Window frame blurring...

from WinCustomize Forums
Hi there. I've been dealing with lack of blurring for a while, but blurring is something that WindowBlinds 6 promised. I want it working.

The [DWMSettings] Alpha=0 trick seemed to work, but I'm not using Vienna2 anymore. I'm using Sexy, and it has shadows. The blur seems to extend to go underneath the shadows, not just under the window frame. Is there any way to adjust the blur area yet?

Also, I've noticed how brilliantly the taskbar, start menu, and even menus in general blur. If I may ask, why are window frames handled so much differently? I know they work great on XP (except when a titlebar's over a titlebar... this is negligible to me)... why does it have to be different for Vista?
windowblinds
3,402 views 7 replies
Reply #1 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Also, setting Colour=0,0,0 under the DWMSettings also makes the blur more like what's on the other elements. I pretty much just now found that out, and it makes the blurred shadows more stand-able.
Reply #2 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Good luck on this.. I assume your on Vista and must have got Sexy Vista from my Maxstyles.. I have been thru hell and back trying to fix that issue.. talked it over with Neil, some other Master skinenrs.. I do not have an answer for it and it is fully disclaimed on my site before purchase.

Blurring in general has some issues in Vista that have still not been worked out. I tend not to use it unless I'm on XP. I stessed on it for weeks to no avail.

Sorry I can't offer up more help I'm equally as aggravated about it. Good question as to why the frames work so much worse than everywhere else.

See here... WWW Link
Sins of a Solar Empire II
Reply #3 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I've already seen the thread, and Sexy is worth the whole $5 that I spent. Yeah, I'm on Vista. I know about all the crap with blurring, yes. But hey, do Colour=0,0,0 and Alpha=0. It's more easily standable... And I'm actually using the blur with it right now. It just doesn't work as well as the other elements.
Reply #4 from Stardock Forums Top
I can't even get menu trans and blur to work at all. Anyone else exprerience this?
Reply #5 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Everyting is working for me, but then again I'm using XP Home. There are some skins that don't allow blurring even with XP.   
Reply #6 from Stardock Forums Top
Meh, noticed that menu bluring works, but some apps don't allow for it.
Reply #7 from WinCustomize Forums Top
You might need to force blurring by clicking the top radio button, "Always blur even if blahblahblah". And if I remember correctly... I don't think XP can blur menus.


Also, here's some screenshots of the hack-around blurring in action.




However, if you do choose to use this little hack-around, it will affect windows like this, just as Neil Banfield himself said in my other thread way back when:



It's weird - while dragging that window around, it seemed a little bit like the blur behind the titlebar was stronger than the blur behind the thingie underneath it. It'd be nice to be able to adjust the blur strength, but that's a pipe dream for a much later release.


Anyways, just like Neil said: to do it, open up the skin's uis file, add the section below to it at the bottom, then re-apply the skin.

[DWMSettings]
Alpha=0
Colour=0,0,0