Bring Windows Vista's 3D Flip 3D effect to Windows XP

Unlike previous versions of Windows, the process of switching between application windows through the Alt + Tab key combination in Windows Vista takes place beautifully, based on the built-in Windows Flip 3D effect.

This effect can be described as follows : when you press Alt + Tab , immediately all current windows will be displayed as thumbnails on the desktop as well as arranged in a 3-dimensional pane as a beautiful waterfall. wobble; and when switching between them, you can know the exact function of each corresponding window. You want to once admire the beauty of Windows Flip 3D, but the computer is not "internal" enough to install Windows Vista? Don't worry, Otabu Software's TopDesk software will help you achieve this desire.

TopDesk will bring Windows XP the very attractive application window conversion effects. Not only Windows Flip 3D, TopDesk also offers promotion for users of 2 other effects, equally unique is Grid and Spatial. Retail version of TopDesk 1.4.2 with capacity of 821 KB, is provided free of charge here.

- Minimum system configuration to use TopDesk : Windows XP operating system, 800 Mhz CPU, 256 MB RAM, 16 MB graphics card compatible with DirectX 8.1.

- Recommended system configuration : Windows XP SP2 operating system, CPU 2.0 GHz or higher, 1 GB RAM or more, ATI 9800 graphics card or nVidia 6800 or higher.

In the TopDesk Windows Layout Options window that appears during the installation process, you select 1 of 3 Flip, Spatial or Grid models with the image of the transition effect shown above, then click Next.

Go to TopDesk Hot Key Options window, select the hot key to execute the type of effect selected above. As recommended, for Flip effect is Alt + Tab, and F9 for Spatial and Grid effects. Done, click Next .

In the TopDesk Performance Options window, the program allows you to adjust the performance level of the effect to best suit your machine configuration in 4 options:

- Faster, standard window image quality (uses more memory, less CPU) : fast conversion, normal image quality (taking up more memory capacity, less CPU).

- Faster, improved window image quality (uses more memory, more CPU) : quickly convert, optimize image quality (occupies a lot of memory as well as CPU).

- Slower, standard window image quality (uses less memory, less CPU): slow conversion, normal image quality (taking up less memory and CPU).

- Slower, improved window image quality (uses less memory, more CPU) : slow conversion, optimal image quality (taking up less memory, more CPU).

Ideally, you should keep the option under the Recommended settings section as recommended. Done, click Install to complete the installation.

Starting for the first time, the TopDesk icon will be on the clock tray. You right-click on it and select the Options command line to set up a few more parameters related to how to use the program or change the parameters set during the previous installation (if desired).

1 . In the dialog box that opens, in the User Input > Hot Keys tab, click the drop down button and then select 4 hotkeys corresponding to the 4 tasks: Tile All Windows (apply effects to all doors). window, default is Tab + ALT ), Tile Visible Windows (apply effects only to visible windows, default is F9 + SHIFT ), Tile Application Windows (applies only to Windows Explorer windows) and Hide Visible Windows (hide all visible windows to the original state, default is F11 ). After the effect has been activated, to move between windows, press the Tab key.

At the Floating Buttons field, the program allows users to perform the four tasks mentioned above with the mouse (instead of the hotkey) through four floating buttons above the screen. Please check the option corresponding to the floating button to enable quick activation of the most commonly used tasks.

In the Mouse Hot Spot Actions field , if you like, select a "hot spot" on any application window that when you move the mouse there, the program will automatically activate a certain task in 4 tasks Tile All Windows , Tile Visible Windows , Tile Application Windows or Hide Visible Windows . There are 8 different hotspots for you to set: Top Left (upper left corner of the window), Top Center (in the middle of the top window), Top Right (upper right corner of the window), Center Left ( in the center of the window left to the left), Center Right (center of the window is on the right side), Bottom Left ( bottom left corner of the window), Bottom Center (in the middle of the bottom window) and Bottom Right (right corner of the window below).

2 . Switch to Windows card, at Window Animation , through 2 parameters Tiling Animation and Hiding Animation , choose the most interesting animation effect that will be displayed after activating 1 of 3 Tile All Windows tasks, Tile Visible Windows or Tile Application Windows . Adjust the 2 sliders next to the display to change the display speed.

Next, in the Tiled Windows field, you can customize the parameters at 2 Performance items (presentation quality is consistent with machine configuration) and Layout (choose Flip, Spatial or Grid effect types) that I have set up during installation.

After the effect is enabled, a message will appear on each window indicating the content within that window. If you want to remove it, in Windows Titles , select None . Otherwise, leave the Show Selected option intact, then click the Choose . button under Window Title Font to select the font style shown. Next, click on the Edit . button under 3 Tile Selection Color , Title Text Color , Titleable Color to select the background color for all windows, the color of the message and the background color behind the message. message.

The Update Method section provides 8 different types of effect presentations that appear when you switch between application windows with the Tab key. Try it out sequentially to choose for yourself the most favorite one.

3 . Setup is complete, click OK to confirm.

Now use the hot key combination (or mouse) to execute the TopDesk effect to try. Impressive and fanciful no less than the effect available in Windows Vista.

Note :

- For TopDesk function to always be valid, let it start with Windows XP (keep the checkmark at the Start when Windows starts option , appear when right-clicking on TopDesk icon on the clock tray)

- You can use the Esc or F11 keys to restore all windows to a state where the effect is not yet applied.

Pham Hong Quan