Re: 3D objects on the desktop?

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"Gary Leighton" <leightongary@xxxxxxxxxxx> spake the secret code
<1136469722.711887.104550@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> thusly:

>Using DirectX 9, is there any way to draw 3D objects onto the desktop,
>whilst still keeping all applications and windows working?
>
>For example, can I display a spinning cube on top of an Excel
>spread*** on the desktop and still use Excel?

This is not drawing 3D objects "onto the desktop", since the desktop
is the thing underneath Excel and not on top of it.

>I know that 3D DirectX apps usually run in Full Screen mode, or in a
>Window, but I'd like to avoid the need for either of these.

You can't do any graphics output in Windows without using a window
handle -- either one you've created or one another application
created.

>Alternatively, I need an approach which uses one of these methods but
>gives the illusion of no window.

You can use a window with a non-rectangular display region, but its
probably going to be really slow recalculating the region every frame.
--
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