Aero Glass for Win8.1 RTM RC3

[Soukyuu]

Because

The prototype is not intended for daily use nor for bug hunting.

[bigmuscle]

If you think people will benefit with your script, then make a seperate thread.

Yeah, that's the point. This thread is about providing the first look at implementation for Win8.1 and not about providing scripts for hardcoding the library into the system. I coded this two weeks ago (yeah, I have not much time to code currently so I just provided what I had done before) and I have not tested it at all thus running it automatically at startup is insane. It also makes no sense to start automatically something which stops working after several tens of minutes. It really does not help anyone.

[ace2]

If you think people will benefit with your script, then make a seperate thread.

Yeah, that's the point. This thread is about providing the first look at implementation for Win8.1 and not about providing scripts for hardcoding the library into the system. I coded this two weeks ago (yeah, I have not much time to code currently so I just provided what I had done before) and I have not tested it at all thus running it automatically at startup is insane. It also makes no sense to start automatically something which stops working after several tens of minutes. It really does not help anyone.

Works Great at boot and login no problems here

Well done bigmuscle, For a PROTOTYPE it works Great Thanks ace2

Edited September 11, 2013 by ace2

[WindowsOS]

Works fine with me. Debug log: https://www.dropbox.com/s/ex3ezpsz7lp84n0/debug.log

[MrGRiM]

Any update news on how things are going with the 8.1 implementation BM, do you intend on adding similar features as the 8 version, like bypass theme signature, rounded corners and so on?

[MagicAndre1981]

The prototype also works in Build 9471, but there are some glitches and artifacts.

[bigmuscle]

The prototype also works in Build 9471, but there are some glitches and artifacts.

yeah, glass safety zone rendering requires access to some private Direct2D structure. So if they are changed, glass safety zone won't be generated correctly although blur effect will still be present.

[Soukyuu]

I noticed one more glitch, but it's not appearing consistently. When I have chrome with one tab open and open a new tab, the upper part of the transparent border turns opaque for a second, then goes back to transparency. Here is a log about a minute after it happened: click

[NoelC]

I finally got around to trying this. Looks very promising.

I'm looking forward to the time when it can facilitate resource replacement via the CustomThemeResource registry entry, as that will take Windows 8.1 usability up another notch.

-Noel

[ptd163]

I can't wait for this. When you release AG for 8.1 I might change to it, because I already have everything else I need.

Tihiy's StartIsBack, Xxinightxx's Rounded AG Theme, Grim's Details pane patcher, and Winaero's Ribbon Disabler.

[bigmuscle]

AERO GLASS for Win8.1 Alpha 1

So for everyone who wants to TEST, let's call it alpha. It is full of bugs and not optimized at all. But it should work... maybe.

Some feature of Win8 version have been reimplemented - rounded corners, custom resources, glow effect, maybe bypassing theme signature (this has not been tested at all).

You can change some options via registry - blur deviation, transparency (aka BlurBalance).

For glow effect, you need to have glow.bmp in folder with DLL; for custom theme resource you need to save it as themeatlas.png into folder with DLL (no registry settings for these now).

There is a known glitch when frame extended into client area or ribbon window is covered by another frame (part of border will be black).

Currently 64-bit only and intended for testing purposes only.

At this time, I recommend to install it in the same way as Aero Glass for Win8. You can use loader from previous prototype but it won't load your registry per-user settings then.

http://prdownload.berlios.de/glass8/win81_x64_alpha1.7z

Edited September 7, 2013 by bigmuscle

[NoelC]

AERO GLASS for Win8.1 Alpha 1

At this time, I recommend to install it in the same way as Aero Glass for Win8.

Thank you. It's great to see you're making progress with this.

The DWMGlass.dll file is version 0.0.0.1, and I've set up the registry via the following, and the glass effect works nicely but the CustomThemeResource registry entry doesn't seem to be processed. There is no drop shadow and the theme resources appear to be the stock ones.

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Windows]

"LoadAppInit_DLLs"=dword:00000001

"AppInit_DLLs"="C:\\BIN\\DWMGlass.dll"

"RequireSignedAppInit_DLLs"=dword:00000000

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\DWM]

"CustomThemeResource"="C:\\BIN\\AlternateTheme.png"

Is there any dependence on the folder being C:\DWM? I've put the software in C:\BIN.

Here's the debug.log:

[0x338] Machine ID: CG6OCCLNFHOH5LOSAU3ILTAPGVTLO335QDLJRAKI4LOGYZUQ

[0x338] License file not loaded (2)

[0x338] Creating debug console...

[0x338] Hook (api-ms-win-core-registry-l1-1-0.dll!RegQueryValueExW from dwm.exe) installed

[0x338] Hook (USER32.dll!CreateWindowExW from dwm.exe) installed

[0x338] Hook (GDI32.dll!CreateRoundRectRgn from udwm.dll) installed

[0x338] Hook (USER32.dll!DrawTextW from udwm.dll) installed

[0x338] Hook (GDI32.dll!CreateBitmap from udwm.dll) installed

[0x338] Delayed hook (UxTheme.dll!GetThemeStream from udwm.dll) installed

[0x338] Glass DLL correctly loaded.

[0x3B0] DBGHELP: Symbol Search Path: .;C:\BIN\symbols

[0x3B0] CTopLevelWindow::UpdateOcclusionHints hooked successfuly

[0x3E4] Failed to load custom theme file (0x2)

[0x3E4] Propagating user logon successful.

[0x3E4] Failed to load custom theme file (0x2)

[0x46C] Hook (USER32.dll!CreateWindowExW from shell32.dll) installed

[0x46C] Hook (USER32.dll!SetWindowCompositionAttribute from explorer.exe) installed

[0x46C] Hook (dwmapi.dll!DwmEnableBlurBehindWindow from explorer.exe) installed

[0x46C] Hook (USER32.dll!LoadImageW from themecpl.dll) installed

[0xFEC] Hook (USER32.dll!CreateWindowExW from shell32.dll) installed

[0xFEC] Hook (USER32.dll!SetWindowCompositionAttribute from explorer.exe) installed

[0xFEC] Hook (dwmapi.dll!DwmEnableBlurBehindWindow from explorer.exe) installed

[0xFEC] Hook (USER32.dll!LoadImageW from themecpl.dll) installed

[0xB08] Hook (USER32.dll!CreateWindowExW from shell32.dll) installed

[0xB08] Hook (USER32.dll!SetWindowCompositionAttribute from explorer.exe) installed

[0xB08] Hook (dwmapi.dll!DwmEnableBlurBehindWindow from explorer.exe) installed

[0xB08] Hook (USER32.dll!LoadImageW from themecpl.dll) installed

[0xFEC] Hook (USER32.dll!SetWindowCompositionAttribute from explorer.exe) installed

Please let me know if there's anything else you'd like me to check.

-Noel

[bigmuscle]

For glow effect, you need to have glow.bmp in folder with DLL; for custom theme resource you need to save it as themeatlas.png into folder with DLL (no registry settings for these now).

[NoelC]

Thanks. Setting the name of the file to themeatlas.png works.

Now the only things wrong I'm seeing are these:

1. File Explorer and other ribbon-enabled windows such as WordPad don't get a title background glow.

2. The title background glow could be brighter with the other windows where it does work to improve readability.

3. Sometimes with multiple overlapping windows open I'm seeing glitches in the glass background in the form of broad swaths of color that looks like it's coming from somewhere else. I've pointed orange arrows at it in the following screen grab.

4. The Hue/Saturation/Brightness controls in the Color and Appearance control panel work, but they're not quite calibrated the same way as in Windows 8. I can't quite achieve the same look as I have with the older system - but they're not far off.

This looks very promising for Windows 8.1! Well done so far!

-Noel

Edited September 7, 2013 by NoelC

[bigmuscle]

1. File Explorer and other ribbon-enabled windows such as WordPad don't get a title background glow.

It is the same reason as in Win8 - it's not DWM related, these windows renders glow effect on their own. Nothing to do except of modifying Windows theme directly.

2. The title background glow could be brighter with the other windows where it does work to improve readability.

I don't understand exactly. Glow image can be modified in image editor, but I used the same image like in Win8 RP.

3. Sometimes with multiple overlapping windows open I'm seeing glitches in the glass background in the form of broad swaths of color that looks like it's coming from somewhere else. I've pointed orange arrows at it in the following screen grab.

I believe it happens for windows which were opened when DWM was starting. Nothing to do about it - these windows are already marked as "non-transparent" and it is not so easy to clear the bit.

4. The Hue/Saturation/Brightness controls in the Color and Appearance control panel work, but they're not quite calibrated the same way as in Windows 8. I can't quite achieve the same look as I have with the older system - but they're not far off.

Right, colorization algorithm has not been applied yet.