Abstract: Systems and methods for managing window transparency for a computer display, making windows wholly transparent or semi-transparent, on a window-by-window basis. Window transparency is triggered by monitoring messages exchanged between a program and an operating system, or by a user action. Upon detection of a first message indicating that a window of the display should be transparent, a layered display mode for the window is initiated. Upon detection of a second message indicating that the window should no longer be transparent, the layered display mode for the window is terminated. The layered mode can be controlled by the operating system or by a graphics processor.

Abstract: A first process executing in a computer system creates thread-level message hooks within a second process executing in the computer system. A copy of a global notification hook of the first process is created in the second process. The copy detects a triggering message passed to or from a thread of the second process and determines when and whether to activate a thread-level message hook within the second process; the thread-level message hook is configured to monitor subsequent messages passed to or from the thread of the second process and may take various actions in response to any such messages.

Abstract: Disclosed is a unitary cowl top ventilation component for a motor vehicle. The component includes structural and elastomeric portions molded into a single unitary body. Also disclosed are methods for malting the component.

Abstract: A direct access driver solves limitations of DirectX operation under the Microsoft architecture when using multiple monitors. The direct access driver allows applications employing DirectX application program interfaces to use hardware acceleration without display errors on the monitors. Display errors can occur if multiple frame buffer addresses are returned in response to “GetFrameBufferAddress” DirectX calls. A single address is returned for two or more frame buffers on a display driver card by performing, without the DirectX application's knowledge, background operations that track hardware acceleration demands from two or more graphic user interfaces and frame buffers. The background operations entail constantly changing the frame buffer pointers relative to the location of offscreen DirectX application data, while one or more DirectX applications are moved in the display space from monitor to monitor.

Abstract: A first process executing in a computer system creates thread-level message hooks within a second process executing in the computer system. A copy of a global notification hook of the first process is created in the second process. The copy detects a triggering message passed to or from a thread of the second process and determines when and whether to activate a thread-level message hook within the second process; the thread-level message hook is configured to monitor subsequent messages passed to or from the thread of the second process and may take various actions in response to any such messages.

Abstract: A direct access driver solves limitations of DirectX operation under the Microsoft architecture when using multiple monitors. The direct access driver allows applications employing DirectX application program interfaces to use hardware acceleration without display errors on the monitors. Display errors can occur if multiple frame buffer addresses are returned in response to “GetFrameBufferAddress” DirectX calls. This invention returns a single address for two or more frame buffers on a display driver card by performing, without the DirectX application's knowledge, background operations that track hardware acceleration demands from two or more graphic user interfaces and frame buffers. The background operations entail constantly changing the frame buffer pointers relative to the location of offscreen DirectX application data, while one or more DirectX applications are moved in the display space from monitor to monitor.

Abstract: Systems and methods for managing window transparency for a computer display, making windows wholly transparent or semi-transparent, on a window-by-window basis. Window transparency is triggered by monitoring messages exchanged between a program and an operating system, or by a user action. Upon detection of a first message indicating that a window of the display should be transparent, a layered display mode for the window is initiated. Upon detection of a second message indicating that the window should no longer be transparent, the layered display mode for the window is terminated. The layered mode can be controlled by the operating system or by a graphics processor.

Abstract: A multi-monitor computer system (10) includes a configuration address space (40) for software driven initialization and configuration. A monitor synchronization method (50) of this invention includes temporarily remapping multiple graphics chips (14, 18) to a same base address (46) so that attempts to write to a memory mapped register on one of the graphics chips, also writes the same register on the other graphics chips. Once the addresses are remapped, writing chip enabling data to an enabling register on one of the graphics chips causes enabling data to be written to all graphics chips at the same time, thereby synchronizing the vertical and horizontal sync signals generated by the graphics chips. Finally, remapping the graphics chips to their original base memory addresses allows the computer system to resume selective addressing of the graphics chips, which now provide synchronized vertical and horizontal sync signals to their respective monitors.

Abstract: A desktop manager application (20) manages graphical object creation, repositioning, resizing and related object placement functions in the context of a multi-monitor or other enhanced desktop environment. In a preferred implementation, the program manager (20) manages multi-pass window creation by allowing a graphical user interface operating system (16) to fill in a window structure in a hidden form and thereafter analyzing the window's coordinates relative to selected display criteria such as avoiding monitor splits. Based on this analysis, the program manager (20) selectively repositions the window under consideration in accordance with the display criteria. The program manager (20) thus provides a more user friendly interface between a GUI operating system (16) and applications in the enhanced desktop environment.