topbanner_forum
  *

avatar image

Welcome, Guest. Please login or register.
Did you miss your activation email?

Login with username, password and session length
  • Thursday March 28, 2024, 7:29 pm
  • Proudly celebrating 15+ years online.
  • Donate now to become a lifetime supporting member of the site and get a non-expiring license key for all of our programs.
  • donate

Author Topic: Screen Mask  (Read 11996 times)

Clive

  • Supporting Member
  • Joined in 2006
  • **
  • Posts: 116
    • View Profile
    • Donate to Member
Screen Mask
« on: July 04, 2012, 01:57 AM »
Am after something which will allow me to mask all of a screen except for the part (define-able area) needing to be read. Would be good if transparency adjustment was included along with a color picker. I have tried Zorro and found it buggy on my Win7 system.
Not sure if this will be a simple task. No programming knowledge so apologies in advance if this doesn't fit here. Thanks in advance to anyone out there tempted by this idea.

jgpaiva

  • Global Moderator
  • Joined in 2006
  • *****
  • Posts: 4,727
    • View Profile
    • Donate to Member
Re: Screen Mask
« Reply #1 on: July 04, 2012, 03:34 AM »
How about Ghoster?

Clive

  • Supporting Member
  • Joined in 2006
  • **
  • Posts: 116
    • View Profile
    • Donate to Member
Re: Screen Mask
« Reply #2 on: July 04, 2012, 04:32 AM »
That looks promising. Is it possible to set hot keys to activate & deactivate?
Thanks for pointing this one out.

tomos

  • Charter Member
  • Joined in 2006
  • ***
  • Posts: 11,959
    • View Profile
    • Donate to Member
Re: Screen Mask
« Reply #3 on: July 04, 2012, 06:16 AM »
That looks promising. Is it possible to set hot keys to activate & deactivate?
Thanks for pointing this one out.

here's the last post in the related thread
https://www.donation....msg253618#msg253618
Might be worth posting there (as well)
Tom

Clive

  • Supporting Member
  • Joined in 2006
  • **
  • Posts: 116
    • View Profile
    • Donate to Member
Re: Screen Mask
« Reply #4 on: July 06, 2012, 07:11 AM »
Thanks for your help tomos & jgpaiva. Of course thanks to Skrommel et al for their work in creating this elegant piece of software.

badonodab

  • Participant
  • Joined in 2012
  • *
  • default avatar
  • Posts: 3
    • View Profile
    • Donate to Member
Re: Screen Mask
« Reply #5 on: August 12, 2012, 10:44 PM »
Tunnelvision is the best I've ever found for this purpose. It hasn't been improved since 2005, but it works well.

http://www.cockos.com/tunnelvision/

Clive

  • Supporting Member
  • Joined in 2006
  • **
  • Posts: 116
    • View Profile
    • Donate to Member
Re: Screen Mask
« Reply #6 on: August 15, 2012, 12:28 AM »
Thanks for taking the time to point this solution out. I gave it a whirl & it doesn't seem to have the ability to adjust "opening size" on the fly so not so good for my needs.

badonodab

  • Participant
  • Joined in 2012
  • *
  • default avatar
  • Posts: 3
    • View Profile
    • Donate to Member
Re: Screen Mask
« Reply #7 on: August 15, 2012, 12:53 AM »
I think it's a good start though. Too bad it's abandonware. Some trick with the mouse scroll wheel controlling the "opening size" would have made it faster and easier to use. That's the same reason I don't use it.

pilgrim

  • Supporting Member
  • Joined in 2008
  • **
  • Posts: 316
  • Cogito ergo ?
    • View Profile
    • Pilgrim's Page
    • Donate to Member
Re: Screen Mask
« Reply #8 on: September 21, 2012, 08:38 AM »
Clive,

Did you try the installer or the portable version of Zorro?

I have the x64 portable version on Windows 7 Pro and it is working without problems.
I spent 25 years training to be an eccentric then I woke up one morning and realised that I'd cracked it.
I've not had to try since.

I wonder what happens if I click on thi

Clive

  • Supporting Member
  • Joined in 2006
  • **
  • Posts: 116
    • View Profile
    • Donate to Member
Re: Screen Mask
« Reply #9 on: September 22, 2012, 02:13 AM »
I used the Zorro installer. I'll give the portable version a shot. Thanks for the suggestion.

Clive

Clive

  • Supporting Member
  • Joined in 2006
  • **
  • Posts: 116
    • View Profile
    • Donate to Member
Re: Screen Mask
« Reply #10 on: September 22, 2012, 02:37 AM »
I've been doing this for my partner (migraine sufferer) & I didn't quite understand what she wanted. Which was to simply dim the whole screen. So now I'm using DeskTop Lighter. Apart from not being able to return to the default (calibrated) setting it fits the bill. Thanks everyone for your support.

Clive

kip

  • Honorary Member
  • Joined in 2006
  • **
  • Posts: 40
    • View Profile
    • Fx Software
    • Donate to Member
Re: Screen Mask
« Reply #11 on: September 30, 2012, 05:33 PM »
Clive, if you want to dim the whole screen may I suggest trying DarkScreen - http://www.fxc.btint....co.uk/assistive.htm
Variable screen dimming and simply close to return to your previous settings.

Clive

  • Supporting Member
  • Joined in 2006
  • **
  • Posts: 116
    • View Profile
    • Donate to Member
Re: Screen Mask
« Reply #12 on: October 16, 2012, 06:00 AM »
Thanks Kip. Sorry I've taken a while to respond. Appreciate your suggestion. DarkScreen & other apps at this site were most helpful.

IainB

  • Supporting Member
  • Joined in 2008
  • **
  • Posts: 7,540
  • @Slartibartfarst
    • View Profile
    • Read more about this member.
    • Donate to Member
Re: Screen Mask
« Reply #13 on: October 16, 2012, 08:24 AM »
@Clive: You might find f.lux of use, from http://stereopsis.com/flux/
It apparently effects a change in certain brain chemicals that affect sleep patterns, so it could make a difference to migraine sufferers. Suck it and see.

Notes on sleep pattern research. here: http://stereopsis.com/flux/research.html

I'm finding it quite useful - less glary laptop screen. Too early to say yet whether it is affecting my sleep pattern.

badonodab

  • Participant
  • Joined in 2012
  • *
  • default avatar
  • Posts: 3
    • View Profile
    • Donate to Member
Re: Screen Mask
« Reply #14 on: October 16, 2012, 08:31 PM »
Thanks for the tip on f.lux! It might fix a problem I wasn't aware I had until I read your post.

IainB

  • Supporting Member
  • Joined in 2008
  • **
  • Posts: 7,540
  • @Slartibartfarst
    • View Profile
    • Read more about this member.
    • Donate to Member
Re: Screen Mask
« Reply #15 on: October 17, 2012, 06:41 PM »
Thanks for the tip on f.lux! It might fix a problem I wasn't aware I had until I read your post.
Yes, it is easy to overlook that we creatures seem to be all one with and inseparable from our environment, and that sunlight is a part of the environment and can affect us multifariously via the skin and the eyes.