Wolfshadow

They may have removed the info, but they still left the ability in Windows 8~8.1. Otherwise Stardock would not be able to provide blur or transparence in their Windowblinds. VS2013 is a travesty anyways and geared more toward cloud and mobile units. They even folded Expression web into it so as to not have to keep competing with Adobe. IMHO VS2012 is way more stable and far less bloated. There reasons are PR tricks and smoke. Give people something and see what happens. They waffled on the whole start menu thing. It will be the same with aero somewhere down the road. They leave the viable code in in case popular opinion goes against them. That way they do not have to recreate the wheel from scratch. When they hook it back in via an update, they look like saints.

To chime in real quick on this, Stardock has repeatedly claimed to be working with Microsoft to improve their product line, so I do not totally agree that Microsoft does not want AeroGlass to be around. There is also the fact that Microsoft has published on their tech site all the info bigmuscle used and uses to make his program work. It is what in Microsoft' view is their "open source" policy.

If you are using the theme atlas, you would have to change it to a button using a modified version of the atlas file. It would involve the three X buttons in the picture. Huh? I don't see any picture! My bad, you are talking about his gui program.....doh!

If you are using the theme atlas, you would have to change it to a button using a modified version of the atlas file. It would involve the three X buttons in the picture.

At the early stage of his project, I believe memory serves me, he had mentioned a 2 to 3 euro rate would get a key. But even at that, take into consideration that he spends his free time to this. He now has a cost of hosting attached to it. As programs go, this is a must have for many people. Now consider that BM looks on this project as an experiment/utility for his own growth as a programmer. He makes no excuse for the donation for a key. He asks for a meaningful sum to see what you feel his work is worth to have it further developed. How much determines if all you want to do is stop the debugging window (which helps in finding flaws) and the watermark (which stops one from publishing without regard to his work). AeroGlass is not a company designed program like other theming programs, and for the foreseeable future can be used indefinitely and upgraded as changes are made for as long as you want. I gave a sum which resulted in four keys. That will help if I change machines or hard drives (no I will not tell you how much). That is worth a bunch to me. And I have had them since the pre v1.0 days and have not been disappointed in any way. I have always had help from bigmuscle and others on this forum (tks NoelC, I'm trying to pay it forword). All this is getting at is to make one think about any software you have bought in the past, and the cost to upgrade to newer versions, or in some cases to even pay for support. I donate to many 'free' software on what the software means to me. If it doesn't work that well, then I just put up with watermarks, nags to go pro, or ads. Most times, I delete them and get on with life. As bigmuscle has done, someone always comes out with a superior work that is totally worth donating decent money for. Ok, I'm off my soapbox...paying it forward and back to you NoelC edit: BTW, bigmuscle, the link for my keys worked flawless.

And they said it couldn't be done....

Easy does it DosP, what you say is so true. But you know how some might misconstrue that statement. There are many who will start thinking in the wrong direction..... And yes bphlpt, this thread is long and getting longer as we linger here. Sometimes these threads seem to take on a life of their own. I for one would like to see bigmuscle do as he said at one point and close this one and then start a new one. And I might point out that he is on other forums as well. MSFN may be his home right now, but other groups also have threads on AeroGlass that he responds too as well.

I don't think that is what he wants to do, as I could have done the same. He wants to do his own on a hosting site. There are benefits to doing this. Chief among them is support for his account and site. I personally use and advocate GoDaddy as being rock solid with a very responsive support team. In all the years they have been up, they have only experienced one DDNS attack. And most of their servers were back up and running 100% in three hours! Asking questions will not make the site go up a longer wait. If he sees a question that "needs" to be addressed, I'm sure he will be on and answer it. In the meantime, as NoelC put it: "Patience Grasshopper, patience".

Ok, my two cents worth. Being in the web business, it will take some time for BM to get everything set up. His hardest will probably be getting a domain name that someone else has not got. On a domain check, aeroglass.com is taken, however aeroglassbybigmuscle.com is available. Next, it will depend on what he had on berlios. If it was normal html or php structure, he can upload to the new host in a short amount of time. If not, then he will have to code out new pages or have someone else do it. If using Wordpress, or any other CM, his host has to meet certain minimum requirements to run properly. Then testing and more testing. He has to wait as the domain is 'populated' on the web. That can take up to 24 hours. He has to set up a database that will work with his license generator program among other things. Again testing. Lots to do, so you may want to give him a break, and be patient.

c80n, I have to agree on most of the comments made for your situation. AeroGlass allows for blur to transparency of the window dynamics. But to a point. There are two ways to control theming. One is by using a theme atlas with AG. You link to it using the initial setup and the atlas that comes with AG, or by using the registry setting to point to it. It is used with the Windows standard aero themes and affects only certain areas of the 'window'. The other is to use a 3rd party theme. However, it may be locked against blur/transparency settings and can only be changed by using a program called Windows Style Builder. With it, you change attributes and metrics of many parts of the desktop and other items. But even this has some limitations. Some areas cannot be changed and is controlled by system files. I believe what NoelC is getting at is this thread is already long and asking similar situations makes it longer, especially if the issue has been addressed but the question still remains. Hope this helps.

You just have to make a DWM key and then the DisableGlassOnBattery DWord. It will automatically set at '0'.

c80n From some themes I've played with, the artists will have a separate registry file that tweaks the metrics of the windows An example is http://www.deviantart.com/art/Concave-VS-8-1-450314266 . Others have it coded into the msstyles file. You may want to research into 'WindowMetrics' on information to create your own .reg file. But back up the original first (had to be said).

You do realize that that gives you six machines to run AeroGlass on? Each key will be assigned to a machine code and generated for that code. Six machine codes = six different license files = six different machines.

You will have to check, but you probably are allowed quite a few keys from the one donation. Do not come down too hard on dhjohns. I and the wife are on disability in the USA and it can be tough to justify some expenses. I have four keys, and I did not donate as much. I would give him one, but I am not sure if BM can do that as it is tied to the email and zip of your PayPal account. Hang in their dhjohns, you will find a way. To Ace2, care to share the wisdom without using AeroGlass? Or is it from using Winaero or some other program?

One aspect of the watermark and debug window to be disabled by donation and getting a licensing file is piracy. Bigmuscle works hard to create this utility/project and it would be a shame to have it plastered all over for free if he handled it differently. Now he has to find another way to serve all this up which will cost him, so donations will go a long way in helping him with this. I do web sites and know the cost of hosting, even if you get it for half price for a while, it still is a cost factor. As far as donations are concerned, the watermark is far better than having the install routine loaded with toolbars, changing your home page, or having it connect to the web to display ads.

Any time... In my experience, the glow can be theme specific depending on how it is created. I have Windows Floating for 8.1.1 from http://www.deviantart.com/art/Windows-Floating-for-Windows-8-1-1-May-27-2014-456874063 and have glow in all the windows.

What theme are you using to get the my Pc tab look?

Here is a screenshot at least. I wouldn't mind the glow missing so much as the alignment jumping around every other directory. Thank you NoelC for the detailed description. So does everyone's text go out of alignment? EDIT: I just realized the file you have highlighted, and whether it pops up one of those tabs like 'Picture Tools' is the culprit. I don't think vanilla 8.1 bumps the title over though. It is definitely not the theme. I have "windows_floating_for_windows_8_1_1__may_27__2014__by_double_rainbow_ei8ht" on mine and just uninstalled OldNewExplorer, and the text jumps with the pop-up tabs when using the ribbon toolbar feature. Using ONE with a regular toolbar will eliminate this behavior if you do not use or want the ribbon.

Sorry to disappoint you but it is your millionth post where you are claiming that Aero Glass is not for you (or you won't be using it) but you are still here If you read most of my posts it's to help and support the people you fail to help, and to test any changes aero glass has, so i can offer the right help. DWMGlass.dll is an excellent project, but you fail this project on so many levels it will fail. Most people can find the help, as you have pointed to (as have I), if only they would READ bigmuscles's AeroGlass site. Most of what is needed is there on the guide page. Others that have had legitimate problems related to the software have always been helped. The fact that this forum is so long with a lot of whiners (not necessary meaning you) has most people not looking for the solutions by reading previous postings as well. I can see BM's point in this. If it is your 'conclusion' that AeroGlass is not for you, then do not use it. Conclusion means 'an end' or 'summery'. People will not see help in this kind of statement, only a perception that the software is not of any worth. This does not help advance the project, only hurt it. Stating it over and over with no 'conclusion' included as to why it is not for you will only confuse people and that is not 'help'.

You guys should take a look at http://www.deviantart.com/art/Windows-Floating-for-Windows-8-1-1-May-27-2014-456874063 for DoubleSAnimation's newest theme. It is my newest favorite from his series of themes. Great job my friend!

On your first question, go here: http://glass8.berlios.de/guide.html , scroll done to the registry tweaks and look for the DisableGlassOnBattery DWord under HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\DWM. If you are running a fairly clean version on 8.1 Update 1, you may have to create a DWM key in the Windows key section. Then click on the DWM key and on the right create a new DWord and leave it on '0' to use glass on battery power. As to the second question, bigmuscle posted this on this forum page above:

@f23948 As you can see from Tihiy's quote, this is a test version and not an actual release like his StartIsBack. I am sure that when the time comes, Tihiy and no one else will decide if he wants "donations". He has a life you know, and develops when he gets to it (see his quote "lazy-development"), not by how much is donated to the project. Know this, coding is very time consuming. Worse when Microsoft releases updates. You can have everything all set and have it all undone by one update. No amount of "donations" will make this any easier or faster.

@NoelC That is odd behavior. When I have done copy/paste/move, I will get the transfer dialog window (box) and if it has an issue of overwrite, that dialog replaces the action dialog in the same box. I haven't experienced your situation. I will usually move it to the side so I can keep an eye on it. I do not have two windows going though I have used Total Commander but with no problems there as well. I take from your history that I can assume this even happens with a clean install? I too go back to the days of Dos 4 and up and using windows 3.0 and up. I try to keep my third party programs to a minimum and use jv16 power tools to monitor my registry for any problems. ps. Went to your link, not questioning your abilities. Just never see most of the problems people have. Any I have had I can usually fix without problems. I am not an engineer, but hard knocks from the eighties with some college level courses in computers. Have built, fixed and repaired my own and others since the 1992. pps. Just followed up on your convos at your link and understand what you are saying now. You would like the dialog window to re-appear on top when it needs attention. Got it now. Having it 'on top' attributed would also be a pain as it would be in the way all the time as well. At least the taskbar flashes when it needs attention. That is some consolation. Mine have never auto minimized though.

I believe that attribute is called 'focus'. I am not sure if Tihiy wants to mess with that as it involves attribute changes to a specific event, but which might be tied into other events as well. The reason the dialog box (or window) goes behind is that you changed the focus with the mouse to another window.

Although a one app does it all approach is nice, you have to consider a few things. All of theses small programs use a minimalist impact on performance. It could all be very well to use one program, but then it starts to become bloatware like so many other programs, and starts effecting performance. Next, Bigmuscle and Tihiy already have their respective areas of development. Why re-invent the wheel. They could join and combine their products, but then would have to find the time to do that, etc. It could be a matter of not stepping on toes as well. Then there's the problem of Microsoft discretely (or not) changing things from time to time. It is easier to keep up with those if you are working with only certain areas. Lastly, I believe Bigmuscle has not joined the fray here on this issue is simply that, as stated earlier, he did have a way of doing it, but took it out because it had issues with the program as a whole. He wants to concentrate on the desktop and make it as efficient as possible without dealing with another section of windows. I am sure that the Fall 2014 release is going to give Tihiy headaches with his program, so why would Bigmuscle want to deal with it as well.