Using a graphic instead of the standard window shape

[Scott Rossi]

On Monday, February 4, 2002, at 07:48  AM, Roger.E.Eller at sealedair.com 
wrote:

> I wonder...  is it possible to use a Rev command to do a snapshot of the
> desktop, but only the area that is behind the Rev application using its
> rect coordinates?  Then... import that cropped image into the 
> applications
> background, making the app appear to be invisible. Hmmm... Can a script 
> do
> this magic?

Sure, this has been before.  However, two problems have come into play 
with Mac OSX in that:
1) all windows cast live shadows on the desktop, making hidden 
application windows pretty much impossible; and
2) the live dragging of windows requires that you must A) capture the 
entire desktop at startup to use a backdrop for your window in case it 
is dragged, and B) quickly update the position of captured image as you 
drag the window around the desktop.  The result is somewhat believable 
but pretty jerky.

What is really needed here is a flexible WDEF system that works with 
OSX.  I've done some testing with Odo (a custom WDEF for Mac systems) 
which seems to indicate that it no longer works under OSX, which is not 
surprising given it was written almost 8 years ago.  But this type of 
control is something Mac developers will need to create any custom 
window shapes.  Anyone out there OSX savvy enough to write this?

Regards,

Scott Rossi
Creative Director, Tactile Media
scott at tactilemedia.com
http://www.tactilemedia.com