When is Transparent Not
So I was checking out (by accident) all this stuff with the transparent menu bar. I tried a bunch of different backgrounds and sure enough you can see right through the bar and see any background.
Or is it? Look at the picture below. I know I’m no mental giant, but can you see the application icons through the menu bar? I can’t. So obviously the menu bar is transparent sometimes. However sometimes it’s not.
Maybe somewhat smarter than me can tell me why. Go ahead and use the comments.
My question is how did you get the icons to “hide” behind the menu bar at all. For me, the menu bar is “transparent” only as to my desktop picture. All windows and icons come up to the edge of the menu bar only, but will not pass “behind” the menu bar. It is as if the menu bar is “solid” and prevents the windows and icons from passing “over” or “under” the menu bar.
Comment by Mark — November 10, 2007 @ 11:14 pm
Although desktop pictures cover the entire screen (they are installed before the Finder). Finder’s working/display area for windows – and icons are in windows – is everything below the menu bar. Therefore the icons or any other window for that matter appear to be cut off.
Comment by Tony Sharman — November 11, 2007 @ 4:31 am
My menu bar on my MacBook is transparent but the Menu bar on my G5 is opaque just like Tiger and the Apple logo is gray instead of black.
I googled this and found a few people saying it’s due to the video card.
Any thoughts on that one?
Comment by Jim Felder — November 11, 2007 @ 6:59 am
Tony great, I love learning stuff. Mark, I have no idea, they just do that . Jim yes I know that Apple made a few of the more “eye Candy” things not visible depending hardware on different Macs. So I’d say it is likely the video card. Thank for the good comments.
Comment by Administrator — November 11, 2007 @ 7:42 am
Tony’s comments appear to offer the “technical” reason behind my observation, which again leads me to wonder why Victor’s icons seem to partially hide behind the menu bar.
Comment by Mark — November 11, 2007 @ 8:40 am
Tony is spot on, your icon has fallen of the edge of the world
Personally I hate the transparency, I design my own backgrounds and the menu bar turns red into pink! Dont get me wrong im down with pink but not when I create red. Grrrrrrr
Comment by Simon — November 11, 2007 @ 10:04 am
Mark, you can indeed place your icons anyplace on the desktop, look at your “show view options” my “arrange by” is “none” in the drop down menu
Comment by Simon — November 11, 2007 @ 10:07 am
Simon: Ah, “none” is not an apparent option until you drill down a bit. I found it and indeed I can hide a portion of my icons behind the menu bar as shown in Victor’s example.
Comment by Mark — November 11, 2007 @ 10:51 am
Great discussion all. w00t to all of you intelligent people. I learn so much from all of you.
Comment by Administrator — November 11, 2007 @ 1:21 pm