aero skin - Printable Version
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aero skin by bobby2000 on 03-20-2008 at 07:42 AM
Hey, i realise people have tried (and failed) to have the aero, but how about using windows blinds themeing engine as there's a theme for that with aero ?
just a suggestions, no idea whether it's possible or not
RE: aero skin by Willz on 03-20-2008 at 08:30 AM
quote:
Originally posted by bobby2000
Hey, i realise people have tried (and failed) to have the aero, but how about using windows blinds themeing engine as there's a theme for that with aero ?
just a suggestions, no idea whether it's possible or not
not possible as the way windows live messenger is structured does not allow it.
Ill give a reason as to why, if you select the option "show the menu bar" in windows live messenger you will get a normal windows frame. If you have windowblinds you will see that the outer frame gets skinned but the inner frame does not. Why?
Windows Live Messenger frame relys on Messengers own internal resources to define its frame and since Window Blinds only skins what is defined by a MSSTYLE it will not affect whats within the frame where Windows Live Messenger is.
Its a technical limitation that can not be changed as it would mean either Microsoft makes way for it or Stardock codes something that allows Messenger's UI to be changed.... either way its something we won't be seeing.
Its just way too much effort for just transparency on a program that was never meant to be skinned in the first place.
RE: aero skin by riahc4 on 03-20-2008 at 01:36 PM
quote:I disagree seeing that I strongly believe that someone can pull it off.
Originally posted by Willz
quote:
Originally posted by bobby2000
Hey, i realise people have tried (and failed) to have the aero, but how about using windows blinds themeing engine as there's a theme for that with aero ?
just a suggestions, no idea whether it's possible or not
not possible as the way windows live messenger is structured does not allow it.
Ill give a reason as to why, if you select the option "show the menu bar" in windows live messenger you will get a normal windows frame. If you have windowblinds you will see that the outer frame gets skinned but the inner frame does not. Why?
Windows Live Messenger frame relys on Messengers own internal resources to define its frame and since Window Blinds only skins what is defined by a MSSTYLE it will not affect whats within the frame where Windows Live Messenger is.
Its a technical limitation that can not be changed as it would mean either Microsoft makes way for it or Stardock codes something that allows Messenger's UI to be changed.... either way its something we won't be seeing.
Its just way too much effort for just transparency on a program that was never meant to be skinned in the first place.
Maybe some functions are missing now but later on (with the help of Plus!) I think it would be possible to have Aero powered skins.
RE: RE: aero skin by Willz on 03-20-2008 at 01:58 PM
quote:
Originally posted by riahc4
I disagree seeing that I strongly believe that someone can pull it off.
Maybe some functions are missing now but later on (with the help of Plus!) I think it would be possible to have Aero powered skins.
He was asking a question about whether it is possible and I answered it based on what we have now and I gave an answer which is right. Aero has been experimented with already to a great extent by several people and its just not going to happen until Microsoft changes how Messenger works internally.
I did not say that Aero is never going to come, again I was answering the question which asked if it was possible with window blinds right now which it isn't.
So please do not try to correct or argue with people when you do not get a grasp of what was said or even have knowledge as to what has already been tried. kthnxbai.
RE: aero skin by aNILEator on 03-20-2008 at 02:28 PM
On the contrary, we can get an aero resemblance (the diagonal stripes), just not aero glass/transparency
and willz has already corrected chair with the skinning stick so 
RE: aero skin by riahc4 on 03-20-2008 at 03:01 PM
quote:Again, I still think you are incorrect. Things currently in Messenger were 2-3 years ago impossible to think and you would be laughed at. I think it is possible but a method hasnt been discovered yet.
Originally posted by Willz
So please do not try to correct or argue with people when you do not get a grasp of what was said or even have knowledge as to what has already been tried. kthnxbai.
So please don't say No to something that is not impossible. If it can be done, it can be undone too.
RE: aero skin by Basilis on 03-20-2008 at 05:28 PM
Messenger Plus! gives users the option for transparent windows which means Patchou has found the way to do it.
RE: aero skin by Mike on 03-20-2008 at 05:44 PM
quote:MP! uses the SetLayeredWindowAttributes API, which is available since Windows 2000.
Originally posted by Basilis
Messenger Plus! gives users the option for transparent windows which means Patchou has found the way to do it.
This gives some pretty simple transparency and not the Aero look (blurring, stripes, etc).
Also, I don't think that it is possible to make transparent only regions of a window.
RE: aero skin by aNILEator on 03-20-2008 at 07:45 PM
quote:
Originally posted by riahc4
quote:Again, I still think you are incorrect. Things currently in Messenger were 2-3 years ago impossible to think and you would be laughed at. I think it is possible but a method hasnt been discovered yet.
Originally posted by Willz
So please do not try to correct or argue with people when you do not get a grasp of what was said or even have knowledge as to what has already been tried. kthnxbai.
So please don't say No to something that is not impossible. If it can be done, it can be undone too.
Like what? I remember skinning Messenger just fine 4-5 Years ago. Using Plus! and plugins like DJMystics Stuffplugin and all the other addons and hacks to go along with Windows Messenger.
Things have progressed, granted, but we never thought they were impossible. We're all more knowledge now, and in it's current form <= 9.0beta 1 it is impossible to get True Aero Glass Transparency, with it looking any good at all
RE: RE: aero skin by Willz on 03-20-2008 at 11:42 PM
quote:
Originally posted by riahc4
Again, I still think you are incorrect. Things currently in Messenger were 2-3 years ago impossible to think and you would be laughed at. I think it is possible but a method hasnt been discovered yet.
So please don't say No to something that is not impossible. If it can be done, it can be undone too.
Yeah again FYI i honestly don't care if you think I am wrong, i have talked to some of the best minds in the Messenger world about this topic several times and each of them come up with the same conclusion.
Mike has the right idea about this so yeah you can see that others do indeed know that it is not possible with what we have.
If you want to make people delusional then by all means keep running your mouth. I honestly don't care, the more you open your mouth the more it makes you look like a tool to others. So its win for me either way as its a battle of wits and you are clearly unarmed
RE: aero skin by ShawnZ on 03-21-2008 at 12:04 AM
two things:
Mike: it is possible to make only regions of a window transparent -- in fact, before applying Aero to a window, you need to make transparent the regions about to be aero-ified.
Willz: i remember you saying something about everyone giving up on giving messenger glass and mentioning my name, but i still believe it is currently possible as well 
RE: RE: aero skin by Willz on 03-21-2008 at 12:12 AM
quote:
Originally posted by ShawnZ
two things:
Mike: it is possible to make only regions of a window transparent -- in fact, before applying Aero to a window, you need to make transparent the regions about to be aero-ified.
Willz: i remember you saying something about everyone giving up on giving messenger glass and mentioning my name, but i still believe it is currently possible as well
lol I didn't know you were still working on that
Just out of interest have you managed to get further then what TheSteve did? That's generally the point where people conclude its not possible
RE: aero skin by ShawnZ on 03-21-2008 at 12:16 AM
quote:
Originally posted by Willz
Just out of interest have you managed to get further then what TheSteve did? That's generally the point where people conclude its not possible (Smilie)
no, but if that's where people conclude it isn't possible they're not trying very hard, because that point is pretty easy to get to
RE: RE: aero skin by Willz on 03-21-2008 at 12:28 AM
quote:
Originally posted by ShawnZ
quote:
Originally posted by Willz
Just out of interest have you managed to get further then what TheSteve did? That's generally the point where people conclude its not possible (Smilie)
no, but if that's where people conclude it isn't possible they're not trying very hard, because that point is pretty easy to get to
Yeah I am aware of that getting there is easy, the problem is controlling it and thats where people can't figure out what to do as there is no clear way of controlling it.
So yeah i'd say energy is best spent on advancing something else in skinning as its quite possible that Microsoft can go down the path of Windows Live Mail desktop (which has Aero enabled) for 9 beta. It would explain the delay in builds if they are doing that.
RE: aero skin by ShawnZ on 03-21-2008 at 12:43 AM
why do you have such an objection to adding glass to messenger? it seems like you're trying to avoid it
RE: RE: aero skin by Willz on 03-21-2008 at 12:51 AM
quote:
Originally posted by ShawnZ
why do you have such an objection to adding glass to messenger? it seems like you're trying to avoid it
I don't really have an objection to glass to be honest, the thing that I don't like is people talking about glass as if they know about what has already been tried and messengers current limitations (e.g riahc4).
At least with you, you have tried experimenting with glass so you know what is going on so I can respect that and any opinion you give, I won't shut it down, I'll merely just say whats been tried and what I think.
I honestly believe that if it is indeed possible, by the time someone figures it out properly and controls it well enough to be used, Microsoft will probably have added it themselves. That is why I am saying that energy is better spent on something else that would benefit those who aren't on Vista as Aero will only benefit Vista users.
RE: RE: RE: aero skin by TheSteve on 04-02-2008 at 01:38 AM
quote:I'd just like to add that the only reason I stopped trying with this is that I don't have access to an aero capable vista installation. (Just the virtual machine type)
Originally posted by Willz
Just out of interest have you managed to get further then what TheSteve did? That's generally the point where people conclude its not possible
If anyone is interested in trying as has program experience, I recommend looking at the Desktop Window Manager API
There are two things in messenger's architecture that *might* be the cause for problems. Messenger uses normal GDI functions to paint it's window. This can be a problem if the the desired operation requires that the alpha value remain intact.
The other possible problem is that messenger's UI is drawn entirely on a child window. The may prevent proper rendering.
In any case, you would need support from a separate program, (probably Messenger Plus if Patchou is willing to implement it.) in order to pull it off.