The way this is usually done is using transparent background. The window as managed by the system is still rectangular, but some parts of it (eg. the corners of the square for a round window (Shades of Jeremy:)) are specified as being transparent, so the user perceives a round window.

However, for this to work, the underlying windowing system has to support the transparent background concept. This didn't become available on Win32 until Win2K or later. I'm not sure about X and others, but I think the Mac had this ages since.

Then it's a case of does the windowing API (Tk etc.) you are using expose this. Often 'advanced features' of the underlying systems are not exposed by cross-platform toolkits unless that feature is available on all the supported platforms.

You have some reading to do I think:)


Examine what is said, not who speaks.
"Efficiency is intelligent laziness." -David Dunham
"When I'm working on a problem, I never think about beauty. I think only how to solve the problem. But when I have finished, if the solution is not beautiful, I know it is wrong." -Richard Buckminster Fuller
If I understand your problem, I can solve it! Of course, the same can be said for you.


In reply to Re: Non-rectangular mainwindow by BrowserUk
in thread Non-rectangular mainwindow by sweetblood

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