Can WB5 do a Gradient title that's still 'glass'? It really needs it.

from WinCustomize Forums
I totally love the 'glass' effect of titlebars of windows. The only problem is, the cooler and more transparent the glass effect, the more screwed up windows captions get because you can see all the text layers piled one on top of the other, so three windows in approximately the same x,y coordinates mess up one another's text readability quite badly.

if WB5 could start more opaque (or darker) for a less transparent effect, on one side, and then gradually get more and more glassy as it went to the right, we'd get the full benefit of reading the title bars AND the full prettiness of transparent glass window title bars.

Possible? A dream?

Randy
windowblinds
3,005 views 4 replies
Reply #1 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I think it is possible by layering your gradient opaque image over the image in question. there is an article by Mike Bryant I think, "WindowBlinds went tranparent crazy". Explains the in and outs of making those cool features yourself.Link

There is the link to the article I am talking about.
Reply #2 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Yes, it's possible......... I've been playing around with a similar idea.
Multiplicity - Control multiple PCs using one keyboard and mouse
Reply #3 from WinCustomize Forums Top
The big difference I see between Vista glass effects and WB5 glass effects is that along with the transparency, Vista also "blurs" what is underneath. This helps to alleviate the confusion that Randy Talks about. I love the WB5 glass skins so far, but sometimes it does get a bit confusing when the transparent title bar overlies text. Gradients will help some, but as long as the text beneath is not blurred a bit, it will still be a bit distracting at times. Take a look at some of the Vista screenshots and you'll see what I mean, it's a lot less confusing and less busy when the blur is implemented. I've asked Neil Banfield on a couple of open forums if this might be implemented in WB5 but he hasn't responded. Perhaps Stardock is thinking of making this a feature in the new soon to be released WinFX?
Reply #4 from WinCustomize Forums Top
the question is to me whether WinFX will play nice with WB5. Up til now it has not.

Randy

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