Making a black backround

Scripting Forums AppleScript | Mac OS X
#1

Hey guys, is it possible to make it so theres nothing behind a window but a black colour.

Im trying to make it so when my alarm is set off the only thing a theft can see if a black and white flashing backround and a login box, I have looked around but cant find a way to do such a thing.

#2

Edit: Sorry - my mistake - I thought we were in the AppleScript Studio/xCode forum - this of course will only work in AppleScript Studio, sorry …

Hi semaja2,

don’t think this is possible with pure AppleScript. Here’s how to whith a little help from Objective-C:

add a new file of type ‘Objective C’ class to your project, called ‘blackback’ (for example)

edit the two new files ‘blackback.h’ and ‘blackback.m’ so that they look like so:

blackback.h:

#import <Cocoa/Cocoa.h>

@interface blackback : NSObject {}
+(NSWindow *)makeBlackBackgroundWindow;

@end

blackback.m:

#import "blackback.h"

@implementation blackback
+(NSWindow *)makeBlackBackgroundWindow{
	NSAutoreleasePool *pool = [[NSAutoreleasePool alloc] init];
	NSWindow *fullscreen = [[NSWindow alloc]
	initWithContentRect:[[NSScreen mainScreen] frame]
			  styleMask:NSBorderlessWindowMask
				backing:NSBackingStoreBuffered
				  defer:NO];
	[fullscreen setBackgroundColor:[NSColor blackColor]];
	[fullscreen retain];
	[pool release];
	return fullscreen;
}
@end

then you cann call it from your applescript like so:

	set blackBack to call method "makeBlackBackgroundWindow" of class "blackback"
	call method "makeKeyAndOrderFront:" of blackBack with parameter null
	call method "makeKeyAndOrderFront:" of window "main" with parameter null
	-- do whatever you want ...
	-- and hide or close the black one if it is no longer needed:
	set visible of blackBack to false

Hope that helps,

Dominik

Note: this won’t hide the menu - and won’t black a second monitor/screen - tell me if you need to solve this …

#3

being able to hide the menu bar could be very useful, how much work would it be to do that?

#4

hi semaja2,

here’s how to (AppleScript Studio only of course …)

hide:

	call method "setMenuBarVisible:" of class "NSMenu" with parameter 0

show:

	call method "setMenuBarVisible:" of class "NSMenu" with parameter 1
#5

Is there anyway to make sure the password dialog doesnt get hidden by the blackback, like if i accidently click on the black backround the password screen disappears behind it unless i alt+tab back.

also is there any way i could put a image on the backround? maybe being able to make it look like it is still the desktop but not the actual desktop

#6

Hi semaja,

easiest solution for this is probably to use a panel instead of a window (‘dispaly panel …’ instead of ‘call method “makeKeyAndOrderFront:” of window “main” with parameter null’ in the applescript above)

it is … here’s the code:

add in the blackback.h file:


+(NSWindow *)fullscreenWindowWithPictureFromPath:(NSString *)thePicPath;

and in the blackback.m file:


+(NSWindow *)fullscreenWindowWithPictureFromPath:(NSString *)thePicPath{
	NSAutoreleasePool *pool = [[NSAutoreleasePool alloc] init];
	NSURL *picURL = [[NSURL alloc] initFileURLWithPath:thePicPath];
	NSImage *theBackgroundPic = [[NSImage alloc] initWithContentsOfURL:picURL];
	
	NSWindow *fullscreen = [[NSWindow alloc]
	initWithContentRect:[[NSScreen mainScreen] frame]
			  styleMask:NSBorderlessWindowMask
				backing:NSBackingStoreBuffered
				  defer:NO];
	NSSize winSize = [fullscreen frame].size;
	NSImageView *img = [[NSImageView alloc] initWithFrame:NSMakeRect( 0.0, 0.0, winSize.width,winSize.height )];
	[fullscreen setContentView:img];
	[img setImageScaling:NSScaleToFit];
	[img setImage:theBackgroundPic];
	[fullscreen retain];
	[pool release];
	return fullscreen;
}

and replace in the applescript:

	set blackBack to call method "fullscreenWindowWithPictureFromPath:" of class "blackback" with parameter thePOSIXpic

where thePOSIXpic is a POSIX style path to a picture. The Picture will be stretched to fill the screen if needed …

D.

#7

What do you mean by display panel, what i have is a nib file which contains a window called main which has all the dialog in it

#8

Since I don’t know your application I thought it might be possible to separate the login dialog from your main window and put it in a panel. I f this is not possible/wanted then things are a little bit more complicated.
Maybe you can tell me some more details about your application and this dialog - then I’ll try to help you. In cas you don’t want to discuss details about your project here feel free to pm or eMail me …

Dominik

#9

I sent you a PM a while ago but dont know if you recieved so i sent you email just now, but for anyone else the source code it available on semaja2.net under the MultiAlarm tab