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Aero Glass for Win8 RC4


bigmuscle

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Yzowl, your script works only if you log off or restart but if you also revise and add a taskkill for dwm.exe then the aero enable change will be effective immediately..DP :yes:

Here's a slightly different version, which checks for the delimiter.

Expanding on what Aaaaa suggested, I played around with extracting the current value of AppInit_DLLs with a batch command. This script will read out our current value, save it to a variable then add the new value appended with the old value to the registry. I tested it on my win7 system and all the registry values were set correctly (assuming comma-delimited is how it works). I don't have a win8.0 machine anymore so can't test if loading the Aero Glass that way really works, but in theory it should.

@ECHO OFF

<snip />

Edited by Yzöwl
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especially when there's a "neet & sweet" Stardock's solution already available for a lot of time now. Yes, those guys don't have "true glass", but they do have transparency combined with theming "in one easy solution", not to mention the whole "easy of use" thing, which this software doesn't (and isn't going to, from what we heard so far).

But by being free of charge (and activation), BM's solution can escape being Stardock's competition, and be it's own thing.

That's just my opinion, nothing else. This isn't meant to criticize anything, or "tell anybody how to act".

Nope, there is no Stardock solution for Aero Glass. I don't even take it as a concurrency solution, because their software does something different. They provide theming application which is injected into system by very non-standard and undocumented way. It completely replaces default theme service resulting in incompatibility with many applications and provides only some degree of pseudotransparency rendered using GDI. On the other hand, my solution is completely native thing which renders real glass/blur effect using hardware accelerated Direct3D (Direct2D in Win8.1).

Both are totally different things and it is very good that user can choose what he is searching for :yes:

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My Aero Glass for Win8 v1.0 is working fine as well, added it to my W8 Unattended install and activated with no popups just fine,

Great Job BM!..DP :thumbup

Edited by DosProbie
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especially when there's a "neet & sweet" Stardock's solution already available for a lot of time now. Yes, those guys don't have "true glass", but they do have transparency combined with theming "in one easy solution", not to mention the whole "easy of use" thing, which this software doesn't (and isn't going to, from what we heard so far).

But by being free of charge (and activation), BM's solution can escape being Stardock's competition, and be it's own thing.

That's just my opinion, nothing else. This isn't meant to criticize anything, or "tell anybody how to act".

Nope, there is no Stardock solution for Aero Glass. I don't even take it as a concurrency solution, because their software does something different. They provide theming application which is injected into system by very non-standard and undocumented way. It completely replaces default theme service resulting in incompatibility with many applications and provides only some degree of pseudotransparency rendered using GDI. On the other hand, my solution is completely native thing which renders real glass/blur effect using hardware accelerated Direct3D (Direct2D in Win8.1).

Both are totally different things and it is very good that user can choose what he is searching for :yes:

Since they are totally different things, then can they be used together? I mean, if I have WindowBlinds, and I use your program, will the transparent windows have a blur behind them?

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AlexKven: You can use them together without any problem. However, you will see blur effect with Win8 default theme only. The reason is what I said above - WB completely replaces Windows theme service and draw the controls on their own using GDI, so DWM frames are not drawn at all (like if you enable Windows Basic style in Win7).

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Yes, people who donated before a certain date got it in advance. From what I understand, bigmuscle is currently still working on an installer (or simply enjoying the good weather, as people should)

Edited by Soukyuu
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Nope, there is no Stardock solution for Aero Glass. I don't even take it as a concurrency solution, because their software does something different. They provide theming application which is injected into system by very non-standard and undocumented way. It completely replaces default theme service resulting in incompatibility with many applications and provides only some degree of pseudotransparency rendered using GDI. On the other hand, my solution is completely native thing which renders real glass/blur effect using hardware accelerated Direct3D (Direct2D in Win8.1).

Both are totally different things and it is very good that user can choose what he is searching for :yes:

Important for you, me, and a cetain number of other "geeks". Doesn't make any sense for generic user: They just want "nice windows"©. Both apps do that (from their point of view), doesn't matter how we, being programmers, see them (from inside) as different. The only real difference for them: They can install and use WB on their own, and they can't "DWMGlass". Or have to use 3rd party installers, which as we all know, can create problems.

So, for simple people, S.D. is your competition whether you like to see them as such or not: That's harsh reality.

(If it wasn't nobody, for ex, would've mention it on that thread, but it was mentioned long before me a multitude of times.)

So what's really important here, with what simple users can actually have a problem with WB's approach: Compatibility.

But I'll humor you: Both my father (who doesn't even know, what a DLL is (besides it being "some important system file"©), and my grandmother (who knows not even that) had PCs with XP and Stardock's WB5 for about 5-7 years. My granny only uses simple stuff like Office and Outlook, my father uses some exotic apps for mathematical statistics, so he could've had problems... But... No! Not a single one with any relation to WB5 for, again about 7 years.

Me? I'd like to stick to your solution. I'm not average user, and for me it IS important that the entire stuff is just a single DLL without(!) installer. YES, I DO SEE IT (no installer) AS A PLUS.

It's free, it's lightweight, it solves the problems and NOTHING else.

Activation breaks that "nothing else" sense. It creates hassle in installation and usage.I don't mind paying at all, and was going to donate upon public release (like many other people here). But activation stuff really kills the "nice" your utility has, exactly because it was gonna be "just a single non-bothering dll" I was dreaming about.

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EvilAlex: Yeah, I understand that many users do not see any difference between my AG and Stardock's WB and they see only "skinning application". But my library is not directed to such users. My library is (since the beginning) aimed at advanced users who want fully native hardware accelerated glass frames with blur effect. That's all. If user just wants to skin his windows, he should select different solution.

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EvilAlex: Yeah, I understand that many users do not see any difference between my AG and Stardock's WB and they see only "skinning application". But my library is not directed to such users. My library is (since the beginning) aimed at advanced users who want fully native hardware accelerated glass frames with blur effect. That's all. If user just wants to skin his windows, he should select different solution.

with much respect and i fully take your point it will not be that - once its out in the wild the world and its dog - or all those that want AG will try it and use it if they can - i only know of your dll and the SD method - they are worlds apart - one gives the right effect and feel [yours] - the other is just SD's usual half ars*** solution - so imo your dll will be the preferred method - with the addition of a loader - yours or 3rd party it will work for many - be they advanced users or just Mr Average

once its released in a final version the computer press will pick it up [again] and the usage will snowball i think - what problems that creates is anybodies guess

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