DONE: Foreground wallpaper

[frankell]

I created a transparent effect with the application DeskProjection  (abandoned but you can find it on majorgeeks here )

as you can see in my screenshot the image on top is the same of the desktop wallpaper and the opacity is set to 20%
my request is an application similar to DP but able to automate the process to pick the wallpaper.bmp in C:\Documents and Settings\user\Local Settings\Applications data\Microsoft
 
or on the contrary to be able to set at the same time as the foreground working image as the matching desktop wallpaper

thanks for any help ! http://s674.photobucket.com/albums/vv101/frankelll/?action=view&current=Screenshot-27_06_2011183905.jpg

[skwire]

I downloaded that app and it's entirely controllable from the commandline.  You can simply create a batch file with something like the following in it:

c:\path\to\DProj.exe C:\Documents and Settings\user\Local Settings\Applications data\Microsoft\wallpaper.bmp t20

Or, if the app is already running, and you change your wallpaper, you can simply use the "r" switch to reload the image:

c:\path\to\DProj.exe r

Of course, if I've misunderstood your original post, please let us know.   

[frankell]

Many thanks for the suggestions skwire, it's really a good idea to use the batch files ! 
there is just 1 step to add the wallpaper.bmp cannot be used as it is, first I should convert it into .PNG

btw do you know the commandline to set an image as desktop wallpaper (best of all: stretched )


   

[skwire]

Give this a try:  Lucidity

• Extract the zip to a folder of your choice.
• Drag and drop any image (jpg/png/gif/tif/bmp) onto the Lucidity.exe file.

It should then set that image as your wallpaper (stretched) and create an effect similar (same?) to the Desk Projection application you mentioned above.  In fact, I think my version uses less CPU and is less laggy as a result.  You can adjust the transparency percentage by editing the included config.ini file in any text editor.  Let me know if it works for you.  Thanks.

[frankell]

Wow, that's great skwire !!  
Yepp exactly what I meant = Lucidity  !
Well I'm a skinner and surely I'll going to create a new icon dedicated to Lucidity
also with your permission I would like to upload the icon on my Wincustomize Gallery with your application embedded,
giving full credits to you and the direct link you will suggest me (I already did something similar with EmptyBin  )

Many many thanks for your great work !
I will update soon with the icon trial ...

[skwire]

You're welcome and thanks for the feedback.  If you want, you can send me the icon and I'll recompile the app with it.

[frankell]

here I am with 2 pngs\icons trials attached, probably as application icon "Lucidity 1" is better
tell me your opinion and if you'd like some change !
thanks for the permission !

[skwire]

I think I'll go with the second one.  Do you have a website of yours that you'd like me to reference in the credits?

[frankell]

OK ...well this is my front page on Wincustomize site "...only for personal Fun&Share..!"
 http://frankell.winc...omize.com/index.aspx
many thanks for the time you dedicated on creating Lucidity "the transparent effect without Aero!"!  

btw tell me the direct link to provide on my Lucidity icons presentation.

[IainB]

@skwire: Interesting effect. I tried that (Lucidity) out. That's quite a nifty little app you made there, though I won't be using it myself (I dislike having my screen visually cluttered).

[skwire]

Thanks for the feedback.  However, I can't take credit for the effect since I just recreated what the Desk Projection app was doing.  Well, at least I think I did since I can't see what his code is actually doing. 

As for using it, I agree with you.  I, personally, won't use it but it is a neat effect.  The next version will have multi-monitor support and a tray menu to adjust the transparency.

[skwire]

Website | Download
v1.0.1 - 2011-07-03
    + Official website release
    + Multi-monitor support.  One caveat, though.  Your monitors must be the
      same resolution for this to work properly.
    + Tray menu to change the transparency level.  This value is saved between
      sessions.
    + Custom application icon courtesy of frankell.  (Thanks, frankell)

[IainB]

@skwire: It probably needs to have options to change in sync with wallpaper changers - e.g., the Windows 7 Personalise/Desktop background changer:

• Fill
• Fit
• Stretch
• Tile
• Center

Otherwise it seems to override the changer and you may get stuck with a single, fixed and undesirable/distorted image.

[skwire]

It probably needs to have options to change in sync with wallpaper changers - e.g., the Windows 7 Personalise/Desktop background changer:

-IainB (July 03, 2011, 06:06 AM)

Unfortunately, supporting all the different modes is harder than it seems (plus, I don't run Windows 7).  

[frankell]

well well really a great work !! 
just to remember that if you prefer any transparent level not in the tray menu, you can always use (as in the previous version) the config.ini file, actually I use: trans=22
I also like to mention that the icon is featuring my real desktop wallpaper: a modded version of "Walking with Orion " by the great artist Jeff Quick (his kind permission will be enclosed in my upload on Wincustomize)

[frankell]

here I am with the link to my upload on Wincustomize http://www.wincustomize.com/explore/objectdock/17134/  

at the moment it's still in moderation ...
sorry for the delay but I had to re-upload the skin without the Lucidity.exe embedded (on respect of new rules on Wincustomize) anyway now it's in the gallery
... and the link was not the same  !! but finally I noticed and now it's updated !

[Blueplanet888]

Hello!

Lov' your Lucidity! 

I would like to suggest a few ergonomic change for a smoother utilisation. (That seems very easy for a programmer to do)
(Generally, it is the small details that make the difference between "average" and "great" programs)

1- Lucidity is not appropriate when playing a video (On VLC, no image is playing for example; but a foreground on a video is always bad... )
=> It will be very useful to set a "pause/stop" (that deactivate the lucidity effect) wihtout having to exit the prog; i think that clicking left one time (for easy access) on the icone in the tray (possibly make the icone gray or red-strikethrough to indicate that it is in "pause/stop" mode) will be the best.
Not so difficult i think ?  [if it's only one minor change that you can make, i take this one!]

2- Why make a restriction on the tray menu "10%,20%,30%" etc... when the program can make a 1% difference ? (in the config.ini file) My idea is to make a vertical slider (There is the easy & optimal space where the "20% to 90%" are written in the tray menu) that can make a 1% difference. (For ergonomic purpose, i suggest to indicate the current % in number too... below the slider, where the "10%" is written)

If you can't make a sliding bar (it happens lol), simply make a "manual number entry" beetween 0 & 100 (%) that the user will enter by keyboard (wich changes the .ini etc...) it will be entirely sufficent! (less "smooth" than a slider though.)

For the "modification effect" of all this, i don't know if it can be made "Realtime" to see the level of transparency by sliding or entering the number... (it will be nice) But i think you can easily take it "effective" when the user push "Enter" (or click a "Change" bouton next to the number) after writting the number (without exiting the tray menu for Not Bullying the user) or make it the same by the slider. (Slide & See the number & "Enter" (or click "change") & See if it's the right amount of lucidity on screen!  )

--------------------

An additional idea for further development (if Santa comes and commands you to make it NOW!  ) would be to autodetect the wallpaper image (Windows knows in the registry or other file which file it must wallpaperIZE. So you can stole the path from it there i think.) on prog startup and do a change is it's necessary. [And if that is active, a "Reload Wallpaper" would be a good idea in the tray menu to manually indicate that we have changed that when the prog was already running, and it will automatically set a new appropriate lucidity effect for the new Wallpaper then.)


Thankx for reading! (No, i am not a Machine; i Have a heart too!  )
Hoping for some sugar-change for the next "Lucidity" !

[skwire]

Hi, Blueplanet888, and welcome to the site.  Here you go:

Website | Download
v1.0.2 - 2011-09-07
    + Added slider to adjust transparency.  (Thanks, Blueplanet888)
    + Single-clicking the tray icon will now toggle the transparency effect. (Thanks, Blueplanet888)
    - Removed the 10%, 20%, 30% etc, entries from the tray menu in lieu of the slider.

An additional idea for further development (if Santa comes and commands you to make it NOW!  ) would be to autodetect the wallpaper image (Windows knows in the registry or other file which file it must wallpaperIZE. So you can stole the path from it there i think.)

-Blueplanet888 (September 07, 2011, 09:52 AM)

The problem with this is that there are so many of these "standard" locations across all the Windows versions that I'm not sure this is feasible.  Windows XP has three or four alone and I don't know about Vista and 7.

[Blueplanet888]

Simply Marvelous ! (and the little "popup" when hovering the tray "Lucidity - Transparency: xx%" is great to see the number directly!)
Works like a charm! (Even nearly-realtime adjustement with the slider! Ergonomics is thanking you!  )

Great Thankx for all and for the LightSpeed making of! (Are you sure that you haven't crossed space-time and made it Before i asked ?  )

 

[skwire]

Making that slider work in realtime is easy.  However, it chewed up so much CPU that I chose not to implement it.  If you want to approximate it, just use the up and down keys once you focus that slider.

[skwire]

Website | Download
v1.0.3 - 2011-09-26
    ! Fixed compatibility issue with multiple monitors under Windows 7.

[skwire]

Website | Download
v1.0.4 - 2012-11-04
    + Added "-nosetwall" parameter which creates the overlay effect with
      the passed image file but DOES NOT set it as the wallpaper.
     
      Usage: c:\path\to\Lucidity.exe <path to image file> -nosetwall
     
      Create a shortcut to Lucidity.exe with a target like this:
     
      c:\path\to\Lucidity.exe %1 -nosetwall
     
      Use that shortcut as the drop target for your image file.
      (Thanks, L. Onggrid)

[DeVamp]

I just recently found this gem.

I love it.

I suggestion : could you add a shortcut to "Toggle effect".
And of course, being able to customize the shortcut.

Thank you anyway for the lovely program.

[skwire]

Let me see what I can do.   

[DeVamp]

Great.

But no pressure

Take your time