Latest restricted WACUP beta release is build #18654 (March 24th 2024) (x86 & x64 changelogs) | Latest WACUP public preview is build #17040 (September 30th 2023) (x86 only)


NOTE: Beta testers are added in a limited & subjective manner as I can only support so many people as part of the beta test program to keep it useful for my needs.

Unless I think you're going to be helpful, not all requests will be accepted but might still be later on. Remember that beta testing is to help me & the limitations currently works for my needs for this project.

Author Topic: Issues with Components and desktopalpha="1"  (Read 3366 times)

Eris Lund

  • The Skin Guy, Official Modern Skin tech support
  • Moderator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 276
    • View Profile
    • Eris Lund's Github
Issues with Components and desktopalpha="1"
« on: October 01, 2022, 12:36:42 AM »
Hey everyone, or those more familiar with the Modern Skin Engine,

I've hit a snag in trying to pull off something, where I want to render generically skinned windows with transparency enabled... but the big problem is that the components disappear entirely, save for the window itself which is still present.

DeClassified:


Winamp Modern (edited pledit-normal.xml to have desktopalpha="1"):


Has anyone encountered this before, and if so, what is needed to mitigate against this?
On request I can post the special build of DeClassified for anyone to take a dig at.

Edit: It's important for me to preserve the corners around the empty white windows to make them seamless
« Last Edit: October 01, 2022, 12:43:52 AM by Eris Lund »
Currently building the fourth (and best) incarnation of Classic Skins in Modern Skins
https://github.com/0x5066/DeClassified
Current maintainer of the WACUP version of Winamp Modern.
https://github.com/0x5066/WinampModernPP
I made that one skin that one time.
https://github.com/0x5066/Winamp2000SP4

dro

  • Admin / WACUP Developer
  • Administrator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 4424
    • View Profile
    • WACUP (Winamp Community Update Project)
Re: Issues with Components and desktopalpha="1"
« Reply #1 on: October 01, 2022, 05:37:13 PM »
From what I remember it's due to how the OS works with layering of child windows though I think things changed with that well after gen_ff was initially made that might now allow it to work with modification of some aspects with window creation (not something you can do via maki). Something to possibly look into once I've gotten back into coding.

-dro

Eris Lund

  • The Skin Guy, Official Modern Skin tech support
  • Moderator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 276
    • View Profile
    • Eris Lund's Github
Re: Issues with Components and desktopalpha="1"
« Reply #2 on: October 01, 2022, 06:13:58 PM »
That's awesome to hear, I did check with Winamp 5.666 to see if it does the same thing, and I pretty much got the same result.
It'd be funny (but also great) if WACUP got this working
Currently building the fourth (and best) incarnation of Classic Skins in Modern Skins
https://github.com/0x5066/DeClassified
Current maintainer of the WACUP version of Winamp Modern.
https://github.com/0x5066/WinampModernPP
I made that one skin that one time.
https://github.com/0x5066/Winamp2000SP4

ariszlo

  • Moderator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 215
    • View Profile
Re: Issues with Components and desktopalpha="1"
« Reply #3 on: October 01, 2022, 09:57:57 PM »
There are some skins with transparent generic windows. Here are two of them:
I have not studied them but they come with .m files.
Ariszló @ WinCustomize & DeviantArt

dro

  • Admin / WACUP Developer
  • Administrator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 4424
    • View Profile
    • WACUP (Winamp Community Update Project)
Re: Issues with Components and desktopalpha="1"
« Reply #4 on: October 01, 2022, 11:01:31 PM »
I guess I'm wrong / misremembering as i didn't think any non-wasabi windows would work unless it's down to those skins doing their standard frame in a way to fake transparency (am not in a position to try out the skins to check for a few more days).

As I read it as related to how Windows does composition of multiple windows within a parent. Modern skins are a pain so whatever 😉

-dro
« Last Edit: October 01, 2022, 11:02:48 PM by dro »

Eris Lund

  • The Skin Guy, Official Modern Skin tech support
  • Moderator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 276
    • View Profile
    • Eris Lund's Github
Re: Issues with Components and desktopalpha="1"
« Reply #5 on: October 02, 2022, 02:33:05 AM »
I've loaded up GlassAmp and I wonder how they've managed to still render the components, the generically skinned stuff doesn't follow the style of the skin, but whatever they did I think I can implement, since you can completely override the base stuff with your own.



The way I want to do it all is to emulate the way the Source Engine/Half-Life 2 renders it's windows (although in the image above, you can't see the window behind the focused one, but that doesn't matter), I can deal with the components themselves not being transparent/seethrough (i.e. not seeing that's behind a window's listview or whatever), it'd be a shame if I can't pull it off for the rest of the other windows.
Currently building the fourth (and best) incarnation of Classic Skins in Modern Skins
https://github.com/0x5066/DeClassified
Current maintainer of the WACUP version of Winamp Modern.
https://github.com/0x5066/WinampModernPP
I made that one skin that one time.
https://github.com/0x5066/Winamp2000SP4

Eris Lund

  • The Skin Guy, Official Modern Skin tech support
  • Moderator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 276
    • View Profile
    • Eris Lund's Github
Re: Issues with Components and desktopalpha="1"
« Reply #6 on: October 02, 2022, 03:16:17 AM »
So... I've given both skins a shot, I've tried to understand how GlassAMP even works and how it does it's windows, or some of them at least. I can't to the best of my abilities implement it to my VGUIBase branch of DeClassified, here's the very base of window creation in the engine and is my vector point of trying to do what I want to do.

However, the big issue is how some windows seem to have issues being on top even when focused, the components likes to hide behind other windows/the main window, Winamp 5.666 also does this.


So, even if I were to somehow manage to pull off what I want to do, I would be plagued with windowing issues.
« Last Edit: October 02, 2022, 03:21:58 AM by Eris Lund »
Currently building the fourth (and best) incarnation of Classic Skins in Modern Skins
https://github.com/0x5066/DeClassified
Current maintainer of the WACUP version of Winamp Modern.
https://github.com/0x5066/WinampModernPP
I made that one skin that one time.
https://github.com/0x5066/Winamp2000SP4