NoelC

I don't know how the load of the custom resources by DWMGlass.dll interacts with custom themes... I have no custom theme software installed in my system, just BigMuscle's program. Seems to me I've read somewhere in this thread that others are getting all the parts to work together. You might want to take the time to read the whole thread (yeah, that's daunting, but informative). -Noel

You just need to have BigMuscle's software load an alternate theme resource file such as the one I provided a link for and that we've been talking about on the last few pages. See this post for instructions: http://www.msfn.org/...ost__p__1040820 -Noel

I tried the various effects being more subtle, and it just felt like it wanted something more. I did start with the Windows 8 data, and dolled-up the buttons a good bit with subtle effects. Feel free to use it, or if you suggest things I can change, specifically, I'll be happy to do so. If you get the full theme stuff to work, then you'll be able to get a glow to show behind the title on File Explorer windows, right? I think that will be important for it to seem like a full and complete product. -Noel

Hi Drake, You might have posted the wrong file... There's quite a bit of difference between the theme I posted and yours... -Noel

BigMuscle, did you see my last post (#1878) with my most recently updated theme file? http://www.msfn.org/board/topic/161788-aero-glass-for-win8-rc2/page__view__findpost__p__1041175 I think the hint of rounded corners, yet the squarer, slightly flatter controls says "a better Windows 8 desktop" pretty nicely. Of course I'm willing to tweak the file any way you'd like, just let me know. You already have my eMail address if you'd like to take the conversation private. But you're right; the ability to load full themes at run time, if you can pull that off, would please a WHOLE lot of folks who feel uncomfortable with changing their system files, and take your product to whole new level beyond your already impressive achievement. -Noel

Ah yes, that's right, BigMuscle did ask for logs. I've done a ton of DWM restarts in tidying up the theme resource file. Hope that doesn't throw you off. If it does, I'll be happy to reset the log file and gather a new one, since I think the theme resource file is to my liking. Here you go: http://Noel.ProDigitalSoftware.com/temp/debug.log -Noel

Thanks for the feedback. I just fixed that "offset shadow" thing, and now it looks cleaner. I wonder if you'd be willing to take a moment to try it again... Same link, updated file. http://Noel.ProDigit...ernateTheme.png Nothing is set in stone, and I'm willing to tweak it until you like it. Here's what it looks like now... -Noel

Have you tried the updated theme resource file I created (the link is some pages back by now)? I think it's a pretty good balance between the "square/flat" look Microsoft wants for Windows 8 and the elements you mentioned (drop shadows, etc.) It even reintroduces a hint of rounded corners through some visual trickery. Here's the link again: http://Noel.ProDigitalSoftware.com/ForumPosts/AlternateTheme.png -Noel

BigMuscle should be proud - being the only person in the world to be able to accomplish what every other person wants is no small feat! -Noel

As mentioned, it's done by certain theme resources being composited behind the text. But you don't need a "theming" package to change this. BigMuscle has provided a way to have the Aero Glass for Win8 package load a custom set of theme resources from a PNG file. All you have to do is put a copy of a theme PNG resource file on your system in a readable location, e.g., the same place you put the DWMGlass.dll file, then add this registry entry to your registry: [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\DWM] "CustomThemeResource"="C:\\YourPath\\AlternateTheme.png" Make sure to use the double backslashes to escape slashes in the path. Several of us have made theme resource PNGs to add text highlighting and other things like better drop shadows around Windows. Here's mine: http://Noel.ProDigitalSoftware.com/ForumPosts/AlternateTheme.png The good part about this is it requires absolutely no modification of the system files, so things like SFC still think the system is healthy. -Noel

If you actually have something to say, please use enough words so that others don't have to try to guess at what you mean, and while you're at it please delete the excessive quoting. Personally I have a suspicion that Microsoft is going to have done some things to Windows 8.1 that may break BigMuscle's approach, at least for a while, but we can hope it will be something that can be worked around. Their leadership doesn't seem to be wavering on its course toward the rocks. I don't know how it is that some people get to define such obviously wrong directions and have big companies stick with them for years, seeming without anyone noticing that they're about to trash the whole company. -Noel

Working beautifully here. Even the Magnifier application now works almost right (it just doesn't scale up the level of blur). Just to be clear, it works this way in Windows 7 as well. Regarding the look with ClassicShell, perhaps we can get Ivo Beltchev to offer a special Aero Glass option for Windows 8 in ClassicShell. I'll go ask... Edit: Asked - http://www.classicsh...57&p=3257#p3257 -Noel

Here's a registry file that will unload Aero Glass for Win8. After running it, log out then back in again and Aero Glass for Win8 will not start. Click Here If you'd rather not trust the file, this is what's in the above: Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00 [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Windows] "LoadAppInit_DLLs"=dword:00000000 "AppInit_DLLs"="" "RequireSignedAppInit_DLLs"= [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\DWM] "CustomThemeResource"= -Noel

Generally speaking, what BigMuscle usually asks for to start with are the .log files that are created in the same folder as the .DLL. -Noel

True, I have the main RC0 version. Sorry if I ended up confusing things. -Noel

You seem to have a lot of problems on your system Tusticles. Haven't seen any issues with overlapping IE windows myself, so keep the faith - it's possible for it to work right. What video card and driver version do you have? Have you checked for updates to that (e.g., from AMD.com or nVidia.com)? -Noel

Very interesting that what sounds like a system DLL is actually showing up in multiple versions (including one newer than the one in Windows itself) inside WinSxS. -Noel

That could well be true; BigMuscle's software does require certain things to be in certain places and of specific versions. If you read the prior 20 or 30 pages of this thread you'll see what versions of what DLLs he's looking for. You could check yours. I don't know what the deal is with your copy of Windows 8, but you can download a free evaluation version of Windows 8 Enterprise from Microsoft that activates and is fully functional for 90 days, and can be rearmed once via "slmgr -rearm" for another 90 days. This means that for virtual machine usage you could save a snapshot that's fully configured before the first 90 days is up, then just restore that snapshot and rearm it for each subsequent 3 month period. Not as convenient as never having to do it, but it doesn't cost anything, and you CAN update it freely. -Noel

I'm using it in a VMware virtual machine quite successfully. Have you tried adjusting the various settings in the Personalization control panel? -Noel

Excellent! I no longer see any artifacts, which frankly weren't bad to begin with. Well done, BigMuscle. If you'd like to package the .png file I developed for use with your tool, which increases drop shadows and adds a faux rounded look, please feel free. -Noel

Version 0.9 works perfectly for me (save for very minor very occasional light artifacts on the blurred regions of other windows, somewhat away from the edge of an overlapping window, and which go away if you hover over a caption button.) Looks beautiful (as 0.8 did). There is no difference that I can see (artifacts are the same). Explorer and Wordpad still do not put a light blur behind window titles, though most other windows do. Everything's nice and snappy, and changing content behind blurred title bars properly updates. -Noel

Try the new Catalyst 13.4 driver release, just out. -Noel

That looks quite good, ORelio. What tool are you using to edit the resources? -Noel

Pretty glass effects aside, I don't see how people can stand the lack of drop shadows in the standard Windows 8 desktop theme. I find the shadows, and indeed all the "faux" 3D effects and other things that polish the look of the desktop elements, essential to help visually differentiate windows from one another. -Noel

I don't have specific advice, but I just wanted to mention I have an array of 4 OCZ Vertex 3 drives in RAID 0 via a HighPoint 2720SGL controller, and they work flawlessly and quite fast. Intel RST is not involved; Highpoint has their own driver. -Noel