The "Bring Back Translucent Menus" Thread

[TheSpaz]

Ditto here. I wanted the same thing. So I used a workaround and not that difficult at all. After doing all the steps above, select one or few desktop pictures you like and then modify by putting a rectangle on top. For example, I used photoshop elements (or any other photo editing tool u may have) and for 1680x1050 monitor (and appropriate file), I added a 0.7 cm wide rectangle and it perfectly covers the menu bar. After that, use the drop bucket to paint with the desired color shade and transparency ( I could not set the gradient yet; dont know exactly how to do it; i am new to photoediting) and there you have it.

Very nice looking menu bar with transparent drop down menus.

That seems like a lot of work. You could just open the Terminal and paste:

sudo defaults write /System/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.apple.WindowServer 'EnvironmentVariables' -dict 'CI_NO_BACKGROUND_IMAGE' 1

And Restart.

Done, next. ;-)

Edit: If you want a slightly grey menu bar so it's not as harsh on your eyes, just do this:

sudo defaults write /System/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.apple.WindowServer 'EnvironmentVariables' -dict 'CI_NO_BACKGROUND_IMAGE' 0.62

 

[siorai]

OK, having a bit of a problem here. The other night I decided to format/reinstall my system. Since I had recently switched to Mac, I was trying out various program and whatnot and just wanted a fresh start now that I know basically what I want installed. The install went fine, but now I'm back to enabling the translucent menus. This is what I'm seeing:

I followed the exact same directions (posted by richthomas on page 8) that I used last time. Last time it worked perfectly. This time as you can see, I'm left with a partial translucency.

Any ideas of what might have went wrong?

 

[richard.mac]

siorai your translucency looks fine to me. it definitely doesnt look like the 10.5.2 menus which are almost opaque. heres a screenshot of my menus which ive tried to make as similar as possible as your screenshot.

 

[siorai]

Maybe I just never noticed it before, but now it seems like it's only partially translucent? Most text seems to get cut if half. I'll have to check again after work. I'm probably just being too critical.

edit: That's what I get for adjusting my monitor's settings.. The contrast was a bit too high and caused the translucency to render weirdly. I put it back to what it was and it looks great again.

 

[Fuzzy-Wan]

I found the manual method too tedious and error prone -- plus I blew the system icons like a few others here. So I've written two shell scripts to automate the process.

A few advantages:

• No need to activate the root account, or boot from an external drive (like I had to do when my first attempt screwed up HIToolbox and hosed the OS ).
  
• The cp terminal command is supposed to maintain the original permissions, owner and group of the files being replaced, which makes this a very simple process (and safer, I hope). No chmod or chown required.
  
• Unhack.sh script included to restore things to (10.5.2) normal.
  
• Best of all: It didn't blow my icons.

Disclaimer: I personally preset the permissions and ownership of the files before running the script, just to be safe. Don't try this unless you've got the chops to fix things that break. Have a bootable system backup ready if things go horribly wrong. Pray to Steve Jobs for strength ... and ask His forgiveness afterward.

OK. Unzip the attached scripts. Copy the 10.5.2 versions of HIToolbox, CoreUI and SArtFile.bin to the included "originals" subfolder (see the paths.txt file if you've lost track of those hideously long filepaths). Place Stratus Fear's files in the "replacements" subfolder. Open a Terminal, cd to the scripts folder, do

./hack.sh

then log out/in and you should be all set. Run unhack.sh to restore the more opaque menus.

I encourage Stratus and/or TheSpaz to vet the scripts and verify that they actually work before anyone else tries them...

 

[TheSpaz]

Warning: 10.5.3 will not operate if you update with this hack applied.

 

[PowerFullMac]

The transparency seems to have gone 100% in 10.5.3!

 

[macrem]

The transparency seems to have gone 100% in 10.5.3!

I saw 10.5.3 is available and came here before upgrading to find out the scoop on transparent windows before upgrading...

Are you kidding me, Apple did not listen to us?

Is there really no (option for) transparency in 10.5.3?

+ as TheSpaz indicated, the hack won't work either?

 

[PowerFullMac]

I saw 10.5.3 is available and came here before upgrading to find out the scoop on transparent windows before upgrading...

Are you kidding me, Apple did not listen to us?

Is there really no (option for) transparency in 10.5.3?

+ as TheSpaz indicated, the hack won't work either?

Definatly no option that I can see and the transparency is definatly not there, I tilted my screen just too make sure!

 

[TheSpaz]

Definatly no option that I can see and the transparency is definatly not there, I tilted my screen just too make sure!

Is the option to make the menubar transparent still there (like it was in 10.5.2)?

I think they took it away from us!!! HAHAHA!

 

[PowerFullMac]

Is the option to make the menubar transparent still there (like it was in 10.5.2)?

Where is that located, again?

 

[macrem]

Definatly no option that I can see and the transparency is definatly not there, I tilted my screen just too make sure!

What... but... that can't be... the survey. Didn't they see the survey. I even sent Apple a link to the survey. Say it isn't so. No, no, nooooo!!!

 

[ergdegdeg]

Is the option to make the menubar transparent still there (like it was in 10.5.2)?

Yes it is.

 

[macrem]

I've been searching around for more info about 10.5.3. In every forum I've seen (including Apple's) users are saying: where are the transparent menus... I liked the transparent menus better... why not use a slider... make menu transparency match with the selected menu bar transparency option... why did they take away transparency... give users a choice... etc.

Two minutes of research & its obvious that a lot of people were expecting Apple to address this issue in 10.5.3. Ubuntu is looking better and better to me.

 

[PowerFullMac]

I've been searching around for more info about 10.5.3. In every forum I've seen (including Apple's) users are saying: where are the transparent menus... I liked the transparent menus better... why not use a slider... make menu transparency match with the selected menu bar transparency option... why did they take away transparency... give users a choice... etc.

Two minutes of research & its obvious that a lot of people were expecting Apple to address this issue in 10.5.3. Ubuntu is looking better and better to me.

You cant be serious! Moving to Linux because of transparent menus!

Use this, perhaps.

 

[macrem]

You cant be serious! Moving to Linux because of transparent menus!

Use this, perhaps.

Several of us already did that right after 10.5.2 came out and also called Apple and sent requests via the Apple discussion forum asking Apple to please give us an option, even if its a hidden option like a CLI command. Then the waiting and no information, then nothing...

Hardcoding menu transparency is bad programming, its not *nix philosophy, its M$-ish. Its not only about transparent windows, its about having some control over the interface. Why would Apple go out of their way to keep people from changing some setting from the command line? They just took away a feature from Leopard and made it near impossible to change it back without a hack that theoretically could have included malicious code (however, we trust StratusFear).

In my case I'm also already using both OSes and this kind of stupid programming is a bad sign. People are downloading a hack off the internet to change menu transparency. This is a security issue too. With Ubuntu (compiz-fusion) it is very easy to add transparency to menus, for example, at any level you want and it will never be taken away. This applies to many, many things.

 

[macrem]

Just having to explain is another turn off...

I bought Leopard (and a new MBP, my third and probably last Apple laptop) with a feature that I liked and paid for that was just taken away unannounced. To get back it back, I am supposed to write and plea to Apple (which actually I did), search for other solutions/hacks, maintain a hacked system, defend my reasoning for a feature that should not have just been taken away to begin with. I explained my position on this clearly to Apple several months ago via the same link you sent and on the phone. Screw them, I have other options.

 

[PowerFullMac]

Several of us already did that right after 10.5.2 came out and also called Apple and sent requests via the Apple discussion forum asking Apple to please give us an option, even if its a hidden option like a CLI command. Then the waiting and no information, then nothing...

Hardcoding menu transparency is bad programming, its not *nix philosophy, its M$-ish. Its not only about transparent windows, its about having some control over the interface. Why would Apple go out of their way to keep people from changing some setting from the command line? They just took away a feature from Leopard and made it near impossible to change it back without a hack that theoretically could have included malicious code (however, we trust StratusFear).

In my case I'm also already using both OSes and this kind of stupid programming is a bad sign. People are downloading a hack off the internet to change menu transparency. This is a security issue too. With Ubuntu (compiz-fusion) it is very easy to add transparency to menus, for example, at any level you want and it will never be taken away. This applies to many, many things.

True, customising is very nice, but I wouldnt change OS becuase of it.

I had to hack the hell out of my iPod to put apps on it (I have 2.0 now so take that, Steve!

 

[TheSpaz]

How are we going to hack this now? The old hack doesn't work anymore.

 

[TheSpaz]

True, customising is very nice, but I wouldnt change OS becuase of it.

I had to hack the hell out of my iPod to put apps on it (I have 2.0 now so take that, Steve!

Although hacking your iPod is not illegal... downloading a private beta software is illegal... I just hope you know that.

 

[macrem]

How are we going to hack this now? The old hack doesn't work anymore.

StratusFear?

 

[richard.mac]

***She

Warning: 10.5.3 will not operate if you update with this hack applied.

How are we going to hack this now? The old hack doesn't work anymore.

so i havent installed 10.5.3 yet, should i reinstall the default files before updating?

i hope we can get the translucent menus back… i love them! StratusFear's files were from an Air, maybe if we try another type of Mac with 10.5.0 or 10.5.1?

 

[PowerFullMac]

Although hacking your iPod is not illegal... downloading a private beta software is illegal... I just hope you know that.

Maybe I am a registered developer?

Maybe I have a time machine and went forward to after the update was released and installed it!

Apple dont care who downloads their beta, anyway, its not like they are loosing money from it or anything

 

[thefunkymunky]

***She
so i havent installed 10.5.3 yet, should i reinstall the default files before updating?

i hope we can get the translucent menus back… i love them! StratusFear's files were from an Air, maybe if we try another type of Mac with 10.5.0 or 10.5.1?

Definately disable the hack BEFORE updating to 10.5.3. I didn't and 10.5.3 failed to boot (stuck at the gray Apple loading screen) On investigating the crash logs I found out it had something to do with the translucent menus. I had to Archive and Install and combo update to 10.5.3. All working OK now. But no translucent menus

 

[richard.mac]

^aight cool thanks dude. i backed up the files just in case