Get windows 8/10 Taskbar color

[nend]

After a long search I found a few registry keys dat contains the color of the taskbar in windows 10.

It's handy for example if you want to make a window in the same color as the taskbar.

ConsoleWrite(_Get_taskbar_color()); It return AARRGGBB

Func _Get_taskbar_color()
    If RegRead("HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Themes\Personalize", "ColorPrevalence") Then
        If RegRead("HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Themes\Personalize", "EnableTransparency") Then
            Return  "0xD9" & StringLeft(StringRight(RegRead("HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Accent", "AccentPalette"), 16), 6)
        Else
            Return "0xFF" & StringLeft(StringRight(RegRead("HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Accent", "AccentPalette"), 24), 6)
        EndIf
    Else
        If RegRead("HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Themes\Personalize", "EnableTransparency") Then
            Return "0xD9000000"
        Else
            Return "0xFF000000"
        EndIf
    EndIf
EndFunc

Edit:

This code doesn't seems to be working on Windows 8 only for Windows 10

Edited April 30, 2016 by nend

[S3cret91]

Nice work. What about previous windows versions?

This would be cool for my notifications udf, but a working version for win 7/8/10 would be great.

[nend]

16 minutes ago, S3cret91 said:

Nice work. What about previous windows versions?

This would be cool for my notifications udf, but a working version for win 7/8/10 would be great.

I also think it would by nice for your notification udf.

If it's build in it would look of the notifications are part of windows.

In previous version of windows almost all users use aeroglas, aeroglas is'nt one color, I don't think it's possible.

[S3cret91]

Oh yeh right, aeroglass...

 

I just tested your function and the return value does not fit the actual taskbar color for me. I have the standart dark taskbar (never changed since win install) which matches black with transparency 0xD9 (217) but your function returns 0x002642 as color for me which is a dark blue.

[nend]

Just now, S3cret91 said:

Oh yeh right, aeroglass...

 

I just tested your function and the return value does not fit the actual taskbar color for me. I have the standart dark taskbar (never changed since win install) which matches black with transparency 0xD9 (217) but your function returns 0x002642 as color for me which is a dark blue.

I've only tested on windows 10, do you have windows 10?

I have assumed that windows 8 have the same settings.

 

The function I build return 0xAARRGGBB can you post the full return code?

 

[S3cret91]

Yes, windows 10

The return value is correct according to what the function does, but seems like this registry setting doesnt always match the actual task color, for whatever reason.

Edited April 29, 2016 by S3cret91

[nend]

Can you change the taskbar color in windows and test it again?

I've tested on multiple pc but all have the taskbar color changed.

[S3cret91]

Ok, works now. So if you go to the color settings in win 10 and activate colors for taskbar, start site, info-center... it works. If it is not activated the the default color is used which is 0xD9000000

Edited April 29, 2016 by S3cret91

[nend]

1 minute ago, S3cret91 said:

Ok, works now. So if you go to the color settings in win 10 and activate colors for taskbar, start site, info-center... it works. If it is not activated the the default color is used which is 0xD9000000

Ok I have to find the key when it's activated or not, or else it will not work in all casses.

I've you find the registery key before I find it please let me know.

[nend]

ConsoleWrite(_Get_taskbar_color()); It return AARRGGBB

Func _Get_taskbar_color()
    If RegRead("HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Themes\Personalize", "ColorPrevalence") Then
        If RegRead("HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Themes\Personalize", "EnableTransparency") Then
            Return  "0xD9" & StringLeft(StringRight(RegRead("HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Accent", "AccentPalette"), 16), 6)
        Else
            Return "0xFF" & StringLeft(StringRight(RegRead("HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Accent", "AccentPalette"), 24), 6)
        EndIf
    Else
        If RegRead("HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Themes\Personalize", "EnableTransparency") Then
            Return "0xD9000000"
        Else
            Return "0xFF000000"
        EndIf   
    EndIf
EndFunc

Found it, here is the code.

Edited April 29, 2016 by nend

[S3cret91]

Big thanks. I will do some tests on win 8 later and include it!

 

E: Me again. Installed some vm's with Win 8 and 8.1 and for both it does not work. I checked the 8.1 registry and it looks like non of the entries exists. I may do some research tomorrow, but do you have any tips on how to find the entries?

 

Nvm, found a way using regshot.

Edited April 29, 2016 by S3cret91

[nend]

19 hours ago, S3cret91 said:

Big thanks. I will do some tests on win 8 later and include it!

 

E: Me again. Installed some vm's with Win 8 and 8.1 and for both it does not work. I checked the 8.1 registry and it looks like non of the entries exists. I may do some research tomorrow, but do you have any tips on how to find the entries?

 

Nvm, found a way using regshot.

 

I had hope it will worked on windows 8 as well.

I have no possibilitie to tested it for my self, I haven't got windows 8

I've have allready rewrote a program of my wich uses this function.

Please let me know if you find a solution for windows 8.

Edit:

I've looked in the stats of one of my program and windows 8 is'nt (allmost) used anymore.

These are the stats of total 39105X

W7  = 14361

W8  = 3487

W10 = 24744

I think over a year no one will use windows 8 anymore.

 

Edited April 30, 2016 by nend

[S3cret91]

Guess so too. 

 

But I did some research: Win 8/8.1 has 2 different colors: taskbar and window border color. Reading out the border (and title) color of windows is easy:

Hex(RegRead("HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\DWM", "ColorizationColor"), 8)

The taskbar color seems to be stored in a longer hex value, need to find out where the color is put.

[nend]

5 hours ago, S3cret91 said:

Guess so too. 

 

But I did some research: Win 8/8.1 has 2 different colors: taskbar and window border color. Reading out the border (and title) color of windows is easy:

Hex(RegRead("HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\DWM", "ColorizationColor"), 8)

The taskbar color seems to be stored in a longer hex value, need to find out where the color is put.

Yeah I found it to.

In windows 10 this code give the highlight color of the taskbar, mabey it will give the correct taskbar color in win 8, can you test it?

#include <MsgBoxConstants.au3>
#include <WinAPIGdi.au3>

If Not _WinAPI_DwmIsCompositionEnabled() Then
    MsgBox(BitOR($MB_ICONERROR, $MB_SYSTEMMODAL), 'Error', 'Require Windows Vista or later with enabled Aero theme.')
    Exit
EndIf

Local $iColor = _WinAPI_DwmGetColorizationColor()

ConsoleWrite('Color for glass composition: 0x' & Hex($iColor) & @CRLF)

 

Edited April 30, 2016 by nend

[S3cret91]

It also returns the windows border color.

[musicstashall]

How to do the reverse procedure ?? How to write the desired color in binary code and instantly apply it to the taskbar. Give an example of the value for writing to the registry.

[spudw2k]

Here's an example I threw together

#include <WinAPIGdi.au3>

;Get Current Scheme as DLLStruct
$tDWMCP = _WinAPI_DwmGetColorizationParameters ( )

;Save Current Scheme Color to Restore Later
$iOriginalColor = DllStructGetData($tDWMCP, "Color")

;Change Scheme Color to NewColor in DLLStruct - Green shade
$iNewColor = 4283799876
DllStructSetData($tDWMCP, "Color", $iNewColor)

;Apply New Scheme Color
_WinAPI_DwmSetColorizationParameters($tDWMCP)

;Wait 5 seconds
sleep(5000)

;Reset Scheme Color in DLLStruct
DllStructSetData($tDWMCP, "Color", $iOriginalColor)

;Apply Original Scheme Color
_WinAPI_DwmSetColorizationParameters($tDWMCP)

 

[musicstashall]

What other values can this function set other than "Color"? I have in Windows10 apply color only to the window frame, and the taskbar and the Start menu are not painted in a new color.

[musicstashall]

You can apply a color to the start menu if you write a value in the registry and restart the ShellExperienceHost.exe process, but the taskbar still does not painted. To fully apply colors, you need to restart explorer, this is not good.

Edited May 22, 2017 by musicstashall

[musicstashall]

#include <windows.h>
#include <iostream>
#include <string>

//used for the tray things
#include <shellapi.h>
#include "resource.h"

bool run = true; //needed for tray exit

#pragma region composition

struct ACCENTPOLICY
{
	int nAccentState;
	int nFlags;
	int nColor;
	int nAnimationId;
};
struct WINCOMPATTRDATA
{
	int nAttribute;
	PVOID pData;
	ULONG ulDataSize;
};

struct OPTIONS
{
	int taskbar_appearance;
	int color;
} opt;

const int ACCENT_ENABLE_GRADIENT = 1; // Makes the taskbar a solid color specified by nColor. This mode doesn't care about the alpha channel.
const int ACCENT_ENABLE_TRANSPARENTGRADIENT = 2; // Makes the taskbar a tinted transparent overlay. nColor is the tint color, sending nothing results in it interpreted as 0x00000000 (totally transparent, blends in with desktop)
const int ACCENT_ENABLE_BLURBEHIND = 3; // Makes the taskbar a tinted blurry overlay. nColor is same as above.



typedef BOOL(WINAPI*pSetWindowCompositionAttribute)(HWND, WINCOMPATTRDATA*);
static pSetWindowCompositionAttribute SetWindowCompositionAttribute = (pSetWindowCompositionAttribute)GetProcAddress(GetModuleHandle(TEXT("user32.dll")), "SetWindowCompositionAttribute");

void SetWindowBlur(HWND hWnd)
{
	if (SetWindowCompositionAttribute)
	{
		ACCENTPOLICY policy;

		policy = { opt.taskbar_appearance, 2, opt.color, 0 };

		WINCOMPATTRDATA data = { 19, &policy, sizeof(ACCENTPOLICY) }; // WCA_ACCENT_POLICY=19
		SetWindowCompositionAttribute(hWnd, &data);
	}

}

#pragma endregion


#pragma region command line
void PrintHelp()
{
	// BUG -
	// For some reason, when launching this program in cmd.exe, it won't properly "notice"
	// when the program has exited, and will not automatically write a new prompt to the console.
	// Instead of printing the current directory as usual before it waits for a new command,
	// it doesn't print anything, leading to a cluttered console.
	// It's even worse in Powershell, where it actually WILL print the PS prompt before waiting for
	// a new command, but it does so on the line after "./TranslucentTB.exe --help", overwriting the
	// first line of output from this function, and gradually overwriting the following lines as you
	// press enter. The PS shell just doesn't notice that anything gets printed to the console, and
	// therefore it prints the PS prompt over this output instead of after. I don't know of any
	// solution to this, but I expect that setting the project type to SUBSYSTEM:CONSOLE would solve
	// those issues. Again - I think a help file would be the best solution, so I'll do that in my
	// next commit.

	BOOL hasconsole = true;
	BOOL createdconsole = false;
	// Try to attach to the parent console,
	// allocate a new one if that isn't successful
	if (!AttachConsole(ATTACH_PARENT_PROCESS))
	{
		if (!AllocConsole())
		{
			hasconsole = false;
		}
		else
		{
			createdconsole = true;
		}
	}

	if (hasconsole)
	{
		FILE* outstream;
		FILE* instream;
		freopen_s(&outstream, "CONOUT$", "w", stdout);
		freopen_s(&instream, "CONIN$", "w", stdin);

		if (outstream)
		{
			using namespace std;
			cout << endl;
			cout << "TranslucentTB by /u/IronManMark20" << endl;
			cout << "This program modifies the apperance of the windows taskbar" << endl;
			cout << "You can modify its behaviour by using the following parameters when launching the program:" << endl;
			cout << "  --blur        | will make the taskbar a blurry overlay of the background (default)." << endl;
			cout << "  --opaque      | will make the taskbar a solid color specified by the tint parameter." << endl;
			cout << "  --transparent | will make the taskbar a transparent color specified by the tint parameter. " << endl;
			cout << "                  the value of the alpha channel determines the opacity of the taskbar." << endl;
			cout << "  --tint COLOR  | specifies the color applied to the taskbar. COLOR is 32 bit number in hex format," << endl;
			cout << "                  see explanation below. This will not affect the blur mode. If COLOR is zero in" << endl;
			cout << "                  combination with --transparent the taskbar becomes opaque and uses the selected" << endl;
			cout << "                  system color scheme." << endl;
			cout << "  --help        | Displays this help message." << endl;
			cout << endl;

			cout << "Color format:" << endl;
			cout << "  The parameter is interpreted as a three or four byte long number in hexadecimal format that" << endl;
			cout << "  describes the four color channels ([alpha,] red, green and blue). These look like this:" << endl;
			cout << "  0x80fe10a4 (the '0x' is optional). You often find colors in this format in the context of HTML and" << endl;
			cout << "  web design, and there are many online tools to convert from familiar names to this format. These" << endl;
			cout << "  tools might give you numbers starting with '#', in that case you can just remove the leading '#'." << endl;
			cout << "  You should be able to find online tools by searching for \"color to hex\" or something similar." << endl;
			cout << "  If the converter doesn't include alpha values (opacity), you can append them yourself at the start" << endl;
			cout << "  of the number. Just convert a value between 0 and 255 to its hexadecimal value before you append it." << endl;
			cout << endl;

			if (createdconsole && instream)
			{	
				string wait;
				
				cout << "Press enter to exit the program." << endl;
				if (!getline(cin, wait))
				{
					// Couldn't wait for user input, make the user close
					// the program themselves so they can see the output.
					cout << "Press Ctrl + C, Alt + F4, or click the close button to exit the program." << endl;
					Sleep(INFINITE);
				}

				FreeConsole();
			}

			fclose(outstream);
		}
	}
}

void ParseOptions()
{
	// Set default value
	opt.taskbar_appearance = ACCENT_ENABLE_BLURBEHIND;

	// Loop through command line arguments
	LPWSTR *szArglist;
	int nArgs;

	szArglist = CommandLineToArgvW(GetCommandLineW(), &nArgs);

	for (int i = 0; i < nArgs; i++)
	{
		LPWSTR arg = szArglist[i];

		if (wcscmp(arg, L"--help") == 0)
		{
			PrintHelp();
			exit(0);
		}
		else if (wcscmp(arg, L"--blur") == 0)
		{
			opt.taskbar_appearance = ACCENT_ENABLE_BLURBEHIND;
		}
		else if (wcscmp(arg, L"--opaque") == 0)
		{
			opt.taskbar_appearance = ACCENT_ENABLE_GRADIENT;
		}
		else if (wcscmp(arg, L"--transparent") == 0)
		{
			opt.taskbar_appearance = ACCENT_ENABLE_TRANSPARENTGRADIENT;
		}
		else if (wcscmp(arg, L"--tint") == 0)
		{
			// The next argument should be a color in hex format
			if (i + 1 < nArgs && wcslen(szArglist[i + 1]) > 0)
			{
				LPWSTR param = szArglist[i + 1];
				unsigned long colval = 0;
				WCHAR* stopchar;


				colval = wcstoul(param, &stopchar, 16);


				// ACCENTPOLICY.nColor expects the byte order to be ABGR,
				// fiddle some bits to make it intuitive for the user.
				opt.color =
					(colval & 0xFF000000) +
					((colval & 0x00FF0000) >> 16) +
					(colval & 0x0000FF00) +
					((colval & 0x000000FF) << 16);
			}
			else
			{
				// TODO error handling for missing value
				// Really not much to do as we don't have functional
				// output streams, and opening a window seems overkill.
			}
		}
	}

	LocalFree(szArglist);
}

#pragma endregion

#pragma region tray

#define WM_NOTIFY_TB 3141

HMENU menu;

LRESULT CALLBACK TBPROCWND(HWND hWnd, UINT message, WPARAM wParam, LPARAM lParam)
{

	switch (message)
	{
	case WM_CLOSE:
		PostQuitMessage(0);
		break;
	case WM_NOTIFY_TB:
		if (lParam == WM_LBUTTONUP)
		{
			POINT pt;
			GetCursorPos(&pt);
			SetForegroundWindow(hWnd);
			UINT tray = TrackPopupMenu(menu, TPM_RETURNCMD | TPM_RIGHTALIGN | TPM_NONOTIFY, pt.x, pt.y, 0, hWnd, NULL);
			switch (tray)
			{
			case IDM_BLUR:
				opt.taskbar_appearance = ACCENT_ENABLE_BLURBEHIND;
				break;
			case IDM_CLEAR:
				opt.taskbar_appearance = ACCENT_ENABLE_TRANSPARENTGRADIENT;
				opt.color = 0x000000;
				break;
			case IDM_EXIT:
				run = false;
				break;
			}
		}
	}
	return DefWindowProc(hWnd, message, wParam, lParam);
}

NOTIFYICONDATA Tray;

void initTray(HWND parent)
{

	Tray.cbSize = sizeof(Tray);
	Tray.hIcon = LoadIcon(GetModuleHandle(NULL), MAKEINTRESOURCE(MAINICON));
	Tray.hWnd = parent;
	wcscpy_s(Tray.szTip, L"TransparentTB");
	Tray.uCallbackMessage = WM_NOTIFY_TB;
	Tray.uFlags = NIF_ICON | NIF_TIP | NIF_MESSAGE;
	Tray.uID = 101;
	Shell_NotifyIcon(NIM_ADD, &Tray);
	Shell_NotifyIcon(NIM_SETVERSION, &Tray);
}

#pragma endregion

int WINAPI WinMain(HINSTANCE hInstance, HINSTANCE hPreInst, LPSTR pCmdLine, int nCmdShow)
{
	MSG msg; // for message translation and dispatch
	HMENU popup = LoadMenu(hInstance, MAKEINTRESOURCE(IDR_POPUP_MENU));
	menu = GetSubMenu(popup, 0);
	WNDCLASSEX wnd = { 0 };

	wnd.hInstance = hInstance;
	wnd.lpszClassName = L"TranslucentTB";
	wnd.lpfnWndProc = TBPROCWND;
	wnd.style = CS_HREDRAW | CS_VREDRAW;
	wnd.cbSize = sizeof(WNDCLASSEX);

	wnd.hIcon = LoadIcon(NULL, IDI_APPLICATION);
	wnd.hCursor = LoadCursor(NULL, IDC_ARROW);
	wnd.hbrBackground = (HBRUSH)BLACK_BRUSH;
	RegisterClassEx(&wnd);

	HWND tray_hwnd = CreateWindowEx(WS_EX_TOOLWINDOW, L"TranslucentTB", L"TrayWindow", WS_OVERLAPPEDWINDOW, 0, 0,
		400, 400, NULL, NULL, hInstance, NULL);

	initTray(tray_hwnd);
 
	ShowWindow(tray_hwnd, WM_SHOWWINDOW);
	ParseOptions(); //command line argument settings
	HWND taskbar = FindWindowW(L"Shell_TrayWnd", NULL);
	HWND secondtaskbar = FindWindow(L"Shell_SecondaryTrayWnd", NULL); // we use this for the taskbars on other monitors.
	while (run) {
		SetWindowBlur(taskbar);
		if (PeekMessage(&msg, NULL, 0, 0, PM_NOREMOVE)) {
			TranslateMessage(&msg);
			DispatchMessage(&msg);
		}
		while (secondtaskbar = FindWindowEx(0, secondtaskbar, L"Shell_SecondaryTrayWnd", L""))
		{
			SetWindowBlur(secondtaskbar);
		}
		Sleep(10);
	}
	Shell_NotifyIcon(NIM_DELETE, &Tray);
}

Someone, convert this code to Autoit

Edited May 23, 2017 by musicstashall