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Author Topic: IDEA: always-on-top transparent picture viewer  (Read 34018 times)

sesammases

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IDEA: always-on-top transparent picture viewer
« on: September 12, 2008, 05:08 PM »
I want to place a logotype in one corner of the screen. A bit like TV-stations often show their logotype in the top right corner.

This one is quite close: http://www.htmlapp.c...goto=transparent_ups
Even if I buy their shareware, I doubt I could get rid of the frame that appears when aiming on top of the logo. And I need transparency through the picture, since it's probably going to cover some important parts of any maximised window :).

I also looked through http://www.nonags.com/nonags/grview.html and read about BS Player http://www.hardforum...ead.php?p=1032947291

But I don't find any util that does:
At startup
1. lets me choose a picture (GIF or PNG)
2. shows the picture, without any frame (like a splash screen) in the top right corner, and must stay always on top.
3. Then the picture becomes visually and functionally transparent. If I have a maximised window, I should see through and be able to click minimise/restore/close as usual.

This is the "logotype watermark, as seen on TV!" :-). I don't know if I _need_ any more features.

Some more ideas, most important to me first:
Bonus 1.
It would be cool if animated GIFs could work. Or AVI, but then without control buttons, just the picture. (With each file format, adjusting the window and media box control sizes might be the biggest task.)

Bonus 2.
Be able to change the transparency percentage/level. (I think there exists freeware/shareware that can adjust transparency of the whole window, which should do the trick. It could be handy to not have to run an extra program though.)

Bonus 3.
Be able to position the picture. This could be done at startup, maybe by moving the mouse and clicking to confirm the position. (That same transparency-program I seem to remember could also adjust positioning and other things by editing numbers.)

I'd like to not have this toy/tool showing anything in the task bar, to make it a bit trickier to close by mistake. Tray icon not neededclosing via Task Manager is good enough :). But I think this place has a standard of adding some links to the website, which would fit in on the tray icon then.

In Windows 95 times I did some Visual Basic program that almost managed the basic functionality, using source from searches on "splash screen" and "tray icon". Or if I got it from a programming intro book :0. There were some nasty win32 api calls in it. So if someone has a programming environment ready, I could support the programming process by looking up some source code examples!

VideoInPicture

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Re: IDEA: always-on-top transparent picture viewer
« Reply #1 on: September 12, 2008, 05:19 PM »
What would this program be used for?
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sesammases

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Re: IDEA: always-on-top transparent picture viewer
« Reply #2 on: September 12, 2008, 05:48 PM »
I would run it when I'm working with a client, or maybe when preparing an installation, to expose the company logotype.

Ah, now I remember another bonus idea.
Bonus 4.
Be able to work as a Screensaver. (In the old days, this meant renaming the .exe to .scr and making sure it could accept some command-line parameters, making some calls to remind Windows if the screensaver is running or not, and detecting mouse/keyboard events that should tell windows the screensaver is shutting down, and then shut down :)

belkira

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Re: IDEA: always-on-top transparent picture viewer
« Reply #3 on: September 12, 2008, 06:02 PM »
While not perfect, and Im sure someone else will come up with something better here is something that should work.
You will need to set the x value and possibly the y value in the gui show line to place the image where you want it.
The level for the transparancy is 0 to 255. 0 makes the window invisible while 255 makes it opaque.

fileselectfile, pic,,,Select the picture to use
gui,add,picture,w200 h-1, %pic%
gui, -sysmenu +toolwindow -caption +alwaysontop
gui, show, x1080 y0, Watermark
Winset, Transparent,150,Watermark
WinSet, ExStyle, +0x00000020, Watermark
return


guiclose:
exitapp
« Last Edit: September 13, 2008, 12:47 AM by belkira »

VideoInPicture

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Re: IDEA: always-on-top transparent picture viewer
« Reply #4 on: September 21, 2008, 07:34 PM »
http://customdesktoplogo.wikidot.com

CDL_Excel_Coca_Cola.jpgIDEA: always-on-top transparent picture viewer1
CDL_Word_Coca_Cola.jpgIDEA: always-on-top transparent picture viewer2
CDL_PowerpointFull_Coca_Cola.jpgIDEA: always-on-top transparent picture viewer3
CDL_Google_DonationCoder.jpgIDEA: always-on-top transparent picture viewer4
CDL_SelectImages.jpgIDEA: always-on-top transparent picture viewer5
CDL_Location.jpgIDEA: always-on-top transparent picture viewer6
CDL_AnimationGraphics.jpgIDEA: always-on-top transparent picture viewer7
CDL_Size.jpgIDEA: always-on-top transparent picture viewer8
CDL_Language.jpgIDEA: always-on-top transparent picture viewer9
CDL_Folder_Coca_Cola.jpgIDEA: always-on-top transparent picture viewer10

http://customdesktoplogo.wikidot.com

I've coded Custom Desktop Logo that I think will suit your needs. I've tried searching for other desktop logo programs out on the net but didn't find anything that actually did a good job of rendering the graphics, particularly with PNG images. I think Custom Desktop Logo can be considered one of the best desktop logo programs out there based on what I've tested.

For a desktop logo program, you will only want to use PNG images because:
PNG images have alpha channel data as part of the image format and Custom Desktop Logo uses this data to create smooth, professional looking graphics. Most other popular image formats, such as GIF, JPEG, and BMP, do not have alpha channel data and if rendered to a desktop setting, look unprofessional. It is possible to render other image formats to the desktop but during coding, I chose not to allow it because of the poor results that would occur otherwise

I think Custom Desktop Logo is quite useful in it's current state and is very stable so you can use it in presentations. I think many professionals will find this to be a useful tool to help brand their company.

Note: .Net Framework 2.0 or later is required to run Custom Desktop Logo.

Features of Custom Desktop Logo
  • Create static or animated desktop logos using PNG images. Use it for presentations and fair booths to help brand your company or product.
  • Renders professional looking logos that can either stay on top of everything or stay on the desktop.
  • Multi-monitor support - create logos across all your monitors.
  • Many display location options for the placement of the logo on your screen.
  • Control the logo opacity, size, animation speed, and delays between animations.
  • Multi-language compatible. Simply translate the English.ini file in the Languages folder to a language of your choice.
  • Your mouse movements and clicks pass right through the logos so it doesn't interfere with your work.

What Sets Custom Desktop Logo Apart From Other Desktop Logo Programs
  • It is a high quality program that is open source and free to use. Donate to the project development if you like the program.
  • It correctly renders professional looking graphics from PNG images using alpha blending. This means that the logo appears to be part of your screen instead of having borders that appear all pixelated and off color.
  • Stable and easy to use. Run it all day long without problems.

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Author of Video In Picture: http://videoinpicture.wikidot.com
Author of Webcam Signature: http://webcamsignature.wikidot.com
Author of Easy Unicode Paster: http://easyunicodepaster.wikidot.com
« Last Edit: September 21, 2008, 07:52 PM by VideoInPicture »

mouser

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Re: IDEA: always-on-top transparent picture viewer
« Reply #5 on: September 21, 2008, 07:43 PM »
Eric, you continue to amaze.

I hope i don't have to remind people that if you appreciate what Eric has been creating on the forum, that you send him a few donationcredits and a word of encouragement!  We are extremely lucky to have coders like Eric roaming the forum and implementing requests and we need to let him know how much it's appreciated.

-mouser

perlguy

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Re: IDEA: always-on-top transparent picture viewer
« Reply #6 on: October 08, 2008, 11:35 PM »
This might fit the bill... http://www.noping.net/kent/osiva/

drag the image you want onto the drop spot, size how you want, hit "T" to make transparent... Or, set the transparency level if you want translucency. then minimize the toolbar.

Drakh

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Re: IDEA: always-on-top transparent picture viewer
« Reply #7 on: June 08, 2010, 04:39 PM »
Great piece of software, simple to the point, I was also looking for a way to show a topmost transparent image on secondary monitor and found other little program that can't do transparency but have another nice feature, persistent topmost, it means that if another topmost window covers the image, then it will jump again to be the topmost window (looks like it does it with a 2secs timer), now with that, the program would be complete  :).

I will try to add that feature, but my programming skills are highly limited  :(.

Great job!.

P.S.: No Success, someone can helpme add a timer to reset focus to mainwindow?
« Last Edit: June 08, 2010, 06:35 PM by Drakh »

Drakh

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Re: IDEA: always-on-top transparent picture viewer
« Reply #8 on: August 23, 2010, 07:18 PM »
Noone who can add a timer to re-set focus to this viewer each 'n' secons? I'm using it but there are certain situations where the viewer is sent to back when another window with always-on-top is opened.

Thanks in advance.

SleepingWolf

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Re: IDEA: always-on-top transparent picture viewer
« Reply #9 on: August 31, 2010, 08:49 AM »
Drakh : If you're asking for programming help you'd best give the programming language you're using or you'll get no help.

Eric : Nine days for a feature-rich program... You may be the tenth wonder of the world.
-------------------------------------------

Question everything, use a fact-checker.
Respect yourself and respect others.
Peace out!
« Last Edit: August 31, 2010, 08:50 AM by SleepingWolf »

Rockets

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Re: IDEA: always-on-top transparent picture viewer
« Reply #10 on: August 07, 2018, 06:56 PM »

Curt

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Re: IDEA: always-on-top transparent picture viewer
« Reply #11 on: September 07, 2018, 04:17 AM »
osiva is offline, mirror: https://web.archive....ping.net/kent/osiva/

nice  :up:

-but also weird!  :o

One should really take the time to first read the f*©#'n manual:

How to use Osiva
Osiva is an image display and compositing tool. Use it to compare and organize digital photos, create a slide show, animate a JPEG list, or composite collage and dissolve effects without windows and controls getting in the way. Images are treated as independent, tangible objects. Osiva can also display image transparency directly on the desktop.


How do you use it?

Drag and drop images into Osiva. You can drop images onto any image window or the icon bar.You can also make Osiva the default viewer for JPG  and GIF images.

An image is initially shown at it's actual pixel size. Click on the image and it turns into a thumbnail. Click again and it toggles back to actual size. Move the image by grabbing it with the left mouse button. Resize the image by grabbing the lower left corner. Rotate the image by grabbing the top and pulling. Drag & Drop the image out of Osiva by grabbing it with the right mouse button.

The initial Osiva logo or "splash" image is an image like any other. Close it or drop an image on top of it to replace it.


How do you save your work?

There are three ways to save your work. You can save a file containing the current layout of images. When you reopen the layout file the images are opened and returned to their saved positions. You can "consolidate" the current set of images into a new folder. Consolidation will copy the images and create a matching layout file. Or you can just press the Windows "Print Screen" key and copy the entire screen image into the clip board. This is useful for making quick composites and panoramas that fit on the screen. 


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Osiva Reference


LEFT CLICK   - zoom the image

LEFT CLICK drag   - move the image

[Alt] LEFT CLICK or
RIGHT CLICK drag   - drag the image out
        of osiva

[Ctrl] LEFT CLICK   - make the image edges
        transparent using the color
        under the pointer

[Shift] LEFT CLICK   - sink the image to
        the bottom (of the
        Z order)


LEFT CLICK   - (bottom right corner)
        resize the image

[Shift] LEFT CLICK   - (bottom right corner)
         freely resize the image

LEFT CLICK   -(top middle of image)
       rotate the image

Drop an image on a full size osiva window and the image will be replaced.

Drop an image on a reduced osiva window and a new window will open.


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Keys


[Space Bar]    - Apply force based layout;
        make the images repel
        each other

[Backspace]   - Make the images attract
        each other


[Page Up]    - Spread the images at the
        top-right of the screen

[Page Down]   - Spread the images across
        the screen

[Home]      - Stack the images in the
        center of the screen

[End]      - Snug the images at the
        top-right of the screen


      - Sink the image
        (like [Shift] LEFT CLICK)

[t]      - Make the image trans-
        parent (like [Ctrl] LEFT
        CLICK)

[1]      - Show all images full size

[2] thru [9]   - Change the default zoom
        factor for the thumbnail
        zoom view; show all
        images at the new size

To get the idea, select a bunch of images and drop them onto the osiva window. Then hit the [Page Up] key, the [5] key, and hold the spacebar down. For fun, try moving an image around while you hold the spacebar down.


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More Keys


[Enter] or
[Tab]      - Cycle through the images
        [Shift][Tab] goes the
        other way

[Esc]      - Close the top image
        ( you can hold it down)

[f]      - Toggle slide show on and off

[z]      - Zoom the image
        same as LEFT CLICK

  •       - Size all the images

        exactly like the top one

Arrows      - Nudge the image 1 pixel
        [Shift] & [Ctrl] for faster

[Ctrl]P      - List the file paths


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Menu:

[Save Layout...]

"Save Layout" invokes a "Save As" dialog to get a destination file path. Choose where you want the layout file written. Osiva will then write a text file listing each image currently being displayed, along with all the display information. When you drop the text file back into osiva, that set of images will be reloaded.

[Slide Show]

Toggles the slide show on or off. This emulates pressing the [Tab] key. The [Tab] key and [Shift] key are still active so you can go faster or backwards.

[Slide Show...]

Opens a dialog to set the display time for each image. You can also set up an image to image dissolve. Dissolve works best with Windows 2000, and with a fast computer. The two bars at the bottom left of the dialog are mouse over triggers. The one on the left flips backwards, and the one on the right forwards.

[Transparency...]

Imagine an O (oh) with a dot inside it. The background is white, the O and the dot are black. Nesting 0 (zero) makes the outside of the O transparent. Nesting 1 gives you a fully transparent O with no dot. Only one transition inside the main mask is allowed.  Nesting 2 gives you back the dot. Whatever that means, that's what "nesting" means.

Set nesting to 0 for all those Jpeg images that have the background color enclosed in the region you want to keep visible.

Sometimes calculating the transparency this way (edge scanning) seems too hard. In those cases osiva gives up and shows you how far it got. You will see a strange pink and green image (the mask) with cyan lines showing the edge tracing. Brush over the image with another image to restore it.

[Suppress Zoom]

Single click zooming will get in the way if you use osiva to do accurate compositing. A small image movement will be interpreted as a zoom click. Turn single click zooming off by selecting this item.

[Stay Open]

Osiva's default behavior is to exit if no images are being shown. Select this item to have osiva stay open as a more subdued icon bar, with no tooltips.

[Tile]

"Tile" will shrink all the images to squares and tile them within the boundaries of the topmost image (the one most recently selected.) To put the tiles where you want them, move the topmost image and resize it while holding the shift key down. Then select the "Tile" menu item.

[Fit Inside]

Select "Fit Inside" to scale and move all the images to fit over the topmost image (the one most recently selected). "Fit - Inside" locks the aspect ratio of the images.

[Fit Exactly]

Select "Fit Exactly" to scale and move all the images to fit exactly over the topmost image (the one most recently selected). "Fit - Exactly" changes the aspect ratio of the images to match that of the topmost image. You can choose this with the
  • key.
[Match Area]

Select "Match Area" to scale all the images to the same area as the topmost image. The images are not moved. The images maintain their native aspect ratio. This is the most natural way to make images the "same size".


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Tips

Basic use is to just drop a bunch of images onto an osiva window, then click on them. Click once to reduce the image to stamp size; click again to view it full size. Move the small images to the side of the screen to get them out of the way.

[Alt] LEFT CLICK or RIGHT CLICK to drag an image out of osiva. You can copy and move images if you drag them from osiva into a Windows File Manager window. The osiva window should close if you move the image, otherwise it will stay open. RIGHT CLICK to drag an image into your image editor.

[Page Up], [Page Down], and [Home] randomize the Z order of the images. You can use osiva to play cards. Hit [Page Up] a few times to shuffle, then pull the cards together with the [Backspace] key. These three keys make the images visible if they are buried under a lot of windows.

Holding an image with the mouse excludes it from a group operation triggered by the keyboard. You can click on an image and hit the [Page Up] key; all the other images will stack at the top right. This also works for [1]-[9], [Page Down], and [End.] You have to click again for each operation, though.

You can get another instance of osiva if you start it from the command line with a +, like: "osiva +", or "osiva + myimage.jpg". Each icon-bar will control its own images.

This program is sensitive to the keyboard repeat rate and the mouse double-click speed. Increasing the keyboard repeat rate makes the space bar work faster. Decreasing the mouse double-click time allows you to zoom in and out rapidly.


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Make Osiva the Default Viewer

Right click on a JPEG or GIF and select "Open With", "Choose Program", "Other" and find osiva.exe using the dialog box. Make sure to click the "Always use..." check box. Do this for the ".osiva" layout file also.


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Current Support

  - GIF and JPEG images
  - [Ctrl] LEFT CLICK transparency
    uses the color under the mouse
    cursor as the transparent color.
    The tolerance is applied to JPEG
    images only.
  - Osiva is designed for true color
    displays. 
   

Osiva is free as in "free beer". If you want one free as in "free speech" send me an email.

Osiva is a fairly complicated program that has not been rigorously tested -- it has undiscovered errors. It is possible that an Osiva error may contribute to system malfunction or data loss. By using Osiva you agree to assume that risk; the poor coder cannot be held liable.
 
Copyright Kent Stork, 2002-2006
http://www.noping.net/kent/osiva/
[email protected]
If you use Osiva send me an email.

Osiva, the "overly simple image viewing application"
Version 1.2.17



It works well on my 64-bits Win 10, but please remember that Osiva hasn't been updated since year 2006.

anandcoral

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Re: IDEA: always-on-top transparent picture viewer
« Reply #12 on: September 07, 2018, 05:57 AM »
Well some of my users are using Overlap Wallpaper as logo on their user's monitor screen.

See if it helps in your requirement.

Regards,

Anand