact, and how would you do it if possible? Any and ALL comments on this subject are welcome. Happy Skinning!!!!
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scorpio-logic
Bichur
Join Date 10/2003
+253
Reply #1 November 4, 2005 3:08:16 PM
from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums
Not a whiz by any means (no I don't need any vouchers ) Once it's all working as should be & WindowFX plays with it as it should, could the effect not be maintained by reducing the maximized window by a few pixels or so? (with an appropriate x,y.

I can't skin but I'm not sure that window size can controlled by a skin.
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scorpio-logic
scorpio-logic
Join Date 03/2005
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Reply #2 November 5, 2005 3:21:32 PM
from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums
I was thinking the same thing, bichur...alas, WindowFX is not happy with WB5 yet.
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scorpio-logic
Koasati
Join Date 07/2001
+21
Reply #3 November 5, 2005 7:39:44 PM
from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums
but I'm not sure that window size can controlled by a skin.

Not until we get the Screen Edge Clip settings back for the Per-Pixel frames.

I don't have a good graphic editor like PhotoShop or such, so the .tga is hard for me to get a good image out of.

Really no need to work with tga, as many image editor don't handle them well. In SkS go to Tools > Preferences > Editing > Image Ediotrs > check the "Convert TGA files to PNG before using image editors"

This will allow you to work with png images, and SkS will convert them to tga when you save the skin.

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scorpio-logic
bakerstreet
Join Date 03/2001
+7
Reply #4 November 5, 2005 8:01:56 PM
from JoeUser ForumsJoeUser Forums
My guess is if you piled several maximized windows on top of each other, the windows titles would kind of run together, as would the buttons and other graphics. Transparency looks good when windows are overlapped, but I don't think transparency lends much having them stacked one on another evenly.
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scorpio-logic
Cavan1
Join Date 08/2004
+173
Reply #5 November 5, 2005 8:48:22 PM
from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums
but I don't think transparency lends much having them stacked one on another evenly.


Would not take long to go bug eyed trying to read the layers of run together text in titlebars.
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scorpio-logic
scorpio-logic
Join Date 03/2005
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Reply #6 November 5, 2005 11:01:11 PM
from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums
Really no need to work with tga, as many image editor don't handle them well. In SkS go to Tools > Preferences > Editing > Image Ediotrs > check the "Convert TGA files to PNG before using image editors"


Didn't realize that, thanks Kaosati.
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scorpio-logic
Neil Banfield
Join Date 04/2001
+1102 sdemployee
Reply #7 November 6, 2005 8:32:58 AM
from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums

Koasati: Screen Edge Clip settings will not be provided for per pixel frames in WB5.

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scorpio-logic
scorpio-logic
Join Date 03/2005
+4
Reply #8 November 6, 2005 3:21:27 PM
from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums
So this theory thread has no solution....? Ok, that answers that. Happy skinning!!
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scorpio-logic
PurrBall
Join Date 02/2003
+23
Reply #9 November 6, 2005 4:12:42 PM
from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums
Hey Neil...

The Per-Pixel Maximized window titlebars get squished.. (as seen in Arrow) Any way to fix?
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scorpio-logic
scorpio-logic
Join Date 03/2005
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Reply #10 November 7, 2005 1:41:34 AM
from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums
I found it!! Well, I found an optional feature in skinstudio: Screen Edge Clip. Not sure what it does, but it sounds like it is what...oh, look up there Neil has already "found" it too!! Hey Neil what's it fer??
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scorpio-logic
Koasati
Join Date 07/2001
+21
Reply #11 November 7, 2005 11:57:23 AM
from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums
Koasati: Screen Edge Clip settings will not be provided for per pixel frames in WB5.

WHY?? What other features will be permanently lost with WB5?

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scorpio-logic
CerebroJD
Join Date 01/2003
+9
Reply #12 November 7, 2005 12:50:22 PM
from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums
Koasati, I think in Vista, when window is maximized only the titlebar is shown, maximizing screen real-estate. I, personally, always find windows that creep in on the edges to be a bit annoying.
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scorpio-logic
Koasati
Join Date 07/2001
+21
Reply #13 November 7, 2005 1:45:26 PM
from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums
Koasati, I think in Vista, when window is maximized only the titlebar is shown

I'm not using Vista, I'm using XP. Screen Edge Clip has allowed me to max a window, without covering my docks, and widgets.

maximizing screen real-estate.

A matter of opinion there. What I consider maximizing screen space is entirely different.

I, personally, always find windows that creep in on the edges to be a bit annoying.

I understand, but I'm completely opposite. I can't stand windows that run off the screen, and lose the border...... looks like crap to me.

With previous versions of WindowBlinds, we had the option to tweak this to our liking, now we're losing that ability.

I'm more than a little disappointed with the loss of some features I've grown accustom to using. At this point, I can't even add an On Top button to a wb5 skin.

Glass border don't really interest me, but I have had ideas that weren't possible in the past with the single color transparency, and I had hoped wb5 would be a true break-through. But IMHO, it's not a step forward, it's a side-step, an 'alternative'. Upgrades shouldn't lose features.

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scorpio-logic
Neil Banfield
Join Date 04/2001
+1102 sdemployee
Reply #14 November 7, 2005 2:07:12 PM
from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums

You are not losing features as your old skins continue to work just as before.

But the per pixel skins will not support the edge clip setting as to implement support for that involves a considerable amount of work for little gain.

If you want to prevent windows from covering your docks & widgets when maximized, then you should not have been using screen clip settings in skins anyway.  That setting was designed to allow the skin author to show slightly more or less of the border only.  If you want to prevent certain things from being overlapped then you should be using something like the WindowFX maximizing to size feature.

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scorpio-logic
Koasati
Join Date 07/2001
+21
Reply #15 November 7, 2005 2:40:21 PM
from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums
you should be using something like the WindowFX maximizing to size feature.

That feature in WinFX doesn't work properly with dual moniotrs, with different resolusions. Wish it did, but screen edge clip is the best work around I've been able to find.

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