IDEA: Click-through window

[patchett]

My idea for a simple utility is one which will lock a window from input without locking the window itself. With WinLock (also on this site) clicking a locked window results in no action (other than a sound indicating that the action cannot be performed), this utility will result in, shall we say, a ghost window which will allow clicks to pass through to the window below it.

In application, this could be used with WinWarden to create an always-on-top transparent window which can be clicked through to the windows below.

I do not believe this has been suggested before, though I could be wrong.

[skwire]

This is actually really easy to do using AutoHotkey.  Consider the following hotkeys:

Code: Autohotkey [Select]

1. #1:: ; Win-1 hotkey
2. {
3.     WinSet, AlwaysOnTop, On      , A
4.     WinSet, ExStyle    , +0x80020, A
5.     WinSet, Transparent, 125     , A
6. }
7. Return
8.  
9.  
10. #2:: ; Win-2 hotkey
11. {
12.     WinSet, AlwaysOnTop, Off     , A
13.     WinSet, ExStyle    , -0x80020, A
14.     WinSet, Transparent, 255     , A
15. }
16. Return

Focus the window you want and press Win-1.  To reverse it, focus the window using the taskbar or alt-tab (since you can't click it) and press Win-2.