Very Computer

Hi All,

I have a project I'd like to take on, and I'm wondering if writing a driver
would be the best way to do it.

Basically, I need to mask parts of the screen with black, such that nothing
(not even a flicker of a pixel) is ever shown in those areas. Apps can still
occupy this space, only the black areas will cover them.

I was thinking that I could write a video driver that will sit on top of the
existing video driver, and mask out the desired areas before passing on the
calls.

Does this sound feasible? Is writing a driver the best way to do this?

Thanks!

Eric

One app that does something similar is the KEYSTONE.EXE that Geforce cards
can use to skew the desktop. Does anyone have any ideas on how this was
implemented?

What shape must your black areas have?

Quote:> Hi All,

> I have a project I'd like to take on, and I'm wondering if writing a
driver
> would be the best way to do it.

> Basically, I need to mask parts of the screen with black, such that
nothing
> (not even a flicker of a pixel) is ever shown in those areas. Apps
can still
> occupy this space, only the black areas will cover them.

> I was thinking that I could write a video driver that will sit on
top of the
> existing video driver, and mask out the desired areas before passing
on the
> calls.

> Does this sound feasible? Is writing a driver the best way to do
this?

> Thanks!

> Eric

> One app that does something similar is the KEYSTONE.EXE that Geforce
cards
> can use to skew the desktop. Does anyone have any ideas on how this
was
> implemented?

Optimally I would like to have a mask of the entire desktop, such that any
shape(s) can be made
by filling in the appropriate areas of the mask. If there was a large
performance gain I could maybe get away with using primative shapes (ovals,
squares etc.).

I accompished something like this by making a layered topmost window with a
transparency key, but this was rather slow, and certain things would still
get drawn on top of it (other topmost windows etc.)

I don't have any experience making drivers, but I ordered the DDK, and am
willing to put in the time if this is the best route to take.

Thanks again,

Eric