Transparent Black Over Desktop Area

[NassauSky]

Trying to make a small app that makes my laptop screen darker as I'm watching TV at night. The built-in brightness controls doesn't make the screen dark enough.

One thought is a transparent box over the bottom left corner of my desktop in front of where I normally start my streaming TV app.

 

Thing is the regular transparency effect makes it lighter. See this example: Hoping there is a way to maybe put a black transparent mask over it or any other tricks that might do the job

 

#include <ButtonConstants.au3>
#include <GUIConstantsEx.au3>
#include <WindowsConstants.au3>

$Form1 = GUICreate("Form1", 615, 437, 192, 124)
GUISetBkColor(0x000000)
$click = GUICtrlCreateButton("Click To Test Trans for 3 secs", 224, 80, 241, 121)
GUISetState(@SW_SHOW)

While 1
    $nMsg = GUIGetMsg()
    Switch $nMsg
        Case $GUI_EVENT_CLOSE
            Exit

        Case $click
            $pos = WinGetPos("Form1", "")
            GUICreate("", $pos[2], $pos[3], $pos[0], $pos[1], $WS_DISABLED)
            GUISetState(@SW_SHOW)
            WinSetTrans("", "", 200)
            Sleep(3000)
            GUIDelete(WinGetHandle("", ""))
    EndSwitch
WEnd

 

[ioa747]

Try this if OK ?   Win close from taskbar

#include <WindowsConstants.au3>
#include <GUIConstantsEx.au3>

$ghost_gui = GUICreate("ghost_gui", 615, 437, 192, 124, $WS_POPUP, $WS_EX_TOPMOST)
GUISetBkColor("0x0D1117")     ; $COLOR
WinSetTrans($ghost_gui, "", 80)
GUISetState(@SW_SHOW, $ghost_gui)

; Loop until the user exits.
While 1
    Switch GUIGetMsg()
        Case $GUI_EVENT_CLOSE
            ExitLoop

    EndSwitch
WEnd

 

[NassauSky]

@ioa747Jackpot! Thanks

[ioa747]

[SOLVE-SMART]

Hi @NassauSky,

I extended the code change of @ioa747 just a bit more:

#include-once
#include <WindowsConstants.au3>

Global Const $iGuiCloseFlag = -3
Global Const $hGui = GUICreate('ghost_gui', 615, 437, 192, 124, $WS_POPUP, $WS_EX_TOPMOST + $WS_EX_TRANSPARENT)

GUISetBkColor('0x0D1117')
WinSetTrans($hGui, '', 80)
GUISetState(@SW_SHOW, $hGui)

While True
    Switch GUIGetMsg()
        Case $iGuiCloseFlag
            ExitLoop
    EndSwitch
WEnd

➕ Advantage:
You can click through the transparent GUI and control your windows behind it 😀 . Before adding $WS_EX_TRANSPARENT you couldn't do that.

➖ Disadvantage:
If you want to close the transparent GUI and you have clicked somewhere, you have to get the focus back to your transparent GUI, by the taskbar or the TaskView button for example.

Best regards
Sven

________________
Stay innovative!

[TheDcoder]

I know that I'm not helping with the script but I'm curious, why not just decrease the brightness of the screen?

Edit: I was stupid and didn't read this

8 hours ago, NassauSky said:

The built-in brightness controls doesn't make the screen dark enough.

  There might already be programs out there which can do this for you, perhaps they might be a better option.

 

Edited January 5, 2023 by TheDcoder

[ioa747]

@NassauSky  take a look 

 

[argumentum]

..I use a dark theme called BIB3
Works in Win10 and 11 quite well.

Here's a small snapshot:

Am also requesting a Dark mode help file at https://www.autoitscript.com/forum/topic/209770-cssdefaultcss-in-helpfile/
I hope it takes off and we have a less painful experience in the Windows canvas 😇 

 

Edited February 25, 2023 by argumentum

[ioa747]

18 minutes ago, argumentum said:

..I use a dark theme called BIB3

Is there any reason we avoid direct links? 

[argumentum]

no, none imposed by this site that I know. I just had it for the longest time and deviantart changed a lot as a site.
Then again by now there may be a better version, or your search leads you to something different.

<Rant> these ppl at deviantart they now have this "watchers only" that Ggrrr...</rant>