Changing batmeter.dll in Vista to look like Mac

[zkvvoob]

Hello, guys,

I've found the battery tray icons that Mac OS uses and I'd very much like to have them in my Vista. But there are several problems:

- in Mac, there seem to be fewer icons than in Vista;

- the bmp file in batmeter.dll is with black background, while the Mac icons are also black.

So, could anyone help me and mod the files (attached) so that one can enjoy a Mac-like battery meter?

Thanks a lot for the help!!!

battery_vista.bmp

[Phoshi]

Well, the system can tell the difference between #000000 and #000001, while your eyes can't, so the black thing is an easy fix.

As for the numbers, just repeat the icons?

[zkvvoob]

I didn't quite get it: you suggest that I copy the Mac icons over the Vista ones and no meter if I can see their borders, the system should be able to display them?

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EDIT: Well, anyway, here's what I've come up with (see the attachment). The problem is that I can't replace the bitmap in batmeter.dll, because Resource Hacker say there's an "access violation at address 00402791...".

Could anyone do the replacing for me and send me the compiled dll? Or perhaps give me another idea how to get the work done?

Thanks!

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EDIT2: Unfortunately, simply changing the images in the bitmaps didn't do the trick (see the screenshots). Anyone has better ideas? Please?

battery_mac_16.bmp

battery_mac_20.bmp

[Phoshi]

No, I mean just shift the colours 1 up, because assuming Vista uses the black as transparency, it won't use #000001 as transparent, and nor will your eyes think it less black

No experience with reshacker, though, sorry

[zkvvoob]

No, I mean just shift the colours 1 up, because assuming Vista uses the black as transparency, it won't use #000001 as transparent, and nor will your eyes think it less black

No experience with reshacker, though, sorry

Obviously, there's something wrong with black being the "transparent" colour, as it appears behind the new icons (check the screenshots in my previous post).

Judging from the shape on the shots, I guess Vista would not accept a horizontal battery icons. So if anyone has better skills modding dlls, please let me know, I could help with the graphic part.

[matonga]

Hi, I examined the bitmap toroughly and found something really interesting:

This bitmap has 32 bits per pixel. The alpha channel is used here. Yeah. Something really strange coming from Microsoft.

So, instead of debating about using #000000 or #000001, it is a matter of using #00000000 or #FF000000

Macromedia Flash MX 2004 can export 32 bits per pixel bitmaps (.bmp files) with alpha information. XnView can do that in recent versions too.

So it is just a matter of reassembling battery.png into battery_vista.bmp by using either Macromedia Flash, or XnView, or whatever able to export 32-bit .bmp files.

[Phoshi]

Alpha channel? Oh god, MS, Why? :S

[zkvvoob]

I used Photoshop to compile the bmp. Can't it use alpha channel?

But there's still the issue of the icon being horizontal, while the spot remains vertial.

[Phoshi]

Rotate by 90 degrees? :3

[zkvvoob]

Haha, well, this is easy, but then it wouldn't look like real Mac. Is there no other option? I can't believe noone is actually interested in the matter. I mean, there are numerous communities like this one, dedicated to Mac-like customization and noone even bothers with such apparent things like the status bar icons...

[devilkilz]

i dont know if you still want this but someone has made it.

[Here]