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Mica Material and Dark Mode
, a part of , is available on and newer operating systems.
is available on and newer operating systems.
Both modes are accessible using pre-defined variables when your dialogs contain a VistaGlass control with its GlassEnabled property set to , thus enabling Aero Glass.
Enabling Dark Mode
You may enable for all your dialogs by setting the $DARK$ pre-defined variable to TRUE. Any other value (or leaving the variable undefined) disables . You are free to switch in and out of this mode as many times as you like at runtime, before invoking the Display Dialog command for any particular dialog.
While in broad strokes this mode darkens the regions on your dialogs, the actual behavior varies greatly by platform, dialog bordering, and the specific dialog regions that have been glassified; sometimes resulting in non-translucent noise texture patterning, sometimes resulting in jet black regions, sometimes having no effect; and yet at other times resulting in plain or darkened translucency without any additional effects.
Dark Mode Platform Effects
When enabled, has the following effects:
- , dialogs with a non-bsNone border style: All regions in your dialogs render in a dark fashion with a tiled noise background texture reminescent of Acrylic, but without any translucency.
- , dialogs with a bsNone border style: The request to darken dialogs is ignored by the operating system.
- through , dialogs with a non-bsNone border style: On dialogs where the SheetOfGlass property is for the VistaGlass control (where the entire dialog is glassified), the dialog caption renders in a dark fashion (instead of a light fashion), transitioning smoothly into the main dialog body (which itself renders as non-translucent ). On dialogs where only the top of the dialog has been glassified, the glass region is rendered black without any additional effects. On dialogs where only the bottom of the dialog has been glassified, the glass region is rendered entirely translucently without any additional effects.
- through , dialogs with a bsNone border style: The request to darken dialogs is ignored by the operating system.
- , dialogs with a non-bsNone border style: On dialogs where the SheetOfGlass property is for the VistaGlass control and where $MICA$ is also TRUE, the dialog renders on a darkened background with and coloring. Where $MICA$ is FALSE, the dialog renders on a dark background with without any translucency. Finally, when the SheetOfGlass property is for the VistaGlass control and where $MICA$ is also TRUE, the glassified portions of the dialog render black. Where $MICA$ is FALSE, the glassified portions render translucently (darkened while the window has focus) without any additional effects.
- , dialogs with a bsNone border style: On dialogs where the SheetOfGlass property is for the VistaGlass control and where $MICA$ is also TRUE, the dialog renders on a black background with no other special effects. Where $MICA$ is FALSE, the request to darken dialogs is ignored by the operating system and the dialog renders using standard .
Suggested Dark Mode Implementation
For the greatest platform consistency, InstallAware recommends you enable on dialogs with a non-bsNone border style, also setting the SheetOfGlass property for the VistaGlass control; combining with where applicable.
Enabling Mica Material
You may enable for all your dialogs by setting the $MICA$ pre-defined variable to TRUE.
On Windows 11 22H2, you may also set this variable to MICA (equivalent to TRUE), DISABLE (equivalent to FALSE), AUTO (typically equivalent to TRUE), ACRYLIC (as per the typical implementation), or UNTINTED (typically heavily blurred wallpaper).
Any other value (or leaving the variable undefined) disables .
You are free to enable and disable this material as many times as you like at runtime, before invoking the Display Dialog command for any particular dialog.
Mica Material Platform Effects
When enabled, has the following effects:
- Dialogs with a non-bsNone border style: The glassified areas of your dialogs are rendered in when $DARK$ is FALSE and in when $DARK$ is TRUE.
- Dialogs with a bsNone border style: The glassified areas of your dialogs are rendered in a very light, off-white colored when $DARK$ is FALSE and in jet black without any texturing when $DARK$ is TRUE.
Suggested Mica Material Implementation
For the broadest platform consistency, InstallAware recommends you enable on dialogs with a non-bsNone border style, also setting the SheetOfGlass property for the VistaGlass control; combining with where desired.