Win 11 - My own border color ( Help area )

[argumentum]

 

These border colors are set by the app every time the window is created.
The example for this is already posted. Since this is more of an app than an example, I opened a thread here for support.

The script and compilation to .exe is the files area for download.

According to Microsoft, the possibility to set the border color is available from Windows 11 Build 22000 onwards.

Edited November 30 by argumentum

[argumentum]

FAQ / Help

Q: What does this app do ?
A: Changes the border color around other apps.

Q: How do I install this app ?
A: Make a folder and put the file(s) there. Run the app.

Q: How do I uninstall this app ?
A: Remove from TaskScheduler ( if present ), Exit the app and delete it.
   This is a portable app without an installer.

Q: Why does it ask for "Do you want to allow this app to make changes to your device" ?
A: To change the border color of an elevated window, this app needs to be elaveted too.
   Otherwise only user level apps will have a custom border.
   This does not change anything in your device, other than coloring the borders when running.

Q: How can I stop this from asking to elevate each time I use it ?
A: In the .INI file, set AskToElevate=0
   Or with the argument /DontElevate

Q: How can I have it elevate itself ?, How do I make this app load on boot ?
A: There is a menu option to set a Task Scheduler entry to run on user login. Use that.
   Each user, if more than one, will have to set this for their own enviroment.

Q: I selected the Task Scheduler but it does not elevate in it's own.
A: It will use the elevation of the user level at the time.
   To have it self elevate, the app had to be elevated at the time.

Q: What happens when I double click the try icon ?
A: It can switch alternate colors (Yes/No) when this app is elevated.
   By default it enables or disables border coloring.
   Change via the menu or INI file.

Q: What happens when I right click the try icon ?
A: It shows a menu with options to choose from.

Q: Can I hide the tray icon ?. How do I bring it back ?.
A: You can hide it from the tray menu, or with the argument /HideTrayIcon, or as default in the INI HideTrayIcon=1
   Can unhide with the argument /ShowTrayIcon, or just run it again to show/hide as default setting in the INI file.
   When you first run this app, it creates a few shortcuts ( with those entries ) and finaly the INI file.
   To recreate the shortcuts, remove the INI and the app will recreate them.

Q: Some windows don't get the border colored. Why ?
A: The elevation of this app is lower, is a child window, is a custom GUI, etc.

Q: This is not working on my device !
A: It has to be Windows 11 (22000) onwards.
  https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/api/dwmapi/ne-dwmapi-dwmwindowattribute

Q: This app say that it will not work on my OS build, but I believe it would.
A: Set SkipOsBuildCheck=1 in the INI file to skip the build check.

Q: There are more than one user on this PC. Can we have each our own settings ?
A: Open the INI file and set MultiUser=1. You can remove the other entries.
   That will keep an INI file for each user.

Q: The other user on my PC does not like this. What can I do ?
A: In the user INI file, set ExemptUser=1. Then this will not run for that user.
   Don't set mutiuser=1 is another option.

Q: Can I have my own set of icons for it ?
A: Have 2 icons in the same folder: Win11GuiSetBorderColor.ico and Win11GuiSetBorderColor_GrayScale.ico
   and the app will use those instead of the default ones.

Q: My anti-virus say that this is a virus.
A: Is not but do check on the site to campare that the hash is the same as the developer claims it shoud be.
   Those that do create viruses can impersonate a legitamte app. by just giving it the same name and icon.
   If in doubt, compile it your self. If still in doubt, don't run anything you don't trust.

Q: There is an entry in the INI called "CaptionColorToo", what is it ?
A: Is a bad idea. But if you're curious of what would changing the caption bar look like, there you have it. Again, is a bad idea.

Q: There is an entry in the INI called "WatchForGuiRedraw", what is it ?
A: Is there but not needed. Is more in case of debug than anything else.

Q: There is an entry in the INI called "LogToFile", what is it ?
A: Is for debug. If you contact the developer, that log file will be useful to determine an issue.
    It does not auto-clean up, so make sure to disable it if not needed.

Q: There is an entry in the INI called "CustomColors" and say "Don't edit manually", why ?
A: That is the list of predefined colors. When you save a custom color in the color chooser, those colors are kept in that entry.

Q: There is an entry in the INI that say "TryToLoadCount=5" and the app don't load.
A: That happens when the Task Scheduler was added from a folder and the app is loaded from another path.

Q: How much is the pro version ?
A: This is it. No "pro" version. Always free. Nonetheless donations are always welcomed.

Q: My question is not listed. Where can I ask ?
A: In the forum ( here ) at: https://www.autoitscript.com/forum/topic/212446-win-11-my-own-border-color-help-area/

---

These are all the questions I can imagine a new user of this could ask.

Edited November 14 by argumentum
v0.2411.14.1 update

[argumentum]

What's New in Version 0.2411.9.34
Cosmetics mainly:

• Set the icon grayed out if the code is busy waiting for the user and the user kept clicking the tray.
• Set the color chooser TOPMOST, to avoid getting behind another window.

[argumentum]

What's New in Version 0.2411.9.35
Added to (optionally) watch for window redraw. It catches more windows with it. But it might use more CPU. In my testing It didn't, therefore is ON by default.

Edited November 10 by argumentum

[argumentum]

What's New in Version 0.2411.9.36
Fixed: missing "ShowIcon". Have no idea when or how I removed that line of code

[argumentum]

What's New in Version 0.2411.9.37
Fixed: If Task scheduled was for a path but the app moved paths, it would fail to load.
           The parent process now waits to oversee it's success or failure, and load either way, instead of exiting believing that it should work.

[argumentum]

What's New in Version 0.2411.9.38
SHA-1:       AA15D6C911CEC5E2EC639B892DD96A5082425A1C
SHA-256:   0F7F2B14A4FBE1D998AA977BD042E7270D38146A7807A137EB6866A3491E4F8B

• Changed the tray menu a bit.
• Added hide/show tray icon.
• Added an about box.
• Use your own icon set ( optionally )
• Renamed the project to something more meaningful, I hope.

Edited November 13 by argumentum

[argumentum]

What's New in Version 0.2411.14.2
Fixed: The shortcuts would recreate on each run instead of once the first run.

What's New in Version 0.2411.14.1
Added: Reset coloring to default on exit.
Added: DClick the tray icon will optionally pause it.
Added: create default links on first run, as an aid to the command line options.

Edited November 14 by argumentum
fixed an oops

[argumentum]

What's New in Version 0.2411.14.3

Fixed: Very ugly handle leak.