- 1 year ago
Draw on Windows 10 wallpaper in C++
To draw on the Windows 10 wallpaper using C++, you can leverage the Windows API and Desktop Window Manager (DWM) functionality. Here's a general approach to get you started:
Enable Desktop Composition: To draw on the wallpaper, you need to enable desktop composition, which is responsible for rendering the desktop and its contents. Ensure that the DWM is enabled on the system by checking the
DwmIsCompositionEnabled
function.Create a Transparent Window: Create a transparent, borderless window that covers the entire desktop area using the
CreateWindowEx
function. Set the window style toWS_EX_TRANSPARENT
and make the background transparent using theSetLayeredWindowAttributes
function.Capture the Desktop Window: Capture the desktop window using the
GetDC
function to obtain the device context (DC) of the desktop window.Draw on the DC: Use standard GDI or GDI+ drawing functions to draw on the desktop DC obtained in the previous step. You can draw shapes, text, images, or any other graphical elements using functions like
Rectangle
,TextOut
, orDrawImage
.Update the Window: Use the
InvalidateRect
function to notify the window that it needs to be redrawn. Handle theWM_PAINT
message in the window procedure and perform the actual drawing in response to this message.Display the Window: Show the created window using the
ShowWindow
function and enter the message loop using theGetMessage
orPeekMessage
functions to process messages.
Note that drawing directly on the wallpaper can be challenging due to the layered nature of the desktop composition and potential security restrictions. Drawing on the desktop using this approach may not persist beyond a system restart or wallpaper change. Additionally, modifying the desktop behavior can have unintended consequences and impact system stability.
It's important to thoroughly test and consider the implications of modifying the Windows desktop behavior before implementing such functionality in a production environment.