Okay, here's the deal.
I want to create some dynamic desktop content. So far as I can see, the only way to do that simply is to create a dynamic web page and put that on the desktop. Fine, I have a simple example doing that with javaScript doing a rollover. Unfortunately, the web page (which seems to be what you have to use) has a white background, which looks pretty shappy and stands-out on my desktop which has wallpaper on it (a graphics image).
So, I want to make the background of this HTML transparent. I can't find any way of doing this. The only thing that comes to mind is specifying a gif for the background of the page and making it an entirely transparent gif - but that doesn't seem likely.
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Instead of making the html background transparent, make the backgound of the html point to the image you are currently using for your desktop... Also consider using iframes inside your html for content because they're backgrounds can be transparent.
<html>
<head>
<title>my desktop</title>
</head>
<body bgcolor="#FFFFFF" leftmargin=0 topmargin=0 marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" background="location/of/my
content
</body>
</html>
I don't think either of these will work.
First, if I set the image of the web content on my desktop to the same as an image. Web content is places at user-defined locations on the desktop and the image behind it would use the upper-left of that web content as the origin for the image - so the image on the web page and the image on the desktop wouldn't correspond.
I tried setting the <body style...> tag, but it didn't work. I still got the same white background. It almost seems like I have to set the web content to the same color as the desktop and not use any images.
Inline Frames
Most people use inline frames in a table. It's easier to put it exactly where you want it that way.
This is the html you need:
<iframe src="initial page" height="height" width="width">
If you don't want a scrollbar in your frame, add this to the basic tag:
scrolling="no"
Or, if you always want the scrollbar to show up, put "yes" instead of "no."
If you don't want a border around it, add this:
frameborder=0 border="0"
If you want a small border, add this:
style="border: 1px solid black"
Obviously, change the size/color/type to whatever you want. The different border types are: solid, dotted, dashed, double, groove, ridge, inset, outset. It's important to leave frameborder="0" in the tag because otherwise the border will look ugly.
If you have an image as your main page background and want it to show through the inline frame, you have two options. First, you can add that image as the page background to every page, after adjusting it to the right size and making sure the edges are even with the larger image, or, you can add transparency to your frame.
To add transparency, add this to the frame tag:
allowtransparency="true"
That's all you need to do to the frame. You need to add this to <style> section of every page that will show in the frame:
body {background-color: transparent}
When you do that, the frame will have a completely transparent background. Sometimes it can be hard to read the text on your page because of this (which I found out while designing version 3). Sure, it looks great, but people will be more inclined to go to your website if they can actually read it. To have a semi-transparent background (which is what I have on version 3), you need to add opacity. Put this in your <style> section instead of the above:
body {background-color: white; filter: alpha(opacity=50)}
Change the background color to whatever color you want, and change the opacity to a number between 1 and 100.
the above is a quote from: http://innocentia.org/doma
try this:
the iframe holder:
<html>
<head>
<title> Test Document </title>
</head>
<body>
<iframe src="iframesource.html" height="400" width="400" allowtransparency="true">
</iframe>
</body>
</html>
--------------------------
the iframe source (iframesource.html):
<html>
<head>
<title>iframe document</title>
</head>
<body style="background-color: transparent">
blaablaablaablaablaablaa
blaablaablaablaablaablaa
blaablaablaablaablaablaa
blaablaablaablaablaablaa
blaablaablaablaablaablaa
</body>
</html>
georgemarian is right, there is no way to make the browser canvas transparent against the desktop. That is why you use <body background="location/of/my
Actualy, I have created active desktops for my self before... It's alot of fun and makes it a lot easier to get stuff done. I wrote one desktop background that had a form in it, so secretaries can send phone messages to people. I know we can get this going for you, It's fun.
Don't use an actual desktop background, leave it empty. Replace the background image with your html page that uses the <body background="location/of/im
The iframes will actually be where the content is.
Make sure your parent table is set to 100%
this html would be your desktop wallpaper/background
--------------------------
<html>
<head>
<title> Test Document </title>
</head>
<body background="location/of/im
<table width=100% height=100% cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0>
<tr>
<td>
<table align=center>
<tr>
<td>
<iframe src="iframesource.html" height="400" width="400" allowtransparency="true" name=iframe1 border=0></iframe>
</td>
<td>
<iframe src="iframesource2.html" height="400" width="400" allowtransparency="true" name=iframe2 border=0></iframe>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
</body>
</html>
--------------------------
the iframe source ( iframesource.html and iframesource2.html ):
--------------------------
<html>
<head>
<title>iframe document</title>
</head>
<body style="background-color: transparent">
content
</body>
</html>
I hope that makes sense.
I have a correction sorry about that and some directions for the desktop setup:
main html
--------------------------
<html>
<head>
<title> Test Document </title>
</head>
<body background="bg.jpg" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" leftmargin=0 topmargin=0 marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" style="background-color:tr
<table width=100% height=100% cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0>
<tr>
<td>
<table align=center>
<tr>
<td>
<iframe src="iframesource.html" height="400" width="400" allowtransparency="true" name=iframe1 border=0 style="filter: chroma(color=ffffff)" border="0" frameborder="0"></iframe>
</td>
<td>
<iframe src="iframesource2.html" height="400" width="400" allowtransparency="true" name=iframe2 border=0 style="filter: chroma(color=ffffff)" border="0" frameborder="0"></iframe>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
</body>
</html>
--------------------------
iframe source
--------------------------
<html>
<head>
<title>iframe document</title>
</head>
<body bgcolor="#FFFFFF" style="filter: chroma(color=ffffff)">
content2
</body>
</html>
--------------------------
setup the wallpaper
--------------------------
1. right click on the desktop
2. click "propertie"s
3. select the "desktop" tab
4. set the background to none
5. click "apply"
6. click "customize desktop"
7. select the "web" tab
8. click "new"
9. "browse" for your file
10. click "ok"
11. do not check "Lock desktop items"
12. click "ok" for the customization porperties
13. click "ok/apply" for the desktop properties
At this point your html document will appear in a small box on your desktop then you need to:
1. move your mouse over the top border of the html box
2. a menu bar will appear, click the down arrow on the left side
3. a drop down menu will appear, click "Cover desktop"
That's it...
Finally. Sorry it took so long.
This question is taking some bizarre turns!
If the question is can I have a web page cover my "entire" desktop? Absolutely.
If the question is can I have a transparent background within the browser canvas? Then no.
If you're happy with having the full desktop as a web page - then you don't need transparency, iframes, or any other scripting. As has been pointed out - just maximiaze the desktop browser.
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by: seanpowellPosted on 2003-11-02 at 20:36:26ID: 9668725
I don't think you're going to be able to do this - but it's a nice idea. (Unless you want to buy a MAC)