Per-Pixel Alpha Transparency and PNG support - just a taste of things to come.

Note how you can see through the borders of WorkShelf - just like in Aero!

If you want, you can also make the shelf background semi-transparent while all the icons and text remain opaque - you can do this even with older themes.

By the way, the theme on the screenshot is just a test theme, of course - not a production one.

Gimmie gimmie gimmie!

That looks fantastic! How is the CPU and mem use?

Is that NEXUS I see in the background? Oops, my mistake.

Looks great...as always.

Normal as always... Of course, how fast this is really depends on your graphics card (i.e.; if the layered window is hardware accelerated or not). Modern graphic cards should not even blink.



Ahah. Not yet, but it will be. Let me get this GDI+ stuff out of the way first.

Awesome! Will the modules be using the same system? I want to make smooth cornered modules! I'm looking forward to trying that out

Yes, and modules are done too! The whole of WorkShelf is now PNG and per-pixel alpha aware. Expect a alpha release announcement in the Beta Discussion forum very soon now (or get in touch with me at support@winstep.net for faster results ).

I have read your article on email, so I have sent you a message through the forum instead

Now have a look at this:

Did the modules in a just a few hours tonight - that's how easy
it is to skin WorkShelf.

Good thing I got my hands 'dirty' too, enabled me to find and fix
a couple of nasty bugs. Nothing like taking a dose of your own
medicine.

Awesome! I especially like the weather module. You can have the weather icons with their own drop shadows? That looks cool.

Absolutely beautiful! I really want this badly! How soon? Thanks.

Very soon now, I guess. Workshelf's PNG file and per-pixel alpha support is pretty much complete, so maybe I'll release an Alpha build for registered Winstep users only (check the restricted Beta forum often for news from now own). I don't think I'll be able to release a public beta until NextSTART also supports per pixel alpha transparency.

This is a transition period, and its timing is critical - something which is getting on my nerves!

Those of us who do not use Winstep get left out? I've been waiting for the per-pixel thing for..... never mind.

Maybe it is time to go with ObjectDock. Hate to but....

Heh? Not so fast, hehe! Winstep is the company name. By Winstep
registered users I mean people who registered NextSTART and/or
WorkShelf. That, as far as I know, includes YOU!

Ok, here is another screenshot (just did the shelf in the mean time).

Note that I'm not a skinner, this is for demonstration purposes only -mostly I took bits and pieces from all over the place and 'glued' them
together to make the Aero theme. I'm also not happy with the meters
and with the Email module. [EDIT] Picture has been updated, I like the email module now.

Anyway, here it is:

Where? WHERE???

I've been lucky enough to test the new features and have put this together fairly quickly (based on a theme I'm slowly putting together for my wife).



My system isn't recent enough to handle WindowBlinds' alpha features (:(), but can handle WinStep's new PNG support. I've been really pleased with the fact that my system hasn't died trying to run it . Actually, I've seen no change in the way WorkShelf runs when using the PNGs.

I really do need a new graphics card...