Funso

Not working for me either, I get a "You seem to have the wrong version of Itunes, you need Itunes 4.5 or better" (or something alopng those lines) error. I actually have itunes 7. Had the same problem with Avetunes 5, too.

Andreas, thanks for the input. I have my code working to some degree, I can load a png into memory and draw it, not problem. But I also want to change the image, that is stretch it like a dock stretches, and I was using GDI+ like so when answering WM_PAINT prompts to get my images altered as I wanted them: case WM_PAINT: HDC hdc = BeginPaint(hWnd, &ps); OnPaint(hdc); //bunch of gdi functions to create desired image, stretch it without scaling EndPaint(hWnd, &ps); now, I understand we don't use WM_PAINT to update image, so how would you draw the image using gdi+ and then get it into the layeredwindow? Would I draw to a hdc using gdi, then store that hdc as a bitmap, and use that when preparing to UpdateLayeredWindow? I'll keep struggling with it.

Andreas, is there a tutorial where you learnt this stuff? Or did you figure it out alone from the msdn docs? All the good tutorials are for delhpi and sometimes VB, I guess C++ programmers are too busy with games. I have to use UpdateLayeredWindow? I have been using SetLayeredWindowAttributes, that's not enough to be able to use the png's alpha? As I say, I can see through the png fine to items underneath the png inside my window, but cannot see through the png to the desktop below it. I tried something like your code, but I cannot get it to work, though that is most likely my mistake, and I'll struggle on with it.

Thanks for the reply. I have used layered windows before, but I found that my png's which featured transparency of some sort didn't work(for example a bar png was semi-transparent, to appear like a glass bar, and while the layered window would remove the part of the window which was not touched at all by the image being drawn, the png itself was completely opaque unless I changed the transparency of the layered window). In other words, the layered window didn;t seem to support the png's transparency, but a general overall transparency set for the layered window. This is the bit I am frustrated with, so I wantd to ask for other options on creating these windows which support png transparency while also allowing shaped windows. I'll figure it out, I guess.

Hi. I am a C++ programmer, have been for a long long time. I have spent the last few years working with direct3d and opengl, and recently I decided to work on an app which is similar to a dock, (not the same functionaltiy, but an app which has no apparent window, who's shape changes upon mouseover) as a challange to myself, and a new direction. However, I am a little lost as to where to start with this. I know GDI+ a little, and the basics of the Windows API. But I am not sure how to get that look the dock requiers (no visible window, just the transparent png files painted as though they are sat upon the desktop). I can do dynamically changing shapes based upon the mouse, it's just this sat on the desktop without a window thing I am not sure about. Could anyone give me some pointers, or a link to advice which could help me with this? I Would appreciate any help.