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Clean Alt-Tab for Win8: desktop item and thumbnails removed


osRe

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I'm not completely convinced in Windows 8.1 it's working the way it did in Vista. Could it have been turned back to Z-order?

It's the kind of thing that took years to get used to using most effectively, then once they changed it I felt irritation for some years - until I kind of forgot about it and learned to look at the Alt-tab list more carefully.

I'd probably be fine with the ordering it's in now but for the Desktop entry. Can that be eliminated separately from all other changes?

-Noel

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Yes, I'm okay with the Win 8.1 Alt-Tab function overall, but I don't ever find any use in minimizing all applications and on a few occasions have accidentally done so then have had to bring them all back. I'd prefer Alt-Shift-Tab take you to the lowest item in the Z-order instead.

-Noel

Edited by NoelC
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  • 4 weeks later...

I registered an account just to be able to download your alt tab modification, having tried and disliked "Alt Tab Tuner VIII" and "VistaSwitcher" previously.

I tried both installation ways described in your "readme.txt", none worked.

The File Explorer way outputs "You require permission from TrustedInstaller to make changes to this file".

The Command Prompt way outputs "Access is denied."

Help would be appreciated.

Edited by 5r7nr6mnr85eb6e
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Noel, here's the Win81 x64 DLL without "Desktop" but with thumbnails.

5r7: Sorry, I forgot. You'd have to take ownership of the file and probably grant yourself "Full Control" permissions as well:

http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/2808-take-ownership-file-folder-drive-registry-key-windows-8-a.html

http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/2815-permissions-allow-deny-access-users-groups-windows-8-a.html

Yeah, a memory patcher will be handy. I might still eventually get to it. :)

CleanAltTab_win81_x64_with_thumbs.zip

Edited by shae
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Thanks for the reply.

Taking ownership wasn't enough, but after I gave my account "Full control" over the file I successfully deleted it.

I had created a backup copy of it before starting to change ownership and permissions but I didn't think to compare the unmodified original with the copy to see whether ownership and permissions were changed in the copy or not.

I like your modification very much.

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You can restore the access right later manually if you want, but it probably makes no practical difference at all.

Anyway, I wonder if Windows 9 will come with a more configurable task switcher. :)

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Noel, here's the Win81 x64 DLL without "Desktop" but with thumbnails.

VERY cool, thank you. I really didn't expect you to do a custom patch just for me.

I tested it in a VM - it works.

Unfortunately, a change to the content of this DLL causes a violation of system protection (SFC /verifyonly fails, for example), and it will sooner or later restore it to the version delivered by Microsoft. And I wonder... Could it cause a problem with Windows Updates (either the change might get undone, or worse, it might break the ability to update).

I think to do it more permanently/compatibly you'd have to do some kind of run-time patcher along the lines of what BigMuscle has done with Aero Glass.

Though I'm very impressed that you found the part of the code that eliminates the Desktop entry, I'm a bit disappointed that there was no registry setting change that would accomplish this one thing.

-Noel

Edited by NoelC
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  • 3 months later...
  • 4 weeks later...

By the way, it was great of you to create a special version for me before, with just the Desktop thumbnail removed.  That was very useful.  Unfortunately I didn't end up using it long-term because the file mods break Windows system protection.

 

Have you thought any more about maybe taking an alternate approach where you inject the changes at run-time, so that the Windows file(s) on disk don't end up changed?  Maybe augment the tool with a little control panel that would allow a user to tweak the Alt-Tab functionality just the way he/she likes...  That could also be a home for a [Donate] button...  ;)

 

I know this is not trivial to do.  It's just an idle thought..

 

-Noel

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Yes, that was the general idea. :) I tested memory patching some months ago, but I'd want to make it more generalized.

Generic patch format, multi-target, 32/64-bit in the same EXE, basic GUI, etc. But considering not many people are interested in this and most are probably techy, it didn't seem that important.

But there were a few other things I wanted to fix in Windows (probably will require hooking). Maybe I'll drag myself into doing all of it together.

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By the way, it was great of you to create a special version for me before, with just the Desktop thumbnail removed.  That was very useful.  Unfortunately I didn't end up using it long-term because the file mods break Windows system protection.

 

You mean it doesn't last? :(

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Any system file customization risks becoming obsolete when that system file is updated by MS, and by definition when you change a system file then Windows system protection, SFC, will usually complain about the file.

 

Cheers and Regards

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